Chapter 1 Civilian people, civilized souls

Parallel Worlds.

Azure Planet.

Summerland, Minuo City.

At nightfall, Hua Zhen, weary to the bone, returned to his rented abode.

Upon entering, he made straight for the bathroom, turned on the tap, and revealed his left forearm.

There, a deep bite mark was visible, still oozing blood.

Hua Zhen lathered soap over the wound, rinsed it under running water, treated it briefly with iodine, and sighed at his misfortune.

About half an hour earlier, in an attempt to take a shortcut home, Hua Zhen had passed through an alleyway.

In a corner of the alley crouched a figure, quiet until it saw Hua Zhen and then, as if possessed, lunged and bit him unexpectedly.

The assailant was strong and fierce.

Had Hua Zhen not dodged swiftly, he might well have lost a chunk of flesh from his arm.

After the bite, the attacker seemed relentless, turning to pursue him.

Its run, oblivious to kinship, was akin to a rabid stray dog!

At that moment, Hua Zhen had no heart to curse but to flee, thankful for his familiarity with the surroundings, which allowed him to shake off the pursuer quickly, avoiding further incidents.

"Who knows from which asylum that lunatic escaped."

"Better get this checked at the hospital before work tomorrow… lest it's a rabid bite."

"Such misfortune, now there's even less time to rest."

After tending to his wound, Hua Zhen retired to his room.

He glanced at his phone for the time.

The numbers were glaringly vivid.

If Hua Zhen recalled correctly, he had arrived at the project site that morning at 7:10.

Rising earlier than horses, and sleeping later than cattle.

—Less fortunate than beasts of burden.

Here lies the Azure Planet of parallel worlds.

As a traveler between worlds, Hua Zhen possessed no cheats.

Lacking extraordinary memory, he could not become a plagiarist scribe, nor did he have the artistic flair to copy songs and become a star.

He remembered many popular tunes, but alas, his voice was like a cracked gong.

Should he sing, the roosters in the neighboring village would fall silent for three days straight.

—Even the chickens would succumb to depression!

Yet, this was not the worst of it.

The direst was during his college entrance exam when Hua Zhen aimed for a top university, opting for major readjustment.

And what did he see? Civil Engineering!

As is well-known, Civil Engineering, is also dubbed the 'Birthplace of Engineers.'

A profession with ample pay, few tasks, distance from home, low in status, light in power, yet heavy in responsibility.

Even stalwarts like Tong Xuan and Ye could not withstand the ravages of Civil Engineering, giving rise to the timeless classic — "The Civil Engineering Bible."

Even after crossing worlds, Hua Zhen vividly remembered:

"They say the turnover rate in Civil Engineering is exceptionally high, many in state-owned enterprises."

"I'm a junior, and I think this major is quite good, jobs are easy to find upon graduation. Now, many other majors struggle to find work. Seeing many seniors complain about the hardships on the construction site, I think if you can't handle this bit of hardship, you won't manage in other fields either."

"Civil Engineering, a rubbish major, M."

…

This 'Bible' had once profoundly shaken Hua Zhen.

But in the spirit of seeking truth from facts (mainly for the sake of an internship certificate), he ventured to a construction site during the summer break.

Half a month later, he vanished without a trace.

Construction sites are a succession of calamities, ultimately breaking the spirit of those who labor there. Even a humble construction worker must learn to juggle roles as diverse as a customer service representative, on-site security, documentation clerk, and social companion. And when things go awry, they become the scapegoat…

In this light, my senior colleague Tong Xuan Ye's resilience is admirable, having endured for over a year.

However, when Hua Zhen hastily departed, he did not heed the advice of his online friends to flee with the red bucket in hand.

Eventually, after a year of preparation, Hua Zhen passed the civil service examination.

The good news is, he succeeded.

The bad news, his placement was in municipal engineering.

— Oh no!

It was then that Hua Zhen realized why the online community had advised fleeing with the red bucket.

Those who don't escape with the red bucket are forever bound to the construction site.

A civil service job seems appealing, a secure position.

But in civil engineering, there's no such thing as a role without overtime.

The life of a construction worker is grueling, to say the least.

Budget analysts have no hope; bidding processes can extend well beyond regular hours, with no guarantee of returning home at night.

Documentation clerks are also out of luck, constantly sought after for missing items.

Material procurement is no better, especially when tomorrow's rain threatens uncovered supplies.

Surveyors, too, find no respite, their sleep disturbed by the break of dawn.

Perhaps the most hopeful position is that of a quality inspector.

After all, there's no overtime in prison, and the routine is quite regular.

With a sigh, Hua Zhen prepared a bowl of Kangshifu pickled pepper beef noodles.

His latest project involves drainage planning for a newly designated residential area near the coastal town of Tianhe City. Fortunately, with the arrival of a recruit, he finally has time to return home.

"Choice outweighs effort… I even envy those with a 996 work schedule. No need to endure the sun or social drinking and I'm home by ten, with two hours for gaming before midnight!"

As Hua Zhen reflected, he turned on the television.

Though he doesn't watch TV, the sound serves as background music while he dines at home, reminiscent of his childhood when the family would gather around the table, the news anchor's voice emanating from the television.

Alas, now he is alone in the world.

During his high school years, his parents perished in a car accident.

The thought fills Hua Zhen with rage.

Damn it all!

He lacks all the advantages of a web novel protagonist, yet his life is perfectly scripted with tragedy.

Amigos!

After a simple meal, Hua Zhen washed up and went to bed.

Another meeting awaits at 7 a.m., but instead of sleeping, he browses short videos on his phone.

Time is the world's only impartial resource.

Whether wealthy or destitute, everyone is allotted 24 hours a day.

Not a second more, not a second less.

Most of Hua Zhen's days are consumed by work, a fact he resents. So, like wringing water from a sponge, he squeezes a couple of hours from his sleep.

Even if not for self-improvement, but for watching videos or gaming, this time is his own.

Perhaps this explains why today's youth increasingly sacrifice sleep…

While browsing, a video interview with an expert catches Hua Zhen's attention.

Host: "So this is your greatest concern?"

Expert: "Indeed, I worry about any virus, especially those akin to influenza that spread through the air. For instance, a new virus originating in Madagascar could reach Chicago within weeks."

Host: "You mean… a global outbreak? As an epidemiologist, do you fear a pandemic on a worldwide scale?"

Expert: "Not at all. Humanity has battled viruses since time immemorial, and we always emerge victorious."

Host, intrigued: "Oh? But you do consider microbes a threat."

Expert: "Yes, but not bacteria or viruses."

Host, curiously: "If not bacteria or viruses, then what?"