Shen Du immediately laughed:
“Let's go that way, be careful to avoid…”
He didn't finish, but looked up at the ceiling, signaling Shang Jianyao to be careful.
Each floor of the "Living Area" is equipped with surveillance cameras, but not many, only at key intersections and indoor public places.
In comparison, whether it's the "Inner Ecological Zone" or the "Factory Zone," the number of surveillance cameras is much higher, but still far less than in the "Research Zone" and the "Management Zone."
Shang Jianyao followed Shen Du's gaze, looked at the intersection ahead, and said with a smile:
“It might not even be on.”
“That's true.” Shen Du actually agreed with Shang Jianyao's statement.
This is because similar situations are too common within the company. From time to time, it's revealed that certain equipment has been broken for a long time and can't be used, and it's just there for show.
It is said that this is related to the chaos when some surviving humans hastily retreated into the underground building when the Old World was destroyed.
Moreover, it's already New Calendar year 46, and it's very normal for some equipment to be damaged. The corresponding production lines may not have been rebuilt due to resource shortages, loss of technology, lack of data, etc., so they cannot be replaced or repaired.
“But, you still have to be careful. The company is very strict about religious matters,” Shen Du instructed, taking a flashlight and walking forward.
At the intersection, he turned off the flashlight and carefully moved along the wall to the right.
Shang Jianyao followed behind him, once again casting his gaze on the surveillance camera on the ceiling of the intersection.
There was a red dot flashing slowly.
Shang Jianyao looked at the red dot, suddenly raised his hands, pinched his cheeks, and pulled the corners of his mouth upward.
He made a face.
Then, he rubbed the facial muscles that had been poked by the flashlight and, imitating Shen Du, moved along the wall.
After a series of turns, Shen Du stopped in front of Door 35 in Zone A.
He then raised his left hand and gently knocked three times.
“New life is like the sun,” a deliberately low voice came from inside the room.
Shen Du stretched his neck forward and responded in the same low voice:
“Life is paramount.”
With a creak, the door opened, and dim yellow light flowed out, swaying gently.
“This is?” The woman who opened the door saw Shang Jianyao behind Shen Du.
She was in her thirties and had clearly undergone genetic modifications. Her eyebrows were black and straight, her nose was high and straight, and the corners of her eyes were upturned. She was both beautiful and had her own characteristics.
Shang Jianyao stepped forward and said sincerely:
“This is my first time participating.
“Uncle Shen brought me here.”
The woman's slightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed, and she said thoughtfully:
“So, you are a new member.”
She glanced left and right and moved out of the way:
“Come in quickly, don't let anyone see you.”
Seeing that the woman recognized Shang Jianyao's identity and had no further doubts, Shen Du strode into the room and turned off the flashlight.
Shang Jianyao followed behind, looked around, and took in the situation inside the room completely.
This room was much larger than the one he currently lived in, and there was a door in the innermost wall, indicating that there was an inner bedroom, a bathroom, or a small kitchen.
This reminded Shang Jianyao of his former home, indicating that the owner of this room was either a couple who were both D4 or above, or one of them had reached the D7 group leader level.
The outer room was about two and a half meters wide and nearly five meters deep. The innermost wall was lined with a wardrobe, a cabinet, and a double bed separated from these two pieces of furniture by a bedside table. The bed was placed horizontally, leaving a passageway to the inner bedroom at the foot of the bed.
Outside the bed was a small living room consisting of a chair with a backrest, a square stool, a low stool, a coffee table, a desk, and a cloth sofa.
At this time, two candles were lit on the coffee table, creating a dim yellow light. A number of people were sitting around, men and women, old and young.
Shang Jianyao didn't count carefully, but judging from the crowded appearance, he thought there were at least ten people.
“Little Shang, let's do a registration first.” The woman who opened the door took out a soft-covered notebook from somewhere.
Shang Jianyao took the pen and wrote his name on the blank page that the other party opened.
“Do you know me?” he asked with curiosity.
The woman smiled and said:
“When your parents lived here, we were barely considered neighbors.
“But, you probably don't remember me. You can call me Auntie Li.”
“Okay, Auntie Li.” Shang Jianyao was not at all polite.
“Alright, hurry up and sit down. The 'Guide' is about to start preaching.” The woman surnamed Li pointed to an empty low stool.
“Where do you sit?” Shang Jianyao asked politely.
“I can sit on the edge of the bed,” the woman surnamed Li replied with a smile.
Shang Jianyao didn't ask any more questions, walked a few steps sideways, and sat down.
After about two or three minutes, the door leading to the inner bedroom opened, and a figure walked out.
Shang Jianyao was not at all unfamiliar with this figure. It was Auntie Ren Jie, whom he had seen in the "Activity Center" in the evening, a D3-level employee serving the company's "Strategic Committee."
At this time, Ren Jie was still wearing that polyester shirt, but she had changed into gray trousers. On that beautiful face, which showed some traces of time, the expression was sacred and dignified.
She walked between the double bed and the wardrobe and cabinet, and scanned the crowd.
“Little Shang?” She spotted Shang Jianyao sitting upright at a glance.
Shang Jianyao stood up, took two steps forward, and greeted her:
“Auntie Ren, I just registered.
“Uncle Shen brought me here.”
Ren Jie's eyes flickered, as if she was thinking about something, and then she smiled:
“So that's how it is. You've already passed the inspection.”
“Sit down.”
After Shang Jianyao sat down again, she looked at everyone and said:
“Since there are new members participating, I'll just briefly introduce our cult.”
Clap clap clap, Shang Jianyao applauded enthusiastically.
Shen Du and others either turned their heads or turned sideways, looking at him with equally blank expressions.
Ren Jie had probably heard that Shang Jianyao was a rather lively person. She was stunned for a moment and laughed:
“There's no need for that. This isn't a company conference.”
She paused for two seconds, and after Shang Jianyao stopped, she said in a deep voice:
“All of us here have never left the company, never truly set foot on the surface.
“Our knowledge of the Ashlands comes only from the company's broadcasts, textbook introductions, and descriptions from surrounding 'Security Department' employees, all of which have been subject to confidentiality screening in advance.
“We don't truly understand the Ashlands, just as we have never truly seen the sky.”
Her gaze swept around and landed on Shang Jianyao's face:
“We know that after the Old World was destroyed, after a long period of chaos and strife, humanity finally rebuilt order in some areas and established a new calendar. We also know that shadows still shroud the Ashlands, and the Lands of Order are to the Chaos Zones, No Man's Lands, and various wild mountains like islands are to the sea in textbooks. Pollution, mutation, and famine are like tides, coming wave after wave, endlessly.
“The most deadly is the Mindless Disease, also known as the Beastification Disease in textbooks. To this day, we still haven't mastered its pathogenesis or transmission rules. We and the people around us may wake up one day and degenerate into true 'beasts,' unable to communicate, with only the instinct to prey.”
Ren Jie took a breath and continued:
“This is what we know, so what don't we know?
“Why the Old World was destroyed, why the new order was able to be rebuilt.
“On the Ashlands, among many humans, there is such a rumor circulating:
“Certain behaviors of the Old World angered the gods, so they were destroyed by them. The surviving people passed the test, so they were saved by them.
“Part of this rumor is true, and part of it is false.
“What's true is that there are indeed a group of gods in this world. They jointly govern the years and separately manage different months, so they are revered as the 'Year Holders.' Of course, some people also call them 'Perfected Ones,' 'Year Gods,' 'Azure Gods,' 'Savior,' 'Painters of the Past,' and 'Priests of the Present.'
“What's false is that the 'Year Holders' did not destroy the Old World because they were angered. This is just an inevitable result of normal development.
“Life is noble and sacred, but it will eventually pass away, and so will the world. It's like the old year will always come to its end, preparing to enter the new year.
“Our cult is called 'Life Sacrifice,' and we believe in the most special one among the 'Year Holders,' the 'Life Executor' who governs December. He is the end of the year, but also symbolizes the arrival of the new year. He is the ender of the Old World and the opener of the New World.”
When Ren Jie said this, except for Shang Jianyao, everyone else stretched out their arms, making a gesture of holding a baby, and gently rocking it:
“All shall return to the Life Executor.”
Their voices were low but clear, converging into one and echoing in the room.
Ren Jie looked at Shang Jianyao and continued:
“The New World has not yet arrived. Now is the stage where the gods are testing all living beings. Only by sincerely believing in the Life Executor and entrusting oneself to the Life Executor in the form of a sacrifice can one enter the New World and escape the cycle of years, obtain eternal life, and no longer suffer.”
“Praise your tolerance!” The followers once again gently shook their arms and spoke in low voices.
Shang Jianyao imitated their movements and said:
“Praise your tolerance.”
Ren Jie nodded in satisfaction and then said:
“Alright, let's officially begin the sermon.
“We, the Life Sacrifice Cult, worship life and revere death, so we value new life and funerals the most.
“Today's content is mainly about new life.”
Shang Jianyao sat upright, listening as attentively as the people around him.
Ren Jie's voice gradually softened, and her expression became more sacred:
“We should let infants sleep on their backs;
“We should let infants develop the habit of playing during the day and sleeping at night;
“We should hum songs when infants fall asleep;
“We should carefully distinguish infants' cries:
“Short, low, sometimes high, sometimes low is hunger; intense is anger; suddenly loud, very sharp, with long pauses, turning into a gentle lament, is pain…
“We should gently pat the infant's back to let him expel the air in his stomach…
“We should hold the infant's head when we hold him…
“We must breastfeed…”
Shang Jianyao's eyes gradually became dull, and his mouth was slightly open, unable to close.