Chapter 1 Countdown to Doom
It's past one o'clock in the afternoon, the sun is high, and Hangzhou seems to be placed in a huge steamer.
This year's summer in Hangzhou has been unbearably crazy. For six or seven days in a row, the temperature has stayed steadily above 40 degrees.
The hot breath is like a ferocious monster, mercilessly devouring the energy and endurance of every outdoor worker, making them miserable.
Wang Qiang graduated from college two years ago.
At that time, his heart was full of longing and expectations for the future.
He once imagined that he could quickly enter the workplace, have a smooth journey, become a full-time employee in half a year, be promoted to supervisor in one year, and be promoted to manager in two years, and then marry Bai Fumei, become a CEO that attracts everyone's attention, and embark on the road to the pinnacle of life.
However, reality was like a basin of cold water, which severely extinguished his beautiful fantasy.
When he really stepped into society, he discovered that everything was not as he expected.
He clearly remembered that during those days, he kept submitting various resumes every day and never missed any possible opportunity.
Occasionally, he would be lucky enough to enter the interview session, but after each interview, all he got was the familiar phrase "go home and wait for notification."
Then, there is a long wait, and in the end there is often no news.
Wang Qiang is a poor orphan. His parents unfortunately passed away when he was very young.
He could only grow up with his grandparents, but fate always seemed to like playing tricks on people.
In the second year after he was admitted to college, his grandparents also passed away, leaving him alone in this world.
From then on, he had no relatives to rely on.
Wang Qiang had a very difficult time in college for four years.
In order not to be dropped out of school because he could not afford the tuition, he could only make ends meet by doing odd jobs.
He thought he would find a good job after graduation and his life would get better and better from now on.
But the reality is extremely cruel. The intensity of competition in this society far exceeds his imagination.
For a fresh college student like him who has no connections and is not a graduate of a prestigious school, it is extremely difficult to find a decent job.
In desperation, Wang Qiang finally chose to become a food delivery rider.
The job of a delivery rider is notoriously hard.
Not many delivery people can stick with it for a long time.
Every day, Wang Qiang rides his electric donkey through the streets of Hangzhou.
Whether it’s windy, rainy, or scorching hot, he must deliver the takeout to the customers on time, rain or shine.
However, there is no corresponding reward for the hard work.
He can only earn two or three yuan from one takeout order.
If he is unlucky and gets a bad review from a troublesome customer, it will be like a bolt from the blue for him.
I was busy all day long and was so exhausted that I could only earn two to three hundred yuan.
Several times, Wang Qiang wanted to give up this job.
But he couldn't help asking himself, what else could he do if he wasn't a food delivery rider?
Continue to send out resumes aimlessly?
Obviously, this is not a good idea. So, he could only grit his teeth and persevere.
He thought that when he saved enough money, he would leave Hangzhou, a city that made him exhausted.
Living in Hangzhou is not easy.
Wang Qiang lives in an ordinary community with others.
His room was very small, barely enough room for a bed and a desk.
But for such a small space, the monthly rent costs 1,200 yuan.
The rooms of the other two people he shared a room with were slightly larger than his, and could barely accommodate more things, but the rent was actually 1,800 yuan, which was a full 600 yuan more expensive than his.
Sometimes, Wang Qiang can't help but envy those landlords.
In his opinion, the life of these landlords is too comfortable.
You don’t have to do anything, just collect rent easily on your mobile phone every month, and you can live a good life.
Just like the house they are renting now, the combined rent for the three tenants is 4,800 yuan, not to mention the water, electricity and gas expenses.
I heard that the landlord has three apartments in this community and several more in other communities.
Just from collecting rent, I have an income of 30,000 to 40,000 yuan every month, and my life is very comfortable.
Wang Qiang often sighs: "Whenever I can become a charterer!"
At this moment, Wang Qiang was sitting under the shade of a tree and resting.
He had just finished delivering a few takeaway orders and felt a little dizzy. He might have suffered from heat stroke.
He quickly bought a box of Huoxiang Zhengqi water from the drugstore and planned to take a rest first. Wang Qiang has been working as a delivery rider for more than a year.
In more than a year, he also saved some money on hand.
Recently, he decided to quit and return to his hometown after a while.
Although his hometown is just a small county town and is far less prosperous than Hangzhou, living there does not have to be so tiring.
By then, he can rent a store and open a canteen, and it should be no problem to support himself alone.
As for getting married?
How could a person like Wang Qiang dare to think about such a thing?
Can he afford a bride price of two to three hundred thousand?
Can he afford a house?
Having nothing, he felt that marriage was simply a luxury.
In fact, Wang Qiang had two or three girlfriends when he was in college.
Although he is poor and doesn't know anything about romance, he is handsome!
With his tall height of 187cm and his muscular body gained from working part-time jobs, he stood out among the crowd.
Every time he plays basketball, he only needs to take off his clothes to attract the attention of a lot of girls.
Therefore, during the four years of college, Wang Qiang never had a girlfriend.
Unfortunately, after graduation, he broke up with his then-girlfriend.
The other party didn't have any bad intentions, and the two of them got along well.
In the past two years, they occasionally chatted on Fetion and told each other about their current situation.
Unlike Wang Qiang, who chose to stay in Hangzhou, his ex-girlfriend returned to her hometown after graduation.
Her hometown is in the Imperial Capital. She is a native of the Imperial Capital and has several apartments at home.
After returning home, she stayed at home and occasionally took on some painting jobs online.
At the beginning of this year, I heard that she had become a small Internet celebrity, with more than 200,000 fans on Douyin.
Occasionally, I can receive small advertisements and other live broadcasts, and I can make much more money than Wang Qiang, a food delivery rider.
Maybe it's because Wang Qiang has already experienced several relationships during his four years in college, so he takes relationships very lightly.
Well...of course, the main reason is because of poverty.
After delivering food one day, when I got home at night, I was so tired that I couldn't even be bothered to move.
In this case, do you talk to him about falling in love?
How can I have that time!
Wang Qiang sat under the shade of a tree and thought for a while, feeling a little better.
He knew that it was not the time to rest yet. After all, it was just afternoon, and it was still very early before he could get off work and rest.
So, he was ready to take orders and deliver food again.
Just then, ding!
[It is detected that this doomsday event is coming, and the survival of the fittest system begins to activate...]
Wang Qiang, who had just got on the eDonkey, suddenly heard the sound in his mind and was stunned for a moment.
"Did you suffer from heatstroke and hear hallucinations?"
Wang Qiang thought subconsciously.
But the next second——
bite!
[The survival of the fittest system has been activated and the target host has been successfully bound! 】
Almost the next second the voice appeared, a red countdown number appeared in front of Wang Qiang's eyes.
"Not an auditory hallucination?!"
Wang Qiang looked at this scene in shock.
He subconsciously reached out and waved in front of him, but naturally he didn't touch anything.
"What does this countdown mean?"
Wang Qiang thought.
[This is the countdown to the doomsday event! 】
The voice just now sounded again.
(End of chapter)