The World Is One Giant Outsourcing Job

The resentment and fury rolling off the vehicle had condensed into something nearly tangible, making Ji Jue break out in a cold sweat. His face twitched. Indeed, if Brother Kunpeng’s ordeal were translated into human terms, it could only be described as a tear-jerking tragedy—the kind suffered by a melodramatic novel's doomed protagonist. Just imagine: you’re an overachieving workaholic, grinding yourself to the bone from childhood to adulthood, outlasting batch after batch of classmates, completing an integrated master’s and doctoral degree in the hottest field on the market. Finally, you become a titan of the industry, ready to step forth and conquer the world. A world-renowned enterprise hires you with an enormous compensation package, locking you into a lifetime contract. You think you’re finally about to show what you’re capable of, only to be shoved off to the mailroom, collecting a fixed salary to sign for packages and read newspapers all day. Day after day, endlessly. You watch your former colleagues who weren't nearly as good as you make names for themselves and rise through the ranks. Meanwhile, you're stuck in the mailroom with a newspaper, a cup of tea, and a cigarette, your grand ambitions stifled. A year and a half passes like this. Then, out of the blue, the boss comes rushing in, frantic: *Brother, the company's going under! Please, save the company!* By the time you folded up your newspaper and gave him a wicked sneer, whatever came out of your mouth would definitely sound nastier than what Brother Kunpeng was saying. Once Ji Jue wrapped his head around that, his head started aching. He suddenly had a feeling that he might not actually get to enjoy this meal Boss Chen was treating him to. ...Should he try to negotiate while there was still time? *Brother, for tonight's race, how about you switch vehicles and take my tricycle?* *Guaranteed win!* A win would be a win, sure, but what about face? Completely down the drain. *"Hey, did you hear? He’s the guy who won the race on a tricycle..."* If Boss Chen earned himself the title of a legendary tricycle deity, he'd probably never be able to hold his head high in the supercar community again. *Brother, I know you're anxious, but don't rush. Brother, listen to me first.* Ji Jue sighed, crouched down, and placed a hand on the hood, earnest and coaxing: *First of all, there's no denying the objective reality here. The situation is what it is, and the circumstances are what they are. *But you know the deal—Old Chen genuinely doesn't know how to drive.* *Look, even if he doesn't know how to drive, it's not like he ever neglected you, right? All this time, he never skimped on your maintenance every few months. Your condition is kept so spotless no one could fault it. Not a trace of carbon buildup in the engine, and the break-in is flawless, right?* *I know you're angry, but I promise your problem will be resolved. Looking ahead—how about I have him hire someone to take you to a professional track at least once a month?* *And in a little bit, I'll give you a full-service VIP overhaul. Guaranteed satisfaction!* The moment the words left him, sensing Brother Kunpeng's surging anger, Ji Jue hesitated. In the end, out of options, he played his trump card: *Brother, give me some face, won't you?* *...Hmph! You think I give face just because you asked?! Well... I guess it’s not entirely out of the question...* Even though it had been fuming on the verge of berserk, after grunting and sputtering for a long moment, Kunpeng astonishingly ground its teeth and caved—it really had no choice. He called me *brother*, said so many nice things, offered me a VIP overhaul, and even asked me to give him face! *Ju-just this once...* After another lengthy sputter, Kunpeng honked its horn to show solemnity and resolve: *I don't just give face to anybody! You're not allowed to do this next time!* There was no helping it; the affinity boost from Deus Ex Machina was simply absurd. Under the influence of the ability, the vast majority of creations were utterly incapable of resisting Ji Jue's commands. If Ji Jue hadn't insisted that Kunpeng carry Chen Yubo in the race, it would have gladly carried Ji Jue straight through Mount Lianhua and back! And after finishing, it would've even asked: *Did you have fun, brother? I didn't perform at my best just now; want to go for another lap together?* Even so, out of respect for its beloved mechanic big brother, Kunpeng decided to let the matter drop. Still, with lingering fury, it flicked on its high beams, glaring angrily at Chen Yubo, who was standing nearby eating watermelon off a plate. Chen Yubo looked back in utter bewilderment, his eyes as clear, silly, innocent, and trusting as ever. "What's up, Brother Ji?" "Nothing. We've 'negotiated' an agreement. Tonight's race won't be a problem at all." Ji Jue smiled, offering no further explanation. "The whole car is in great shape, nothing more needs to be modified. There's just one final step before going into the race, but I'll need your cooperation." "Huh?" While Chen Yubo was still lost in confusion, he saw Ji Jue haul over an enormous censer from behind, place it in front of Kunpeng, and hand him a lit stick of incense. "All things have spirits. Tonight, it's up to this car to help you win back your face. Bowing, paying your respects, and offering a little incense isn't asking too much, right?" "Ah? Is... is that really going to work?" Chen Yubo stood dumbfounded, struggling to comprehend. Wasn't Brother Ji an alchemical artificer? When did he pick up shamanic rituals? Yet seeing how dead serious Ji Jue looked, he hesitated for a second before taking the incense. Boss Chen might not have had many virtues, but his greatest strength was taking good advice and trusting the people he hired without question. Since he’d said he would leave everything up to Ji Jue's arrangements, he naturally wouldn't object over a trifle like this. Even when Ji Jue sternly reminded him to be pious and sincere and not just go through the motions, he followed instructions to the letter. Besides, he'd kowtowed in temples countless times; what was so bad about paying respects to his own car? "Brother Car, Brother Car, I'm counting on you tonight." Brimming with twelve hundred percent sincerity, Chen Yubo held the incense between his hands, praying earnestly, and bowed deeply toward the sports car. But before he could even straighten up, a howling gale and a roaring blast struck him square in the face! A blinding, scorching glare was practically on top of him. In that split second, the silent supercar had roared to life and surged forward, lunging several meters in an instant before screeching to a halt—stopping less than an inch from his face. The two high beams stared directly at his shocked, blank expression. The sound of the tires smoking in place was like pure mockery. "Holy crap—" Chen Yubo fell flat on his butt, utterly flabbergasted. Not even caring that he'd ruined his pants, he cried out in amazement, "It actually worked?!" "Bestowing spiritual awareness is very troublesome, and maintaining it is difficult as well," Ji Jue said coolly, adopting the solemn, aloof demeanor he had picked up from Professor Ye. "Your taste in cars is quite good, but this one has quite a temper. In the future, you'd better take it to a professional track for a couple of laps every month, or let someone drive it in races. That way, even if its spirituality isn't as potent as it is now, it can still last for many years." Seeing Young Master Chen agree without batting an eye, immediately pulling out his phone to book professional tracks and racing workshops for the latter half of the year, Kunpeng's rage and resentment finally began to dissipate. Excellent. The machine spirit rejoiced. While Young Master Chen enthusiastically snapped selfies with Kunpeng on his phone, stroking the hood while whispering sickeningly sweet compliments, Ji Jue quietly wiped a bead of cold sweat from his brow. Three million wasn't easy to earn. He had to moonlight as a relationship counselor to mediate domestic disputes on the side... "Oh, right." Ji Jue turned toward Lu Feng, who was slacking off nearby. "Brother Feng, help me install two more seatbelts on the driver's side later. Then grab a roll of plastic bags and toss them in the glove compartment." Lu Feng could understand the seatbelts, but plastic bags? Lu Feng looked baffled. "What do we need those for?" Ji Jue glanced at Kunpeng, which was holding back all its energy to give its owner a massive shock, and sighed with a shake of his head. "In case someone throws up in the car, of course." Amid polite knocks at the door, two large trucks packed with various cooking equipment pulled up to the back entrance. Carrying all kinds of fresh seafood and table wine, a team of chefs filed inside. After greeting the boss, they set up their cooking stations in the backyard. Others unloaded tables and chairs, spreading out tablecloths to set up the dining area. Never having seen such a grand spectacle, the youngest and number three ran around the backyard cheering. Mother Lu sat behind the counter, beaming as she watched them fool around. At the same time, she called Erniu to tell her to come home for the feast. If they didn't invite her and let her miss out, knowing Lu Ling’s stubborn temperament, she'd probably cry a river of tears into her pillow tonight... Seeing the lively scene, Ji Jue smiled but didn't join in. Lifting his heavy toolbox, he turned and headed for the workshop. There was still some time before dinner. Rolling up his sleeves, he took off his work gloves. Intricate matrix patterns emerged across both of his hands, glowing faintly and casting reflections against the mirror-sheen car body. Non-Offensive manifested! Then, as his fingertips swept across the surface, intricate spiritus circuits emerged on the bodywork, extending, coiling, and growing, enveloping the entire Kunpeng in an instant. Time was far too tight. The powertrain was an interconnected system; without factory-original equipment or specialized measuring instruments, tampering with it rashly would only cause problems. Besides, back when this setup was manufactured and modified, professional engineers had already racked their brains designing and evaluating it countless times according to the client's needs. There was no need to gild the lily. Apart from that, however, there was plenty of room to work magic! After using Deus Ex Machina to elevate the creation's inherent spirituality and essence, he used Fluid Alchemy to make material adjustments to the structural frame, chassis, suspension, tires, and other components. When the physical form of the material naturally gravitated toward and elevated its fundamental essence, what resulted was an enhancement that seemed almost divine! Though it was only a temporary treatment whose effects would gradually fade, it would easily last through tonight. Limited by the materials themselves, following the material enhancement, values like the strength, toughness, and hardness of the chassis would improve by another sixty percent. Combined with Ji Jue's ability to reinforce and transmutate on the fly, safety and stability were maxed out. Since he took the money, he had to ensure nothing went wrong. For the hard-won bond between him and his boss, never mind racing Mount Lianhua tonight—even if they had to charge through a mountain of blades and a sea of flames, he would carry this car across the finish line! For friendship, for Hot Blood, for victory! And for the final payout! *** Night fell, blanketed with twinkling stars. Outside Yazhou City, on Mount Lianhua, alongside the mountain highway that grew desolate once darkness crept in, vehicles from the road administration bureau were already parked at both ends. Maintenance trucks flashed their lights, and workers doing overtime carried warning cones and yellow-and-black crash barrels, setting them up along the highway alongside roadwork signs to cut off traffic from both directions. Then, as if they hadn't seen a thing, they let luxury car after luxury car bypass the cordon and drive up the mountain. The younger workers still looked on with envy at the taillights disappearing into the distance as they worked, while the older foremen had already lit their cigarettes with practiced ease, enjoying the breeze and taking the chance to spit to the side. Utterly indifferent. As everyone knew, the richer and more idle people were, the more passionate they were about pastimes with sky-high entry barriers. Over time, these people naturally coalesced into tight-knit circles. There were plenty of clubs in Yacheng, but few shared-interest groups could match the high caliber of Boss Chen's supercar club. Young, attractive, rich, idle, and owning cars that could push four to five hundred kilometers per hour—naturally, the way they played was far beyond ordinary imagination. "Actually, even though the club can get a little messy, it's pretty decent overall. Everyone comes from wealth, and they're all here to socialize. Basically no one is foolish enough to whip out pills or stuff like that. "Compared to racing, most of the time we just get together to play ball, go for drives, and get familiar with each other. If there's an opportunity to make money, we make it together. After working together for a long time, superficial friends become real friends. "Even if people argue, we part on good terms. At worst, we hang out separately later. It's rare for someone to back someone else into a corner like tonight." Boss Chen sat in the driver's seat, painstakingly trying to keep his speed up to fifty miles per hour, concentrating entirely on controlling the car. For some reason, he felt that Kunpeng was exceptionally aggressive tonight. A gentle tap on the gas and the speed easily breached a hundred, forcing him to scramble for the brakes in a panic—leaving Ji Jue in the passenger seat thoroughly dizzy. "Sigh, that bastard Mu came along and made the whole club foul and chaotic. The whole vibe changed. A lot of friends don't even want to come out anymore when they hear there's an event, and people have gotten much more distant when we bump into each other." He sighed melancholy. "If this keeps up, I'll have no choice but to hang out at yacht clubs. I don't know how to pilot an airship, so that's a pain. "Hey, Brother Ji, why aren't you saying anything? Are you feeling sick?" *No, I'm great. It's just that my fragile, impoverished heart has suffered a gazillion points of emotional damage, that's all.* Rendered speechless, Ji Jue felt like spitting a mouthful of blood right in his face. Right now, he only wanted to know how much of that three million was his hard-earned labor fee, and how much was emotional compensation... Not a single penny of this was unearned, was it?! Soon, the car pulled up to the side of the road. Amid the pitch-black mountains ahead, streetlights shone brightly, illuminating the winding road. Not far away, luxury cars that normally only appeared at auto shows were gathered together. Someone had even erected a stage, flashing lights of every color as high-energy electronic music pulsed into the air. Not only had they hired a live DJ, but waitstaff were also weaving through the crowd, carrying trays to hand out champagne... If it hadn't been in the middle of nowhere on a deserted mountain, Ji Jue would've thought he'd walked into a high-end hotel or a gala. Once people had too much money, they really knew how to have fun. As for partying like these rich second-generation heirs, Ji Jue didn't expect to do so in this lifetime—damn it, if you had the money to burn, wouldn't it be better to save up and buy a workshop core?! No matter how lively the atmosphere was, Ji Jue couldn't shake a certain feeling of detachment and distance. Clearly, everyone had two ears and two eyes, yet the sounds they wanted to hear and the world they wanted to see were completely different. "So lively," he murmured, pushing the car door open. As one of the evening's main attractions, Chen Yubo's arrival immediately drew the attention of most of the crowd. Among them, a young man wearing a shirt already drenched in alcohol, unbuttoned to reveal his pecs, grinned mockingly, an arm draped around the woman beside him. "Oh, I thought you weren't coming, Big Brother Chen." Unlike the opponent's mockery, other close friends from the club rushed over to greet him, patting his shoulders to cheer him on: "Old Chen, don't lose face for us." "Yeah, keep your chin up." "You got this, give it your all!" Surrounded by his companions' encouragement, Chen Yubo grew increasingly fired up. Ripping off his tie, no longer holding back the stifled frustration and rage pent up in his chest, he strode forward with zero hesitation, pointed straight at his opponent's nose, and roared: "Mu, you motherfucker—" Ji Jue's face twitched. Subconsciously pausing, he pulled his boss in front of his chest as a shield: he was here to pilot the car as a hired hand, not to participate in an all-out street brawl. Although, if he pulled a shotgun out of the Little Niuma following behind, he could mow down everyone present. But what would be the point? This group of young princes and princesses all came from rich and noble families; any scratch or bruise would be a massive headache. If one of them caught a punch, they'd probably cry for a week straight, and when their wealthy parents panicked over it, Ji Jue would have endless trouble on his hands. Fortunately, before fists could fly, people from both sides pulled them apart. After all, everyone had placed heavy bets. If one of them ended up in the hospital, how were they supposed to race tonight? Mu Jiang's expression darkened. His anger flared for a brief instant before he reined it in. "Chen, don't push your luck. Others might fear your family, but I sure as hell don't!" "Push my luck? You think I need your charity?" Being held back, Chen Yubo was already completely unhinged, all guns blazing: "You're just a brainless idiot who couldn't survive in Chaocheng, an outcast runner who got kicked out! What gives you the right to throw your weight around in Yacheng? You wanted to race, right? Let me tell you, if you've got too much cash burning a hole in your pocket and want to lose some, there are plenty of ways. But if you want to win? Not a damn chance!" "Good! Hell yeah!" "Well said!" "Get him!" Among the surrounding crowd, countless people grew excited, waving their hands and cheering him on. Ji Jue's eyelids twitched violently. *Damn it, where did this bunch of drama-loving instigators come from?* Did onlookers really never care about making a mess bigger? Still, having known each other for years, a few among the crowd were genuine close friends. They quietly cautioned from the side: "Old Chen, keep your cool. That guy is a little weird." "I called to ask the day before yesterday; Old Li lost for no apparent reason." "That punk might have some dirty tricks up his sleeve. Watch your back." "Don't worry, don't worry." Chen Yubo glanced back instinctively at Ji Jue nearby, his confidence instantly soaring. "I'm fully prepared. What 'God of Chaocheng'? Pure garbage! "Tonight, I'm going to make him lose down to his underwear and crawl back to Chaocheng!" His impassioned, bold declarations sparked another wave of cheers and shouts. Only Ji Jue wiped his brow, suddenly sensing a concealed fluctuation of spiritus flitting through the crowd. He turned sharply and looked toward the distance, spotting the enchanting woman beside Mu Jiang. Sensing his gaze, the woman looked over, slightly startled. In a brief moment of daze, their eyes met, and both suddenly experienced a bizarre flash of realization. *Damn, I ran into a peer!* *You're here as an outsourced hire too, aren't you?!* Unlike Ji Jue's polite smile and nod, however, the woman in the red dress had only cold darkness in her pitch-black pupils—a malicious, savage glare, like a stark warning. *Get lost. Don't get in my way!* Ji Jue's smile remained unchanged, warm and thoroughly unbothered. *Oh my, looks like I'm being threatened?* Under the flashing lights, he tilted his head slightly, a dark, indelible shadow creeping across his gentle smile. Now, this was a little... Pushing her luck.