Chapter 1907 - 980: Shadow Sun Seal

Work.

Why do these two simple words sound so sad? Just thinking about it almost brings tears to my eyes...

Especially when I see the face of the lantern carrier, full of amusement at others' expense, it just makes it even sadder.

"Name?"

"..."

Ji Jue remained silent for a long time, hesitating to speak, and couldn't find the words several times.

You old coot, you damn...

"What's wrong? It's just a name, there's also gender and age after that!" The lantern carrier's expression instantly became serious, "Please cooperate, newbie, this is a necessary entry procedure."

Ji Jue was so angry he burst out laughing, "Come on, man! You practically recited my citizen ID code the moment you opened your mouth, so what's with all this pretentiousness?"

The lantern carrier grinned, showing his teeth, "Hey, just going for a bit of a ceremonial vibe!"

"In a place like this? Ceremonial vibe? Are you serious?"

Ji Jue, expressionless, pointed at the cramped room, the dust-covered floor and desk, and even the cluttered shelf in the corner full of paper towels, pens, not to mention the mop, towels, and various other messy items.

This is as ceremonial as a fart!

"What's wrong with a storeroom? What's so bad about a storeroom! Having a chair and table isn't too bad, did you expect the CEO's luxury office?"

The lantern carrier in the oil painting, sitting on a luxurious sofa, didn't care, holding a wine glass with ice clinking loudly, "Learn to be grateful, understand, newbie, nowadays it's not easy to find a job. Big companies like ours, a few hundred years ago you couldn't even submit your resume...

Being a mere [Temporary Worker], you have to know your place, get it?

He shook his glass again and, after a long hint, urged impatiently, "Xiao Ji, do you think the wine will pour itself into a senior's glass?"

Come on, man?

Ji Jue had tens of thousands of question marks popping up in his head. What classic bullying plot is this? Do you think my hand can reach into your damn painting?

Even if my hand could go in, what makes you think I would pour you wine instead of giving your old self a slap?

Not interested in a bullying storyline, Ji Jue straightforwardly asked:

"Can someone else handle my onboarding?"

"Oh, you think I want to? Oh, well, I do kinda enjoy it, but you have no other choice," the lantern carrier grinned again, delighted: "Who else in the entire group do you think can actually speak like a human?"

Ji Jue was silent, turned back, looked outside the door at the dogs frequently passing by, deliberately or inadvertently peering inside, and sighed helplessly.

Indeed.

The conditions are just like this, no choice.

He looked helplessly at the image in front of him, "By the way, you wouldn't happen to be..."

"Yes, exactly!"

The lantern carrier decisively said, "From your perspective, I can indeed 'foresee' the future."

Ji Jue was momentarily stunned, "You haven't possibly..."

"Yes! I am a one-in-a-million unparalleled master! How's that, impressive right?" The lantern carrier laughed heartily, inexplicably saying, "Moreover, when did you start to have the misconception that time within the station is constant?"

Ji Jue didn't want to talk anymore.

He had no idea what nonsense he suddenly went off on.

"So, what exactly do you do?"

"A bit of everything, plugging gaps, can't really do anything properly, after all, just an image, can't exactly reach outside." The lantern carrier crossed his legs on his sofa, knocked on the old lantern on the table beside him, "As for my main job, consider it a [Dispatcher]."

"What the hell is that?"

Ji Jue frowned, unable to comprehend.

It's not that he couldn't understand the position, because, in railway operations, the arrangement of so many trains and stations needs dispatch and coordination; dispatchers exist so that the operations of numerous trains can meet demand while ensuring each train arrives at every station on time.

For a transport entity like Sky Rail, they are undeniably important.

But the problem is...

"Sky Rail has gone bankrupt and ceased operations for so many years, are there still trains to be dispatched?"

"What else?"

The lantern carrier counter-questioned, his expression turning odd, "As long as you've worked before, you'll understand; as long as you're at your workstation, there will always be work.

No penny in the salary account is for nothing, right, I don't have a salary, that's even more pitiful... By the way, you don't either, now even your social security and health insurance are cut off, talents like you who like free work are indeed rare."

"..."

Just before Ji Jue couldn't help but swear, as if foreseeing it, he smirked and switched the topic, "Although explaining my job in detail would be a hassle, simply put, I am responsible for ensuring that the time of every employee, including you — especially a [Temporary Worker] like you, is clear, straightforward, and understandable, in a state that can be perceived and comprehended.

Ensuring you don't encounter situations where you take on work for tomorrow, finish it yesterday, and discover a problem the day after tomorrow, needing to go back to the day before to fix it.

Just like right now...

The real answer was given to you half a minute ago, could you understand it back then?"

Ji Jue was stunned, frozen in place.

"Now you see, Ji Jue?"

The lantern carrier said slowly, "What's being dispatched isn't just trains, but also time. Once the continuity of time becomes an issue, it's not just that your 'brain goes into overload.' The whole station might very well explode completely."

For Ji Jue, everything happening is as it should be; for the lantern carrier beyond reality, it's like countless fragmented pieces of a jigsaw puzzle piled together.