SA Chapter 1: I Quit!
In the midst of a noisy construction site, the constant roar of jackhammers and the slicing sounds of angle grinders filled the air. This was a newly renovated apartment in Jiangcheng Hongshengyuan Community's Building No. 7. The apartment, about 100 square meters in size, seemed spacious and well-laid out. However, the beauty was lost in the chaos of the construction site, which was a world of dust and debris. Scattered tools and useless waste covered the floor, all of which needed to be carried down to the ground floor and taken out of the community.
The property management wasn't going to clean up this mess!
"Boss! It's my high school classmate’s house that’s being renovated. Can we make it a bit cheaper? You saw it last time. Normally, the renovation would cost about 120,000 yuan!" Sifan said somewhat awkwardly to his foreman.
Sifan, a graduate from the Capital Construction University, found himself in a decorating company's engineering team handling one of the most exhausting jobs—loading (carrying cement, sand, and other materials upstairs) and unloading (moving scrap materials and waste for disposal). Each trip, laden with dirt and carrying materials, felt like a death sentence, as he often had to move loads weighing around 100 to 200 kilograms.
Zhang Mingyu, the junior boss of the decorating company, looked down on Sifan with disdain. Despite being a college graduate, Sifan didn’t earn as much or have as high a status as Zhang, who hadn't even completed elementary school. This gave Zhang a perverse sense of pleasure.
"Didn't we already agree last time? 150,000 yuan, not a penny less. That guarantees quality and speed! There’s no room for negotiation. We must keep business and personal matters separate. That's the price our company quotes!" Zhang Mingyu stated righteously, looking ever so noble.
Normally, the price would be around 120,000 yuan, and with connections, even 100,000 yuan could be possible. After all, there were always slow periods in the renovation business, and overtime was money.
But of course... this was from the perspective of Zhang Mingyu, the boss.
"Boss! Can’t we just stick to the normal price of 120,000 yuan?" Sifan looked visibly upset. He was about to recommend his friend to Zhang Mingyu for the renovation, but now it seemed like a betrayal. That would certainly sour their friendship.
It’s always risky to overcharge friends as it could spoil relationships.
Zhang replied calmly, "Of course, 150,000 yuan it is. Since it’s your friend, it’s awkward to even discuss a lower price. But if you secure this deal, I'll give you a 200 yuan bonus!"
After hearing this, Sifan was furious, feeling like thousands of curses were running through his mind. A 30-50 thousand yuan markup for a 200 yuan commission? That was slick business indeed!
Burning with anger, Sifan turned to leave. Just then, Zhang Mingyu called out again, "Sifan, since Sanzi went to the hospital today, you need to take care of all the clean-up. No need for further instructions. I'll cover your lunch today."
And that was that.
What normally would be a job for four or five was already cut down to two for payroll savings. Now, it suddenly fell on Sifan alone.
These tasks, if outsourced, would cost at least a thousand yuan, yet here was Sifan doing it all for a measly daily wage of 200 yuan.
This was just an intern's salary. Absolutely unbearable.
Furious, Sifan clenched his fist, ready to punch Zhang, thinking, "Screw this, who’s afraid?"
Just then, a thick hand grabbed Sifan from behind.
"Kid, don't be rash," the elder brother of the construction team, Pang Dahai, warned him. "Zhang Mingyu’s uncle is the general manager of Jiangcheng’s most famous luxury construction firm. We get a lot of work because of that connection! Don’t hit him, or he could sue you into bankruptcy. Be careful. If I were you, I’d just refer your friend to this scoundrel, unless you want to quit and keep dealing with his dirty tricks."
The crew’s faces all looked grim; they were all too familiar with having to placate Zhang Mingyu to get by.
Zhang, enjoying his moment in the spotlight, sat back and smoked a cigarette, flicking ash disdainfully at Sifan.
Without saying another word, but feeling utterly miserable, Sifan realized he couldn’t possibly finish today’s work. This could literally kill him.
"F**k it! If this place won't keep me, there are plenty others that will! I’m a freaking Grade II building architect, I don't have to put up with this crap!" Sifan looked back at Zhang Mingyu, who had left to freeload off the snacks and drinks provided by the homeowners, intended to encourage good work.
Instead, Zhang Mingyu had compromised on quality to maximize his profit, using the cheapest materials while charging among the highest rates in Jiangcheng. The homeowners thought they were paying for quality, but little did they know.
Turning his gaze back, Sifan noticed how absurd Zhang’s makeshift seat was: four bricks with a thin piece of shoddy plywood balanced
across them as a makeshift seat.
Suddenly inspired, Sifan made a quick decision. Before leaving, he moved one of the bricks slightly out of position. As he did, he noted a particularly sharp and rusty nail protruding from a piece of discarded wood.
“This should do,” he thought, positioning the nail just so.
It was a small gesture, but one that felt deeply satisfying.
With his toolbox in hand, Sifan left the construction site, not looking back, even as Zhang Mingyu’s voice followed him out, hurling insults.
But within moments, Sifan heard a piercing scream— "Ahhh! My ass!"
Outside, Sifan couldn't help but smile slightly as he stepped into the elevator. What was the big deal about quitting? Wasn't his degree and qualifications worth far more?
As the elevator doors closed, a bizarre feeling suddenly washed over him, and Sifan felt as if he was stepping into another dimension.
"Ding! Host identified. Skynet Architect System officially activated."
"Ding! Skynet Architect System has not detected the main system of the universe, deviation in transmission location, system automatically upgraded to main system."
"Ding! Main system generated successfully. Basic renovation design function activated, architectural terminator manufacturing function activated, mission function activated... Function activation level not reached, please wait for system calibration.”
Sifan stood there, stunned, as a world of possibilities began to open before him.