339: Recruitment Contract

Following the coordinate guidance, the two arrived at an area on the edge of the city converted from old factory buildings.

In front of a building with a faded sign reading "Integrated Human Resources Center," the crowd was sparse but a mixed bag of characters.

Burly men, thin men with sinister gazes, sturdy women in camouflage pants, and even a few individuals with a distinct aura unlike ordinary citizens, reeking of blood... The commonality was that many wore masks, sunglasses, or, like Lu Jianchuan, simple masks covering the upper half of their faces.

Here, hiding one's face seemed to be the norm rather than the exception. For these "professionals" who might come from the black market, carry a past, or simply not want to leave any loose ends, anonymity was a basic form of self-protection.

The mask on Lu Jianchuan's face allowed him to blend into the environment perfectly. Wei Ziqing showed his true face, but in this kind of setting, it didn't seem out of place either.

The process was simple to the point of being sloppy. Behind a temporary registration desk sat several expressionless staff members. After handing over forged IDs and resumes, the other party just gave them a casual glance and tossed over a form.

"Fill it out. Name, contact information, emergency contact, Domain of expertise." The staff member's voice was devoid of emotion.

Lu Jianchuan and Wei Ziqing quickly filled it out according to their pre-memorized identity information. The contents of the form were surprisingly simple, with almost no questions involving an in-depth background check.

After filling out the form, they were guided to a nearby area temporarily partitioned off for a "physical fitness test."

The so-called test was just an old punch machine, a simple reaction speed tester, and a requirement to do high knees in place for one minute.

The standard was shockingly low; as long as one wasn't obviously frail or disabled, almost anyone could easily "reach the target."

The person in charge of the "test" was even somewhat distracted, occasionally looking down to scroll through their phone.

"Mhm, not bad, qualified. Go over there for the physical exam and sign the contract." The tester pointed to another corner without looking up.

The "physical exam" was even more perfunctory; a person in a white coat used a stethoscope to casually listen to their heartbeats, measured their blood pressure, asked a few questions about any history of major illnesses, and stamped them through.

Finally, the contract. A thick stack with tiny font. The staff member only flipped to the signature page:

"Here, here, and here—sign your name. Read the terms clearly: voluntary participation in a closed-door potential development project, compliance with the non-disclosure agreement, voluntary isolation from the outside world during training... Sign if there's no problem."

Lu Jianchuan quickly scanned a few key terms. The wording of the contract was obscure, but the gist was: voluntarily giving up communication freedom for a period of time, following the organization's arrangements, and being responsible for the consequences. The liquidated damages were ridiculously high.

The two exchanged a look and signed their aliases in the designated spots.

"Alright." The staff member collected the contracts and handed over a simple card. "The day after tomorrow at three in the afternoon, gather at the address on the back. Bring your essentials; communication tools will be collected then. No waiting for latecomers."

The whole process took less than twenty minutes, proceeding more smoothly than imagined.

After leaving the building and blending into the flow of people on the street outside, Wei Ziqing lowered his voice, his tone carrying obvious doubt: "This is... too casual. I thought there would at least be some questioning, background checks, or stricter tests... Isn't that how it goes in the movies?"

Lu Jianchuan looked straight ahead, his gaze sharp beneath the mask. "It is indeed unusually casual. Rather than recruiting 'talent,' it's more like..."

He paused, thinking of the cold terms and high liquidated damages in the contract. "Like mass-collecting 'consumables.' As long as they're basically healthy and sign the contract, they seem to have achieved their goal."

In the short time after signing, Wei Ziqing discreetly scanned the people leaving around them who were also holding gathering cards. The crowd was clearly divided:

One group had steady steps and sharp or indifferent eyes—clearly fighters, veterans, or black market types with combat experience. They remained alert to their surroundings and maintained a safe distance from each other.

The other group appeared ill at ease, with flickering gazes and movements carrying the awkwardness of ordinary people, even some trepidation—like ordinary people lured by high pay but feeling apprehensive.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

At three o'clock in the afternoon the day after tomorrow, Lu Jianchuan and Wei Ziqing arrived on time at the designated gathering point—a tarmac at a small private airport.

A medium-sized private jet was already waiting there. About twenty-odd people arrived one after another, their composition much the same as what they had observed during the signing.

After boarding, the interior decor and service in the cabin were unexpectedly "thorough." Soft seats, exquisite snacks, various drinks and liquors, and even smiling flight attendants asking for their needs. It had the air of a high-end business trip.

"The service is quite thorough." Lu Jianchuan lowered his voice, his gaze beneath the mask sweeping over the food and drinks.

"Can't afford to enjoy it." Wei Ziqing was concise, taking out his own water bottle and energy bar from his backpack.

Their caution was not unique; at least half the people in the cabin, especially those cold-faced visitors from the black market, were exceptionally careful with their diet. They either brought their own or simply closed their eyes to rest, not touching anything offered.

A few participants who looked like ordinary people were much more relaxed, excitedly enjoying the free snacks and drinks.

About half an hour later, the plane began its descent. Through the porthole, a vast, densely vegetated coastal hill area could be seen, sparsely populated. The plane finally landed on a private runway deep in the dense forest.

The group was guided off the plane and transferred to several off-road vehicles with spacious interiors and specially treated windows. After bumping along the forest roads for about twenty minutes, the view suddenly opened up.

Deep in the forest, there was actually a well-maintained clearing. In the center sat a large, pure white modern building with simple, cold lines, looking exceptionally out of place surrounded by lush greenery.

Surrounding it were high walls and faintly visible surveillance equipment.

A well-dressed man calling himself the project Coordinator appeared before the group. With a formulaic smile, he began to introduce:

"Welcome, everyone, to the 'Life Dawn' Research Park. We are an institution dedicated to cutting-edge life science research, focusing on exploring the ultimate possibilities of human potential development and healthy lifespan extension."

Leading the crowd toward the white building, his tone was full of passion:

"What you are about to participate in is a great cause that may change the future of humanity. Here, the sweat and effort you put in will be transformed into the cornerstone for promoting the progress of all mankind's well-being!

Our goal is noble—for a longer healthy lifespan, for a higher quality life experience!"

Just as the Coordinator's passionate introduction ended, a lean man with a sharp gaze and an old scar on his face suddenly spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clear doubt, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

"Wait, let me interrupt." The Scarred man took half a step forward, unceremoniously sizing up the tight security and high walls before his gaze fell back on the Coordinator's face.

"The price you're paying is top-tier even in the black market. But bringing us to this remote wilderness... just to hear you talk about a 'great cause'?"

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly sharp. "The security here is tight, but it doesn't look like a place that needs to hire people like us as bodyguards.

No potential attackers, no complex terrain to clear, and I haven't even seen a decent training ground."

His gaze swept over the few participants who were obviously ordinary people, a trace of mockery appearing at the corner of his mouth. "And look at the people you've recruited—a mixed bag. You didn't even pass up ordinary people who are clearly just here for the money..."

He stepped closer, staring intently at the Coordinator's somewhat stiff smile. "The contract said no participation in drug experiments. But I've been doing this for many years and have seen too many tricks.

Such high pay, such loose screening, bringing people to such an isolated place... Heh, someone who didn't know better would really think you're recruiting 'test subjects.' Isn't that right?"

His words were like a knife, slicing through the high-sounding packaging and pointing straight at the core contradiction. Many black market visitors and alert Martial Artists in the vicinity nodded slightly, their gazes becoming even more guarded. The few ordinary people who were looking around curiously also seemed to realize something, the excitement on their faces gradually replaced by unease.

The Coordinator's smile froze completely. He clearly hadn't expected someone to question him so directly and sharply in public. His eyes flickered for a moment as he struggled to maintain his composure and cleared his throat:

"Sir, you are overthinking things. We recruited everyone because there are naturally parts that require your professional abilities. The specific details will be explained in the subsequent orientation training.

As for security and the nature of the project, the contract terms are clear, and we strictly abide by legal and ethical boundaries. Please trust our professionalism."