196: What a coincidence! Are you taking the bus too?

Although this world is prosperous in Martial Dao.

But it doesn't prevent sewage pipes from getting clogged.

Martial Artists also need to use the toilet and will clog it.

Plungers are still best-selling products.

And Shen Bei's first odd job was to follow the municipal staff to a community to deal with a clogged sewage well.

Generally speaking, this kind of project would not fall to temporary workers; it would be handled by professionals in this industry.

However, because an employee bought boneless chicken feet from an internet celebrity's live stream, got an upset stomach, and couldn't get out of bed, Shen Bei was temporarily hired from the Labor Market to act as labor.

Initially, the laborers were all very reluctant to take on this job; no one wanted to do it.

Although it was a septic truck job, the smell... was really unbearable for the nostrils.

But Shen Bei's eyes lit up; this job is great!

As long as it could activate his mental attribute, Shen Bei didn't mind the odd job at all.

This is called 'eating bitterness among bitterness, to be a person above others'.

Shen Bei grew up this way.

He was already used to it.

"Young man, let me tell you."

A middle-aged uncle driving the car, although he was the driver, also had to do other tasks.

The uncle, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, took a deep puff and continued, "Other people look down on our profession, thinking it's just a night-soil collector, losing face, even more unwelcome than crematorium employees."

"But let me tell you, a few decades ago, our profession was definitely at the top. Without us making fertilizer, they wouldn't have been able to eat their cornmeal."

"Now they despise this profession, but why didn't they mention when they used to fight fiercely over manure?"

Shen Bei: ...

Let's not bring up the past.

Times are different now.

Soon.

The uncle drove to the community.

He stopped at the sewage well.

"Here."

After getting out of the car, the uncle tossed Shen Bei an iron rod: "Open the manhole cover; I'm going to unload the equipment."

Shen Bei, carrying the crowbar, pried open the first manhole cover.

It was incredibly dry inside, without even a trace of water.

This indicated that the previous sewage well was blocked, preventing the sewage from flowing down.

At this moment, the uncle pulled over a rubber hose.

The end of the hose had a diamond-shaped iron block, similar to a drill bit.

Behind the drill bit, there was also a spray nozzle.

This was a pipe dredging machine.

Also known as a "water rat" by ordinary people.

Its main function is to use a water pump to pressurize water flow, and the drill bit sprays high-pressure water, driving the drill bit into the sewage pipe, pushing it forward, and achieving a dredging effect.

"Come on, throw it down, just aim at the pipe."

The uncle directed as he started the water pump to pressurize.

This rubber hose had obviously been used many times.

Unspeakable residue still clung to it.

Even though Shen Bei was mentally prepared and wearing gloves, he was still quite disgusted.

"This is just the beginning."

The uncle chuckled, "It's not easy to make money."

Shen Bei sniffed, slowly lowering the hose.

The water rat drill bit was dropped into the side pipe.

Shen Bei made an OK gesture.

The water pump quickly started running.

High-pressure water sprayed out, driving the drill bit into the sewer.

The uncle turned back, took the hose, and constantly pulled it back and forth, trying to adjust the position of the water rat.

"When doing this job, you need to be careful. Sometimes the water rat will get stuck against the pipe wall and can't move forward. You need to constantly pull and feel the force to make the water rat advance and thus clear the sewer."

Shen Bei gave a thumbs up: "Every profession has its Champion, I've learned something."

"Let me say something unpleasant: the way of survival for any commoner is worth learning."

Shen Bei shrugged.

That's quite reasonable.

"Go open the manhole cover ahead and see what's happening."

Shen Bei hadn't walked far.

When that rust-stained sewer manhole cover was carefully pried open by Shen Bei.

Instantly.

A strong and nauseating stench permeated the air without restraint.

The stench was mixed with sour decay and fishy smells, like miasma that had fermented for a long time in a swamp, carrying an unbearable stickiness.

It seemed to be able to pollute one's spirit, making it murky and unclean; it was a deep-seated disgust.

It was also like an invisible sharp knife, piercing directly into Shen Bei's nostrils, then down his throat, stimulating his stomach to churn.

Not only that, but the stench was also accompanied by a visual impact—sewage slowly overflowed from the manhole, mixed with unknown substances, which appeared in bizarre colors under the light.

"Ugh~~"

Shen Bei actually threw up.

The young man was the first to lean against the wall.

Fortunately, he hadn't eaten breakfast, otherwise, he would have thrown up all over the place.

"What a sin!"

Sour liquid seeped from the corners of Shen Bei's mouth, and his eyes stung from the choking stench.

The uncle, watching Shen Bei from a distance, laughed heartily: "You still need practice; I'm immune to it now."

Shen Bei waved his hand, regretting it a bit, having overestimated his tolerance.

He really wanted to just walk away.

But then he thought of the mental attribute...

He endured it.

"See if there's any change?"

The uncle shouted.

Shen Bei glanced at the manhole and shook his head: "No movement."

The uncle sighed, turned off the pump, and began to retrieve the water rat: "Damn it, it can't get in. Looks like we'll have to pump it out."

The uncle worked efficiently, pushing a thick pipe from the tanker truck, inserting it into the sewage well, and beginning to extract the debris.

This process was much easier, not requiring constant human attention.

Just let the equipment run itself.

The two squatted in a distant corner, resting.

"Easy, right? It's no different from picking up money. Isn't it much better than moving bricks at a construction site?"

The uncle said with a hint of foresight.

According to Shen Bei's straightforward personality since childhood, he directly rolled his eyes: "I'd rather move bricks. This job is too dirty and too smelly."

"Nonsense."

The uncle was a bit displeased: "Which of the banknotes earned is smelly? Aren't they all fragrant?"

If you put it that way... I have nothing to say. Shen Bei pinched his nose and spoke in a muffled voice: "About how long will it take to pump it out?"

"Very fast, this is our advantage. The work is dirty, but solving the problem only takes an hour or so. You can just sit around when there's nothing to do and still get paid."

The uncle was quite proud: "How about it? Why don't I introduce you to come in as a long-term worker?"

Please don't ruin my future...

If it got out that a dignified Three-Rank Invincible King had become a night-soil collector.

Wouldn't Liu Hanfeng lose his goal in life?

...

An hour later.

Shen Bei's job was completed.

He earned 100 yuan.

The unit price was very high.

But the working environment was truly uncomfortable.

Even the uncle's eagerness to take Shen Bei back to the Labor Market was politely declined by Shen Bei.

Shen Bei took the bus back by himself.

This bus route was also a popular one.

When Shen Bei got on the bus, the interior was already packed with people, as airtight as a sardine can.

He finally managed to squeeze in.

Shen Bei reached out and hooked onto a strap.

His gaze inadvertently fell upon a man beside him.

"Oh? What a coincidence?"

Shen Bei was the first to greet him.

The man slowly turned his head, also surprised: "Yesterday at the coffee shop..."

"Yes, I know you. Zhou Poshan, right?"

"How do you know my name?"

When Shen Bei said his name, Zhou Poshan's expression clearly became wary and tense, his gaze carrying a hint of aloofness, even hostility, as he looked at Shen Bei.

Shen Bei grinned: "Boss Zhang temporarily hired me as a lifeguard yesterday, and I saw your photo on the employee wall."

"Oh."

Zhou Poshan relaxed his guard a bit: "That's quite a coincidence. Yesterday I just happened to have an episode and had to take time off from time to time. I'm really sorry for the trouble."

"Just working to earn money."

Shen Bei tentatively continued to ask: "Are you going to..."

"A colleague passed away; I have to go see."

Shen Bei knew about this and sighed: "Being alone, truly pitiful."

"Yes, truly pitiful."

Zhou Poshan repeated the sentence like a broken record.

However, when he said this, there was no emotional fluctuation in his voice; he even seemed to want to laugh.

Soon.

Shen Bei got off at the Labor Market.

Zhou Poshan nodded and continued on the bus.

About half an hour later.

Zhou Poshan got off at a residential community.

He turned several corners along the community's roads.

He entered a unit door.

Going up to the third floor, he saw a household with noisy sounds coming from it.

"I've had the worst luck! I was renting out my house perfectly, so why did someone die here!"

"How will I rent out this haunted house in the future?"

"What a huge loss! Damn it!"

Zhou Poshan entered the room.

There were a few people inside.

Besides the landlord and Boss Zhang, there were also a few people handling funeral arrangements.

Boss Zhang's face clearly showed some anger, seemingly dissatisfied with the landlord's attitude.

But he did not refute out loud.

"You're here."

Old Zhang rubbed his temples.

Zhou Poshan nodded: "Came to take a look, after all, we were colleagues."

"Although you only came back from the provincial city for treatment a few days ago and only joined the swimming pool a month ago, having this thought is enough. Still, don't look at the body; it's scary."

Zhou Poshan did not speak.

At this time, the personnel responsible for handling the aftermath had finished arranging the deceased's appearance, placed him in a paper coffin, and carried him out to be sent to the crematorium.

Old Zhang breathed a sigh of relief: "The arrangements are pretty much done now. The ashes... sigh, just dispose of them however."

This was not because Old Zhang was heartless, but because a burial plot also cost money.

Nearly a hundred thousand.

Old Zhang didn't want to pay that money.

Zhou Poshan still did not speak.

The two ignored the landlord's grumbling and walked out.

"Oh, right."

When they reached downstairs.

Old Zhang turned and instructed: "My old classmate told me that this isn't an isolated case; there are many similar deceased, all with the same cause of death, and all were single."

"I remember you're also single; be careful."

Zhou Poshan smiled, pulling at the corners of his mouth, and nodded.

"When are you coming to work?"

Old Zhang sat in the car, leaning against the window, asking.

Zhou Poshan thought for a moment: "I still need a few days to rest. If a lifeguard is needed, that young man hired yesterday was quite good."

"How do you know?" Old Zhang asked in surprise.

Zhou Poshan recounted the two times he met Shen Bei.

Old Zhang said "Oh": "Sigh, speaking of which, Shen Bei is also a pitiful child, just like you."

Zhou Poshan's eyes suddenly lit up but quickly faded: "Is that so? Heh."

"No more talk. Call me when you can come to work."

Old Zhang waved his hand and drove away.

Zhou Poshan took out his phone, feeling that Shen Bei's name sounded somewhat familiar.

He searched for a bit.

Zhou Poshan glanced at the results.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth: "I'm just one mission away from joining the Headhunter Tribe. It seems a bit difficult, but I like it."