I stretched my back and gave out a large groan. My work for the day is done. I think to myself as I closed my locker."You did good today, Kouna… I"ll see you tomorrow" One of my co-worker said.
"You too, have a safe trip home." I replied.
It"s been nearly three months since I started working for this lemon company. This company prides itself for being an all natural farm. They grow their plants in an open plantation with no use for insecticide, it may seem like a bad idea to put them in the open without any cover or anything. But I have tasted the fruits and I gotta say they taste fresh as they could be. The only problem is the pest control. The only problem is the pest control. Don"t get this plantation wrong, they have insecticides and fertilizer. But ever since going natural stocks of unused fertilizers and pesticides have been sitting idly on the side.
My job is simple, since we don"t use pesticides, what we do is swat the pest with our company issued swatter. This looks like a blunt shortsword but works like an electric swatter.
We"re also given a combat scanner, these looks like sports gla.s.s or safety goggles that has a built-in HUD bearing everything you need for combat. It has a feature for knowing your heart-rate or health, enemy status, inventory status and what not.
They"re at least five of us who do this, and their also adventurers. Some are old and some are young.
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Usually there are two shifts for this job, the morning and late shift. That"s only applicable to regular employees. The company chooses the shift you go to, but as for me, well I"m a freelancer. Which means I get to a.s.sign what shift I would like to work in. I specifically requested to be a.s.signed to be on the morning shift. The work starts early in the morning around 8:00 a.m. keep an eye for any bugs that would hurt the trees and we swat them, they"re usually at a manageable number so we help out with the harvesting. But come 9:30 and lunch time, the swarm shows up along with the commander bug.
The swarm is the usual size and number of bugs. The commander bugs however are larger, roughly the size of an adult man"s hand.
Work"s not easy, nor is it placed in a very calm environment but work is work.
Me and my co-workers both walked out of the locker room and into the exit. Near the exit is a guardhouse, that is where we clock-in and out, that is also where we receive our salary. The bases for our salary is based on our work, or kilograms of bugs slain, which also means we carry a bag full of fried bugs… I heard from one of the planters that they"re used as a fertilizer, but then again I only care about getting paid.
We prepared our phones, already showing the QR code for the adventurer"s payment. We also held the bag of bugs in our hand. Everyone fell in line, if it"s your turn you have to put the bag into the scale, then you get the equivalent credits to be scanned as payment in your account. I received a total of 700 credits. My credit balance on my adventurer"s account was originally 50,000 credits, minus tax and c.r.a.p ton of other fees… brings my monthly credit balance to roughly 10,000 credits.
I might have bought some light armor, a new gaming set-up, bunch of plastic model kits, new clothes, bike, and other things. And yes I should"ve paid in installments, but I don"t want to be in debt. I also put a few credits on some start-up stocks… so I think my money is good.
"Thanks for your hard work" The guard congratulated me.
"See you tomorrow"
I smiled, got on my bike, and went on my way. Not home but on the famous fast-food chain; Jalbee.
-Jalbee-
This is my other job. Well this one started a week after I was keeping bugs at bay on the lemon farm. I work here as a part-time delivery man. Unlike the lemon farm, here at Jalbee I need to arrive 10 minutes before lunch time. Which means I should be here before 12:00.
This fast food chain is full of family and people getting together. On the outside every crew is calm and composed, maybe it"s because of their policy; always smile. Once you get to the kitchen thought, everything is flipped. Everyone is getting their food a.s.sembled for the customers. They were busy minding their own business, some people are chopping, others are on the fryer, and others are moving around the kitchen. It might look like a mess but once you get close it becomes a wonderful dance.
"Kouna good you"re here" A woman wearing a different uniform from the crew called me.
She was the manager. I usually receive orders from here and get paid from her. The manager gave me the thermo bag to be delivered, a moto jacket, as well as the keys for the motorcycle.
"Where do they want this delivered?" I asked.
"Address is on the receipt. There"s one extra motorbike outside"
I went outside and saw a parked motorcycle. I place the thermo bag behind and started the deliveries. The system place by Jalbee is very easy, they only deliver to places within five kilometers of the branch. Thanks to that system I can make at least twelve trips, which gives me 150 credits per trips. Multiplied by twelve is 1,800 units, that gives me a monthly credits of 11,800. Which is nice if you asked me.
※ ※ ※
It has been a few hours since my first trip. I"m back here for the last trip, as the manager scanned my code to pay me, she gave me a last items to deliver.
It took me a few minutes to reach the delivery location of the customer. It was on an apartment complex. The security was strict but as they saw the food bag and my Jalbee jacket, they immediately let me in. I took the elevator to his apartment, it was on the third floor. As I reached the third floor and came near, there was a distinct smell on his door, a smell I am all to familiar with. Chips and body spray. I rang the doorbell. There was no response so I tried again. I took me nearly four tries to get someone from the inside to shout.
"Who"s there?" He voice was loudly m.u.f.fled.
"Jalbee… delivery" I shouted back.
"Hold-on bruh" The voice said. There were rumbling and crashing sounds from the inside of the room. The doors unlocked about five locks until it opened. The man that was inside is a pudgy dude, he wears a superhero shirt with chip dust on it, his scent is a spray-on deodorant that he used as a disinfecting spray… basically a mirror if I hadn"t accidentally registered on the guild. "Thank you for making sure I don"t get hungry" He laughed awkwardly.
"Please enjoy your meal." I smile as I turned back.
"Well it must be good for you guys… you know, to travel around the city, like adventurers" He commented. "Although those adventurers are doing cool things… I wish I could be like them."
"Actually I"m an adventurer too." My replied made him widen his eyes. I could sense his doubt so I pulled my phone and showed him my stats. Now he believes me.
"But… shouldn"t you be out there slaying monsters, saving small town? Why are doing this instead"
"I don"t know"
"Well you should get your life in order… you have a great job. I think you"re meant for great things." He nodded and closed the door.
For a moment there, it felt like a truck ran me over. What am I doing with my life, why do I even do this? I am an adventurer so why am I killing bugs, delivering food?
My brain did not stop overthinking the existential crisis. As I went back to Jalbee and straight home, everyone I meet on the way had an eye of concern. But I did not notice, I spent the remaining day overthinking. I lied on my bed to sleep this uneasiness, as my eyes close my mind became calm. Let tomorrow worry itself.
"NOOOOOOO! What the h.e.l.l am I doing with my life!" I screamed at the top of my voice… and then I cried. Pathetically.
The next morning came, I was still stressed out by last night"s existential crisis. I have actually decided on an outcome I want; I will resign on both jobs to pursue a serious career in adventuring. None of this delivery c.r.a.p.
I arrived at the lemon farm. It was a normal scene in the locker room, but then before I went into the plantation, I heard screams. It was of panic and horror. I wasted no time, I dashed in and my eyes were filled with fear. There standing were my colleagues trying their best to repel a swarm of commander bugs.
This was the job I originally signed up for.