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Doomsday Wonderland (Web Novel) - Chapter 1089: A Garbageman’s Morning
Chapter 1089: A Garbageman’s Morning
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
Bohemia, who was suddenly thrown out of the ‘experiential scenario,’ momentarily didn’t know where she was when she saw the soft glow surrounding her. It took her a few seconds to realize what had happened, and she looked at the receptionist with a puzzled expression. “Is the first segment of the experience already over?”
Turning her head, she noticed Lin Sanjiu with a deep furrowed brow, also looking perplexed.
“Is Mei Jia okay?” Bohemia began to worry. “Was she attacked by something?”
Just a moment ago, both of them had experienced real emotions that emanated from a living human being. In a way, humans were truly remarkable creatures. Once they deeply understood another individual, even Bohemia, who had survived in the post-apocalyptic world for so long, couldn’t help but feel empathy for Mei Jia.
Even though everyone faced different problems and situations, the emotions people felt were resonant and relatable. Even if the other person was from a fungus society, they were still human.
“I don’t know. I only vaguely saw a dark shadow falling from the sky.” Lin Sanjiu glanced up at the receptionist. “But isn’t this experience too short?”
“Mei Jia did indeed experience a temporary loss of consciousness during this period,” the receptionist replied politely. “Because of that, her memory was interrupted.”
“Is she okay? You said there were no crimes here, right?” Bohemia tilted her head, then suddenly exclaimed, “Could it be something from upstairs fell and hit her?”
Just as Lin Sanjiu was about to shake her head, the receptionist chuckled softly.
“You’ll find out soon. Let’s continue with the next experience.”
The next segment of the experience featured a garbageman, a role that didn’t seem very intriguing to either of them.
Perhaps it was Lin Sanjiu’s experience at the garbage dump that led her to choose the profession of a garbageman. However, once the experience began, they both realized that the male garbageman had no connection to the garbage dump they knew.
On the roaring giant garbage truck, what caught the eyes of the two was a pair of hands wearing cotton gloves. The garbage truck had just stopped by the side of the road, and at this moment, the sky was still early, with a faint egg-blue hue; the crooked street was already lined with large garbage bins, all seemingly just pushed out from the residential buildings.
He enjoyed working in the early morning.
At this time, the air was chilly, and it felt like being immersed in the untouched depths of a forest, sending shivers through the body, giving a refreshing sensation. The sun was still behind the clouds, and the towering fungi under the pale blue sky were shrouded in a thin, pale mist, their unique shapes blurred as if a large group of extraterrestrial visitors were descending to the ground.
As pure as nature, his country was just as pure. That was a given because they had eliminated various shocking sources of pollution from history: plastics, coal, chemicals… One couldn’t fathom how humans before the appearance of fungi endured exhaust fumes, polluted water, and chronic pharyngitis. Now, all sources of energy and material resources had been replaced by pollution-free natural creations, with a significant portion being byproducts of fungi; the air was so fresh and clean that even cars left outdoors for months didn’t accumulate a speck of dirt.
He thought of this and looked at the soles of his shoes, unable to suppress a light chuckle. He had been wearing these work shoes for six months, and the soles were still snowy white.
“Hmm, there seems to be quite a bit of kitchen waste today…” He manipulated the massive scoop at the front of the garbage truck, dumping the contents of the green-labeled trash bins into the hopper. “It looks like some blue mushrooms sprouted in the east district the day before yesterday, and they need a lot of nutrients… It’s just perfect to deliver today.”
Even without any processing, garbage could be buried in the soil as a nutrient. It would nourish the fungi, allowing them to grow day by day: some would grow into skyscrapers, and at that time, architects would only need to make minor modifications to provide new homes for people; some would meet their end, leaving behind bodies that would become fuel, food, clothing, and various resources needed by humans.
Year after year, humans and fungi lived in this mutually dependent and mutually caring way.
This job made him feel like he was a part of the natural recycling chain, just like microorganisms, sunlight, or birds flying by in the morning, each playing its role. He wasn’t an isolated individual outside of nature; he belonged to a grander and more wonderful world.
Of course, garbage, inevitably, still had a bit of a stench. However, sitting in the truck, wearing a mask, almost all odors could be kept at bay; after cleaning out all the trash bins, what remained was a sense of joy and accomplishment.
“Thank you,”
He turned around and noticed a few students walking by the roadside, all smiling and greeting him. One of the boys even smiled and asked, “Need any help? Have you had breakfast?”
“No, thank you,” the garbage worker smiled back, “I’ve already eaten. Good luck with your day.”
After bidding farewell to the group of unfamiliar students, the garbage worker started the vehicle and prepared to head to the next garbage collection point. He sighed contentedly, removed his mask, and adjusted the rearview mirror. Reflected in the rearview mirror was a handsome and confident face.
“Is it over again?” Bohemia blinked, a bit dazed. Compared to the anxiety she had with Mei Jia, the garbage worker’s experience seemed to heal her soul.
Bohemia and Lin Sanjiu had spent a short time in this world and had gone through a series of dangers, so they hadn’t paid much attention to their surroundings. However, now, looking through someone else’s memories, Bohemia realized that the environment of this fungal world was indeed as pure and comfortable as described in those memories.
In the Twelve Realms, though bustling and prosperous, it was the opposite of the fungal world. Everyone’s goal was merely survival, and they would go to great lengths to achieve it. On the other side of the golden dreamscape created by higher-level posthumans, ordinary people lived in squalor, with no shelter, sewage flowing in rivers, thick smoke rising from burning wood for warmth, and bodies grotesquely deformed from toxins in the garbage. Bohemia was born in a place as dirty and chaotic as hell. It took her a great deal of effort to finally stumble into another version of the Twelve Realms.
If one were born to live in such a clean and comfortable world… No, the fungal world must be hoping she would think that way. She couldn’t fall for it.
“This garbage worker… He’s really good-looking,” she abruptly cut off her train of thought, muttering an unrelated sentence and looking back at Lin Sanjiu. “Don’t you think? It seems like a waste to be a garbage worker.”
However, Lin Sanjiu seemed to completely ignore that statement. She furrowed her brow tightly, lost in thought, and Bohemia poked her a few times with her elbow. Lin Sanjiu swatted her hand away like she was shooing a fly. “Don’t bother me; I’m thinking.”
“What could you possibly need to think about? Overthinking will make your brain leak,” Bohemia expressed her dissatisfaction, “Don’t get too deeply into character. I really can’t stand that preachy tone of yours.”
She was already close to becoming a servant of the fungi, and now, after experiencing such a refreshing and enjoyable experience, she was a bit worried that Lin Sanjiu might end up as part of that 49%.
“People who live in the fungal society aren’t burdened by appearances,” the receptionist smiled and explained, “For us, there are so many things that bring joy to our body and mind. The pleasure from one’s appearance is only a very small part of it. So, we appreciate beauty, but we don’t pursue it with such obsession… Being good-looking is nice, of course, but it’s not crucial because life offers countless more important and joyful experiences.”
“I always feel like you’re making veiled criticisms,” Bohemia muttered.
“We don’t have industries like modeling or acting,” the receptionist seemed to have a good understanding of other human societies, “But think about it, if this garbage worker went to another world and became an actor, would he still feel as comfortable and at ease as you do?”
Probably not.
With these thoughts in mind, Bohemia glanced at Lin Sanjiu again. The latter tightly pressed her lips together, remained silent, and seemed lost in thought for quite some time. And so, the two of them entered the next segment of their experience.
She really has no confidence in this content. The lack of nervousness and excitement and all that.
