Day 6
The night was haunted with constant thoughts about jobs and Life Goals. We woke up in a sweat but a little more enlightened.
"We've only been working tough jobs", only increasing our Tough ability, "but we should gain experience doing other things in case better opportunities come along", which could require us to be leveled at other abilities.
Each of our abilities (Tough, Smart, Deft & Keen) improve specific aspects of our character, useful in our day-to-day life; they're not just requirements for jobs. The higher the levels, the more "improved" our character gets.
We jump up from bed, clean our forehead and decide to take the Security Guard job, offered by the Job Broker, a few days earlier.
We unlock the Security Guard job and increase our Appraisal skill.
Before we get to work; our 9-hour, long shift at work, let's boost our Mood a bit by shooting some hoops in the park's Basketball Court.
"We're doing this to earn money to pay our debts, but we're pretty sure we're going to get quite bored on the job so let's get pumped up a bit!"
"Bah, we didn't do great. It's early in the morning; we're basically still sleeping."
Still, some exercise before work felt good. We ride to work and stop along the way to have some Jianbing for the first time.
"Tasty!"
There's little time to loose though. Time is money. We get to work, for what is our first day as Security Guard.
Maximum Manual Bonus is the highest bonus we've been able to earn, when manually doing the job (or in other words, when we actually play the "mini-game" that is each job). If we choose to do the job in Auto mode, the Maximum Manual Bonus is used and added to our Base Wage.
Because in Auto mode, we don't actually do the job. We see a small cutscene instead, avoiding the hassle of the repetitive mini-game. In this case, it's our first time as Security Guard so our Maximum Manual Bonus is, obviously and undoubtedly zero.
This job consists of correctly identifying residents from non-residents, granting passage to residents and turning away non-residents.
We get a hint as to the person's intentions, as they approach the building, and we need to make a good judgment.
The quicker the judgment, the quicker another person approaches the building, and the higher our potential earnings are.
"Evening ma'am."
Working the Security Guard job earns us XP towards levelling up our Keen ability.
We're not earning anywhere near as what we were earning as Brick Mover but as we become more Proficient at the job, we'll eventually start earning more. And, working one hour less per day than we usually did, we now have more time to look for scrap to sell at the Recycler and do a bit of exploring.
"Live music! Fancy place!"
After work we head back towards the Slums and look for scrap there; we won't find any laying on the floor in this part of town.
All jobs lower Mood so it's a constant need to increase our Mood.
We're at the park now and we see a Dance Session with some Aunties, dancing in the Basketball Court. We've been working since 7am and we could use a bit of "mood-lifting", so we decide to join in.
"Damn those Aunties are pros! That was hard to keep up with!"
A little later, and while looking around the park for scrap, we spot a little Convenience Store selling Instant Noodles.
"Let's try some, to "vary our diet". Although, how healthy or fulfilling can noodles be anyway!?"
We've scoured the area and there's no more scrap to pick up today. And after that dance sessions with the Auntie we're feeling energized so, we decide to workout a bit, in the park's Workout Equipment.
We'll work on our speed and stamina [aka Deft ability] until dark and then head home for the night.
We can use the park's exercise machines to increase our Tough and Deft abilities up to four hours per day.
Day 7
Morning. The Job Broker calls with a new job offer: Flyer Boy, handing out flyers. We thank her.
We don't have enough skill points to unlock the Flyer Boy job at the moment.
We head out, grab a bite and pick up some scrap along our way to the Recycler; we've got some extra time now, what with our Security Guard job so we take it easier on the scheduling.
We're also doing OK for money..
..but we're not above eating what we find on the floor.
We arrive ate the Recycler and we get talking with the Auntie.
Because we've improved enough Relations with her, we get that new interaction opportunity.
She tells us she's not getting enough business. She buys these low quantities of scrap from people like us, but her husband was the one who made the majority of the Recycler's profit. He'd go out to businesses, who accumulate large quantities of recyclables and buy them in bulk. But now that he's sick and can't work, her business is nowhere near as profitable as it used to be.
She offers us her husband's job; going out, buying recyclables in large quantities from businesses around the city.
We gladly accept!
The amount of time we spend looking around for small quantities of scrap on the floor will be put to much better use, and exponentially increase our scrap earnings. We'll also avoid the hassle of messing our clothes and getting dirty from picking up scrap from the floor.
With that settled we cycle across town, to our Security Guard job, for the day.
After work we make our first stop at the Disco Joint to buy recyclables.
There's a lot of recyclables to be bought from businesses. At some point we'll need a bigger backpack to carry more of it, in one go.
Each Tough level increases how much we can carry in our backpack by 5Kg, as does the Laden skill.
We Haggle the price with the business owner, because that's how it's done.
"Good haggle, good haggle...!"
With our backpack full, we can no longer run, so we cycle back to the Recycler and sell the Recyclables.
"This Auntie is not thinking straight.", we say to ourselves. "She's now buying Recyclables from us at almost triple the price we paid for it. There goes her clients!"
Interrupting our thoughts, the Load Sharks call to request their weekly interest payment and decide to put some more pressure on us by casually telling us they've passed by our sister's high school and that, "a hot girl like her would make some easy money, if you ever wanted the easy way out".
We threaten them with the cops and they reply in harder tone, telling us to hurry up with the debt payment or it's our sister they'll look to, next.
We call up our sister to see if everything's OK. She gets worried about the question so we tell her about the last call with the Loan Sharks. She's worried, but there's more going on with her. We ask her about it. She tells us that our mother, which up until now had been hospitalized due to health issues, doesn't need her help anymore and is now doing "more than great", and that she's "hanging out with her 'friends' these days".
She asks us if she can come to the city and stay with us, so that she's not alone. We agree and send her some bus fare money, looking forward to speak with her about the situation with our mother when she arrives.
Day 8
"Fucking damnit rigged piece of shit!"
We try to remain calm and not to think about that last call with the Loan Sharks as we walk towards work, but it's not working. The only thing we can do is keep working hard to pay that debt. Our sister's coming to stay with us but who knows if the Loan Sharks can easily get to her here.
The walk to the Security Guard job's location was a short one and the 9-hour shift goes by without any incident besides feeling like it dragged on forever.
Shift over, and we hastily head over to a nearby Car Wash and ask them if they have Recyclables to sell. The pressure to be quick about making money kicked in.
"Scarp Metal is worth much more than the Cans and Bottles we bought from The Disco Club."
After selling the scrap to the Recycler we get some Flatbread and some Roasted Sweet Potatoes. Our intestinal flora appreciates it.
We're in serious need of fun though so we head over to the park and join the Dancing Aunties. We're getting and better at this dancing thing and they recognize it, increasing Relations with the Dancing Aunties.
With one hour to spare we need to let off some more steam, so we hit the park's Workout Facility.
We were so deep in our workout that we didn't notice how late it had become and rush home; we still need to get out of these dirty rags, wash up, and rent the shared room, to get enough sleep for the night.
"The city is nowhere near as bustling with activity at this hour of the night."
Day 9
Morning breaks and we're less on edge. All that exercising yesterday gave us a good night rest and that seems to have laid some of our worries to rest. We check out phone and the News are promising: all areas of the city have now had their Quarantine Status lifted, so we're free to take the Heavy Lifting job and easily move around town.
We get a call while staring at our phone's screen; it's Li Yuran, that pretty girl from the Job Center. The one who told us about the Vocational Training Centre.
She let's us know that the Centre is now open and that we can start their training programs. We ask for more information regarding hours and schedules, then thank her and hang up.
Training and earning certificates are essential for jobs with good pay but take up time that we could be otherwise spending on earning money. Each training program takes 10 sessions to complete; 4 hours per session. 40 hours; 5 days in which we won't earn virtually any money.
I don't think we will reach the Life Goal which contains jobs that require training and certification, just by roughly calculating the time we have left and the time it would take to reach the Life Goal. So I won't be showing this part of the game, nor will we get any certificates.
Another 9 hours at work.
We unlock the Flyer Boy job.
After work we head over to the Honest Realtor's to inquire about the Flyer Boy job, offered by the Job Broker; we hear they're in urgent need for someone and that there's an added bonus for accepting the job in a timely manner. We'll do the job for one day to get that bonus.
Work hours have ended when we get there, however.
Jobs offered through a call from the Job Broker are Tasks, which reward us with a bonus if we can complete them within the deadline given. We can do this job at any other time; we just won't get that Task bonus.
We decide we'll try again tomorrow.
Different jobs may have have different schedules, starting and ending at different times.
As we walk out the Realtor's we notice a red-lit alleyway right around the corner. We realize it's the "working girl" alley. Feeling like we could have some fun, we speak with one of the girls.
It would sure lift our Mood by a lot but we'll have to pass; 400 Yuan is not in our entertainment budget, right now.
"Some other time."
Planning ahead for tomorrow's work day, we take a quick ride across town and visit the Tools street vendor; there might be some equipment we can buy that will improve our conditions at the Flyer Boy job.
"Nice shoes, we'll take them."
We need to get our mind of the girls [Mood Lift] so we have some fun playing a mindless game or two.
"Tetris! Classic!"
On the way home we stop by a sink to wash up and catch yet another cold, so we visit the Clinic.
We haven't even got one foot in the door when Dr. Mei stops up in our tracks and urgently asks; "Can you please take these masks to the vaccination booth?"
"Sure, but I've got a cold and need some medicine first".
Taking the medicine and the box of masks we make our way to the Vaccination Booth, just to find there's no-one there! It's late and there must have been a misunderstanding between Dr. Mei and the vaccination medical assistant.
We ride back home, taking the box of masks with us. We'll deliver them tomorrow, first thing.
Day 10
Early morning and we hear from the Load Sharks again. To our wonder, they've changed their threatening tone and are telling us that they're really not Loan Sharks per say but instead "nice people" that just want what they're owed.
They also tell us that we no longer need to pay them interests on the debt.
"That's good news, but what was that 'nice guys' talk about?"
We hang up, finding it all a bit confusing but before we can think about it, YaoYao calls.
Our sister is on the bus, heading our way, and will arrive by the end of the day. There's still something off about the way she speaks so we agree to talk about it when she arrives.
We pick up the box of masks and head out to the Vaccination Booth to deliver the masks for Dr. Mei.
We've checked out the Vaccination Booth before and were asked if we'd like to get vaccinated. We'd already been vaccinated so we refused a second shot. Instead we hand over the box of masks and tell them they're from Dr. Mei, from the Clinic.
There's a bit of awkwardness between our interaction with the female medic, but nothing comes of it and we show ourselves out.
I have a feeling this game turns into a dating SIM at some point. Maybe not in story mode, but there's a few hints that romancing the girls is a possibility. There's a Sex Shop, there's conversations where our character hits on girls (or tries), there's gifts we can buy..sus. Anyway.
We're starting a new job today; Flyer Boy at Honest Realty.
The job's pretty simple; handing out flyers to people passing by.
It's an 8-hour job, giving us more time to go around buying Recyclables. After work we stop for some Roasted Peanuts, while on our "scrap run", between businesses and decide to buy some snacks, to take with us and eat along the way.
It's now almost 9 P.M. and YaoYao will be arriving anytime soon. We head over to the Bus Stop and wait for her.
Shortly after, she surprises us, standing right in front of us as we snap out of deep thought about the Loan Sharks.
We notice that she hasn't brought any luggage with her, carrying only a small satchel. We're surprised by the lack of luggage and ask her why our mother didn't pack her some clothes. She says our mom doesn't even know she's here in the city with us.
We're even more surprised by that, and she continues, saying that she doesn't even want to speak with our mother. She ignores our surprise and hands us over an envelope with a huge wad of money in it; 20k Yuan. We know what type of envelope this is; it's commonly seen in wedding ceremonies.
We're now completely confused, so YaoYao fills us in on the details, over a meal.
It turns out that our mother has been making a deal to marry our sister off to another family; something she does not want, and especially being forcefully married to a known bully she goes to school with, from this rich family, who all form a line of bullies and "not-so-good-people".
Between tears, she tells us that the 20k Yuan is a security deposit for the marriage; the total sum of selling her was agreed to be 200k Yuan. Our mother would have then used the 20k Yuan to pay our father's debt, then go find our father - hadn't YaoYao taken the money and ran.
YaoYao's not pleased with none of it; that our father abandoned us, leaving us with his debt, and that her mother is trying to sell her off to some scum-level family, and that's why she came to us for help.
We agree on how fucked up the situation is and decide that we should distance ourselves from the family who's trying to buy her into marriage.
We decide we'll give this money back. The last thing we need is another set of Loan Sharks after us.
After the meal, we take the the envelope and, addressed to our mother's home send it back. Then, we call it a night.
Continue reading: Days 11 - 13
Thanks for reading.