Deep Within the Living

Chapter 26: Compensation from the City Research Bureau

[Jupiter City Comprehensive Scientific Research Bureau]

This location wasn’t the same as the research facility the group had visited during their practice session. That had been a branch office, while this was the city’s central bureau.

The towering building, designed in a brutalist style with cold, dark tones, was adorned with dynamic light displays that projected publicly accessible research visuals around the clock, illuminating the structure’s exterior.

When the rideshare car arrived, the three stepped out and immediately spotted Anna Ivanova waiting for them. Unlike the trio, who were still in their school uniforms, Anna had taken the time to change into casual clothes—perhaps to avoid triggering any bad memories for the class leader.

“Wenwen!”

“Anna~”

Seeing the class leader in good health, Anna was nearly in tears. She hugged her, but much more gently than usual.

The four approached the research bureau entrance. They had already been granted one-time access, allowing them to enter via facial recognition.

As they stepped into the lobby, the smooth marble floor reflected glowing electronic arrows, guiding them to their destination.

It seemed to be after office hours; the building was eerily empty, with no staff in sight. After walking for about ten minutes through the maze-like structure, a door unexpectedly opened in what had appeared to be a seamless hallway. The glowing arrows vanished at the doorway.Inside was a dim gray room, windowless and cubic, with walls that emitted a soft glow. A long stone table occupied the center, with four chairs on the side nearest the entrance. On the other side of the table sat a middle-aged man.

His square-shaped head, frameless glasses, and a prominent mole above his upper lip gave him a severe appearance. Yet, when the four young people arrived, he rose to greet them warmly, shaking their hands one by one.

“I’m Wang Shuokang, Director of the Records and Administration Department at the Research Bureau. There’s no need to introduce yourselves—I’ve already reviewed your practice footage and personal profiles in detail.

“You’re an exceptional group of young people. On behalf of the branch office, please accept my sincerest apologies. The branch has been shut down for rectification, and those responsible for negligence will face severe consequences.”

After bowing deeply, Director Wang sat back down.

While Luo Di remained composed, the others had been harboring some anger about the incident. However, the passage of time, along with the director’s earnest apology, had eased most of their frustration. Now, they were more interested in seeing what kind of compensation was on the table.

Director Wang retrieved four files from his briefcase and handed one to each of them.

“These are your practice reports and final evaluations. Please review them and let me know if there are any discrepancies. If everything looks good, sign on the last page. The reports will be added to your personal records tomorrow.”

Receiving their first-ever practice reports, everyone was excited to some degree. The files detailed their entire practice experience, listed their “effective intentional actions” individually, and included evaluations from bureau experts. The final page provided a grade based on specific scoring criteria.

“Yay~ I got an S-!” The class leader raised her fist triumphantly, as though announcing a victory.

“Wow, me too! S-!” Anna was equally thrilled. Such a grade would significantly reduce the pressure of her First High School admission process. She immediately linked fingers with the class leader, almost jumping out of her seat in excitement.

“S!”

Even the usually quiet Gao Yuxuan couldn’t hide his excitement. His higher grade was largely due to his use of acupuncture in real-life combat and his calmness in calling the special rescue hotline at a critical moment.

Everyone’s eyes eventually turned to Luo Di, sitting quietly at the end of the row, who had yet to say a word.

“Hey~ Luo Di, you must have gotten an S too, right?”

Luo Di didn’t respond. Instead, he flipped to the last page of his report and placed it on the table for everyone to see.

[S+]

The highest possible grade for a practice evaluation.

Statistically, only 1.3% of high school students achieved grades above an A in practice sessions, and those reaching S were even rarer.

The class leader’s eyes sparkled with more awe than when she had seen her own grade.

“Wow! S+! This is the first time I’ve seen one. Luo Di, can I take a look at your report to see how you earned such a high score?”

But Luo Di simply shook his head, closed the signed document, and handed it back to Director Wang.

The class leader didn’t mind. She quickly signed her own report and handed it over.

After collecting everyone’s signed documents, Director Wang continued, “I must say, you are all exceptionally talented. Surviving such an unexpected incident unscathed is remarkable.

“As an apology and to demonstrate the bureau’s commitment to nurturing talent, here is our compensation plan.”

He placed a red-letter document on the table.

The compensation plan categorized the recipients as [High School Students], [Ordinary Bodies], and [Outstanding], and factored in the severity of the practice incident. Four options were provided:

One free internal prosthetic modification from the bureau, covering limbs or organs, valid permanently.Guaranteed placement within the city’s research bureau staff (subject to completing education with good grades).A cash payment of ten million rubles.An entry-level [Corner] item (monsters, anomalies).The first three options were fairly standard. However, the fourth caused the three students, excluding Luo Di, to frown.

The class leader immediately grew serious. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novęlfire.net

“Director Wang, is the fourth option a printing error? I remember these items being restricted to individuals aged 20 and above due to their significant side effects, especially on physical and mental development for younger users.”

“That’s correct,” Director Wang acknowledged. “In the past, corner items were restricted to those over 20. However, in recent years, due to technological advancements and national demand, we’ve begun testing them on younger individuals to help them adapt earlier. Current data suggests promising results.

“The items we provide are entry-level and primarily external-use, minimizing their impact. Additionally, if you choose this option, we will conduct compatibility testing. If you are deemed unsuitable, the item will not be issued.”

At this point, Director Wang’s tone darkened, and he leaned forward.

“Finally—and most importantly—the reason for the inclusion of the fourth option is that we believe this ‘incident’ might be connected to you, rather than being a complete accident.”

"After all, the research branch responsible for simulating [Anomalies] has always performed exceptionally well, even securing significant national resources for our city. Before your group, over twenty successful practice sessions were conducted without incident.

It’s possible that one of you four possesses a unique, intangible quality that triggers ‘incidents’ more easily. This quality might not disappear even after the practice session ends, meaning that in your everyday lives, you could face a higher likelihood of encountering ‘incidents’ compared to ordinary people.

Considering this, our bureau included this option. If you can master the use of a [Corner Item], it could significantly enhance your survival chances in the event of future incidents.

Both we, the bureau, and the entire nation place immense value on talent. Talent that survives is the kind that can contribute to our cause.

Now, make your choice.”