In 2025, the "Labor Servitude Order" silently swept across the world, forcibly binding every worker to the **"KPI Book of Life and Death"**: being one minute late costs half an hour of life; working overtime for an hour summons a "Labor Wraith" to cling to you; slacking off for five minutes brings down a "Heavenly Punishment Bolt" on your head. The lights in office buildings are harvest lamps for "mental labor points," the eggs of "involution bugs" hide beneath workstation keyboards, and even food delivery riders' bags bear blood-red talismans that read "Late delivery means a life penalty."
This is a trap laid by the ancient "Numerology Demon" through the "Nine Chapters Arithmetic System." Its true form is a bronze cauldron engraved with counting rods, and it feeds on "human labor." It loves hearing the sound of programmers' keyboards at three in the morning mixed with coughs of blood. It loves seeing the numb eyes of interns brainwashed by "gratitude slogans." It loves watching longtime employees willingly give up their lifespans to pay for medicine. It wants to turn the human world into an "endless labor pasture."
Lin Qingxuan, a 26-year-old programmer, spent his previous life working 007 for three straight months to meet a project deadline. He finally spat blood at his desk as he typed the last line of code, his lifespan completely depleted. When he opened his eyes again, he was back on his first day at Fubao Technology, the employee badge on his chest still burning with the heat of a "System contract." In the agony of approaching death, his fingertips touched a cup of cold tea at the corner of his desk. He hazily recalled his grandfather, an old carpenter, saying, "Steal a moment of leisure amid the busy day, and you'll preserve your health." A warm, gentle light rose from his fingertips: the lost "Free and Easy Talisman," the one and only light workers have to fight the "Labor Servitude Order."
I finished reading it a long time ago and reviewed it too late. I think this book belongs to urban fantasy. The setting is very interesting. It borrows the soul of traditional metaphysics and places it on the realistic background of the tragic life of us hard-working social animals. The setting is not so empty and big, and there is smile and healing. Reading slowly makes the body and mind broaden.
I understand the fatigue of contemporary young people so well. From "being chased by KPIs" to "using the free charm to slow down", I empathize with every detail! There is no exaggerated golden finger, just a moment of freedom found by a social beast in the cage of reality with the help of a talisman light. It is healing and powerful. After reading it, I felt relieved. Highly recommended.
It must be given a five-star rating, the writing is very vivid, relevant and engaging. Looking forward to continuing.