Lin Zhou, an overworked programmer, is in his third year of being forced to work a “996” schedule. When he leaves on time to visit his feverish daughter in the hospital, his boss berates him in front of everyone and threatens to fire him. Just as he is about to lower his head and apologize, a cold mechanical voice rings in his mind:
[Ding! Host detected experiencing “workplace psychological manipulation.” The Anti-Burnout System is now forcibly bound!]
[Beginner’s gift pack delivered: Leave work on time once and receive one “Double Hourly Pay Card”!]
[Main quest issued: Make your boss say, “Employees don’t need to work overtime,” and earn an apartment in Riverside!]
From then on, Lin Zhou’s life changes completely. While everyone else works overtime, he heads home; while they compete to outdo one another, he takes it easy; while they work themselves sick, he earns rewards just by clocking out on time. His boss tries every trick to force him out, only to discover that the company’s most profitable projects can’t run without Lin Zhou. The battle between an office drone and a capitalist over leaving work on time has officially begun...
