The laboratory was vast, but the equipment was simple: a small desk for each person, a display screen, and beside it, headphones and brain-monitoring devices.
Five hundred volunteers sat down in unison, donned the brain-monitoring equipment as instructed, and attached monitoring points to their chests, wrists, and heads. Soon, each person's blood pressure, heart rate, hormone levels, and brain activity patterns were compiled into real-time data, transmitted to the analysis room next door.
Jiang Ye watched from outside the window, his expressionless face revealing nothing of his thoughts.
The volunteers were all nervous, perhaps sensing that the Commander was currently evaluating their performance. All of them were alert, sitting up straight with solemn expressions, as if attending a memorial service. This was their first day on the job, and they couldn't afford to mess up or be found wanting by the Commander!
Jiang Ye scanned the entire room with a blank expression.
His actual thoughts were quite simple: What should they have for dinner?
Lately, Cen Yemeng had been fond of cooking very sweet dishes because their son enjoyed them. However, Jiang Ye didn't like them. He didn't know how to subtly hint to his wife that they should change their taste. He was lost in thought at that moment.
"Commander, Commander!" Donnie called out twice.
"Hmm?" Jiang Ye finally snapped out of his reverie.
"Everyone is ready. You can give the order to play Sleep No. 1," Donnie said respectfully.
"Alright, let's begin," Jiang Ye nodded.
"Um... I'd like to challenge myself again," Donnie asked softly, seeking permission. "Can I be a volunteer like them?"
Seeing Donnie's expression, Jiang Ye knew he was still bothered by yesterday's failure. After all, listening to a song and not falling asleep seemed like a simple task. Yet, he had dozed off, and tens of thousands of yuan had vanished. This "Little Black" might have spent half the night regretting it at home.
"Sure," Jiang Ye said, noticing there was still an empty seat. "I'll keep an eye on things here. But when I'm not around, you can't participate yourself. If everyone in the lab succumbs, who will be in charge?"
"Thank you, Commander!" Donnie nodded repeatedly and bowed, then quickly hurried to the nearest empty seat to put on the equipment.
Soon, the volunteers clicked on their screens, and the music began to play.
Jiang Ye temporarily put aside thoughts of dinner and focused intently on each person's face.
Just like yesterday, everyone started out energetic, many even looking smug, likely thinking the task was too easy and the money too quick to earn.
However, halfway through the song, the situation changed drastically.
More than half of them had already slumped onto their desks, desperately patting their heads to stay awake.
Jiang Ye inwardly roared, "Have some backbone! Don't fall asleep! Can't you even last these few minutes?"
But, alas.
With only a few seconds of the song left, there wasn't a single "living soul" in the laboratory. Snoring filled the air, as if everyone had been drugged and incapacitated.
Donnie lay on the floor. Like yesterday, he tried to stand up and struggle, but failed completely. Then, he unceremoniously fell into a deep sleep on the ground.
Jiang Ye sighed and was about to enter the laboratory to start waking people up.
Suddenly, in the pile of "corpses," a head moved.
Someone stood up!
Jiang Ye was startled, feeling as if the dead had risen.
Upon closer inspection, it was the Caucasian girl who had previously asked about the monthly salary.
Bright red blood streamed down her head, across her face, and dripped from her chin onto her clothes, creating a terrifying sight.
Jiang Ye immediately rushed into the laboratory and pressed a screen on the wall to call for a military doctor.
"What happened? Where are you injured?" Jiang Ye shouted at her.
The Caucasian girl, with a triumphant smile, reached up to wipe her face, her hands stained with blood and tears. "I pulled my hair out to fight off sleep. I got a bit desperate at the end and pulled out too much... Does this count? I didn't fall asleep!"
The medical team, carrying a stretcher, burst through the door, helped her onto it, and carried her away.
As she was being taken out, she anxiously waved at Jiang Ye, "Does it count? Does this count for me!"
"It counts, you passed," Jiang Ye said helplessly. "The money will be transferred to you soon."
On the way back from Music City, Jiang Ye pulled up the girl's resume. She was an immigrant from Hal Star, an orphan, with only an elementary school education. She had worked as a waitress, cleaner, high-rise window cleaner, welder, plumber, transport driver, extra, pharmaceutical representative, model, church handyman, and porter... She was born during the civil war on Hal Star. After starting work, she had been assaulted and sexually harassed, defrauded of ten thousand yuan, and had mistakenly joined a pyramid scheme... Despite such a difficult life, she was only twenty-two years old this year. The hardships she endured over a decade had led her to more jobs than many people have in a lifetime. It was truly pitiable, no wonder she pulled her hair out for twenty thousand yuan.
Jiang Ye's heart stirred, and he looked at the resumes of the other volunteers.
As expected, most of them had problems of one kind or another:
A former university lecturer, burdened by debt from failed investments, chased by creditors.
A former rich second-generation heir who had gambled away his family fortune.
A war refugee, penniless, an old father desperate for money to support his family.
A wife whose husband was critically ill and needed a million yuan for medical expenses.
Jiang Ye read for a long time, and the words "tragic" seemed to be written between the lines for each of them.
Only four or five people were relatively normal, even quite well-off. They were likely there to earn extra money or to experience life and seek excitement.
As the vehicle landed at his estate, Li Nannan called.
"Hello, Commander," Jiang Ye said, opening the car door and jumping out, standing by the car to take the call.
"We've held two more meetings and decided to implement a semi-military management of your Music City," Li Nannan said. "This is the best measure I could fight for you. If you don't agree to semi-military management, it will have to be shut down, and the entire Music City will be handed over to the military."
"What does semi-military management mean?" Jiang Ye's heart sank.
"The military will send troops to be stationed at Music City. Some military experts will come to guide the work and discuss with you how to proceed," Li Nannan explained. "Under normal circumstances, Music City's rights will remain yours, but if the 'Intelligent Fungus' gains control, the local troops will take coercive measures."
"Military experts will come to guide the work?" Jiang Ye's brow furrowed. "So, will I have the final say on everything, or will the experts? Will it be my decision or your people's?"
"We'll discuss it," Li Nannan replied. "This kind of thing depends on your ability. The better your relationship with them, the more freedom you'll have. Most matters should still be decided by you; these garrisons are just to set red lines."
"How many troops will be stationed? Will I pay for them, or will you allocate funds?" Jiang Ye got to the crucial point.
"Initially, it's planned to have a force of five hundred, 200 military spacecraft, and 1,000 mechanical soldiers," Li Nannan said. "As for who will bear the costs for these personnel, we've decided to ask for your opinion. You can have the military cover it, or you can pay yourself, or we can cooperate."
"I'll pay," Jiang Ye said decisively.
This was an opportunity that had to be seized.
Who paid for this force would determine the extent to which Music City remained under his control.
"Alright, then you will bear the full cost," Li Nannan agreed immediately.