My name is Gong Bao Ding, a rather comical name.
Because I had an elder sister who died young, I was named Bao Ding, to protect me and ensure I grew to adulthood safely.
At that time, that dish was not yet as well-known as it is now.
Around the age of fourteen, I became a demon hunter. I've been working in Furong River City for over twenty years, transforming from Little Gong to Brother Gong, and then to Uncle Gong.
If it weren't for this accident, I might have become Grandpa Gong.
Of the demon hunters around my age, some had sacrificed themselves, while others had been promoted. Only I, like a piece of trash, remained stuck at that level, afraid to advance.
After all, the price of failure was too terrifying, more terrifying than death itself!
Since that day I was attacked by Mr. L, I've been lying here. I know I should wake up, but I can't.
I can hear, I can think, but I cannot respond.
Many people have come to see me – some sad, some weeping, some indifferent. But among them, there were no family members.
Yes, by the time I was fourteen, I was all alone.
I'll probably continue sleeping like this until my consciousness fades away...
As a demon hunter, this ending doesn't seem so bad.
"Wait, there's someone else in the ward, but why can no one see that person? Such a terrifying existence, why does no one sense his presence?"
...
Wen Wen stood before Gong Bao Ding, gently grasped with his palm, and a transparent humanoid figure emerged from his body, standing before Wen Wen.
That was Gong Bao Ding's soul.
Gong Bao Ding looked at his ethereal body, took a few casual steps, and confirmed his state. He looked at Wen Wen with a hint of relief.
"It seems I'm dead. So, you are the Grim Reaper who harvests the souls of the dead? Your clothes look the part, but why aren't you carrying a scythe?"
He looked at Wen Wen, who was dressed in a black robe, his face unseen, only two golden eyes visible.
"I heard that after death, souls appear directly in the inner world. I always thought there was no such thing as a Grim Reaper."
For him, death was also a release, so Gong Bao Ding still had the mood to joke.
"I am not the Grim Reaper. I am here to make a deal with you." Wen Wen maintained his aloof demeanor, speaking from on high.
"A deal? I refuse!" Gong Bao Ding immediately rejected, without even thinking.
In the world of superhumans, making deals with unknown entities was an extremely dangerous thing.
If you were lucky, you might get what you wanted. If you were unlucky, there were many possibilities, but most were more terrifying than death.
Therefore, such deals were taboo for demon hunters.
"Won't you hear my terms? You're about to die, and only I can save you. The price for restoring your life is to work for me."
Gong Bao Ding scoffed at this. "Do you think I'm a coward who fears death? Compared to being someone's puppet, I choose death."
Wen Wen's forehead creased with black lines. "I am not the kind of being you imagine. The work I offer is a legitimate job."
"Heh, your tone is a textbook example of how anomalies seduce people."
Gong Bao Ding was even more disdainful. Although he was dead, he still wanted to maintain the pride of a demon hunter in his final moments.
Wen Wen's eyes widened in anger. He wanted to slam the contract in his hand onto this guy's old face. How could this person be so stubborn!
If he didn't owe this person a favor, Wen Wen would have long ago gone to sign contracts with beautiful young ladies with long legs. Perhaps he could have even received a loving embrace. Why bother with this old man first!
"I'll leave the contract here. You have half a day to consider. This is your last chance." Wen Wen placed the contract on the bed and returned to the containment facility.
He would wait for Uncle Gong at the containment facility. As long as he was of sound mind, he would definitely sign that contract.
When faced with life and death, many people might impulsively choose death. But if they had enough time to think, the outcome might be different.
Wen Wen wasn't doubting Uncle Gong's resolve, but rather because working for the containment facility was not a trap, but rather an opportunity.
When he thought it through carefully, he would make the right choice.
Gong Bao Ding placed his hand on the contract and gently caressed it.
"Such a clean contract..." That was his first impression.
According to the records of the Hunter Association, contracts signed by anomalies to deceive humans usually contained hard-to-discover hidden clauses.
The back, creases, patterns, dividing lines, and other places could all hide deceptive tricks.
Once overlooked, if they weren't discovered, by the time the contract took effect, they would surely regret it.
But this document was different. It only had clean text, without a single extra piece of content. This minimized Gong Bao Ding's risk.
"The contract isn't tampered with, so the conditions should be very harsh."
Then, he began to read the contents of the contract.
It clearly stated the rights he would enjoy and the obligations he would bear after joining the containment facility.
What surprised him most was that the conditions of the contract were much easier than he had imagined, even fewer than the terms of joining the Hunter Association.
"The price for saving my life is just to get me to sign such a contract. What kind of place is this so-called Disaster Containment Facility?"
Gong Bao Ding hesitated for a long time, and finally, he cut his finger and wrote his name on the contract with his blood.
If there was a possibility of not dying, he still didn't want to die. He could completely accept the contents of the contract, so he decided to take a gamble, hoping it wasn't a scam.
At the same time, on the hospital bed, his finger also broke open a small wound, and blood flowed down.
...
Wen Wen, who was further researching the rune in the containment facility, smiled.
Gong Bao Ding had finally signed the contract, and he would welcome his first containment specialist.
The moment the contract was signed, Gong Bao Ding's soul and the contract disappeared simultaneously, appearing together in the containment facility.
"This is the Disaster Containment Facility."
Arriving in another place in an instant, Gong Bao Ding could hardly tear his eyes away. Everything here was incredibly novel.
He knew he had arrived in an extraordinary place.
After reading the contract, Wen Wen nodded with satisfaction, and then the contract slowly disappeared from his hand.
"Welcome, new containment specialist."
Wen Wen placed a hand on Gong Bao Ding's shoulder. With a burst of black energy, their figures vanished, reappearing at the central hub of the disaster zone.
"Welcome, the 725,81st disaster containment specialist, Mr. Gong Bao Ding," said the man in the metallic suit kindly to Gong Bao Ding.
"Give him what he's due," Wen Wen said with a hint of jealousy, looking at the metallic suit man's attitude.
Its attitude towards Gong Bao Ding was much better than towards Wen Wen. This was because Gong Bao Ding's appearance was very similar to the containment specialists of the past, giving it a warm feeling.
As for Wen Wen... he didn't look like a good person!
Even artificial intelligence has its likes and dislikes.