"What is it? Just say the word, and I promise I'll get it done!" Lai Ya said, ecstatic.
Lino asked, "You speak pretty well. I assume you know how to spell in Low Gothic?"
Lai Ya nodded repeatedly.
"Yeah. I was still in school before Sector Seven turned into the Ruins Zone. I know Low Gothic and math, though right now I just help the rat-skins look after their fields. It's a shame. I'd just finished my second year when Sector Seven was ruined, so I never got the chance to learn a proper trade at the academy..."
Her expression dimmed halfway through her sentence.
Lino finally realized that Lai Ya was a native of the Ruins Zone.
"We always have to look forward in life, don't we? What I need you to do isn't complicated. The Ruins Zone must have a lot of things that don't exist here in the Eighth District, right?"
"Mm, that's true. The depths of the Ruins Zone connect to the Underhive. Monsters from the Underhive often come up to hunt, and those creatures are incredibly rare throughout the rest of the Lower Hive. Plus, the explosion years ago drastically changed the geological and atmospheric environment of the Ruins Zone, causing irreversible mutations in a lot of local wildlife."
Lai Ya pointed at the backpack by her feet.
"Take this glowing fungus, for example. It only appeared after the explosion."
"Oh, I see."
Lino looked thoughtful.
He glanced at the Fluorescent Spore, his eyes glinting with the distinct fervor of a research hound discovering a new project.
"Lai Ya, I want you to compile an illustrated field guide of the Ruins Zone for me. We'll meet up every two days to trade regular mushrooms, and I'll check your progress on the guide while we're at it. As long as you don't slack off, I'll provide you with five kilograms of sample-grade mushrooms every time."
"Compile a field guide? Like an encyclopedia?"
"Exactly. Do you have a Dataslate?"
"No, but I have a blank notebook."
Lino lightly punched his palm. "Then use the notebook for now. I'll find a way to get you a Dataslate later."
"Okay." Lai Ya took a deep breath, breaking into a relieved smile.
"Thank you. Knowing I have your mushrooms makes me feel a lot better. Is there anything else you need me to do? Like, while I'm working on the guide, should I gather some samples for you?"
Lino nodded in satisfaction.
"Sure, just gathering fungi is fine. I don't need samples of any other creatures. By the way, carrying around six hundred ration cards doesn't feel very safe to me. Is there any other currency I can use instead of ration cards?"
"Yeah, this can replace them." Lai Ya pulled a cigarette from her pocket.
The cigarette was wrapped in a thin, transparent film, and a line of ink was sprayed across the rolling paper, reading: "Premium Kram Cigarette".
"Cigarettes can be used as currency?" Lino was momentarily taken aback.
As a former cloud-hammer, the Warhammer world never failed to catch him off guard with its little details.
If cigarettes were treated as money, didn't that mean he was about to start working in a literal mint?
Lai Ya laughed.
"Don't underestimate these cigarettes. They can be used as painkillers and stimulants, and their effects are about on par with the combat stims used by the Planetary Defense Force. Plus, the ash can be used as an antiseptic to treat open wounds."
Lai Ya showed the cigarette to Lino, then tucked it back into her pocket like it was a precious treasure.
"The Coin Guild mandated the use of ration cards as currency in the Underhive. But out in the Ruins Zone, we trade with Kram Cigarettes. Ration cards are pretty much useless there—worse than toilet paper, honestly."
Lino was momentarily speechless.
"...So you're saying you just used toilet paper to buy food off me?"
Lai Ya covered her mouth and giggled.
"Don't say it like that. Ration cards can still buy Kram Cigarettes, which toilet paper definitely can't do. How about you go back and ask around about the exchange rate for cigarettes, and next time we can discuss trading them for mushrooms?"
"Alright, it's a deal."
The two ironed out a few more details of their arrangement before heading their separate ways.
...
...
In the blink of an eye, the night passed.
Everyone who had passed the selection process was gathered at the entrance of the Kram Cigarette Factory.
Academy students only made up a fraction of the crowd; there were also many adults who had graduated years ago.
These individuals had excelled in their previous positions and received an olive branch from the Kram Cigarette Factory, jumping ship to a much more promising platform.
Changing jobs required approval from the Merchant Guild, which made the process incredibly difficult.
There were about two hundred students present, but the adults numbered closer to a thousand.
Who knew what kind of price the Kram Cigarette Factory had to pay to get the Merchant Guild to release all these people.
"Hiss—"
The pneumatic mechanisms engaged, and the building's main doors slid open.
Security Supervisor Borg stepped through the entrance, followed by a team of security personnel pushing carts piled high with Dataslates.
"Everyone, the registration process is about to begin. Please remain quiet."
The loudspeakers broadcast Borg's synthetic, mechanical voice to every corner of the plaza.
The noisy crowd quieted down, all eyes zeroing in on Borg.
"Congratulations on passing the Kram Cigarette Factory's selection process. Please form three columns and come to me to receive your Dataslates. The Dataslate will provide you with a navigation map. Please follow the map to complete your registration."
The crowd sprang into action, lining up in order of their arrival.
Lino arrived at the plaza just as this was happening.
He rubbed his eyes, looking like he had only just rolled out of bed.
Truth be told, he was feeling a little frustrated.
After getting his hands on the Fluorescent Spores last night, he couldn't wait to head back and figure out a way to neutralize their toxicity.
The first simulation failed.
Lino stayed up late setting up a "ritual," hoping to repeat his previous trick and rely on sheer metaphysical luck to clear the hurdle.
The second simulation failed, too.
Giving up on superstitions, Lino tried again and again.
Ultimately, from the time he got home last night all the way to three in the morning, every single simulation ended in failure.
It left Lino feeling quite dejected.
The failed simulations proved that the Fluorescent Spore's toxicity was rooted in its genetic material.
A fungus's genetic material was its DNA.
Until he found a way to induce a benign mutation in the fungus, he could forget about altering the Fluorescent Spore's genetic material—much less holding out hope for weakening its poison.
The Pharmacists Association in the Lower Hive sold an experimental device called a Laser Mutator, which was specifically designed for research in the field of genetic mutation.
The device was idiot-proof to operate, but its price was so "beautiful" that it was entirely out of reach for a transmigrator whose career was only just getting started.
And so, carrying the unique sorrow that only the dead broke could understand, Lino finally fell asleep in the latter half of the night, only to rush over for registration the moment he opened his eyes.
"Lino, I'm over here!"
Amy waved her arms from the back of the line.
Lino walked over and took his spot behind her. "Morning. Sure is lively here today."
"Yeah, this is the first time I've ever seen so many people changing jobs." Amy lowered her voice. "Lino, about the sponsorship... I have some news for you."
"Oh? What news?"
"The factory said that the department you've been selected for doesn't charge tuition, so I won't need to sponsor you after all."
"Is that so?" Lino blinked, smiling. "Are you feeling disappointed that you won't get to fund me?"
"Ha. Ha."
Amy rolled her eyes and turned her head back to the front.
A moment later, she turned back around and studied Lino. "Why do I get the feeling you're a bit more cheerful than usual?"
Lino offered a slight shrug. "Maybe it's because I realized there are still people in this world who care about me."
"Tch. So cheesy."