In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Yang Guangming woke up.

The hard bed wasn't comfortable, but it gave him a sense of security, and his sleep quality was actually quite good. He got up, dressed, and washed up quickly with the little cold water he had left over from the night before.

Just as I finished tidying up, I heard familiar footsteps outside the door.

"Dong dong."

"Guangming, are you awake? It's me." He Jianjun's voice was low, tinged with excitement.

As Yang Guangming opened the door, He Jianjun slipped in, his face showing the fatigue of staying up all night, but his eyes were bright. In his hand, he held a bulging old envelope and a few loose banknotes.

"It's all changed!" He Jianjun handed over the envelope and money, his tone revealing ease and a hint of pride in completing the task. "Take a look."

Yang Guangming took the letter and opened the envelope first.

Inside was a stack of grain coupons, some new and some old, but all neatly folded. On top were several national grain coupons, printed with the words "National General Grain Coupons of the Ministry of Grain of the People's Republic of China".

Below is a thick stack of ordinary local grain coupons, the paper quality is slightly inferior, and the designs are simpler.

“Count them, there are thirteen jin of national grain coupons and twenty jin of local grain coupons,” He Jianjun said from the side, then pointed to the banknotes in Yang Guangming’s hand, “This is two yuan and seventy cents, count it.”

Yang Guangming counted the grain coupons. Nationwide, grain coupons were mostly in denominations of one jin (500 grams), totaling thirteen jin. Local grain coupons were also in smaller denominations of half a jin or one jin, making a total of twenty jin.

He counted the money again; it was two dollars and seventy cents, not a penny less.

"Jianjun, you've worked hard," Yang Guangming said sincerely. "So many national food coupons... more than I expected. How did you get them?"

He Jianjun smiled and rubbed his hands together: "The quality of your grain is really good. When Master Liu saw the rice, his eyes widened. He said he hadn't seen such shiny and good rice in years. The red beans and mung beans are also top-quality. They were all fighting over it, and I took the opportunity to get some extra national grain coupons."

He paused for a moment and explained, “Now everyone has some national grain coupons but they’re reluctant to use them, saving them for long trips or critical moments. But your grain is real, and they think it’s worth it. Thirteen catties of national grain coupons is almost the maximum you can get. If the grain were a little worse, you could only get ten or so catties at most.”

Yang Guangming nodded, quite satisfied. National grain coupons were rare, not only because they contained oil, but also because they had no strict regional or time restrictions, making them much more convenient to use. In an era where travel required letters of introduction and grain coupons were limited to specific regions, national grain coupons were the true form of hard currency.

"Thanks to you." Yang Guangming thanked him again, took out one yuan from the two yuan and seventy cents in his hand, and stuffed it into He Jianjun's hand. "Take this. I've made a decision for my fellow villager. After all, this isn't my business, and I can't let you work for nothing."

He Jianjun reacted as if he'd been burned, quickly pushing him away: "What are you doing? Guangming, do we still need this between us? Take it back! What would I look like if I accepted your money?"

His attitude was firm, and he even looked a little unhappy: "I helped your fellow villager because of our classmate relationship, but in reality, I was also helping you. If your fellow villager feels bad about it, he can just put the favor on your name."

If you keep doing this, I won't dare to help you in the future. I also took two of your big rabbits; shouldn't you return them too?

Seeing that he was really anxious, Yang Guangming had no choice but to take the money back, saying helplessly, "Alright, alright, I won't give it to you. My fellow villager is a very honest person, he will definitely thank me properly later, don't be jealous."

"That's more like it." He Jianjun's expression softened, and he yawned. "I didn't sleep well all night, just thinking about this. Now that I have the things in your hands, I feel relieved. I need to go back and get some rest, I have to go to work this afternoon."

"Go back and rest," Yang Guangming said. "By the way, I'm going out to run some errands later and might come back to stay tonight. Would it be a hassle for you to stay here so long? Or should I go to the front desk and handle the formalities myself?"

He Jianjun waved his hand, his tone very certain: "No need! Just stay here comfortably. To be honest with you, our guesthouse has internal regulations. As long as there are empty rooms, relatives and friends introduced by employees can stay for ten or eight days a month without anyone caring. The leaders also turn a blind eye. As long as it's not too outrageous, it's fine as long as it's empty."

He patted Yang Guangming on the shoulder: "Don't worry about it. As long as there are vacant rooms, you can stay as long as you want. Even if they're full sometimes, I'll find a way to accommodate you. It's not difficult. I still have that much face to give."

Seeing that he said that, Yang Guangming stopped refusing.

"Alright then, I won't stand on ceremony with you. You should go back to sleep."

"Okay, I'm leaving. If you need anything, come find me up ahead. If I'm not there, look for Xiao Wang. I've already told you everything." He Jianjun gave him another instruction before dragging his tired feet away.

After seeing He Jianjun off, Yang Guangming closed the door and carefully put away the grain coupons and money.

With these 33 jin of grain coupons, 13 jin of which were national grain coupons, he felt much more confident in his activities in the county town.

I checked the time; it wasn't even seven o'clock yet. The sky outside was already bright, and the cool morning light of early spring shone through the glass.

He planned to go out for breakfast.

Although I got some food from the space yesterday, it was all cold. Now that I have food coupons, I naturally want to try the hot breakfast in this county town in this era.

As I recall, there was a small restaurant selling breakfast near the guesthouse.

Yang Guangming tidied himself up, put away his food coupons and some change, and left the room.

The corridor was quiet; the other guests in the rooms seemed to be still asleep. He tiptoed downstairs, crossed the empty lobby, and pushed open the heavy door of the guesthouse.

The cold air rushed in, instantly invigorating him.

On the street, workers hurrying to work rode by on their bicycles, their bells ringing incessantly. The state-run restaurants along the roadside had already opened for business, steam rising from their entrances.

With the sunlight clearly indicating my direction, I headed towards the small restaurant I remembered.

After walking for less than five minutes, I saw a small storefront with a wooden sign hanging at the entrance that read "Breakfast Available" in red paint, the color of which had faded somewhat. The door was open, and the sounds of people talking and the aroma of food wafted out from inside.

He walked inside.

The shop wasn't big, with four or five square tables, which were already more than half full. Most of the customers were workers in overalls, with a few who looked like managers, all eating quickly before heading to work.

A long counter stood against the wall, behind which was the work area. A large pot was steaming, but it was impossible to see what was being cooked. Next to it was a fryer, sizzling as it fried something.

The air was filled with the aroma of fried noodles, the spiciness of hot and sour soup, and the smells of vinegar and garlic.

Yang Guangming walked to the counter. Behind him was a chef in his fifties, wearing a white apron, his face shiny with oil, who was deftly serving soup to customers.

"Comrade, what would you like to eat?" the old chef asked without looking up.

"A bowl of spicy soup and two vegetable dumplings," Yang Guangming said, while taking out his food coupons and money.

The old master glanced at the local grain coupons and two cents he handed over, and nodded: "Spicy soup, five cents; vegetable dumplings, three cents each, totaling one cent and one ounce. Grain coupons, two ounces."

He accepted the food coupons and money, took out an enamel bowl from under the counter, ladled a full bowl of dark brown, thick spicy soup from the large pot, and then used chopsticks to pick up two golden-fried vegetable dumplings from the bamboo basket next to him and put them on a small plate.

"Help yourself, the chopsticks are over there." The old chef gestured with his lips toward a bamboo tube in the corner.

Yang Guangming picked up the bowl and plate, the heat almost making him drop them. He carefully walked to a newly vacated table in the corner and sat down.

The hot and sour soup was still steaming, with a few drops of oil and some gluten and tofu strips floating on the surface. He picked up a pair of chopsticks from the bamboo tube and first picked up a small piece of vegetable.

The vegetable dumplings are filled with chives and eggs. The outer skin is fried until crispy. When you bite into them, there is a soft "crunch" sound. Inside are warm chives and scrambled eggs. Although there is not much oil, the fresh aroma of chives and the rich flavor of eggs blend together. In this era of oil scarcity, it is a rare delicacy.

He slowly ate the vegetable dumplings, then scooped up a spoonful of spicy soup and put it in his mouth.

The soup was piping hot, and the spicy flavor exploded in my mouth instantly, mixed with the aroma of pepper and Sichuan peppercorns, along with a subtle meaty taste and the smooth texture of tofu. The soup was thickened with cornstarch, making it viscous and smooth; drinking it warmed me from my throat to my stomach.

This simple and direct flavor, carrying a strong sense of the times and the region, is something that later refined "snacks" cannot replace.

Sunshine brightened as he sipped soup and ate a bite of vegetable dumpling slowly.

The shop was bustling with people; those who finished eating left in a hurry, and new customers quickly filled their seats. Everyone was quiet, occasionally exchanging quiet greetings with acquaintances, talking about people at the factory or their families.

This ordinary morning, full of the warmth of everyday life, gives Yang Guangming a real sense of grounded comfort.

In his previous lives, he had experienced both luxury and turmoil, but as an ordinary young man, sitting in a small shop in the county town, eating a bowl of hot soup, and watching the people around him struggling to make a living, this feeling always made him feel at ease.

After breakfast, I felt warm and had plenty of energy.

He walked out of the shop, stood at the door, and watched the increasing flow of people on the street.

Now, it's time to get down to business.

He returned to the guesthouse and retrieved the wicker basket. The basket was empty, just the right amount to hold any potential spoils.

He checked his belongings: food coupons, money, a basket, and "tools" and "weapons" that he could access at any time in his storage space.

Once he was ready, he stepped out of the guesthouse, not taking the same route back to the village as yesterday, but heading west towards the county town.

He planned to try his luck in the deep mountains west of the county town to see if he could encounter large prey such as wild boars, wolves, or roe deer.

He has already analyzed that there are two main ways to find a formal job in the current period.

The first option is to buy it with money.

This is also his main goal going forward. If he hears news in this area and the position is good, he will consider buying a job to take over the business.

The prerequisite is that he has enough cash on hand. This isn't a problem for him; if needed, he can consider selling bezoars in big cities to legally obtain a large sum of cash. He's not afraid of anyone tracing the source of his cash.

The second way is to obtain enough large prey, which requires luck.

Since last year, almost all factories and mines of a certain size have set up special offices for agricultural and sideline products.

The core task of this agricultural and sideline products office is to find ways to obtain more agricultural and sideline products.

Grain and oil are state-controlled commodities, entirely dependent on state quotas. Factories and mines are not qualified to purchase them directly. If they want to provide their employees with more food, they can only turn to agricultural and sideline products.

Each unit wants to purchase more agricultural and sideline products, so they can only use their own unique methods.

In order to purchase as many agricultural and sideline products as possible, various units, especially large factories and mines, have formulated many special incentive policies. Some of these policies even include incentive quotas for regular employees.

If Guangming can acquire enough large prey, such as a few wild boars, he is confident that he can earn himself a permanent position.

Now it depends on his luck. If he's lucky, he'll be able to get a job in the city soon.

This method is faster and easier to implement than paying for a job.

To the west of Pingyang County are rolling hills and mountains, which locals collectively call Xishan (West Mountain). The part closer to the county seat consists of low hills, and further in, you enter the deep forests.

The area is sparsely populated and densely vegetated, and is said to be home to wolves, wild boars, and even the occasional leopard. Normally, apart from a very few experienced hunters, few dare to venture deep into it.

Yang Guangming's target was that deep mountain.

He carried an empty basket on his back and walked slowly along the dirt road on the west side of the county town.

Outside the county town, houses gradually thinned out, and empty fields stretched out on both sides of the road. The wheat seedlings had just turned green, sparse and listless.

After walking for half an hour, we had left the village and farmland and entered the mountains.

The path beneath our feet turned into a narrow, winding trail, ascending upwards. Low shrubs and sparse pines lined both sides. The air grew crisp and cool, carrying the scent of decaying earth and vegetation.

Yang Guangming continued walking without stopping.

As he walked, he focused his consciousness into his mind, releasing a detection range of four meters in radius. Everything around him, whether grass, trees, rocks, underground caves, or small animals, was clearly reflected in his perception.

After walking for about half an hour, we entered the real mountain forest.

The trees grew tall and dense, pines, cypresses, and oaks, their branches intertwined, blocking out the sun. A thick layer of fallen leaves covered the ground, soft and yielding underfoot. The light dimmed, with only scattered patches of sunlight filtering through the gaps.

There are very few traces of human activity left here.

Yang Guangming slowed down, taking a closer look at his surroundings.

Suddenly, about three meters to the left front of the detection range, a hole appeared behind a thicket of thorns. Inside the hole, two grayish-brown wild rabbits were curled up, resting.

With a slight thought, he locked his consciousness in place, and the two rabbits instantly disappeared from the burrow, passing through the refrigerator space, and appeared in his basket the next moment.

He took out the prepared hemp rope, skillfully tied the two rabbits together, and put them at the bottom of the basket.

Keep going.

After walking for another ten minutes or so, he found a larger rabbit hole on a sunny slope. Peeking inside, he saw four adult rabbits and two half-grown rabbits huddled together for warmth.

Yang Guangming repeated the process, and the six rabbits were quietly "transferred" into his basket. The basket immediately became lively, with eight rabbits huddled together, moving restlessly. Yang Guangming found some dry grass and covered them up, providing some cover.

He had a good harvest, but that wasn't his goal for today.

He was looking for large prey.

Wild boars, wolves, roe deer... these are the "hard goods" that can be exchanged for a permanent job.

He determined his direction and headed deeper into the mountains and forests. There, the terrain was more treacherous, the vegetation more pristine, and it was a place where larger animals were more likely to roam.

The path beneath my feet grew increasingly difficult, with almost no discernible trail. I could only rely on my memory of directions and my ability to find my way through the dense forest. Dead branches, vines, and protruding rocks were all obstacles. The air grew colder and damper, carrying a strong smell of humus.

Yang Guangming wasn't in a hurry. He maintained a steady pace, carefully sensing everything within a four-meter radius as he walked.

The sounds, footprints, droppings, and even lingering odors of large animals are all within his detection range.

After walking for another half hour, he had penetrated deep into the core area, which was rarely visited by people. The trees here were thicker and taller, some requiring several people to encircle them. The ground was covered with withered branches and leaves that had been lying there for who knows how many years, and stepping on them almost sank up to his ankles.

The surroundings were extremely quiet, even the birdsong was much less frequent, with only the whistling of the wind through the treetops and the faint sound of flowing water in the distance.

Suddenly, Yang Guangming stopped in his tracks.

Within his detection range, about three and a half meters to his left, behind a patch of low bushes, there were messy hoof prints on the ground. The prints were deep, indicating that the animal was not light. There were also dug-out patches of soil and traces of gnawed plant roots nearby.

Those are traces of wild boar!

He perked up and carefully sensed the direction the hoofprints extended. The tracks were fresh, indicating they had been left not long ago.

He tiptoed and slowly followed the trail.

After walking less than a hundred meters, the tracks became clearer and denser. Clearly, wild boars had lingered and foraged here.

Yang Guangming became even more cautious, expanding the search area to its limit and carefully searching every corner around him.

After walking a few dozen meters further, and bypassing a dense oak forest, a small, relatively open clearing appeared ahead.

In the open space, several large, gray-black animals were rummaging through the fallen leaves and soil, making grunting noises.

It's a wild boar!
Yang Guangming immediately stopped and hid behind a large pine tree, staring intently.

There are four in total.

The two creatures were exceptionally large, with a shoulder height estimated at over 70 centimeters and a body length likely approaching two meters. Their bodies were covered in coarse, stiff manes, and fangs protruded from the corners of their mouths, gleaming faintly in the dim light. Their weight was definitely over 200 kilograms.

The other two were slightly smaller, but still about the size of a regular domestic pig, and probably weighed over 100 pounds.

Two adults and two children; they look like a family.

Yang Guangming's heart skipped a beat. Not from nervousness, but from excitement.

The four wild boars probably weighed over 700 pounds in total! This was an enormous haul, far exceeding his expectations.

Wild boars have a keen sense of smell and hearing. Even though he was hiding behind a tree, more than 20 meters away, he could still be discovered if he stayed there for too long.

He needs to get close, within four meters.

Yang Ming held his breath and, using the trees and bushes for cover, began to move forward slowly and cautiously.

His footsteps were extremely light, barely making a sound as he trod on the thick layer of fallen leaves. He crouched slightly, his gaze fixed intently on the wild boars.

The wild boars seemed oblivious, continuing to intently search for food on the ground. The largest boar occasionally raised its head, looking around warily, but quickly lowered it again.

Ten meters... eight meters... six meters...

Yang Guangming was highly focused. Just as he was about to step into the four-meter range, the largest boar seemed to sense something, suddenly raised its head, and looked in the direction where Yang Guangming was hiding, its small eyes flashing with vigilance and ferocity.

It let out a short, threatening grunt, and the other three wild boars stopped what they were doing, raised their heads, and pricked up their ears alertly.

It was discovered!

Without any hesitation, Yang Guangming took a step forward and completely entered the four-meter range as soon as the boar issued its warning!
In an instant, consciousness locked onto the largest boar, pinpointing the location of its brainstem.

My mind raced!

Inside the refrigerator, a piece of thin ice, about the size of a fingernail, vanished into thin air and then reappeared with perfect precision deep inside the boar's brainstem!
Just as the boar was about to roar, its massive body suddenly stiffened, and the fierce light in its eyes vanished instantly. Without even uttering a sound, its limbs went limp, and it collapsed to the ground with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.

All of this happened so fast that the other three wild boars didn't even have time to react.

Yang Guangming's consciousness did not falter at all. Almost at the same time as the boar fell to the ground, he had already locked onto the second large wild boar and similarly sent a piece of thin ice into his brainstem.

The second wild boar shuddered, swayed, and collapsed to the ground as well.

The remaining two wild boars then realized the danger, let out a terrified squeal, and turned to run away.

But they were too close to the sunlight, only two or three meters away.

Consciousness flashed continuously.

The third piece of thin ice, the fourth piece of thin ice.

The two wild boars had only taken two steps when their momentum came to an abrupt halt. They rolled and fell to the ground, their limbs twitching a few times before they stopped moving.

From the moment the sun was discovered to the moment all four wild boars collapsed, the entire process was completed in an instant.

In the clearing in the woods, only the muffled thud of the wild boar falling to the ground and the subsequent deathly silence remained.

Yang Guangming slowly exhaled a long breath and straightened his body.

A light sheen of sweat on his forehead wasn't from exhaustion, but a natural reaction to intense concentration. Utilizing spatial abilities to carry out such precise "assassinations" requires a high level of mental focus.

He walked over to the nearest boar and squatted down to examine it.

The wild boar was completely dead. There were no external injuries on its body, only a little blood seeping from its mouth and nose, a sign of intracranial hemorrhage. Its eyes were still open, but they had lost their luster.

He checked the other three heads, and the situation was similar.

perfect.

A slight smile appeared on Yang Guangming's lips. The refrigerator space's ability was practically unbeatable against these beasts. Within four meters, he was truly invincible.

But then, a problem arose.

The four wild boars weighed over 700 pounds in total. There was absolutely no way he could have gotten them out of this deep mountain forest by himself.

We can only store it temporarily, and then go back to get someone to transport it by vehicle.

He stood up and looked around. Although this place was secluded, the smell of blood might attract other predators. He needed to find a safer place to store it.

Open the entire exploration area and carefully search the vicinity.

Soon, at the edge of the clearing, under a vine-covered cliff, he found a cave entrance.

The entrance was small and hidden by dense vines, making it difficult to spot. Probing inside, one found a small natural cave, about four or five meters deep, one meter wide, and about two meters high; the ground was relatively dry.

It's only a dozen meters from the open space, so moving it isn't too difficult.

Yang Guangming decided to temporarily store the wild boar in this cave.

He first went to the cave entrance, parted the vines, and confirmed that there were no snakes, insects, or other animals living inside. Then he returned to the open space and began dragging the first, and largest, boar.

Even in death, this boar was incredibly heavy. Although Yang Guangming's body was young, it had suffered from long-term malnutrition and wasn't particularly strong. The modifications to his body after transmigrating were only just beginning; further physical enhancement would require time.

He struggled to grab the wild boar's two hind legs and dragged it step by step toward the cave.

The thick layer of fallen leaves on the ground reduced friction, but dragging a wild boar weighing over 200 pounds still left him panting heavily.

After much effort, he finally dragged the boar into the cave. Without taking a break, he went to drag a second large wild boar.

It was more than half an hour later when he finally dragged all four wild boars into the cave. He was covered in a thin layer of sweat, his cotton-padded jacket was soaked through, and his arms and back felt sore and weak.

But looking at the four wild boars lying side by side in the cave, I felt a great sense of accomplishment.

He walked out of the cave, found some stones and dry branches, and roughly covered the entrance. Without careful observation, it would be difficult to notice that there was a cave there.

Next, there is one more problem to deal with.

The wild boar had no external injuries, which was too strange and would arouse suspicion. He needed to create some plausible "wounds".

Yang Guangming found a dead tree with a sharp end near the cave. He picked it up and went back into the cave.

He picked up the dead tree and, with the sharp end, poked each of the four wild boars in the eyes with force.

puff.

A slight cracking sound. The wild boar's eyeball had been punctured, leaving a visible wound from which blood and murky fluid oozed.

This makes it appear as if he stabbed a wild boar in the eye with a stick during a close-quarters fight, causing its death. While it's still hard to believe that one person could kill four wild boars with a stick, especially two such large ones, it's at least theoretically possible, and certainly more plausible than having no external injuries whatsoever.

After doing all this, Yang Guangming checked the cave's concealment again to confirm that everything was in order.

He shouldered the basket containing the rabbit, determined the direction, and began to walk quickly out of the mountain along the path he had come from.

He explored slowly when he entered, taking nearly an hour and a half. When he left, he knew the way well and, being eager, he was out of the mountains in less than an hour.

Judging from the sun, it's probably between 10 and 11 a.m.
There's still time.

Without stopping, he quickened his pace and headed towards the county town.

Half an hour later, Yang Guangming, carrying a heavy basket on his back, walked into Pingyang County again.

Instead of returning to the guesthouse, he headed directly south of the city.

Dongfang Pharmaceutical Factory is located in the southern suburbs of the county.

This is the largest and highest-level factory in Pingyang County, a provincial-level enterprise with four to five thousand employees. Its welfare benefits are among the best in the county, making it a dream workplace for countless people.

Yang Guangming still remembers that he was swindled out of his money by Qin Shengli under the guise of "recruiting workers at Dongfang Pharmaceutical Factory." Now, however, he is determined to rely on his own abilities to truly step into the gates of this factory.

Of course, he didn't go to the workshop as a worker, but rather as a "prey provider" to negotiate with the factory leaders.

He kept walking, and the buildings on both sides of the street gradually became more orderly, and there were more pedestrians. Many of them were wearing uniform work clothes with the words "Dongfang Pharmaceutical Factory" printed on their chests.

After walking for a while, a tall factory wall came into view.

The wall was made of red bricks, whitewashed, and covered with barbed wire. In the center were two heavy iron gates, which were wide open. A huge sign hung above the gates: "Dongfang Pharmaceutical Factory".

There were uniformed guards standing at the entrance, armed with guns, watching the people and vehicles coming and going with serious expressions.

Yang Guangming walked to the vicinity of the gate, but did not rush in. Instead, he observed the area first.

Everyone entering and exiting must show identification, and vehicles are also inspected. Management is very strict.

He straightened his clothes and basket, making himself look somewhat neat despite his travel-worn appearance. Then, he headed towards the guardhouse.

The guardhouse was a small room located to one side of the main gate, with its windows open. Two young guards sat inside, chatting and drinking tea. (End of Chapter)