Charlotte Reed stared blankly as the couple left the activity center, unable to hold back a sigh:

　　“What should I do next?”

　　Brian Carter turned his head, looking at him with a serious expression:

　　“A great cause awaits you.”

　　“……” The muscles on Charlotte Reed’s face twitched. “Speak human language!”

　　Brian Carter smiled and said:

　　“Just wait for next year’s unified matchmaking.”

　　“That’s true.” Charlotte Reed sighed. “Ah, I don’t want to think about it anymore. I just hope I get assigned a good position tomorrow. Also, Brian Carter, I really feel like you’re getting more and more abnormal—I mean, in the head.”

　　As he spoke, he pointed to his own temple.

　　The most important thing for them now was to wait for their job assignments, which would directly determine their future lives—except for those who had special skills and were pre-selected by certain departments, the rest of the higher education graduates all had to wait for assignment.

　　Before Brian Carter could respond, Charlotte Reed saw the activity center supervisor Henry Brooks turn off the display screen, pick up a cylindrical metal cup excavated from Old World ruins, and slowly walk over. Feeling a bit nervous, he casually asked:

　　“Grandpa Brooks, what department do you think we’ll be assigned to?”

　　Henry Brooks coughed:

　　“As far as I know, those who just got married and are about to start having children will be assigned to relatively safe internal positions. Those who didn’t get matched and don’t need to have children for now might get somewhat dangerous jobs.”

　　Charlotte Reed’s expression immediately fell:

　　“I—I need to go back and tell my parents the matchmaking results.”

　　He didn’t wait for Brian Carter to respond, left the activity center with a long face.

　　“Your parents aren’t even off work yet…” Brian Carter muttered, then followed him out into the corridor.

　　This was the 495th floor of the underground building. There was no sky, only a four-meter-high ceiling, with long tube lights embedded at regular intervals, casting fairly bright light.

　　For company employees, when the streetlights were on, it was daytime; when they were off, it was night.

　　Brian Carter looked up at the streetlights ahead, then turned toward another area in Zone C.

　　On both sides of the road, rooms were packed tightly together, each only about two meters wide, like a honeycomb from a textbook spread out on a single plane.

　　Compared to them, the activity center felt as spacious as a plaza.

　　After walking down two “streets,” Brian Carter arrived at a relatively open area, where twelve elevators were installed.

　　These were the elevators that led directly to the “Research Zone.”

　　In this underground building from the Old World, to prevent congestion and accidents, the elevators from the “Living Zone” to the “Factory Zone,” “Research Zone,” and the narrowly defined “Internal Ecology Zone” were separated and located in different areas of the floor.

　　Meanwhile, the “Management Zone” and “Energy Zone” were combined with the “Research Zone,” but required swiping an electronic card and verifying permissions to access.

　　Brian Carter waited for a while, entered the middle elevator, and casually pressed the number “21.”

　　Since it was working hours, the elevator didn’t stop midway and steadily descended.

　　During this process, Brian Carter suddenly took out his electronic card and swiped it in the corresponding area.

　　Then, he pressed the metal button for the 3rd floor.

　　The elevator continued to descend and only stopped after quite a while.

　　Brian Carter exited the elevator, turned left, and saw a large, tightly closed double metal door, guarded outside by four armed security personnel in bionic armor, looking like upright lizards.

　　Brian Carter didn’t try to approach the metal door. Instead, he walked along the corridor outside the door to the right.

　　At the end of the corridor were several rooms, but none had nameplates.

　　Under the fluorescent lights on the ceiling, Brian Carter knocked on the door in the farthest corner.

　　“Come in.” A gentle female voice came from inside.

　　Brian Carter turned the handle, pushed open the door, and saw a woman in a white lab coat.

　　She was sitting behind a desk of natural wood color, appearing to be in her thirties, with gold-rimmed glasses perched on her nose.

　　Her hair was neatly coiled, with only a few stray strands hanging down.

　　“It’s you.” The woman glanced at Brian Carter, smiled, and pointed to the chair opposite the desk. “Sit.”

　　Brian Carter sat down and smiled as if he were at home:

　　“Good afternoon, Dr. Parker.”

　　“Good afternoon, Little Brian.” Dr. Parker brushed aside a strand of hair and picked up a folder from the side, spreading it open in front of her.

　　Then, she fiddled with a black fountain pen and asked casually:

　　“How have you been feeling lately?”

　　“My appetite has gotten a bit bigger, my sleep is normal, and my body is very healthy.” As Brian Carter spoke, he flexed his biceps.

　　Dr. Parker nodded:

　　“I’ve already helped you apply to forgo the unified matchmaking. You’ve seen the result, right?”

　　“Yeah, thank you.” Brian Carter said with a smile. “Can I sing a song to thank you?”

　　“No need.” Dr. Parker shook her head without hesitation.

　　She then tapped her pen:

　　“Actually, I’m quite curious—why do you insist on giving up the unified matchmaking? Your situation isn’t that serious.”