The system is very abstract, fortunately I am also.

Chapter 489 Whose life is this again?

"Lin Li, don't be so obviously different next time."

After the female passenger was taken to her destination, Du Zhuo looked at Lin Li with a mixture of helplessness and amusement, sighed, and remarked:

“If a suspicious passenger remembers my license plate number and reports me, I’ll be accused of discriminating against customers and fined at least 200 yuan. I might even have to write a self-criticism and have it posted in the company.”

Last time I picked up a passenger surnamed An, and he was very cunning.

Fortunately, the passenger in the hearse wasn't the one who placed the order. He lay there silently the whole time, acting aloof and somewhat unsociable. But the good news is that he couldn't leave a bad review.

"Brother Du, don't worry, this is exactly what I'm good at. I have plenty of funding and plenty of experience in writing self-criticisms. What's more, I just finished writing a thousand-word self-criticism today, and I'm in a hot streak right now. Do you need me to write one for you as a backup?"

Lin Li's eyes lit up.

Du Zhuo: "(；☉_☉)?"

Hey kid, you're really stubborn, aren't you?

This thing can feel really hot to the touch.

What are you expecting with those eyes?!

No wonder he's a researcher; his thought process is just different from normal people.

Seeing Du Zhuo's lips twitch slightly, Lin Li smiled and finally said something more human-like:

"Don't worry, Brother Du, I understand. I won't discriminate against these 'passengers outside the sample range' anymore, at least not so obviously."

"That's good." Du Zhuo nodded, then, remembering Lin Li's purpose, asked with concern:
"I noticed you didn't speak to any passengers just now. Did you really collect the data you needed?"

Lin Li's initial screening was successful; Du Zhuo was ultimately a rather honest person.

Because Lin Li hadn't spoken a word the whole way, he assumed Lin Li was a little shy and at a loss, unsure how to communicate with passengers. So he took the initiative to strike up a conversation with the passenger, which was just the kind of chat he would occasionally have with passengers while driving, hoping to help Lin Li.

The main problem is that they collected too much money.

If Lin Li didn't make any money, he would feel uneasy and restless holding onto the money.

"Don't worry, Brother Du, yes, that's exactly the kind of experience I need. I've actually been observing and recording data all along, and most of the time I don't need to say anything," Lin Li said with a smile, nodding to reassure him.

Lin Li's smile was genuine.

——【Complete at least 10 requests from citizens of an unfamiliar empire while piloting a mech (2/10)】

The progress of the mission proved that his operation was entirely feasible.

All you need to do now is continue serving customers.

If the distance is short, it only takes about ten minutes. If you're fast, you can complete the task tonight without having to go on an adventure in the bar street afterwards.

Seeing that Lin Li looked satisfied and genuine—the sunlight didn't seem fake—Du Zhuo breathed a sigh of relief.

That way, I can take the money with a clear conscience.

"Brother Du, where would be a good place to drive now to wait for the customers?"

The current location is only suitable for temporary parking, so Lin Li started the car and asked the experienced driver about this.

"If you're hoping to rely on waiting for customers to come and take your orders, there aren't many locations in the entire Xiling area where you can wait."

There are only three points: Nansang Station, the bus passenger transport center, and Dagou Bridge, but actually, it's not easy to catch a bus at any of them," Du Zhuo explained to Lin Li.
“When I used to drive a taxi, I would often see passengers hailing or waiting for a ride on the roadside, but now there are almost none. Now everyone is using ride-hailing services, and we taxi drivers can’t avoid them.”

"Normally, I only wait at the station when there are many people, like just now. Otherwise, I take orders online, which is the main way I operate my taxi business now, and it's unavoidable."

"Now that you have the car, it's up to you how you choose. If you're waiting, go to Dagou Bridge or the station."

After listening to Du Zhuo's introduction, Lin Li nodded in understanding.

That's true. In fact, I can't even remember the last time I took a taxi.

It seems like it was when I was a child, taxis used to smell of leather and perfume, which was quite strong. People would feel dizzy and extremely prone to motion sickness when they sat in them.

"Can the order-taking platform tell the customer's gender?" Lin Li immediately asked.

"To protect privacy, we definitely won't specify the gender. After all, gender issues are so serious these days. Recently, someone even asked us to rename 'Angry Birds' to 'Happy Big Green.' If we could filter by this, we'd like to avoid single female names as much as possible, especially at night."

Du Zhuo shook his head, his face showing some lingering fear and apprehension, as if the people around him had experienced some mistreatment. However, he didn't elaborate and continued to introduce Lin Li:

"But if you really want to look into it, some customers have very feminine nicknames and profile pictures, which can reveal their gender to some extent."

Du Zhuo quickly poured cold water on the situation again:
"But this method is not very effective. First, it is not very accurate. Many people's nicknames and profile pictures are the system's defaults. Sometimes, girls will deliberately set unconventional profile pictures and nicknames for the sake of their identity information."

Secondly, there is not enough time to use this method to identify it.

There are two order-taking modes: one is fully manual order grabbing, which is simple and manual, but it is difficult to grab orders. Most orders will be assigned to vehicles that automatically grab orders.

Secondly, there's the automatic order-grabbing feature. While you can set certain filtering criteria for the system—for example, in our case where there's someone in the front seat, only accepting shared or discounted orders for three or fewer people—this absolutely excludes gender.

Seeing Lin Li deep in thought, Du Zhuo added:

"Although we can determine whether there are women by calling passengers to confirm their information, we cannot refuse passengers without a reason. In the automatic order-taking mode, frequently rejecting orders based on the order selection will cause my order acceptance rate and completion rate to drop sharply, and passenger ratings will also decrease."

The platform will quickly classify me as a substandard driver and punish me—for example, by restricting my ability to accept orders, lowering my order priority, or even banning my account. This is unacceptable to me…”

After speaking, Du Zhuo looked at Lin Li, seemingly waiting for Lin Li's decision.

“Understood,” Lin Li nodded. “Then let’s use the software to take orders. Don’t worry, Brother Du, even if I get an order with only men, I won’t cancel it. I will complete the order as scheduled and deliver them to their destination.”

"Thank you," Du Zhuo said with a hint of apology, while adding earnestly, "Lin Li, if I get an order with only men, I won't include it in the 400-yuan-per-hour subsidy, will I? I'd feel bad accepting that."

"I'll also keep an eye on our car owner group for you. If there are any orders that fit your criteria, I'll see if I can help you take them on as soon as possible."

"So, I'll start accepting orders? I won't just accept ride-sharing orders anymore. Most passengers probably don't take a ride when there are four people in the car. We'll call them in advance and offer them some discounts and compensation. They'll mostly be willing to accept that. We'll deduct that money from my earnings."

"Sure, but I'll pay for it myself. Thanks for your kindness, brother."

……

[Complete at least 10 requests from citizens of an unfamiliar empire while piloting a mech (4/10)]

My luck hasn't been great at the start of the night; I've only taken six orders so far, and only two of them involve women.

Because there are relatively long-distance orders among them, and each pick-up and drop-off is a separate trip, it is already 8:30 o'clock.

Strictly speaking, it's less efficient than just waiting at the station. With a two-way passenger screening system, you should be able to get two orders in two and a half hours without having to run around.

But there's no point in regretting it now, and there's no need to think about it.

Lin Li asked Du Zhuo, and he said that Du Zhuo didn't plan to go home early today, and he didn't object to accompanying Lin Li on night runs.

Then it's not a big problem.

Because even if it can't be finished tonight, it can definitely be finished by tomorrow morning.

"Thanks, Master, bye-bye."

"Bye-Bye."

Upon arrival at their destination, the passenger politely thanked them and then disembarked.

Du Zhuo, who had been looking slightly troubled since the beginning, quickly said to Lin Li, "Lin Li, let's drive to the nearest public restroom first, my stomach is a little upset."

Lin Li, who had actually sensed something earlier, nodded and smiled, remarking:
"Luckily you held back, otherwise those passengers would have hitched a ride, and we wouldn't have been able to charge them." Du Zhuo: "?"

Du Zhuo had a hard time keeping up with Lin Li's thought process.

What the hell is this free ride?

This is really a rather disgusting development.

Even though I'd probably feel bad charging the passenger if I actually pulled it out myself, it's completely different from what you're talking about!

"Stop talking about that, I've already set up the navigation, hurry up and drive this way!"

However, Du Zhuo didn't have time to complain. He had already selected the destination halfway through the journey after dropping off a batch of passengers. He quickly replaced his work phone with his usual phone, fixed it on a stand, and played the navigation aloud.

“We’re already moving at full speed, Brother Du,” Lin Li glanced at Du Zhuo and asked curiously, “Brother, generally speaking, it’s two hundred for someone to vomit on the bus, but if a passenger pulls it on the bus, how much compensation would you have to pay?”

Du Zhuo's lips twitched slightly: "You don't usually run into them, you know!"

“That makes sense,” Lin Li nodded, agreeing with the suggestion. As he continued driving, he reminded Du Ge, “If you can’t hold it in any longer, just tell me. I have a way to help you last longer.”

The "Poop-Holding Talisman" will never forget its mission.

"Hurry up!"

The public restroom wasn't far away; we arrived quickly.

"Wait for me in the car." Du Zhuo pushed open the car door and started sprinting.

"I'll come too, I also need to use the restroom." Lin Li closed the window and got out of the car.

Of course, Lin Li just wanted to pee.

As for abnormal physical conditions like diarrhea, Lin Li has never encountered them since embarking on the path of cultivation.

Ladies and gentlemen, you only poop when you feel like it, and you only pee when you feel like it. When you walk into a smelly public toilet, you can even create a refreshing breeze around you to drive away the stench. This is the meaning of cultivating immortality!

The cultivator finished urinating quickly, while the mortal was still straining and groaning. Lin Li then went to the sink to wash his hands.

So, if juicy beef balls are called "pissing beef balls," then why aren't glutinous rice balls with runny filling called "pooping glutinous rice balls"?

But just as Lin Li was about to go out, Du Zhuo asked, "Lin Li, is that you outside?"

"It's me, what's wrong, Brother Du?"

"Do you have any toilet paper? The toilet paper in this public restroom feels dirty, I don't really want to use it," Du Zhuo explained.

"some."

"Give me some, thanks."

"OK, bro, put your hand out."

"it is good."

Du Zhuo didn't think much of it and simply stretched out his hand.

The next second, he felt his hand being gently held by another hand. Although it felt like there was a layer of cold plastic glove between them, the warmth quickly transferred through the thin glove.

They held hands?
Is this what love feels like...feelings my ass!!!
"Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit, holy shit—" Du Zhuo was so scared that he almost fell into the squat toilet. He pulled his hand back abruptly and said in shock, "Lin Li, is this a potion? What are you doing?"

Lin Li: "Brother Du, I'm handing over my entire life to you."

Du Zhuo: "..."

Du Zhuo suddenly realized that perhaps the purpose of a private toilet stall was not to lock himself in the toilet with excrement, but to separate himself from it.

Oh shit.

When you're recruiting talent, do you really look at resumes instead of medical records?

Suddenly, I realized that the toilet paper provided in the restroom wasn't so dirty after all.

Seeing that there was no silence inside the cubicle, Lin Li stopped his madness, conjured a small packet of tissues and stuffed it into the gap below, and laughed, "Just kidding, bro, do you want me to wait for you at the door?"

"Phew—" Seeing that some paper was still being slipped in, Du Zhuo breathed a slight sigh of relief, which proved that Lin Li was at least still salvageable. He then waved his hand and said, "No need, just wait for me by the car."

He was a little worried about Lin Li standing outside.

"Row."

Lin Li had no intention of tormenting Du Zhuo any further. After taking off the gloves he had specially materialized to prevent Du Zhuo from having a fetish for playing with feces while squatting, he threw them into the trash can and returned to his car to wait for others.

While we're at it, let's chat. We can't neglect our wives and husbands because of the mission. That's the way Lin Li manages his harem!

Du Zhuo doesn't seem to be someone who gets hemorrhoids easily, because he didn't squat for long and came out quickly.

Seeing this, Lin Li began to "find an excuse" to end the chat. However, when the chat officially ended, he found that although Du Zhuo was already standing by the car, he did not get in, but was looking around.
"Brother Du, what are you looking at?" Lin Li couldn't contain his curiosity.

"I'm checking if smoking is allowed here," Du Zhuo replied, then muttered to himself, "No one should arrest me."

Then Du Zhuo took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and gestured with his chin toward Lin Li: "Lin Li, do you smoke?"

"Me? I don't smoke."

"It's good not to smoke. Cigarettes are no good." Du Zhuo nodded and put one in his mouth.

"Brother Du, why didn't you just smoke in the toilet? You didn't have to be so cautious."

Seeing that Du Zhuo kept a close watch on his surroundings while smoking, Lin Li asked him with some amusement.

Lin Li's words seemed to have touched a nerve with Du Zhuo, and he suddenly became much more agitated:

"Holy crap, smoking in the toilet?"

I will never smoke in the toilet again in my life. I have a phobia of that place!

Lin Li, let me tell you, I have a friend who smokes while on the toilet, and he's also on his phone. When he flicked the ash, he wasn't careful and flicked it onto his forehead! Holy crap! Learn from this, really, not just me, everyone should learn from this! My friend never wants to experience that again!!

Lin Li: "Oo?"

Lin Li: "666, you eat smoked roasted birds but don't call me."

Du Zhuo: "?"

Du Zhuo almost choked to death on a puff of smoke.

Lin Li's mother is a seasoned foodie; she knows how to describe things, and her descriptions immediately whet the appetite.

"But won't this leave a scar?" Lin Li asked in the next second, his concern now turning to his appearance.

"Yes, I will!" Du Zhuo became even more agitated:

"My friend got a scar! Damn it, it's much darker than the surrounding area, really dark, it looks awful!"

Besides, cigarette burns are a real pain. Even if you leave them on your hand, it takes several rounds of skin resurfacing to fade them until they're invisible. But that area doesn't regenerate, so this scar will probably be semi-permanent. I'm so damn annoyed by it!

Lin Li reminded him, "Uncle, your friend is really annoying."

Du Zhuo: "Yes, yes, he's my friend, he's so annoying!!"

(End of this chapter)