The young man, tanned black by The Sun, returned to his tent in the village next to the industrial zone, angrily sitting down on a stool.
This anger was not only directed at the Vellante people, but also at those Alliance members who prevented them from seeking revenge, and a part of it was even directed at his own disappointing self.
He was the bravest young man in the village, originally supposed to lead the villagers to argue their case, yet his shoulders still couldn't stop trembling.
He loathed his own cowardice, though he didn't even understand how he could stop being so cowardly.
Looking at his grandson, the wrinkled old man sighed and spoke in a slow tone.
"Bosaka, you're too impulsive."
Bosaka turned around and glared at him, pouring out his anger and complaints from his chest.
"I don't understand, what exactly do they want to do? Aren't the Vellante people their enemies? We can take care of their enemies for them, and we don't ask for much!"
The old man shook his head.
"In the desert, the division between friends and enemies is clear-cut, but beyond the desert, there's more than just the concepts of friends and enemies. Your method works in the Great Desert, but it doesn't work outside the Great Desert... In Poluo Province, there's a person named Laxi, someone wrote an autobiography for him, and I bought it from a traveling merchant from Evernight Harbor and put it on your bedside table. You never turned a page. I say, you should learn from him, see how he acted under similar circumstances."
Bosaka's eyes were filled with confusion.
Laxi?
The world beyond the Great Desert?
What does that have to do with his confusion?
He had seen the book on the bedside table, but recognized only a few words, and found learning it too troublesome.
The old man, speaking earnestly, advised the still unenlightened child.
"No matter what, the Alliance is the master here now. If you really don't know what to do, be low-key and follow those you consider strong."
Bosaka said resentfully.
"And work for the Alliance? How is that any different from before they came here?"
"The difference is, before, if you mouthed off to the Vellante people, they'd whip you, tie you to a post and torment you until there was just one breath left, but now no one will do that... although I think you were never afraid of the Vellante people's whips, otherwise, you wouldn't challenge them time and again."
The old man looked at the tent ceiling, tapping his smoking pipe on the sole of his shoe, and sighed heavily.
"Actually, you don't have to hate them so much. Before the Vellante people came here, did you think the Lavanka River was a paradise from a fairy tale? Don't be too naive. The most fertile lands were never in our hands; they were in the hands of the Mutants and Variants."
Looking at the old man in his family, Bosaka mocked him.
"You old thing, speaking for the Vellante people, have you lived long enough."
The old man shook his head.
"I've lived long enough, I just don't want to see the only child I have miss the chance to become a good person and turn back into a beast."
"I don't want to be a good person, those weaklings only get bullied, they can only turn into the poor things picking up scraps behind others... but you're right, I should follow strong people, even if I can't get meat, at least I can have some soup."
Bosaka clenched his fist, casting his gaze outside the tent, muttering through his gritted teeth.
"I wonder when the Alliance will pay the wages."
After all, if Baiyue Corporation entered the field with the wealth of Alliance citizens, the citizens of the Alliance couldn't play the game.
Thus, the 172 facilities were quickly auctioned off, and though these assets carried some problems, they were eagerly snapped up by industry leaders.
Besides players and Alliance citizens, there were also wealthy individuals from Jin Jialun Port and the South Sea Union, as well as the boss of Ideal City.
Some of them are eyeing the post-war reconstruction dividends of Bartoya Province, while others are targeting the space elevator in the southern sea area.
Although Ideal City itself has a large number of factories, considering the exchange rate and local labor costs, the factory buildings in the Lavanka Industrial Zone certainly have their own advantages.
They just need to bring a bit of Ideal City's technology over.
In any case, thanks to these people rushing in with capital and technology, the Alliance didn't spend a single coin yet managed to incorporate the Lavanka Industrial Zone of the Southern Legion into its supply chain.
And in this process, the Lavanka Industrial Zone raised nearly 1.5 billion silver coins of massive funds!
Back when Baiyue Corporation entered Jin Jialun Port, they didn't manage to gather so much money.
With this huge sum, the confidence and boldness of the autonomy committee in reforms have increased, and President Anton even pounded his chest to assure Fang Chang that he will make the Lavanka Industrial Zone the jewel of the Great Desert, the Jin Jialun Port of the entire West Coast of the Central Plains Continent!
This claim is quite ambitious.
This guy has already stepped out of the Great Desert and started benchmarking against Yavente City and Triumph City.
However, Fang Chang didn't think he was boasting, instead, he felt Anton was being conservative.
With the opportunities of post-war reconstruction and the space elevator, Fang Chang couldn't think of any reason not to soar.
In this "production capacity transformation" boom, everyone is gearing up to make a big effort.
Whether it's the Weilante factory owners and managers who have changed ownership, or the new owners from the Alliance.
For example, Lasov from Jin Jialun Port is one of them.
In the early years, he followed Ah Xin in demolition projects to earn his first pot of gold, and later, like most passionate Mouse Tribe members, he entered the physical industry with these earnings, setting up a factory with the aim of industrial salvation, producing natural gas canisters and gas bottles.
Although this industry seems unimpressive, the profits are quite substantial, and there is strong demand.
Although the Alliance's electrification level is high, Poluo Province and Baiyue Province are quite different, with many restaurants in Jin Jialun Port and Potato Harbor relying on gas cylinders for cooking.
As for those lands under the control of military factions, it's even more apparent, with many military factions even buying the gas bottles he produces as military reserves. When the gas in the kitchen runs out, they directly stuff dynamite inside and drag it to the front line as bombs.
In other words, his clients not only include small vendors running restaurants but also military officers leading troops.
Due to high product demand, he has always thought of opening a new factory, and even selected a site near Banana Head Bay beside Jin Jialun Port, just waiting to pay for it.
However, it was then that the news of the Union liberating the Lavanka Industrial Zone and the autonomy committee's public bidding spread throughout the streets through the "Survivor's Daily".
Seeing this windfall, Lasov felt a rush of excitement and immediately set his eyes on a steel factory supplying steel cups to the Conqueror No. 10 tank among the auction targets!
Although the Alliance looked down on this steel factory, even labeling it "backward production capacity", he didn't think it was backward at all. His eyes saw it as if it were a divine artifact.
This thing supplies the tank factory!
With this, wouldn't the production of his gas canister factory soar?!
This surprise was no less than when the Union's "legendary steel tycoon" Mr. Sun, snapped up the "Mighty" Steel Factory from the entrepreneur Fred in Giant Stone City for 2 million silver coins.
And Lasov was not only interested in the profits this steel factory could bring but also in the technology it possessed that Poluo Province lacked!
If he could bring back the technology for producing armored steel to his hometown, wouldn't that be a wonderful thing!
Although Absek wasn't a good person, Poluo Country wasn't Absek's alone, and he still wanted to make his hometown better.
With this thought in mind, he unhesitatingly pulled out nearly a million silver coins in a large sum, snatched this target from his competitors, and after obtaining ownership of the factory, rushed to the banks of the Lavanka River, less than 100 kilometers from the front line, to meet the factory manager who had just been released from the Alliance's POW camp not long ago.
The factory manager was a Weilante, named Glenn Jin, holding the rank of a Thousands of leaders in the Southern Army Corps General Affairs Department Logistics Department, previously working under District Chief Antoine.
Perhaps because he was subdued by the Alliance, this guy didn't put on any Weilante airs in front of him, and after the meeting, began organizing the restart of production.
Upon hearing that "Glenn Jin's factory" had resumed production, a group of local Indigenous young men eagerly flocked to the recruitment point at the factory gate.
Seeing those young and strong guys lined up in a long queue, Lasov's face was full of a bright smile.
He seemed to see the boiling molten steel dancing in the boilers, being cast into steel ingots, then pressed into neat steel plates at high temperatures, and finally sent through assembly lines to cutting and stamping workshops to be made into the shapes customers needed!
And just as he saw in the newspaper, this place will become the largest industrial base on the entire western coast!
Perhaps he should consider buying a few houses nearby…
He made his first pot of gold from real estate, so if conditions allowed, he certainly wouldn't mind making a few more.
Yet just as Lasov was dreaming of sudden wealth, a quarrel in front of the recruitment point interrupted his dream.
Only to see a slightly darker-skinned young man extend his hand towards the recruitment registration point worker, saying confidently.
"I've already registered, when are you planning to pay the wages?"
Having never seen such a curious request, Lasov was dumbfounded.
The employee who came from Jin Jialun Port was also obviously taken aback.
He wasn't someone who cared for the boss's interest, only working for Lasov for the sake of money, but this guy asking for money just as he joined was too much.
Even the crazy folks at the Workers' Association weren't this aggressive.
After holding it in for a long time, he squeezed out a sentence.
"… You just joined, haven't even started working yet, why should we pay wages?"
Upon hearing this, the Indigenous young man immediately flared up, saying angrily.
"What are you talking about? If you don't pay us, how are we supposed to eat? We have to eat, right? Are you expecting us to work with empty stomachs? Are you even human!"
Upon hearing this, the Indigenous People lining up behind also became enraged, shouting noisily.
The employee from Poluo, sitting at the recruitment desk, suddenly found himself at a loss, looking for help towards his boss.
He had encountered those who twisted concepts and entangled in arguments, but it was the first time he met an opponent in his area of expertise.
Seeing the commotion arise, Lasov quickly stepped forward to smooth things over, shouting towards the registered employees.
"Everyone, we know you are in difficulty, and we understand you! In fact, we are just like you, us Poluo people have also been enslaved by the Weilante people... so, for the sake of all being survivors, we will solve your problem! We will establish an employee canteen in the factory where all employees can eat for free!"
Upon hearing this, the Poluo employee was stunned.
Since when did this guy become so generous?!
At least his boss did not have such a thing like an employee canteen in the factory at Jin Jiarun Port.
However, he was unaware of Lasov's calculated choice.
The local labor cost was much lower than Jin Jiarun Port, and the food was cheaper, so even inviting all employees for meals wouldn't cost much.
Yet, the young man was still unwilling to buy it, aggressively shouting.
"Employee canteen? I have elderly at home, and three younger brothers and two younger sisters. Can they eat at the canteen too?"
Looking at the young man full of righteous indignation, Lasov's brow twitched, but to win hearts, he finally gritted his teeth.
"Alright! Bring them here, I'll feed them for a month! But only for one month! Once you receive your wages, this benefit ends, only applicable to you!"
The suddenly overwhelmed young man seemed surprised by the agreement, stared blankly at him, then walked away without saying a word.
Lasov sighed in relief, feeling proud of his wit until little time passed and the young man brought dozens of people over.
Among these dozens, the oldest was a man in his fifties or sixties, with unsteady legs and leaning on a cane, while the youngest was still in his mother's arms, babbling without even learning to speak.
This guy must have brought not only his relatives from far and wide but also the neighbors' extended family.
Before Lasov could speak, the young man took the initiative to introduce, babbling on, linking all brought along as relatives.
And it wasn't just this young man; several other Indigenous People registered to start work were seemingly agreed and called in a large group.
The crowd in front of the factory doubled, more people running for free meals than labor interviews.
Seeing such a scene, Lasov nearly had weak knees and felt like kneeling to these guys.
He was decisive when paying for this factory, whipping out 10 million silver coins without blinking.
However, that was ultimately the bank's money, borrowed using the factory at Jin Jiarun Port as security!
If this newly acquired factory crashed in hand, even his underwear would need to be compensated to the bank!
Seeing Lasov almost crying, Glenn Gold, factory manager standing to the side smoking, looked unsurprised.
After finally finishing his cigarette, tossing the butt on the ground to trample it, he walked beside Lasov and said.
"The Indigenous People here are like this. Pay first to have them work; otherwise, they'll just loaf around the machines or even wreck them, whipping them wouldn't help... Those relatives they called aren't here just for a free meal, pay them the wages, and just dismiss whatever was said before."
Lasov stared at him blankly, squeezing out a sentence after a long pause.
"Was it like this when you managed here?"
Glenn Gold's face revealed a smile full of underlying meaning.
"Do you know why we went to Poluo Province? When our men saw that the laborers in West Sail Port would rather die exhausted on the docks than bring us any trouble, every officer in Yavente City went crazy. We drooled with jealousy and envy, only regretting not having discovered this goldmine under our noses sooner."
Before, they had bought slaves from Witch Todd, right at Jin Jiarun Port, but the transport losses were too high, and didn't think those seemingly worthless slaves could serve any purpose in the factory.
In fact, the transported Poluo people in Lavanka Industrial Zone mostly assimilated into the local population... after all, they were originally of the same origin.
Not until the civil officials from Triumph City opened a factory in West Sail Port did the Southern Legion's masters realize this was the proper usage for Poluo people.
The West Sail Port disaster was bound to happen.
Blame goes on the civil official group themselves being too weak to guard such a big fortune...
The boss froze for a long time, filled with hatred, anger, and helplessness, sighed longingly and said.
"Alright, I'm admitting defeat... pay them the wages."
Glenn Gold nodded, slightly mocking, smiling and said.
"Wise choice."
Just as the factory manager Glenn Gold had said, after receiving their wages, these Indigenous young men indeed dispersed the relatives they had brought.
Both sides retreated a step.
Lasov recalled the promise of the employee dining hall but assured they could receive advance payment before working.
Although the Indigenous young men cursed him as a stingy miser, they refrained from further action.
Gradually, Lasov felt he had mastered the knack for dealing with the locals.
However, immediately following an event that bewildered him, these young men who received the pay suddenly scattered, disappearing completely.
Looking at the deserted recruitment point, Lasov angrily flushed red, his fists tightly clenched.
"This is too much!"
Factory Manager Glenn Jin, who was already on his second cigarette, smiled faintly and comforted,
"That's how it is."
Looking at this not-at-all-surprising Vellante person, Lasov couldn't help but complain,
"Did you come here to do charity? How can you spoil them like this?"
"Spoil them?" Glenn Jin squinted slightly, smiling intriguingly, "If you knew how we really treat them, you wouldn't say things like that... But it is what it is. Even if we hang them on poles, whip their butts with saltwater-soaked lashes, and make examples of the laziest, by the next day, they'll be back to their old ways."
Lasov looked at him with incomprehension, unable to understand how the Vellante could be at the mercy of these people, nor could he understand why the locals were so lazy.
Seeing the confusion in his eyes, Glenn Jin spoke calmly,
"It's not laziness; it's instinct. Once you've dealt with them for a while, you'll understand."
He paused, then continued,
"Don't be too frustrated. Once they run out of money, they'll naturally return to work... Don't worry, it won't take long; they never have the habit of saving. Plus, they've already borrowed from you, so they have no reason to ask for an advance."
"By then, debt will be your rope. You can use it to manipulate them, whether by whipping their butts, having someone respectable from their village collect debts, or even sleeping with their girlfriends right in front of them... if you can accept that most of them don't brush their teeth. Of course, I recommend hiring some local people or mutants to handle this, or just sell this right to their neighbors."
Lasov looked at him, speechless,
"I'm here to make money, not to pimp."
Glenn Jin laughed,
"Aren't I teaching you how to make money? If you can't adapt to the culture here, they'll unite against you. Besides, I offered other options aside from the last one."
He felt that he was quite generous, sharing the Southern Legion's "core secrets" with this Poluo person.
Their ability to conquer such vast territories and make use of this barren land wasn't solely due to wielding sticks and whips.
Debt was their fundamental tool of exploitation; everything else was just a method.
The locals would willingly put the rope of debt around their own necks, automatically transforming from wild animals to livestock, and this was their only advantage over the Poluo people.
The Poluo people, although easy to manage, loved saving money too much. They'd tighten their belts to save up a few coins, never even coming close to the debt rope, so neither the southern legion nor the civil official group dared give them too many Dinars.
Pinching pennies on wages couldn't really exploit much; no Ten Thousand Leader would care about those two gold coins. The main goal was to keep them in poverty.
The southern legion's rule of West Sail Port was too short; the smart heads in Yavente City hadn't yet found a way to rope the Poluo people with debt, so they had to continue the civil official group's strategy of keeping them poor to ensure obedience.
And the facts proved their method worked. Give them twenty years, and Lion State could definitely develop into a bigger industrial center than the Lavanka Industrial Zone.
But at this point, such things can only happen in imagination...
Seeing his boss still troubled, Glenn Jin continued,
"Besides, if I were you, I'd buy some scissors, lighters, and nail clippers."
Lasov was taken aback,
"What would I buy those for?"
Glenn Jin smiled and gave him some clues,
"The locals like to buy cheap, useless trinkets. Didn't I say? Once they spend all their money, they'll naturally come back to work. You want them back soon, right?"
Unfortunately, the Southern Legion's light industry wasn't very developed, and entertaining these folks with small trinkets required quite a few Dinars.
But Glenn Jin heard the Alliance's supply chain didn't lack these items; you could wholesale a bunch of nail clippers for 1 Silver Coin.
In his view, this was one of the reasons silver coins became hard currency in the Wasteland.
The Alliance not only established a stable supply chain in the Wasteland but also provided most chaotic areas with an astonishing abundance of light industrial products.
Like Cr's "scarcity," the issuer of silver coins clearly understood his advantages and how to enhance them.
As for Dinar, though it had its strengths, they only manifested in buying slaves and tanks, which were irrelevant in most people's daily lives.
Perhaps breaking free from the Dinar system and issuing a sovereign currency could let Yavente City last a bit longer; metal currency was just too heavy, and Triumph City, which controlled it, was burdened with too much historical baggage…
This was Glenn Jin's reflection as an industry owner on the Southern Legion's failure from a technical perspective.
Lasov was silent for a moment, pressing his forefinger against his brow, slightly fatigued,
"I know a bicycle factory owner at Jinjaron Harbor. I can bring a batch of bicycles over…"
Selling nail clippers would take forever.
Glenn Jin's eyes lit up, looking at his now-innovative boss, approvingly giving a thumbs-up.
"That's a great idea! It'll even make them less tardy on their way to work."
Lasov stared blankly at him,
"Wait... You mean, they often arrived late before?"
Glenn Jin chuckled,
"Late? Often? Let me think which question to start answering first."