Chapter 862 - 141: Through the Storm (3)

Belgium, Bruges.

This world-class trade center, having missed the chance to join the European Barrier System promptly, was overwhelmed by a refugee wave as sea levels rose, becoming a haven for those unable to enter the European Barrier and with nowhere else to go.

Although Bruges once became a ruin and a city occupied by refugees due to various issues, after the European Union decided to include it in the European Barrier System, everything started moving in a positive direction:

No matter what, the city still boasts one of Europe’s most important deep-water ports and holds numerous highways and railways, having been a crucial port before Britain agreed to join the European Union.

Thus, this city isn’t so rigid:

From the noble company executives and European Community civil servants to the semi-nomads engaged in uncertain work, this city accommodates everyone, unlike Foxstone, which only has simple roles like civil servants, workers, and company management.

The port is operated by the Atlantic Dominator Company, with automated Dragon Gate Cranes and loading robots functioning smoothly, workers are crowded in factories manufacturing parts, maintaining robots, either remotely or directly controlling exoskeletons and robots on site.

Just a month ago, because a typhoon was approaching, ADL extended working hours, somewhat violating the European Union’s regulations on the reasonable use of neural link control for industrial robots and exoskeletons.

A worker suddenly went berserk while moving containers, using the engineering mech he was controlling at the time to topple stacked containers and throw cargo around, causing massive damage—

The European Union has stringent control over armed force, back then the most equipped security in the port area only had high-pressure water guns.

Unfortunately, the engineering mech was difficult to disconnect even when soaked in water, and thus, that mech wreaked havoc across the port area...

More than 14 workers died on the spot, and others perished without receiving treatment at hospitals or at home.

The incident blew up significantly, with most of the dead actually being company security, but unfortunately, for the company dogs, such occurrences were normal. Dying for the company is their duty; either the company dismisses them, or the company eliminates them.

But not the workers!

Workers have short-term contracts, with poor treatment, all implant prosthetics, maintenance costs, and skill training required for work being self-funded. If there aren’t enough orders, the company might lay them off anytime, giving them no chance to react...

One could say the majority of workers live in fear of having no stable job—

In places unseen by those minorly wealthy civil servants of the European Union, they also live in fear of potentially losing their lives due to work.

As for resistance... silently enduring, at least they can live in fear; desiring to have a temper means unable to live, starving is inevitable.

Even more possible is the European Union discovering their long-term unemployment and subjecting them to control, or even expelling them from the European Barrier—

The European Union doesn’t support idlers, if unwilling to work, get out, there are countless people outside waiting to come in.

But things are different now:

Previously, they were timid, but now something unprecedented has occurred in Foxstone...

A worker named Elliot led his colleagues to penalize the company and even received compensation!

The company’s PR department even issued an apology!

What do workers want?

Sometimes, one could say, what do people want: a harbor shielding from the storm, bread in hand, and ultimately, being treated as human.

The company lets them live in the terror of potentially losing a rental room at any time, using bread to coerce them into silently struggling in the mud, giving up the respect they should receive as humans...

And Elliot, he made people rise up!

The weather in Bruges is poor, recently enveloped by dark clouds, with the sun occasionally piercing through the clouds, but only fleetingly.

A few workers tightly grasp banners, walking on familiar streets, their minds almost blank:

They are here, like Elliot, to expose the cybernetic psychosis incident covered up by ADL, seeking justice for the workers who died tragically and the workers currently oppressed.

This... they’re waiting for Elliot to arrive here. Only with the permit can they unfold.

People have already noticed these workers’ peculiarity, some glance and leave, others exhibit interesting expressions gathering nearby.

Some have already become scared: "Why isn’t Elliot here yet? Haven’t seen him speak on the forum... Isn’t he just messing with us?"

"Yeah... If he doesn’t show, wouldn’t we just be fools standing here?"

"How about going home, coming back another day..."

The voices of retreat appeared within, but across the street came different voices:

"Want to make a big scene, huh?" A long-haired man dressed in designer clothes shouted at them from the railing. "Then do it! What are you waiting for?

Aren’t you scared? Look at the one next to me, the one beside me is ADL’s security, further down—

That one doesn’t need me to mention, right? Bruges Police Station patrol officer!

They’re all watching you! Are you scared? Damn it, you cowards! If you’re men, do it!"

The man’s tone was provocative, exuding a sense of enjoying the commotion.

The workers glanced around according to his indications, indeed spotting some suspicious individuals and obvious police monitoring them.

But more importantly, the workers recognized that little punk across:

"Damn... that’s... that’s the goddamn company dog from ADL!"

"I remember it was him who came to my door threatening me, saying if stuff from the plant area got out, we’d be done for, wife and kids would be sold to the red-light district..."

"He even touched my daughter!"

The leading worker’s grip on the banner suddenly felt wrong—

Previously, when internal retreat voices emerged, he also began considering: after all, without a marching permit, they were illegally assembling.

Illegal assembly is a second or even third level crime. Although arguing for dignity is important, if there’s no hope, who would argue?

As that purple-haired ADL company executive began shouting, they indeed got cornered here...

Passersby started taking photos, tomorrow they’d be on every major network panel; the company and police knew what they originally intended to do, would they let them off back home?

More importantly, that damn purple-haired guy threatened him too!

The crowd surrounding them, they once imagined such a scene, but in their imagination, they were inside exposing the company’s ugly side, then ADL getting a hefty slap from the European Union!

It wasn’t like now, it feels like they’d be subdued by the European Union!

The company getting a slap from the European Union might just mean losses, but if caught by the European Union, they’d have to get out!

"Get started! Cowards!" "If you don’t open that banner today, you’re my grandson!" "Haha! I thought you had guts! Turns out you’re just a bunch of losers..."

"When you get sent away, I’ll sell all your wives and kids to the red-light district!"

"If you want to do this, I can introduce you!"