Chapter 266: Xinke, Competitive Assembly, and Greed

What Lanse said to President Sikaote had actually already been said to Woen, but he was worried that Woen would consider some problems and say the words very tactfully.

The biggest problem with passing on words lies here: attitude, emotion, expression, can never be exactly the same.

As long as they are not exactly the same, there is a possibility of problems.

Perhaps some of Lanse's demands, for example, must sit on the podium, might be passed on by Woen as "Lanse hopes to sit in a more conspicuous position," so he was arranged in the first row under the podium.

This kind of thing is very likely to happen, and has already happened many times, in other places or things.

It is difficult for Woen to say these things as strongly as Lanse. As long as his attitude is tactful, he will express the wrong meaning.

So Lanse must express it personally.

President Sikaote didn't feel it was excessive. People spent money. He had worked on the docks for so many years, and he no longer had some unrealistic ideas like when he was young.

He immediately nodded and expressed his attitude more strongly. "Lanse, you can believe me, I am not a person who forgets his roots!"

"You have helped me so much, you are one of my best friends. If there is a place where you can use me, I definitely won't refuse!"

A good statement, at least from this moment on, it is so.

After ending this somewhat private topic, they began to "rehearse." It was mainly the organizer rehearsing the general process of the entire activity.

Lanse's position was originally at the far right of the podium. Now it was moved closer to the middle, overall looking at about three-quarters of the right side. Sikaote was very clever.

Including going on stage to present awards, they were all like this in turns.

Of course, who was first and who was later, they still had some distribution. Lanse was ranked about fourth, following the Vice President of the Likai State Labor Federation, the Commissioner of the General Union, and the President of the Likai State Dock Workers' Union, to present medals and prize money, etc., one position ahead of President Sikaote.

This is the gold content of the sponsor. If it weren't for the people from the Labor Federation insisting on coming to join the fun, Lanse would definitely be ranked third.

If it were another activity, as a sponsor, Lanse would definitely be ranked first or second, but this time it was different.

Under the slogan of "Workers' Great Unity," the federal working class at this time believes that they possess the power to change the world!

So capitalists cannot be ranked above them!

This is also the problem that the Federal Government and capitalists are most troubled by, because they really have this power!

When the Labor Federation launches a great strike, whether it is the Federal Government or capitalists, they must pay for it. An industry or even the entire society may come to a standstill!

They are studying methods to solve this trouble, through what way to make the "key" in their hands invalid, but it seems that it may still take some time.

The entire process was arranged very meticulously. What made Lanse somewhat unexpected was that he also saw a very special young man.

That young man was also surrounded by some people, and even President Kaosite, when he saw him, took the initiative to apologize to Lanse and greeted him.

"Who is this?", Lanse hadn't seen this young man, but from his attire and temperament, he shouldn't be an ordinary person.

Woen looked at Lanse somewhat strangely. "This is the Mayor's secretary, but some people say he is a staffer."

Perhaps noticing the gaze from this side, that young man actually smiled and nodded at Lanse. Lanse also politely reached out and touched his hat.

Woen said with an envious tone, "Graduated from a well-known alliance university, and as soon as he graduated, he was taken a fancy to by the Mayor, becoming his secretary, until today."

"Many people say the Mayor is cultivating him as his own political successor. Everyone believes this point. You saw it; everything is being done by him, not that person."

The "that person" Woen said was clearly the illegitimate child Aierike in the rumors. However, judging from the past when Lanse dealt with Aierike, Aierike indeed couldn't shoulder this job.

And there would be no chance in the future, because he had a very strong dependency on painkillers. No one likes a patient who needs pain relief anytime and anywhere, and his identity as an illegitimate child couldn't be brought to the table.

Cultivating another one seemed to become a choice that had to be made.

Lanse also thought of more things. If the Mayor didn't have a blood-related successor, then his enemies in the political arena wouldn't be many.

He didn't have blood-related descendants to inherit his glory and hatred, meaning everything would come to a perfect or imperfect end the moment he lost his ability to work.

Perhaps this is also one of the reasons why he could come to Jincheng. No one worries that he will become the next "mountain head"!

However, what made Lanse feel more interesting was Woen. "You seem very familiar with these people in the City Hall."

Woen also heard the sarcasm similar to joking in Lanse's words. He didn't care at all. "This is also one of my jobs. I have to figure out who I should go to most when workers are persecuted, in order to solve the problem."

"I agree with your statement."

Woen laughed loudly after listening. "I don't need agreement, Lanse, this is my job!"

While talking, that person walked over with President Sikaote. When there were still a few steps left, the young man reached out his hand. "Xinke."

"Lanse.", the two shook hands. Lanse felt very strange. This young man named Xinke had no need to know him.

But soon he knew. It turned out that the Mayor also knew about this, but he... wasn't easy to appear here, so he sent this Xinke to participate.

This avoided some problems. For example, the Mayor might not be sitting in the middle of the podium. People from the Labor Federation wouldn't talk to you about whether you are the Mayor.

Even if it were the President, people from the Labor Federation would want to wrestle with him, let alone a Mayor.

So he wouldn't come himself, and sent Xinke.

"By then I will sit next to you.", Xinke also took the initiative to give Lanse a cigarette.

Cigarettes are always a social tool. Even for two people who are strangers or even in an "opposing" relationship, they can also talk a few sentences.

Lanse smoked and looked at him again. "I thought you would hide."

Xinke smiled until his eyes narrowed into a line. "Hiding can't solve the problem, Mr. Lanse."

"And I think there is nothing that cannot be talked about. Politics, gangs, economy, finance, trade, country, and even war, can all be talked about, can all be solved."

This sentence made Lanse ponder some different feelings. "Are you acting as a lobbyist for the Mayor?"

Xinke straightened his back backward and shook his head at the same time. "Please, do I really look like a fool?"

"Before, you rejected his invitation. Now, you won't even more. Everyone can see that he didn't occupy any advantage."

"This city is as stubborn as a piece of steel. Even if there are some pitted places on the surface, it is very difficult to find a gap sufficient to tear it open."

"The reason I say this is that we will leave sooner or later. When there is no opposing stance, we can actually still be friends."

"I am very interested in you, Lanse."

Lanse took a step back. "I don't oppose this, but I also cannot make myself accept it."

He was expressing his attitude in a relatively gentle way. Xinke laughed loudly after listening. "I heard that you could walk to today from an illegal immigrant, and also used some small tricks in a very short time to become a local. Honestly, this is incredible!"

"So I think you are very interesting, want to have more understanding of you, perhaps can discover more magical practices of yours."

"Instead of...", his gaze moved downward, and then revealed a smile with a bit of apology, "... I have no interest in this either."

The communication ended here. He reached out his hand again, shook hands with Lanse, "I still have some other things. It is very interesting to chat with you, Mr. Lanse."

Lanse also expressed at least the kindness on the surface. "You are also an interesting person, Mr. Xinke."

Without more conversation, Xinke nodded to question others, finally shook his arm with Lanse, and turned to leave.

Watching his departing back, Lanse felt that this was a very strange person.

Woen and President Sikaote, who were chatting not far away, returned to this side again. "I didn't know you knew each other.", President Sikaote felt somewhat magical. Shouldn't they be on the opposing sides?

Lanse smiled and didn't answer. "If there is nothing else, I will go to the club to take a look."

They didn't refuse, so Lanse walked directly to the club.

Along the way, workers greeted Lanse enthusiastically, and Lanse also responded to them enthusiastically.

Everyone respected Lanse, mainly because the alcohol in the club was really too cheap, and it was rumored among the blue-collar workers that Lanse lost thousands of dollars every month. He did this just to let everyone have a beer or other alcohol they could afford after getting off work.

The working class is actually very easy to be persuaded. Of course, this is not to say they are easy to be fooled.

They have a stronger sense of participation and empathy. They can feel Lanse's respect for them, so they respect Lanse. This is very normal, and they also fear him along the way.

Before getting off work in the evening, the club is not open for business, but there are many people here already preparing for the evening's business.

They need to clean the ground, and then organize various things, including cleaning some props, etc.

Seeing Lanse, the guy in charge here ran over on his own initiative. "Lanse..."

Lanse bumped fists with him. This guy is called Luo Bote, Aierwen's fellow villager, and can also be considered the first batch of people to join the Lanse family.

"I just came over to take a look...", he noticed that many people's photos were already posted on the wall, as well as the honors they had obtained.

"They actually value this very much!", because the business hours here are exactly reversed, so he almost doesn't return to the house in the New Bay Area.

He introduced the recent situation of the club to Lanse, those people who could be hung on the wall, and the things they obtained.

A medal that is actually not worth much, a certificate of merit, and prize money ranging from tens to hundreds of dollars!

"A little reward can make their work full of passion. Some dock companies and management companies came to find me, saying they wanted to give us some sponsorship, but I refused."

He said this somewhat uneasily. Lanse looked at him with quite a bit of appreciation. "Done well. We don't lack money, and you have to let them understand that the things they get are given to them by me losing money, not given by those capitalists."

"When things don't come so easily, they will maintain us. But if they feel that anyone can do this, then to them, we will also become not so important."

"By then they will feel that anyway, it is all the capitalists' money, we are just an organizer in front of the stage. They won't be grateful to us, but will feel that we are the capitalists' running dogs."

"So keep independent and pure, continue to lose money, no problem."

"The more I lose, the happier I am, and there is no need to worry that this will cause huge losses."

"The speed of these money losses is far from as fast as I earn."

"Pour the beer fuller, put more meat in the food, and pour more soup."

Luo Bote followed Lanse closely and firmly remembered these things.

At a time when people don't value spiritual satisfaction so much, this way of Lanse's is absolutely ruling-level.

It satisfies people's desire for food, satisfies people's desire for alcohol intake, and also satisfies people's spiritual needs.

Painkillers can only make people dependent because of pain, but these can make them overcome pain!

Several gunshots suddenly came from the opposite side of the port, and then it was intense gunfire, which lasted for about three or four minutes before it completely stopped.

Even from far away, one could feel the intensity during the exchange of fire.

"The Port District is getting more and more chaotic. Now there are gunshots almost every day.", Robite sighed. Before, it was very calm here, but as the Mayor no longer hypocritically hid himself, the conflict escalated, and the Port District became more and more chaotic.

Woen ran over from the distance, panting slightly. "Should we find some police to come over to maintain order tomorrow?"

"Now these gunfights are a bit too scary!"

Lanse thought for a while and nodded. "Just right, I know the new Precinct Chief of the Port District Precinct. This matter is left to me."

In the afternoon, he went to the labor introduction agency. Now there are more than nine thousand illegal immigrants registered here, and there are also some legal immigrants and locals.

The total number of people who can be included in the statistics exceeds thirteen thousand.

And as the scale of the Wanli Labor Introduction Agency gets larger and larger, more locals who don't want to work but want to get money have begun to send their work cards over.

There are very perfect resources and statistical methods here to ensure that everyone's work card can be used to the maximum extent, allowing them to get a high salary of at least forty dollars every month!

No need to work, and still have an income close to the standard average wage. This is like an advertisement, attracting more people to join!

This is a virtuous cycle, and it will only get better and better.

The entrance of the labor introduction agency had long been crowded with people. This place also became a spontaneous "talent center." Many companies directly posted recruitment brochures nearby, and they indeed recruited some people.

After chatting with Xiao En for a while, Lanse went to his office.

He hadn't been here for a while, but someone cleaned it every day.

After he sat down, he dialed Lukaer's number, and the phone was picked up soon.

"It's me, Lanse."

"Hey, Lanse, how is your day?"

"Very good, there is a matter I hope to communicate with you."

"Say it, I am listening."

Lanse sorted it out. "Tomorrow there is an opening ceremony for the dock workers' competitive assembly here, which will last for several days."

"But recently the Port District is a bit noisy. I hope you can help maintain order tomorrow, and it is best to talk to those gangs to settle down for these few days."

Lanse waited for a few seconds after finishing, and looked at the receiver. "Are you listening?"

"Yes, Lanse, I am considering the suggestion you made, but I am a bit embarrassed now."

Lanse raised his eyebrows. "What is embarrassing? Perhaps I can help you solve it?"

"We don't have this work content, for example, helping you maintain the public security of the Port District. If police officers are dispatched to places outside their work, it may make the public very dissatisfied."

"These small citizens are hard to deal with. They will make complaint calls. You haven't been a police officer, you don't know how annoying they are..."

Lanse interrupted his words. "I will sponsor the Port District Precinct two thousand dollars."

The voice of Lukaer in the receiver indeed became lighter. "I don't mean this..."

"Three thousand. If it is more, I will let Bulu cross the district to do it."

Lukaer immediately agreed. "This is a matter within my jurisdiction. It is not reasonable for them to cross the district, but I think what you said still has a little truth."

"Tomorrow I will arrange for people to be on duty. I guarantee that there will be no shooting cases in the Port District in the next three days!"

"Very good, it's settled. It's best not to have any accidents."

A cheerful voice came from the receiver. "I guarantee there will be no accidents, Mr. Lanse!"

After Lanse hung up the phone, he pondered for a while. After thinking there was no problem, he left.

In the evening, when he talked to District Chief Bulu on the phone, he talked about this matter. He expressed support for Lanse's choice.

It is indeed not very good for police to work across districts; it is a lack of respect for peers. However, he also reminded Lanse that Lukaer is a very greedy person. If he can not contact him, try to contact him as little as possible.

The next day, before dawn, the entire dock was hung with colorful flags, and many workers also brought their families to come here today.

Although there is still work to be done today, after all, this is a grand event. Both the dock management company and those companies expressed support.

As the time pointed to 9:30, the motorcade, under the lead of the police car, went straight to the docks from the hotel.

When the motorcade entered the dock gate, President Sikaote even ordered people to set off salute cannons!

It can be seen that he really spent his blood capital!

Lanse's car was the fourth one. Today he also specifically changed into the new clothes that the old tailor made for him some time ago. The whole person looked even more spirited!

When the car stopped steadily, a large number of reporters around were crazily pressing the shutter. This is definitely a historic moment!

For the Union and the Labor Federation! ===== CHAPTER 267 =====