Chapter 938: The Weight of Steel and the Taste of Whiskey

69:24:17

The hissing sound of welding echoed throughout the production floor, as massive steel hull modules were being built in a heavy industry plant.

Last year, the Lianbangzheng Prefecture allocated funds to expand the Lianbang Army’s navy, and the navy felt their good days had finally arrived.

The bidding process had lasted nearly ten months; this module was now at most six months away from full completion.

Once transported to the dockyard and assembled, a warship would be born.

At this moment, the Lianbangzheng Prefecture’s mature industrial infrastructure was beginning to reveal its unmatched potential and strength in large-scale construction.

Every shipyard and heavy industry firm capable of manufacturing modules was now producing warship structural components, provided they had no demand for tanks or armored vehicles.

There were many workers and engineers on-site, cross-checking blueprints to verify each process met standards and ensuring hull data matched design specifications.

Because final assembly could fail from even a slight mismatch, not a single error in specifications was permitted.

The entire factory employed over two thousand people, operating twenty-four hours a day in three shifts; at any time, in any corner, sparks from overhead welding continuously rained down.

The manager stepped out of his office and waved to each team leader, signaling them to gather.

Soon, all team leaders crowded into the manager’s office, as production quotas had increased and each workshop now had its own targets.

This might be the most “packed” period the factory had seen in nearly five, even ten years—no workshop stood idle, only workers collapsed from exhaustion.

They had recently heard of the failed strike in Jingang City; honestly, whether team leaders or company managers, they all envied the situation there.

Logically, team leaders came from the working class and shouldn’t side with Lans.

But team leaders had already risen above the base laborer tier—they now managed workers, and their wealth and social status no longer came from working on the floor.

Instead, they gained it by supervising others to ensure quality and output; they were no longer pure members of the working class.

Compared to workers who constantly demanded breaks, they preferred those who didn’t fear hardship, who could endure long hours—even if they lacked Lianbangzheng Prefecture citizenship.

But they couldn’t voice this openly.

The manager’s office was now packed with them; he told them to stand or sit apart, then announced the board’s decision.

“The board just called me…” he pointed at the phone, as if people could observe the device and see what had just happened!

“The board says our schedule is still too long—we must cut it further, by another twenty percent.”

At these words, all team leaders erupted.

They shouted, talked over each other, making everything inaudible.

After the manager repeated “Quiet!” several times, they gradually fell silent.

“I know we’re facing some issues, but that’s not a reason we can’t shorten the schedule.”

“Go talk to the workers—if they can hold on, make them hold on longer. Eight hours will pass quickly.”

“If they truly can’t hold on, let them cut two hours and hire a new batch of workers.”

Hearing this, the team leaders thought the plan was acceptable, but someone asked, “What about wages?”

The manager looked utterly reasonable. “Of course, pay them for six hours!”

“Other factories work eleven hours a day. We’re being considerate by letting them work eight. If they still want breaks, then let them rest properly!”

“Pay for the hours worked—company money isn’t dropped from the sky; it’s earned penny by penny.”

“They create value? We pay for that value. It’s fair.”

The speaking team leader added, dissatisfied, “They’ll riot.”

The manager’s tone was firm. “Fire them. A qualified society never lacks workers. Tell others—if more positions open, we’ll consider negotiating labor contracts with Wanli Group.”

“Then they’ll have all the time to rest!”

Using Wanli Group’s labor supply as leverage was indeed a good tactic.

Wanli Group had gained considerable fame in the Lianbangzheng Prefecture; its anti-union approach was widely supported by employers.

Moreover, reportedly, contracted workers received decent benefits.

They still exerted strong influence and deterrence over ordinary workers and unionized laborers; people weren’t afraid of competition—they feared having no chance to compete at all.

Someone in the crowd muttered, “Despicable.” The manager raised an eyebrow toward the voice’s source, unsure who spoke. “I know who it was. Don’t let me hear it again—or you’ll be sent back to the floor. Plenty are eager to take your place.”

He paused. “That’s all.”

61:00:00

At midnight, the largest and most popular bar in Jingang City’s bay district entered its peak operating hour; young black-haired performers sang rhythmic songs on stage, and the bar buzzed with revelers.

The decor was excellent, the location prime, and the clientele affluent.

Bars in the bay district never lacked wealthy patrons; for the rich, squandering money to escape the banality of daily life was a welcome indulgence.

This was precisely the problem the lower classes most often faced—

Why did the rich prefer to waste money rather than give it to the poor?

What could you offer them if they gave you something?

Suck their cock? Or make them feel pleasure?

No—you could do nothing. Not even a “thank you” stirred their emotions, let alone gave them satisfaction.

But here, through tobacco, alcohol, and sex, they released their desires and gained simple, primal, yet crystal-clear joy.

The bar’s security team patrolled behind the second-floor railing, hunting rule-breakers; if found, they first tried reasoning.

If reasoning failed—say, with drunk patrons—they’d beat them and throw them out.

Arthur hugged two girls, who were fighting over a lollipop; Arthur found it hilarious, relaxing—this was the life a man was meant to live!

He’d already negotiated with the general manager of Wanli Pictures: he’d invest 100,000 to test the waters, filming a movie to see if it turned a profit—or a loss.

Someone leaked the news, and now dozens of girls seeking fame surrounded him daily.

In the old era when opera ruled, becoming an opera star wasn’t easy—it required over a decade of professional training.

And most crucially, you needed powerful patronage to survive in opera’s cutthroat, clique-ridden industry.

Becoming a female opera star demanded too many conditions—but becoming a film actress brought quick money and required no specialized skill.

Just know how to flirt. Audiences loved that.

So these girls fought over Arthur’s lollipop for a better future.

Watching them tear each other’s hair out, Arthur burst into laughter!

52:15:07

“I’m announcing something: my birthday is next week, but I might not be in Jingang City then, so I’m moving it up by a week.”

Lans announced this in the office; no one found it odd—moving a birthday forward was normal.

In truth, birthdays were less about the ceremony of the exact date and more about everyone temporarily forgetting everything and having a good time together.

Everyone supported the decision; no one objected, and there was no need to.

Lans added, “We’ll celebrate in Xigu City—Gerald’s new film is premiering there, so we can attend the premiere.”

Lans glanced at his wristwatch calendar. “We leave tomorrow, arrive early the day after. We’ll have lunch together, tour around in the afternoon, then return that night or the next day.”

Someone raised a hand. “Can I skip it?”

Lans neither opposed nor endorsed. “Go ahead, try.”

“Then I’m fine.”

Everyone burst into laughter; Lans laughed too. “But my advice? Don’t try.”

“Alright, everyone goes. Don’t make excuses—cities run fine without us.”

“If any squad leaders want to go, they can.”

After announcing this, he clapped his hands. “Alright, get back to work!”

“You bastards!”

He turned and walked back to his office, but Mei Luo followed.

“Something happened, didn’t it?” he asked, closing the door.

Lans walked to the bar and poured himself a drink. “Why think that?”

He pulled out a bottle of whiskey. “Have some?”

Mei Luo shook his head. “I don’t know. Just a feeling.”

Lans took a sip; the whiskey had ice, making it smoother and easier to taste the aroma and sweetness.

He lifted his glass slightly. “Just do as I say.”

It was a standard affirmative response—yet contained no explicit affirmation or phrase.

Mei Luo nodded solemnly. “Should we call Alvin and the others back?”

“Absolutely not!”

Lans then notified others under the pretext of his birthday; no one questioned his trip to Xigu City.

The drive from Jingang City to Xigu City took just over three hours—you could go for lunch and return by afternoon.

Mayor Williams was continuously expanding Jingang City; rumors said the new plan would extend it another ten to twenty kilometers northwest.

When that happened, the journey between Jingang City and Xigu City would be just over two hours.

Williams’ urban expansion plan sparked talk of city annexation.

Recently, many had been discussing whether Xigu City should be merged into Jingang City—both among civilians and officials.

Annexation wasn’t all bad for Xigu City, nor all good; some supported it, others opposed it, and debates were heated.

Some asked Lans; he thought it unlikely to happen.

Merging the two cities would eliminate one administrative system, meaning many would lose their interests.

The Lianbangzheng Prefecture government was neither efficient nor sacrificial; these people wouldn’t sacrifice themselves for Jingang City’s growth unless a higher authority intervened decisively.

So even if the two cities physically touched, they wouldn’t merge.

Yet this sparked many to consider visiting Xigu City; as the weather warmed and Xigu City’s status in the film industry rose, many Jingang residents now listed it as a travel destination.

26:16:39

The new legal team sent by the Lianhe Society has met with Mr. Walter, as well as the previous lawyer representative and his team.

Although the Lianhe Society claims to trust the lawyer representative, they still sent a new legal team over.

The lawyer representative raised no objection; in fact, for lawyers like them, having others share the responsibility was a good thing, because they would still demand their full fee.

Their fee would not drop from two thousand dollars a day to one thousand just because another team had joined.

The other team would not voluntarily reduce their income; instead, they might even increase their fees based on some ideas they proposed.

Mr. Walter’s case was once again laid out in full; the police provided copies of evidence, physical items, and testimonies. In a meeting room at the police station, which cost six hundred dollars to rent, the new legal team reviewed all materials and reached the same conclusion as Mr. Walter and the lawyer representative.

“There is no chance of victory. All evidence, testimony, and witnesses are against you, and most critically, you were drunk.”

“Alcohol robs you of self-control, so the jury will believe you acted out of drunken loss of control—that’s already the best outcome. We must not let them think you acted with malicious intent.”

Mr. Walter had not shaved in several days, making him look disheveled and worn down. “I’ve been considering this issue too. Earlier, we mentioned interstate extradition.”

“Is it possible to have me extradited to another state for trial?”

“As long as I’m not tried on Lans’s territory, I have a chance to plead not guilty, right?”

Both legal teams agreed with his view—but not entirely. The new team gestured for the lawyer representative to speak, as a matter of posture.

Although they had arrived, they had no intention of taking the lead in this case.

The lawyer representative acknowledged their gesture with a slight nod and said, “It’s possible—but unlikely.”

“To extradite you to another state, you must first have committed a crime there, and someone must have filed a report. Only then can we arrange your transfer.”

“It’s probably too late to find someone to fabricate an incident now, and the court here in Linaicai State is more likely to refuse to release you.”

“Once the local court here concludes its trial, even if you appeal to another circuit court, they may still refuse to support your not-guilty plea.”

“Most critically, we’re out of time.”

“The evidence structure in this case is too complete. The trial will open no later than next week.”

“So I’ve discussed it with them—we’ll still aim for the more viable path: guilty but no imprisonment.”

Hearing this, Mr. Walter was shattered. Even if they succeeded in getting him off prison, his life was ruined.

A convicted criminal could never become Chairman of the Quanguodaibiao Assembly of the Workers’ Party—his career, his dreams, all destroyed!

Mr. Walter took a deep breath. “Last time, I asked you to contact Lans…”

The lawyer representative nodded. “I contacted him. I mentioned you wanted to speak with him. But Mr. Lans only asked me to pass on one message.”

“What message?”

“Good luck!”

“Fuck!”

Mr. Walter slammed his fist hard on the table. He could no longer sit still; he stood up and paced back and forth several steps. “What about the Lianhe Society?”

The representative of the new legal team shook his head. “We don’t know. They only told us to come here, understand the situation, and see if there’s anything we can help with.”

Mr. Walter was now utterly hopeless. He could only accept the lawyer representative’s suggestion: plead guilty and accept punishment, but avoid prison at all costs. This was now his absolute limit.

Mr. Walter’s willingness to accept this defense strategy was excellent. Immediately, they began discussing what to do next.

This included identifying the female server, providing adequate compensation, and obtaining her letter of understanding.

Although the jury cannot decide his sentence length, they can express their opinion to the judge—favoring a lighter or no sentence.

They talked for over two hours before parting, each returning to prepare for the case.

00:25:27

On a fishing vessel operating off the eastern coast of Jingang City, crew members suddenly stopped their net-retrieving work and stared toward the eastern sea.

Seeing his partner unresponsive, the other crewman glanced at him. “What are you staring at?”

The crewman said nothing, still fixed on the spot behind him. His partner, curious, slowly turned around and looked back.

In the distance, dark shapes were rapidly growing larger, charging toward them…

(End of Chapter)