I am a demonic cultivator, not a capitalist with a conscience.

Chapter 62 The Factory 52 Years Ago (33)

The sixth day since the new factory manager arrived.

As soon as it was light, Jin Cheng rolled out of bed and completed a series of tasks in a minute, including getting dressed, folding blankets, going to the toilet, brushing his teeth, and washing his face. Then, yawning, he headed to the workshop.

However, upon discovering that the workshop was empty, with only rows of cold machines, he suddenly realized that he had made a mistake again.

The factory has already stopped operating.

But the salary didn't stop.

And there are even more!

Even the salary that had been suspended for the previous two weeks was made up!

The payment will still be based on the new salary!
For a long time, the idea that one cannot gain without effort has become an ideological imprint, deeply ingrained in Jin Cheng's consciousness.

The first two days of the work stoppage were fine; the occasional rest allowed the workers to quickly recover from their fatigue, and I also had time to tutor my younger brother Jintun and strengthen our brotherly bond.

However, the withdrawal symptoms started on the third day.

I feel restless if I don't swing a hammer for a day, my ears feel uncomfortable if I don't hear the sound of the machine running, my nose feels uncomfortable if I don't smell the machine oil, and I feel empty if I don't get a slap from the old team leader.

The food in the canteen has improved. The new canteen manager was selected from among the workers, and his braised pork is a masterpiece. The vegetables are purchased without middlemen making a profit, so they are much more delicious. However, the absence of steel wool and dishcloths makes it feel like something is missing.

The foreman was reassigned to guard the main gate, and the gate's security office was turned into a place for idiots. The two men at the gate were still all smiles. When asked, they found out that their wages had increased and they were happy to be called whatever they were asked.

But Jin Cheng was not happy!

Most of the workers were also unhappy!
Unable to work, they were like walking corpses, lingering outside the factory manager's office every day, looking longingly at the new factory manager and the old team leader inside, hoping they could give them some work.

The old team leader was so entangled that he beat up countless people, but the team is still being reorganized. There are many things that just can't be done.

Chen Yu, his roommate, remained calm, spending his days doing homework and daydreaming. He would occasionally go out to chat with people, collect information, and ask others to make models. Sometimes he would sigh, "I knew this would happen! Luckily, I'm not the factory manager, or I would be a disaster! I'm so smart."

He walked around the quiet workshop twice, crawled into a machine to smell the engine oil, and then prepared to go to the playground to swing a sledgehammer with some people.

For some reason, there were significantly fewer people on the playground today.

After swinging around for a while, Jin Cheng still felt unsatisfied, but there wasn't much else to do, so he could only return to his dormitory. After lying down, he began to complain: "There's hardly anyone here today... Brother Chen, how was your dream?"

"It's finished. We did a small-scale test yesterday and are currently collecting feedback... Haven't you played it yet?"

"...No! Brother Chen, you've actually forgotten me!"

“You went to tutor Jintun yesterday, so you missed it. It’s okay, there’s still time. Can you help me take the test?”

Jin Cheng immediately accepted the dream sent by Chen Yu, lay down on the bed happily, and immediately entered the dream.

After filling in his name and determining his gender, Jin Cheng found himself in complete darkness, with only his seat swaying slightly.

A short while later, someone gently nudged him and whispered, "Little Jin, wake up, we're here."

Opening his eyes, Jin Cheng found a familiar yet unfamiliar face in front of him—it was none other than his former team leader from his youth.

Upon seeing the other person, Jin Cheng immediately stood up and said, "I wasn't sleeping! I'll get to work right away!"

"Has this child gone mad from sleeping? We haven't even arrived at the factory yet, what nonsense are you talking about? Get off the train now, it's time to report to the factory." Following Gong Jin, Jin Cheng got off the train with a puzzled look, glancing back at the train as he did so.

He had just ridden in the Pioneer Type 3, an old relic from Tianyuan decades ago, which he had seen in the factory's archives.

However, it is now shiny and mechanical, and looks like it is still in its prime.

Looking around, he saw Tianyuan Agricultural Machinery Factory right in front of him, but the sign on it didn't say 2077, but 2025.

So, this was 52 years ago?
At this moment, many questions were answered, and more details of the era came to mind, instantly transporting Jin Cheng back 52 years, making him an ordinary worker.

Following Gong Jin, he excitedly entered the factory, looking around excitedly, so happy he felt like he could fly.

The Tianyuan Agricultural Machinery Factory in front of him was both familiar and unfamiliar. It was familiar because he had worked and studied here since he was a child, but unfamiliar because many things here would not exist in the future.

When building the 52-year-old machine factory, Chen Yu handed over this part of the work to other veteran workers through the old team leader, and the final result was unexpectedly good.

They are living history; they have vivid memories of what happened 52 years ago.

Those rough hands produced parts with a precision of half a micrometer and built production lines that were quite advanced at the time.

They are old now, but their skills remain. The models they build through dreams are no less impressive than those that require payment on dream-making platforms, thus bringing unparalleled realism to their dreams.

"Wow, so this is what the machine factory used to look like! Was there a mine behind there? Why is it gone now?"

Seeing the excited Jin Cheng, Gong Jin said in confusion, "The mine has always been there, what nonsense are you talking about?"

"Yeah, they must have dug them all out later. Wait, so many mountains, were they all dug out? Tianyuan during the Golden Age was really good at digging! Were there so many trees there? What happened to them later?"

"What nonsense are you talking about, kid? It's your first day at the factory, do you need an introduction?"

Jin Cheng had played the Dreamland before and knew that this should be the tutorial stage, so he nodded obediently.

"Working in a factory requires caution. Just work diligently for thirty years and then retire. Pay attention to your time management and be on duty when it's time to work. There are bonuses for working every day of the month, but you'll be fired if you miss two consecutive days unless you can get a leave slip."

"The factory has everything: a library, a gym, a spiritual energy room, a computer lab—you can explore all of these. The food in the canteen is free, but you can also pay to get something better."

"Wages are paid daily. The more skilled you are and the more you do, the more you earn. If that's still not enough, you can look around the notice board near the entrance; someone might need you to do some odd jobs."

"Alright, that's about it. Since it's your first day, go explore after you drop off your luggage. Getting to know more people might bring unexpected surprises."

"Oh no, I almost forgot about this."

Gong Jin handed an old-fashioned cell phone to Jin Cheng and said, "It's a benefit for everyone joining the factory. Everyone gets a cell phone, and it's the latest model. The factory will occasionally send you any news via cell phone, and you'll also need a cell phone to contact others. My contact information is already in here. You can come to me if you have any questions."

"Thank you very much, team leader."

"You're welcome. I'm leaving."

Holding his phone, Jin Cheng walked into the dormitory with his head held high, ready to begin his new life in the factory.

The factory from 52 years ago... I can't wait to see it.

(End of this chapter)