People in America: My Uncle Don Quixote

"Silence! All of you, shut your mouths! — You! Don Quixote Cervantes! You stand there and don't move!"

A burly white foreman, whose frame looked as wide as two Don Quixotes, shouted loudly through a megaphone.

After shouting it out, he shouted it out again in Spanish.

"Leto!" Don Quixote retorted without backing down. "Why delay our paychecks by a week! Don't you know we all have credit card bills to pay! We all have rent to pay!"

"Listen, this isn't my decision!"

Leto waved his walkie-talkie impatiently, the loudspeaker blasting so loudly it hurt the eardrums of those around him.

"The company's financial system has been hacked. The public account and payment gateway are locked, so we can't open accounts this week!" he shouted. "We'll reissue them next week! Now, everyone back to your posts!"

After he repeated it in Spanish, a burst of angry curses erupted from the crowd. Several Latin American and Mexican workers clenched their fists, but hesitated when they saw the private security guards with batons in the crowd.

"murder!"

"Don Quixote said."

"What did you say?!"

"Murder! You heard me!" Don Quixote shouted, pointing at Leto. "Can't you see who's standing in front of you? We're living, breathing people! In this damned, cannibalistic New York, in this damned Queens, who has enough food in their fridge for a week? Who can afford next week's rent?"

A Mexican worker who looked to be in his thirties tugged at Don Quixote's sleeve: "Don, you're moving out soon, don't worry about us—"

"We're paid weekly! Our lives are a seven-day cycle!" Don Quixote whirled around, shaking off the worker's hand, and continued his relentless roar. "If they don't get their wages today, they'll be evicted by the landlord tomorrow and will have to line up that damned, three-block-long relief food line that very night for expired, hard bread!"

"How are we supposed to live?! Are we supposed to rob people? Sell our blood? Or force their wives to prostitute themselves?" he said. "If you don't pay them today, do you think even half of them will come to collect their wages next week?"

"This has nothing to do with our company," Leto said curtly. "I already said the account was hacked! There's no way to account for the absences, the overtime, the absences, and the absences. I can't send it to you."

When Li Wei met Don Quixote, Don Quixote was relatively well-off, having desperately rented a basement apartment on a monthly basis. This was because he was a top student at the University of Chicago and knew how much interest and compound interest could snowball.

Most of the workers, like him, are semi-literate, having been immersed in a happy education since childhood. They can only see what is in front of them and can only see what is in front of them.

Weekly rent for a house, weekly salary for a job... all sorts of strange bills.

The lives of these weekly wage earners are like those on an extremely fragile balance point, where just one straw could break the camel's back.

For example, a delay in paying wages could very likely lead to them being unable to pay next week's rent and being evicted, then sleeping under bridges or in subway stations, being chased away or beaten or robbed by homeless people or gangs, and then their situation rapidly deteriorating due to difficulty in accessing medical care.

Even if they receive their original wages next week, it will be difficult for their lives to return to their previous balance.

Don Quixote was furious, and the workers behind him also shouted and cursed angrily.

Across from them, the private security guards hired by the builder silently stepped forward, waving their batons.

Just as Li Wei was about to step forward and stand next to Don Quixote, his mind 'dinged' again:

You have received a mission: to help the weak and punish the strong.

The knight needs a discerning and impartial heart to assist Don Quixote in uncovering the truth, helping the farmers solve their immediate problems, and driving out the greedy.

[Task Reward: +0.1 Free Attribute Points]

Li Wei pursed his lips, glanced at the angry workers and the large number of security guards, thought for a moment, and then pushed through the crowd to walk forward.

He patted Don Quixote on the shoulder to calm him down.

Don Quixote had just gritted his teeth and was about to step forward when he turned around and saw Livy's face, and was somewhat taken aback: "You... what are you doing here?"

"I called you but you didn't answer," Li Wei waved his phone. "I came to see what you were doing."

"We can talk about moving later," Don Quixote said, trying to shield Li behind him. "You should leave first—"

Li Wei pushed Don Quixote's arm away. "Uncle, let me talk to him."

Don Quixote glanced at the menacing Leto and the well-proportioned Livy, and without a word, pulled him behind him.

He tried to push him away, but found that Li Wei's body was rooted to the ground like a load-bearing wall, and he couldn't budge him no matter how hard he tried.

"It's alright," Levi said. "Let me do it."

Since the system has stated that Leto is a greedy person, Li Wei's "Eloquent Talk" skill will most likely come into play.

If Leto is unyielding, then Levi happens to have plenty of strength.

"Mr. Leto," said Livy, "I speak on behalf of Don Quixote. Could we speak privately?"

Leto frowned as he sized up Levi.

Li Wei's appearance, demeanor, and speech were completely out of place in this construction site filled with the smell of sweat and dust, which made him feel a strange sense of guilt.

He waved his hand, signaling the security guards to disperse, and led Li Wei into the tin-roofed house next door.

Don Quixote wanted to go in with Livy, but was stopped by the security guard at the door.

As soon as he entered the room, Leto said, "Son, I don't care who you are, but that system is really malfunctioning! Nobody will get paid this week."

Li Wei coughed twice, activating the "Eloquent Speech" attribute in his attribute panel.

"Mr. Leto," Levy said, "I think the money still needs to be paid eventually, otherwise those workers won't be able to survive, and you don't want that, do you?"

Leto's expression suddenly froze for a moment, then his tone became slow and heavy.

The "Talking it Out" feature has taken effect.

"No," he said slowly, "I just want them to be unable to collect this money."

Li Wei was stunned; he hadn't expected Leto to give such an answer.

"Why?" he pressed. "What benefit does the loss of workers bring to the construction company?"

"Just workers, like cockroaches in the sewers," Leto scoffed. "New York has so many legal and illegal immigrants and laborers. Everyone wants to come to America, everyone wants to come to New York. If they don't come tomorrow, we can just recruit another batch. Many of them are illegal immigrants, or they can't work in the construction industry without work visas. Even if they stay illegally, nobody cares about their money."

"Who's in charge? The union or the immigration bureau?" he said. "Besides, the company's system was indeed hacked a while ago, and it hasn't been fixed yet."

Li Wei thought for a moment and figured out how to subtly distort Leto's perception.

...

Don Quixote waited anxiously outside the door, his mind filled with all sorts of terrifying scenarios.

He suddenly hated himself for letting Levi and Leto be alone in a room. He knew Leto's character all too well, having been frequently penalized by him for various reasons.

"Tang, listen to me," the old worker crept over quietly and whispered, "I see there aren't many security guards around here. Should we call a few more and go together—"

He pointed to the tin-roofed house.

"No, José," Don Quixote frowned, "what if my nephew gets hurt?"

"No matter what," José said through gritted teeth, "I have to get the money today. My wife is about to give birth, and I can't let her go out to solicit clients anymore; she'll miscarry."