Mystery: My Encounters with the Celestial God

Chapter 364 Please come in, Outer God Grandmaster (4.7K)

Even from tens of meters away, the newly appointed factory owner in Backlund knew what was happening ahead.

Based on the information from Klein's investigation and the content of the workers' shouts, it is clear that demanding unpaid wages is not uncommon in Backlund.

Various labor unions organize marches every now and then to improve workers' treatment and reduce the last working hours of the day.

Of course, such demonstrations are often unsatisfactory, and in more cases, the final result is that factory owners, nobles, and wealthy people bribe the union leaders and make false promises.

The main point is: I know it's wrong, but I just won't change it!

Because the Kingdom of Rune does not have specific laws to clearly stipulate these matters.

As for how Ron knew this, well, he had a bunch of weirdos in his house who loved reading newspapers and magazines, so it was hard not to know.

This incident is enough to show how impoverished the spiritual worlds of Medici, Amon, and the vengeful spirit are; otherwise, one wouldn't always be thinking about war, war, war; another wouldn't always be looking for fun, fun, fun; and the third wouldn't be constantly practicing asceticism, asceticism, asceticism.

In the words of the "genie," he was just bored and had nothing better to do. At least in his view, Roselle had never been so lacking and was always very busy.

"Everyone, please calm down. I really don't have any extra money. My father has already mortgaged everything of value in the house to keep the company running."

Compared to the workers demanding their wages, Raymond, the son of the honest steel company manager, was clearly much more civilized.

He blushed as he was hurled at the vile and offensive insults, but because of some kind of guilty conscience, his voice gradually faded and disappeared.

At that moment, Raymond Fernando suddenly saw a magnificent four-wheeled carriage with brass-plated exterior parked there.

Above the carriage, a beautifully crafted badge hangs, composed of a circular outline, twisted lines, and layered stars.

This might be the emblem of some ancient noble family or clan...

The thoughts flashed through his mind, and before the young college student could observe too much, the carriage door was violently pushed open, and a handsome boy who was only 1.5 meters tall jumped out of the carriage.

Ron raised his head slightly, took two steps with his short legs to the factory gate, his expression was imposing without anger, and his golden eyes swept across the scene, instantly silencing everyone.

"Are you all workers in this factory?" the blond boy asked knowingly, already having the answer in his mind.

What he was actually trying to say was, "It's already this late, why aren't you at work yet?"

However, Ron, being thick-skinned, didn't dare to ask the question on the spot, because based on what he had just seen, the steel company still owed these people their wages.

"Uh, yes, I and they are all workers here. Who are you?"

The foreman was visibly startled, then looked at Ron warily.

The handsome young man's clothes and attire clearly did not belong to the East District or the factory area, and such people are rarely seen here.

"Is your father the new owner of this steel company?"

The foreman was clearly knowledgeable. He frowned slightly and, without waiting for Ron's reply, deduced a fairly accurate answer based on recent rumors from the steel company and the timing and clothing of the blond boy.

Upon hearing this, Ron's tense little face immediately fell; he knew this would happen.

In such situations, a teenager is often distrusted, which is why he didn't even let Sharon, who looked like an adult, get out of the car.

Isn't 1.5 meters tall a good height?

Don't underestimate the value of steamed buns, you idiot!

"In fact, I am the new boss of Honest Steel Company."

With a helpless pursed lip, the 1.5-meter-tall boy raised his arms and solemnly introduced himself under the watchful eyes of a group of steelworkers.

As soon as Ron finished speaking, the workers around him erupted in a commotion. They looked at each other, seemingly surprised that their boss was a child.

And they don't even look as big as their children!

"Are you kidding? The steel mill's stock and bonds are really all in your name!?"

This is completely against regulations. Documents signed by someone of his age have no legal effect. Is he just another rich kid trying to cause trouble?

The foreman frowned, his face darkening as he looked at the arrogant young man with his head slightly raised, who didn't seem like someone who knew how to do business at all.

"Is everything you're saying true!?"

He asked again urgently, as if confirming something.

In the East District, the dock area, and the factory area, every now and then a company or factory that was on the verge of bankruptcy will be brought back to life.

Those aristocratic children, or the children of certain wealthy merchants, would buy these companies on the verge of bankruptcy at extremely low prices, hoping to make a comeback and prove their talent.

But most of the time, the results are... less than satisfactory.

These shrewd businessmen's sons often use the excuse of cash flow problems to withhold workers' wages to save costs. Once they find that the company is not going to work, they will simply walk away, leaving behind a mess that no one wants to deal with.

As for these workers, no one is standing up for them or considering the issue of their withheld wages.

This can lead to very serious consequences. Families that can barely survive will collapse in an instant, their children and wives will starve to death, and they themselves will often fall into the abyss of hardship because they cannot find work temporarily.

That's why the lead worker reacted so hostilely when Ron said he was the new company boss.

Perhaps only a successful image, with Ron becoming bald and having a big belly, can gain the trust of these factory workers.

You know a lot and you're good at provoking people...

"If you speak to your former boss in this tone, it's an incredible miracle you've stayed this long."

"What's your name?"

The blond boy's mouth was as sharp as ever, he would spew insults at anyone, regardless of age or gender, and he was never at a disadvantage.

"Uh, young sir, my name is Harry Brad."

"No, no, I didn't mean to look down on you at all. I'm just a little surprised that a new boss would come at this crucial moment."

After his initial surprise, Mr. Harry immediately changed his tune, seemingly discerning the new boss's character from Ron's outward appearance.

Regardless of what the future holds for this steel mill, at the very least, they should get their wages for these two weeks back.

Even though the former manager's son has no money, isn't this just another new boss coming along?

"Since you're the boss, you should know about the steel mill's debt problem. We just want to get back the wages that are rightfully ours."

Without hesitation, he got straight to the point, seemingly wanting to catch Ron off guard and get him to agree to repay the debt.

The steelworkers around them cooperated perfectly, taking a step forward in unison, as if to put psychological pressure on the new and old bosses.

Workers also have their own wisdom, but simply being forceful in demanding payment might backfire.

Seeing the stares of the workers around him, the blond boy smirked. Did he, Ron Sothos, really look like a sucker?

"You've got guts. You must have brought these people together. You two must have already made a pact behind their backs that they'd all be led by you in order to get the money back."

"However, have you considered this issue? Given your behavior, I could easily call the police and claim that my personal safety has been threatened by you, detain you for a week or two, and use that as an excuse to renege on your debt."

Ron's lips curled into a smile, and his calm, almost declarative tone caused all the workers present to show expressions of worry and fear.

Upon hearing this, Harry Brad felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly turned to look at the workers around him, whose expressions varied, and his face gradually turned grim.

After dismantling this fragile alliance with just two sentences, the blond youth licked his lips, pointed to the factory manager's son at the very back, and continued slowly:

"First, every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor. I will not repay the money the previous boss owed you!"

The boy's slightly immature voice had barely faded when it immediately aroused the workers' dissatisfaction. However, before they could take any action, the calm boy continued:

"Secondly, if you want to continue working here, I will increase your weekly wage by one-third of your weekly wage. If your weekly wage is 20 soles, then you will receive 30 soles every week thereafter. This is a benefit exclusively for you, and those who join later or leave and then join again will not be counted."

Ron's words caused all the workers to freeze in their tracks, and even their breathing became heavier. Those workers who were planning to run away as soon as they got their wages, or who had already prepared an escape route, unconsciously swallowed.

From the current perspective, things don't seem to be that bad yet.

Harry Brad was also taken aback when he heard this. He didn't expect that the boy who was so stingy just now would be so generous. Not only did he not cut costs like those noble children, but he also gave them a raise.

Seeing that he had the atmosphere and pace of the scene under control, Ron continued calmly with little expression:

"Third, I think I just heard that you all have your own difficulties. I will allow you to withdraw three weeks' wages in advance from me. However, those who withdraw in advance will only receive half of their wages each week thereafter until the withdrawn portion is paid off."

"Should it be based on the old weekly wage, or the increased one?"

Someone in the crowd raised their hands and asked impatiently.

"Of course, it's the improved version!"

As soon as the boy finished speaking, the surrounding workers stared wide-eyed in disbelief, rubbing their ears as if they were afraid that what they had just heard was an unreal hallucination.

In an instant, the entire Honest Man's Factory fell silent.

Immediately following was a burst of cheers and praise. The workers rushed forward to surround the blond boy who was only 1.5 meters tall, seemingly wanting to toss him high into the air to express their gratitude.

Seeing this, Ron raised his hands and pressed them down, and the whole scene instantly became quiet. All the workers were eagerly waiting for the new boss to give orders again.

"I can acquire your father's shares in this honest man's factory for £2000, a portion of which can be used to pay off debts. Would you like to sell them to me?"

Looking at the former manager's son, the blond boy continued speaking with an unwavering expression. Although his words appeared to be a consultation with the young man, he used a declarative tone.

"Me, me."

The former supervisor's son hesitated, but the surrounding workers seemed to have his backing, and their united gazes made him unconsciously take a step back.

"I agree!"

As Ron expected, the young man in his twenties agreed quite readily. Although he was reluctant to part with his father's inheritance, he still chose the two thousand pounds due to the pressure of making a living.

"Alright, does anyone have any questions now?"

Seeing that all the problems had been solved, the boy glanced at the dumbfounded Harry Brad and asked loudly.

"If you don't have anything, then go get to work and don't waste time!"

As Russell famously said, "Time is life!"

Ron is a professional at making empty promises; his promises are so enticing that even the "Child of Chaos" gets dizzy from the sweetness.

Of course, the great and boundless wisdom kept its word. Although the promised benefits seemed numerous, in essence, it only meant a one-third increase in wages for each steelworker.

In exchange for prestige, reputation, and increased worker enthusiasm, as well as the dismantling of cliques within the factory, it couldn't be more worthwhile.

In just a few words, the entire steel plant regained the vitality of its booming business.

Harry Brad could see through Ron's actions and couldn't help but be secretly amazed by the boy's shrewdness and ability to handle things.

Even many wealthy businessmen may not be able to handle things so cleanly and efficiently, achieving multiple objectives at once.

Upon realizing this, he suddenly understood something and immediately moved his feet, secretly trying to slip away.

Logically speaking, if this incredible young man is indeed as clean and efficient as he appears, then there is still an important final step to be taken.

In Russell's words, "to cut the weeds, you must pull them out by the roots," meaning those who instigate trouble must be eliminated.

"Harry Brad, stay here for a moment."

The clear, yet youthful voice of the boy made the foreman freeze, his face filled with an indescribable bitter smile.

Now those workers no longer provide him with support.

"What did you do before? You don't seem to be a worker."

Ron looked up, sized up the man in his forties, and then asked in a calm tone.

"Well, I used to be a grain merchant, but I went bankrupt because of the Grain Act, so after a lot of twists and turns, I became a worker."

Faced with a boy who was only 1.5 meters tall, the former grain merchant was intimidated by his invisible aura and dared not look Ron in the eye for a moment.

"Grain merchants, as far as I know, many grain merchants die of depression after going bankrupt. It's rare to see someone as energetic as you."

The boy raised an eyebrow, looking somewhat surprised.

"Sigh~ I have to thank my wife, and you, uh, and my teenage child. I had already given up, but they were very strong."

"If I can't get through this, then they probably won't survive either, so for their sake I have to choose to keep living."

A slightly bittersweet voice came from Harry Brad's mouth. He seemed to have a premonition of what was about to happen and was trying to use this way of showing his wounds to get Ron, whose wrist was clean, to let him go and let his family go.

The blond boy nodded, his expression unchanged. He took a deep breath and spoke indifferently:

"You're very calculating. You should know what I mean. You're fired."

These cold words were like a giant hammer, crashing down on the tender heart of this good husband and father.

He opened his mouth, as if to plead for mercy, but only now did he realize that he did not know the boy's name, and for a moment he did not know how to speak.

Taking a deep breath, Harry Brad nodded indifferently and turned to leave.

Although misfortune is unavoidable, life must go on.

But just then, that indifferent, emotionless voice came again.

"Wait a minute, the manager of this company died a few days ago, and we're currently short of talent in this area. Are you willing to accept this job?"

"I think you have the prestige and ability."

"Of course, you can't enjoy a one-third salary increase benefit."

Harry Brad stopped abruptly, immediately turning his head to look incredulously at the blond boy with the nimble wrist.

"I do!"

He had to admit that even though he knew the boy was trying to win him over, he was still deeply moved.

In response, the former grain merchant couldn't help but admire Ron's wisdom and his accurate grasp of human nature.

He was given both a big stick and a carrot, but he also left a positive impression on all the factory workers.

This boy looks only 12 years old, how come he's more cunning than this grain merchant who's been in business for many years?

(End of this chapter)