Being carried onto an ambulance at the start? But this is America!

Watching the boss count the money, Li Ping tentatively asked a question.

"Boss, those two people at the entrance are forcibly collecting tolls and obstructing your business. Why don't you call the police?"

He wasn't acting out of a misplaced sense of compassion; he simply wanted to understand the logic behind what was happening on the street.

He had an immature idea.

The boss looked up, grinning to reveal his teeth, which were stained yellow from smoking.

"Dude, think about it from a different perspective. With them at the door, it's like having free security guards."

Moreover, they are stable, large clients who always manage to collect the garbage from the entire neighborhood and send it to me.

"The volume is large and stable, and I don't have to deal with dozens of homeless people every day, so why would I call the police to drive them away?"

He counted out a few bills and handed them to Li Ping, then shrugged.

"Besides, what's the use of calling the police? They're just loitering in a public area; they haven't trespassed on my territory."

Arresting two only to have two more brought in a couple of days later would be even more troublesome. This way, everyone's life is easier.

Li Ping took the money and nodded thoughtfully.

Here, gray is the norm, and it has even created a certain balance.

Homeless people have fixed spots to collect cans; recycling station owners have a stable supply of goods and security; gangs buy low and sell high in the middle.

In a sense, it's a win-win-win situation.

"The recycling point over there by the bridge is controlled by the Gray Head Gang."

Leaving the recycling center, Fletcher said excitedly to Li Ping, his eyes shining.

"But they've collapsed. Ping, we can cooperate, recruit people, and take over there!"

"You can earn at least two or three hundred dollars a day, are you interested?"

Fletcher became more and more excited as he spoke, gesturing wildly: "Look, Devin and Fan, their presence is a deterrent!"

And you, Ping, you don't look like someone to mess with either... um, like you know some kind of mysterious Tokyo University kung fu.

He awkwardly struck a classic Bruce Lee pose, which made Devon grin from ear to ear.

"Should we form a gang?" Li Ping pondered.

He was indeed thinking about that just now, but it might not be about gangs.

It could be a mutual aid organization.

They recruit homeless people like Devon, Una, Jermaine, and Old Tom, who are eager for honest work and have reliable character.

By banding together and controlling a recycling point, not only can people generate profits, but more importantly, they gain access to a channel to sell scrap at high prices.

If we expand our services in the future, such as community cleaning, yard maintenance, simple housekeeping, or even the recycling and refurbishment of second-hand items...

After obtaining valuable scrap, you can sell it for a better price.

A rough blueprint for the industrial chain was sketched out in his mind.

From the most basic task of picking up trash, to cleaning services, recycling, sorting, and refurbishing and reselling secondhand items.

By connecting the upstream and downstream sectors and forming a closed loop, the profits generated are not to be underestimated.

Controlling a recycling point and profiting from the price difference is the first step in uniting them.

In the future, he could even develop into a company, and if he succeeds, it might help him obtain a new identity.

Li Ping looked at Fletcher's excited face, then at the tall and reliable Li Fan and Devon beside him, and slowly nodded.

"Perhaps we can give it a try, but not as a gang. We could call it the 'Bridge Underpass Cleaning and Recycling Cooperative,' covering everything from recycling points to household waste cleaning..."

He simply outlined a blueprint for the future, which was nothing more than empty promises.

They even used the term "cooperative association," implying it's safer than a gang.

As for how to proceed, the main goal is to create more jobs and generate more benefits.

Upon hearing the name, Devon's eyes lit up, even though he had been hesitant.

He doesn't want to be involved in gangs, but cooperating with others is no problem; cooperation leads to wealth through hard work.

"Bro, I'll listen to you!"

Before Li Ping could finish speaking, Devon was the first to raise his fist in response.

"That's a great idea, from recycling points to household waste disposal companies!"

What he most resisted deep down was the precarious, violent life of a gang.

Stability is what he desperately wants to hold onto.

Yesterday, news spread throughout the camp that the Li brothers had cleaned the basement of the villa and brought back trash that Old Tom had miraculously restored, selling for thousands of dollars.

Devon had calculated that it would take him more than half a year to save up this amount of money by living frugally and working odd jobs.

He had long heard that Asians are hardworking, frugal, and good at accumulating wealth, which is exactly what he wanted to learn and what he lacked most.

"Hey, Devin! You're not supporting me?"

Fletcher immediately put on a hurt expression. "We've been street buddies for years!"

"All you ever do is take me to free shopping and fights."

Devon slammed his hand on the car without any politeness, his voice muffled and still angry, "You wanted to drag me to do some other dangerous work today... I've had enough, Fletcher."

Fletcher quickly stood up and shouted, "Bro, if I really wanted to be in a gang, I would have left long ago. I'm not still squatting under this bridge. Just kidding."

He raised his fist. "Ping, as long as it's not illegal... well, not too illegal, I'll join you."

"It's a pleasure working with you."

Li Ping stopped and was the first to extend his fist.

Four fists of different skin colors and sizes gently touched in mid-air.

On the way back to camp, Li Ping pushed the cart while sketching out the rough but gradually clear blueprint in his mind.

"We don't just take a cut from the recycling points, that's too low-level. We turn it into a hub—collecting more discarded but repairable appliances and handing them over to experts like Old Tom for refurbishment."

Leveraging this network and the gradually built reputation, they proactively take on community cleaning, yard maintenance, moving services, and even simple repairs.

By linking the tasks of picking up trash, repairing broken items, and cleaning up, a closed loop can be formed.

We offer a complete service from recycling to cleaning to handling secondhand items, which allows for much larger profit margins.

Devon nodded repeatedly, his honest face beaming.

This plan sounds reliable and down-to-earth, unlike the get-rich-quick schemes or the kind of adventures that Fletcher spends all day thinking about.

"This is the right way!"

Devon gave Fletcher a rare glare. "You always knew how to make me your henchman while you pocketed the money."

Fletcher scratched his dreadlocks sheepishly, unable to refute the argument.

After discussion, they unanimously agreed that the most urgent goal at present is to emulate the model of the Whale Gang, cooperate deeply with a recycling point, and obtain a better purchase price.

Secondly, actively seek out odd jobs in cleaning and housekeeping.

The source is a problem.

Camilla, Una, and Jermaine also get jobs through Facebook groups, community notices, or referrals from friends, but it's all based on luck and is unstable.

There's also a day-wage labor market, where short-term workers gather waiting for jobs. Employers drive up, agree on a price, pick up the workers, and leave, settling the bill after the work is done.

It sounds no different from the labor market at the University of Tokyo.

"In places like that, Mexicans, Latinos, whites, and you Asians are the most sought-after."

Fletcher shrugged helplessly. "When Devon and I stand there, the employer's first reaction is to clutch his wallet, and his second reaction is to be afraid we'll dismantle his car."

We went there to wait a few days before, but we didn't get a single job.

Physical attributes and skin color are sometimes a liability in this labor market.

"No, we have advantages that they can't match."

Li Ping's gaze was resolute. "The church, the Methodist Church, is currently our largest resource."

The Methodist Church has a long history and a vast network of believers.

In America, the church itself is equivalent to a close-knit community.

When believers have needs for cleaning, tidying, or moving services at home, many ask the church for recommendations or ask church staff for suggestions.

With the church acting as an intermediary and providing assurance, both parties feel more at ease.