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

"Everyone present today will receive five hundred."

As Li Ping spoke, he pushed out the stack of money belonging to the public account in front of him, quickly counted out six sums of five hundred US dollars, and pushed them in front of everyone.

"We should take more of the core assets."

"That's too much..."

Although it may seem embarrassing, no one would refuse a pile of real Franklins in front of them.

Fletcher carefully picked it up, his fingers expertly tracing the edge of the banknote, and the slight pity on his face for the excessively high salary was instantly replaced by a bright smile.

Devon carefully put the money into his pocket, Old Mike weighed it in his hand, stuffed it into the inner pocket of his uniform, patted it, and Franklin thanked him repeatedly, clutching the money tightly in his hand.

"Tomorrow, give each of the errand runners 250 yuan. I'll cover the money myself first," Li Ping said.

"Boss, isn't this... a bit too hasty?"

Fletcher quickly advised, "How about letting them work a full week before paying them, or paying them half first?"

Li Ping shook his head: "I'll send it out tomorrow, and I'll do it myself."

What is the best way to unite people and stabilize the ranks on a newly established hill?

This isn't just empty talk; it's real US dollars.

And it has to be quick and decisive.

He picked up his phone and sent a message in the bridge-underpass cooperation group.

"Tomorrow morning, in the backyard of the grocery store, we'll be paying this week's wages. Base salary is $250. There will be a bonus every month if you do a good job."

There was a few seconds of silence in the group, and then the messages exploded!

"Really? Long live the boss!"

"Idiot?! Boss, who are we going to chop up tonight? I'll be the first one to go!!"

The Mexican-American henchman even posted a picture of a gleaming machete.

"Boss, I have a brother who wants to join us. Can you bring him along?"

"Does the eldest need someone to warm his bed? My sister is super hot! (Attached is a blurry photo)"

Looking at the 99+ messages that instantly appeared, Li Ping felt the joy of being the leader, offered a few words of encouragement, and then casually turned off the group chat notifications.

As for the sister of the black man's underling, is this how you test cadres? Which cadre can't withstand such a test!

The screen went dark, revealing his own face.

He already has a group of people under him who are eagerly waiting for him to hand out money.

The feeling was a bit unsettling, but more than that, it was a heavy, oppressive pressure.

He needs to transform this newly gathered popularity into a real force that enables people to survive and thrive.

The road ahead is still long.

When Li Ping returned to Roland Camp that evening, he was carrying several bulging plastic bags filled with still-warm pizza boxes and hamburger paper bags.

Although everyone in the camp clamored to join the cooperative, they did not contribute to taking over the streets.

The basic salary and street jobs are separate; we need to find other sources of income to unite people. The main goal is to find enough formal jobs.

The aroma, like an invisible hand, instantly drew everyone in the camp over.

Camilla had just finished work, exhausted, when Una and Jermaine returned one after the other. Even Zach, who had been buried in his broken laptop, looked up, his nostrils flaring.

Let's celebrate!

Li Ping piled the food on the old wooden planks that served as a table, lifted the lids, and the aroma of cheese and meat exploded out. "The Bridge Underpass Cooperation Association opened today, and it went fairly smoothly!"

The atmosphere immediately became lively.

Li Ping also put on the bright orange T-shirt from the cooperation meeting. The bridge pattern and bold letters on the back were particularly eye-catching under the illumination of the solar-powered hanging light in the center of the camp.

"Wow, it's flat!"

Camilla grabbed a slice of pizza, took a big bite, and chuckled indistinctly, "This outfit is pretty good, it looks decent!"

"Keep one for me too!"

Old Tom looked up from his pile of electronic parts, pushed up his reading glasses that had slipped down to the tip of his nose, and said, "Looks quite energetic."

"We have them all. I'll pick them up at Franklin's store tomorrow. They have all sizes," Li Ping replied with a smile.

Only among his original companions at the campsite, smelling the familiar smoke from the campfire and listening to their lively chatter, could he truly relax his tense nerves.

He was always afraid that the cops would raid those street meetings in the backyard of the grocery store.

Fletcher gesticulated wildly as he recounted his triumphant day, boasting about how he had gained many followers.

Old Mike drank contentedly, feeling quite proud of being able to help those veterans.

Li Fan was munching on a hamburger when he suddenly remembered his business. He swallowed his food and said...

"Brother, the employer clearly stated that they need four people for the move tomorrow. So far, it's you, me, and Devin who are confirmed to go. We're still one person short."

As soon as the words were spoken, Una and Jermaine, who were silently eating nearby, looked up almost simultaneously, their eyes brightening for a moment before dimming again.

Li Fan's voice followed: "Should we call one from among the new recruits in the association?"

Yes, they have their own organizations now and people under them, so why would they need to hire these old guys from the camp?

Una pursed her lips, and Jermaine lowered his head; the food in his hand suddenly didn't smell so good anymore.

Seeing this, Li Ping turned directly to Una: "Una, are you free tomorrow? The employer offered 150 yuan per person."

Una looked up abruptly, almost unable to believe her ears: "Me? Really? I don't have any part-time jobs lined up for tomorrow, and I'm really good at moving and cleaning!"

"certainly,"

Li Ping nodded affirmatively, "Aren't we all members of the cooperative? It's only right that we help each other out."

"Yes, we are all members of the Cooperative Association!" Una's face instantly lit up, and her voice became cheerful.

"Sigh, I'm so envious."

Camilla feigned a sigh, took a bite of her pizza, and said, "I have to work at the chicken wrap counter again tomorrow. It's a great job, 150 a day."

"The employers are a couple, and with Una around, communication and doing detailed work are much easier."

Li Ping explained to Jermaine, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Next time there's a suitable job, I'll call you first."

Jermaine smiled, his disappointment quickly dispelled. He raised the can of beverage in his hand: "I understand, Ping. It's kind of you to think of everyone."

He clinked the jars together with Li Ping. "Your words and actions make people willing to trust you."

The night wind blew through the bridge arch, bringing with it the incessant, dull roar of the distant highway.

The camp was filled with laughter and the aroma of food.

The way people looked at Li Ping had unconsciously taken on a different meaning.

It wasn't just because he seemed to be able to make money, but because he did manage to gradually bring together the scattered hearts of people in some way.

Only a dozen or so people have gathered...

A thought suddenly popped into Li Ping's mind: What if there were a hundred? A thousand?

If their makeshift operation could actually turn into a legitimate business and support hundreds or even thousands of families...

What will I become?

The thought startled even himself.

Having money alone is far from enough; this principle applies universally.

If I really become "the breadwinner of millions of fishermen" in America, what should people call me?

Respected...Mr. Congressman?

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, tilted his head back and drank the last sip of beer, then crushed the aluminum can in his hand with a crisp sound before accurately tossing it into the bag beside him.

Under the flickering lights, the orange T-shirt resembled a small cluster of flames that refused to go out.

A good direction to strive for.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps approached from afar. Roland practically rushed into the camp area, his hair somewhat disheveled and his face showing an unusual panic.

She nodded absentmindedly to a few people who greeted her, her gaze sweeping over them. When she saw the group gathered around Li Ping, she hesitated, her expression conflicted.

"What's wrong, Roland?"

Li Ping immediately sensed something was wrong and stood up to ask.