Chapter 255 - 256
Chapter 255: Recruiting Immigrant Workers
The bootlegging business had never been legitimate.
Davey had never intended to compete on fair terms with anyone.
Within his sphere of influence, all bootleg liquor was strictly forbidden. Anyone who dared to brew it would be sent to meet their maker.
Raise soldiers for a thousand days, use them for a single moment.
After spending so many dollars training his employees, it was finally time for them to prove their worth.
As things stood now, across the entire West—or more precisely, the three major states of West Elizabeth, New Hanover, and Lemoyne—no force, whether in the open or in the shadows, could rival Davey’s armed group.
Lunchtime.
Private chef Chen prepared an abundant feast.
Kung Pao Chicken, Stir-Fried Beef, Chili Pork, Corn and Rib Soup, Pan-Seared Veal, Spicy Fish Fillets, Braised Duck, Roast Suckling Pig, and Crispy Roast Chicken.
Nine dishes in total.
This was Davey’s lunch—simple and unadorned.
“Excellent craftsmanship, Mr. Chen. This may well be the best meal I’ve had in years.”
“It seems I won’t be able to part with you anytime soon. Ah, this food—what a pleasure.”
Thinking back to what he used to eat, it felt entirely different from this.
Even the rice wasn’t plain white rice, but golden fried rice.
The grains were coated in beaten egg and stir-fried, then mixed with corn kernels, diced cured meat, chopped ham, shredded cucumber, and various other ingredients.
“As long as you like it, Mr. Land.”
Seeing Davey’s satisfaction, Chen finally relaxed, though there was still a hint of hesitation on his face.
“Mr. Chen, if there’s anything you need help with, feel free to say so.”
“In Saint Denis, as long as it’s not too troublesome, I believe I can handle it for you.”
Davey quickly sensed that Chen had something on his mind and decided to ask directly. He didn’t mind dealing with a few minor inconveniences.
Hearing this, Chen hesitated before speaking.
“I’m very sorry, Mr. Land. These are small matters and shouldn’t trouble you.”
“But we truly have no other choice. You know, in this city, our people hold a very low status and are rejected by many.”
Chen was visibly uneasy, uncertain whether Davey would really be willing to step in.
“Go on. What happened?”
Faced with Davey’s question, Chen explained the situation from beginning to end.
It involved people attempting to immigrate illegally.
In the late nineteenth century, life in many parts of Asia could only be described as misery beyond measure. People lived in desperate conditions, barely surviving.
Throughout the year, they might only taste meat and oil during festivals. On ordinary days, they survived on thin porridge.
Whenever disasters struck, corpses filled the land, and even the exchange and consumption of children was not uncommon.
By contrast, those living in Saint Denis—even with low pay, discrimination, and exclusion—could still earn over twenty dollars a month. A pound of beef cost less than twenty cents.
Thanks to industrial production, wheat was even cheaper, only a few cents per pound.
Living here, without worrying about saving money, meant white rice every meal and meat on the table every day.
Compared to life under the old regime, this place was nothing short of paradise.
That was why so many, if they had any means at all, would do everything possible to sneak over. Compared to staying alive and having meat to eat, a bit of discrimination was nothing. In the eyes of officials in those countries, they were little more than expendable labor and social outcasts anyway.
This time, a smuggling ship had been discovered. Under United States federal law, the hundreds of people aboard were to be deported.
Most of them shared ancestral ties with the community in Saint Denis.
They tried every possible way to seek help, but no one was willing to intervene.
In the end, the matter fell to Chen—after all, he was the only one serving a truly influential figure.
After listening, Davey didn’t respond immediately, instead falling into thought.
He already had a rough understanding of the situation of this community in Saint Denis.
At present, they had no organized gangs, relying mainly on mutual support between clans. Compared to other factions, their strength was negligible, leaving them constantly vulnerable to exploitation.
Their social standing was among the lowest in the city, leaving them especially vulnerable to exploitation.
Under Davey’s command were people of many different backgrounds—Black, White, German, and French alike. Naturally, there was no reason others couldn’t be included as well.
As for so-called martial arts from the East, such a concept didn’t exist yet—after all, Bruce Lee wouldn’t be born for another forty-one years.
After a moment of contemplation, meeting Chen’s hopeful gaze, Davey finally spoke.
“Mr. Chen, I believe I can help you resolve this minor issue.”
“My people are currently recruiting employees. Perhaps your friends would be willing to apply.”
“They may not know how to ride horses or shoot, but that’s not a problem. I can train them, as long as they’re willing to work for me.”
“Of course, their pay won’t match that of formal employees. They’ll start as apprentices and receive half the salary—fifty dollars.”
“If anyone is willing to follow me and obey my orders, Mr. Chen, you can have them come and apply.”
...
Chapter 256: Truly Impressive
The fifty dollars Davey offered was already a staggering sum for people like them.
Training these new workers involved more than firearms and horseback riding. They would also need instructors to teach them English—otherwise, even basic communication would be a serious problem.
According to their traditional customs, apprentices usually received no wages at all. They were expected to serve their masters wholeheartedly for years before being taught any real skills.
Recruiting them also had another advantage. At this point in time, people from many parts of Asia tended to hold strong notions of loyalty toward those who took them in.
This was very different from most people in Saint Denis. Davey’s current employees were bound largely by high wages, but if someone else offered more, they wouldn’t hesitate to leave. For most of them, working for the Land Group was simply a job.
These newcomers were different. Davey was taking in people who had crossed over illegally and teaching them firearms, language, and marksmanship. In their minds, this wasn’t merely employment. They saw Davey as their patron—their master.
That way of thinking was deeply shaped by the systems and beliefs passed down in their home regions.
Although Davey was a white man, people from those regions did not place much emphasis on ethnicity as such. Their homelands were a mixture of many peoples, ruled by distant authorities who felt far removed from ordinary lives.
Here, when Chen heard that Davey was not only helping resolve the immigration issue but was also offering jobs, he was overwhelmed. He immediately dropped to his knees and bowed his head repeatedly.
“Thank you, Mr. Land. Thank you, Mr. Land.”
Chen wanted to say more—things about debts of gratitude that could never be repaid, or lifelong devotion—but his limited English failed him. Such deeply rooted expressions weren’t something he could explain in just a few words.
“Get up, Mr. Chen. Perhaps we can deal with these small matters right away. What do you think?”
Davey didn’t stop Chen from bowing. Since he had already decided to take them in, it was a gesture he could accept.
At the very least, under him, they would not be discriminated against or pushed aside, and they would earn a proper living.
...
Port Saint Denis.
The port was far larger than it ever appeared in the game’s storyline, with numerous merchant ships docked along the piers.
By the time Davey arrived, quite a few police officers were already present. However, he had spoken with Trappett in advance.
Davey arrived by carriage, accompanied by eight employees, Chen among them.
The moment they appeared, the atmosphere shifted.
Having received word, Trappett had already rushed over. Normally, cases involving illegal passengers would be handled by lower-ranking officers, but since Mr. Land was coming in person, Trappett naturally followed.
“Mr. Land.”
Trappett greeted him respectfully beside the carriage.
Davey smiled and nodded. Even though Trappett now worked under him, Davey had no intention of putting him on the spot.
“Sorry to trouble you over this matter, Officer Trappett.”
“It’s my honor to be of service to Mr. Land.”
While speaking with Trappett, Davey had Chen go and bring the people over. Coming in person was also a way of showing how seriously he took this.
Chen hurried off, and Trappett instructed a few officers to accompany him.
On the other side.
More than a dozen officers were guarding a merchant ship, preventing the illegal passengers from coming ashore.
However, the cargo still needed to be unloaded, so the ship couldn’t leave until that was finished.
In truth, although federal laws existed on paper, the police rarely bothered much with such cases. In Saint Denis alone, among the hundreds of thousands living there, a strict investigation would likely reveal that nearly half—if not more—had questionable status.
This particular ship had simply been unlucky. Its captain had offended certain powerful figures, and someone had decided to make an example of him.
The passengers hadn’t boarded for free. Every one of them had paid a considerable sum for passage.
“Your assignment is over. That’s Officer Trappett’s order.”
“Fine. Guarding these people was a waste of time anyway. Boring as hell.”
As the second-in-command at the station, Trappett still carried weight.
The officers took the hint and withdrew.
Cheers immediately broke out on the ship as the passengers rushed to disembark.
Chen quickly found the people he knew.
“Chen, is that really you?”
“You’re Gouzi? You’ve grown so much.”
“Chen, you look incredible. You came with people, and they just left.”
“This wasn’t because of me. A powerful man spoke up—that’s why you were allowed ashore. Alright, gather everyone and follow me.”
There were a little over thirty people in total. Only seven or eight were directly connected to Chen.
The rest were already being taken care of by others waiting at the docks.
Chen led his group over to Davey.
“Thank you, Mr. Land. I’ve brought them over.”
“Hurry up and thank Mr. Land. If it weren’t for him, you probably wouldn’t have made it ashore at all—you’d have been sent back.”
The first part was spoken in English. The rest was said in their native dialect, most of which Davey could still understand.
Gouzi and the others immediately dropped to their knees, bowing repeatedly as they thanked Mr. Land for his great kindness.
“That’s enough, Mr. Chen. Have them stand up. This sort of thing isn’t customary in Saint Denis. You should take them to clean up, get a proper meal, and rest.”
“After such a long voyage, they must be exhausted.”
Davey looked at the newly arrived passengers with a hint of emotion.
Most of them were poorly clothed, thin and sallow-faced. This was the reality of life in many parts of Asia at the time.
Having shown his face, Davey climbed back into the carriage. The other employees mounted their horses and rode alongside.
“Chen, that must be some kind of local official. Damn… he looks impressive.”
Author's Note
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