What a genius idea!
Bai Xiaodu couldn't help but pump his fist in excitement.
Back on the spaceship, he had frequently engaged in casual small talk with Xin Hai'an.
Her reason for coming here was also very simple.
The Tiannan Star System had a relatively large number of cultivators, but the massive market in this sector had not yet been tapped by the vampire group's products.
Xin Hai'an had come here specifically to open up a new market.
After bidding farewell to Lingxin, he flew quickly back to the outskirts of the small town in his territory.
After disembarking from the spaceship, Xin Hai'an had rented a plot of vacant land from him, planning to build a factory on it.
Since it was located far away, it hadn't been affected by the protesting crowds.
Given the construction speed enabled by transcendent power in this world, it should probably be in production by now, right?
Right...?
Bai Xiaodu looked down. Rows of massive, grayish-brown factory buildings rose from the ground.
Strangely, however, there was no smoke being emitted, nor was there the roar of machinery. The central courtyard was completely empty, with not a single soul in sight.
What was going on?
Having worked all kinds of odd jobs back in his hometown, Bai Xiaodu immediately sensed that something was wrong.
Even back on Blue Star, business owners weren't particularly fond of installing environmental protection equipment.
For one, the cost was astronomical.
Secondly, it wasn't as simple as just installing it and forgetting about it; the equipment required constant maintenance and dedicated staff to monitor it.
Furthermore, for these devices to actually function, new procedures had to be integrated into the standard production line.
This would undoubtedly slash production volume and profits.
As everyone knew, forcing capitalists to willingly give up their own profits was more painful to them than being hanged from a lamppost.
After all, this was a world with transcendent power. If the pollution ever reached a critical level, they could simply spend a bit of money to hire someone to clean it up, which was far more cost-effective than installing equipment.
Spotting a few people in overalls smoking and chatting outside, Bai Xiaodu dashed down to the ground and quietly blended in.
One of the workers noticed Bai Xiaodu and was about to ask who he was.
But with a flick of his wrist, Bai Xiaodu tossed over a pack of premium smokes.
Bai Xiaodu didn't smoke, as some of his clients absolutely detested the smell.
To avoid causing any offense, he never touched them.
However, he always kept a pack on him because other clients loved to smoke.
If a client offered him a cigarette, Bai Xiaodu would obediently accept it, even if it made him choke and cough a few times.
But that didn't matter, as long as the client was happy.
After all, regardless of gender, people always enjoyed the thrill of corrupting a good kid.
Unfortunately, no matter how hard he coughed or how uncomfortable he acted, amidst the swirling smoke, Bai Xiaodu was never actually a good kid.
The worker, who had been about to question him sternly, beamed with joy upon catching the pack of premium smokes.
“You're too kind, brother. We just met, I'd feel bad taking this.”
Even as he said this, he quickly stuffed the pack into his shirt pocket.
He who eats another's food must do their bidding, and he who takes another's gifts must hold their tongue.
Bai Xiaodu wasn't afraid of them taking too much; he was only afraid of them not taking anything at all.
Bai Xiaodu smiled and spoke in a gentle tone.
“Don't worry about it. I noticed the factory seems a bit quiet. It's not a holiday or the weekend, so why isn't anyone working?”
The worker had a sudden realization.
“Ah, I get it. Are you looking for a job here?”
Before Bai Xiaodu could answer, he quickly waved his hand.
“If you want to make money, forget about this place. Hurry back to your own territory and find a job near a Secret Realm. It's way better than working here.”
Bai Xiaodu became even more puzzled.
“Way better? How so?”
“Is the pay too low, or is the workload too intense for people to handle?”
Bai Xiaodu suddenly remembered something.
Although he had always been on good terms with Xin Hai'an, her family background seemed to make her a very traditional capitalist.
Could it be that Xin Hai'an's capitalist instincts had kicked in, and she was paying wages based on the standards of Pingshan District?
Shaking his head in denial, the worker said unhurriedly, “No, that's not it. The owner of this factory is actually quite nice. The wages and days off are all based on the standards of the Tiannan Star System.”
“There is overtime, but they pay double, so everyone finds it acceptable.”
Bai Xiaodu grew even more confused.
“Then why is work suspended?”
The worker stood up and led Bai Xiaodu to an empty spot before whispering, “You don't know the half of it. The owner is an outsider.”
Bai Xiaodu: “...”
Damn, why didn't you say so earlier!
Seeing his bewildered expression, the worker sighed.
“Looking at how young you are, you must have just entered society, right?”
“The owner is from out of town and doesn't have any local connections. The higher-ups run a major inspection every three days and a minor one every two. Sanitation, fire safety, environmental protection, taxes, public security, culture, education...”
“Any department you can think of—every man and his dog wants to stick their nose in.”
“Once you send one group away, another arrives. They've paid so much in 'fees' already, and every inspection forces a shutdown.”
“A factory assembly line can't just be stopped like that. It takes half an hour just to boot up the machinery. They can't afford the delays.”
“The way I see it, this factory will go bankrupt in a few months if this keeps up.”
So that was it!
Back on Blue Star, Xin Hai'an was old money.
But here, she was just a stinky outsider coming to their Tiannan Star System to beg for food!
Bai Xiaodu had a thoroughly bizarre expression on his face.
Still, did his territory really have so many departments? How come he didn't know about them?
After a brief thought, Bai Xiaodu asked tentatively, “This is clearly wrong. Why doesn't the Lord do anything about this?”
Shouldn't someone have informed him?
He certainly hadn't ordered any harsh inspections on Xin Hai'an!
The worker chuckled.
“The Lord? The Lord only cares about the Secret Realm's output and basic security. They're just a bunch of students sent down here for field experience.”
“If we actually left every little matter to those kids, everything would be in complete chaos.”
“Major matters like taxes are handled entirely by the bureaucrats of Tiannan Star. Even the Lord's own performance evaluation is managed by them!”
“By the way, even if you really want to work here, don't go in right now. The tax inspectors are inside auditing the accounts.”
Bai Xiaodu nodded, signaling his understanding.
He stood on his tiptoes and patted the worker on the shoulder.
“Thanks, brother. I understand.”
With that, Bai Xiaodu walked toward the factory.
Startled, the worker shouted after him, “Hey, kid! I told you not to go in! Those inspectors might not be very strong themselves, but they can call the Lord to back them up at any time, and those are transcendents who can kill people with absolute impunity!”
“Dammit, to be honest, those Lords aren't good people either. They'll do anything just to butter up the inspectors and pass their evaluations!”
“Sigh, I told you not to go in—”
Bai Xiaodu stopped in his tracks and turned around, speaking calmly.
“I am the Lord.”
With that, he flicked his silver tail and strode away.
He left behind the dumbfounded worker, who was still holding the pack of premium smokes.
It wasn't until Bai Xiaodu had completely passed through the gates that the worker snapped out of it, shakily lighting a cigarette to calm his nerves.
“He's the Lord?”
The worker muttered to himself in disbelief.
“The kid looks so nice and honest. Surely he won't come after me just because I talked a bit of trash about him earlier...?”
Rate on N.U.
