175: Chapter 175 Participation (3)

"Phew, we made it out..."

Kano let out a sigh of relief as she pulled Alert along; those worker masters were actually quite enthusiastic.

Seeing the smile still beaming on Alert's face, Kano couldn't help but pat her head; she really had almost been praised to the heavens by the workers just now.

But the investigation wasn't finished yet.

Their goal wasn't just this one factory, so after collecting information from Paul individually, they immediately withdrew.

This time might not have actually changed anything, but at least it hadn't made things worse.

"Where are we going next?" Alert had already put her equipment back on, watching as Kano hurriedly donned her disguise.

"Next... next let's go check out some other small factories..." Kano scratched her head. "If a large factory like Hualefu is like this, then I'm afraid the small ones won't be much better."

The working environment at the Hualefu factory was quite terrible; workers had to work fourteen hours a day, and the internal ventilation was poor. Oil and sludge often built up in the ventilation ducts, forcing smaller workers to go inside to clean them.

Furthermore, even though ordinary workers' wages had to rise due to labor shortages, they fell back to about 600 yuan per month because the Oronia authorities introduced xia people laborers. And this 600 yuan even covered so-called 'industrial injury insurance' and 'labor welfare.'

Regarding the figure of 600, Alert had reached a conclusion from Li Ming:

"600 yuan? What can 600 do... A single meal for me in high school costs over ten yuan... Why are you asking this?... Hello? Hello? Why did you hang up..."

Alert hung up the phone and looked at Kano. "Sister Kano, what is your monthly salary at the Ship Girl Bureau?"

"Actually, our base salary isn't much either." Kano waved her hand. "We have labor contracts where salary levels are exchanged for work content. For example, combat missions are the highest, administrative tasks are the lowest, and patrols and investigations are in the middle. In this regard, the Director isn't really any different from the ordinary members..."

"By the way..." Kano suddenly thought of something and laughed. "Our General Bureau Director—you probably haven't met her—she actually doesn't do any work day in and day out, so her monthly salary is only... a thousand? Usually, when anything comes up, she borrows money from my superior!"

"Eh?"

"Pfft, haha, don't tell anyone, or else your Sister Kano might end up scuttling herself after being hit by 12 armor-piercing shells."

"Uh... I understand." Alert patted her head.

Kano, however, restrained her smile, pulled out a pistol along with Alert, and looked back. "Come out on your own."

Indeed, Alert had noticed him too.

A thin, small male worker walked out from the corner with his hands raised.

"Don't shoot, I mean no harm."

"You're... that one called Jack...?" Alert put her gun away.

"Yes, it's me." Jack nodded and turned in a circle with his hands up to prove he wasn't a threat. Only then did Kano stow her weapon. "Please allow me to express gratitude to you both on behalf of the entire Oronia Labor Union and the Federal Labor Corps."

"Hmm... You're from the Labor Union?" Alert was somewhat surprised.

Kano kept her right hand in her pocket, observing the outside while watching him out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes. The Labor Union is a complex entity; it doesn't just contain people looking to climb into a seat in Parliament." Jack's eyes were bright. "If it weren't for you, I might have been in danger too, so I felt I had to express my thanks."

"No need for thanks, it was just a small effort," Alert replied. "Did you come to find us for something?"

"Ah, thanks is one aspect, but on the other hand... you're investigating something, right?" Jack hurriedly waved his hands. "No need to be so nervous; we have quite a few people throughout the Industrial Zone. Your movements were just reported; after all, two young and beautiful girls appearing here easily attracts attention."

"So?" Alert narrowed her eyes.

"My point is, I think I can assist you," Jack said. "If you want to hide your tracks, I know some routes without surveillance or patrols."

"Even though we helped you, why would you tell us your secret passages?"

"No, no, no, they aren't exactly secret, people just usually aren't on guard against them," Jack replied. "Besides, you two are both Ship Girls, right? I imagine your ranks aren't low, so you shouldn't be afraid of us plotting against you."

Alert looked at Kano.

Kano nodded.

"Alright then," Alert said. "Fine."

"First, I want to know where you want to go, and second, maybe I know some of the information you're looking for," Jack replied. "Let me introduce myself formally: Jack Ben Rogers. I won't ask for your names; I don't want to bring trouble upon myself."

"Mhm..." Alert frowned slightly. "Alright then, I want to investigate the living and working conditions of the local workers, as well as the things they've encountered on the job."

"That's not a problem." Jack snapped his fingers. "We've recorded a lot. If possible, we hope you'll know about it too... Seriously, I used to think that Ship Girls personally coming to investigate these things was just a story."

"It absolutely is not and will never be just a story. Warships are also built bit by bit by countless ordinary people! The steel of the ship, the piping, and every single bullet and shell—which of those do you think didn't pass through your hands?" Alert stood with her hands on her hips.

Kano turned her head; what Alert said did indeed seem to make sense.

Jack was stunned for a moment. "Um... alright then, I'll take you to find some other fellow workers first."

——————

Plata Port, outer wharf.

The massive gantry cranes were already in position.

Since all the docks were currently being expanded or were busy, the task of demonstrating container lifting was given to an Independence-class Light Carrier that had just arrived in port.

The Yellow Chickens were installing a load distribution platform on this carrier to prevent concentrated pressure from collapsing the carrier's deck.

Rows of containers filled the outer port, prepared for the lifting demonstration.

Colonel Pierre and two companies of soldiers had already secured the surrounding area, allowing only relevant personnel to pass.

And these so-called relevant personnel were the Ship Girls of the Ship Girl Bureau.

Creed, along with two Ship Girls carrying cameras and notebooks, began recording the container assembly work.

After confirming Creed's arrival, the two gantry cranes began working, stacking containers onto the fore and aft sides of the Independence-class ship bit by bit.

"Director, what kind of ship is this..." The Ship Girl with the camera mused. "It doesn't look like a dedicated cargo ship; it's more like..."

"It's a bit like our airship transport ships," said the Ship Girl with the notebook.

The gantry cranes continued their operation, the two machines loading and unloading with extreme efficiency.

Ten minutes.

Thirty minutes.

One hour.

Two hours.

Two hours and 12 minutes.

Normal loading and unloading time might take an entire day, but for these two hundred boxes, it only took two hours.

Creed stood with her arms crossed, her thoughts unknown.

In a little while, a Ship Girl would act as a messenger to send this information to distant Edenia.

...

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