Chapter 97 Mel Can't Understand
After a "friendly exchange" among the three-person negotiation team, they quickly secured reasonable treatment for the contract workers.
This salary level is neither too high nor too low, just the highest psychological price that business owners can accept.
Seraphine was "listening" the whole time.
If the price is higher than this psychological level and business owners are overcharged, they will ignore the special authority of the Gilaman family and be forced to complain to the Piltover Council regardless of the consequences.
"So..." Levi concluded: "This is a 'friendly negotiation'."
"Business owners will be happy to accept the conditions, and no one will complain to the Piltover City Council."
"This..." This smooth operation really made Mel amazed.
But she still reminded him very attentively: "Mr. Levi, you are dancing on the bottom line of Piltover."
"Piltover, it should be the Piltover that belongs to merchants."
"You're being too polite, Miss Mel." Levi immediately smiled and explained, "Businessmen are divided into big and small, and power is divided into strong and weak."
"In Piltover, councillors are naturally privileged and should be superior to others."
"We didn't use any extreme means that crossed the line. We just took advantage of Miss Caitlin's power and cashed in her family privileges appropriately—"
"That's just the way the game works in Piltover, isn't it?"
Meier pondered for a moment, then smiled appreciatively: "Haha, you are right."
After laughing, she thought to herself:
The reality is indeed cruel.
However, the leader still improves everyone's life to the greatest extent possible within the constraints of the conditions.
They have done their best to transform the world, making it just a tiny step closer to their ideal.
"The leader...maybe he is really different."
As she was thinking, Levi suddenly reminded her: "Ms. Mel, you have already seen all the places you wanted to see. Do you need to go back to the audio workshop for a final inspection?"
Mel came back to his senses and then nodded: "Okay, let's go back then."
As she spoke, she followed Levi with her maid and returned to the Hex Audio Workshop where they started out.
Mel also wanted to take another look at how the factory that Leader managed and transformed as a base was different from other factories now.
So, the group quickly returned to the Hex Audio Workshop.
After walking through the factory gate, even before entering the workshop, Meier first discovered a place that was very different from other factories:
"Celebrating the opening of the first labor competition of the Leader Hex Audio Workshop?"
The difference is that in the most conspicuous place of this factory compound, there is an extremely eye-catching huge notice board.
The notice board had the words "Labor Competition" written on it in festive red font, a word that Mel found very offensive.
Labor...and competition?
"How do we compete in this?" Mel asked curiously.
"That's right." Li Wei explained: "We divide the factory into workshops, work groups, and departments."
"We will make a big red flag and a small red flag. The big flag will be competed for by workshops, and the small flag will be competed for by teams and departments. We plan to evaluate it once a month and select the advanced collectives and individuals of the month..."
Mel was confused and still couldn't understand:
What a painful thing it is to work...
Who would have nothing better to do than to participate in a competition that would make them work more?
"So what kind of rewards can these so-called advanced collectives and individuals get?"
Mel believes that if people participate in this kind of competition, it must be because the material rewards are very generous.
But Levi's answer was: "Uh... because our material conditions are limited now."
"So this award is currently mainly a spiritual reward and honor - that is, the floating red flag."
"What?" Mel suspected he had heard it wrong.
After working so hard for so long, the reward is just a useless flag?
Isn't this just misleading?
"Is there really anyone participating in this competition?" Mel questioned.
"Yes." Li Wei said, "And everyone is very enthusiastic. In the past few days since the labor competition began, their labor efficiency has been significantly improved."
"Oh?" Mel became even more suspicious, wondering if this was a propaganda story for the leader.
As a business owner herself, she knows all too well:
A worker is like a lamp; he produces as much heat as the amount of oil he is given.
The most that business owners can do is to improve the "combustion efficiency" and let them shine on their own without giving them any fuel. That's impossible!
“But we are different.”
“Almost all the apprentices in our factory are leaders.”
Levi explained the reason.
This Hex Audio Workshop is the headquarters of Leader and also the place where Leader’s publicity work was first launched.
Today, almost all the apprentices in this factory have become leaders with firm beliefs. Even if they are not formal leaders, they are wind chasers who exist as a reserve force.
“These workers are people of faith.”
“So they know who they are working for and why.”
"Their hard work today is no longer to let their bosses live in luxury houses and drive luxury cars; it is to realize the ideals of leaders and to create happiness for all mankind."
"So even if it's just a spiritual honor award, they are willing to work hard for it."
Levi explained in a serious tone.
But Mel still didn't believe it.
How can people be motivated without material rewards?
She could not believe that these ordinary workers could endure the lack of material rewards for their beliefs.
This is a noble quality that only the rare saints in legendary stories can possess.
Are they all saints?
Just these workers, the most ordinary workers?
"These workers are different," Li Wei emphasized. "I said, they are all leaders."
“They are real people of faith.”
Mel was shocked and remained silent for a long time.
"Okay..." Seeing that she couldn't understand at all, Li Wei simply explained further: "In fact, in addition to the mobile red flag, we do have some 'material rewards' for advanced individuals."
“Is that so…”
Somehow, Mel felt relieved.
This feeling is complex and subtle.
It was like a dazzling fireball suddenly appeared in the world of ice and snow, and its mere presence was enough to burn everyone and make them feel uncomfortable.
And this fireball finally became dim, without any light or heat, and became the same as everyone else, making everyone feel less uncomfortable.
"So what is this 'material reward' you're talking about?" Mel asked casually.
"The blessing of Janna." Levi said.
"Why?"
"It is a reward for outstanding individuals who have won awards. It is a ray of 'revival monsoon' from Janna."
The revival monsoon, which contains the power of Janna, can make people feel relaxed and comfortable just by blowing it.
Those who are injured can have their wounds healed, and those who are not injured can also have their hidden injuries alleviated.
The effect is better and more comfortable than taking a hot spring bath.
Most importantly, this is a blessing from Goddess Jana herself.
Compared with the mobile red flag and certificate of honor, this is the spiritual reward that is truly irresistible.
"I see..." Mel finally understood how the leader's labor competition was conducted.
Of course, if Levi told her that the reward of "Janna's Blessing" was added later because he felt that the material rewards were too little and he was a bit stingy...
At the beginning, everyone didn't have this material reward, but they were still full of energy...
Mel certainly wouldn't believe it, nor could he understand it.
At this moment, she understood this so-called labor competition according to the explanation she was willing to believe:
In her opinion, the workers must be working so hard and enthusiastically in order to receive the blessing of the power of Goddess Gana.
"Wait..." Mel suddenly realized the key point of the question: "Janna's divine blessing?"
"Ordinary workers can also see Janna?"
She asked tentatively.
"Of course." Levi gave her an answer that surprised her: "Not only can the workers see Janna, you can see her too."
"In fact, Miss Meyer, you have already seen her."
"What?" Mel frowned.
Has she met Janna?
Where is it?
"Here." Levi pointed to the cute blue bird on his shoulder:
"She is Janna's... clone."