Chapter 297: Employee Benefits

“That’s right,” Xiao Zishan nodded. “You’re on a solo assignment overseas; you can’t be without someone to take care of your daily life. Besides, even with a computer, your leisure time would be quite dull.”

Xiao Zishan knew the transmigrators’ leisure lives all too well. Except for a few tech fanatics who spent all their time in their workshops, offices, and labs, most people’s free time was spent playing games, reading novels, and watching porn on their computers with their limited electricity rations. With hormones raging and no outlet for the relevant organs, it was bound to affect their health over time. The Ministry of Health had recently reported a rising trend in cases of nonbacterial prostatitis, which Xiao Zishan knew was likely the result of the double whammy of “suppression” and “self-pleasure.” That’s why he had specifically requested a “personal assistant” for the mine manager when dispatching personnel this time.

“This is not like being sent to Guangzhou or Leizhou. Even Qiongshan, at least, is a city with decent food and entertainment. And as long as you’re not too picky, you can always buy a few ‘soft girls’ to enjoy,” Xiao Zishan couldn’t help but think of Chang Shide and Wen Tong—those two bastards! “The Jiazi Coal Mine is in the middle of nowhere. You can’t even see a female monkey. Having a woman there will be beneficial to the physical and mental health of our dispatched comrade.”

Xiao Zishan took a document from his drawer.

“I’ve already taken care of the paperwork. You can go to Hu Qingbai’s office and choose one yourself later,” he said with a smile. “Although anyone sixteen or older is eligible, I’d still advise you not to choose someone too young—you’ll need her to work for you.”

“Thank you for the organization’s concern!” Tang Menglong’s hormones surged, and he felt a certain part of his body begin to change. He quickly added, “And thank you for the Executive Committee’s concern.”

“There are also extra personal supplies,” Xiao Zishan handed him another list. “Including the battery and hand-crank generator you requested. It’s all on there. See if there’s anything else you need, and we’ll try our best to get it for you.”

“I have nothing more to say.” Tang Menglong was moved to tears. This was truly considerate.

Tang Menglong went to Hu Qingbai’s office and placed the document on his desk with an air of authority.

Hu Qingbai seemed to have been expecting him. “Ah, you must be Tang Menglong. Everything is ready for you. I’ll have her come over right—”

“Wait!” Tang Menglong quickly stopped him. “Xiao Zishan said I could choose.”

“Well,” Hu Qingbai sighed, “you should know that the selection is actually not that large…”

“Who are you kidding,” Tang Menglong said angrily. “There are plenty of girls in the National School. Don’t think you can hide the good ones and push the leftovers on me.”

“That’s not it! Absolutely not.” Hu Qingbai repeatedly proclaimed his innocence. He pulled out a document. “See for yourself, this is a document from the Executive Committee about the secretary matter.”

He explained that according to the spirit of the Executive Committee’s document, girls receiving professional skills training could only be selected as secretaries by personnel from the relevant departments. Personnel from other departments could not choose them—this was to avoid a waste of talent. In other words, girls from the nursing training class could only be secretaries for personnel from the Ministry of Health.

The problem was that there were very few girls in the National School who were not receiving professional skills training. From this small pool, they had to exclude those under sixteen, those with excellent grades who were preparing for middle school, those in poor health unsuitable for overseas assignments, and those whose looks were too “safe”… After all these deductions, only a few girls were left for Tang Menglong to choose from. Hu Qingbai, considering the conditions at the mine, believed that a student from the administrative training class would be the most suitable and had already selected one for him.

Tang Menglong, seeing the document, was helpless. Hu Qingbai simply brought out all the files of the eligible candidates for him to see. It turned out that the one he had chosen was indeed the most suitable and the most pleasing to the eye.

“Fine, I’ll take this one,” Tang Menglong said reluctantly.

“Don’t worry, the main job of a personal assistant is to work, after all,” Hu Qingbai encouraged him. “Besides, the Executive Committee never said you could only have one personal assistant.” He rang a bell and said to the administrative intern who came in, “Go and get Jiang Wenli.”

Ten minutes later, a dark-skinned girl arrived. According to her file, she was sixteen, but it was hard to tell her age by looking at her. She was very sturdy. Tang Menglong looked her up and down with a critical eye. Her looks were ordinary, barely acceptable, but her figure was quite good. She had a waist and hips, but her chest was a bit small, a common flaw in the women of this era—the common people lacked sufficient protein nourishment.

While Tang Menglong was choosing his woman, Duguo Qiuhun was at the venereal disease quarantine center outside Bairen City, recruiting twenty prostitutes who had passed the VD screening for the Jiazi Coal Mine. This group of “migratory orioles” who had come from the mainland to Lin’gao to seek their fortune were now informed that the Australians would soon be building a coal mine in the mountains with four to five hundred miners, and those willing to go would have plenty of business. The Australians would also provide food, clothing, and guarantee each person their own room.

“…The contract is for one year. After one year, those who wish to continue can renew their contract for another year. Those who don’t can come back. You are free to stay or leave,” Duguo Qiuhun shouted through a megaphone.

He had little trouble recruiting the required number of prostitutes. A few hundred able-bodied men, well-fed and doing heavy physical labor every day, gathered in a remote mountain area. Without an outlet for their urges, it would be easy for trouble to break out. Even if they didn’t get into trouble outside, turning the place into a gay camp was not a situation the Executive Committee wanted to see.

There were over four hundred workers, all recruited from among the immigrants. Those with previous coal mining experience could start at a salary based on their skill level. Wu De signed one-year contracts with them, offering quite generous terms.

For this year, the coal miners could not go home or leave the mine. They had to eat, sleep, and entertain themselves entirely within the mining area and submit to strict militarized discipline:

No one could leave the mining area without the mine manager’s permission. Leaving without permission would be considered desertion and punishable by death on the spot. Those captured alive would be sent back to Lin’gao for permanent labor reform. Miners who gathered to cause trouble or refused to obey orders would also be considered to have mutinied. Miners were not allowed to carry knives or any weapons in the living area to prevent fights. In the event of a fight, killing would be punished by death. If there were no casualties, the service period would be extended by one year—without pay.

The mine manager had enormous power. When Tang Menglong saw the management manual given to him, he was shocked. He was not only the production leader of the Jiazi Coal Mine but also its supreme ruler. Only he had the authority to approve the suspension of work or leave for any miner or soldier; he had the power to order the imprisonment, punishment, or execution of any local laborer on the mine; he had the power to increase or decrease rations… In short, it was no exaggeration to say that Tang Menglong was the “local emperor” of the Jiazi Coal Mine.

Finally, he had unlimited rights of self-defense. If he could ensure the safety of the mine, he had the right to order the killing or capture of any local native, be they elderly, women, or children. Under the same premise, he had the right to burn or plunder any local village or settlement. Without his permission, no one in the mining area was allowed to trade with the local natives or have any private dealings.

“This looks a lot like the wicked colonial governor from the movies I watched as a kid…”

“That’s right. This regulation is essentially prepared for future colonial fortresses,” Wu De said. “You’re managing the mine alone. You won’t be able to stay there without some thunderous methods.”

“I understand that, but I can’t stomach killing people casually…”

“It only says you have the right to kill, not that you must kill. But on key issues, you must be firm. Don’t be soft-hearted. When you have to kill, you must kill. Letting one person go could lead to endless trouble.” Wu De patiently explained, but he was worried. Looking at Tang Menglong, he wondered if he would be able to harden his heart when the time came. Fortunately, the transmigrators didn’t have to do the dirty work themselves; someone could do the killing for them, which might make it easier.

The guard team consisted of an infantry platoon commanded by Huang Xiong. Their service period here was also one year, during which they would receive extra field duty allowances and food subsidies. Tang Menglong was skeptical whether thirty men were enough to guard both the mine and the pier, but Wu De believed it was sufficient.

“The miners themselves are also an armed force. Four hundred able-bodied men, even with just a stick in their hands, could walk sideways in Qiongshan County. Look at the local tyrants in Lin’gao. With one or two hundred able-bodied tenants, servants, and long-term laborers, they can run rampant in the countryside,” Wu De said. “Huang Xiong will help you train the miners. The army will also issue you weapons—definitely better equipped than the Ming regular army in Baisha.”

In addition to the personnel sent to the Jiazi Coal Mine, some personnel were also sent to the Hai family’s pier to manage the pier and operate the machinery. A team of thirty was planned, under the direct leadership of Lin Baiguang. They also planned to hire local laborers—transporting coal was labor-intensive work. As for security, they would not dispatch soldiers from the Lin’gao security regiment. Although the place was remote, it was not far from the Baisha naval base. Lin Baiguang planned to hire some escorts from the Qiwei Agency and train some local natives himself. After all, training local militias was a common practice in the Ming dynasty, and with the Hai family’s backing, it would be easy.

The miners and guard soldiers arrived in Qiongshan on the third “Qionghai Coal” flight and then traveled in batches to the mining area on the transport boats—the number of which had now been expanded to twelve.

The Qionghai Coal also brought a squad of engineers led by Pan Da himself and hundreds of barrels of gunpowder. It would be impossible to complete the development of the mining area and the construction of the road in a short time without the help of explosives.

The miners, of course, did not know they were sleeping on a giant powder keg on their way to Qiongshan. They had signed their contracts and were now wearing brand-new work clothes, their heads resting on newly issued extra-large duffel bags containing their personal belongings. In addition, there were weapons and tools transported in large crates.