Shadow Empire

Chapter 104 Contradiction and Being Beaten

Hammer is a common worker on the docks, just like his name, very common.

He has the bad temper that most dock workers have. He is always displeased with this or that, and there is always someone who can annoy him.

He never thought that it was his problem. If he had a problem, why would someone make him unhappy instead of him making himself unhappy?
His mood had become even more unstable in recent days because all the bars had stopped selling alcohol, but at the same time told them that there were places that would sell them alcoholic beverages if they were willing to pay a little more than usual.

Hammer went there and found that a glass of the worst beer cost fifteen cents, the kind he usually drank cost twenty cents, and if he added an ounce of bad whiskey, it would be forty cents.

Too damn expensive!
He only made thirty-seven dollars a month, and if it was converted into beer... he asked his son to calculate, and it was only ninety-two cups of "bombs".

Since when did it become so difficult to have a drink?

But I can't not drink it.

There is nothing more relaxing than sitting at the bar after dark after a long day, sipping a "bomb" while watching the beautiful young girls take off their clothes one by one.

By the way, beer must be cold, but not with ice cubes. Some idiots want beer with ice cubes, they are so stupid.

Perhaps this is one of the few times that Hammer uses his brain. If he had used his brain more when he was studying, maybe now... No, even if ordinary people study, as long as they cannot become one percent, their results will not change.

"It's all those damn stinky immigrants' fault!" The huge wrench weighing twenty or thirty pounds in his hand made him feel like his arms were not his own, but he still had to keep working.

He held the wrench while his co-worker swung a hammer and hit the end of the wrench to tighten the fist-sized screw.

This is one of their daily jobs, every day!
Because of vibration or other reasons, the screws will loosen a little every day. It is okay not to deal with it, but just in case, they need to retighten the screws within their work scope every day.

It looks like an easy job, and it requires two people to work together, but only when you actually do the work, you will know how bad it is.

In the summer, we have to work under the scorching sun, and in the winter, we have to work in the biting cold wind. The only relatively comfortable seasons, spring and autumn, are also too tiring to talk because of the heavy physical labor.

Now the only way to relieve his fatigue, beer, has become expensive again, and he can only complain.

His companion raised the hammer high and then dropped it heavily. With a clang, Hammer's hands became numb.

"Fuck! Fuck all the immigrants!"

His colleague paused with a smile, "So we are here basking in the sun, what does this have to do with immigration?"

Hammer also loosened the wrench. "If it weren't for these damn immigrants, do you think they would only give us thirty-seven dollars a month?"

His eyes widened, and his tone was full of gunpowder. "These bastards are willing to work for thirty dollars. If they hadn't let the vampires know countless times that they don't need so much money to find workers, I would be making at least fifty dollars a month now!"

He sat on the rope stake next to him, stepped on another one, and panted slightly, "Instead of thirty-seven dollars a month!"

His companion also put down his hammer and took a short break. "You have a point."

"Right, a lot of people think I'm wrong."

"Think about it carefully. If they offer 48 yuan a month and no one is willing to do it, then do they have no choice but to raise the price?"

"In fact, as long as we all hold back and unite to not accept their current salary offer, they will have to give us a pay raise."

"But you saw it!" He pointed to the workers standing by the boat in the distance, cleaning the boat with boat cleaning cloths or boat cleaning tools. "These sons of bitches are willing to work for a dozen dollars. How can you expect the capitalists to raise our wages?"

His colleague didn't know how to refute him. He felt that this statement was wrong, but he just didn't know how to refute it.

And they were his colleagues, not him and the immigrants, so he stood on Hammer's side. "These people really destroyed our happy life."

Hammer's point of view was recognized, and he suddenly became happy. "Let's go for a drink after get off work tonight?"

"I recently found a new bar that only charges 40 cents for a large beer with an ounce of whiskey, and a free striptease!"

In fact, this price is only five cents cheaper than what they are going to now, but five cents is still money.

With their high patronage, they can save at least one dollar a month, which can allow them to have two days of leisure.

His companion nodded and said, "You can give it a try. Recently I suspect that the female dancers at the place we often go to are sick. There is always a faint stench."

"You smelled it too?" Hammer showed a surprised look, "I thought I was the only one who smelled it."

The two looked at each other and shuddered.

“You hate migrant workers so much, have you reported them?”

It was no secret among the dock workers that Hammer liked to report things. Whenever he felt something made him uncomfortable, he would report it.

He has reported capitalists, colleagues, and even trade unions. This has resulted in him not having many friends, except for a few of his partners who have a decent relationship with him.

Of course, others can only say it is average, not good, not bad. His colleague asked while picking up a small hammer and hitting the nuts under his feet.

The loose ones can be knocked and there is a noticeable shaking feeling, which means they need to be retightened.

Those that are not loose will not have any jitter.

Hammer had to stand up and said, "I reported it, but the union said my report had no evidence."

His colleague looked up at him curiously, "What did you report about them? Why are you asking you for evidence?"

“Illegal immigrants.”

His colleague gave him a look that said, "You must be sick." "If they knew you did this, you would be in trouble."

“These illegal immigrants are scary sometimes.”

Hammer smiled with contempt in his smile. When anti-immigration sentiment was at its worst some time ago, he had beaten up several immigrants or illegal immigrants.

His colleague hit a loose screw. He picked up the wrench and walked over, squatting down. "I'll tell you a secret. I beat up a few immigrants. They didn't dare to resist. I let out my anger!"

His colleague shook his head slightly, "This is dangerous."

"They are much more cowardly than you see!" Hammer's hands were numbed by the shock from another blow. "Fuck!"

To work with Hammer is to get used to his complaints.

He spent the whole afternoon complaining about this and that. In short, it was all other people's and society's fault, and he was the only one who was innocent.

His colleagues couldn't stand it anymore and asked him to shut up and take a break several times, but it wouldn't be long before he started talking nonsense again.

As it was almost time to get off work, the two of them started to work a little more seriously.

After the foreman came over and took a look around, they packed up their tools and headed towards the dock building, finishing their work for the day.

Hammer and his colleagues took a shower, changed their clothes, and came out of the dock. When they were about to go to the bar for a drink, someone suddenly approached him.

"Mr. Hammer?" a short young man stood not far from him.

Hammer was very familiar with his accent, the accent of the Imperials, so he immediately showed some impatience on his face. "What's the matter?"

"I want to talk to you." Erwin slowed down his tone. "I promise I mean no harm."

But Hammer did not accept this. "I have nothing to talk about with those bastards from the Empire." He was about to walk away. He had obvious discrimination against the people from the Empire.

However, at that time, racial discrimination or regional discrimination was not an issue that could arouse social condemnation. Slaves had just returned to society, and many elderly people had even kept slaves.

In addition, slaves were still fighting for the right not to be discriminated against and prejudiced, so discrimination was not treated as an unforgivable phenomenon.

Discrimination is discrimination, and no one thinks it is wrong, including those who are discriminated against.

Erwin reached out to stop him and talk to him again, but Lance asked him to deal with the whistleblowers and that he came with sincerity.

But it was obvious that Hammer was just like his name, he often didn't use his brain to think. When he saw this short bastard trying to stop him, he punched him.

With his colleague's "Wow", Erwin was knocked back and flew sideways, his head buzzing!
He was stunned by the blow, just one punch!
A punch from a man who does heavy physical labor all day can be quite powerful.

Looking at Erwin lying on the ground retching, Hammer walked over and kicked him again, knocking him down.

Some people gathered around him, and his colleague stopped him for fear that something might happen if he continued to fight, and said, "I'll buy you a drink tonight, don't cause me any trouble!"

"He's fallen, that's enough!"

Hammer struggled to break free, but failed. He gave up the idea of ​​continuing the violence and spat, "You're lucky!"

With the comfort of their colleagues, the two left the dock.

When the others saw that there was nothing exciting to watch, they left one after another.

As for Erwin?
They don't know each other, so who would mind their business?
It was not until the migrant workers started to leave work that anyone discovered Alvin.

He often appeared at the labor agency. Many illegal immigrants at the dock got their work cards there, so they knew Erwin.

Several people immediately picked him up, and he had already fainted.

Some people moved him to the side of the road to take care of him, while others ran to the office...

(End of this chapter)