They had only heard of receiving wages for working for masters or handing over protection fees.
They had never heard that being in a gang could earn a fixed salary!
Was there really such a good thing as a pie falling from the sky?
A trace of an unnoticeable smile appeared on Mathieu’s face.
“That’s right. From now on, you are all people with formal jobs and fixed salaries. Regarding specific benefits and treatment, these new Comrades will explain them to you in detail. I’m just asking you one thing: starting today, can you turn over a new leaf and be good people?”
When he asked this question, several soldiers behind him had already placed their hands on the weapons at their waists.
“Monkey” Thomas had no doubt that if the Balas Gang dared to refuse this “kindness,” they would likely disappear completely in a physical sense very soon.
How could small-time thugs like them, who only knew street fighting, possibly beat these professional soldiers who looked so formidable?
Where on earth did this “Mutual Aid Association” come from!
Although the members of the Balas Gang were uneasy in their hearts, looking at that box of shiny silver coins and thinking about having a stable income in the future without having to live in fear… it seemed… not bad?
“By the way,” Mathieu added, “In the future, the ‘Mutual Aid Association’ will also provide you with collective dormitories and night schools. If you learn skills and want to switch to other legitimate industries, the ‘Mutual Aid Association’ can also provide help. So…”
“I will definitely turn over a new leaf!” Thomas was the first to respond loudly.
“Long live the Master!”
“I love the Mutual Aid Association!”
Others also scrambled to show their loyalty.
The Balas Gang thus became history, and the Sludge Lane Workers’ Picket was born in its place.
The original Master witnessed his hard-won “territory” change owners so easily, his feelings complex.
Finally, he leaned toward Mathieu and asked in a low voice:
“Big brother, seeing as this went so smoothly, can I… can I get a reduced sentence?”
Mathieu looked at him, smiled, and said a sentence that he only half-understood:
“It is said that only after being deprived of freedom can a person truly understand themselves. I’m wondering, how well do you know yourself?”
The same thing was happening simultaneously in every corner of the Lucien Lower City.
Soon, the Lucien Lower City would completely become a solid base for the “Dawn’s Children” and the “Mutual Aid Association.”
Those high-and-mighty Big Shots never cared about the life and death of the Lower City residents; naturally, the people here also quietly and spontaneously chose a new path that would allow them to survive.
……
Finn handed the preliminary report on the gang integration work to Marianne, who had occupied the office of the former Thieves’ Guild leader.
Marianne scanned it quickly and nodded. “Good work, Comrade Finn.”
According to Allen’s regulations, everyone within “Dawn’s Children” would address each other as Comrades from now on.
As core leaders, Finn and Marianne were naturally the first to respond.
Looking at the faint dark circles under Marianne’s eyes, Finn said with some concern, “Comrade Marianne… would you like to go and rest for a bit?”
Marianne didn’t put on any “Torchbearer” airs; she sprawled across the desk piled with documents without any regard for her image and complained weakly:
“I want to rest too… but you know clearly that the Organization has just taken this base, and there are too many things to handle. I was supposed to be lying beautifully in the Master’s bed enjoying the morning peace, but what happened? The work simply never ends.”
She sighed. “Sigh, if the Master wakes up and finds I’m not by his side, how disappointed he’ll be.”
“Uh… you’ve worked hard.”
Finn decided to selectively ignore the delusional parts of Marianne’s words.
This excellent “Torchbearer” was indeed the leader’s closest comrade-in-arms, possessing extraordinary ability and an extremely strong sense of responsibility.
The only small problem might be… her obsession with Leader Allen seemed a bit too intense, simply put, “Allen-suppressive.”
Finn simply couldn’t imagine what this “Torchbearer” would go mad like if Leader Allen were gone.
“Sigh, let’s see. Hopefully, I can finish tonight. I must go back and give the Master a good ‘sniff’ to replenish my energy and soothe my wounded soul,” Marianne murmured to herself.
Uh… your Master isn’t a cat you’re raising! And the word “sniff” easily leads to strange misunderstandings!
Please pay at least a little attention to your image and wording!
Finn complained wildly in his heart but kept a calm face.
“Hehehe… I can go back to the Master’s side tonight, so happy… Hehe, who dares to take advantage of my absence and secretly flirt with the Master… Hehehe…”
Marianne’s mental state seemed to be sliding in a dangerous direction due to overwork.
Seeing this leader, who was only 14 years old, being squeezed like this by endless work, Finn felt a trace of sympathy in his heart.
Leader Allen is truly an… well, excellent politician.
He says using child labor is a bad civilization and must be changed, yet he himself shows no mercy in harshly squeezing us minors.
Of course, they were all being squeezed willingly.
Just then, Eleanor also walked into the office.
She first glanced at Finn with a hint of disdain, then immediately changed to an enthusiastic expression and said to Marianne:
“Lord Marianne! Your most loyal subordinate has come to report!”
The corner of Finn’s mouth twitched imperceptibly.
Could your attitude of differential treatment be any more obvious?
“It’s Eleanor…” Marianne sat up straight, a slight smile appearing on her face. “How is the progress over at the Intelligence Division?”
“Hmph,” Eleanor puffed out her chest proudly. “Those liberated girls are all very happy to join the Intelligence Division under your leadership. After all, they’ve been through so much… they generally have some fear and disgust toward males. When they heard that an excellent woman like you is the ‘Torchbearer,’ they all expressed their willingness to serve you.”
“With their help, we have preliminarily screened a group of underground workers who are worth developing and have the potential to become our Comrades, and we have established close contact with them.”
“As for those informants who were previously involved with the Thieves’ Guild and whose reliability is questionable, because we have also inherited their contact channels and… well, some leverage, we are currently continuing to cooperate with them under the name of the original Thieves’ Guild for the time being to facilitate their use.”
“Well done.” Marianne nodded approvingly, then reminded, “But never forget the basic principles of our intelligence work.”
“How could I forget your and Leader Allen’s teachings?”
Eleanor glanced at Finn again meaningfully.
This glance reminded Finn of the reminder Luca had privately written to him in a notebook:
“Finn, Marianne and Eleanor cannot be fully trusted. Their primary object of loyalty may not be the ‘Dawn’s Children’ Organization, but Leader Allen personally. This point is crucial. Leader Allen… he may have a more important Mission to complete that we are not yet qualified to know. If Leader Allen leaves us, what will happen to them?”
Luca might be right.
This silent “Guardian” was faithfully fulfilling the duty Allen had given him, watching everyone in the Organization with equality and vigilance.
Eleanor… was indeed a difficult “ally.”
She deliberately emphasized the fear and disgust those newly liberated female Comrades felt toward males; to be honest, it faintly carried the intent of undermining internal unity and dividing the Comrades.
Although Finn understood Luca’s vigilance, uniting all Comrades who could be united was one of his core tasks as a “Preacher.”
So that’s it… is this the “Catfish Effect” Leader Allen once mentioned?
Allen had once told him a story:
Norsemen liked to eat sardines, especially live ones.
The price of live fish was much higher than dead fish, so fishermen always tried every possible way to keep the sardines alive until they returned to the fishing port.
But despite trying various methods, most sardines still died from lack of oxygen during transport.
Later, someone came up with a method: put a catfish, which feeds on sardines, into the tank filled with sardines.
To avoid their natural enemy, the sardines would keep swimming, thus solving the oxygen problem, and most could arrive at the port lively and kicking.
Clearly, a Comrade like Eleanor, who was energetic, had a strong desire for power, and was very good at “causing trouble,” was the catfish that could activate the group’s competitive nature and mobilize the initiative of other individuals.
With Leader Allen’s wisdom, could he not see the opportunists who might have mixed into the revolutionary ranks?
Of course he could. But he gave the task of discovering and reforming these “opportunists” to Finn, so that Finn would not become stagnant; he would forever maintain vigilance and an enterprising spirit.
Leader Allen, I understand your profound intentions!
Finn secretly decided that he would next find Ella and go talk to these newly joined female Comrades to do some ideological work.
Leader Allen’s goal was to create a New World where men and women were truly equal; any spark that might trigger opposition must be strangled in the cradle!
Having determined the direction of his next work, Finn couldn’t help but think that with the leader’s never-ending fighting spirit, he was probably racking his brains at this moment for a brighter tomorrow for Humanity.
Sigh, Leader Allen… he really is, I’m moved to tears.
Allen, who had been sleeping since yesterday, was naturally completely unaware of Finn’s admiration and fantasies.
This man, at this moment, was deep in a sweet dreamland.
In the dream, two beautiful and moving girls were laughing and running through a brilliant field of flowers; the Sunshine was bright, and the years were peaceful and good.
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