Chapter 142.2: Other Than Physical Labor, We Also Have Other Services

Perhaps he shouldn't have used the holographic image communication device.

The reason he used it was to make communication more effective, but it seemed only 1 person was benefiting from it.

"I'm glad to get such a high evaluation from you!"

"Well, it's not as high as you think, but it's not bad. I have to admit that your workers are very dedicated, which is really commendable."

"Alright, let’s talk about the cost again."

Hearing this, Li De's expression changed instantly. Although he wasn't livid, his expression was still somewhat unsightly.

"My friend, hasn't the salary issue already been negotiated? Increasing price without prior notice is not a sign of keeping promises."

"Relax, my friend." Chu Guang smiled lightly, signaling him to relax. "What I'm talking about is not about salary, but about...

Mhm

, value-added services."

"Value-added services?" Li De was stunned for a moment, and his tense expression subconsciously relaxed a bit.

It was the first time he had heard such a strange word.

Chu Guang smiled and continued, "Yes, when you want to improve the efficiency of the laborers, you have to put money in their pockets and bribe them to work harder, instead of paying them dead wages... To put it more euphemistically, you have to give them a commission, so that they can feel the joy of growth from the production process. You want to know how I did it?"

Li De wanted to say that he didn't want to know, but he always felt that no matter what he said, this guy would find a reason to continue the topic, so he just stopped talking.

Sure enough, the administrator in front of him did not disappoint. Chu Guang didn't even give him time to answer, and continued talking to himself without a second of pause.

“In addition to the stipulated hourly wages, I will give them a sum of money for every kilogram of scrap they collect, so they will work hard. The numbers you see on the production list now are not because of how courageous and powerful they are, or what you said about dedication, but because I've spent the money."

Li De didn't want to hear any more.

After talking so much, all he was talking about related to a single topic.

Li De said with a straight face, "How much do you want?"

Chu Guang said with a smile, "Not much, considering our close relationship, how about 5CR per ton... Hmm? For you, it's just a few cups of instant noodles."

Although Chu Guang wouldn't use the money to buy instant noodles.

After hearing Chu Guang's request, Li De did not express his position immediately, but silently calculated in his heart.

If the daily production capacity was 200 tons, it meant that they had to spend an extra 1,000 CR in their budget every day.

How was he supposed to put it?

This number was just stuck in a very ambiguous range.

If Li De didn't pay up, the other party would be even less likely to pay extra money to subsidize his workers and stimulate them to increase production. At that time, even if those blue coats did not slack off, it would probably be difficult for them to work as hard as they did.

So should he spend nearly 1,000 CR every day to buy their so-called value-added services? Or should he maintain the current fixed spending and let capacity drop to normal levels?

Chu Guang didn't rush Li De and waited patiently for the head of the logistics department to think.

His brows smoothed out and then frowned again, and he seemed to have made a judgment in his heart. Then Li De said with a stern face, staring at his holographic image. "What about today? Do I have to pay you an extra amount?"

Hearing what he said, a happy smile appeared on Chu Guang's face.

He, who had worked in sales, knew this all too well.

When a customer kept inquiring or nitpicking, it meant that they were hesitant in their heart; maybe they would buy it, maybe they wouldn't, the probability was 50%.

When customers kept the deal aside and asked about random nonsense, it would most likely mean that the deal was sealed.

The next step was to make the customer feel like they had taken advantage of the deal.

"That's not necessary. Today's 6 hours was a trial period. There is no charge."

Li De laughed. "You taught me a lesson... Are you interested in working at Enterprise? I can write you a letter of introduction recommending you to enter the management. Seriously, it's really a shame for a talent like you to stay in this kind of place."

Chu Guang said humbly, "I don't deserve such high praise, I just want to help my residents survive in this miserable world, so I am more prudent."

Feeling a little more comfortable, Li De sighed softly, glanced at the sky, and slowly nodded his raised head. "Deal."

...

It was not unacceptable to spend an extra budget of about 1,000CR per day.

After all, in any case, the labor cost there was much cheaper than the mechanical cost, and the efficiency of the latter in a complex environment may not be higher than the former.

1,000CR was only equivalent to five hundred kilograms of grain, or one ton of monosaccharides or polysaccharides that could be synthesized by consuming a little air.

If what they needed were guns, it would be even cheaper. The cost of using the leftover scraps from machined parts to make guns may be less than crops that would take time to grow.

All of a sudden, several soldiers, drivers, and engineers of the Land Warfare Division were chatting and laughing with each other while walking back from the direction of the Shelter Residential Camp with their arms on each other’s shoulders.

"That mashed shofar potato is absolutely delicious!"

"How did they come up with it? They can actually cook food with steam! And it's so delicious!"

"From the data, people seem to have cooked food like this 300 years ago."

"300 years ago?! That's so long ago."

"Yes, it's older than the Prosperity Era... But I'm still very skeptical, can steam really kill microorganisms in food?"

"Look at your ignorant appearance, the temperature of steam is much higher than that of boiling water."

"I guess that makes sense... Alright then, the only problem that can be picked on is that it consumes more fuel. They need to boil the water first before using the steam to heat the food. These blue coats really know how to enjoy their life."

"We have gained some strange knowledge again."

Today's work was over, and if there were no accidents, the rest was free time.

The most pleasant enjoyment in life was to get off work on time after a busy day, take a comfortable hot shower, then go to the cafeteria to get a cup of synthetic milk or hot cocoa. It would be even better if they could go to the activity room to play two rounds of billiards or poker with their colleagues.

Oh right, they also wanted to share the joy of tasting delicious food with everyone!

With the money to buy a cup of instant noodles, they could buy a bowl of fragrant mashed potatoes, which was just too damn affordable!

And there was also fish soup with pine nuts!

None of them knew what kind of spice the blue coats put in the soup. But it surprised them so much that those blue coats actually made those stinky mutant catfish smell less stinky. Moreover, it was chewy when they bit into it, and the taste was really good.

The food they usually eat was relatively light, with less salt and oil. Although the nutrition was completely sufficient, the taste was always worse.

The canteen of those blue coats was great in every aspect, the only fly in the ointment was that they needed to bring their own bowls and chopsticks, and there were no disposable bowls.

That wasn’t a big problem at all.

A few people had approached the engineer who was engaged in production in the logistics department to discuss it beforehand, and soon persuaded the guy with a bowl of mashed potatoes. They let him operate the processing workshop with a tablet to make a few thin steel-like paper bowls and spoons for them.

The bowls were not made out of pure steel; they were high-molecular polymer composite steel. The material was mainly the leftover scraps of cutting steel, plus some cheap synthetic resin; the cost was very cheap. They all used those bowls and spoons as disposable products, throwing them away after using them, saving even the effort of washing dishes.

"... We are working our asses off outside, but those fuckers are sitting in the office relaxing. It's so annoying!"

"That's right, if we don't show off to them, I will be sorry for myself for working so hard outside today!"

"Agree, we have to show off!"

"Hahaha, let’s make those fuckers envious!"

A group of young men reached a consensus and stood on the elevator chatting and laughing, giving people a feeling that they had found an oasis in the desert.

Standing not far away from them, Li De and the engineer who was holding the tablet looked confused. They seemed to understand what they were talking about, but at the same time they were not sure.

"...?"

Fuckers?

"?"