Ice Vapor Goddess

Chapter 78 Booklet
In the side aisle of the cathedral, Siron finally saw the first group of people.

The women and children from the Gospel Church arrived carrying firewood, pots and pans, and various ingredients, followed by several idle operators and recorders pushing food carts.

"Bishop, everyone's here!" the leading woman said. "That's enough for three thousand people to eat one meal. Where are we going to cook?"

“You’ve worked hard, Mary.” Siren smiled and patted her on the shoulder. She was the first shepherdess to step forward when the livestock’s characteristics were being recorded that day. Some people had even called her a witch. “Just cook in the Great Hall so they can all see.”

Mary was clearly not expecting the bishop to remember her name, and her eyes instantly lit up with excitement: "Yes!"

Then, a campfire was lit in the church hall, and a stew was set up.

Although food was distributed to the refugees yesterday, it was at best a cold meal. Trekking through the snow is already exhausting, and they had been hungry for several days.

Before the steaming stew, everyone prayed with the utmost devotion: "Our Father in Heaven, thank you for providing us with our daily meals..."

After the food was served, time was no longer a rush, and people settled down in the church for a while, even hoping to stay a little longer and have a few more meals.

More than ten minutes later, the knights, who were not yet trainees, arrived escorting a carload of keys.

Arthur wiped the sweat from his brow: "Bishop, all 2,100 keys are here, 2,000 for the third basement level, 70 for the fourth level, and 30 for the fifth level."

"You've worked hard," Xiren said, looking at the knight who was constantly sweating, and took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to him.

The deeper you go in the residential area, the more luxurious it becomes. The third basement level has only 20-square-meter steel shacks, the fourth basement level has 40 square meters, the fifth basement level has 90 square meters, and the sixth basement level has its own unique design and size.

Moreover, the deeper you go, the larger the public area becomes. The third basement level only has narrow corridors, while the sixth basement level even has a polo field.

Arthur gratefully accepted the handkerchief and quickly said, "The headmaster is with the rest of the staff packing up daily necessities, preparing to distribute them to the refugees one by one and find out about their family situations after they have all settled in. Captain Kyle just arrived at the hospital, and they are short-staffed. I hope you can come over there later if it's convenient for you."

"Understood." Xilun nodded.

But just as he was about to enter the main hall, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from afar. Xilun turned his head and saw a girl in a starched, faded white dress running towards him.

"Tess?" he asked, somewhat surprised. "What brings you here?"

She was panting heavily when she handed a thin booklet to Siren: "I...we spent several days writing this...the Gospel Council said there were new refugees coming, so we quickly gave it to you..."

Xilun flipped through the booklet, his expression of surprise growing even stronger.

The first page reads: "Slanka Brothers Match Factory".

Below is a long list of items, such as "gets a chin like a match factory worker," with details in small print such as "the chin is ulcerated and shiny, smells terrible, and makes it impossible to eat."

Other complaints include: "The air quality is very poor, it will make you cough," "It's prone to explosion (there hasn't been one yet) (there was an explosion in Linzhongcheng two years ago, I can testify)," "You can only stand while working," "It doesn't require physical strength, women and children can also do it (but the wages are very low)," "We won't fire people easily, we need workers all year round," and "The wages are too low," etc.

Flipping through the pages, you find almost every single job position at Speyer!

"Did you make this?" Siren asked. "Mr. Quint started it, and then we went to various residential areas to collect opinions," she said shyly. "I only went to a few, but everyone is working now, and only I have time, so they asked me to bring it over."

"Thank you so much, you've been a great help!" Xilen said happily, even giving her a hug.

This document is of immeasurable value to refugees. Although the positions are all similar, at least they won't be tricked into working in factories with poor treatment. Moreover, the worker evaluations can be used to force managers to make changes.

The only problem is that once it's used, those sharp conflicts might be somewhat resolved, and the workers might feel that they can get by again.

"Then...I'll go back first?" Tess blushed and seemed a little flustered.

“Okay, be careful on the road—are you still working as a cleaner in District 7?” Siren asked.

“Yes! Ten shillings a week!” Tess said, getting a little excited.

“That sounds good. Remember not to bend over too much, use less cold water, and the heating will be on soon—get back to work,” Siren said.

Tess's figure gradually disappeared into the distance, and he stared silently at the booklet in his hand.

He had long resented the actions of many managers, and he knew that if they were allowed to continue like this, the conflict would eventually explode, and then he would be able to get rid of them all with just a shout.

But the price would be that the workers, including these refugees, would continue to endure inhuman abuse and harsh conditions, while he would stand idly by and watch the situation accelerate, plunging into the abyss of war.

He thought about it for a long time, and finally sighed.

"I guess I still don't have the courage to sacrifice others," he muttered to himself. "I still can't bring myself to say things like 'suffer now for the benefit of the future.' And what right do I have to decide who should be sacrificed?"

He had the entire Bible and classical interpretations in his mind, but not a single sentence gave him the power to sacrifice others.

Faced with suffering—like starving people knocking on his door—he simply couldn't remain indifferent, even if such aid might actually prolong the existence of an unjust system.

"Consider this... my last chance." As if she had made up her mind, Xiren tucked the booklet into her bosom.

Then, he strode out of the church.

The hall was packed with people, the aroma of stew wafted through the air, and the smoky campfire was interrogating the last few oil paintings.

The Duke of Hastings, sitting with his daughter at the very back of the nave, looked at the chaotic crowd with a deep frown: "Is this still a church?"

The design of St. Lucia Cathedral is undoubtedly perfect. The arcades and dome immediately draw people's attention to the altar at the front, and the huge stained glass windows cast a holy picture. However, the black smoke and the crowds packed together completely destroyed all of this.

“But Father,” Cecilia suddenly said, “they didn’t fight over food, they didn’t fight, and they didn’t trample on anyone.”

(End of this chapter)