Becoming an Emperor Starting from the World of The Wandering Earth

As evening fell, Rodriguez walked out of his office again, looked at the few workers still working in the workshop, and remained silent for a long time.

"Bieber," he called to the foreman, "go around telling everyone that starting this weekend, the night shift is canceled. Those who want to leave will have their wages settled for this month, plus an extra half-month's severance pay. Those who want to stay will have their wages reduced by 20%, and the rest will be made up after we get through this period."

Bieber was stunned.

"Boss, this..."

Rodriguez waved his hand, said nothing, and turned to walk into the workshop with his body hunched over.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the Southeast Industrial Zone, in a small plastics factory, the boss was bowing to several workers.

"Everyone, I'm so sorry, really so sorry. With electricity bills rising like this, I just can't keep going. I'll sell everything I own to scrape together your wages for this month, but the factory has to close."

Upon hearing this, a middle-aged female worker burst into tears on the spot.

"Boss, my family of five depends on my meager salary to survive. Where will we go if the factory closes down?"

The boss kept his head down, not daring to look at her.

"I can't help it, I really can't help it."

Similar scenes played out repeatedly in the southeastern industrial area of ​​Houston and the surrounding small factories and workshops that relied on electricity to operate over the next few weeks.

Some business owners gritted their teeth and scaled down their operations, laying off half of their workers and retaining only the core production.

Some business owners are trying to transform their businesses, but they simply lack the funds and technology.

More often, it's like Rodriguez's approach: first, stop the night shift, then lay off staff, and finally, unable to hold on any longer, simply close down.

Those workers who lost their jobs, after receiving their last paycheck, walked out of the factory gates bewildered, holding their thin severance certificates.

Some of them turned around and went to the nearest relief window to queue up.

Some people squatted on the street corner for a long time, then stood up and walked towards the black market.

Some people stood still, staring at the factory gate that was forever closed, and something they had never seen before gradually appeared in their eyes.

Anger, despair, or both.

The third-floor office of the Mo's Energy plant.

New data windows popped up one after another on the SkyNet screen.

"In the past two weeks, seven small and medium-sized enterprises in the Southeast Industrial Zone have formally submitted their work stoppage registrations, and this number is expected to increase to more than twenty within the next month."

"The number of unemployed people in the surrounding area has increased by about 800, of whom about 60% are now on the waiting list for various relief services."

"Black market prices have risen slightly, with basic food items increasing by about 7 percent and fuel items by about 12 percent."

Murphy stared at the data without saying a word.

Outside the window, the factory machines were still roaring, and the workers were still busy.

The vegetables in the vertical farm are still growing, and the fish in the breeding ponds are still swimming.

Everything was the same as usual.

But Murphy knew things were different now.

In such a short time, there have already been more than 800 unemployed people, and this only refers to individuals, not their families. If all of them are included, the number is unknown.

Of these, more than 60% appeared on the waiting lists at various relief windows, but what about the remaining 40%?

Will they choose to join the queue at the relief window, or will they choose to go elsewhere to see if they can find new jobs?

Or perhaps they want to find a place to vent their anger and despair.

Murphy didn't know, but he knew he had to make a move.

"Skynet".

"Yes, Master."

"Notify the media relations department to prepare a press conference on electricity prices."

..............................

In a dilapidated apartment building in southeast Houston.

José, who had just been forced to retire, was curled up on a worn-out sofa, staring blankly at the palm-sized radio in front of him.

On the radio, a glib and slick voice was talking animatedly.

"This electricity price adjustment is a prudent decision made after extensive deliberation. Admittedly, it will put some pressure on the lives of some people in the short term, but in the long run, it is a necessary measure to ensure the stability of the regional power grid and safeguard the interests of the people of Houston..."

"Bullshit."

Jose cursed into the radio.

Just two weeks ago, he was working at that plastics factory in the Southeast Industrial Zone.

Although the salary isn't high, it's enough to support my wife and two children.

There's a canteen in the factory. A meal costs one credit point. The food isn't great, but at least you can fill your stomach.

After work, he could still take the money he had left over to the corner store to buy some cheap bread and beans to take home.

Then the electricity price went up.

The boss held on for three weeks. On the last day, he called everyone into the workshop, bowed, and said, "I'm sorry." Then the factory gates were never opened again.

José received his last paycheck, stood at the factory gate, and stared at the closed door for a long time.

Then he went home, gave the money to his wife, and said it was okay, he could just look for it again.

But after searching for two weeks, I still couldn't find it.

The factories that were still operating in the Southeast Industrial Zone were all shrinking back.

They're not hiring; some are even laying off people.

He went to more than a dozen places, but they either said they were full or wouldn't even let him in.

He went to the relief station.

After queuing for six hours, I received a bowl of bean soup so thin you could see your reflection in it and two compressed biscuits.

But that little bit of food wasn't enough for the whole family.

And if it's just food, then it's fine.

After all, he had recently heard that Mo's Energy was expanding its relief efforts, so even if he had to wait in line longer, he could manage to hold on.

But the biggest problem is energy.

In ancient times, firewood was listed first among the essential salts, and there was a reason for that.

Nowadays, due to the extremely harsh environment, various extreme weather events are occurring frequently.

Like a while ago, the freezing rain lasted for an unknown period of time.

In this situation, a person can survive for two or three days without food, but if they cannot keep warm, even indoors, they will not last more than a day.

Although the freezing rain has stopped recently, the temperature hasn't warmed up much.

The sound from the radio continued.

"UEG always prioritizes the well-being of the people, and this adjustment includes several subsidy policies that eligible families can apply for..."

"Don't eat pickled radishes, you idiot, you're not on my word."

Jose cursed again, but this time his voice was much softer.

My wife is still in the next room putting the kids to sleep. The little one is just over a year old and doesn't understand anything; he just cries when he's hungry.

The older one is five years old and has already started to understand things. A couple of days ago, I asked him, "Dad, when can we eat meat?"

But José didn't know how to answer.

Just then, the radio suddenly stopped.

After a burst of crackling noise, a familiar voice came from the small speaker.

"Dear citizens of Houston, this is Murphy, Murphy of Murphy Energy."

Jose's body stiffened abruptly. He had heard of this name before, or rather, no one in the entire city of Houston was unaware of it.

After all, the reputation of Motech Energy and Murphy is already deeply ingrained in people's minds.

However, he always felt that it had nothing to do with him.

After all, he has a job, unlike those homeless people who are about to starve to death.

But upon hearing that voice, Jose felt a strange warmth in his heart.