Chapter 100: We Must Add One More

Chapter 100: We Must Add One More

In his agitation, Cowboy Ben Keming pulled out a low-quality cigar, stuffed it into his mouth, and lit it with a snap.

With a deep inhale, the faint roar of a steam engine echoed from within his body.

"You don’t seem like the cowboy I first met. Now you look more like a maiden waiting to be married."

A sudden voice made Ben Keming stiffen, the steam engine inside him abruptly roaring before gradually settling.

With an expression of disbelief, he turned toward a shadowy corner of the room, where his spiritual leader, Aji De, stood silently.

Clad in a gray Homburg hard-brimmed gentleman's hat, a sleek black long coat, and gleaming sea monster leather shoes, Aji De stepped forward and extended a fist.

"Long time no see, Cowboy!"

"Long time no see, sir."

Suppressing his elation, Ben Keming grinned and bumped his fist against Aji De’s.

"I thought you’d use the door."

Ben Keming pointed at the fish house’s entrance.

"Playing by the rules only lets others predict your moves."

Yu Sheng’an blinked.

Ben Keming wore a thoughtful expression.

"So, it seems you haven’t secured the bicycle production line I asked for?"

"My apologies, Mr. Aji De. A month ago, a bicycle production line would’ve been easy to obtain. But now it’s difficult. You know how the Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement has put the Empire on edge. A bicycle production line can easily be repurposed for arms manufacturing, so the Empire is extra vigilant—especially after the Pu’en Evening News lost several printing presses recently."

Ben Keming looked remorseful.

Yu Sheng’an sighed inwardly.

This was precisely why he hadn’t gone after it himself.

A bicycle production line wasn’t just a bicycle—its value even surpassed that of an ironclad warship.

Though it appeared to be low-end industry, its core contained a wealth of mid-to-low-tier machine tools.

These tools could produce bicycles—or weapon components.

If the Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement armed itself with such capabilities, the threat to the Empire of Infer would be immense.

The movement had already become a festering wound for the Empire.

It wasn’t an external enemy, where the lines between friend and foe were clear.

It was an internal one—the same refined gentleman who cursed the movement by day might don a mask by night, joining organized, disciplined violent acts.

This movement was both a workers’ struggle and a battleground for the Empire’s competing interests.

Countless people hid behind its banner to join the frenzy—

Some to violently eliminate rivals; others with ulterior motives; some simply seeking thrills.

The Empire’s spies were limited; the workers, limitless.

The Empire couldn’t cover everything, so it prioritized protection.

Industrial manufacturing like bicycle production lines naturally became high-priority targets.

This was why Yu Sheng’an dared not steal one himself.

If the church took notice, the consequences would be dire.

He’d rather let Ben Keming handle it—even if discovered, the severity would pale in comparison to a god’s involvement.

"Don’t be disheartened, my friend. This just proves the Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement is highly effective, no?"

Yu Sheng'an's words of comfort instantly lifted Ben Keming's spirits.

"You're right, sir. However, obtaining a bicycle production line isn’t impossible."

"Oh?"

"Sir Bai Ruide controls the Empire’s largest Corsole Shipyard, along with countless accessory factories. If we can persuade him, even an ironclad warship production line wouldn’t be an issue."

Ben Keming lowered his voice.

Mr. Aji De had once said that they must unite all forces that could be united.

They must not push someone into the enemy’s embrace simply because they were capitalists.

The fundamental goal of the Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement was to reform the Empire’s system, to give workers a voice—

Not to hate capital for the sake of hating capital!

Ben Keming felt as though a veil had been lifted from his mind. From then on, he adhered to Aji De’s teachings, no longer harboring hatred toward capitalists.

Their manifesto openly declared that the Empire’s tax burden was unreasonable, demanding lower industrial taxes, higher tariff protections, and diplomatic negotiations to reduce tariffs from other nations.

It was this very slogan that allowed the Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement to break free from the capitalists’ opposition and direct all its grievances squarely at the Empire of Infer.

This was also one of the key reasons why the capitalists of Pu'en City hadn’t fully suppressed the movement.

Some even secretly funded Ben Keming—if he could actually succeed in lowering industrial taxes, it would be an unexpected boon.

"So, you couldn’t persuade him?"

"Unfortunately, sir. Sir Bai Ruide is quite cunning. He wants..." Ben Keming paused, then whispered, "...to meet you."

"Hmm?" Yu Sheng'an narrowed his eyes.

……

……

If one were to ask who the most powerful figure in Pu'en City was, the answers from the common folk might vary wildly. But among the Empire’s nobility, there was no doubt—Sir Bai Ruide.

Rumors said that even Admiral Burton, who controlled the naval forces along the Pu'en and Roderick coastlines, had to show Sir Bai Ruide respect.

The reasons for this were widely speculated.

But the fact that Sir Bai Ruide, holding the lowest noble title of a knight, managed to oversee the Empire of Infer’s largest shipyard, Corsole, and secure half of the Empire’s naval orders—that alone spoke volumes.

As night fell, a four-wheeled carriage arrived at a sprawling estate stretching seven or eight kilometers in the southern outskirts of Pu'en.

This was Sir Bai Ruide’s residence. He disliked steam-powered vehicles entering his estate.

The carriage passed through a low garden before stopping in front of a grand white mansion.

A young attendant in a black vest hurried over, placing a footstool beside the carriage.

The curtain was drawn aside, and two men stepped out one after another.

Under the attendant’s respectful welcome, they entered the white building, winding through corridors and halls until they reached the reception room on the second floor, where they met Sir Bai Ruide.

He was over seventy, his sparse white hair and deep nasolabial folds betraying his age.

His well-tailored gentleman’s suit could not conceal his frail frame, but his eyes—those were unsettling.

They were far too sharp.

"We meet again, my friend, Mr. Ben Keming."

Sir Bai Ruide rose from his chair with a smile, warmly greeting Ben Keming.

"Hello, my friend, Sir Bai Ruide."

Ben Keming smiled and shook his hand.

Sir Bai Ruide’s gaze shifted to Yu Sheng'an’s face.

After a moment of silence, he said, "The Empire of Infer has stood for six hundred years. In my lifetime alone, I’ve witnessed no fewer than a dozen worker uprisings—yet the Empire still stands tall!"

He took a slight breath and looked at Yu Sheng'an, saying, "Mr. Aji De, why do you think these workers have failed to succeed?"

Because the Empire is backed by the church, by the gods!

Yu Sheng'an smiled. "Because they lack ideology to guide their uprising!"

Sir Bai Ruide burst into laughter—it was hard to imagine such a loud, booming laugh coming from such an elderly man.

"Hahaha, well said! That is precisely the fundamental reason I agreed to meet you."

As he spoke, he solemnly extended his right hand, and Yu Sheng'an shook it with a smile.

Once host and guest were seated, Sir Bai Ruide got straight to the point:

"The bicycle production line you requested is already prepared. I have only one condition—do not involve my Corsole Shipyard or any other enterprises."

Ben Keming remained silent, his gaze shifting to Yu Sheng'an.

Yu Sheng'an chuckled. "A single bicycle production line isn’t enough! You’ll have to add an ironclad warship production line as well."

Sir Bai Ruide’s expression instantly stiffened.