811: Chapter 802: Saint 811: Chapter 802: Saint Gao Yang’s skin was still too thin, and although he had decided to try and have those unfortunate people he had rescued work for him, he didn’t know what to say when it came down to it.
It felt wrong to tell a group of people who had barely escaped with their lives not to go home but to continue working for him instead, especially when they had no choice but to stay.
Gao felt that even giving them the choice was taking advantage of their vulnerability.
Seeing Gao Yang’s conflicted expression, Bantuna said softly, “What’s the matter?
Can’t you tell these people to work for you?”
Gao Yang sighed and said, “Yes, I can’t bring myself to say it.
They trust me, are grateful to me, they thought they could go home, but now they have to be told they can only go back to doing the same work at the mine.
I really can’t tell them that.”
Bantuna shrugged his shoulders and said, “Watch me.”
After finishing his words, Bantuna clapped his hands vigorously and then shouted, “Everyone, come over here, gather around!”
After summoning people in several languages, Bantuna shouted joyously, “I have good news for you all.
From now on, you don’t have to worry about your safety anymore because he has killed Captain Sadik.
All the guards in the diamond mine are dead!
Cheer!”
Cheering erupted like thunder, and among the laborers, some laughed, some cried; they were all incredibly excited.
These surviving laborers were fortunate, but it was common for them to have relatives or friends who had died at Sadik’s hands, all hated Sadik to the bone, and now that they heard Sadik had been killed, they were naturally overjoyed.
For a moment, Gao Yang became the center of everyone’s cheering and gratitude again.
Gao Yang looked somewhat embarrassed, but he couldn’t show it on his face.
He could only nod and smile at the crowd that surrounded him.
Then, Bantuna clapped his hands again and loudly said, “Alright, quiet down!
Listen to me, you are now completely safe, you don’t have to worry about Sadik’s people coming to take you back, you can go home now.
My boss and I have already stayed here too long, we have very important things to do, so let’s part here, goodbye, my friends.”
Some who had understood looked at each other while those who did not understand English, after others explained and Bantuna repeated his words in other languages, the cheering suddenly stopped.
The laborers looked at each other, at a loss for what to do, until finally a man braved it and said, “Excuse me, sir, did you just say that you’re leaving?”
Bantuna smiled and said, “Yes, we have to leave.
We’ve already been delayed too long here; now it’s time to say goodbye.”
“But, sir, we don’t know where this is, we don’t know how to leave, if you go, what are we going to do…”
Bantuna pursed his lips and scratched his head, saying, “Oh, that is a problem, but unfortunately, we really can’t do anything.
You know, you come from many different places, you don’t even know where you are from, we can’t take each of you home, I’m sorry, that’s impossible.
However, you don’t need to worry too much, we will call the Sudanese government, and perhaps they will send someone to pick you up and take you home.”
After saying this with regret, Bantuna pointed to the vehicles and said, “The lack of food here is a problem, but luckily there is no shortage of water.
Hmm, you have guns, you can hunt.
This may be difficult, but I think you should be able to wait for someone to pick you up soon enough.”
“That’s impossible, we’ll starve to death here and no one will care about us.
Sir, isn’t there any other way?”
Bantuna said with difficulty, “Sorry, there really isn’t any other way.
Fellas, let me tell you the truth.
We killed Sadik, of course, we’ll take over Sadik’s mines, but our boss said he risked his life to rescue you and it was hard enough bringing you here safely.
We can’t just let you go back to the river to look for diamonds, so please be assured, you are now free, and no one will force you to do anything.”
There was still a deathly silence, and then, finally, a clever man whispered, “We can’t go home, we don’t even know where we are.
If you are going to also run a mine, could you let us go back to the mine?
At least that way, we won’t die here.”
Bantuna glanced at Gao Yang, and Gao Yang knew it was his turn to speak.
After clearing his throat, Gao Yang said with a troubled expression, “I thought you all would prefer to go home.
You see, I do intend to continue mining at Sadiq’s mines, but my methods are not the same as Sadiq’s.
What I need are workers, not slaves.
In my mines, workers will have good food, access to medical care, and doctors to treat them if they fall ill.
There will be time to rest, and sufficient safety measures, such as wearing waterproof pants rather than going directly into the river.
Most importantly, I am not short of workers willing to work for me because I plan to pay a salary.”
After hearing what Gao Yang had said, the eyes of those people lit up one after another.
A laborer asked loudly, “Sir, are you telling the truth?”
Gao Yang shrugged and replied, “Of course, it’s true.
I’m not looking to collect blood diamonds.
What I want to create is a legitimate mine.
I need official workers.
You know, diamonds are small and very valuable, so I need to find some qualified workers.
They must sign very strict contracts with me to ensure they won’t steal my diamonds before they are eligible to work for me.”
“Sir, how much salary do you plan to pay the workers?”
Gao Yang stroked his chin and said, “The basic salary is ten US dollars per day.
You get paid for a day’s work, no work, no pay.
Those who work hard can get a bonus, and if you find any diamonds, there are bonuses to be had, with the lowest bonus for a diamond starting at one dollar, and the highest at one thousand dollars.
However, finding a particularly large diamond could potentially result in a bonus of tens of thousands of dollars.”
“Sir, last month I found twenty diamonds by myself.
If I were working for you, how much could I expect to earn?”
Gao Yang pondered for a moment and then said, “I think you could make between two and three thousand dollars.”
“Sir, could you let us work for you?
We can’t go home, and even if we did, our homes have been destroyed, and we’d have to start over from scratch.
Our villages are gone.
It’s all the same wherever we are.
I promise you, sir, you have pulled us out of hell, and we are willing to do everything in our power to repay you.
You don’t need to sign any contracts with us.
If anyone dares to steal your diamonds, we will take care of the ungrateful thieves ourselves!”
“Sir, please take us on, we are experienced people.
We have found many diamonds, and we work efficiently.
Many of us may not look in good health, but just a bit of rest, and we’ll recover.
Sir, please help us.”
“Sir, we’d rather go without salary, just the bonuses would be fine.
Even if the bonuses were less, even half would do.”
The laborers cried out loudly, all pleading with Gao Yang to give them a chance to work.
At that point, Bantuna said loudly with a helpless expression, “Quiet down, everyone.
It’s not that the boss doesn’t want to help you, but you know your condition only too well.
The boss will want young and strong workers, and as for you, your health is too poor.
If he has to employ you, he’d have to get doctors to treat your illnesses first, so really, I’m sorry, but don’t make it hard for the boss.”
Bantuna was perfect in his role, and at that moment, Gao Yang thought that if Bantuna were literate, it would be a waste for him to be a mere mercenary.
Bantuna had set the stage for playing the good guy, and of course, Gao Yang had to take over.
After shaking his head at Bantuna, Gao Yang declared loudly, “Although their physical condition is not very good and doesn’t quite meet my requirements, saving people should never be done by halves.”
After speaking, Gao Yang pretended to hesitate for a moment, then finally waved his hand and exclaimed, “Alright, I’ve made up my mind.
I’ll employ you all.
Everyone willing to work for me, I’ll take.
I should let you know in advance that I’m going to leave for a few days, and then I’ll come back with the work pants, as well as doctors and medicines.
You can rest for a few days.
Those who are ill can get treated, and those who aren’t sick can build up their strength before starting work.
Moreover, since you’ll be working for me, you will receive the same treatment as the other workers, the same salary, starting from the day you begin working.
Remember to collect your pay from him at the end of each day.”
Another round of cheering erupted.
The bolder ones surrounded Gao Yang, dancing and singing, while a woman with nothing on clung to Gao Yang, sobbing and crying out, “You are a living saint, a saint sent by God.
Thank you for bringing God’s grace; I will spend the rest of my life basking in the light you have bestowed.”
Soon after the woman started her cries, many others began calling Gao Yang a saint.
These laborers were too easy to deceive.
No, too naive.
Surrounded by the adoration of the crowd, Gao Yang felt a bit embarrassed.
It was one thing to work with Bantuna to lead these poor people to view him as a saint, but another to feel it was going too far.
Gao Yang felt awkward pushing away the middle-aged woman clinging to him.
Bantuna shrugged, pulled the woman away, then shouted, “Alright, you’ll learn how great the boss is in time.
When you’re working for him, just remember who gave you everything you have now.
Now listen to me.
You’ll follow me back to where you used to live, then wait for the boss to come back with people.
Stop crying, get moving, everyone get moving.
The sooner we get back to the camp, the sooner you can eat, so let’s move!”
(To be continued.
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