Hiding A Logistics Center In The Apocalypse - Chapter 76
Chapter 76: The Green Indians and the Short-Legged Blue-Collar Workers (4)
TL/ED – Miso
“……Uh.”
The dwarves from the “Factory” cautiously stepped into the subspace.
However, they had no choice but to stop in their tracks due to the unexpected encounter.
‘……It’s a craftsman?’
Another dwarf, Craftsman Brock.
Although they belonged to the same dwarf race, their different occupations meant their temperaments also varied.
One could tell just by their appearances.
The dwarves from the “Factory” wore ragged work clothes carelessly thrown over their jeans.
In contrast, Brock was neatly dressed in a leather apron, dusted clean.
“…….”
An awkward meeting.
The dwarves from the Factory were filled with worry.
“Will this be okay? The territorialism here looks like no joke…….”
“Maybe we should just pretend we didn’t see him and walk past…….”
Even on their home planet, these two occupations had an invisible divide.
Unlike the cooperative and team-oriented nature of the manufacturers, craftsmen were notoriously picky and solitary.
Just as murmurs and countless thoughts began to spread,
“……!?”
Brock suddenly threw his arms around Cooper, who was standing at the front.
“You’ve been through a lot. Seeing a fellow dwarf truly warms my heart…….”
With tears welling in his eyes, Brock patted Cooper on the back.
He too had undergone some changes while associating with his subspace colleagues.
The dwarves from the Factory were left dumbfounded.
Brock, however, calmly guided them.
“Follow me. I’ll show you how to live here.”
“Ah……!”
How to live.
Upon hearing those words, the dwarves from the Factory instinctively stiffened.
Memories of their home planet surfaced.
From the moment they could walk, they held hammers. Upon reaching adulthood, they were assigned to the Factory.
For them, the Factory and their dormitories were nothing short of battlefields.
Thus,
Step, step.
Thirty dwarves from the Factory followed Craftsman Brock.
‘This is our new workplace…….’
It felt as though they were new employees on their first day at work.
Even though the accumulated fatigue from the past few days, or even weeks, weighed heavily on their bodies, the dwarves stubbornly lifted their heads and took in their surroundings.
From the towering ceiling of the logistics center, to the meticulously aligned inventory shelves, to the systematically arranged ventilation ducts, they couldn’t help but click their tongues in admiration.
“Everything is arranged so neatly… This place is definitely well-organized.”
“Each section is labeled. That alone will boost efficiency immensely.”
“Judging by the current workflow…….”
As they murmured among themselves, exchanging observations, the conclusion they reached was clear.
“Representative Kim Jeong-gyeom… turns out he’s far more impressive than he looks.”
“Designing a factory of this caliber isn’t an easy feat. We have no choice but to acknowledge this.”
Their employer was more outstanding than they had expected.
Looking at Brock leading the way, the dwarves found themselves swelling with a newfound sense of anticipation.
“Will we finally be assigned to the production line?”
“……Come on, we’re just rookies. We’ll probably start by sweeping and mopping the floors.”
The Factory dwarves were already bracing themselves for work…….
However, the place Brock led them to was none other than the shower room of the Military Communication Command.
“He said to let you all clean up comfortably first.”
“……??”
“The toiletries here are quite convenient to use. If you lift this part like this…….”
Whooosh.
The dwarves, who had never even conceived of the concept of a hot shower, were stunned.
The hot water streamed down, massaging their stiff muscles.
“Ahhhhh…….!”
“Oooohhh…….”
That intense stimulation instantly melted away the fatigue that had been weighing on the dwarves’ shoulders.
“Now, the next destination is…….”
Having thoroughly washed away the sweat and grime from their bodies, the dwarves, now feeling fresh, headed toward a place called the “Living Quarters”.
“This place was originally used by humans, but it’s empty now. We’ve laid out pillows and blankets, so for now, just get some rest.”
“……S-Sleep?”
The dwarves were bewildered.
Representative Kim Jeong-gyeom had assured them of guaranteed rest, but they never expected it to come this quickly.
Plop.
Plop.
One by one, the dwarves sat awkwardly on the beds.
The hotel-style mattresses, as soft as clouds, gently cushioned their weary bodies.
“Ah…….”
It all felt like a dream…….
But then, as if realizing something, Cooper clapped his hands together.
“I see now. He prioritizes work efficiency, huh? That’s quite the modern approach.”
“……Work efficiency?”
“Yeah. If you let workers rest properly when they’re off duty, you can push them to the limit when it’s time to work. This is actually the best way to squeeze every last drop out of them.”
“Ah……!”
Only then did everything start making sense to the dwarves.
If this was all part of the job, then they could understand Representative Kim Jeong-gyeom’s reasoning for suddenly granting them rest.
Cooper added with confidence,
“Mark my words, he’ll definitely control our sleep schedule too. I guarantee that in just a few hours, they’ll be shaking us awake, telling us to get up immediately. We should hurry and sleep now, every extra bit of rest will help us survive tomorrow.”
Persuaded by Cooper’s logic, the dwarves quickly crawled into the soft beds.
The accumulated fatigue crashed over them like waves.
As their eyes slowly closed…….
‘Representative Kim Jeong-gyeom…….’
Cooper thought to himself.
‘……He’s not an easygoing factory owner after all.’
.
.
.
“Wake up, quickly!”
How much time had passed?
The dwarves were shaking Cooper awake as he slept soundly.
“Hu… Huh?!”
Only then did he remember.
He had joined PAX FC under Representative Kim Jeong-gyeom’s proposal, taken a shower upon arrival, and laid down to rest.
However long he had slept, the constant headache that had plagued him was now completely gone.
But aside from that…….
“……See? I told you, didn’t I?”
Feeling smug that his prediction had come true, Cooper smirked.
However…….
“What the hell are you talking about? Get up already. You’re the last one still sleeping.”
“……Why are you all acting like this?”
“The sun is high in the sky. You’ve been asleep for seventeen hours.”
“What? Se-Seventeen?”
His mind went completely blank.
Back in the factory on their home planet, even a few minutes of oversleeping would have resulted in severe scolding.
As he hurriedly glanced around in shock, he saw…….
Step, step.
Representative Kim Jeong-gyeom of PAX FC walking toward him.
“H-Huh?!”
Cooper instinctively squeezed his eyes shut.
His employer.
A man who meticulously managed the vast logistics center down to the finest detail.
He was surely about to hold Cooper accountable for sleeping an outrageous seventeen hours on his very first day.
However, what came out of Kim Jeong-gyeom’s mouth was something completely unexpected.
“Now that you’re up, let’s go eat.”
“……Eat?”
Casually, he led the thirty dwarves along.
Their destination was the second-floor employee cafeteria of PAX Fulfillment Center.
As they stepped through the doors, they were left utterly speechless by the scene before them.
“My… My god!”
It was a sight reminiscent of the factory production lines where they had spent countless sleepless nights…….
“……But how does it smell this good?”
Yet the items lined up before them were entirely different.
Dozens of dishes, arranged neatly in a row.
In front of the steaming hot food, tongs and ladles were neatly placed, and members of PAX FC, including Craftsman Brock, whom they had met the day before, were freely serving themselves.
“The meals are buffet-style, so you can take whatever you want and eat as much as you’d like.”
“Bu… ffet?”
It was a word they had never heard before.
Seeing the dwarves tilting their heads in confusion, Representative Kim Jeong-gyeom handed them bowls and utensils while explaining how to eat.
Then…
“Yes! It’s spicy stir-fried chicken today!”
Cheering with delight, he casually disappeared among the food stations.
“What in the world…….”
Still dazed, the dwarves each filled their plates and returned to their seats.
They sat at the same table as Craftsman Brock.
Unable to hold back, Cooper asked Brock,
“So… when do we start working?”
“Work? You can do it whenever you feel like it. Though occasionally, we do get requests.”
“……!?”
It was shock after shock.
They could work whenever they wanted?
And the representative only “requested” work instead of ordering it?
“We only have to work when we feel like it…? That doesn’t even sound like a real job…….”
Everything about PAX FC’s working conditions was unbelievable.
But then
“Cooper, look at this!”
“What is it that you—huh?!”
The moment he saw the massive beer mug his colleague was holding, all his complicated thoughts vanished.
“That machine over there dispenses unlimited beer! It never runs out!”
Beer.
The thing they had missed most from their rough lives on their home planet.
After spending decades as slaves drifting through space, they had nearly forgotten its taste. To the dwarves, it had become nothing short of a legendary drink.
Hiss…
Fresh bubbles fizzed up from the ice-cold beer.
Gulp.
Gulp.
As the refreshing liquid cascaded down their throats like a waterfall,
“Ahhh….!”
“Huuuuuk!”
The tears they had been holding back for decades burst out all at once.
Sobbing as if unloading all their grievances, Cooper turned to Brock and demanded,
“What…! What exactly are they planning to make us do by treating us this well?”
“Uh, it’s not that they’re trying to make you do anything…….”
Awkwardly scratching his head at his weeping brethren, Brock added,
“……This is just employee benefits.”
***
That night, while the dwarves enjoyed a peaceful day, I was busy moving.
Along with Lee Yong-su, I was making my way eastward whenever we had time to slip out.
Even though we had taken one of the enemy’s major assets, the “Factory”, the forces that attacked the Great Forest were only a part of the southern faction’s troops.
And then…
A sudden piece of news reached us.
“……Investment attraction?”
“Yes, it would be best if you saw for yourself. Here…….”
The one delivering the news was Glen Ford, the leader of the Northern forces and a priest.
He shared with us the notification message that had just appeared for him.
—
Notification from the Multidimensional Chamber of Commerce
Congratulations on successfully securing investment.
The Chamber has reviewed your region’s investment request and has selected Mirkwood as the final investment dimension, deeming it most suitable for the current situation in the United States.
We will now provide guidance on business plans within the United States.
In 7 days, restricted passage to the Washington D.C. region will be granted to Mirkwood Dimension.
– Restricted access: 6th Order, 7th Order.
– Unrestricted access: 8th Order.
※ For organizations that requested investment, revenue-sharing agreements and additional brokerage fees with the investment dimension will be automatically applied.
We wish for the continued prosperity of your region.
– Multidimensional Chamber of Commerce
—
Investment attraction.
A newly introduced economic term, but its meaning was no different from before.
They were about to release monsters into the world, again.
Regarding the sudden notice from the Chamber of Commerce, Glen Ford added the following:
“It’s definitely the work of those Southern bastards. The frontline in Washington had recently reached a stalemate. And now that they’ve even lost the Factory…….”
This was evident from the Chamber of Commerce’s message.
Invaders would be coming from another dimension.
However, it was none other than Earth’s own factions that had summoned them.
“They must have been getting desperate. But to go so far as to bring in another dimension…….”
The Chamber of Commerce had given a time limit of one week.
Yet, with this message as a catalyst, the war was accelerating at an alarming pace.
“All of the Southern forces spread across the United States are converging on the Northeast. They plan to attack Washington along with the monsters.”
Washington – an undeniable symbol of the United States.
They were determined to plant their flag of invasion there first.
If we could reach Washington ahead of them and block their entry, that would be ideal…….
But the real problem was the incoming Mirkwood forces that would arrive in a week.
“What kind of dimension is Mirkwood?”
“I’ve heard it’s a dimension made up of beast-like races. They apparently have incredible regenerative abilities… But more importantly, 6th Order…!”
Glen Ford bit his lip in anxiety.
6th Order.
An enemy more powerful than anything they had encountered so far.
It was clear that the Chamber of Commerce was fully backing the Southern faction this time.
Meanwhile…….
‘……Will this work?’
Even I was uncertain.
Most of my main firearms were 4-star grade.
I could handle 7th Order enemies without much difficulty, but whether I could take down a 6th Order opponent was something I couldn’t be sure of.
Of course, there was a way.
The dwarves from the Factory, who were now part of PAX FC.
According to Brock, they could help in crafting 5-star weapons.
The only issue was…….
‘……It feels a bit cruel to put them to work after just one day of rest.’
The image of the dwarves from the Factory was still fresh in my mind.
Their hollow eyes, their exhausted bodies, looking as if they could collapse at any moment.
I genuinely wanted to give them as much rest as possible.
However…….
Bang!
At that moment.
Someone suddenly burst through the meeting room door.
“……Cooper?”
There was no mistake.
He was one of the dwarves from the Factory, the one who had been involved in “labor negotiations.”
I didn’t even have time to ask why he was here.
Because Cooper spoke up immediately.
And then…….
“Representative Kim Jeong-gyeom!”
“……?”
I had no idea.
That sometimes, having too little work could also be a major frustration for employees.
“I’m going crazy…! Please, just give us some work to do!”
****
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The Fool
I hope it’s another favorable people from the other dimension…
Thanks for the High-quality translation!