The fifty dollars Davey offered was already a staggering sum for people like them.
Training these new workers involved more than firearms and horseback riding. They would also need instructors to teach them English—otherwise, even basic communication would be a serious problem.
According to their traditional customs, apprentices usually received no wages at all. They were expected to serve their masters wholeheartedly for years before being taught any real skills.
Recruiting them also had another advantage. At this point in time, people from many parts of Asia tended to hold strong notions of loyalty toward those who took them in.
This was very different from most people in Saint Denis. Davey's current employees were bound largely by high wages, but if someone else offered more, they wouldn't hesitate to leave. For most of them, working for the Land Group was simply a job.
These newcomers were different. Davey was taking in people who had crossed over illegally and teaching them firearms, language, and marksmanship. In their minds, this wasn't merely employment. They saw Davey as their patron—their master.
That way of thinking was deeply shaped by the systems and beliefs passed down in their home regions.
Although Davey was a white man, people from those regions did not place much emphasis on ethnicity as such. Their homelands were a mixture of many peoples, ruled by distant authorities who felt far removed from ordinary lives.
Here, when Chen heard that Davey was not only helping resolve the immigration issue but was also offering jobs, he was overwhelmed. He immediately dropped to his knees and bowed his head repeatedly.
"Thank you, Mr. Land. Thank you, Mr. Land."
Chen wanted to say more—things about debts of gratitude that could never be repaid, or lifelong devotion—but his limited English failed him. Such deeply rooted expressions weren't something he could explain in just a few words.
"Get up, Mr. Chen. Perhaps we can deal with these small matters right away. What do you think?"
Davey didn't stop Chen from bowing. Since he had already decided to take them in, it was a gesture he could accept.
At the very least, under him, they would not be discriminated against or pushed aside, and they would earn a proper living.
...
Port Saint Denis.
The port was far larger than it ever appeared in the game's storyline, with numerous merchant ships docked along the piers.
By the time Davey arrived, quite a few police officers were already present. However, he had spoken with Trappett in advance.
Davey arrived by carriage, accompanied by eight employees, Chen among them.
The moment they appeared, the atmosphere shifted.
Having received word, Trappett had already rushed over. Normally, cases involving illegal passengers would be handled by lower-ranking officers, but since Mr. Land was coming in person, Trappett naturally followed.
"Mr. Land."
Trappett greeted him respectfully beside the carriage.
Davey smiled and nodded. Even though Trappett now worked under him, Davey had no intention of putting him on the spot.
"Sorry to trouble you over this matter, Officer Trappett."
"It's my honor to be of service to Mr. Land."
While speaking with Trappett, Davey had Chen go and bring the people over. Coming in person was also a way of showing how seriously he took this.
Chen hurried off, and Trappett instructed a few officers to accompany him.
On the other side.
More than a dozen officers were guarding a merchant ship, preventing the illegal passengers from coming ashore.
However, the cargo still needed to be unloaded, so the ship couldn't leave until that was finished.
In truth, although federal laws existed on paper, the police rarely bothered much with such cases. In Saint Denis alone, among the hundreds of thousands living there, a strict investigation would likely reveal that nearly half—if not more—had questionable status.
This particular ship had simply been unlucky. Its captain had offended certain powerful figures, and someone had decided to make an example of him.
The passengers hadn't boarded for free. Every one of them had paid a considerable sum for passage.
"Your assignment is over. That's Officer Trappett's order."
"Fine. Guarding these people was a waste of time anyway. Boring as hell."
As the second-in-command at the station, Trappett still carried weight.
The officers took the hint and withdrew.
Cheers immediately broke out on the ship as the passengers rushed to disembark.
Chen quickly found the people he knew.
"Chen, is that really you?"
"You're Gouzi? You've grown so much."
"Chen, you look incredible. You came with people, and they just left."
"This wasn't because of me. A powerful man spoke up—that's why you were allowed ashore. Alright, gather everyone and follow me."
There were a little over thirty people in total. Only seven or eight were directly connected to Chen.
The rest were already being taken care of by others waiting at the docks.
Chen led his group over to Davey.
"Thank you, Mr. Land. I've brought them over."
"Hurry up and thank Mr. Land. If it weren't for him, you probably wouldn't have made it ashore at all—you'd have been sent back."
The first part was spoken in English. The rest was said in their native dialect, most of which Davey could still understand.
Gouzi and the others immediately dropped to their knees, bowing repeatedly as they thanked Mr. Land for his great kindness.
"That's enough, Mr. Chen. Have them stand up. This sort of thing isn't customary in Saint Denis. You should take them to clean up, get a proper meal, and rest."
"After such a long voyage, they must be exhausted."
Davey looked at the newly arrived passengers with a hint of emotion.
Most of them were poorly clothed, thin and sallow-faced. This was the reality of life in many parts of Asia at the time.
Having shown his face, Davey climbed back into the carriage. The other employees mounted their horses and rode alongside.
"Chen, that must be some kind of local official. Damn… he looks impressive."
...
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