Chapter 890 Underworld-level Overtime
When Qi Cheng and Chen Ergou stepped off the train at Chang'an Station, the platform was teeming with people.
These were all technical backbone staff transferred from various factories to the Chang'an Automobile Factory. While most wore civilian clothes, some had their hats perched on their heads or tucked under their arms.
After a quick glance around, Chen Ergou felt an immense pressure building. He whispered, "Brother Cheng, there are so many Blue Hats here..."
Qi Cheng nodded. "Indeed! There must be at least a hundred Blue Hats like us here."
This realization hit them with an invisible weight.
Back at the steel mill, their Blue Hats had made them stand out like cranes among a flock of chickens amidst the numerous Yellow Hats. Even with a "Trial" designation on their hats, they had felt a distinct sense of superiority, a feeling that "everyone around me is beneath my skill," which made them walk with their chests held higher.
But standing at the gates of the Chang'an Automobile Factory, seeing nothing but Blue Hats around, their confidence noticeably faltered in an instant.
"There's always someone better out there!" Qi Cheng sighed, shaking his head. "If I hadn't come out, if I'd just stayed at the steel mill, I would've almost believed myself unrivaled."
Chen Ergou shared the sentiment, chuckling. "It's good we came to Chang'an this time. Otherwise, we might never have improved further in our lives. But being here, I suddenly feel a new surge of energy."
"Brother, which department are you in?"
"I make bearings!"
"I work on steam engines."
"Wow, steam engines? That's incredible!"
Qi Cheng and Chen Ergou couldn't help but cast admiring glances at the man who worked on steam engines. That was a core technical talent. Compared to him, their own work on exterior armor felt miles behind in terms of technical skill.
Yet the steam engine mechanic was far from arrogant. Instead, he seemed humble, shaking his head. "Working on steam engines is nothing special. I just follow the blueprints from above. The truly brilliant one is Young Master Bai. His casual pointers alone feel infinitely beneficial."
Only then did Qi Cheng and Chen Ergou understand: the man's humility stemmed from his frequent interactions with someone of Young Master Bai's caliber...
It truly was a phenomenon: the higher one's exposure, the more humble one became. The lower one's exposure, the more arrogant and conceited.
Both took this lesson deeply to heart.
Next came registration, room assignments, luggage transport, and workshop postings...
After a good deal of bustling, the two finally stood at their workstations.
No sooner had they settled in than a man wearing a white hat rushed in, shouting to them, "Starting today, the entire military production department of the Chang'an Automobile Factory is entering 'underworld-level overtime' mode!"
"Whoa!" the Yellow Hats in the workshop protested loudly. "Underworld-level *again*? That kind of overtime will kill people!"
Qi Cheng and Chen Ergou were taken aback. "What does 'underworld-level' mean?"
A Yellow Hat scurried over, flattering the newcomers. "Engineer Qi, Engineer Chen, 'underworld-level' in our factory means the kind of overtime that works you to death. After a shift like that, you'll swear you can see the gates of the underworld floating before you on the way home."
Qi Cheng and Chen Ergou jumped in surprise. "That terrifying?"
The Yellow Hat whispered, "Anyway, don't expect to sleep more than four hours a day."
"Four hours?" Qi Cheng and Chen Ergou exchanged a look, then burst out laughing. "Hahaha, we thought 'underworld-level' was something truly frightening! Turns out we still get four hours of sleep. Not scary at all."
The Yellow Hat blinked. "Huh?"
Qi Cheng chuckled. "Back when we were bandits, constantly chased by officials, hiding in the mountains every day, getting four hours of sleep was an absolute luxury!"
Chen Ergou laughed too. "Exactly! Back then, getting even two hours of sleep a day was tough. So, this 'underworld-level' lets you sleep for *two hours*? Hahaha, what's there to be scared of? Let's do it!"
The white-hatted man declared loudly, "Twenty days! The leadership's target is twenty days! We *must* produce ten Light Armored Cars. Starting now, roll up your sleeves and work yourselves ragged!"
"Ten in twenty days?" The Yellow Hats cried out again. "How is that even possible? It took us a whole month just to build one Experimental Car No. 4!"
The white-hatted man boomed, "Times have changed! We've accumulated production experience from building the Experimental Car No. 4, and this time, a large number of new technicians have joined us. Ten in twenty days? We can do this! Everyone, keep at it! Overcome any difficulties and strive to complete the task our leaders have given us!"
The workers affirmed with a shout and immediately set to work.
Blueprints for "armor" at various positions on the armored car were distributed to the Yellow Hats, and soon everyone was swinging hammers, their rhythmic clanging echoing through the workshop.
Qi Cheng and Chen Ergou exchanged a glance and quickly joined in. As Blue Hats, they weren't directly involved in swinging hammers. Their task was to oversee the entire production process, assign work, meticulously check every blueprint for issues, and ensure the size and thickness of the armor plates produced by the workers met specifications...
In other workshops, Blue Hats and Yellow Hats, just like them, were frantically dedicating themselves to their respective duties.
Steam engines, bearings, armor, rubber tires, steering wheels, cannons, and even car windows – Gao Family Village's "standardization" had been implemented for years, though previously on a smaller scale. But now, with the commencement of vehicle manufacturing, the power of standardization was finally unleashed to its fullest...——
As the Chang'an Automobile Factory plunged into underworld-level overtime,
back in Gao Family Village proper, a group of young women approached the gates of the Warm and Sleepy Textile Factory...
The Warm and Sleepy Textile Factory was starting its third major round of recruitment!
These women were going to apply for jobs.
This small textile factory hadn't initially garnered much attention. However, people soon discovered that the goods it produced were highly competitive.
Woolen products had always been a rare and prized commodity for the Han people. Their insulating properties far surpassed cotton clothing; a thin layer could provide excellent warmth.
Gao Family Village's problem was no longer one of mere subsistence, but rather the people's ever-growing demand for material and cultural enrichment.
So, items like woolen sweaters, which offered a superior quality of life, naturally sold like hotcakes!
Not only did they sell out in Gao Family Village itself, but they also flew off the shelves in numerous other places, including Heyang County, Han City, Puzhou City, Hedong Circuit, Hejin County, Pinelyang Prefecture, and Xi'an.
Liu Maopao, of course, moved quickly to recruit more female workers, purchase additional textile machines, and ramp up production...
His efforts provided more job opportunities for women. Simultaneously, they created a better market for the wool from the Mongolian grasslands.
As the Wushen Tribe conquered more and more smaller tribes, the supply of wool increased, and the factory expansion perfectly absorbed this new influx of raw material.
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