Chapter 41 The Birth of the Luxurious Workshop and the Rise of the Troublemaker Lin…

Lin Yue felt that he was now walking with the domineering air of a construction foreman, after all, he was the man who had successfully unlocked the two great construction technologies of red brick and cement!

Looking at that test wall, built of red bricks and cement, so sturdy it could serve as a bulletproof barrier, and then at the refugee dormitories not far away that were still crumbling, drafty, and would turn into a luxurious water curtain cave experience center whenever it rained…

Lin Yue's obsessive-compulsive disorder flared up instantly!

No! We must upgrade! A complete upgrade!

Now we have core technologies! We can't let everyone, especially the hardworking people who contributed to the construction of this little restaurant, live like cavemen, can we? That would be too unfair to his identity as a time traveler!

Therefore, after successfully firing the first batch of red bricks and cement, Lin Yue immediately made the decision to start the first phase of the Lin Family Restaurant refugee dormitory area upgrade and renovation project!

Goal: To transform those rudimentary, semi-open-air dormitories into luxurious work sheds that can truly withstand wind and rain, are relatively sturdy, and at least look like proper houses!

The word "luxurious" is in quotes, as their current conditions only allow for a slight improvement over a thatched hut. But for those refugees who previously had to sleep in the wilderness or crammed into drafty shacks, this is comparable to a five-star hotel!

"Fellow countrymen! My fellow villagers!" Lin Yue stood on his personal lectern, a large rock, and announced passionately to the sea of ​​refugees below, "Great news! Fantastic news! After countless days and nights of research by Uncle Stone Fist, Brother Gray, and myself, we have successfully mastered the techniques for firing red bricks and a magical glue!"

He had several freshly fired red bricks and a small pile of hardened cement blocks brought out as a display of his work.

"See that? That's red brick! Strong! Durable! Fireproof! Moisture-proof! Building a house with it is a hundred times better than building with adobe walls!"

"And this! Magic glue! It can bond bricks together so firmly, a million times stronger than mud!"

The refugees stared in amazement and murmured among themselves at the bright red bricks and dusty gray lumps. Although they didn't quite understand the underlying principles, the sheer hardness and Lin Yue's lavish descriptions made them realize just how formidable this thing was!

"Now! I announce!" Lin Yue shouted, raising his arm, "We're going to use these good things to upgrade everyone's dormitories! We'll turn those leaky, dilapidated shacks into sturdy and beautiful red brick houses!"

"good!"

"Your Excellency is wise!"

"Finally, I don't have to worry about getting wet in the rain anymore!"

A burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted from the crowd! Everyone's face was filled with anticipation for a bright future!

Lin Yue nodded in satisfaction. Excellent, the grassroots support is there; next step is… to exploit their labor!

"Of course! Such a large project can't be done by just a few of us! We need everyone's efforts!" Lin Yue changed the subject. "So, starting today, all healthy adult men and women will participate in the dormitory upgrade and renovation project! We will distribute work points based on everyone's performance! Those who perform outstandingly will not only have priority to move into the new houses, but will also receive extra food rewards!"

He pointed to the temporary "Lin's Restaurant Menu (Work Points Redemption Version v2.0)" that had been erected next to him:

【Lin's Restaurant - Redeemable Today (Work Points Section)】

Basic meal set (5 work points): Large pot of potato and wild vegetable porridge (all you can eat) + one small roasted potato.

Advanced Set Meal (10 credits): Minced meat, potato, and wild vegetable porridge (limited quantity) + one medium roasted potato + one cup of clean water

Deluxe Set Meal (20 work points, requires special contribution or outstanding performance): Small portion of fragrant baked potatoes on a hot stone slab with diced meat or three skewers of grilled meat + wild vegetable soup + a glass of water

Other items available for exchange: Salt (small quantity, requires a high number of work points), Cloth (supply is irregular), Simple Tools (applied for based on contribution points)...

This new menu is significantly more abundant and tempting than before! Especially the deluxe set meal, which is simply the ultimate culinary experience at Lin's Restaurant!

"See? If you want to eat well and live well, you have to work hard! The more you work, the more you earn; the less you work, the less you earn; and those who don't work... go hungry!" Lin Yue emphasized his core philosophy once again.

Lured by the promise of red brick houses and luxurious meals, the refugees' enthusiasm for work soared to unprecedented heights!

Thus, a massive upgrade and renovation project of the dormitory-style dormitory was launched in full swing inside the small restaurant!

Lin Yue was responsible for the overall planning and technical guidance, mainly on how to build walls and how to apply cement mortar.

Gray and Amu led the able-bodied men to carry bricks, stones, mix mud, and build walls, among other heavy physical labor.

Uncle Stone Fist oversaw the operation, occasionally offering friendly critiques of Gray and Amu's bricklaying skills: "Idiots! Leave such wide gaps between the bricks! Are you raising crickets?!"

Old Bader, along with some quick-witted refugees, was responsible for making more brick blanks and burning lime, as cement production was too low at the moment, and most of the bonding still had to rely on lime mortar.

Mia and the women were in charge of logistical support, preparing food and water for everyone.

Xiao Fen... Xiao Fen ran around the construction site, successfully playing the role of a mobile roadblock and atmosphere spoiler.

The entire restaurant has been transformed into a bustling construction site!

The addition of red bricks and cement made the dormitory upgrade project go much more smoothly than Lin Yue had expected.

They started by renovating the most dilapidated and drafty communal sleeping quarters. They removed the original crumbling thatched walls and built a sturdy foundation half a meter high using red bricks and cement mortar. On top of that, they constructed a roof and walls using wood and thickened thatch. The ground was also hardened using a mixture of gravel, rammed earth, lime, sand, and gravel, so at least they wouldn't have to sleep directly on the mud floor anymore.

Although it's still a long way from the red brick house Lin Yue dreamed of, it's a world of difference compared to the shack he used to live in!

However, just as the project was progressing rapidly, some discordant voices and phenomena began to emerge.

When there are many people, their thoughts become cluttered.

Some refugees, perhaps out of fear of hunger or simply by nature lazy, have started to slack off. They dawdle while working, putting in minimal effort, but become incredibly eager to eat at mealtimes, taking their food and then retreating to rest.

There are also some people who are dishonest. When they see those red bricks and cement, especially the cement, they know that this stuff is valuable, so they have crooked ideas. They secretly hide it, wanting to keep it for themselves, or take it to exchange for other things.

There were even a few people who, relying on their physical strength or some reputation in their original villages, started to form cliques, incite discontent, and complain about the poor food, the low number of work points, and Lin Yue's unfair management, etc.

The appearance of these troublemakers is like a few rat droppings, ruining the collective's enthusiasm for work and harmonious atmosphere.

Lin Yue quickly noticed these problems. He knew that if he didn't deal with them in time and allowed these unhealthy trends to spread, the initial order he had painstakingly established would soon collapse!

"It seems that carrots alone won't work; we also need a big stick!" Lin Yue's eyes turned cold.

He acted decisively, summoning Gray, Stonefist, Old Bard, Amu, and the foreman, Auntie Lia, who had now become a minor leader among the refugees and was in charge of managing women's labor. He convened a special meeting to rectify labor discipline and crack down on unhealthy practices.

"You've all probably heard about the recent undesirable phenomena!" Lin Yue's tone was unusually serious. "Some people are eating the food we provide and living in the shacks we build, yet they don't work properly and even try to cause trouble and disrupt the hard-won stability we've achieved! We must severely punish such behavior!"

As soon as Lin Yue finished speaking, Aunt Liya stepped forward, her dark face filled with indignation, and said loudly, "Lord Lin Yue is right! We owe everything we have today to you, sir, for taking us in, providing us with food and shelter. We all remember this kindness! In our old village, lazybones who relied on others for sustenance were the most despised! Moreover, you, sir, taught us skills, helped us build new houses, and enabled us to live a good life! What they did not only betray your kindness but also tarnished the reputation of those of us who genuinely wanted a better life!"

She paused, looked at the other refugees, and said with even greater determination, “Sir, don’t worry! I’ll go back and have a good talk with the heads of each household, and also with the sisters! If there are really those ungrateful people who are unwilling to work hard to earn a living, you don’t need to worry about it, sir. We’ll refuse to accept them ourselves. If they repeatedly refuse to change their ways, we’ll get rid of them ourselves. We can’t let a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch!”

Lin Yue gave Lia an approving look and nodded. Having one of their own speak up was far more effective than him, an outsider, issuing orders directly, and it was also more likely to unite the majority. He cleared his throat and continued announcing several new regulations:

First: Establish a strict attendance system and work quantification standards! Old Bud and Aunt Leah will be responsible for supervision, recording everyone's work performance daily. Those who fail to meet the standards will have work points deducted! In serious cases, food rations will be cancelled for the day!

Second: Stealing or hoarding collective property is strictly prohibited! Anyone found doing so will have all personal belongings confiscated and will be immediately expelled from the restaurant! No leniency will be shown!

Third: Those troublemakers who maliciously incite discontent, sow discord, and undermine unity will be severely punished once verified! At best, they will be publicly criticized and forced to work harder; at worst... well, Gray's spear and Stonefist's stone are not to be trifled with!

Fourth: Establish a reward mechanism! Those who work diligently, perform outstandingly, and make special contributions will not only receive more work points and better food, but will also be given priority in being allocated to the upgraded and renovated deluxe work sheds! Even… in the future, we could consider involving them in the management of the restaurant!

These regulations immediately caused quite a stir among the refugees!

Those who originally wanted to take advantage of the situation and engage in opportunistic behavior immediately became much more restrained.

Those who worked diligently were greatly encouraged and became even more motivated!

Of course, there were also a few rebellious individuals who refused to believe in Lin Yue's authority and tried to challenge his authority.

For example, there was a guy who used to be a petty thug in the village. Relying on his few cronies, he openly slacked off at the construction site and incited others to strike, demanding a higher standard of food.

Before he could finish speaking, Gray struck him to the ground with a spear shaft. Then, under Uncle Stone Fist's command, Amu was tied up tightly with vines and hung from the crooked tree at the entrance of the restaurant. Next to him hung a wooden sign with the words "Cheating and slyness, inciting trouble, deserves it! Expelled from the restaurant!" written in Lin Yue's own handwriting; the characters were ugly, but the meaning was clear.

Make an example of someone! The effect was outstanding!

After such a rigorous overhaul, the restaurant's work discipline and internal order have finally stabilized.

Although Lin Yue knew that this order maintained by high pressure wouldn't last long, and that truly winning these people's hearts would require more effort and time, at least the immediate crisis was temporarily over.

Meanwhile, the upgraded and renovated luxury work sheds have been put into use one after another. Although they are still simple, the sturdy walls, the roofs that can shelter from the wind and rain, and the hardened ground are enough to make the refugees who have suffered from displacement feel a long-lost sense of security and warmth.

Every night, as Lin Yue looked at the lights shining from the new construction sheds and heard the sounds of snoring, a complex mix of emotions would well up inside him.

There is a sense of accomplishment, a sense of exhaustion, anticipation for the future, and worry about the unknown.

Managing a community of nearly a hundred people was far more difficult than he had imagined. It wasn't just about providing food and shelter; it involved winning hearts and minds, distributing benefits, establishing order, and... all sorts of unexpected problems!

"It seems that as the curator, I not only need to be good at infrastructure construction, scientific research, and food, but I also need to learn to be a qualified neighborhood committee elder!" Lin Yue thought with a wry smile, rubbing his throbbing temples.