Watching people lining up to enter the warehouse not far away, and gradually some coming out with smiles on their faces, Su Ming lit a cigar and puffed away in the car.
It was a win-win situation; he saved them during difficult times, and in return, they would create value for Su Ming.
"Looks like we can recruit twenty thousand people tonight."
He continued looking out the window, speaking to Gin sitting beside him.
There was heating in the car, with the engine running continuously, converting power into heat, making the carriage warm as spring.
The lawyer known by the code name Vodka felt even more motivated after receiving a thousand US Dollar bonus. Knowing Su Ming's goal of full industry development, he negotiated several factories at extremely low prices, including automobile manufacturing companies.
In the original plan, the automotive industry was to be developed in the second phase, but a little earlier or later didn't matter much.
Thus, Su Ming quickly sketched out the future classic Rolls-Royce model. To please their new boss and avoid layoffs, factory workers, without a production line, reverse-engineered the internal structure from the shell and manually built a prototype transcending the times within half a month.
Except for the engine and transmission, everything else was top-notch enjoyment for this era.
Su Ming had no plans to lay off workers; however, luxury cars wouldn't be much needed in times of war. The factory's production line would need modification to produce trucks or jeeps.
All products at present are intended for future war preparations.
He had already hired political brokers to engage with local military forces. Although World War II was ten years away, it's better to make friends early.
Eisenhower is currently a civilian assistant in the Army Department with the rank of Major, but ten years later, he will be the commander of the US Army, and twenty years later, the 34th President of the United States.
Marshall is now a teacher at Fort Benning Infantry School, but in the future, he will be Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense.
Halsey is currently just the captain of the practice ship Rihanna, and Nimitz is now commanding coastal submarines, but in the future, they will be in charge of the Pacific fleet.
Patton, MacArthur, these people have not yet risen in prominence; Su Ming just needs to offer some help now to reap great rewards in the future.
Recollecting his thoughts, the whistling sea breeze came by his ears, and the car's hot air fogged up the windows slightly.
"Go keep an eye."
"Then I'll go take a look."
Gin remembered Su Ming had assigned him certain tasks, so he immediately understood Su Ming's intent. He got out from the other side of the car, heading toward the warehouse with bodyguards. The winter chill quickened his pace, but not as much as the eager job seekers.
The specific details of the recruitment inside, involving formal employment documents, were all handled by the lawyer known as Vodka, who had now become more of a hands-off manager. Twenty or so staff members on the teams were young lawyers he brought on board.
Documents were ready-made; once the applicants' backgrounds and previous jobs were confirmed, corresponding documents were chosen for them to sign.
The seaside warehouse always had moisture, and in the cold winter nights it was especially bone-chilling, but the large crowd made the place very lively.
"Not enough reception capacity; open the next-door warehouse as well, and call some more people to open additional lines."
Gin observed for a while and made a suggestion beside Vodka. The old man immediately instructed his assistant to carry it out; all of this had been pre-planned, and Su Ming had anticipated people's enthusiasm early on.
"After this, the reputation of Wilson Enterprises will be even more prominent."
The old man, with a cigar in his mouth and rotating the ring on his finger, remarked while watching the comings and goings of the people in the dark.
Gin pushed up his glasses with a finger: "I can't get involved in the company's affairs; after all, the gangster background can't be completely cleaned up. The legitimate businesses are left for the boss to choose managers."
The old man shook his head with a smile; he had a different view, having lived on Wall Street for many years, he had a better understanding of corporate operations.
"Our boss doesn't seem to want to manage companies; he isn't even interested in the business of a single bar, let alone a group of several companies? If I'm not mistaken, the boss will likely hire professional managers to run things."
Gin shrugged, indifferent, as he preferred his current identity. Being confined to an office to manage legitimate business would make him uncomfortable.
"I always feel that what the boss wants isn't a gang or a company; it's like he's preparing for something."
"You once told me, the distillery was established only four years ago, yet it has already nurtured a giant group on the East Coast." The old man laughed as he found a place to sit, being no longer young and unable to stand for long like Gin: "I've met a lot of tycoons; their thoughts are hard for ordinary people to fathom."
"Indeed."
Gin was quite calm, simply looking at the people lining up before him. He had followed Su Ming for some years, and the boss's appearance and physique hadn't changed one bit over these years, which was certainly not normal for an ordinary person.
This thought, however, he did not voice, keeping it as a secret within his heart.
He adjusted his glasses, a difficult-to-describe emotion flashing in his eyes, but he quickly turned his head to give orders to the bodyguard behind him.
"Go bring out the prepared food; the people attending the recruitment are now one of us too, let them take whatever they want."
It sounded momentous, but in reality, it was just over a dozen trucks of sandwiches and hamburgers, products processed from their own farm and ranch, with cost being almost negligible, yet capable of winning people over at critical moments.
The winter nights made these things frozen stiff; they'd have to be taken home and warmed over the stove before they could be eaten.
But as long as they could take as much as they wanted, at least their families wouldn't go hungry. This could inspire the workers' enthusiasm to work better for the boss.
A Man in Black heard the orders and went to carry them out, but at this moment a lawyer approached.
"Mr. Gin, I found the person you told us to keep an eye on."
Actually, it was someone Su Ming had instructed Gin to pay attention to, without knowing why Su Ming had him note several surnames, along with a lot of information, but he didn't need to ask, just do as told.
"Are you sure?"
"Sure, the name is Joseph Rogers, wife Sarah Rogers, Irish descent, blond hair and blue eyes, living in Brooklyn, with a child named Steven, 9 years old this year. His friend who came with him is named Barnes, a former soldier with black hair and eyes, exactly the same as the person you told us to watch out for."
The lawyer spoke quietly, while wondering to himself what was wrong with these two individuals.
Gin nodded, flashing a smile, though that smile seemed terrifying to the lawyer.
"Very good, give them the best job contracts, and place them in the shipyard office. Later, give me a copy of their registration information; the company will arrange a bonus for you."
"Okay, sir."
Gin glanced into the crowd, spotted the two individuals at the front of a line, confirmed they matched the boss's description, and promptly returned to the car.