The Balding Leaders Want Free Labor? No Way!

Sing Sing reached out and pointed at the docking cross-section.

"Put simply, aren't these two pieces of pork that are especially expensive, especially heavy, and absolutely can't be bumped, which have to be lined up on the seabed?"

Director Chen's eyelid twitched. "Immersed tubes aren't pork."

"Come on, the structural logic is the same!"

"With pork belly, whether it's cut properly depends on whether the skin, fat, and lean meat line up. It's the same with immersed tubes. The waterstops, joints, foundation layer, and load-bearing surfaces all have to line up."

Director Chen opened his mouth. He wanted to argue, but realized that, crude as the comparison was, it was strangely correct.

"Now that we have Lorna, she can steady the tube with a wave of her hand."

"But here's the problem." He held up one finger. "Lorna isn't a crane."

He held up a second finger. "Right now, her body is more fragile than my Armani suit."

Polaris said coldly, "Can you stop comparing me to your lousy suit?"

"It's a battle-damaged relic," Sing Sing corrected her. "It has great sentimental value."

Director Wang lifted his right leg slightly.

Sing Sing continued with the matter at hand. "So my opinion is, we can't send her to the front line right away."

Director Chen frowned. "The project window..."

"Rushing won't help with the window."

Sing Sing cut him off. "What you need is an expert, not a disposable battery. You drain her dry today, she ends up in the medical room tomorrow, and the day after that you're crying over the strait?"

Director Chen fell silent.

"I have a plan for you."

"Phase one: recuperation and observation."

"To start with, she doesn't have to go out to sea. Arrange it at the simulation field in Jiuquan. Lorna trains her ability for no more than two hours a day, mainly controlling small-scale models."

"Phase two: remote technical consultation."

"Your Research Institute makes models of the immersed-tube structure, joints, and reinforcement cages, then has her participate in the design review. She'll use her ability to sense them and offer her input."

"Phase three is short-term on-site support. Once she's physically fit, she can go to the coast."

"We're not having her stand on a barge in the sea breeze all day. We pick the most critical docking window and complete the magnetic-field-assisted placement within two hours."

"Afterward, she returns to shore to rest. No drinking parties, no arranging for leaders to take turns visiting her, and definitely no banners saying 'Comrade Polaris Battles the Qiongzhou Strait.'"

Director Chen listened in a daze.

Director Wang narrowed his eyes as well.

The kid usually spouted nonsense, but once he laid out his plan, it actually made sense.

Sing Sing looked at Polaris. "What do you think?"

Polaris didn't answer. She walked over to the plans and looked down at the strait.

She had never imagined that one day her ability would be connected to a stretch of sea.

Not for fighting, fleeing, or killing.

To make a road pass beneath the sea, so people could ride from one side to the other.

To sink steel into the sea without crushing anyone to death.

To turn those lines into a real road.

Polaris said softly, "What if I lose control?"

Director Chen fell silent for a moment, and Director Wang also looked at Sing Sing.

But Sing Sing smiled. "Then I'll be right beside you."

Polaris looked at him.

"If you really lose control, I'll turn every chunk of iron on the barge into scrap first, so you can't grab things at random. Then I'll call Director Wang and file a work injury claim."

Director Wang's face darkened. "Why is it me again in the end?"

"Because you're the leader! A great responsibility and an honor!"

Director Chen frowned. "Isn't this treating it too much like a game?"

"It's not a game." Sing Sing put away his smile. "Director Chen, I don't want her shoved into another cage just after getting out of one."

"You can ask her to help you."

"But there have to be three conditions."

He raised a finger.

"First, she volunteers of her own free will and has the right to pause."

"Second, if she doesn't pass the medical and psychological evaluations, she's not allowed on-site."

"Third, salary, allowances, leave, accommodation, security clearance, and work injury insurance—not one can be left out."

"There's a fourth condition."

Director Wang suddenly spoke up.

Director Chen looked over.

Director Wang said unhurriedly, "She remains under the 749 Bureau's unified management. If the Research Institute needs her cooperation, go through the formal secondment process. We've already agreed with the Rocket Base that she'll be going there, so don't think about bypassing us and taking her directly."

Director Chen raised an eyebrow. "You don't trust me?"

Director Wang smiled.

"It's not that I don't trust you. I trust the system."

Sing Sing nodded beside him. "Right, the system is more reliable than men. Especially middle-aged men—the less hair they have, the more likely they are to make decisions on a whim."

Director Chen touched his hairline.

Director Wang subconsciously touched his too.

They both glared at Sing Sing.

Sing Sing looked at the ceiling. "Nice lighting today."

The atmosphere eased a little.

Director Chen gave a helpless, wry smile. "Fine. I accept those three conditions, and Director Wang's additional clause."

"For the initial stage, we'll conduct model verification at the Joint Experimental Field. If the medical team approves, we'll arrange a short visit for you to the Coastal Base."

"You can refuse whenever you don't want to."

Polaris was silent for a long time.

Then she asked, "How much is the salary?"

Director Chen was taken aback.

Sing Sing slapped his thigh. "Good question!"

His face was full of gratification, like a teacher watching a student finally master the multiplication tables.

"That's right! When you go to work, the first thing you ask about isn't ideals or a mission, but salary. That shows Comrade Lorna has begun to develop a modern worker's awareness of self-protection!"

Director Wang pressed a hand to his forehead.

Director Chen was stumped too.

He thought for a moment. "You'll receive the compensation of a specially appointed expert on a national key project. Base salary, project allowance, confidentiality allowance, and on-site allowance will be calculated separately."

Sing Sing immediately pressed him. "Is there an offshore work allowance?"

"Yes."

"A high-temperature allowance?"

"Yes, at the southern work site."

"Psychological recuperation leave?"

Director Chen looked at Director Wang.

"That's a must."

"Special protections for female employees?"

Director Chen's face went numb. "Yes."

"An expert's apartment?"

"Yes."

"A cafeteria?"

"Yes."

"How many dishes and soups does the cafeteria serve?"

Director Chen could no longer stand it. "Comrade Ling Ling Qi! We're a national key project, not some blackhearted labor contractor!"

Sing Sing nodded. "I'm just confirming the employee's basic rights. You should've said you weren't blackhearted sooner. You had everyone so tense."

Polaris watched him and Director Chen go back and forth, and a genuine smile appeared in her eyes.

"I can give it a try."

Director Chen looked delighted.

"Just a try."

"Of course." Director Chen nodded. "A trial stage."

Polaris looked at Sing Sing.

"You have to be there."

Sing Sing froze for a moment, then patted his chest.

"Don't worry, I have a strong work ethic. I'll accompany the employee throughout her trial period and keep an eye on the cafeteria's food standards while I'm at it."

Director Wang said coldly, "You just want to tag along for free meals, don't you?"

"Director, you can't put it that way." Sing Sing looked utterly serious. "This is cross-departmental personnel support coordination."

Director Chen suddenly took out another document.

"Since we've reached a preliminary agreement, I have a temporary consultant agreement from the Joint Research Institute here."

Sing Sing narrowed his eyes.

"Let me have a look."