At the entrance to Boulder City's industrial district stood a notice board listing names and numbers.
A dense crowd had gathered before it.
Excited cheers rang out from time to time. Those who found their names looked as thrilled as if they had won the lottery. The people around them cast envious looks their way, only regretting that they had responded to the mobilization too late and had not worked hard enough.
Leaving aside the scavengers outside the city, Boulder City had almost no primary industry, only secondary and tertiary industries. Even after labor laws were tightened and child workers under sixteen were sent to full-time schools that provided food and lodging, there were still more than a hundred thousand registered workers.
The 1,800 free apartments were like a splash of water on parched ground, but they still gave many people hope of living a better life.
Lovett had said that once every house in the settlement no longer leaked drafts, and once the financial situation improved, they would consider building better housing that everyone could afford.
Though he had not held out much hope, Kent could not stop himself from wandering over to the notice board. What had been a casual glance turned into a wide-eyed stare of shock.
"...My name is on it?"
Thinking he had misread it, Kent vigorously rubbed his face with his dust-covered sleeve.
After confirming that both the name and number matched, he had no time to celebrate. Afraid that someone might snatch it away, he immediately squeezed to the front of the crowd and completed the necessary procedures at the registration desk.
Looking at the residence certificate in his hands, Kent was overwhelmed with excitement. He had never imagined that he would one day get to live in an apartment building.
But he