Since the Macro-electron Energy Storage Project began, huge numbers of people had switched industries. After simple training, they became construction workers and joined the massive Macro-electron Energy Storage Project.
Jobs paying twenty thousand dollars a month were not exactly nonexistent, but worldwide, they accounted for a very small share. Especially in impoverished regions like Africa, a low-skilled job paying twenty thousand dollars a month was like spending just one year hauling bricks at a construction site to leap over the dragon gate, achieve class mobility, and become wealthy.
Who wouldn't be tempted? For a time, construction workers on the Macro-electron Project became the hottest profession in the world.
This massive shift in the workforce forced wages in other industries to rise as well.
They had no choice but to raise them, or nobody would work in those industries anymore. Take sanitation workers, for example: low pay, and the job was highly likely to cause pneumoconiosis. If you might get pneumoconiosis either way, wouldn't it be better to take a higher-paying job?
Don't think sanitation workers all running off to haul bricks was no big deal. With no one cleaning the cities, streets would be covered in garbage, fallen leaves, and dust. Urban sanitation and living conditions would regress to the Middle Ages. Stepping in a pile of dog shit the moment you walked outside would become commonplace.
But simply raising workers' wages was not enough. Capitalists needed to make money. They needed profits.
Why had the 007 Work System proposed by Lin Feng been embraced around the world? Did those capitalists not know it would provoke fierce resistance from the working class?
No, they knew perfectly well. Yet they still chose to do it.
This involved the question of costs and returns. The wages paid by capitalists were costs, while workers' labor was the return. Since costs had risen and could not be lowered, they could reduce costs by increasing returns.
In other words, they extended workers' hours so that workers could do more in a single day. Only then could the capitalists recoup their investment costs.
Yet this approach was nothing more than drinking poison to quench thirst. Every industry was becoming increasingly depressed.
What a joke. Working yourself to death under the 007 Work System earned less than hauling bricks for the Macro-electron Energy Storage Project. Although hauling bricks there was also 007, at least it paid more, and you would not suddenly drop dead from overtime.
Food and lodging were included. Someone helped properly arrange their diets and sleep schedules, and they exercised routinely every day to ensure good health. They only needed to work for one year to earn two hundred and forty thousand dollars.
The capitalists ultimately compromised. Or rather, governments around the world took action because they did not want even their core industries to fall into decline.
Power-generation equipment was opened to civilian and commercial use, and a monetary system pegged to electrical energy was introduced.
Put simply, electricity was directly linked to currency. You could exchange electricity for government-issued money at a bank.
With power-generation equipment now available for civilian use, construction workers outside the Macro-electron Energy Storage Project could also buy the power-generation tools used in the project.
Capitalists quickly brought in these devices. Employees would have rest periods, but those rest periods had to be spent generating electricity. Some people spotted the business opportunity early, wholesaled batteries, and made a fortune.
Taylor's team gathered at Lin Feng's home and gave a detailed report on the impact caused by the Macro-electron Energy Storage Project, along with its operational details and the problems it had encountered.
"First, you brought in vast numbers of workers and pushed them into the industry, forcing other industries already showing signs of decline to reform. Then you rebalanced the distribution across all industries, directly smashing apart and rebuilding the established economic framework. What a mad operation! Incredible!"
"Mr. Taylor, I once thought you knew absolutely nothing about economics and were just blindly messing around! I never expected you to be so farsighted, so outstanding! I'm deeply ashamed of what I once thought!"
The economic expert on Taylor's team excitedly gripped Lin Feng's hand. The way he looked at Lin Feng was like a fan looking at an idol.
"Ahem, of course. Nobody understands economics better than I do."
Lin Feng coughed dryly. In truth, he had not thought that far ahead. To avoid exposing the embarrassing fact that he only knew a little, he could only bluff his way through it.
Well, those who knew, knew. And those who didn't know couldn't be bothered to have it explained to them.
"I'm no longer responsible for the Macro-electron Energy Storage Project. You didn't come here just to tell me how it's doing, did you? There's no point telling me. I have no authority to take part in it." Lin Feng asked.
Ever since Lin Feng had handed the Macro-electron Energy Storage Project over to the United Nations last time, he had lost the right to directly interfere with it. Even his authority as a Wallfacer no longer held absolute power over the Macro-electron Energy Storage Project.
Logically, unless they had some other purpose, there was no reason for Taylor's team to come looking for him.
"It's like this, Mr. Taylor. You previously revealed to the United Nations that you had other plans. Is there anything you need us to do for you?"
Nuclear physics expert John Smith explained why they had come to Lin Feng.
The Macro-electron Energy Storage Project had now entered a stable phase. It had become much easier to operate, to the point that there was practically no difficulty at all.
After all, the Macro-electron Energy Storage Project was basically just a bunch of high-voltage towers, a bunch of construction workers, and Macro Electron energy storage.
The most technical issue had been Macro Electron's storage of electrical energy, and that had already been solved. All that remained was maintenance, and there was no problem leaving that to others.
After learning from the United Nations that Lin Feng had other plans, Taylor's team had voluntarily resigned from their original positions in the Macro-electron Energy Storage Project and come to Lin Feng to await his orders.
"The timing isn't right yet."
What plan? I haven't even thought of one yet. Why are you rushing me? Lin Feng inwardly grumbled. The United Nations was putting pressure on him, using this method to urge him to begin his Wallfacer work sooner.
"The timing?"
Everyone on Taylor's team froze for a moment. From what they had heard from the United Nations, they had assumed Lin Feng was about to tell them the plan.
"Yes, the timing. When the time comes, I'll naturally give you your orders. What we need now is patience." Lin Feng replied with a serious expression.
The right time could be the next second, or after I die of old age. Either way, I decide when it is.
That was Lin Feng's little scheme.
"Then when exactly will that be? When will the timing be right?" John Smith asked cautiously.
Lin Feng shook his head, gazed toward an empty part of the room, and spoke mysteriously.
"I can't say yet. Understand? We can't let those people find out."
Taylor's team immediately understood.
Oh, they got it. Sophon was still monitoring them. Lin Feng was not telling them now because he did not want Trisolaris or the ETO to learn anything about the plan!
"Sorry, we hadn't thought it through."
"It's good that you understand."
Having achieved his goal, Lin Feng exchanged a few more pleasantries with Taylor's team before sending them all away.
Then he put on the VR gear he had obtained from the CIA not long ago.
Working was impossible. There was no way he would work in this lifetime. Only playing games could help pass the boring hours!
Before you continue