Carrot and Stick

Boom Manor Residence.

The lingering smell of gunpowder mingled with the faint scent of medicine. Dawn sat casually on a freshly wiped wooden chair, bare-chested, bandages wrapped from his broad shoulders down to his toned waist and abdomen.

Stella was carefully tending to the last few wounds on his body. Her movements were gentle and focused, as though she were handling a precious work of art.

Not far away, Robin stood on tiptoe, laboriously wiping bloodstains from the windowsill, trying to restore order to this room filled with traces of violence.

Dawn's attention was not on his injuries, nor was it entirely on the beautiful woman tending to him.

In his hand, he toyed with a Devil Fruit.

Paramecia: Bomb-Bomb Fruit.

Not long ago, after its former owner Boom died, Dawn had used his ability and the fruit stored in his inventory space to make this fruit respawn on the spot.

This counted as weakening a future enemy force, didn't it?

A satisfied smile curled at Dawn's lips. To develop in the Underworld, the Donquixote Family was a force he would inevitably have to deal with. Now, by a twist of fate, the Donquixote Family had lost this fruit. That was indirectly weakening them as well.

"All right, it's taken care of. This is as much as I can do."

Stella's soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

Dawn stood and lightly moved his shoulders and chest. The lines of muscle beneath the bandages rose and fell smoothly with his movements, brimming with strength.

After confirming that his injuries would not hinder his movements, his gaze swept over Stella before settling on Robin, who had stopped working and looked over.

"You two, change the style of this place. I don't like this rough look. I'm going to check out the mine and the arms factory."

After giving his instructions, he casually grabbed a clean black shirt and draped it over himself without buttoning it, leaving his bandages and solid chest and abdominal muscles exposed. He then strode straight out of the residence that had just changed hands.

The mine.

The blazing midday sun scorched the ground without mercy. The enormous pit was like a scar upon the earth, radiating waves of distorted heat.

At that moment, both the ragged, dirt-covered miners and the whip-wielding overseers standing guard with wary expressions were unusually quiet. An emotion called panic silently spread through the air.

News of Boom's death had already swept across the island like the wind. How would the new ruler treat them? Would he exploit them even more brutally, or carry out a bloody purge? No one knew.

The miners gathered together and whispered among themselves, their eyes full of confusion and fear for the future;

The overseers formed their own group, murmuring as they tried to gauge the new master's temperament and figure out how to preserve their positions. Though equally uneasy, the two groups remained sharply divided, with firm barriers between them.

"Thud... thud... thud..."

Steady, powerful footsteps rang out from the edge of the mine pit. They drew closer, each distinct beat like a drum pounding against everyone's hearts. Every gaze was instantly drawn over. The conversations stopped abruptly, and deathly silence enveloped the pit.

Dawn appeared at the edge of the mine pit. His golden hair flowed with a molten sheen beneath the blazing sun, while his calm gaze swept across the crowd below.

Though the conspicuous bandages covering his body showed that he was not uninjured, his tall, upright frame and the muscles the bandages could not fully conceal gave off an oppressive presence more intimidating than any words.

He stood there like a lion that had temporarily sheathed its claws and fangs. No one dared underestimate him.

Dawn cleared his throat. His voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly through the silent mine pit to every ear.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Dawn, your new boss. From today onward, you, and everything on this island, belong to me and work for me."

He deliberately paused, giving those below time to process the information. Countless eyes focused on him, filled with tension, suspicion, and a faint glimmer of hope.

"The old rules are abolished as of today. A new work system will be implemented! Everyone only needs to work eight hours a day! Any time beyond that counts as overtime and will be paid separately!

"And starting next month, everyone—whether miner or overseer—will receive money every month as long as they complete their basic workload! Beli, real Beli!"

The crowd fell silent for a moment before erupting into an uproar of disbelief!

An eight-hour workday? Monthly pay? In a world where laborers were treated worse than weeds, where working fifteen or sixteen hours a day was commonplace, and where being kept alive with rotten food was already considered mercy, this was simply a fantasy!

The miners' eyes widened, wondering if the blazing sun had made them hallucinate. The overseers stared at one another, equally unable to believe it.

One bolder old miner, his skin darkened and cracked by the sun, tremblingly raised his hand.

"Sir, is... is what you said true? We really only work eight hours a day? You'll really... really pay us?"

He had voiced the question in everyone's heart. In an instant, all eyes focused on Dawn again, full of longing and a need for confirmation.

Dawn nodded firmly.

"Of course it's true! My word is my bond!"

"However, the new system comes with new rules! From now on, I'll set reasonable workloads based on the output of the mine and factories. Those who complete them get paid! Those who exceed them receive rewards! But if anyone is caught cutting corners or slacking off..."

His gaze swept over the crowd like an icy blade, making quite a few people instinctively shrink their necks.

"The punishments will be doubled as well! This includes, but is not limited to, deductions from that month's wages, or even harsher penalties! Do you understand?"

"Understood, Boss Dawn!"

After a brief silence came a deafening response, filled with wild joy and hope. The miners especially were nearly moved to tears.

An eight-hour workday meant they would have more time to rest and spend with their families;

Monthly pay meant they could finally live like human beings, with the possibility of improving their lives and pursuing even a little dignity!

Dawn watched the crowd below plunge into a sea of celebration, but his expression remained mostly unchanged.

Knowledge from another world had taught him that productivity maintained solely through exploitation and fear was low and unsustainable. Only by offering proper incentives and dignity could greater potential be unleashed.

Boom had handed over most of the output to the World Government, yet even selling the small remainder externally had made him a fortune.

Dawn would not be a dog for the World Nobles. All production would be converted into his funds and resources. This minor increase in wage expenses was not worth mentioning compared to the soon-to-explode efficiency and his complete control over sales channels.

He beckoned over the head overseer and obtained the miners' roster. Under the crowd's reverent gazes, the shadow at his feet spread, and five clones composed entirely of profound dark energy silently condensed, standing quietly at the edge of the mine pit.

"These are my darkness clones. When I'm not around, they'll be responsible for supervising work efficiency and... maintaining order."

Dawn casually explained. One of the clones raised a hand at random, aiming at a massive chunk of discarded ore beside the pit.

A powerful dark Gravity burst forth. The boulder was crushed as though gripped by an invisible giant hand, instantly turning into powder that fell in a soft shower.

The sight made every cheer die out once more, replaced by deep reverence. Strength was the most straightforward language on these seas.

Leaving the clones behind as a deterrent, Dawn did not linger. He turned and headed for another core location on the island—the arms factory.

At the arms factory, he repeated the process, announcing the same new system and receiving the same massive reaction and support. Likewise, he left behind five darkness clones as both supervisors and a guarantee of force.

TO BE CONTINUED