Carrot and Stick

Boom Manor Residence.

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

Stella was carefully treating 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 the bloodstains from the windowsill, trying to restore some order to the room filled with traces of violence.

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

In his hand, he toyed with a Devil Fruit.

Paramecia: Bomb-Bomb Fruit.

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

That counted as weakening a future enemy force.

A satisfied curve lifted at Dawn's lips. If he wanted to develop in the underworld, the Donquixote Family was a force he would inevitably have to deal with. Now, through a twist of fate, the Donquixote Family had lost this fruit. That was indirectly weakening them as well.

"All right, that's taken care of. This is as much as my skills can manage."

Stella's gentle voice interrupted his thoughts.

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

After confirming that his injuries would not affect his mobility, he swept his gaze over Stella before turning it toward Robin, who had stopped working and was looking over.

"You two, change the style of this place. I don't really like this rough look. I'm going to check on the mines 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 as he strode out of the residence that had just changed hands.

The mines.

The blazing midday sun mercilessly scorched the ground. The massive pit was like a scar upon the earth, radiating distorted waves of heat.

At that moment, whether they were ragged, filthy miners or alert overseers holding whips, all of them were unusually quiet. An emotion called fear 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 cruelly, or carry out a bloody purge? No one knew.

The miners huddled 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 their new master's temperament and figure out how to preserve their positions. Though equally uneasy, the two groups remained clearly divided, separated by rigid barriers.

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

Steady, powerful footsteps with a distinct rhythm sounded from the edge of the mine pit. They drew nearer and nearer, like drumbeats pounding against everyone's hearts. All eyes were instantly drawn over, conversations abruptly ceased, and dead silence blanketed the mine.

Dawn appeared at the edge of the pit. His golden hair flowed beneath the blazing sun with the luster of molten gold, 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 exuded a pressure more intimidating than any words.

He stood there like a male 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 gazes focused on him, filled with tension, suspicion, and a faint trace of hope.

"The old rules are abolished from today onward. A new work system will be implemented! Each person only needs to work eight hours a day! Any extra time 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 dead silent for a moment before erupting in an uproar of disbelief!

An eight-hour workday? Monthly pay? In this world, where laborers were treated like weeds, working fifteen or sixteen hours a day was commonplace, and keeping people alive with spoiled food was already considered merciful, it sounded like pure fantasy!

The miners' eyes widened, wondering whether the blazing sun had made them hear things. The overseers looked at each other as well, unable to believe it.

An older miner with slightly more courage, 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 asked the question on everyone's mind. In an instant, all eyes focused on Dawn once more, filled with longing and a need for confirmation.

Dawn nodded heavily.

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

"However, a new system comes with new rules! From now on, I'll set reasonable workloads based on the output of the mines and factories. Finish your work, get paid! Exceed it, get rewarded! But if anyone is caught slacking off, cutting corners, or deliberately loafing around..."

His gaze swept across the crowd like a cold blade, making quite a few people instinctively shrink their necks.

"The punishment will be doubled as well! That includes, but is not limited to, deductions from that month's pay and even harsher penalties! Do you understand?"

"Understood, Boss Dawn!"

After a brief silence came a deafening response, mixed with wild joy and hope. The miners in particular 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 chance to improve their lives and pursue even a little dignity!

Dawn looked at the crowd below, now swept up in a sea of celebration, without much change in expression.

Knowledge from another world had taught him that productivity sustained purely through exploitation and fear was inefficient and unsustainable. Only by giving people proper incentives and dignity could greater potential be unleashed.

Boom had handed most of the output over to the World Government, yet even by selling only a small portion externally, he had still made a fortune.

Dawn would not be a dog for the World Nobles. All output would be turned into his funds and resources. This slight increase in wage expenses was not worth mentioning before the soon-to-explode efficiency and complete control of the sales channels.

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

"These are my Dark Clones. When I'm not here, they'll be responsible for supervising work efficiency and... maintaining order."

Dawn casually explained. One of the clones raised a hand at random and aimed at a massive chunk of discarded ore beside the mine pit.

A powerful dark gravitational force burst forth. The huge rock was crushed as if gripped by an invisible giant hand, instantly turning into dust that sifted down.

At that sight, all cheers abruptly stopped once again, replaced by deep awe. Strength was the most straightforward language on these seas.

Leaving the clones behind as a warning, 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 same process, announcing the same new system and causing the same enormous reaction and support. Likewise, he left behind five Dark Clones as both supervisors and a guarantee of force.

TO BE CONTINUED