The two of them arrived at their destination.
The words "Logget Mechanical Factory" were painted in large, faded letters across a rust-covered iron gate.
Lorne sniffed lightly, and a thick, acrid smell of coal smoke filled his nose, making him frown instinctively. The surroundings were even worse than he had imagined.
"Old Kohler, come inside with me and have a look," Lorne said to the middle-aged man beside him.
"All right."
They entered the factory, but the expected roar of machinery never came. The entire compound was eerily quiet, with hardly any workers moving about.
Had all the workers left because they weren't getting paid?
Still, it wasn't quite right to say there were no workers at all. In front of the three-story office building, they saw some thirty people dressed as workers gathered together. All of them looked agitated, seemingly arguing about something.
"I'll go ask," Old Kohler volunteered. He was familiar with situations like this and knew how to strike up a conversation with workers.
Lorne let him go and simply stood where he was, quietly observing. About five minutes later, Old Kohler hurried back.
"They're demanding their wages," Old Kohler said, his expression tinged with sympathy and helplessness. "The factory owner hasn't paid them for two months."
"Two months?" The corner of Lorne's mouth twitched. If he bought the factory now, would those unpaid wages become his responsibility too?
As expected, Tarkin's judgment had never once been reliable.
"Well, we're already here. We might as well meet the owner." Lorne sighed and headed toward the office building.
"Make way, please. We're here to see your boss." Old Kohler helped clear a path for Lorne.
"If you're here to collect a debt, we got here first!"
"That man isn't going to pay you. Don't waste your time!"
The