"Not a bad gun..."
Lorne held a freshly manufactured Lever-Action Shotgun, examining it closely. The gun gleamed with a cold metallic sheen, and its wooden stock had been polished smooth, comfortable to hold and free of even the slightest splinter.
This was one of the first batch of samples Factory Manager Ted had given him.
The factory workers' craftsmanship was better than he had expected. Although the gun still bore quite a few traces of hand finishing, its key components had all been machined. Compared with the Ripper he had cobbled together with crude tools aboard the Golden Dream, both its precision and reliability were more than a notch above.
"What a shame. My Ripper was left behind at sea. I wonder if Tracy will take it apart to vent her anger."
First-edition weapons often had considerable collectible value, and Lorne felt a pang of regret. Before his transmigration, an early-model pistol personally crafted by Browning could fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction.
He sighed and pulled his wandering thoughts back to reality.
Over the past two days, the factory's situation had improved at a visibly rapid pace. Factory Manager Ted had successfully paid the workers their overdue wages and brought back some veteran workers who had left over pay issues. As the owner behind the scenes, Lorne had generously announced a blanket increase of two soli in every employee's weekly wages, instantly igniting the workers' enthusiasm.
Old Kohler had also officially started work as the factory's new gatekeeper. Although his wages were lower than those of the skilled workers on the production floor, the job was easy and undemanding. He could also stay in the dormitory provided by the factory, saving a considerable amount in expenses. It was enough to let him live with far more dignity