Munitions Empire

Chapter 28: 28 old acquaintances

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They didn't leave because Tang Mo dismissed them, but of their own accord—people need to eat, they can't just squat here and starve.

"I've found you two people as per your request, both of whom are quite skilled and have no issues with their character. They're old acquaintances and have worked with your father before; they can be trusted.

In addition, there are a few newcomers with a clean slate, but their skills are mediocre." As Tang Mo seemed to be reminiscing, Roger continued, "They are quite satisfied with the remuneration we offer and are willing to give it a try."

In these times, with war looming and the economy in a slump, life is not easy for anyone. Now that the workshop has need of them again and can guarantee a salary, these old-timers naturally wish to come back to their familiar work.

The young people feel the same. They don't have any particular skills and are just starting out as mercenaries. They always need to accumulate some work experience and hone their skills in order to acquire a respectable track record.

Tang Mo nodded. He urgently needed to establish his own team to ensure his safety.

After all, he only had Wes, which could be considered an armed force at his disposal, and this seemed far too meager.

Moreover, Wes, a Ranger from the Northern Ridge, had come to him and offered his services voluntarily, which meant his loyalty wasn't particularly high. He was only using him because there was no one else available—this was the plight Tang Mo was in!

Therefore, he naturally approved of old Roger's work and agreed, "Good! They don't need to be extremely skilled; they just need to be loyal to us."

While speaking, he sighed with a touch of helplessness, "As you can see, the people here are becoming more and more mixed."

The truth was, Tang Mo had always been thinking about establishing his own protective forces, but he simply hadn't had sufficient energy or strength to do it.

On one hand, he was rushing to resume production and to start turning a profit in the workshop. On the other hand, he had to expand production to ensure the speed of his own development... As a result, the manpower and resources he could spare for setting up a private armed force were very limited.

Now that he could let Roger find a few reliable hands, it meant that he had exhausted his last bit of "private funds," without keeping any profit for himself.

Tang Mo hung up his towel and then turned back to sit in his own place, continuing to speak to Roger, "You know, our security is all handled by Earl's men, and while there's nothing wrong with Tagg's character, we can't always depend on the soldiers he brings. We must change this situation, which is also why I asked you to bring back some reliable old-timers."

"You're right. Although Wes is not bad, his loyalty isn't very reassuring." Roger also felt uneasy about the chaotic relationships in the entire workshop and agreed, "So, I brought Luff and Bernard back. With them around, I think the workshop's safety is guaranteed."

"I knew you could handle it." Recalling the appearances of these two from his memory, Tang Mo's smile grew wider.

Both men were old-timers in the workshop. Bernard began following Tang Mo's father at the age of seventeen or eighteen and was now in his prime at thirty. Luff, on the other hand, was almost forty, experienced and steady with a strong swordsmanship skill, making him a reliable old acquaintance.

After acknowledging these two, Tang Mo looked at old Roger and continued, "That's why I hope you will focus more on training our own armed forces in the future. Soon we'll be mass-producing breechloaders. Combined with our handcrafted revolvers, arming a dozen or so people and establishing a defense force loyal to us won't be difficult."

In Tang Mo's view, the tactical advantage built upon advanced weaponry could easily compensate for deficiencies in combat experience.

As long as this independent armed force belonging to him could be outfitted with revolvers, the advantage in firepower would easily allow them to defeat enemies several times their number in close combat.

Moreover, he had even more weapons to develop, which he could equip his Personal Guard with first. With such weaponry, even if they faced off against the soldiers brought by Tagg, they would easily emerge victorious.

"I've already brought them here, and all of them are under Luff's management. According to your instructions, I'll issue them weapons and have them commence training as soon as possible," old Roger said, relieved that Tang Mo was satisfied with his work.

He wasn't young anymore, forty-three this year, and running around with old limbs wasn't easy every day.

For half a month straight, he had been running around for the workshop's business, assembling new steam engines on one side and on the other, dealing with Tang Mo's raw material affairs, so tired that he was almost falling apart.

It's no small feat to keep the whole workshop running, especially now as Tang Mo was also expanding and upgrading equipment, which made all the work even more disorganized and finicky.

"Use those junk flintlock guns left in the warehouse first! Let them train simply! No matter, there will soon be breechloaders." Tang Mo was not going to short-change his own people. Letting his armed forces use the most advanced weapons first was clearly in his fundamental interest.

However, Tang Mo didn't plan to have these individuals leave production. He wasn't wealthy enough yet to support a full-time military force.

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So, he continued, "Additionally, I want them to level some land in their spare time... After all, I've paid them, they can't be idle! First, they should clear a range in the wasteland so they can practice shooting during their regular routine!"

"Understood!" Roger nodded, thinking of Luff's expression upon hearing this order, a hint of a smile appeared on his face.

Tang Mo was aware that, theoretically speaking, the most suitable person to lead this Troop was Wes, but Wes's loyalty was clearly not as strong as old Roger's.

Moreover, Roger was already old and had no children; he had always been alone, so he wasn't really suited to continue working in the factory anymore.

Tang Mo intended to let old Roger retire and become his butler, simply having him assist with minor errands. Indeed, Roger was already moving in that direction, handing over his work responsibilities to Mathews and Parker.

"Later, have Luff and Bernard come see me, and... allocate wooden shacks for these people... let them live as comfortably as possible," Tang Mo thought for a moment, then instructed old Roger.

"Alright! I'm going to rest a bit, then I'll go check with Mathews about the parts for the third steam engine and see if there's anything I can help with..." Roger stood up and said to Tang Mo.

"Thank you for your hard work!" Tang Mo also stood up, sending out the elder who had been taking care of him like an uncle since his arrival in this world.

"It's nothing," Roger said without looking back.

The available talent, from any perspective, was still too scarce; even with some old hands from the workshop recalled, the shortfall was glaring... Tang Mo sighed inwardly, walked out with his hands behind his back.

He passed the factory building he had just left, the only one currently in operation within the entire workshop. He checked on Parker and his few apprentices at work.

To his relief, the apprentices were all grateful, aware of how precious their job opportunities were, so they worked meticulously, studied hard, and the parts they finished were of quite high quality.

At least there was a decent beginning now, wasn't there? Tang Mo consoled himself internally, encouraging himself to quickly step out of the negative emotions.

In reality, Tang Mo now had over three hundred people in his hands. By numbers, his workshop's scale was already significant. Of those three hundred, about one-third were original workshop workers, roughly a hundred people.

Including the workers from Northern Ridge, the number was over a hundred. There were not supposed to be that many, but the Earl, eager for weapons, rounded the number up to one hundred for Tang Mo, and actually, a hundred and six arrived.

Additionally, there were workers and construction workers recruited intermittently, as well as workers' families who had arrived, roughly seventy to eighty people in number.

Tagg and his big-headed Soldiers, a total of nine, and the seven or eight "security" personnel Tang Mo had hired for the factory.

All in all, this was a workshop with a complex composition and a now quite large number of people. Of these people, about two hundred and twenty had wooden shacks or dormitories to stay in; the remaining eighty-plus could only live in tents.

Of course, wooden shacks were also being built, and some space in the warehouse had been freed up, but it still had never been inhabited.

Because Tang Mo was converting that place into a workshop for producing smokeless gunpowder; a few carpenters were inside building long tables and some stools.

Since the workshop could produce firearms, it naturally could also process wood. But no one ever thought that Tang Mo would use carpenters who were supposed to make gunstocks and barrels for such menial tasks as crafting simple tables and stools...

Now the entire workshop looked like a giant construction site, with construction scenes everywhere. The factory building originally used for smelting iron was also half under renovation; the only one still maintaining production was the one housing the steam engine.

There, Parker was leading his apprentices, working hard with the steam engine, and other workers learning by their side.

The drilling machines were running day and night, producing barrel after barrel. In fact, it wasn't right to say that Tang Mo hadn't been producing the Quick Gun, because he was indeed stockpiling the barrels needed to manufacture firearms.

After a few days, he had accumulated thirty barrels. This number was actually quite frightening because in other workshops that would virtually equal a month's total production.

Tang Mo knew that once his workers got going, they could use up these accumulated barrels in a matter of days to supply Tagg with over thirty K1 Quick Guns.