30: Chapter 30: Recruiting Staff 30: Chapter 30: Recruiting Staff Allen Zhang watched him with calm and composure.
For someone who committed manslaughter and wanted to self-surrender to prison for repentance but was rejected for trial because he didn’t pay taxes and was thus an undocumented resident, only to be dismissed as a madman after a few hours, the insult to one’s personal dignity is huge!
He dared not even imagine what the expression on the other’s face would have been like at that time.
If things continued this way, the other party would end up with mental issues even if they didn’t have any to begin with.
Sieg wept and sobbed like a wounded stray dog, saying through his tears, “I just want to live a normal life, not be discriminated against, eat my fill every day.
Why has it turned out …”
Only when Sieg’s emotional turbulence gradually subsided and he regained his rationality did Allen Zhang speak, “Buddy, there’s no need to suffer over a moment of confusion and lose hope.
Everyone goes through tough times, but as long as you can make it through, everything will get better!”
“Sieg, do you want to come work with me?
Although I can’t guarantee that your life will be better than before, at least you’ll be able to live like a normal person in the future and regain your dignity,” said Allen Zhang.
“What did you say?” Sieg rubbed his eyes, puzzled, “What exactly do you do?”
“Currently still a vagrant, still collecting cans, but at least I don’t worry about food and drink, and I don’t have to wander the streets; I live under a bridge camp.
Everyone there is nice, enjoys helping others, and welcomes friends like you.”
Allen Zhang extended an invitation, “We’re getting ready to do something big, and we need partners like you!”
“Are you really willing to take me in?” Sieg was surprised, “The organization you’re talking about, is it a street gang?
You’re not doing anything illegal, are you?”
“We’re just trying to survive.
Even as a scavenger, the competition is fierce, and talent and brains are needed!”
Allen Zhang shook his head and said, “Rather than begging for charity on the streets, it’s better to rely on our own hands and work hard.”
Thank you for your generosity and help, buddy.” Sieg put out his fist, mustering a smile, he really had nowhere else to go.
He was already a vagrant, there was nothing worse than this.
“Welcome to Lori Louis 19!”
Allen Zhang bumped fists with him.
He smiled and said, “My name is Alun.
You can also call me Hanberger Juan Jin.”
Sieg remarked, “Hanberger, your name is really straightforward.”
Allen Zhang smiled, “You’re the first to say you like my name.
Sieg, do you know any other veterans with the same situation as you?”
Sieg recollected, “Since I was put on the death list and became undocumented, I lost everything.
During my time wandering, I met some ex-soldiers, but their circumstances are hardly better than mine.
Some were thrown out of their homes due to PTSD, some because of physical disability, or other factors that led them to the streets.
But most veterans are doing pretty well; people like us are probably just rare occurrences.”
“Can’t find work, don’t want to do bad things, even if it’s begging on the street, you still get harassed by police officers and driven away by other vagrants.”
Sieg felt helpless, really unsure of what he could do.
He had once made outstanding contributions to protect this country, yet ended up .
Allen Zhang pondered, “If those veterans are also interested in relying on manual labor to live a normal life, you could try to persuade them later to join our team.
I’m planning to integrate the nearby streets and take over the can recycling rights for the block.
That way, many people will be able to get a stable income from recycling waste, which isn’t a lot, but it’s better than begging on the streets.”
“Wouldn’t that cause conflicts with other scavengers on the streets?” Sieg hesitated.
“I’ll negotiate with them until they accept the conditions.
Or they leave the streets to wander elsewhere,” Allen Zhang said.
“Survival on the street is cruel.
You have to fight for everything yourself, and the strength of one person is limited; you can’t accomplish much alone, that’s why we need to cooperate with more people.”
“I’ll consider it, but I don’t know if the others will want to help you,” Sieg said after thinking it over.
“It’s not just about helping me, but also about helping themselves to fight for a chance to get ahead.
I’m just playing a leading role.” Allen Zhang responded: “Being homeless, you hardly have any extra choices!
Either you struggle and stick together for warmth, or you get bullied, starve, and freeze to death.”
“I understand,” Sieg nodded.
Then he looked at the remaining piece of pizza in the box, with puppy eyes, and asked, “Are you going to eat that?”
Allen glanced at the pizza and cut it in half.
Complaining, he said, “I was so caught up listening to your story, I haven’t even had my fill!
You don’t have a smaller appetite than me, do you?”
The other person had been stuffing his face with food while telling his story, and he hadn’t even noticed.
Now, looking more carefully, well, the whole thing’s been devoured by him!
Not even a chicken bone was left.
“Sorry, I’ve been hungry for a long time,” Sieg said awkwardly.
“You won’t be hungry anymore,” Allen assured him.
The two cleaned up their meal leftovers, threw them in the trash can, and when they wanted to exchange contact information, they realized Sieg didn’t even have a cellphone, as it had been stolen while he slept.
The shoes on his feet were mismatched sizes, picked up from a treasure box.
If he hadn’t run into Dominic, Allen felt that he would have been only slightly better off than Sieg a couple of days ago.
After learning about Sieg’s current financial situation, he realized Sieg was a low-ranking homeless newbie.
Going to resource-rich wild zones would only get him bullied, and he knew nothing about street survival tactics, despite his large size.
Allen firmly recommended Dominic, the homeless expert and mentor for newbies.
He called Dominic and agreed to meet up on a certain street.
Fifteen minutes later, arriving early at the agreed place, Allen and Sieg waited patiently on the side of the road.
Dominic, holding a black trash bag, came across from the pedestrian crossing at the traffic lights, waving his hand.
Behind him followed two people, one a young Black kid with untidy dreads pushing a small cart, the other a blonde girl with a nose ring and a backpack.
“Dominic, you’re here.” Allen fist-bumped him, then turned to the two others, somewhat surprised.
These two are still minors, right?
Dominic introduced them: “These are my partners I picked up from the streets, David and Gate.”
The Black kid, David, nodded, saying warmly, “Hello, I’m David.”
The blonde girl, Gate, grinned: “I heard you’ve got a cool idea, planning to clean up the street trash and take over several streets to create a powerful gang, right?
By then, we’ll be the old-timers in the gang!”
Allen and Sieg exchanged glances.
Sieg looked at him with confusion, clearly thinking, what’s this about, aren’t we supposed to be the scavenger Beggar Gang?
Worried Sieg might misunderstand something, Allen immediately pulled Dominic aside and whispered, “What are you doing?
Didn’t I ask you to find partners?
Who are these two kids you’ve brought me?
They’re still underage, aren’t they?
Don’t their families care?”
Innocent Dominic replied, “Don’t panic, Allen, I’ve already spread the word as you instructed to the people on nearby streets.
Many said they would consider it, but a lot also brushed it off as nothing and even chased me away violently.
I had to pay 20 US Dollars to get off that street.
In the end, only David and Gate were willing to join our team.”
“Don’t underestimate them because they’re young; they’ve been on the streets even longer than I have.
David has been homeless since he was 9, and Gate ran away from home when she was 12.
Her closest friends and relatives are all in Washington, and no one’s going to look after her.”
Been on the streets since he was 9?
It’s hard to imagine…