Chapter 82 (1/2)

Beneath Huang Xuan's feet was a small drain that was overflowing with murky water. It led downhill, carrying trash along with it. The murky water spread out in all directions.

All around him were crooked, dangerous-looking apartments, huts, and brick houses. Huang Xuan surveyed his surroundings. What he saw reminded him of the aftermath of an earthquake. If there were a couple of dark-skinned children in the area, he would have thought he was in Tang Shan.

”Africa?” Huang Xuan warily asked Rolin.

”We're in the state of Michigan, east of Detroit. Similarity: 91%. We can stay here for about ten days.”

”A poverty-stricken area?” Maybe it was more appropriate to say, ”Poverty-stricken cave.” Huang Xuan reached for the thick leather hat on his head. Inside, he was wearing a small, round cap. The dense metal intertwined with his hair underneath it.

”Yes,” Rolin answered in a matter-of-fact way. ”However, you should pay attention to the children in front of you. They don't seem to welcome you.”

That was only normal. In 1931, the United States of America was going through the Great Depression. More than 20% of people lost their jobs. This problem was more prevalent in cities with cars. Most skilled workers were retrenched. Even though Ford paid his workers $5 a day, the situation remained largely the same.

The weaker people were always the main force of the unemployed army. Detroit's black population was no exception. Although they were not crazy enough to see Asians as their enemies, their hostility was evident from the children's eyes.

In actual fact, nothing Huang Xuan did seemed to be effective in calming the children down. A few black children thought he looked annoying. They slowly walked forward.

”I'd bet that his shoes are worth a dollar,” the leader was referring to Huang Xuan's Nike shoes. They were only supported by simple alloys and gold. However, from the outside, his shoes looked st.u.r.dy. It was obvious that they were of top quality.

”50 cents,” another child guessed. There was a total of five of them. The oldest was probably 15 years old. Then again, perhaps black people matured faster.

Huang Xuan could hear their conversation loud and clear. Had they been in his country, he would have charged over and given the fella a punch. He would have hit him until his eyes swelled. He would have told him that his shoes were worth US$200. However, he was now in a foreign village. Naturally, he was cautious. He looked around once more as if he was being ambushed.

”My advice is to run.” Of course, Rolin did not want to consume energy unnecessarily. The energy was consumed at a much higher rate in another plane than in P112.

A few adults stood slightly further away. They did not interfere with the children's advance. There were generally three types of people who lived in this poverty-stricken area: people who wanted to leave, people who have given up on trying to leave, and people who were about to leave. However, regardless of which type of person one was, he had to do his best to find a job each day. Only then would he be able to survive.

Fighting was a pastime here. Huang Xuan only needed to look at the children's rough hands and scarred arms to understand that. Although his body was stronger, the chances of him winning against the five of them were low. After looking to his left and right, he helplessly began to run. Even if he managed to fight off those five children, more would have joined in. The gangs on the American streets have taught him enough — that a .45 caliber Colt could well appear at any time.

”Chase him!” the children shouted. Huang Xuan kept up an even pace and ran 1 km in total. He had been on the border of the poverty-stricken area before; now, he was far away from it.

There was still murky water beneath his feet. He continued running as limestone splashed onto his pant legs.

”Shall we sell some food first?” Huang Xuan asked Rolin out of habit. ”Where's the nearest market?”

”Battle Creek is a food distribution center in Detroit. It is also the satellite town outside of Detroit. But I don't think we'll be able to sell enough food.”

”Why?” The people whom Huang Xuan had just seen looked hungry. Under these circ.u.mstances, they could probably sell the food at a slightly higher price.

Rolin answered, ”Because it's the Great Depression. The prices of the agricultural products began to fall two years ago. Food is often even cheaper than transport. Yet, n.o.body will be able to afford it.”

”This is the age where milk is poured into the river?” Huang Xuan remembered a teacher had said before, that some time back, during a financial crisis, capitalist societies poured milk and coffee into the rivers and seas. They also shot their cattle in caves.

”That's right,” Rolin's answer left Huang Xuan feeling weak. He'd much rather throw the 15,000 tonnes of wheat into the sea than bring it back with him.

In 1929, just before Wall Street collapsed, the prices of America's agricultural products spiraled downward. It all started with the Soviet wood price war. Following that, Canada's excessive cultivation of wheat sparked the panic. Ultimately, this caused the stock market to crash and the Great Depression to begin.

Simply put, the higher the output, the higher the expenditure, and the more the wealth. However, for the capitalist markets, expenditure remained the same or dropped despite the increase in output. The manufacturers' earnings were thus reduced. When their profit became unpredictable, they shut down their factory. Expenditure further fell, and the crisis became worse.

The reason the economic crisis, which occurred in the '30s, was named the Great Depression had a lot to do with the wild investments which took place in the '20s. Factory owners expanded their production in the hopes of increasing their productivity. They produced so much, yet were disappointed in the end.

The atmosphere of disappointment could be distinctly felt in Detroit. Huang Xuan strolled by a river that flowed through the city. Along the way, he met many homeless and hopeless people. He also came across men who were able-bodied but who had nothing to do.