Chapter 43 – Triggering “Self-Destruction”

Chapter 43 – Triggering "Self-Destruction"

"What do you think? Are you satisfied with the location?"

Wang Zhixian smiled as he showed Yang Wendong around the designated workspace—an office space adjacent to one of Kowloon Wharf's main warehouses.

Yang glanced around and nodded. "It's better than I expected."

The space was roughly 1,000 square feet, and now belonged entirely to them. Of course, the only condition was: "Don't break anything," as Wang put it.

"No problem," Yang said. "I've already arranged for additional help from the shantytown. When can we begin?"

"You can start tomorrow if you want," Wang replied. "What do you need from us?"

"Not much," Yang answered. "I already have enough people. You know how cheap labor from the shantytown is—it costs a fraction of what you'd pay locally, and they even have some experience.

"But I do need your support in the distribution strategy. The glue boards I sold to you—I plan to give them away at first, to encourage residents around the docks to use them in their homes."

"That's fine," Wang said. "But how will you prevent people from wasting them—or not using them at all?"

Kowloon Wharf had allocated a significant budget for this project. The infestation was no small matter.

If rats from the port made it onto ships and spread to other countries, the reputational damage could be catastrophic.

It wasn't just about product loss—it was about international trust.

In fact, during previous pest control efforts, expensive metal traps were also handed out for free, and those cost several dollars each. Now, the glue boards were cheaper and easier to use, but the risk of waste remained.

Yang replied, "There will always be some waste. That's inevitable. The key is to incentivize usage.

"We give them a reason to participate. For example, if someone catches a rat, they can bring the board back for a small reward."

"Wait… more rewards?" Wang frowned slightly. "But we're already giving the boards away for free."

"Yes," Yang said calmly. "But if we want results quickly, we need a policy that drives behavior.

"Without rewards, people will sit back and wait for someone else to do the work. It's human nature.

"In other countries—like the U.S. or the Soviet Union—cities that ran similar extermination campaigns often paid people per rat. Or they offered food, coupons, or goods in exchange."

Wang thought about it, then nodded. "You're right. Getting it done quickly is what matters most."

Yang smiled. "I'll let you decide the incentive structure."

Wang replied, "Actually, I've already discussed it with the port authority. They plan to offer job incentives. Whoever contributes the most to rat control gets preference for high-paying work."

Yang's eyes lit up. "That's smart—cheaper than paying cash, but still effective."

Dock work varied greatly in pay.

Jobs that allowed workers to board cargo ships were highly sought after—they paid more and came with certain perks.

But most of the people living around the docks were either unemployed or working in unstable roles. Many had resorted to joining gangs just to survive.

For a chance at steady work, people were often willing to fight and bleed.

If rat-catching became a route to employment, it could genuinely mobilize the community.

"So what about the rats inside the dockyard itself?" Wang asked.

"That's a different problem," Yang replied. "There's too much foot traffic, and cargo is constantly moving. We can't place traps. And poison is out of the question—if even a trace of it gets on a shipping container, and it's detected overseas, the entire shipment gets rejected."

"So manual labor, then?" Wang said.

"Exactly," Yang confirmed. "We'll have to rely on people."

"How many?" Wang asked.

"I'll need to do a proper inspection," Yang said. "But I plan to recruit from the shantytown. They're affordable, and I trust them."

"Alright. Just deliver the results," Wang said simply.

…

That same day, after securing the space and finalizing the plan, Yang did a full walkthrough of the port.

Now that he had clearance, he studied every corner of Kowloon Wharf. He took notes on layout, lighting, sewer entrances, and potential nesting areas.

He also spoke with long-term employees—dockworkers who had worked night shifts for years.

These men had witnessed rat activity firsthand, and knew the hotspots better than anyone.

Later that evening, Wang returned with a thick folder.

"Here," he said. "Reports from previous extermination efforts."

Yang flipped through the contents. "Thanks. This will help a lot."

"No problem. Anything that helps us do the job right," Wang said.

Yang nodded. "There's good data here. The areas with the most captures before are likely still the main infestations—unless something major changed."

"Not really," Wang replied. "Cargo changes daily, but the physical layout stays the same—drainage, storage, boundaries."

"Perfect," Yang said. "We'll start there. In the first few days, we need visible results."

"Exactly. Let's impress the executives."

"Oh, and by the way," Wang added, "our team got approval for the incentive system. Workers who catch rats will be eligible for better-paying jobs. Combined with your glue boards, we should see good participation."

Yang smiled. "Great."

"I'll bring around 30 people tomorrow," Yang added. "First, I'll train them. Then we begin."

"Good. I'll drop by too. I'm curious to see your methods."

…

The next morning, 32 young men from the shantytown arrived at Kowloon Wharf, led by Zhao Liming.

The first class of Yang's "Rat Extermination Academy" had officially begun.

Yang stood in front of the group and said, "Everyone here knows how to catch rats. Some of you have your own methods. I want you to try them out.

"Whoever performs best will get to teach others—and earn more."

Wang, standing nearby, nodded. So far, so good. Everyone was here for the same reason: to make money.

Then Yang added, "But the most effective method isn't what you think. It's when we let the rats kill each other."

Wang: "???"

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