Capítulo 264: Chapter 264
Chapter 264: Escaping to East Africa
The bustling port of Venice was filled with people, all anxiously awaiting their turn.
"Don't push, everyone, please line up. First, register your information, and then you'll receive a number plate for boarding the ship. Those in the back, don't jump the queue, and don't worry; we'll be here for a few days!" declared a staff member from the East African Immigration Department atop a wooden crate, using a loudspeaker to address the crowd.
As news of the Austro-Hungarian Empire's declaration of war on Italy spread, the people in the Venice area who hadn't yet boarded ships woke up to the grim reality—the war was coming.
In fact, the more astute individuals in the Venice region had been planning their escape for some time, realizing that war was imminent. Based on past experiences, many who had connections chose to flee to the Austro-Hungarian Empire's hinterlands, Italy, or sought refuge in France or Switzerland.
This year, however, was different from previous years. The Kingdom of East Africa and the Hexingen Consortium had made advanced preparations, and many ships were already stationed in Italian ports, ready for departure to East Africa.
For common people, avoiding the war meant avoiding unemployment. To survive this tumultuous period, they needed to either seek shelter with friends and family or find new job opportunities in peaceful places.
Workers in the Venice region were relatively fortunate as they possessed skills. In a rapidly industrializing Europe, many places faced a shortage of labor. The less fortunate were the farmers, especially those without relatives to take them in. They had no choice but to stay behind and face the consequences of war.
East Africa had been actively recruiting immigrants from Italy for some time, with mixed results. Italians were dispersed worldwide, with many having emigrated to North and South America. However, now that war had broken out, the people in the Venice area were less selective. They simply wanted to escape, and Hexingen had the most immigrant ships available.
"What's your name, where in Venice are you from, do you have any family members with you, your previous occupation, and do you have any special skills?" asked an immigration officer.
"Sir, my name is Thomas, I'm from the village of Timoto in the east of Venice. I'm here with my wife and two daughters. My occupation? I'm a farmer, and I'm good at fishing, does that count?" replied Thomas.
"Of course!" the staff member replied, noting his occupation as "farmer, part-time fisherman."
"This is your number plate. Take it and bring your family with you. When you return here later, see the yellow sign over there? Assemble there, and someone will guide you to board the ship!" the staff member handed Thomas a yellow sign with the number 3303 on it.
"Sir! Excuse me..."
"Don't ask questions now! If you have any concerns, speak to the team leader later. My role here is solely registration. Please move along. Many people are waiting in line behind you!" urged the staff member.
"Alright, sir. I apologize," Thomas replied and turned to find his family.
Navigating the crowd, Thomas finally located his wife and daughters beneath a streetlight.
"Jenny, I'm back. I got our boarding pass. Look!" he exclaimed.
"Honey, there's only one sign. Can it be used for all of us?" inquired his wife.
"The person organizing the immigrants told me that this sign is for families. So one sign should be sufficient."
His wife accepted the sign and attempted to decipher the German text on it but couldn't make sense of it.
"Perhaps this is a family sign. I saw others receive different colors, but as long as they were with their families, they were all yellow."
Thomas scratched his head. "Maybe that's it. I wanted to ask, but there were so many people, and the staff member seemed a bit impatient. He said we could ask the team leader after we gather at the designated location."
As he spoke, he pointed to a three-meter-high yellow sign erected on the pier and noticed signs of various other colors nearby.
"Mom and Dad, where are we going? There are so many people here," Thomas' younger daughter, Little Jenny, asked.
Kneeling down to her level, Thomas explained, "We're going to a faraway place. We'll board a big ship and sail across the sea. That place is called East Africa, and it will be our new home."
"What about our old home?" Little Jenny inquired.
"Our old home is no longer safe," Thomas replied, struggling to explain the cruelty of war to his daughter.
"Why?" she pressed.
"Because there..." Thomas hesitated, finding it difficult to describe the harsh realities of war.
Coming to his rescue, his wife Jenny said, "Because two bad people came to our old home, making it unsafe for us to stay. We have to move to a new place."
"Why didn't Dad just chase them away so we could stay in our old home?" Little Jenny asked innocently.
Both Thomas and his wife fell silent.
...
"Don't push, and please keep the noise down!" Mars, an employee of the Venice shipyard, began to maintain order among the boarding passengers.
"Before boarding, allow me to introduce myself. I'm in charge of immigration on this ship, and you can call me Mars. Feel free to ask me any questions during our voyage," Mars announced in rudimentary Italian.
"Before we proceed, let me warn you. East Africa is a country governed by laws, so anyone who's idle or undisciplined can disembark now. Don't regret it once we arrive in East Africa. The law is strictly enforced, and there's a shortage of entertainment venues like casinos or taverns, so gamblers and alcoholics can disembark now. Additionally, East Africa doesn't use cash, and there are no thieves or robbers there. If you belong to any of these categories, disembark now; there's no place for such individuals."
Mars' words led several families to withdraw, mostly childless couples who likely planned to start a new life in East Africa. Mars' words had dashed their expectations for East Africa. They either disembarked or chose to go to the United States or Argentina.
After these individuals left, no one else chose to disembark.
At this point, someone in the crowd asked, "Mr. Mars, your description of East Africa makes it sound like a prison. Why is that?"
Mars replied matter-of-factly, "East Africa is a law-abiding country where the law serves the interests of the majority. Law enforcement there is much stricter than in Europe. Such an environment is excellent for ordinary people. As long as you're law-abiding, honest, and hardworking, you'll lead a comfortable life. We just don't welcome the idle, those with poor self-control, or those who like to take shortcuts."
"I don't care about those things. I just want to know if my family and I will have enough food in East Africa. We don't mind hard work," someone asked, voicing their primary concern.
"As long as you're willing to work, you won't go hungry wherever you go. Let me make this clear: there's a labor shortage in East Africa, so don't worry about finding work. It depends on whether you're willing to accept it," Mars assured
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