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Chapter 168 Food Chain
Chapter 168 Food Chain (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets, 10/12)
The construction site in Pittsburgh is currently closed.
The state troop's roadblocks on the highway not only cut off supplies from Erie and Scranton, but also shattered the city's confidence.
Bad news always comes in droves.
Ethan pushed open the office door.
"Morganfield has moved."
Ethan walked to the desk, his voice low.
"In addition to the inland port, our renovation projects in three communities in the city have also been suspended today."
Leo looked up and put down his pen.
That was the core project of the "Revitalization Plan Phase II".
The construction was carried out by several local medium-sized construction companies, but behind these companies, there was the shadow of Morganfield Industries. In Pittsburgh, it was impossible to completely avoid Morganfield's supply chain and equipment leasing network when undertaking such a large-scale infrastructure project.
His reach has penetrated every inch of the city's foundation.
From concrete mixing plants to asphalt paving teams, and even temporary power supply equipment on construction sites, Morganfield Capital has a presence behind them all.
Leo knew this very well.
Since tearing up the franchise agreement in court, he has not retaliated against Morganfield's companies on a commercial level.
As long as the quote is reasonable and the project can be completed on time, he still allows contractors with "Morganfield" connections to enter the construction site.
Business is business, and politics is politics.
"What's the reason?" Leo asked.
“No reason,” Ethan replied. “It’s just a simple shutdown. Equipment failure, staff shortages, or material shortages. They just made up an excuse, parked the machines in the middle of the road, and removed the workers.”
Leo gave a cold laugh.
This is taking advantage of someone's misfortune.
Warren was choking Pittsburgh from the outside, while Morganfield was stabbing him from the inside.
The old robber saw Leo's predicament and thought it was a golden opportunity.
The previous antitrust lawsuit made him lose face and he didn't get any benefits from the franchise. Now he wants to get it back with interest.
"What does he want?" Leo leaned back in his chair, his tone calm.
Ethan glanced at the notepad.
"His middleman just called me."
He said Mr. Morganfield was distressed by the current standstill in the project. He was willing to mobilize the group's strategic reserves to help the city hall overcome the difficulties and resume supply and construction.
"What are the conditions?"
"Priority development rights for 500 mu of commercial land in the port area."
Ethan read out the price.
"And, for the next ten years, exclusive priority negotiating rights for all municipal engineering contracts with the City of Pittsburgh."
Leo tapped his fingers lightly on the table.
What a big appetite!
Morganfield wants more than just money; he wants the city's future growth potential and a long-term lock-in of the government budget.
If this condition is agreed to, everything Leo has won in court will be for naught.
Tell Morganfield.
Leo stood up and walked to the window.
Let him dream.
"But Leo, if the construction site stays shut down—" Ethan said anxiously.
"Stop if you want." Leo's attitude was firm. "Does Morganfield think he can control me? He's forgotten that this is Pittsburgh, not his boardroom."
"Since he wants to play hardball, then we'll play along."
Leo looked at Ethan with a sharp gaze.
"I want to conduct a comprehensive administrative purge of him."
"Ethan, make a note of this."
Ethan pulled out his notebook.
"Notify the fire department."
"The mayor's office has received reports from several concerned citizens that all of Morganfield Industries' properties in Pittsburgh, including but not limited to logistics warehouses, office buildings, and even their employee dormitories on the North Shore, have serious aging hazards in their fire sprinkler systems and escape routes."
"I want them to immediately activate the highest level of response and send an inspection team to investigate all of Morganfield's properties."
"Notify the health bureau."
"Send people to the executive dining room at the Morganfield Group headquarters, as well as the staff canteens at all their factories."
"Check their cold storage temperature records, traceability information on food purchase orders, and health certificates for each chef."
"If any problems are found, their cafeteria should be shut down immediately."
"Notify the License Examination Authority."
"Retrieve the blueprints for all of Morganfield Group's commercial projects under construction. Recheck every building parameter, including plot ratio, green area, and sewage pipe diameter."
"As long as there is any discrepancy between the drawings and the original approved drawings, I will be issued a stop-work notice and required to demolish and rebuild it."
"Notify the Environmental Protection Bureau."
"We have set up 24-hour mobile monitoring stations around all the factories in Morganfield, and any violation will result in an immediate fine of the maximum amount."
"Notify the police station."
"Get all the traffic personnel out there and have them guard every exit of the Morganfield Logistics Center."
"Inspect every truck that attempts to leave or enter."
"Overloading, excessive exhaust emissions, worn tires, malfunctioning lights, and damaged reflectors."
"If you can find any reason to violate Pennsylvania traffic laws, impound my car, fine me, and revoke the driver's license."
Ethan stood aside, watching Leo.
He held a notebook in his hand, his pen flying across the paper as he scribbled.
The young mayor before me is skillfully manipulating the city's administrative machinery.
He transformed every functional department that was originally intended to serve the citizens and maintain order into a deadly weapon to attack the enemy.
This is the taste of power, and also its terror.
Previously, the heads of these departments acted according to Morganfield's wishes, and were obsequious to this oligarch.
But now, through the previous purges and reorganizations, and by establishing the "Pittsburgh Regeneration Executive Office," Leo has firmly grasped these administrative powers in his own hands.
"This will trigger a huge backlash." Ethan closed his notebook, his tone filled with worry. "Morganfield's legal team will pounce like mad dogs."
"Let them do it."
Leo straightened his collar and sat back down in his chair.
"My words still carry some weight in Pittsburgh right now."
Ethan nodded and said no more.
He sensed Leo's determination, that ruthless determination to take a piece of his opponent's flesh at all costs.
He turned and strode out of the office to oversee the execution of these instructions.
The office door was closed.
Leo knew very well that this was only the first wave of the attack.
Douglas Morganfield is an old alligator that has been entrenched in Pittsburgh for decades. He has thick skin and sharp teeth.
While these administrative harassments may cause him pain, bloodshed, and even heavy losses, they are unlikely to be fatal.
Morganfield is certainly prepared to retaliate.
He will apply for a court injunction, use his connections in the state to exert pressure, and mobilize the media he controls to attack Leo for engaging in "political persecution" and undermining the business environment.
This will be a war of attrition, a quagmire where both sides tear each other apart.
Leo was prepared for a long-term struggle.
In every corner of Pittsburgh, the administrative machinery is roaring loudly.
North Shore, Morganfield Logistics Park.
Several red fire trucks arrived with sirens blaring and blocked the entrance to the park, preventing all vehicles from entering or leaving.
More than a dozen uniformed fire inspectors jumped out of the vehicle, carrying seals and body cameras.
The park manager was a bald, middle-aged man who was used to seeing this kind of scene.
He greeted her with a broad smile and skillfully pulled a pack of expensive cigarettes from his pocket.
"Oh, isn't this Captain Williams?" The manager tried to offer him a cigarette. "What brings you here? You didn't even give me a heads-up so I could make arrangements—"
"Back off!"
Captain Williams coldly pushed the pack of cigarettes away.
"We received a report that there is a major fire hazard here."
"Everyone evacuate now! We are going to conduct a closed-loop inspection!"
The manager was stunned.
He had never seen the captain, with whom he often drank, so serious.
He tried to tug at the captain's sleeve, wanting to slip in an envelope that had been prepared beforehand.
"Captain, don't be like this. We're old friends, it's nothing—"
"Don't touch me!"
Williams shouted sharply, his eyes revealing an unprecedented determination.
"Who says you're a friend? This is official business!"
"If you dare obstruct law enforcement again, I'll call the police to take you away!"
The manager's hand froze in mid-air. Looking at those indifferent faces, he suddenly realized that this time, the familiar rule had failed.
The same scene is playing out in the staff canteen of the Morganfield headquarters building.
The health bureau inspectors were like a pack of intruding hounds, ransacking the place and leaving no corner unchecked.
"The quarantine stamp on this piece of beef is a bit blurry, make a note of it!"
"The cold storage temperature is 0.5 degrees Celsius too high, which is substandard. Rectification is required!"
"This chef's nails are way too long; his health certificate should be revoked!"
Small problems that are usually overlooked are now magnified.
The cafeteria manager tried to explain, but all he got in return were a series of fines and the glaring "Suspension of Business for Rectification" seal.
At the entrances and exits of each Morganfield logistics center, traffic police are stopping every truck bearing the Morganfield logo.
The drivers formed a long line, honking their horns angrily.
But the traffic police remained unmoved.
They used calipers to measure tire treads; they used flashlights to illuminate the chassis; they even lay on the ground to check if every screw was tightened.
"The left rear fender has a crack; impound the vehicle!"
"Insufficient brake light brightness, fine!"
"The driver is suspected of driving while fatigued; he has been taken away for investigation!"
This is a siege without the smoke of gunpowder.
Driven by Leo's will, the massive machine of administrative power bared its fangs.
Morganfield is bleeding.
Time passed by, second by second.
3 PM.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a slanted glow on the desk.
There was the first seizure report that the fire department had just sent.
The report shows that Morganfield's No. 3 logistics warehouse on the North Shore was sealed off and ordered to suspend operations for two weeks due to "clutter in fire exits" and "insufficient pressure in some fire extinguishers".
This is a good beginning.
Leo picked up his pen and signed the report.
He was calculating in his mind when Morganfield's first counterattack would arrive.
It might be a court summons tomorrow morning, or it might be tonight's headline news.
"Bang!"
The office door was suddenly kicked open with great force.
Sarah rushed in.
She held up a tablet computer, looking utterly incredulous.
"Leo! Ethan! You have to see this!"
Sarah's voice was sharp, filled with extreme shock.
She placed the tablet on the table and turned up the volume with trembling fingers.
Leo frowned.
He thought it was Morganfield's counterattack or a court injunction; he was even prepared to be attacked by the media.
But what was displayed on the screen was a breaking news broadcast from a local Pittsburgh news channel.
The background of the image is the headquarters building of Morganfield Industries.
The spokesperson, who usually acts arrogantly, is now standing in front of countless microphones, his expression one of almost reverent solemnity.
"Morganfield Industries has always considered the development of Pittsburgh its responsibility. In the face of the current temporary difficulties encountered in urban construction, the Group's Board of Directors, after emergency consultations, has made the following decision."
Leo was stunned.
"We will allocate strategic reserves from within the group to fully guarantee the construction needs of Phase II of the Revitalization Plan and the inland port project."
"All relevant construction teams will resume work immediately and implement a 24-hour shift system to make up for the delayed schedule."
The spokesperson paused for a moment, then bowed deeply to the camera.
The bow was very deep, and the posture was as humble as a student who had made a mistake.
"We pledge that at this critical moment, Morganfield will spare no expense to fully support Mayor Wallace's revitalization plan and stand with the citizens of Pittsburgh to overcome these difficult times."
The live broadcast signal was cut off, and the picture returned to the studio.
Even the host looked bewildered, clearly not expecting such a statement.
The office was deathly silent.
Ethan followed in, carrying a newly drafted memorandum outlining how to respond to the lawsuit.
He stared at the screen, his mouth agape.
"What... what's going on?" Ethan stammered. "My enforcement team just set off, and they haven't even issued a few tickets yet, how come they've already surrendered?"
"Could it be that our tactics were too successful? Did they scare them out of their wits?"
Leo did not answer.
This makes no sense at all.
Morganfield is not the kind of company that gets scared by a few tickets or seizures.
He was a greedy crocodile. Once a crocodile bites its prey, it will never let go unless someone holds a gun to its head and pulls the trigger.
Even if Leo mobilized the entire city's administrative power to besiege the enemy, this battle should have lasted several rounds, with both sides winning and losing, and finally reaching some kind of compromise at the negotiating table.
This sudden, even obsequious, kneeling pleas for mercy can only be explained in one way.
A force far more powerful than Leo intervened.
Just as Leo was confused.
"Buzz".
His phone, which was on the table, vibrated.
Leo picked up his phone; the screen displayed an unmarked number.
The message was very short, only three words.
You're welcome.
There was no signature, but Leo knew who this person was.
Evelyn St. Cloud.
In Leo's eyes, Morganfield was a local Pittsburgh oligarch, an opponent against whom he needed to use administrative power to confront him.
But in the eyes of the St. Cloud family in Philadelphia, Morganfield was nothing more than a nouveau riche, a contractor making a living downstream in the industry chain.
Evelyn didn't even need to do anything big.
With just a few phone calls, that crocodile will instantly turn into a docile lapdog.
This is the food chain of capital.
Leo put down his phone.
"In this vast arena of fame and fortune, government and capital, power and money, are intertwined and entangled into a complex ecosystem."
Roosevelt's voice echoed in Leo's mind.
"Attempting to launch an attack across a system is often a lot of work for little result."
"You mobilized the entire city's administrative power to besiege Morganfield. Although it caused them to bleed, it was still a difficult tug-of-war because they had resources in another system that you couldn't access."
"However, once back within the same system, this strangulation becomes exceptionally easy, even somewhat tedious."
"This is the food chain."
"In the ocean of capital, Evelyn St. Cloud is a monster in the deep waters."
"She didn't even need to show her face; she could just send a text message from her manor in Philadelphia and Morganfield would submit to her."
"Big fish eat little fish, it's only natural."
"The same logic applies to politics as well."
"Russell Warren doesn't need to come to Pennsylvania in person; he can just sign a few papers in his office on Capitol Hill and use his influence in federal agencies to put pressure on the mayors of Erie and Scranton."
"Superiors crush subordinates, and the central government controls the local areas."
"In Warren's eyes, you are also a link in this food chain."
"so----"
"So he got one thing wrong," Leo continued.
"I am neither Smith nor Byers."
"I have never put myself in his damn hierarchy."
"Russell Warren thought he was punishing traitors, that by cutting federal funding and creating administrative obstacles, he could make those wavering mayors kneel back at his feet and lick his boots again."
"That's arrogance."
"An arrogance belonging to the aristocracy of the old era."
"He felt that those mayors couldn't live without him, and that the people of this land had no other way out except for Washington's charity."
"But he forgot that there's now one more person at the poker table."
Roosevelt asked, "What are you trying to say, Leo? You want to go and save them?"
"No."
Leo categorically denied it.
"If I go to save them now, they'll just be grateful to me, and then they'll turn around and continue to sit on the fence between me and Warren, getting benefits from both sides."
"These old foxes will never bet everything as long as they have a way out."
"I don't need allies."
"What I need are subordinates."
Leo's eyes sharpened.
"I wish Warren would be even more ruthless."
"I wish he would stop all the port dredging funding for Erie, cut all the highway subsidies for Scranton, and drive those mayors to the brink of being unable to pay their salaries and being blocked in their offices by voters."
"Only when the Washington route is completely cut off, only when they discover that apart from the Pittsburgh ship, there are only drowning abysses all around them, will they be truly devoted."
"Only then will they understand that if they want to live, they must listen to me."
"I'm going to use Warren to completely bring these people to my side."
"Then."
Only then can I truly control the entire rust belt.
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