novelnext Chapter 21 Sugar-Coated Bullets
Chapter 21 Sugar-Coated Bullets
In the days following the victory at the community center, Leo became a minor celebrity in Pittsburgh.
His YouTube channel, "Heart of Pittsburgh," saw its subscriber count skyrocket from a few thousand to fifty thousand.
Some national online media outlets also gave him brief reports.
They called him "a new voice in the Rust Belt," a young activist who dared to challenge the establishment.
Leo's life also underwent some changes.
When he walks down the street, people recognize him and greet him.
The residents of the community center treated him like their own child, and people would often bring him homemade pies and cookies.
He used the consulting fees paid to him by the community and a portion of that huge donation to completely resolve his financial problems.
He paid off his credit card bills and even began to systematically repay his astronomical student loan.
He was finally able to temporarily escape the anxiety of survival and begin to think about longer-term issues.
The battle for Pittsburgh has only just begun.
He needs a new battlefield.
Just as he was pondering his next move, an uninvited guest came knocking on his door.
That afternoon, Leo was in his apartment, planning the content for the next episode of the famous "Heart of Pittsburgh" video with Sarah.
There was a knock on the door.
Leo opened the door and saw a middle-aged man in a dark blue suit, with a capable demeanor, standing in the doorway.
The man's hair was neatly combed, and he wore a professional smile.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Leo Wallace?" the man asked.
"I am."
"My name is Mark Jennings." The man extended his hand. "I am the deputy director of the Pittsburgh mayor's office and the chief of staff to Mayor Cartwright."
Leo shook hands with him and immediately understood the other's purpose.
He invited Jennings into his small apartment.
Sarah tactfully stood up, made an excuse to go help out at the community center, and left the apartment.
Jennings glanced around the room, his gaze lingering for a moment on the fake fireplace and two books on the bookshelf.
"Mr. Wallace, I'm here today on behalf of Mayor Cartwright," Jennings said, sitting down in a chair and getting straight to the point.
"The mayor paid close attention to your performance in the community center incident, and he highly praised your talent and your passion for the community."
Leo listened quietly.
He knew that the real point lay behind these polite words.
Jennings took a document out of his briefcase and placed it on the coffee table in front of Leo.
"The mayor believes that outstanding young people like you should serve the citizens of Pittsburgh on a broader platform, rather than wasting your energy on unnecessary confrontations."
He offered a condition that no ordinary young person could refuse.
"The mayor has decided to establish a new department within the city government called the 'Community Relations Coordination Office,' which will be specifically responsible for handling communication and coordination between the city government and various communities."
"He wants to formally invite you to serve as the deputy director of this office."
He pushed the document toward Leo.
"This is a formal employment contract. The position is Deputy Director, and you will enjoy all the benefits of a municipal employee. Your annual salary will be $80,000."
$80,000.
This number made Leo's heart skip a beat.
This was an astronomical figure for him, a number he had never dared to imagine before.
This money will not only allow him to completely get rid of his debts, but also enable him to live a decent middle-class life.
He could move to a bigger apartment, buy a new car, and even start thinking about starting his own family.
Jennings wore a confident smile.
He'd seen far too many young men like Leo.
They were full of passion and ideals, but in the end, they could not resist the temptations of reality.
"Moreover," Jennings continued, "this is not just a job, Mr. Wallace, it's an opportunity."
"The mayor greatly admires young people like you and believes you are the future of the Democratic Party. As long as you are willing to be pragmatic and learn to cooperate with the system rather than confront it, I can assure you that you have a bright future in Pittsburgh politics."
This is a typical sugar-coated bullet.
A single pill wrapped in money, status, and future prospects, enough to poison any idealist.
Accepting this job meant that Leo could immediately escape poverty and rise to the top, entering the very system he had once wanted to challenge.
But the cost is also obvious.
He will be incorporated into this vast bureaucratic system and become part of the old system.
He would be asked to mediate the protests he had once supported and to comfort the victims he had once spoken out for.
All his sharp edges will be smoothed out little by little by this system.
Ultimately, he will become another Cartwright, or another Jennings.
Refusing the job means he will continue a difficult struggle outside the system.
He will continue to live on the edge of poverty and continue to face the pervasive oppression and smear campaign.
"A clever strategy," Roosevelt's voice echoed in Leo's mind. "Cartwright has finally sent a shrewd politician who didn't choose to suppress you, but instead chose to win you over. Because he knows that the best way to kill an enemy is to make him your friend."
Leo remained silent for a moment.
He neither agreed nor refused on the spot.
He learned a lesson from Roosevelt: never reveal your hand immediately.
He looked up and gave a polite smile.
"Mr. Jennings, I am very grateful for the mayor's recognition," he said. "This is a very important decision, and I need some time to think about it carefully."
Jennings nodded, unsurprised.
In his view, this hesitation is just a negotiation tactic used by young people to increase their own value.
The final outcome was already predetermined.
"Of course." Jennings stood up. "I completely understand. You can contact me anytime. I look forward to hearing good news from you."
Leo escorted Jennings to the door.
He watched as the other person got into a black government car and disappeared at the end of the street.
He closed the door, leaned against it, and let out a long sigh.
The brief half-hour conversation he had just had made him more nervous than any hearing he had ever experienced.
He turned around and spoke softly to the empty room.
"Alright, Mr. President."
"What should we do now?"