novelnext Chapter 96 Smoke of War
Chapter 96 Smoke of War
Chapter 96 Smoke of Battle (Bonus chapter for Alliance Leader "Qingguagua Kara Xingren")
The top floor of Morganfield Industrial Group, the chairman's office.
It was quite quiet here, with only the sound of pruning shears snip-snip.
Douglas Morganfield stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, intently pruning a valuable Japanese black pine.
Gavin Stone stood behind him, head bowed, truthfully reporting everything that had happened in the mayor's office.
When he mentioned Leo's quote, "Infrastructure without the foundation of people's livelihood is just a castle in the air," the pruning shears paused for a moment.
"Click."
A seemingly healthy tree branch was cut off and fell to the ground with a soft thud.
Morganfield put down the scissors, picked up a white towel, and slowly wiped his hands.
"A principled young person."
His tone was flat, making it impossible to tell whether he was praising or mocking.
Unfortunately, principles are the most expensive and fragile luxury in politics.
, 7
He turned around and looked at Stone.
"Since he is unwilling to take the initiative to bring up the port project, then we will help him bring it up."
Stone paused for a moment, then asked, "Boss, what do you mean?"
"Add fuel to the fire." Morganfield threw a towel on the table. "Let him understand that on this stage, if he doesn't dance to my rhythm, he'll be trampled to death."
Morganfield walked to his desk and picked up the phone.
"Since he promised me before that he could solve the dockworkers' problem."
"Now, let him prove it to me."
97
He dialed a number.
"Issue a press release."
"For example, Morganfield Holdings has reached a preliminary agreement with the city of Pittsburgh."
"We will fully introduce the world's most advanced fully automated, unmanned logistics system in our future inland port expansion projects."
The phrase "emphasizing that there were absolutely no people" was used.
"Tell the media that this will make the Port of Pittsburgh the most technologically advanced, efficient, and completely human-operation-free port of the future on the entire East Coast."
"Send this message to all media outlets, especially newspapers and websites that unions frequently read."
hang up the phone.
Gavin Stone stood to the side, his brow slightly furrowed.
Although he was used to his boss's methods, this "creating something out of nothing" trick still made him feel risky.
"Boss, isn't this too risky?" Stone couldn't help but ask. "What if the media goes to City Hall to verify what we're saying about the government's intentions?"
"Wallace will definitely deny it immediately. Once he denies it, the media will follow up and our press release will be considered fake news, which will greatly reduce its effectiveness."
Morganfield looked at Stone, a meaningful smile in his eyes.
"The city hall? Whom do they go to for verification?"
"This is where your speaking skills come in, Gavin."
"City Hall has more than just Wallace's men."
"Those old people who have been sitting in various bureaus for more than ten years, those section chiefs of the planning bureau, those heads of the port authority, they are not all dead yet."
"You should know how to talk to those people in the church and city hall."
"As long as there is even the slightest crack in the official narrative, as long as even one official shows an ambiguous attitude."
""
"The fear in the workers' hearts will immediately turn into a monster that devours Wallace."
"I understand, boss." Stone nodded. "I'll teach those old friends how to properly conduct interviews."
Morganfield turned around, picked up the scissors, and with a "snip," cut off an extra branch.
"When those workers stormed into City Hall and tried to tear him apart, he would naturally understand who really had the power in Pittsburgh."
He doesn't need to use his henchmen or threaten members of parliament.
He only needs to send one signal.
A signal that could cause panic among thousands of families.
The next morning.
A cargo terminal on the Ohio River.
The enormous container cranes stood like steel behemoths in the morning mist, and workers wearing orange reflective vests gathered in twos and threes at the entrance of the dispatch room, waiting for the early shift roll call.
A newspaper delivery truck pulled up and dumped a bundle of Pittsburgh Chronicle newspapers, still smelling of ink, on the ground.
A young stevedore casually picked up a piece of paper, ready to check the score of last night's football game.
His gaze swept across the front page.
The huge black headline instantly caught his eye.
Exclusive Reveal: City Government Reaches Secret Agreement with Tech Giant, Port "Unmanned" Era is Coming Soon.
The subtitle is even more shocking:
A modernization blueprint that led to 40% of workers losing their jobs.
The young worker was stunned.
He rubbed his eyes, thinking he was seeing things.
"Hey! Jack! Come look at this!"
He screamed, his voice filled with terror.
Soon, dozens of workers gathered around.
They passed the newspaper around, looking at the "screenshots of internal documents" that were included.
Anger spread like wildfire among the crowd.
"What does this mean? Are we going to be replaced by machines?"
"Forty percent? That means half of us here are going to have to leave!"
"That Wallace! We voted for him! We lined up for three hours to vote for him!"
"Didn't Frank say he was one of us? He said Leo would protect our jobs!"
"Bullshit! These politicians are all the same! They call us brothers before they come to power, but once they're in power, they sell us out to capitalists for money!"
A burly man with a full beard pushed his way out of the crowd.
He is Jack Reynolds, the branch president of the dockworkers union.
He worked at the docks for thirty years; his father and grandfather had both worked there.
He enjoyed absolute prestige among the workers.
Reynolds snatched the newspaper away, his rough, large hands almost crushing the paper.
He stared intently at the headline, his facial muscles twitching.
He remembered how Frank Kowalski had assured him that Leo was a trustworthy young man who would put the workers' interests first.
Reynolds believed it.
He mobilized the dockworkers to vote for Leo, and even personally drove retired, disabled workers to the polling station on election day.
Now, the newspaper is telling him he's a fool.
He was deceived.
The shame of being betrayed made him angrier than the fear of losing his job.
"Chairman, what do we do?" a worker asked, his eyes red. "Are we just going to wait to be laid off?"
Reynolds slammed the newspaper to the ground and stomped on it hard with his greasy boots.
"What should we do?"
Reynolds squeezed out those three words through gritted teeth.
He turned around and jumped onto a wooden crate that was stacked with goods.
"Brothers! Someone's trying to ruin our livelihood!"
His roar drowned out the crane's rumble.
"Someone took our votes and turned around to make a deal with that bloodsucker Morganfield! He wants to use those cold, impersonal machines to drive us off the docks! To send us home to starve!"
"Can we agree to that?!"
"cannot!"
The roars of hundreds of workers combined to shake the surface of the river.
"Then don't do it!"
Reynolds swung his fist.
"Shut down the crane! Lock the gate! Notify all the brothers on shift!"
"Let's go to City Hall!"
"We're going to ask that mayor sitting in his office if he's lost his conscience!"
Ten minutes later, the entire dock came to a standstill.
The cranes stopped operating, and trucks lined up in a long queue.
More and more workers poured out from every corner, carrying iron hooks and wrenches, their faces filled with the fury of betrayal.
This angry group marched out of the dock gates and headed towards the city center.
City Hall, Mayor's Office.
Leo was replaying Roosevelt's confrontation with Stone in his mind.
"You did the right thing, Leo," Roosevelt commented. "Rejecting him was necessary. Once you accept that change of order, you'll be handing over your governing leadership, and your base will collapse immediately."
"But you also need to be prepared."
"When a lion shows you kindness because it is hungry, but you refuse to feed it, what it will do next is to treat you as food."
Just then, a noisy commotion came from outside the window.
Leo recognized that voice.
It was the buzzing sound of a crowd gathering, the low growl of anger suppressed in the throat.
-
The office door was suddenly pushed open.
Frank Kowalski burst in, sweating profusely. He even forgot to knock, which was extremely unusual for him, given his strict rule of "not causing trouble for Leo in the office."
"Leo! Something's happened!"
Frank's voice was filled with terror.
"The dockworkers' union is in an uproar!"
Leo stood up from his chair: "What's wrong? Tell me slowly."
Frank didn't say anything, but simply handed his phone to Leo.
On the screen is a headline news push from the Pittsburgh Business Weekly.
The article details just how advanced the so-called "fully unmanned system" is: self-driving container trucks, unmanned gantry cranes, and warehouses completely controlled by AI.
At the end of the article, it even quoted an "anonymous senior city official" as saying: "This will completely change the logistics landscape of Pittsburgh. Although there will be growing pains in the short term, it is a necessary sacrifice."
Leo raised his wrist and glanced at his watch.
Less than 12 hours had passed since Gavin Stone walked out of that office.
Morganfield's counterattack came faster and was more ruthless than he had anticipated.
What made Leo even more uneasy was that even Frank, his old comrade-in-arms who had fought his way out of the mud, had a hint of wavering in his eyes.
Frank placed his hands on the table and leaned forward.
"Leo, tell me the truth."
Frank's voice held a hint of cautious probing.
"I remember you did mention the port redevelopment during the campaign. At that time, everyone was focused on your community revitalization plan, and nobody paid much attention to this inland port expansion plan."
"But now, the news reports it in great detail."
"Are you really planning to implement that automation thing? Is it really like they say, that you're going to kick out all the old guys like us for the sake of efficiency?"
Frank stared into Leo's eyes.
He genuinely wanted to believe in Leo, believing that this young man was different from those politicians who were full of lies.
But it's in too much spotlight right now.
The workers outside were all watching him, waiting for him to bring back a definite answer.
If he didn't figure it out, he wouldn't be able to explain it to his brothers who had staked their lives on Leo.
"Frank, look at me."
Leo stood up, his tone unusually firm.
"I promised to modernize the port, which is a necessary step for Pittsburgh's revitalization. We can't keep those old cranes from decades ago forever."
"However, my plan never included anything about being completely unemployed or large-scale layoffs."
"I have a complete plan."
Leo began to recount Ethan's earliest draft.
"We will establish a special fund to provide retraining for all existing dockworkers. Older workers can take on management roles in the warehousing center, while younger workers can learn to operate new machinery. We will ensure that every registered worker has food to eat until they retire."
"Morganfield is downplaying the issue," Leo said, throwing the newspaper on the ground. "He's deliberately omitting the placement of people and only talking about the efficiency of the machines; he's trying to provoke you."
After listening to Leo's explanation, Frank's tense shoulders visibly relaxed.
He let out a long sigh of relief, and the wrinkles on his face relaxed.
"I knew it!" Frank slapped his thigh hard. "I knew you wouldn't do something so despicable! That old bastard Morganfield almost fooled me too."
Frank put his baseball cap back on and turned to walk out.
"If that's the case, then what are we waiting for?"
"I'm going outside now. You come with me, and we'll call all the brothers from the docks over."
"We'll explain it to them face-to-face. We'll tell them that the port is going to be renovated, but everyone's jobs are secure! Even more secure than before!"
"Once the words are spoken openly, the strike will naturally fall apart."
Frank's hand was already on the doorknob.
"etc!"
Leo suddenly shouted, quickly walked around the desk, and grabbed Frank's arm.
"I can't go."
Frank turned around, looking confused. "Why? If it's a misunderstanding, can't we just explain it clearly?"
Leo's fingers were somewhat white.
Looking into Frank's simple and eager eyes, he felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
He saw through the second, and most deadly, layer of Morganfield's trap.
If he were to go out now, stand in front of the workers, and clarify the rumors...
He had to tell the workers, "Yes, we are going to build the port, and I will provide you with the best protection and training."
The workers will cheer, and the strike will end.
But then, a new problem will be presented on the table.
Since the mayor has promised such a bright future, since the plan is already in place, and since everyone has agreed,
So, when will construction begin?
The dockworkers' union immediately changed its attitude, from being an opponent to becoming its most radical advocate.
They would pester Leo every day, asking: When does the training start? When will the new equipment arrive? When will our good days begin?
In that case, Leo was completely put on the defensive.
He will be forced to elevate "inland port expansion" to the top of the agenda and to pour all administrative resources and funds into this bottomless pit.
His original core strategy, "Revitalization Plan Phase II," will be forced to be shelved due to the diversion of resources.
He went around in circles, but in the end he still walked into the "order" that Morganfield had set out for him.
However, this time he was pushed in by his own supporters.
Moreover, if he makes a promise now but fails to deliver on it, the project cannot be started immediately.
The workers who had just been appeased would feel deceived a second time.
That was the anger that followed unfulfilled expectations, which was harder to quell than simple fear.
The anticipation has reached this point and it's impossible to let it go down.
Leo released his grip on Frank's hand, feeling a wave of weakness wash over him.
Morganfield not only set fire to the area, but also smashed the water buckets used for extinguishing the fire.
"What's wrong, Leo?" Frank noticed Leo's unusual behavior. "Is something the problem?"
Leo looked out the window.
The crowd grew larger and larger in the square downstairs.
"Frank, if I were to explain now, I would have to start the port project immediately."
"But we need to use our money and energy to repair schools and commercial streets."
"We cannot open up two battlefields at the same time."
Frank was stunned.
He's a rough man, but he's not stupid.
He also realized this deadlock.
"Then—then what do we do?" Frank's voice trailed off. "Are we just going to let those guys outside curse you out?"
The current situation is:
With Moretti blocking the road ahead and stalling the budget, Rio Stonefa is unable to fulfill its promise to revitalize the community.
Later, Morganfield set fire to the city, sowing discord among the unions in an attempt to destroy Rio's most solid working-class base.
Leo was caught in the middle.
If he denies this news, Morganfield will withdraw his vote, the port project will fall through, Rio will lose its engine of economic growth, and it will also lose the support of voters who are counting on the port's revitalization to bring about jobs.
If he admits anything or even gives a vague answer, the angry dockworkers will tear him to pieces immediately.
"This tactic is called 'using someone else's knife to kill someone.'"
Roosevelt's pecking voice echoed in Leo's mind, cold and serious.
"He uses the workers' hands to strangle you."
"He wants to turn you into an enemy of the workers."
"Leo, Zhunling, how are you?"
"This is the biggest political crisis you have faced since taking office."
"Because this time, your enemy is inside your own ranks."
Leo walked to the window.
Although he hadn't seen any dockworkers in the plaza downstairs, he could almost hear the distant roar of the tsunami.
Manufacturing strike.
This also poses a risk for a business giant.
But Morganfield clearly didn't care.
What he wanted was not the stability of the port, but Leo's capitulation.
Or destruction.
"President, Buddha," Leo asked in his mind, "is this the fire you spoke of?"
Roosevelt's voice rang out.
"Yes, child."
"This is the cruelest aspect of class politics."
"Your core base is the workers, which is both your strength and your weakness."
"Because in this group, trust is the most precious thing, and also the most fragile thing."
"He was used to being betrayed, used to being manipulated by politicians."
"So when that lie comes out, he will instinctively choose to believe the worst outcome."
"Morganfield's move is called 'using someone else to do the dirty work'."
"He borrowed the knife from your most loyal supporter to slit your throat."
The mayor's office is on the third floor of the city hall.
The windows were tightly closed, and the heavy curtains were drawn back tightly, but this did not stop the tidal wave of noise coming from downstairs.
That was the roar of hundreds of adult men combined into a powerful sound wave.
"Wallace, get out here!"
"fraud!"
"I want a job, not a robot!"
Ek Hawke paced back and forth in the room.
He never put down the phone, shouting into the receiver every few seconds in an attempt to coordinate with the security personnel who were nowhere to be found.
"Damn it! I knew this would happen!" Ethan hung up the phone, turned around and rushed to Leo, his face pale.
"Leo, the situation is out of control. The police chief just sent me a warning; Tavern is short-handed, and the defenses are about to crumble. These dockworkers are different from the previous residents; Tavern workers are stronger, more organized, and they really did bring Molotov cocktails!"
Yi Gong pointed out the window.
"If that Molotov cocktail is thrown in, this building is finished."
"We must evacuate." I grabbed the coat hanging on the hanger. "The security team has already arranged the back exit, and the car is waiting in the car. We need to leave first, and then issue a written statement."
How do you write "啄明"?
Leo sat in a chair, fiddling with a pen in his hand.
"Just say—say it's a misunderstanding, and promise me you'll temporarily suspend port operations and establish an investigation committee." He spoke rapidly, "First, calm him down, and save his life!"
"Temporarily?"
Leo looked up, his gaze fixed on Ike's face, which had lost all color due to excessive tension.
This elite from Washington, D.C., was able to write impeccable policy white papers and handle the most complex legal provisions.
A few months earlier, in the prefab house of his campaign headquarters, when Sheng Liozhe attempted to use public opinion to attack Cartwright, he appeared indifferent and cold.
At that time, public opinion was just green data jumping on the screen in his eyes, the fuel that propelled him to victory.
But now, as this ignited flame shines directly upon him, this elite figure is completely panicked.
"Ibn, you are an exceptionally intelligent policy advisor," Leo said calmly, yet incisively, "but you still lack experience in handling real-world situations like this."
"In the office, he is not a ballot, but poll data, an abstract group that you can appease with a carefully worded memo."
Leo stood up, walked to the mirror, and straightened his tie.
"But here, on the street, he is not a living Buddha, he does not read the Book of Forgetfulness, he only looks into your eyes."
"Releasing the statement at this time is tantamount to admitting that the news article is true in the eyes of those workers."
"This means I feel guilty, I'm scared."
"If I step out the back door today, I'll never be able to walk back through the front door."
"My political life will end the moment I get into that getaway car."
Leo turned around and looked at the door leading to the corridor.
"I won't use connections."
"I want to go out."
"I'm going to see Tharfar."
Yi Gong stared wide-eyed, as if looking at a madman.
"Are you insane? The Tharfs are a pack of rabid beasts! They have iron bars and gasoline! You have no protective gear; if you go out there, even a single piece of metal could kill you!"
"Tharto won't kill me," Leo said with certainty. "As long as I'm the mayor, as long as I'm the only one who can decide Tharto's fate."
Just then, Roosevelt's pecking voice echoed in Leo's mind.
"He's right, Leo. The Taverns are indeed a pack of beasts."
"But you must know how to tame a wild beast."
There was no panic in Roosevelt's tone.
"When facing a mob, the most important thing is to project an aura."
"The crowd is both blind and perceptive; it cannot detect every scent emanating from you."
"If you show even the slightest bit of fear, if you show even the slightest bit of remorse, or try to appease him with flattering words."
"He'll pounce on you immediately and tear you to pieces."
"Because in the psychology of the group, weakness is the original sin."
"You must act more indignantly than Hephaestus."
"Or, be calmer than them."
Roosevelt began to analyze the situation before his death.
"This is the trap Morganfield has set for you."
"That rumor about microautomation is a perfect logical trap."
"If you go out and deny it, tell him no, I won't automate anything." Then the workers will next ask you: "When will you start work? When will my wages increase?"
"Then you must immediately start the port construction project to prove your sincerity."
"Your shrimp money will be drained, your revitalization plan Phase II will go bankrupt, and your promises to other communities will become worthless."
"If you admit it, or are vague about it, Tafel will think you have betrayed the working class and will make you a lackey of the Shrimp family."
"This is a multiple-choice question with no right answer."
"So, Leo."
Roosevelt gave the final guidance.
"Don't try to answer this question."
"You need to change the question."
"Don't argue, don't explain, don't try to reason."
"Go and bring out the person who's been hiding behind the scenes handing out the knife, and throw him in front of these beasts."
Leo took a deep breath.
He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, but his mind was clearer than ever before.
His gaze hardened.
"I'm going down now."
"Are you serious?" Yi frowned.
"I am the mayor."
Leo's clothes were exposed at the door.
"If I don't even have the courage to face my constituents, then I don't deserve to sit in this position."
"and."
Leo stopped and looked back.
"I know who's watching all of this."
"I also know that only by facing this storm can we prove how ridiculous that lie is."
"Let's go."
Leo pushed open the door.
"Go and see my brother F.
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