Chapter 1019: Public Speech

In the early morning, thick fog floated in the air of Jincheng. The yellow warning lights shone rhythmically in the fog, brightening for a while and then dimming, forming a series of yellow halos that constantly expanded and contracted along the entire track.

It seemed that all of this was not so real. The train conductor had slowed the train speed to a very slow level. Although he didn't quite believe that today's train would derail here, he still needed to remain careful.

The visibility was too low.

Most mornings in deep winter in Jincheng would have fog, especially when there was no strong wind, the fog would be even thicker.

At this time, it was full of fun for some people, such as children.

They would run in the fog and play with their companions, making a series of crisp laughter, but for some people who might have psychological problems, this was too bad.

Everywhere were halos that constantly expanded and contracted, no one could be seen around, and suddenly some children's laughter came from nowhere, enough to make these people feel their scalps tingle.

One by one, people with their hands in their pockets and heads down walked out of the thick fog and disappeared into the thick fog. Sometimes such a scene would give people a feeling of unreality.

It was as if everything was still in a dream!

Accompanied by the train chugging into the train station, the platform had been completely cleared.

This morning, the Lanse family took over the Jincheng train station because very important supplies were being transported from New Jincheng.

10 million in cash, and military weapons worth 90 million on the surface—these things pulled more than 20 carriages, and they were all very important things, not allowing any mistakes.

So from four o'clock in the morning, the Lanse family members completely cleared the train station. Now, except for necessary staff, there was no one else.

Some people might have a little opinion about this, but even if they had opinions, they had to endure it.

The train slowly stopped by the freight platform, and soon those loading vehicles operated under the use of reliable workers.

They transported the things out of the carriages and loaded them onto another train—

Jincheng train station is the terminal station. After the goods arrive here, they will go through internal city transport railways and be transported to two docks.

This part is not a publicly open railway; it was built by the Jincheng municipal government and some wealthy people in the Bay Area, so it is not connected to the southern railway network.

Moreover, moving from here to the internal railway doesn't even need to leave; it's just on the other side of the platform.

The workers who moved them were all workers under Lanse's company. These people were Jincheng people who knew the roots and the bottom. If they messed around, the ones who would be unlucky wouldn't just be them.

Of course, this is just the worst-case scenario. The selected workers couldn't do that kind of stupid thing, and even if they wanted to, they couldn't do it.

Around them were Lanse family members holding guns. Under so many eyes and gun barrels, they simply didn't have any chance to do anything, and couldn't do anything.

Watching the boxes of military weapons printed with the McGray Industries logo on the pushcarts, everyone's heart was filled with deep shock.

How many weapons are here?

They were also guessing in their hearts, what is Lanse going to do?

Are they participating in a war abroad?

Or are they engaged in the arms business?

People didn't know, and didn't dare to ask randomly, but it didn't prevent them from becoming more in awe of Lanse and the Lanse family!

Lanse soon appeared on the platform. He hugged Meluo, and then turned his eyes to watch the nine boxes that used wooden supports and were waterproofed being moved out, and then sent to the other train carriage.

"What are these?", Meluo asked.

Because he then saw those people who came back with Lanse enter the carriage with the boxes together. They all held weapons, and their expressions were also very serious.

Lanse didn't cover it up, telling the truth, "Money, 10 million in cash."

Meluo gasped. He also had a net worth of more than 2 million, because he wasn't a cadre on the front line, so he got less in dividends than others.

However, his salary was higher than others.

But no matter how high the salary was, it wasn't higher than the subsidies and dividends of an action. The subsidies and dividends of tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands made those who had been fighting on the front line, such as Hiram, have a net worth of more than 5 million long ago.

Lanse didn't know how much money he had specifically now, but in short, a lot.

These money in the bank, in the passbook, were just a string of numbers.

There were still many numbers larger than this string of numbers in math books, and people wouldn't have too much shock about this string of numbers.

But the ones in front of them were different. These were real money. Meluo could already imagine what was in the boxes, and his gaze immediately returned to those wooden boxes.

"I think we should arrange some more people to follow. With so much money, only these people might not be safe."

Lanse didn't agree with his viewpoint this time, "Arranging some people is to avoid some idiots moving these things. No need to arrange more people because I believe that in Jincheng, there is no one who can threaten them who dares to move my things!"

That strong confidence that rushed toward them was like a tsunami that suddenly rose, giving people a very strong sensory stimulation.

The "idiots" Lanse mentioned referred to some porters who might be curious about what was inside and then cause some unnecessary things.

These people could easily solve the trouble caused by these people.

But if a trouble they couldn't solve appeared, then it must be a big trouble, and behind the big trouble, there must be a big figure.

In Jincheng, in the Lianbang You Bao, there is no such stupid big figure who would take the initiative to find trouble with him yet.

The things were soon loaded onto the train, and about forty minutes later, they were transported to the Jincheng dock.

The special line from the train station to the dock was unimpeded. The moment it arrived at the port dock, a ray of golden sunlight pierced the thick fog and began to rise from the sea.

The sky gradually brightened.

At this time, there were many workers on the dock. With the help of mechanical tools, they sent these things onto the cargo ship.

The entire loading process took an hour. At about eight o'clock, after Lanse finished breakfast, everything had been loaded.

He wiped the corners of his mouth simply, "I won't chat with you anymore. I still have to go to Zhuolan as soon as possible."

Just now they chatted while having breakfast. Mo Lisi's wife was already pregnant.

Although Lanse told him that he could continue to extend his life by replacing his trachea in the future, he still wanted to create a successor first.

In case it can't be realized, everything I have can still be passed on to his child.

Life after the new marriage made Mo Lisi look a lot fatter, and his spirit also looked very good.

This reflects a fact from the side, that rich people never lack a happy life.

Meluo sent Lanse to the dock. After counting the goods, Lanse left the port with the ship.

At four o'clock the next morning, the cargo ship had arrived at the Zhuolan dock.

The dock had also been under martial law, here not only Lanse's people, but also the local government army.

Diego had already received the notice and came to the dock early in the morning.

When Lanse stepped off the dock, Diego walked over somewhat excitedly. He looked at Lanse with full expectation.

He really didn't want to die.

But he also knew that whether he died or not, he couldn't make the decision himself.

Now the anti-government armed forces outside are pressing very hard. If he can't get new aid, he is very likely to be besieged in Zhuolan and then become a "symbol of the victory of the liberation movement" in the mouths of some "progressive people."

Those anti-government armed forces claimed to save Lapa and Lapa people from the corrupt and brutal dictator. These platforms have gained the support of many young people.

From the fact that they can constantly expand the scale of their army, it can be seen that more Lapa young people who have begun to "awaken their thoughts" have broken the shackles of past thinking and begun to think and look at this country and everything here with an independent and free personality.

According to unofficial statistics, the number of anti-government armed forces in Lapa now exceeds 550,000 and is still constantly increasing.

The government army is the relatively small part, only 100,000-plus.

If it weren't for the fact that there are also some contradictions, opposition, and conflicts among these anti-government armed forces, maybe there would be no President Diego now.

He has been having nightmares during this period, and the content of the nightmares is nothing more than a few types.

Either he dreams of those anti-government armed leaders, heads, what are their names—Pedro and Ross.

They took weapons and rushed into the President's Office, dragged him out of his office, and in front of everyone, hanged him on the execution rack outside the President's Office.

He would constantly sway with the sea breeze, and that wooden execution rack would also make a creaking sound to perform for the swaying of his corpse.

Or, it was the federal army suddenly appearing beside him, then framing him to the square outside the President's Office, and under the gaze of many Lapa people, sentencing him to be a tyrant, an anti-human ruler, and then executing him.

Whenever he had these nightmares, he would be awakened, and then it would be hard to enter the dreamland again.

This is also one of the reasons why he has lost a lot of weight recently. Poor sleep will definitely make people lose some weight.

"Are the things on the ship?"

Diego's eyes radiated a luster of the chessboard. Lanse nodded, "Military supplies worth 90 million federal Sol—guns, shells, bullets, and some other supporting things, as well as 10 million federal Sol in cash."

He looked back at the deeper outline of the cargo ship in the dark night, "They are all on the ship."

Diego's heart was burning, and the somewhat cold sea breeze couldn't blow away the amazing heat in his body, "Then what are we waiting for?"

"Let them start unloading!"

Lanse didn't nod or shake his head. He just looked at Diego, "You know, this is a transaction. I brought these things and showed my sincerity, so what about the things I want?"

Diego was stunned for a moment, and the fire in his heart went out quite a bit.

In the two days, he was actually thinking. He wasn't really not moving his brain at all as people imagined. He was still moving his brain, although not much, but at least moving.

He could already imagine the consequences of eating this poison. Even if he barely achieved a miserable victory in this round, he would still be destroyed in the next round.

His result was already destined, and it was highly probable that it couldn't be changed.

He looked at Lanse with eyes constantly changing, sometimes revealing a look of fear, sometimes revealing a fierce appearance.

Lans just looked at him calmly, meeting his constantly shifting gaze, staring into his eyes without the slightest fear.

In this process, Diego even thought about whether to kill Lanse and the people here, and then go to negotiate with the anti-government armed forces.

But then the fear of the Federation made him give up this idea, because he knew that if he really did this, the Federation would definitely send troops to Lapa.

So he could never make any decision in his heart, and could only compromise in the constant changes.

"I... will announce it after dawn.", his voice was a bit dry, and the whole person seemed to have lost something, and the light in his eyes also dimmed quite a bit.

Lanse nodded slightly, "Then after dawn, I will hand these things to you."

After he finished speaking, he didn't give Diego any chance to continue talking to him, and went directly to the motorcade by the roadside, took his armored vehicle motorcade, and left here.

Diego looked back at Lanse's car getting further and further away, eventually disappearing into the night. He gritted his teeth tightly, and his hands were clenched into fists.

But in the end, he relaxed again.

At 9:30 in the morning, the Lapa Central Radio, a channel that could cover the whole country and now broadcasts some news or political propaganda every day, began to work again.

People with conditions sat behind the tables in their homes, listening to the rustling radio becoming quiet, while those without conditions gathered under some public big speakers on the street, beginning to listen to the sound issued at 9:30 every morning.

"This is Lapa Central Radio Station. Next, we will transfer to the President's Office. President Diego will deliver a public speech in ten minutes."

"Repeat once..."

Lanse was also listening. The exquisite radio was placed on the table not far away. He sat in the sofa, smoking a cigarette.

Around him, some Lapa "locals" had already sat, representatives of some big families, or heads of families, including people like the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

They had already completely defected to the Federation, defected to Lanse, so they were here now, not in the President's Office, or their own offices.

They also knew that after Diego's public speech ended this morning, Lapa would be in a very short time, and the Lavila family would end its long rule on this land.

Everyone's expression was somewhat excited. This was an important historical moment. They were not only witnesses but also participants.

And at the focus of their gaze, Lanse White, he was the promoter of the entire plan.

Although he was still very young, everyone looked at him with expressions full of awe.

At 9:41, President Diego's voice came from the radio. He coughed twice first, and his voice sounded somewhat hoarse.

After returning to the President's Office in the morning, he sat there blankly for a long time. He seemed to have been able to foresee his ending, and at the same time, he was hating himself.

Clearly knowing the ending was fixed, why didn't he have the courage to fight to break all the shackles?

Maybe there was still hope?

He didn't know, he didn't have this courage, although he wanted to possess it very much.

"I... am Lapa President Diego Lavila. Now it is 9:41:36. I am in the office of the President's Office and will deliver the following speech."

"In the past period of time, Lapa has experienced a lot of things—famine, turmoil, civil war, a lot."

"Many people have left us, left us forever."

"There are many problems in this. I, and other officials, we were overly optimistic, blind, greedy, causing the tragedy to happen."

"Famine."

"I want to apologize to all the people who died during this period, because of our stupidity and greed, leading to all the tragedies."

"I know an apology might not change anything, but I still want to apologize to everyone at this moment..."

The whole Lapa seemed to be quiet at this moment.

People looked at the radio in disbelief, looked at those big speakers standing up. They couldn't believe President Diego actually apologized in public!

The guy who was a dictatorial tyrant even if he died actually apologized to the people?!

They all felt it was unbelievable!

When Ross heard this, a sneer appeared on his face, "Another political trick."

Pedro didn't speak. From President Diego's tone, he felt a kind of desolate and sorrowful feeling of being at the end of his rope.

He could roughly guess what had happened.

Lanse was also listening. The Lapa ruling group members around Lanse were also listening. Only compared to Lanse's calmness, they had some angry expressions on their faces.

Diego apologizing meant they were also wrong.

Will rulers make mistakes?

No!

Rulers never make mistakes!

"Damn it, he is hitting our prestige!", someone said this, and others immediately echoed. Diego made the Lavila family lose face, and also made them suffer some damage to their reputation.

"I know well that I am an incompetent person, and this country is a mess under my governance."

"Now it's civil war, and famine. I really can't help everyone return to the right track."

"So, I announce that from this moment on, I allow people who want to live, local groups, to carry out high-level autonomy, until the war completely ends..."

Ordinary listeners didn't know what happened yet, but among the anti-government armed forces, some people, such as Pedro, stood up fiercely.

He stared wide-eyed at the radio in front of him. He knew President Diego's situation was very bad, but he didn't expect that the situation of the Lapa government had reached such a point now!

This was no longer selling the country; he was even more personally completely dismembering this country after selling it, just to make it more convenient for the federal people to use knives and forks when it was served on the dining table! ===== CHAPTER 1020 =====