Chapter 155: Cooperation and a new look

When William asked this question, he was actually a bit nervous, because this had to do with why he came here today.

From the second Lanse started "struggling," he began to pay attention to the entire federal political situation and also observed some... many changes.

At this time, the Federation seemed to have a... grotesque feeling that couldn't be described!

Clearly, the working class could only earn a low income of less than forty dollars a month, but the media, newspapers, and politicians were all shouting, "Our economy is growing rapidly." So, who stole the money that should have been earned by the working class?

The momentum of finance driving economic development had already become difficult to suppress in some financial centers. Even in New Jincheng, some similar companies and operations had now appeared.

They didn't sell any physical goods, but sold a kind of "concept." At least William felt that it was a kind of concept.

You use one hundred dollars to buy this product of mine, whose cost price is only worth fifty cents. I promise that in a few years, I will buy it back at a price of one hundred and thirty dollars.

And I will introduce you to our salon, where there are many customers like you who have purchased our products.

When some people started to acquire products that were about to expire at a price slightly lower than the buyback price, the customers who were originally a bit uncertain became confident.

They would buy more products, use more money, and they believed that everything would make them earn more.

Even if they didn't know and weren't willing to know, in reality, this company didn't even have a single factory!

Many strange things happening made William feel that a great era was about to arrive, just like the eve of a storm!

The quiet ocean was pressed by thick dark clouds that could be touched by reaching out. The distance between the sea and the sky was infinitely pulled closer, and the atmosphere was so solemn that one subconsciously wanted to hold their breath.

What they were waiting for was a bolt of lightning.

It could be lightning representing destruction, or it could be light representing rebirth!

Of course, William might not be very clear about what was wrong with New Jincheng, or rather, the Federation. His position made him unable to access much valuable information.

He didn't want to be a blind man or a deaf man when the storm was about to arrive. He wanted to stand higher, obtain more information, for himself, and for his family.

Some things Lanse mentioned before made him start to attach importance to it, so he had to know who Lanse leaned on.

Lanse watched William's thoughts churning in his heart. He didn't answer immediately, but instead asked, "Who I leaned on, is it very important to you?"

"In what capacity are you asking me this question?"

"As a friend, a girlfriend's father, or something else?"

William nodded. "It's very important!" On the second question, he thought for a while. "Perhaps it could be as a partner?"

"A partner?" Lanse laughed twice. "A good entry point. Continue."

William licked his lips. "Don't you have coffee here?"

Lanse shouted for someone to send two cups of coffee. William continued, "If you leaned on politicians, the mayor, Congressman Williams, or others, then I would go back and sit in my office."

"But if you didn't lean on politicians, then perhaps I could try to work hard to do something."

"What they want are votes, not congressmen!"

Lanse immediately understood. "You asked me who I leaned on as soon as you came in. Honestly, it made me have many guesses. You should be clearer, William."

Watching William still waiting for his answer, he revealed some smiles, and these smiles made William's face not so serious anymore.

"The Parreto family. I got to know Mr. Parreto through Alberto Cotti. He appreciates me, and there will be some cooperative relationships between us."

"I'm just providing services for them, not joining. When necessary, I can pull away and leave."

William suddenly laughed "haha" twice. "A great choice, Lanse. I'm not saying this for myself."

"You did the right thing!"

"The mayor will leave New Jincheng in two years. He won't stay too long. If you lean on him, and he doesn't take you with him when he leaves..."

He thought for a while and shook his head significantly. "It's highly probable he won't take any unrefined forces with him. When that day comes, it will be the time for the new mayor and your competitors to purge you."

"If you leaned on local celebrities like Williams, then you could only work for them for the rest of your life, and then be thrown into the trash heap by them one day."

"You made a very smart choice!"

Lanse waved his hand. "No need to brag about me. Let's talk about something practical. What do you want to do?"

"Imperial District Congressman."

There was some heat in his eyes. "I have been thinking about this matter. Although the Imperial District doesn't have any political influence, after all, this can allow me to enter the City Hall in another decent way."

Lanse frowned and thought for a while. He had hoped to support his own interest spokesperson in the political arena before.

But the performance of Alberto and Mr. Parreto made him see the other side of this world. As long as you are strong enough, the world will revolve around you just the same.

However, based on the caution and vigilance brought to him by his past experience, he felt that supporting his own entire team was the best choice.

Other people's things will always be other people's.

You can't every time hope those people speak for you, do something, and have to take out more benefits to exchange.

He nodded. "I will push this matter. Who is the congressman of the Imperial District now?"

Federal cities are divided according to administrative regions and will have the same number of city congressmen.

New Jincheng has eleven administrative districts, so there are eleven city congressmen.

Like the Port District, Bay District, and City Center, these blocks are basically controlled by old-school congressmen like Congressman Williams. What others can truly participate in are areas without political influence like the Imperial District, Sumuli District, and Xilin District.

Living here are either old people who are about to reach the end of their life's journey, or immigrants without political rights. The block is not rich, and there won't be any big capitalists colluding with them.

For true city celebrities, these places aren't attractive, but for civil servants like William, who is currently still an ordinary office clerk in the City Hall office, even the lowest-ranked congressman is a huge improvement!

"Russ, a Liberal Party member, but some of his political views are very extreme, and his brain isn't too good either."

William gestured at his own temple. "He always feels that some new policies are the greatest destruction of the spirit of the Free Federation, and even proposed words like 'paying taxes is the shackle that enslaves the free will of the Federation'..."

After listening, Lanse was also a bit stunned. "Although from the perspective of a taxpayer, I think he said it well, but it's clear he isn't standing on the correct path of historical development."

"Recently, the Congress is also discussing this. They hope to lower the tax payment standard to a level where ordinary and low-income people can afford to pay taxes."

Lanse looked at William, and the latter also looked at him. Both of them were a bit speechless.

"Are you sure you didn't make it up?" Lanse couldn't help but ask. "This doesn't sound like words a person should say."

William laughed very restrainedly, but this made his laughter make others feel that these expressions were even funnier!

"That's what they said on Capitol Hill!"

Lanse shook his head. "Then how did he become the Imperial District Congressman?"

"The mayor and the governor are both Social Party members."

After William laughed for a while, he said softly, "The Imperial District is an area dominated by immigrants."

Understood!

"So he is very tolerant of immigrants?"

"He believes that as long as you have obtained legal status, you should enjoy the various rights and obligations of the Federation."

"Sounds good!" Lanse evaluated it sincerely, but didn't completely believe it was true.

If this Mr. Russ really believed that Imperial immigrants should be treated equally as federal native citizens, he should have done something to change the status quo. But Lanse had been here for half a year and hadn't heard that he had done anything.

Perhaps during the election, compared to those Social Party members who clearly held prejudices against them, these immigrants, and had "Federation people first" in their brains, and the Liberal Party member who had no one running, this Liberal Party member who spoke of tolerance for immigrants became one of the few choices.

As long as he didn't do anything extra, perhaps for the immigrant voters in the Imperial District, it was the best result!

Of course, it was also possible that he tried, but ultimately failed. After all, under the rule of the Social Party, who the hell could like a Liberal Party member who sang "Long Live Freedom" every day?

They hadn't pinched his neck and pressed him into the cotton fields to pick cotton—that was already very tolerant!

William continued, "If you can take over the territory left by the Kamila Gang and control more than half of the Imperial District, then the next Imperial District Congressman will definitely be me."

"We can cooperate with each other and go further."

Very straightforward words. Lanse liked straightforwardness; it allowed him to save a bit of brainpower.

Lanse seriously considered it for a while. "I think there's no problem. Next, I will solve some social problems. If someone can cooperate with me, then that would be even better."

There was still one year left to elect city congressmen. Although William could prepare now, there was no need to be too anxious.

Lanse gave him a three-thousand-dollar check, letting him operate this matter first, find two helpers, or something.

And this matter wasn't just a matter for the two of them, but also a matter for the Federal Party. William would report this matter to the local party congress.

He didn't need the Federal Party's tilt in political funds, so giving a little political support wouldn't be too much, right?

After discussing some rough things, William intended to leave. He picked up his scarf and hat. As he was about to leave, he reminded Lanse, "You have to go see Pat when you have time."

Lanse nodded. "I don't have time these few days. In a few days."

After William nodded, he left. Lanse picked up the coffee that had already cooled and took a small sip.

Actually, even if William didn't come to find him, he intended to find a time to talk to William.

If the Imperial District Congressman couldn't be someone on his side, some things would be hard to handle later. But this matter was proposed by himself. In this "game," he fell into a disadvantage.

For two consecutive days, Lanse's side recruited more than a hundred people, and at the same time, temporarily stopped further recruitment, which made many people who didn't catch the ride feel very regretful and look forward to the next time.

These hundred-plus people were all simply selected. Elvin had already told them that not everyone could stay here for a long time.

If someone did something that broke the rules, harmed the company's interests, or was cowardly and became a deserter, then they would be kicked out, and not just kicked out.

This also made everyone feel a trace of seriousness.

On the morning of the last day of the year, Lanse came to the outside of the office. At this time, the newly recruited personnel had all gathered here.

They took off their blue work clothes and put on clothes similar to Lanse and the others, but there were some differences.

In terms of style, what Lanse and the others wore were all handmade, while these subordinates of theirs were all produced in factories.

After Lanse handed the clothing factory to Leide (the old tailor's son-in-law), he managed it quite well. He had operated a clothing factory before and knew how to make it run normally.

After seeking Lanse's consent, he had already started to take the initiative to take some orders to do. In a period of rapid economic development, it was still very easy to maintain daily expenses.

This batch of clothes was produced urgently, with roughly the same style: black tops and bottoms, black windbreakers, and black hats.

Leide provided Lanse with a very interesting idea: on the position of each person's left upper arm, add a silk ribbon, red in color.

This would make the all-black clothes look a bit more lively, not so lively—it should be called serious liveliness.

At the same time, it could also distinguish their hierarchical relationship according to this silk ribbon.

One stripe, lowest-level member.

Two stripes, captain.

As for three stripes, that was a high-level cadre. They had the qualification to enjoy a full set of handmade clothes and keep consistent with Lanse and the others.

So early in the morning, when the blue work clothes looked at the friends who were working with them on the docks a few days ago, and turned around to put on this handsome and serious set of clothes, they were somewhat envious.

Around eight o'clock, Lanse and the others drove over.

After he got off the car, these newly joined members also gathered around one after another.

Looking at these faces that weren't too familiar, Lanse was slightly excited, because these would all become his team.

"Today is our first formal meeting. Some brothers we met yesterday or the day before, but there are also some we are meeting for the first time today."

"I know you are very curious about the new life, and also have some yearning. Actually, I am too!"

"This is also the first time for me!"

"But fortunately, what we are going to do isn't anything bad. Your work is to clear up the chaotic phenomena on the streets of the Imperial District."

"Don't be afraid of causing trouble. If you see someone robbing, someone doing something illegal, or hurting others."

"Don't be afraid, go straight up and beat them!"

"If they try to hurt you, for example, if they have pistols, your temporary captain will take them down."

These novices definitely couldn't go out to work on the streets on the first day. Lanse arranged for more than ten old hands to be together with them.

Including Morris, Hiram, Laun, and the like, they would each lead about ten team members to work together, teaching them how to "eat" on the streets.

At this time, the value of "role models" and "standards" was very great. This would affect their future "work attitude" and "work style." Lanse cared about this very much.

He didn't want his "Lanse Family" to become the next Kamila Gang. That wasn't what he wanted, so from the beginning, he had to tell these people what could be done and what couldn't be done.

What was done well had rewards, and what was done had punishments.

"I know you might be thinking, why not give you pistols or something."

"I do this because I don't want some unnecessary problems to escalate. We have just started working together. I welcome you to join our big family, but we must have a preliminary understanding, and then we can truly become a family."

Hiram and the others threw travel bags one by one from a car. Lanse pulled one over, opened it, and it was all baseball bats from the Sailing Team.

"Take them, you can use them!"

"Protect yourselves well, and then it's my task!"

"Still the same sentence: don't be afraid of trouble, but don't take the initiative to bully people. We are not people from the Kamila Gang, and we don't take pride in bullying, defrauding, and extorting the weak."

"Don't do those annoying things. Perhaps some people will say we are a gang, or something else, but I hope you understand one point."

"Even if we are a gang, we are the whitest one among all gangs!"

Everyone appeared somewhat excited. They received baseball bats from Hiram's side. Looking at these classic-colored baseball bats, Lanse thought of Alberto's promotion.

He was a fanatical fan of the Sailing Team. When he heard that Lanse needed some convenient weapons that could be used on the streets without frequently causing trouble, he sent a large pile of Sailing Team baseball bats.

According to Fudis, he still had thousands in the warehouse, which he bought just to support the Sailing Team!

Lanse wanted a truck today, but it wasn't driven by the Howard brothers. They had other things and weren't there.

These people would take the truck to the Imperial District and then clear the streets.

When this group of people carried baseball bats onto the truck and were taken away by three trucks, many blue work clothes couldn't help but breed a stronger desire!

After seeing them off, the others returned to the office and continued to work. Elvin still had a lot of work to do. He had to verify the identity information of this batch of newly joined people to see if it could match the situation within the Empire.

And find ways to continue to recruit soldiers from within the Empire. These people might play a role in street fighting, but on the truly important "battlefield," they might still be a bit worse.

At this time, those little mice and little scum on the streets of the Imperial District didn't know at all that a terrible storm was about to break out here, which would affect the entire Imperial District! ===== CHAPTER 156 =====