[Unstable Energy Burst Countdown: 12 hours]
New York, the plane carrying Barnes landed at the airport. He wore an oxygen mask, eyes closed, looking very exhausted.
Approaching a hundred years old, any flight over two hours made him feel weak. Taking oxygen had beco routine.
The chair beneath him constantly released weak electric currents, stimulating his muscles to contract slightly. This accelerated blood flow, ensuring his health and keeping his mind clear.
In front of him on the tablet was information from Rocksen.
[Dalio, "Congratulations, Presidential Candidate Barnes. We had better arrange your inauguration quickly; the situation waits for no one."]
[Dalio, "But I still have to say, I don’t think giving a speech in New York is a good option. We could have given the Atlas Group a head-on blow. Investors would be more confident if you chose to give the victory speech in Houston."]
[Dalio, "There’s still ti to change the itinerary, always ti."]
[Barnes, "What are you so anxious about? Haven’t I already made a bridge between you and the Departnt of Defense?"]
[Barnes, "Listen, I want to give the victory speech here. You know the gimmick I’m using for the campaign: I’m an honored WWII veteran, and I’ll lead the voters out of their plight."]
[Dalio, "Win yet another war; don’t forget that."]
[Dalio, "Rember our agreent, Mr. Presidential Candidate. Your recent behavior has made the investors a bit hesitant, and I’m, I’m very unhappy."]
[Dalio, "Rember, I, we, are all watching you."]
The communication was interrupted, and the plane landed smoothly. Barnes removed the mask and sighed at the ceiling.
"Anyone who doesn’t know might think I’m here for a corporate job." He lanted, then looked out the window. Lille was already waiting in the terminal.
Clearly, within this day, Lille was going to leverage his closeness with the President to release so information to the public, which would certainly infuriate Rocksen—
Their concealnt had ended. What followed would be constant testing of Rocksen’s limits, hopefully...
Hopefully, he could diate and calm the battle between the two groups, smoothly transitioning society into a phase of developnt, rather than the current state where the streets were filled with people from differing views, possibly about to engage in a massive brawl at any mont.
Indeed, in this political and interest struggle, Barnes had his own plans. He aid for peace, seeking Rocksen’s support while informing Lille of his ability to quell the dostic war fever, never intending to fully side with one party.
A mature politician enjoys playing such balancing gas.
Thinking about how to explain to Lille and how to strike a balance, he quickly disembarked from the plane. Lille was also waiting beside his car, alongside Mayor Anthony and other important state and municipal governnt officials.
Further away were Arican soldiers and reporters. This eting scene would certainly be seen by Rocksen—
But it wasn’t too sensitive, since this was New York. After landing, he had to et with local officials, and those officials would certainly arrange for Lille to be here.
The two greeted each other with a friendly smile and handshake, then posed for photos in front of the dia.
While taking photos, Lille said, "I hope you can visit the industrial residential area rebuilt by the Lee Financial Group after your victory speech. Hell’s Kitchen used to be part of it, but it’s now well-organized.
This will boost national confidence in options beyond war and deliver a financial blow to Rocksen’s clique, which will likely flabbergast him.
As a listed company, if we can sway their investors’ intentions, they’ll suffer a significant blow. After defeating them, we can accelerate economic revitalization." Barnes’s expression didn’t change much. He gently shook his head, "I’d like to see it, but I’m almost 100 years old. After winning, I want to rest a bit."
Lille instantly understood Barnes’s thoughts—
Because he had just rescued a politician in the Cyberpunk World who liked to walk a tightrope between companies.
The two walked side by side under the corridor ford by dignitaries. Lille, in a voice only they could hear, said:
"Mr. Presidential Candidate, I know what you’re thinking. You believe you can resolve our conflict by giving a date and Rocksen so sugar, allowing the country to develop in peace.
As long as economic and employnt issues are resolved, conflicts will disappear."
Barnes didn’t feel exposed at all and continued with slight surprise, "You’re overthinking..."
"It’s okay, I respect your thoughts."
Lille interrupted him. This also genuinely surprised Barnes. Though he remained composed, he didn’t continue to argue.
Lille went on, "I respect your thoughts. Maybe in your heart, you’re more prone to accept Rocksen’s ideas, establishing national dominance wholeheartedly, thinking of as a shaless Holy Mother for sponsoring other countries to resist our own.
But you also see the state of the dostic economy and compromised due to Atlas’s economic boost.
Or conversely, you think I’m right but have to consider the Arican military, those unlucky soldiers with nowhere to go if defense spending is cut...
It’s okay. I can give you ti. No matter what, you’re still the president elected by public opinion. At least you didn’t fully side with Rocksen but adhered to public opinion: since the vote margin isn’t large, you’d talk to both sides."
They continued to walk forward, and Lille opened the car door for Barnes.
The presidential candidate gave Lille a deep look: since Lille could see it, Rocksen might also guess so of it. However, the latter hadn’t explicitly pointed it out but warned him subtly.
In contrast, he felt Lille was more open.
Lille continued, "But so people will never be satisfied. I have a hunch: today he elects the President to control executive power, tomorrow he elects Congress to control legislative power, and then he starts interpreting the law, telling you how to understand the black and white words."
"Aren’t you the sa, Mr. Lee? In my view, you’re both companies. You only interpret the world from your perspectives and thoughts.
No country likes a company that helps other countries resist itself. So citizens’ dislike of you is justified. For this reason alone, I can’t directly side with you.
Many unemployed people believe you handed over job opportunities to African people."
Lille nodded slightly, "Maybe. Anyway, I respect your choice. Atlas is a law-abiding enterprise."
"A law-abiding enterprise wouldn’t sink a carrier."
"That was also legal; it was the US military that trespassed into African Union territory. Secondly, law-abiding doesn’t an being weak—Mr. Presidential Candidate, I’ve been quite restrained."
Barnes paused as he was about to get into the car, looked at Lille, and sighed.
"I really don’t want to fight anymore, but... I’m in service to the country. Do you understand what I an?"
"I understand. Congratulations, Mr. Presidential Candidate."
Barnes said no more. The two adjusted their expressions, shook hands again, lightly embraced, and then the presidential candidate got into the car while the corporate boss stayed behind.
Lille watched the car leave under escort, his mind racing—
He was a man who had lived two lives, not angry at Barnes for his so degree of backtracking and secretly bearing a grudge.
On the contrary... he felt as if he saw his forr self.
Nations are the products of irreconcilable conflicts between different interest groups. It can be said that it is precisely the existence of various conflicts, with politicians diating and controlling among them, that creates one country after another in the world.
Barnes thought what he loved was that national flag, that Star-Spangled Banner. He wanted to complete his final service.
However, this is like four people in a dormitory, three of them arguing every day. For the sake of harmony, you diate daily. Eventually, everyone chooses you as the dorm leader, and you draw a picture symbolizing dorm friendship, hoping everyone looks at this picture and tries to make concessions, holding back from arguing over trivial things.
But how could you love the process of diating argunts?
As the dorm leader, you’re responsible for diating them. That’s your duty.
But as a person... you undoubtedly have your leanings. Your initial intention to diate was because each of these three bastards had so redeeming quality, making you unwilling to see their relationship deteriorate to the point where soone takes a little hamr and smashes another’s head to pieces.
For Barnes, what he truly loved certainly didn’t include mass unemploynt, people having no way out and becoming holess, masses of innocents overseas being bombed, dying in ignorance and fear.
In the midst of the conflict, he beca lost in seeking to fulfill his official duties and life’s aning.
He didn’t know if what he was doing was right. Maybe he was right, and both sides would ultimately join hands; the country would weather the difficulties, and the world would beco stable.
Perhaps he was wrong, and more people would die because of it...
But no one can truly predict the future.
The old man stared distractedly at the sun outside the window, suddenly thinking of that day decades ago when he chose to enlist after hearing about the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
That day, he happily showed his enlistnt certificate to his good buddy Steve Rogers, only to find out unexpectedly that he was enlisting too!
The skinny guy from his mories appeared before him, surrounded by bullies in an alley, being beaten, and it was he who helped this skinny guy out.
The skinny guy ended up in a big cha, bravely rescuing him from a group of German soldiers, even leaving him with a parting line:
"Don’t do anything stupid till I get back."
Barnes suddenly burst into laughter...
"How could I? You’ve already done all the stupid stuff."
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