Volume 1: Raging Waves City Chapter 183 Prosecution
For the citizens of Nutao City, today was as exciting as a roller coaster ride. In the morning, major newspapers published the news that the World Bank invested in the hydrogen airship project, which eliminated the negative impact of the Changxiang-class hydrogen airship accident and restored the public's confidence in hydrogen airships.
However, all major newspapers soon published an emergency edition of the latest announcement from the World Bank, which dealt a fatal blow to all investors.
This time, the hydrogen airship project was thrown to the ground like a broken bowl by the World Bank. It is really finished and no one can revive it.
When Speaker Grover and Yomington were meeting Pan and trying to make a last-ditch effort, Luke came to the mansion of Councillor Ibel.
At Luke's request, Councillor Ibul invited all the prominent businessmen in Raging Waves City to his home, including the other two capitalist councillors. These businessmen had tasted the sweetness of new technologies and were more fanatical about them than ordinary people. They believed that hydrogen airships were a vent that could blow pigs into the sky, so they all invested a lot of money in the hydrogen airship project of the City Alchemist Association.
Now that the project has failed, all their money has been wasted.
According to Councillor Ibrahim's current political stance, he would not have been able to invite so many business people to his home yesterday. But today... at least a quarter of them came uninvited.
The World Bank's attitude changed too suddenly. If nothing major had happened in the meantime, they would not have had such a polarized change in their attitude towards this investment. And in Raging Waves City, the only person who could make the World Bank's directors make such a decision was probably the Meteorite Inspector who had been creating miracles.
The hydrogen airship project at this time not only involves money, but also condenses factional conflicts and political struggles. Under such circumstances, the Princess Faction headed by the Meteorite Inspector has reached the point where the arrow is on the string and has to be fired.
No matter what Inspector Meteorite wants to do, it will be revealed today!
Which direction the wind blows in Raging Wave City in the future will affect everyone's property, and even their lives. Therefore, regardless of their position, they must attend the meeting convened by the Meteorite Inspector no matter what.
Councillor Ibrahim arranged his large living room into a large conference room. As the number of people who came exceeded expectations, he added a lot of small seats, which made the originally spacious living room crowded like an overloaded bus. These big businessmen usually had no experience of such suffering, but today they were all grateful for having a small bench here.
When the time was up, the Imperial agents closed all entrances and exits and stood guard around the venue.
Councillor Ibel gave a brief opening speech and then invited Inspector Meteorite to speak.
Luke walked up and stood behind the podium.
“I believe everyone knows who I am. I am the Chief Inspector of the Cape District Branch of the Imperial Secret Service in Nutao City… Meteorite, and also the only Chief Inspector of the Secret Service in Nutao City.
After taking office, I have done a lot of things beyond the scope of the Cape District. As for what additional tasks I have, you should all make your own guesses and judgments.
The empire is now very short of money, and most areas of the empire do not even have electricity.
Okay, that’s all I have to say. Please think carefully about your position when you go back.
Now let’s get down to business…”
Luke waved his hand, and Kylena picked up a stack of documents and placed them on the podium.
Luke took the documents and threw them to the audience one by one. The businessmen immediately passed them around and read them.
"My people investigated the City Alchemist Association. The original purpose was to find clues that they were suspected of murdering me, but they found a lot of things that surprised me. With your business acumen, it should be easy to see the problems in what I showed you.
In the City Alchemist Association, some people used the hydrogen airship project to make money. Most of your money was not invested in the research and development of hydrogen airships, but was misappropriated for smuggling, futures trading, and even loan sharking. Then the profits and principal went into private pockets after several rounds of circulation.
Some of you are aware of the operation here; some of you are involved; some of you benefit. But most of you are victims. There are more victims in the whole Nutao City and even the whole empire.
If this is a normal investment project, of course, the risk is borne by the investor if the investment fails. If this is a normal investment project, there would not be so many victims, nor would there be such a large loss of funds..."
After Luke paused, the businessmen in the audience began to talk.
They all knew that the City Alchemist Association had made great efforts to attract investment in hydrogen airships, but due to the limitations of their own circle and the strength of the Alchemist Association, they did not know how much money was raised for the project.
When they saw the actual amount, they were shocked by the number. If the Meteorite Inspector successfully detonated this thunder, the City Alchemist Association would be badly hurt even if it didn't die.
At this time, the businessmen all understood the purpose of Inspector Meteorite summoning them together, which was to collectively force the City Alchemist Association to step down.
It's forcing these people to take sides.
Money is important to businessmen, but how to choose the right team is more important to businessmen.
Should he side with the Meteorite Inspector? Or should he support the City Alchemist Association?
Think about what Inspector Meteor said at the beginning, the Empire really wants to take back Raging Waves City!
But who can win this game?
The discussion in the meeting room gradually died down, and everyone turned their eyes to the meteorite again.
Luke knew that it was not easy to convince these cunning businessmen to follow him to attack the City Alchemist Association.
"If you think I called you here to win you over... you are totally wrong. I just need you to be here at this time to let the City Alchemist Association know that you are here.
Now the retail investors in Raging Waves City have gone crazy, and the news that the City Alchemist Association is engaging in financial fraud has spread. Angry people are attacking the City Alchemist Association, the City Government Hall, and the City Court.
This time is different from the large-scale parade caused by the destruction of the Thunder Tower. If it drags on until night, it will definitely turn into a city-wide riot. The Raging Navy will take over the city, and the Empire will be able to regain control of Raging City.
At this time, the City Alchemist Association needs your support more than I do. We need you to stand up and promise to compensate all investors' losses on behalf of the Alchemist Association.
But you are all here with me, more than I expected.
..."
Seeing the smile on Inspector Meteorite's face, the merchants felt like sparrows that had been caught in a trap.
yes!
Although they all invested money in the hydrogen airship project, such a small number of people would not be taken seriously by the City Alchemist Association. Although the money invested by the retail investors was not much, the number of people was extremely large.
Once these people are provoked and lose their minds, they will inevitably cause a city-wide riot if they are instigated. Thinking of the city-wide parade organized by the Meteorite Inspector... Was it a rehearsal for today's situation?
If true, Inspector Meteor is terrifying.
The City Alchemist Association is completely finished this time. At a time when it needs the support of the city capital of Nutao City the most, the city capital is locked up here.
If a large riot breaks out at night, the army will enter the city!
So……
When the merchants were panicking, Luke said, "The implementation of martial law in Fury City means that the city will become a war zone, which will greatly lose international credit. Your industries and wealth will shrink to what they were decades ago, and some people will go bankrupt directly.
This is not my goal, nor is it the Raging Waves City that the Empire wants.
According to the current situation faced by the City Alchemist Association, it doesn’t matter if you, the plaintiffs, are here…”
Luke waved his hand again, and a group of Imperial agents distributed documents and pens to the merchants.
"Everyone, this is an indictment against the City Alchemist Association for financial fraud. Sign your names, stamp your seals, and let the City Alchemist Association see who is their bread and butter.
I will negotiate with the City Alchemist Association on your behalf to calm this incident down as soon as possible. I promise you that in the new order of Raging Wave City in the future, your business will only get better and better, and no one will be liquidated for past events..."
The indictment was distributed to each businessman, and each of them stood there holding a pen.
If he signed, he would be giving his allegiance, and would have an irreparable rift with the City Alchemist Association. If he didn't sign... the old system of Nutao City would most likely collapse in the impact of this incident. Would he still insist on taking this ship?
Look at Inspector Meteorite on the podium and think about what he has done since taking office .
If you don't know which side to choose, you might as well choose the one who always wins.
Some merchants signed their names on the indictment and stamped it with the alchemical seal. Seeing that the City Alchemist Association was doomed, other merchants also signed and stamped their names.
Soon these heavyweight indictments were collected and concentrated in Luke's hands.
"Very good, very good... You made the right choice. Now that the meeting is over, you can leave, but I suggest that you stay in Councillor Ibel's mansion until the incident is truly over. You probably don't want to have to face the people from the City Alchemist Association when you go back."
Luke left with the indictment, leaving behind a room full of businessmen with bitter smiles.
Councillor Ibel walked up to the podium and said, “Inspector Meteorite has performed another miracle for us. To be honest with you, I don’t know why he invited you.
He only told me that the City Alchemist Association should return to its rightful place. What the Alchemist Association has done in recent years is indeed too much!
Starting tomorrow, our status with the Alchemist Association will change. It's time to discuss how to handle our new relationship with them!"
…
Speaker Grover and Yomington did not get any desired results from the World Bank, and Pan's words cast a heavy cloud over their hearts.
No matter what Inspector Meteorite wants to do, today is the best time.
Sitting in the car, Yomington said to Speaker Grover: "I don't understand. Meteorite has been targeting the hydrogen airship project. Apart from destroying it and undermining the prestige of the City Alchemist Association, how much benefit can he get?
But he made such a big noise, it was obviously a large-scale attack on the City Alchemist Association, where exactly was his attack point?"
Speaker Grover looked out the window with melancholy: "I have spent most of my time doing research these years. Not only have I hardly attended parliamentary meetings, I have even neglected the management of the Alchemist Association.
The hydrogen airship project has been led by Gunther Valentine...
When I get back, I'll have a good talk with him.
Have you noticed that there is something wrong with the atmosphere in the city?"
Yomington looked outside the car and saw crowds of people gathered on both sides of the street. Someone was talking about something, and soon the crowd became very excited.
This is not an isolated phenomenon. As the car drove along, it saw such angry people everywhere.
An atmosphere of uneasiness and irritability was spreading throughout the city. Sensing the danger, the driver sped up and took Grover and Yomington to the headquarters of the City Alchemist Association.
At this time, some people had gathered in the square, and more people were coming from all directions, which reminded people of the grand parade that occurred after the destruction of the Thunder Tower.
Grover realized that the dangerous atmosphere in the city was related to the hydrogen airship project, so he returned to the office and called Gunther Valentine.
Gunther Valentine is one of the three members of the Technical Faction in Parliament.
"Congressman Valentine..." Speaker Grover was sitting behind his desk with only his head sticking out. Although it was a little funny, his expression was extremely serious. "I hope you can tell me the real situation of the hydrogen airship project. I want to hear the truth, not what you told me before."
Gunther Valentine is a middle-aged man in a suit, looking more like an official than a scientific researcher.
Under the pressure of Grover's aura, big beads of sweat dripped down Gunther Valentine's head.
“Mr. Speaker, is it true that the World Bank will not invest in my project?”
"Answer my question first, Valentine!"
"The development of the hydrogen airship has been going very smoothly. We have tested the effect of the stabilizer in various environments and found that it can prevent hydrogen combustion. We have no way to destroy the stabilizer. It...it cannot fail.
Mr. Speaker, please give me some time, I will definitely find the reason. "
Grover asked, "I'm not asking this, are there any other hidden dangers in this project?"
"Other hidden dangers?" Valentine said nonchalantly, "We have raised a lot of money for this project. If it fails, those poor speculators may cause us some trouble."
At this moment, shouts were heard from the square outside.
"The City Alchemist Association is full of scammers. Give me back my hard-earned money!"
"The City Alchemist Association is full of scammers. Give me back my hard-earned money!"
"The City Alchemist Association is full of scammers. Give me back my hard-earned money!"
…
The shouting became louder and louder, causing the windows in the office to shake.
The assistant rushed in: "Speaker... The city court sent someone to deliver a letter. They have received a large number of lawsuits against us for financial fraud. Now they have been surrounded by people who have invested in hydrogen airships. There are several thousand people, and the number is still increasing.
The city court required an immediate response from us, and they were overwhelmed by an indictment of this magnitude.”
Grover floated up to the window, and in a short time the square outside was already crowded with people. They held banners and shouted slogans, accusing the City Alchemist Association of cheating them of their hard-earned money.
"Is this the little trouble you were talking about?"
