Chapter 240
Sheriff Fero received a last-minute notification and quickly led his officers to evacuate the scene.
The Operator on deck discussed amongst themselves, wondering why they had suddenly left.
Shi Lei smiled, already knowing the answer. It must have been his superiors who ordered them to leave; that's why the officers were gone.
But it's unlikely that Trimon officials would accept money from the Beach Umbrella Company and then urgently withdraw police officers without a reason.
The only explanation is that someone secretly provided assistance. They contacted an official of a higher rank than the bribed official and made a phone call ordering these police officers to evacuate.
In Trimon, only Rhine Lab dared to stand against Beach Umbrella Company's allies for Rhodes Island. And the only one capable of doing so Kristen.
If Shi Lei hadn't shared his knowledge about the Starry Sky and the universe with her, he might not have offered her help today.
With Kristen doing nothing, the Special Operations Team will have to engage in real combat with the officers. Once the charge of assaulting a police officer is leveled, the situation will only worsen.
Therefore, sometimes the concept of cause and effect is truly inexplicable. Often, an unintentional act can drastically alter the outcome of subsequent events.
March 29, 4:32 pm
Beach Umbrella Company, headquarters building.
When Wisk learned that the officers had withdrawn from the boarding area, he launched into a tirade of profanities.
"Damn it, those wolves took so much money and didn't do anything? What's the point of having them?"
His face was full of anger, and he wanted to personally ask the mayor for an explanation. He instructed his secretary:
"Contact the driver to wait downstairs; I need to go to the municipal office building soon."
"Yes, boss."
After tidying himself up, Wisk took the elevator to the first floor of the headquarters building.
He walked briskly down the long flight of stairs. He ran right into Mayor Benjamin and a squad of fully armed Columbia soldiers.
Upon seeing this, Wisk's expression froze:
"Mayor, what do you mean by this?"
Just now, the President made it clear that he is siding with Rhodes Island. This means that Benjamin has no choice but to terminate his partnership with the Beach Umbrella Company.
The president didn't mention the bribery, which was tantamount to tacit approval. He only said that given the scale of the beach umbrella operation, they probably couldn't swallow this insult. If it provokes future conflict, it would damage the country's interests.
So he issued an order for Mayor Benjamin and the Ministry of Defense to jointly shut down the Beach Umbrella Company and thoroughly settle the company's past debts.
This includes, but is not limited to, illegal organizations, illicit drugs, human trafficking, and organ trafficking. The goal is to reclaim the assets of the Beach Umbrella Company from the state.
Mayor Benjamin need not worry about any illegal data or information; it is all provided by the President.
Of the profits, the president takes 70%. 30% is left, with one part going to the Ministry of Defense and the other to the Trimont City. The remaining 10% is used to hire online trolls and create public opinion, as well as to cover expenses incurred in money laundering. Any surplus is split equally between the city government and the Ministry of Defense.
Mayor Benjamin had assumed that he would be severely punished by the president for accepting a bribe from Wisk.
Unexpectedly, this not only gave him a chance to redeem himself, but also provided him with an even greater business opportunity.
Given the size of the Beach Umbrella Company, even a tenth of that would amount to over a billion dollars. Most of the cash flow would go to the president, leaving them with some real estate to auction off for profit.
Normally, most people would refuse to go against Beach Umbrella Company.
But what if the president backed them up, allowing them to take over the Beach Umbrella Company? That idea not only exists, but it's huge.
Benjamin smiled, adjusted his glasses, and looked at the man in front of him with a slightly pitying gaze:
"Mr. Wisk, what do you say?"
"***, are you trying to renege on your promise after you've served your purpose?"
"Mr. Wisk, please show some respect. What do you mean by 'crossing the river and then burning the bridge'? You have committed multiple crimes and need to be summoned to court to face trial in person!"
Wisk was shocked by the mayor's sudden change in attitude. He turned to run away, but was pinned down by Columbia soldiers, his face pressed against the steps.
"Let me go! Let me go now!"
Wisk was not infected, but he was restrained by two strong soldiers and could not break free at all.
The accompanying secretary and the driver at the bottom of the steps were terrified and stood frozen in place, too scared to move.
"Benjamin, you traitorous bastard! You took my money and then arrested me?"
It's more than just taking your money.
I'm going to take your money too!
Benjamin was overjoyed at the prospect of receiving hundreds of millions of dollars and paid no heed to the insults.
Wisk was forcibly dragged by Columbia soldiers, his expensive leather shoes leaving marks on the steps.
"****mom!"
He glared angrily at Benjamin, and seeing that his struggles were futile, he turned to legal aid:
"Lawyer, I need to see my lawyer!"
As Wisk was dragged away by the soldiers, Benjamin looked up at the sky and felt that the air around him was exceptionally fresh.
My friend, you probably won't have that chance.
Columbia is now determined to seize this company and will naturally leave it no way out.
Once Wisk enters prison, a gay fellow inmate will stab him dozens of times when the guards aren't looking.
Once he dies, numerous television stations and newspapers in Trimon will launch a massive exposé of the Beach Umbrella Company's various misdeeds. Although other companies are doing the same things, they can now be blamed on the Beach Umbrella Company.
The funds and real estate will be frozen subsequently, and once the hype dies down a bit, they can be converted into cash through various channels.
Not to mention large pharmaceutical companies, even bank depositors' savings can be confiscated at will.
In the eyes of the government, every enterprise is like a caged hen. It can feed you every day and let you lay your eggs. But when it wants to eat your meat, it will show no mercy.
You could say capital is cruel, or you could say that plunder is the very foundation of Columbia's nationhood.
Do you want a cushion like this? (Image)
304 Talulah's Dilemma 4K
March 30, 11:10 am
A hospital under a beach umbrella on the Trimount City.
Jestton Williams, dressed in a black leather jacket, sat on a hospital bed by the window. He was wrapped in numerous bandages, and his left hand was in a cast. The other end of a rope was tied into a loop for reinforcement and hung around his neck.
Even though he was injured and hospitalized, Jestton remained very optimistic. As long as he wasn't seriously injured, he could recover in a few weeks and be a hero again.
The other patients in the room were mostly hospitalized due to illness and looked sickly. However, his lively atmosphere injected a fresh vitality into their lives.
With his tall stature and cool appearance, Jestton always projected an image of a big brother wherever he went. He had only been here a few days when he became familiar with the other patients.
"Splash."
He got out of bed, drew back the curtains, looked at the drizzling rain outside, and then pulled the curtains back closed.
"This awful weather in Trimon, it's always raining. Don't stay in bed, get up and exercise together!"
"Oh, please spare me. I'm practically half-buried myself, how could I dare to practice those things with you?"
Suddenly, the door was pushed open forcefully. The force caused the door to slam against the wall, making a loud noise.
"Bang!"
Jestton looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the person was not Doctor or nurse making rounds, but a Columbia soldier.
The other party was fully armed, surveyed the ward, and gave the order:
"Listen up, everyone. This hospital will be shut down tomorrow and will no longer be in operation. Pack your things now, and those who need to be transferred to another hospital should do so immediately."
Upon hearing this, Jestton's expression turned strange. Why was this perfectly good hospital being shut down?
He pulled a cigarette case from his pocket with one hand, approached the Columbia soldier with a forced smile, and asked:
"Bro, what's going on? Isn't this the Beach Umbrella Company's hospital? How come it's been shut down?"
The soldier was initially reluctant to accept the cigarettes, but upon seeing the high-end cigarette box, he immediately changed his mind and took one out.
The negative news about the Beach Umbrella Company will dominate the headlines of major newspapers and news outlets today. Even if he doesn't say anything, these people will find out sooner or later:
"Didn't you watch TV today? Beach Umbrella Company has had its assets frozen by the city government due to 18 charges, including human organ trafficking, manufacturing illegal drugs, and illegal human experimentation. All its subsidiaries and businesses have been seized, pending further official action."
"Ah???"
Jestton looked surprised. He hadn't expected the Beach Umbrella Company to go bankrupt in just a few days.
While beach umbrellas weren't Trimon's leading Pharmaceutical Companies, they were still easily among the top five. How could such a large Pharmaceutical Companies just disappear like that?
Seeing Jestton's expression, the soldier guessed that he had a close relationship with the beach umbrella and immediately stepped back to create distance.
"Let me make it clear first, I'm just relaying a message. If you want to know more details, you can watch TV or read the newspapers. In short, this hospital will be sealed off tomorrow. You should transfer to another hospital if necessary, don't stay here."
After saying that, he quickly left the scene.
Watching the Columbia soldiers' retreating figures, Jestton clenched his only good hand into a fist.
Beach Umbrella may not be a great company, but it was the company that helped him when he was down on his luck.
For a fleeting moment, Jestton felt a sense of desolation, like a tree falling and its monkeys scattering.
He planned to investigate what had happened privately after leaving the hospital, to repay his employer for their kindness.
Just wait, I will definitely come back.
March 30, 0:23 pm
This Ship, mess hall.
The Operator saw a negative report about the Beach Umbrella Company on the wall-mounted TV. It was on every TV channel today; they couldn't avoid it.
The above passage condemns the Beach Umbrella Company's egregious actions from multiple perspectives. Many of their illegal activities repeatedly cross Morality boundaries. Their practice of harvesting organs to save on anesthetic is particularly outrageous.
The Operator, on the other hand, were quite pleased, feeling that their trip to Trimon hadn't been in vain. The downfall of a wicked pharmaceutical company could save countless victims.
Shi Lei knew the truth behind the scenes, so he didn't feel there was anything to be happy about.
It has now been confirmed that the Trimon government is involved in illegal human experimentation. However, they are clever enough not to get their hands dirty; instead, they conduct experiments behind the scenes or by having scientists act as proxies.
Now that the beach umbrella incident has happened, they will definitely restrain themselves in the short term and won't give themselves away.
He has already suggested to Amiya that Rhodes Island branch be established in Trimon. In some cases, this could also serve as a deterrent.
"Um?"
After dinner, Shi Lei didn't watch TV; instead, he picked up his phone and browsed recent international news. One short message from Ursus caught his attention.
Three days ago, Talulah's Rhodes Island successfully captured the Schuratzburg City.
The Rhodes Island is very high-profile, spreading messages to the outside world through various channels. They welcome the infected to Ursus, to this city that belongs only to the infected.
After carefully reading through the content and even searching for a few more reports, Shi Lei couldn't help but frown.
The reports made no mention of Patriot or Wendigo, indicating that Talulah's siege was entirely based on the Rhodes Island's own capabilities.
The two teams had already formed an alliance, but they haven't appeared together yet, which likely means they've had a falling out and parted ways.
They waged guerrilla warfare around Lake Vega, constantly changing their strongholds, making them relatively easy to capture.
Occupying Mobile Cities now would mean losing our greatest advantage: mobility. We'd only become sitting ducks, vulnerable to a massive counterattack from Ursus.
Furthermore, urging infected individuals to travel there is overly idealistic. Many infected individuals may perish en route before even reaching Ursus.
It can only be said that this decision was very ill-considered.
Shi Lei currently has a three-month contract in effect, so he can't just leave yet. He'll take some time to visit Ursus after he returns to Lungmen.
For the next two weeks, Shi Lei kept a close eye on the movements of Ursus.
The Rhodes Island extended invitations to infected individuals through various channels. Strangely, however, Ursus did not assemble any troops.
As the saying goes, how can one allow another to snore on a tiger's bed?
The fact that the Ursus emperor did not launch an attack was itself somewhat unusual.