Mobilization, Retirement
Temperatures gradually begin to rise in February, and the harsh winter is almost over.
The court proceedings regarding the Listoan Group have almost begun, but the trials for some related individuals, who are not considered key figures, have already concluded.
The lawsuit filed against Vera also went through a trial process. She was unaware that the materials she had collected were important evidence. In addition, Gepu stated that he had deceived Vera in this matter. Ultimately, the State Prosecutor's case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
The matter seemed to have ended there, and Lin Qi's businesses continued to develop steadily with a positive upward trend.
With the successful holding of the State Capital's secondhand goods auction, people have once again witnessed the power of the times.
Things that people used to casually throw away at their doorsteps or in the trash cans can now fetch a price, and a secondhand goods trade is booming throughout the Federal.
Under Lin Qi's leadership, the Interstellar Trade Company was spun off, and the new company, specializing in a second-hand goods trading center, attracted a lot of investment within the state, some in cash and some in land, which Lin Qi only wanted.
In this confusing situation, what people really want is not to use their money to make more money, but to prevent their money from disappearing mysteriously and to preserve its value. This is one of the few things people ask for.
The companies under Lin Qi's control clearly have this capability; even if they don't make a lot of money, they are safe.
In fact, many investors are well aware that Lin Qi's current business has significant limitations, and the secondhand goods market only flourishes during economic downturns.
Once the economy improves, people will revert to their old ways, leaving unwanted items on their doors with a "Unclaimed" sign and a dollar, then happily going to the mall to buy new things.
By then, the popularity of secondhand goods transactions will obviously drop to its lowest point, but who cares?
If they can survive the winter, they will immediately "break up" with Lin Qi's company. This is their goal, and Lin Qi is well aware of it, which is why he is now asking for more cash or land, rather than various equity exchanges.
Also in February, the newly elected Federal president embarked on the Federal's first state visit in recent years.
Gefra, also known as Gefra, is just a minor pronunciation issue and it doesn't matter. Prime Minister of Gefra visited the Bayer Federation.
Gefra is an imperial state. In previous years, the Federal spontaneously boycotted Gefra, mainly because of their political system, which is dictatorship.
This is related to the historical context at the time. The spirit of freedom in the Federal contrasted sharply with the ideological constraints under feudal rule. Some people needed to use these decadent things to uphold the preciousness of the Federal's spirit of freedom. Therefore, Gefra was considered a stupid, backward, and feudal country, although this was far from the truth.
What was unexpected was that some things changed dramatically in just a few years. The president even personally greeted the Prime Minister of Gefra at the port, and the cold winter seemed to turn into a sea of flowers.
It is said that a welcoming ceremony was held at the request of the head of the Presidential Cabinet Secretary Office to welcome the Prime Minister of Gefra.
In fact, people didn't know much about these things before, nor did they have much experience with them. Going back further, there were probably foreign affairs records from decades ago that were clearly outdated and not enough to provide any information.
They then consulted some merchants and came up with a plan: flowers! They had the children stand in the cold winter harbor, holding up various flowers and waving them in the sea wind that could freeze a homeless person to death. The fragrance of the flowers masked the fishy smell in the air, and the Prime Minister of Gefra was visibly taken aback when he disembarked.
The reporters on the scene keenly captured this moment, and during the Evening News, the Television Station presenters unanimously interpreted this moment of distraction as "the fiery passion of the Free Federal dispelled the cold sea breeze from the East Ocean and warmed Gefra Prime Minister, who had crossed the ocean to visit the Federal."
Actually, that's not the case. Gefra Prime Minister's distraction stemmed from a momentary feeling that he might have boarded the wrong ship. In his impression, the Federal's refusal to engage in foreign affairs also manifested a strange arrogance, an arrogance even more inexplicable than that of an imperial state.
So much so that when he disembarked and saw this scene, he wondered if he had come to the wrong place. After regaining his senses, he decided to go back and reprimand the foreign affairs agency, whose conclusions regarding the Federal investigation were clearly wrong.
However, he didn't show it on his face. He had a friendly and cordial conversation with the president who came to greet him, and completed some work on the first day at the Presidential Palace, including but not limited to reaching preliminary intentions for some international political cooperation, military cooperation and commercial cooperation.
The entire Federal is watching this state visit and its final outcome closely, because everyone knows that these new developments also represent the future of the Federal.
People are terrified. After hiding in this comfortable nest for so many years, they can't hide anymore. They are like a socially awkward jerk, both yearning for and fearing the outside world.
Lin Qi was also very concerned about the outcome of this foreign visit. All night long, all the Federal Television Station, media outlets, and even people who were too hungry to walk were discussing these matters. For a time, topics related to Prime Minister of Gefra and this country overshadowed all other topics.
Sitting in front of the television, the program was temporarily on break, and the hosts and guests had all left the main stage. Lin Qi breathed a sigh of relief.
There were other people with him, Asier. He had specifically called Asier here today to watch TV with him and to ask him to do some things.
Before giving him the task, Lin Qi asked his father about Mr. Neil's current situation, "How is he doing, I mean Neil?"
"Mr. Neil is very knowledgeable about his work, including the new project we just got. He has already prepared a proposal, and I only need to make a few simple modifications before I can use it!"
Asier's tone carried a hint of surprise, "I'm not flattering him, Mr. Lin Qi, but Mr. Neil's understanding is that he seems very familiar with these tasks, which is probably an enviable talent!"
Enviable talent? No, this is the helplessness of ordinary people. If an ordinary person wants to live a good life, they not only have to figure out some things they should know, but also some things they shouldn't know, such as how to cheat.
It's ridiculous that we receive messages every day emphasizing that this is a society based on integrity, but that statement itself is the biggest lie.
Asier was not as familiar with how the workers slacked off or how the suppliers used inferior materials as Neil was, so he naturally did a good job!
Lin Qi was very satisfied to hear this. Later, he asked about the progress of the new project. The Ball Field was basically completed because it did not require a very complex structure. It was just a series of steel circular stands, all of which were Prefabricated Parts and all that was needed was to assemble them, which was easy to do.
As for the second-hand goods distribution center, Lin Qi did not require the construction of any high-rise buildings. Neil found a suitable company with construction qualifications and completed projects to undertake the business. The quote they received was about 30% lower than the Board of Directors's inquiry.
Of course, Neil's offer was about 10 percent lower than the lowest price requested by the Board of Directors, and the remaining 20 percent was the profit of Neil's Construction Company.
They didn't need to do anything, yet they received 20% of the profits from a large project. Apart from Neil's commission and salary, the rest of the money went into the company's account, which was essentially back into Lin Qi's pocket.
After discussing these unimportant matters, Lin Qi thought for a moment and said, "Today's visit will usher in a new era. You should pack your things and go back to your hometown to make some preparations for me. I will be going to your hometown to invest by the end of March at the latest. Before that, you should communicate with your local government and religious authorities."
The matter had been decided long ago, but as the moment approached, Asier still felt inexplicably uneasy. "Mr. Lin Qi, shouldn't we reconsider?"
He stuttered a little when he spoke, and the pronunciation of some words was intermittent or repeated, which showed that he was very nervous. "My hometown is not a suitable place. I think other more civilized places might be more suitable."
Lin Qi smiled and shook his head. "You don't understand, Asier. Civilization has its advantages, but it also has its disadvantages. My choice is not wrong. You just need to do it."
"I can assure you right now that if you do well, you will get much more there than here, understand?"
Lin Qi's attitude left no room for doubt, and Asier finally dared not persuade him any further. He would hand over his work as soon as possible, then leave the Bayer Federation and return to that poor, ignorant, and backward place.
The next day, Lin Qi didn't go to the company, but instead went to see the Sergeant.
With Lin Qi's approval, the Sergeant recruited more veterans to the "Blackstone Security" company. Many veterans were initially uneasy, but when they returned to the camp that resembled a military barracks, they quickly integrated into this new family.
Everyone was very comfortable. They could just do what they used to do every day: morning exercises, training, and then resting when they were exhausted. They didn't need to think about many other things.
Lin Qi arrived at the company, the Sergeant appeared in front of him. The Sergeant looked more mature and had a better demeanor than he had two months ago. Lin Qi even joked that he shouldn't be called Sergeant, but a colonel.
"I noticed from the recent fund transfers that you have a lot more people here?" Lin Qi said as he walked with him on the parade ground. Everywhere they went, the soldiers would gather together and stare at him.
He would nod and greet them, and let them move freely. Although it was somewhat complicated, it gave people a very special feeling, the smell of power.
The Sergeant nodded. "A large number of soldiers are about to be discharged. You told me last time that we could recruit more soldiers. Have I recruited too many people?"
Lin Qi was slightly taken aback. "I remember it's not discharge season now..."