Interests Move the Heart

No plan can be implemented exactly as the planner intended. There are many uncertain factors that interfere with everything, such as problems that are not in the plan or unexpected little things that don't go as planned.

This kind of thing happens frequently; it's a common occurrence.

Lin Qi's original idea was quite different from what he was about to do. His plan was to persuade the local rulers and theocratic rulers to become his partners and make a fortune together.

But when he actually came into contact with him, he realized that things were not so simple. Mr. Preton and his business had actually become the third largest power in Nagaril.

Whether those in theocracy and government acknowledge it or not, the Preton Merchant House's position is already difficult to shake; they have even choked Nagaril by the throat—controlling its resources.

If you want to make a fortune in Nagaril, you can't avoid a direct confrontation with the Preton Merchant House. They won't agree to let Lin Qi take their profits without saying a word. So, at this stage, Lin Qi only has one real opponent in Nagaril: Mr. Preton and his company.

How to defeat these people? It's not as simple as it sounds. The Preton Merchant House's network has penetrated every level of Nagaril, from the bottom to the top of society, and they have their own interests. Rashly confronting the Preton Merchant House will only provoke a full-scale counterattack. So Lin Qi changed his original plan.

He used to think he could get rich all by himself, but now he plans to get rich with everyone, but he controls the source and gets the best piece of the pie.

This is why he has been promoting his experience so frantically lately, all for a show in Bu Peien a few days later, where he will thoroughly and comprehensively show people what he brought back from Nagaril.

Let people see how much value he brought back from Nagaril without spending much money. Only when people realize this will they be moved and take action.

At that point, the confrontation wouldn't just be between Lin Qi and Preton Merchant House, but between the capital power of the Federal and the power of a few capitalists. Mr. Preton and his company would be crushed! Truman quickly figured out Lin Qi's ideas. They weren't particularly surprising, but they were very effective!

This also aligns with some of his recent arguments in the "Supremacy of Interests Theory, which states that as long as there are sufficient interests, war can instantly bring peace, and peace can also be instantly engulfed by war.

All benevolence and morality are false; only self-interest is real and eternal.

Hearing Lin Qi's words, Truman was moved. The biggest problem he was facing in politics was actually the attitude of those politicians towards the world.

In recent years, in order to cater to the needs of the people, a large number of radical politicians were purged and replaced by a large number of conservative politicians. Now these politicians have not changed their thinking. They still maintain the foolish and ignorant stance of the past, and do not want to attack, but only want to defend.

This is the biggest problem Truman is currently facing. They have just ousted the president and put in a new one, and it is not yet appropriate to take immediate action against members of Congress, or against the legislators and ruling class in each state. A transition period is needed.

Actually, it's not difficult to persuade these people. As long as someone is willing to spend money, they will eventually agree to some policies. But no one is willing to spend the money.

Lin Qi's plans presented him with an opportunity: once capitalists smelled the scent of profit, they would proactively spend money to organize lobbying groups to persuade every politician who advocated for conservative engagement in international affairs, in order to ensure they could reap the biggest rewards.

No matter if you use money, power, or bullets, no one can stop capitalists from plundering profits.

"It's dangerous, but we should give it a try. I think what you said at the salon was very true. We are all explorers, and every step we take is an adventure!" Truman affirmed Lin Qi's idea, feeling that it was a good opportunity.

Lin Qi smiled slightly. In fact, when he discovered that Mr. Truman had come to listen to his speech, he realized that Mr. Truman was essentially also seeking supporters.

The next day, Wo Delike unusually contacted Lin Qi, Lin Qi had booked a room at the Bu Peien Grand Hotel and would leave a note for him at the front desk.

Later that evening, Lin Qi met Wo Delike, a man of great influence in the Federal, at his estate.

During this time, a small incident occurred. Perhaps Sai Weiruila did not know that Lin Qi was coming. When she saw Lin Qi, she greeted him, looking somewhat surprised and wanting to say something to Lin Qi, but her father, Wo Delike, sent her away.

Upon entering a study that resembled a small library, Lin Qi lingered for a moment over the densely packed books and bookshelves.

There are so many books here, it really feels like a library.

There are at least six double-sided bookshelves in the room, each measuring four meters high, ten meters long, and nearly one meter wide. Each one has a track and a ladder for easy access to books.

The sheer volume of books was both awe-inspiring and unsettling, and also a bit unsettling. These weren't the typical "picture books" where each page featured large illustrations and minimal text; these books were almost entirely text with very few illustrations.

This also means that it would take at least ten days to half a month to finish reading a book that is only two fingers thick. And here, it's more than ten million.

Maybe more than ten thousand books! Wo Delike had been keeping an eye on Lin Qi, and when he noticed Lin Qi's gaze lingering on the bookshelves, a smile appeared on his face.

He walked to the nearest bookshelf, took out a book, and casually flipped through it. "Knowledge illuminates the path of human progress, and books are humanity's most precious treasure!"

Lin Qi snapped out of his reverie and nodded. "Have you read all these books, Wo Delike?"

At this moment, Lin Qi's words were not at all like what he would normally say, but the question was just right for Wo Delike to answer. As he walked inside, he invited Lin Qi to sit down, "I have only seen one part. The rest were left to me by my father, my grandfather, and my ancestors."

"There are some of them that I haven't seen, because my time and energy are limited, but I've understood them in another way and transformed them into my experience."

As he spoke, Wo Delike's face was filled with a reserved smile, beneath which lay an air of pride and arrogance. However, it cannot be said that he was a conceited person, because he certainly had reason to be proud.

Knowledge has always been one of the most important social resources monopolized by the upper echelons of society. Especially in the past, when education was not widespread, people had very limited ways of acquiring knowledge and were often selfish.

Since ancient times, nobles and the Ruling Class have used the monopoly of knowledge as the basis of their rule. Even today, much knowledge remains out of reach for ordinary people.

All the books here are enough to prove how illustrious Wo Delike's family and his clan were.

Whether these books are stained with blood, or who they originally belonged to, is another matter. At least for this moment, it can make their owners proud.

After sitting down, Lin Qi laughed and said, "I can't read that many books. Sometimes I admire older people. They have experienced and know much more than I have!"

Wo Delike's pride froze slightly for a moment, then turned into a smile. "I'll take that as flattery."

"That's right!" Lin Qi said, completely unconcerned that Wo Delike had seen through his joke.

From the moment they met until this moment, the atmosphere has been harmonious and pleasant, which is a good sign.

After a brief pause, Wo Delike gathered his thoughts and began to explain the main purpose of inviting Lin Qi here. "How much do you know about Nagaril?" he asked, adding, "I don't want to hear what you're saying outside. Say something that will interest me, you know what I mean."

Mr. Truman wasn't the only one who could see through Lin Qi's thoughts. From the moment Lin Qi amassed so many media outlets to promote his return, Wo Delike had a vague idea of what Lin Qi wanted to do.

Although the outcome of his trip remains uncertain, some clues can be gleaned from the goods he displayed after disembarking.

Whether it's those living rare birds and beasts or those huge ivory tusks that could easily serve as porch pillars, they all cost money, and they're all very expensive.

Even though ivory is not rare, such a large tusk is still very rare, and its price is naturally very high.

What do ordinary people do when they find a way to make money? It's simple: they make their money secretly, without flaunting it. They make a lot of money easily, which attracts others to enter the industry, making the competition fierce.

But Lin Qi didn't do that. He kept touting his experiences and even planned an "Exotic Exhibition," so his purpose was clear.

Lin Qi for a moment, then asked, "Are you interested in gold?"

From Wo Delike's brief moment of distraction, Lin Qi knew he was very interested in gold, so he continued the conversation, "In Nagaril, religion is very powerful, and there are many festivals every year. Most families above average must offer some treasures."

"From pure gold artifacts to utensils coated with thick gold lacquer, and various jewels and gems, all of these prove that Nagaril has abundant Gold Mine resources."

Wo Delike, having regained his composure, asked somewhat uncertainly, "But I've checked, and there are no relevant geological reports internationally."

Lin Qi curled his lip and retorted in a provocative tone, "If there were already reports, do you think it would still be... our turn?"

"Wo Delike!"