There's Always Some Lowlife Trying to Dip into My Money

Perhaps due to the start of the purge of domestic spies by the Gefra, members of Congress on television have made many critical remarks about the current foreign policy, but the public reaction does not seem particularly strong.

Although there were demonstrations in some places, they were not very large. Surprisingly, the Socialist Party did not side with the Conservative Party this time, but chose to remain neutral.

The Socialist Party's neutrality also means the neutrality of the Labor Union. Of course, the main reason is ultimately who can provide food for everyone.

The previous major strike, which only involved a short-term halt to Food Stamps redemption and food supplies, had already made many people feel the despair of being on the verge of starvation. Unless they are pushed to the brink, they are unlikely to cause such a massive and uncontrollable disturbance as last time.

Without large-scale demonstrations and protests, and without creating unprecedented influence, some things are ultimately difficult to push forward.

Many people always think that policies are top-down "commands," but that's not the case. In fact, policies are often designed to better serve the people at the grassroots level, as can be seen from the proposals and regulations promoted every year.

It's important to understand that there wasn't originally a law like the 《Minimum Wage Law》. The ultimate goal of pushing for such laws was to take care of more people in need.

Although some policymakers may sometimes use this power as a weapon of oppression, this should not negate the purpose and objectives of policymaking.

The current situation is that there is a lack of support from the grassroots. Even though Preton bribed some members of Congress in an attempt to change the inevitable conflict, it was to no avail.

On that very day, Lin Qi was invited to participate in the final game of the York State Amateur Rugby Professional League.

Actually, although it's called the last game, there are still about eleven games left before the amateur league truly ends. But if Lin Qi's team wins today's game, they can get a ticket to the second-tier professional league and return to the professional arena.

This important news is of paramount importance and great excitement to the people of the entire Sabine City.

Sometimes society is just that strange. Many of these people are unemployed and at home, barely surviving on welfare food, and they had never followed Rugby before.

But today, more than ever before, they are concerned about politics, economics, sports, and any news they could actually ignore.

They not only pay attention, but they are also very involved, which is a very strange phenomenon. Perhaps we should invite some sociologists to study it.

Standing on the brand-new Ball Field, Lin Qi held onto the railing. The oval-shaped Ball Field didn't seem luxurious to him; in fact, it was rather simple. But at this moment, standing in the best seat, looking down at the entire Ball Field and all the excited crowd, a very special feeling welled up Ball Field him.

Ambitious?

There might be some, but he couldn't quite describe them.

The match began as the players from both teams entered the field.

The atmosphere on the Ball Field reached a fever pitch from the very beginning. The fierce fighting of the club's Young Men intimidated their opponents, and their reckless collisions caused many of the opposing athletes, who were perhaps even slightly famous, to choose to give way.

This, in a way, greatly enhanced the entertainment value of the match.

In this era filled with frustration, there is nothing more exhilarating and satisfying than watching a game where victory is won with the ease of slicing vegetables.

When they cheer for the team and the players, they forget their poverty, their disappointment at actually being out looking for work, and many other things they don't want to remember. At that moment, there is only cheering and excitement.

Throughout the match, Lin Qi's club dominated, leaving their opponents helpless. He had been hoping for a "closely matched" game, but unfortunately, it wasn't.

When the final whistle blew, the entire stadium erupted in cheers. The Young Men took off their helmets, stood together, and received blessings and medals from the medal-awarding staff of the United Sports Association.

Everyone was delighted, and Lin Qi was also invited to the awards ceremony. As the team's largest shareholder, he was entitled to be present in this exciting place.

"Congratulations, Mr. Lin Qi! I look forward to your team's performance in the professional league in the second half of the year!" The State Sports Association officials were very enthusiastic. On the one hand, Lin Qi's personal influence was gradually expanding, and he was now a social celebrity.

In Federal society where everything is about money, fame often means status and wealth. No one can ignore these celebrities, let alone offend them.

Secondly, Lin Qi is one of the founders and directors of the Women's Professional Sports Development Promotion Association, so they are considered one of their own, hence the smiles on their faces.

Lin Qi smiled and shook hands with him, and then the two stood next to the trophy to receive the blessings of the flashbulbs. Afterwards, Lin Qi and the staff member of the United Sports Association handed the trophy to the team manager.

Kane was thrilled. If there was anyone in the entire club who truly loved sports and the club, it was Kane.

His lips trembled with excitement. At this time last year, they were facing enormous trouble. Due to various investigations of distrust and bans, the entire club not only lost its license to participate in professional leagues and was relegated to an amateur club, but also faced the risk of dissolution.

The athletes lost interest in sports and found new jobs. The United Sports Association is also considering whether to cancel subsidies to the Sabine City Professional Club and remove their names from the list of Federal professional sports clubs.

Everything seemed to foreshadow their descent into darkness, until... they met Lin Qi, and things got better.

Kane held the trophy and tears welled up in his eyes, along with some snot. He took out a handkerchief to wipe them away and tried to shake Lin Qi's hand, but Lin Qi cleverly dodged him.

Furthermore, Lin Qi looked at Kane with undisguised disdain, but Kane seemed oblivious, standing a meter away from Lin Qi and expressing his gratitude.

The Young Men were all smiles, a new and wonderful life was about to begin, and the head coach was surrounded by reporters.

He was a mid- Upper Class head coach in the university league, and his purpose in coming to Sabine City to coach was to find a way to make a name for himself in the professional league as soon as possible.

Some people said he left the university league because he couldn't make it there anymore, and others pointed out that his personal conduct was problematic, which is why he had to leave.

But regardless, he has succeeded now, as you can tell from the smile on his face.

Everyone was celebrating this important moment, and the spectators in the stands lingered, wanting to stay a little longer.

They might want to savor the afterglow of "winning the championship," or they might simply want to escape reality for a while longer, because they know very well that once they leave the Ball Field, they will have to face a bleak life and a life of being a bastard!

Later that evening, Lin Qi, Kane, and the head coach sat in the manager's office for a short meeting.

The team's promotion means that some new things need to be put on the agenda. As the sole shareholder, Lin Qi the only one who can get permission from both the manager and the head coach to do anything.

"We need some advanced professional equipment..." Coach Moore said, explaining his needs. "Those advanced devices can provide us with more detailed information about the athletes' physical condition, which will allow us to effectively monitor the physical condition of each athlete."

"Once we enter the professional league, the competition will become more intense, and injuries will also occur!"

"We need our own stars; we can't keep using these Blue Vests as disposable items!"

Kane was also very supportive of the manager's idea, saying, "Star players are an important part of a team's culture and content. Most teams have their own star players, which can also unite the audience."

To persuade Lin Qi to invest in this area, Kane gave some examples. "I have some information here..." He handed a document to Lin Qi, and it was clear that he was somewhat uneasy.

Lin Qi glanced at him, then lowered his gaze to the document. There was a brownish-yellow circle on the cover of the document, which must have been the one who placed the coffee cup on it.

"This is the most unique document cover I've seen all year!" Lin Qi smiled and turned to the first page, which relieved Kane.

He then explained, "The information I collected mainly describes the role of star players in the team and their economic value."

"Compared to jerseys worn by ordinary players, most fans are more willing to spend money to buy jerseys worn by star players, as well as customized merchandise with the player's number or the same number."

"Furthermore, if we develop a star player ourselves, as his market value continues to rise, we could potentially receive hundreds of thousands or even millions in transfer fees, and we can do it!"

Even without Kane saying it, Lin Qi already knew the commercial value involved. What's more, among many celebrities, sports stars actually have more potential, more influence, and a more positive commercial value than movie stars or singers.

People often think that sports stars are healthier and more vibrant than movie stars or singers, and sometimes that's true.

The transfer fee for a top sports star has long exceeded one million, but the salary for a top-tier movie star for a single film is still far from one million.

Overall, this explanatory document and plan are quite good.

Lin Qi closed the document again and looked at the two men. "How much money are you planning to ask for?"