Negotiation

Howard slowly recovered from his shock. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "You want to consolidate the underground forces? Including drugs and human trafficking?"

Han Lin shook his head. "No, I haven't fallen that far. This can't be tied to the Strategic Scientific Reserve, but you need research funding, and what we need to do is consolidate every inhumane industry except drugs, human trafficking, and the like."

"I have the ledgers and complete transaction records of the three major gangs. As long as we take their businesses into our own hands, your funding problem will be solved."

"I found smuggling, arms dealing, nightclubs, casinos, and all kinds of illegal operations in the ledgers of those three gangs. We need to make the illegal legal. The smuggling business at New York Harbor is larger than you can imagine. The wealthy and powerful love the valuable calligraphy, paintings, and antiques that come from China."

"And arms dealing is your old line of work. We can trade weapons for Chinese treasures, then sell them to those capitalists. I think they'll pay a high price for our goods. We can establish an auction house and invite those capitalists to spend money every three months. As long as the publicity is good enough, I don't think your cash flow will be a problem."

"We'll submit an application to the government to buy all of New York Harbor, then purchase a large tract of land on Long Island and build an auction venue with a large casino and bars. With you, an arms tycoon, taking the lead and giving others some benefits, I don't think the government will refuse to make things convenient for us."

Howard swallowed hard twice after hearing Han Lin's words. He knew that all of his businesses relied on the support of the United States government, and that his arms deals were all conducted with the U.S. military.

Without the support of the United States government, he might not be able to sell a single gun or round of ammunition.

But things were different now. Han Lin's appearance had broken the deadlock. I won't use your channels. I'll take my surplus equipment to that eastern nation and trade it for rare treasures, then exchange them with capitalists for money. I'll still pay you all kinds of taxes. I'll run my legitimate business. What's wrong with that?

If you disagree, fine. Our major shareholders will have a proper talk with you.

Howard said eagerly to Han Lin, "Do you have a way to make the government approve your project?"

Han Lin nodded confidently. "My retirement wasn't exactly honorable. Congress has remained silent because they know they tacitly approved much of what happened this time. Now that things have turned out like this, they bear considerable responsibility. If I negotiate with them, they may ask for some benefits, but they'll agree in the end."

Howard nodded in understanding. "I don't have that much cash available. Where will the money for the land and construction come from?"

"Look at the newspaper in your hand. Last night, I swept through the gangs across New York, and all their cash is in my hands. You underestimate their assets. I got four hundred thousand dollars from just one small gang back then. I calculated the cash in all their hands, and it comes to roughly fifteen million dollars. That doesn't even include their other businesses. Their real estate alone adds up to nearly twenty-five million dollars. That's my estimate. So, are you still going to keep lying in that hospital bed, Mr. Stark?"

"I need someone to help me turn those properties into our capital. Then I need to find some people who can handle affairs and give them decent compensation." Han Lin said this somewhat jokingly.

Once Han Lin finished speaking, Howard could no longer sit still. He knew there were enormous profits behind this project, and he knew Han Lin was looking after him. He would receive a large share without contributing anything, as long as he helped Han Lin manage the project.

While Han Lin and Howard were discussing the plan, President Roosevelt convened a council. The meeting mainly concerned the four missing men and Han Lin. The evidence in Roosevelt's hands more or less showed that the four men were connected to Hydra. The Strategic Scientific Reserve's operation report had also been submitted here. Of the five council members, only two had been successfully brought back; the others had been intercepted by the National Security Agency and taken away for interrogation.

At the end of the meeting, they decided to send Senator Michelle Lawrence, who had met Han Lin once before, to negotiate with him.

Han Lin had originally been thinking about how to discuss his project with the United States government when Michelle Lawrence arrived.

Han Lin looked at the senator with a faint smile and asked directly, "Mr. Lawrence, what have you come here for? I don't think a retired captain like me should have any chance of meeting such an important figure as you."

Michelle Lawrence looked at the seemingly harmless young man. They had more than enough evidence to believe that Han Lin was behind the disappearance of the four high-ranking government officials.

"We know that the disappearances of James Quinn, Horton Blade, Shaw Brian, and Eaton Hopes are connected to you. The United States government does not mind arresting you and charging you with attacking key government personnel without cause." The senator wanted to seize control of the negotiation and spoke forcefully.

Han Lin shrugged indifferently. "Do you have evidence? I am an American citizen. If you have evidence, then come arrest me. I won't resist. But if you don't, I'll send a lawyer's letter to your office tomorrow. As one of Stark Industries' major shareholders, I have the right to sue you for defamation and maliciously damaging Stark Industries' stock price."

Han Lin knew he had not left any evidence at the scene that could prove he was responsible.

His careless attitude left Michelle Lawrence somewhat speechless with anger.

They all knew Han Lin had done it, but they had no evidence. The agents who had captured the council members had received their orders from Carter.

"Then, Senator, how about we talk about something else?"

"I have received intelligence proving that those four key government officials were Hydra spies, while you used the council to force a captain with outstanding achievements on the European battlefield into early retirement. There are Hydra spies involved in that as well."

"I think that if this report is handed to the major newspapers, quite a few people in your council will need to step down tomorrow. And our New York mayor was the one who orchestrated the attack on Stark Industries some time ago."

"Stark Industries' surveillance footage showed that every attacker carried standard military-issue weapons. Stark Industries has reason to suspect that the government intends to swallow Stark Industries whole." Han Lin's words left the senator drenched in sweat.

If reports came out tomorrow that Hydra spies had participated in the council and forced Han Lin out, then regardless of whether it was true or false, public opinion across the country would turn overwhelmingly against the government.

If this matter reached the military, nearly five thousand soldiers on the entire European battlefield had been rescued by forces led by Han Lin, and they had friends and comrades as well. Setting aside whether rebels would emerge, Han Lin's good friend Captain America would definitely be the first to object. The whole country would be dragged into a quagmire.

The government and military would be branded incompetent, and military morale would suffer an unprecedented blow.

On the European battlefield, where morale had been soaring, the first thing those rescued soldiers who had once feared no death would do was submit retirement applications on a massive scale.

Because their idol had been oppressed by his own country, and that hero had received unjust treatment.

And if Stark Industries chose to stop cooperating with the U.S. military, the entire world battlefield would descend into hell.

Michelle Lawrence shouted somewhat out of control, "You can't do this. You'll let NC win this war. You're an American citizen."

Han Lin gave a mocking snort. "When I returned from the battlefield, you claimed I had stolen classified national resources and demanded that I hand them over. You never truly cared whether I had taken anything. You only wanted to obtain a way to strengthen yourselves from me. You merely intended to use the power of an entire nation to pressure me."

"At that time, I wasn't treated like an American citizen in the slightest. And now you say I'm an American citizen? I can give up that citizenship. I can conduct trade as a Chinese merchant. All I need to do is return to China and negotiate with Hitler to keep him from attacking China."

"I think he'll definitely be willing to reach an agreement with me, because he doesn't want to face me. As for you pigs whose minds are filled with nothing but your own interests, who cares whether you live or die? Dr. Zola has been rescued. I believe Schmidt will grow stronger because of this, and more people will die on the European battlefield. I don't care. How about you go to hell and repent to those soldiers who died?"

Every word from Han Lin struck Michelle Lawrence to the heart, making him feel that coming here today had been a mistake. Why had he been present at that council meeting in the first place?

That bastard spy James Quinn had pushed him into the abyss like this.

Michelle Lawrence seemed to lose all his strength. Slowly, he said, "What are your conditions? What will it take to keep this information from getting out?"