Chapter 46: Confident

Zelda was a privately owned transportation company that, a few years ago, secured the operating rights for the public transportation in Sabin City for four years, with an option for another four years, through a bidding process.

The explanation to the public for the four-plus-four-year contract was that if Zelda didn't perform well in the initial four years, the subsequent four-year contract wouldn't be renewed. However, in reality, this contract was decided based on the term of the federal president. The inauguration and reelection of each president weren't solely their own affairs; it involved the entire operation of the federal government's upper echelon.

The ministers selected by the president also chose their desired deputies, a process that was complex yet simple, fundamentally aligning with factions. Initially, many didn't realize that being president could yield more than just power, but now people knew – it meant wealth.

Every president, every eight years, brought forth an economic entity born around their ruling authority, which the general public was often unaware of. These financial entities, ostensibly born under the president's name or surname, tended to hide within other financial groups. For instance, the former president Mr. Joteson(乔特森) had a Joteson Group company hidden from the public eye. This conglomerate was shielded by another financial entity, ensuring that most individuals never directly encountered the name "Joteson" but rather a subsidiary under a certain financial corporation, keeping the truth perpetually elusive to the commoners.

Zelda took advantage of certain advantageous connections. Its boss had a distant relation to a member of the presidential circle, not too close but not entirely distant either. To say it was a close relation would be an overstatement, yet it wasn't distant enough to prevent occasional conversations.

Thus, almost effortlessly, they secured the public transportation operating rights in Sabin City, while, in unseen places, showing their loyalty by supporting those above them.

Despite underestimating city public transportation, it was a lucrative business. With a total population of only 760,000, nearly 200,000 people traveled via public transportation within the city every day. Assuming these were short trips within five kilometers, at a fare of only twenty-five cents, daily ticket sales alone exceeded 50,000 bucks, amounting to millions in monthly revenue.

Perhaps Zelda's boss would argue about operational costs such as fuel, staff wages, depreciation, and initial investments when confronted with these figures. Some might be misled by his reasoning, but not everyone, as the city hall provided Zelda Transport a certain subsidy annually.

The bidding process wasn't about how much money they'd take for the entire city's transportation plan; it was about how much minimum funding the government needed to provide for them to sustain themselves.

Yes, Zelda Transport's spirit of dedication and sacrifice was touching. Even knowing they wouldn't profit, they strived to minimize financial subsidies. Why? That was the spirit of sacrifice, burning oneself for others.

Okay, the aforementioned was pure nonsense.

At present, within Zelda's company, personnel from the Financial Crime Investigation Division under the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with representatives from Sabin City's Federal Tax Bureau, had gathered. Initially unwilling to cooperate with their requests, Zelda's boss only reluctantly began to comply after receiving a phone call.

He signed several agreements under the scrutiny of cameras and watched as these people dumped baskets of coins into a pool and then fished them out to dry. He also witnessed them roll some transparent colorless ink onto one and two-buck bills, leaving the rest to their devices.

The federal higher-ups were highly dissatisfied with the law enforcement scandal erupting in Sabin City. Consequently, the Bureau of Investigation had intervened in the criminal activities here. It was rumored that the higher-ups in the Bureau of Investigation were furious; some confused them with the Tax Bureau, although most of the time, it was indeed the Bureau of Investigation causing trouble.

This prompted their decision to cooperate with the Tax Bureau to suppress the outcry and scandal arising from Sabin City. If they could prove Lynch guilty, everything would be easier.

Firstly, as per the customary procedure, the primary factor in targeting the business akin to that of Lynch and Mr. Fox was to ascertain that Lynch was providing the essential 'ammunition' for Mr. Fox to launder money.

His legality could be explained as exploiting legal loopholes, which the Tax Bureau could nullify by introducing local legislation to challenge the legality of Lynch's business and incarcerate him.

This required a complete chain of evidence—"evidence" manufactured in the presence of third parties or more, flowing naturally into Lynch's hands, then personally delivered by Mr. Fox to the Tax Bureau for verification. On-site enforcement of income brought in by Mr. Fox was the evidence of Tax Bureau infiltration into the market. If it surpassed a certain proportion, the judge would acknowledge the entire criminal process, affirming the illegal transactions between Lynch and Mr. Fox.

To accumulate a large quantity of coins without alerting these people, they specifically sought out Zelda Transport. The investigators, who had been eyeing Richard for a few days, led this transaction, receiving five thousand bucks in coins at once, with the promise of continuous supply.

Zelda Transport required at least one armored vehicle daily to deliver this money for registration at the Tax Bureau before being deposited into banks. This wasn't because they had too much idle time, but because the money was simply "too much." If someone could exchange them all into paper currency, it would actually save Zelda Transport from additional expenses in some ways.

And there existed significant profits in this situation. Calculating on a single point, even if only half the coins, say about twenty thousand, were present, the person managing this transaction would still pocket at least two hundred bucks as an extra benefit.

Not illegal, not against regulations, not misappropriating—simply a switch from the left hand to the right, putting a few hundred more into their pockets. Why refuse?

Moreover, this money didn't just flow to Lynch; it circulated throughout Sabin City. The fury of the Bureau of Investigation and the Tax Bureau had to engulf the entire city to be quenched.

Under ultraviolet light, the glaring fluorescence of these coins seemed to form smiling faces. Lynch poured chemical cleaning solution into the container, quickly corroding the fluorescence on the coins.

He had washed them a total of four times before he could completely clean off all the fluorescence, but it was worthwhile.

After wiping his hands, he exited the warehouse, smiled at Vera who glanced back at him, and then walked to the desk, picking up the phone. "Mr. Fox, you can arrange for someone to pick up the goods now."

After hanging up the phone, he tore off the check's stub and handed it to Vera—besides being a mere check, the check and check's stub contained invisible information to the naked eye. When necessary, the tax bureau would use this check stub to cross-verify the cashed amount in the bank, confirming whether the relevant numbers in the account book, including the check Lynch gave to Richard, had any discrepancies.

Apart from the check's stub, there were legally effective stubs registered by the company, Triplicate Receipts. Since they were doing it, they couldn't leave any loopholes behind.

After watching Vera complete these tasks, Lynch casually leaned on the back of her chair, a slight touch against her body. Vera instinctively moved forward, and Lynch, as if oblivious to it all, inquired about her well-being, "You seem…," he shrugged, "...a little worn out. Is something going on? Do you need help?"

Vera managed a faint smile. "Nothing...," she averted her gaze elsewhere and casually fixed some stray hair behind her ear.

With a few strands of hair framing her fair cheeks, emitting a delightful fragrance, Lynch placed his hand on her shoulder, genuinely stating, "We're friends. If there's anything you need from me or anywhere I can help you, let me know, anytime."

Thankful, Vera looked back at him, nodding involuntarily. "I will."

Everyone was unique and precious in their own right, a statement mostly accurate. However, when some started comparing people, some were as valuable as treasures while others were seen as worthless.

Lynch's eyes seemed to be able to speak. The two locked gazes for around three, four, five, six, seven, eight seconds, before Lynch nodded and decisively turned to leave.

Watching his departing figure, Vera's lips slightly parted as if she wanted to say something but ended up saying nothing.

Her gaze returned, somewhat absent-mindedly, to the palm of her hand resting on her lap, observing her wedding ring. It all felt like a joke to her.