Chapter 86: The Unpredictable Game of Deception

Advisors, this was the respectful title people give to the aides of a prominent figure, reflecting their special status.

Their relationship with the prominent figure was very close, and to some extent, they could influence the thoughts and decisions of the prominent figure. However, at the same time, they wouldn't draw much attention to themselves.

It was a unique job, but there weren't just advantages; there were many disadvantages as well.

But now was not the time to discuss these matters. Ferrall was currently facing a choice. 

Lynch's proposition was precise and straightforward. He didn't need Ferrall to provide any services other than being a consultant. He didn't even need Ferrall to promote him in certain aspects. Lynch only needed Ferrall to occasionally answer some questions or express his opinions.

This was legal income, and no one could say it was illegal. The purpose of coming here today was clearly to make Lynch compromise, but unexpectedly... the one who ultimately needed to compromise was Ferrall.

The atmosphere in the room fell into silence, leaving only a gradual breathing sound. Lynch looked at Ferrall, and Ferrall stared at the check on the table.

He needed to give himself a reason to stick to his own thoughts, to convince himself not to pick up this check. But if he failed to convince himself...

In fact, from the moment he started thinking about convincing himself not to take it, he had already lost.

Everyone knew that when people tried to find reasons for themselves, anything could become an excuse.

After about four or five minutes, Ferrall picked up the check from the table, folded it a bit, and stuffed it into the pocket of his jacket. 

Lynch stood up proactively, extending his hand with a grateful expression and shook hands with Ferrall. "With your joining, I believe my company and I will continue to create miracles."

Lynch's appearance seemed as if he had exerted a lot of effort to persuade Ferrall. Ferrall, on the other hand, felt honored to be able to help him. However, both of them knew in their hearts that this was merely a performance, the most difficult to master and the most crucial thing in society.

After the "tearful gratitude" ended, the two sat back down. By now, the atmosphere in the room had subtly changed.

"Mr. Consultant, I am currently facing some trouble..." Lynch leaned back, "Someone told me that in Sabin City, gatherings of more than fifty people require an advance application to the Social Services Bureau, and it's too late for us to do it now. Is there any other way to solve this issue and not delay our auction tomorrow?"

At this moment, Ferrall deeply felt a powerful aura surging from Lynch. It seemed elegant, but in reality, it was fierce.

He had seen many people, mayors, heads of various departments, some celebrities in Sabin City, big capitalists, people of all kinds. Some people indeed had some aura, but no one could compare to Lynch. Although he looked young, he gave the impression of facing a person in their forties or fifties, a prominent figure who dominated the federation and enjoyed international fame.

Every word, tone, gaze, attitude, and even a subtle movement made people involuntarily straighten their spines and hold their breath.

He subconsciously made a slight movement, feeling a bit uneasy, but the check was already in his pocket. From the moment he picked up the check, things had changed.

The reason Ferrall came here was not actually to cause trouble for Lynch; on the contrary, he came to offer Lynch some benefits. Perhaps this young man was not aware, but his flyers had caused quite a stir in this small city. Although it was just a belt, many people were paying attention and planning to participate; even the people from farther away places were also discussing this matter.

This was an unprecedented way of conducting the event, giving away belts for free.

The mayor's office outside City Hall (1) had noticed that Lynch's auction had already caused some commotion; at least two to three thousand people would go to watch it, and it could even be more. 

If the mayor wanted to gather so many people, it would require mobilizing a lot of resources, including reaching agreements with some capitalists. This was not an easy task, and it might take two or three months to prepare.

But Lynch could gather these people in just a week. This gave the office some new ideas.

Sabin City, like other cities in the federation, faced many troubles – economic recession, increasing unemployment, rising crime rates, and growing unrest in the city. Before this, the mayor already had some new ideas. He planned to hold an outdoor public speech.

On one hand, it was to boost the morale of the entire Sabin city, and at the same time, he would announce some newly promulgated policies to alleviate the panic of the people.

Of course, Lynch's auction might not be an appropriate place for the mayor's speech; it was beneath his stature. It would be just a warm-up. The aides in the office had more ambitious ideas – portraying Lynch's large second-hand goods trading auction as one of the mayor's initiatives to benefit the people.

The aides had discussed it, and it was indeed an effective method. Even if the economy was receding, people's desire to consume would not be completely extinguished.

Using some affordable and good-quality second-hand goods to satisfy the latent consumer desires of some people could not only soothe the emotions of the people but also solve some social problems.

More importantly, they saw something on Lynch's flyers that people had not paid much attention to – Lynch's company also accepted various second-hand goods for recycling!

Whether revitalizing the second-hand goods economy could meet the needs of the lower-class people was still a proposition to be verified. But at least, it was a hope. The sky was gradually getting dark, so even if this "star" wasn't too bright, it could still shine a bit.

If Lynch and his company could handle this well, it would undoubtedly become one of the mayor's significant achievements in governing Sabin City.

If Lynch's business didn't do well and ended in failure, or if issues arose, it merely underscored an age-old truth: Policies may be well-formulated, but problems could arise during execution.

As for whether Lynch would agree?

There was no need to consider this small issue; they had already investigated Lynch. He had indeed made some money recently, but it was just some money; they could easily crush him.

Lynch not applying for a gathering permit from the Social Services Bureau was just a temporary excuse. Even if he delayed the auction, he wouldn't be able to get any permits.

There were too many ways to control an ordinary person.

However, Ferrall hadn't anticipated that before getting the job done, he'd already implicated himself. Soon, a sense of satisfaction crept in. He wondered if Lynch would regret giving him the five thousand bucks once he realized his intentions might not be malicious?

He eagerly anticipated, so he cooperatively provided the answers to the questions Lynch was concerned about. As long as he collaborated with the City Hall for a series of promotions, they would send someone over for an unveiling or the like, positioning it as a policy benefiting the public. In that case, Lynch wouldn't need to go through the hassle of reporting to the Social Services Bureau – the City Hall's authority and functions surpassed those of the Social Services Bureau; a notification afterward would suffice.

He also mentioned some benefits in it and observed Lynch carefully. However, he was destined to be disappointed.

Lynch didn't show any regrets for spending an extra five thousand bucks. He just asked another question, slowing down his pace and making each word clearer. "Is there any subsidy?"

This sentence left Ferrall momentarily stunned; he couldn't help wondering whether he had misheard something. Leaning forward slightly, he inquired, "I'm sorry, what did you just say?"

"I asked about subsidies," Lynch slowed his pace, enunciating each word clearly. "If we present the auction as an initiative driven by the City Hall, perhaps even a significant policy, wouldn't there be corresponding subsidies?"

"If the auction was considered an action promoted by the City Hall, even a significant decision, there should be corresponding subsidies, right?"

"How much, how to apply, and who to apply to?"

Suddenly, Ferrall felt that this consulting fee might not be so easy to get. Lynch immediately gave him some trouble.

....

Note 1. Each governing official had a private office independent of the federal government, responsible for various aspects of their work and affairs. This included some commercial activities, which was unavoidable. In the Baylor Federation, to achieve anything, it was not only reliant on the support of the President's Cabinet but also on the support of capitalists. 

Without the backing of the President's Cabinet, some things were still manageable, but without the support of capitalists….