The Shadow Tycoon
Copyright© 2026 by CaffeinatedTales
Chapter 157: The Line Outside the Club
If damaging certain acts related to workers could bring some jobs ... The mayor quickly cleared that thought from his mind. It was a very dangerous thing to do, especially under the present circumstances. Once someone damaged that bond between the working class and the capitalist class, the bond that represented harmonious coexistence, it was very likely to create even more terrifying consequences and bring even more terrifying influence.
Before things reached the limit, the mayor did not intend to consider some of the ideas William had raised before. But his other idea could be considered: overseas shipment.
Now that the World War had ended, every country had begun rebuilding the cities destroyed in the flames of war. Artillery fire had not only turned their cities into ruins, it had also destroyed a great deal of infrastructure and many ordinary plants.
In truth, everyone knew that now was the best time to do import-export business. But this also ran against the plan previously set by the President’s Cabinet and the Federation Conservative Party, the isolationist policy.
They did not want to take sides because of deals. In wartime, that might be regarded as picking sides.
In fact, during the World War, the navies of the two major camps had constantly blockaded each other’s sea routes, and would even penetrate the other side’s waters to ambush passing rustbuckets.
Before a more advanced liner service existed, sea freight was currently the most practical solution for long-distance transportation. There was no other. So the value of ambushing a rustbucket was sometimes greater than destroying a warship.
This also reflected one situation: trade would be regarded as picking sides.
But now the World War had already ended. In truth, there was no need for isolationism anymore. Opening international trade was exactly the right time. Yet the President’s Cabinet seemed to have different ideas.
This might be an opportunity. The mayor thought about these things. Perhaps these matters could be used as a means of attack, allowing the senior leadership to attack the Federation Conservative Party’s policy, thereby drawing a portion of wavering citizens to their side ... His thoughts drifted a little far, but he soon came back to himself. For now, the first thing he had to solve was the matter right in front of him.
Mark’s plant had already begun purchasing production materials from nearby farms and ranches. It had to be said, the agro-pastoral sector was indeed the most resilient industry. There was no other, because people needed to eat at any time. As long as people needed to eat, the agricultural products they produced would have an outlet.
Unlike the goods manufactured by these fools in front of him, which were stacked in warehouses and ignored by everyone, and still could not be sold even at a discount.
The dole had basically been printed as well, but none of these solved the root of the problem. Only giving people work could make people settle down. The mayor’s gaze once again stopped on William. This time, William noticed it and smiled as he nodded to the mayor in greeting.
The mayor also nodded slightly, indicating that he had felt William’s respect and returned it.
The meeting, which lasted more than an hour, ultimately broke up unhappily. In the latter half of the meeting, some people put forward worthless suggestions, such as recommending that all kinds of taxation be canceled from now on, and that part of the taxes previously paid be returned. That way, their financial pressure would not be so great, and they could last longer.
Yes, by the end, the meeting had already shifted from how to solve social problems and provide more positions into these capitalists discussing how to make their own firms survive longer and how to obtain more benefits from the government.
With no constructive opinions whatsoever, the mayor directly ended this farcical meeting. But the influence of this meeting, which had produced no result at all, began to spread quietly through the entire city.
After the meeting, Baron Reynolds found William again. He was very interested in forming a women’s football team, and William did indeed need such a role. In truth, from a certain angle, forming a women’s football team was equivalent to providing jobs for society. It was a good thing.
He specially invited Baron Reynolds to take a look at his club, and to discuss the details along the way. It also happened that he needed to meet the new coaching staff.
At about three-thirty, the group arrived outside the club. What made William raise an eyebrow was that a long line had actually formed outside the club, men and women both. Manager Kane had been waiting by the roadside early. At this moment, when he saw William’s luxury car approaching, he immediately took the initiative to stand by the road. After the car stopped, he opened the door for him.
“Boss...”
After William got out, he straightened his clothes and asked him about the line by the road. “What’s going on?”
Kane scratched his head. “We’re recruiting athletes...”
That was the current situation with the club. The coaching staff Kane had found was actually an American football coaching staff from a top-tier university. The head coach of this staff felt that teaching in the university league was a waste of his talent. He thought he should have a broader world, and so he wanted to enter professional American football.
Every year, many coaches developed similar thoughts, but the overwhelming majority of them could never realize them. On one hand, successful clubs had their own coaching staffs. Before irreconcilable conflicts emerged between the coaching staff and the manager, the two sides would remain stable and continue on.
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