In Ark Simulator, why do I always get a tough start?

Chapter 18, "My Struggle": Winning Over Businesses
During the months you've been recovering from your injuries, with the departure of the mace, you've begun to shift your focus to internal development.

[In your past life, although you didn't read the original text of "Mein Kampf," fortunately, your rich life on Terra was enough for you to write this Terran version of "Mein Kampf."]

In the book, you recount your life experiences in an autobiographical style, as well as the ideological transformation you underwent through a series of choices, gradually constructing the ideological platform and principles of your party.

In the book, you clearly stated your goal: "The greatness of Letania once again."

You must restore the glory of the Witch King's reign through economics, military strength, science, and artistic creation, so that the people of Letania no longer fear unemployment and every Letanian feels deeply proud to fight for their country.

Regarding the economy, you mentioned in the book that the exploitation of workers by merchants, as well as the hoarding and speculation by some merchants during the war, damaged the economy of Letania. All merchants who dare to profit from the war and exploit workers should be hanged.

Enterprises should be state-owned. The more vital an enterprise is to the nation, the more firmly it should be controlled, rather than being divided up by businessmen who are willing to betray everything for profit.

On the territorial issue, you mentioned that Bolívar was once a vassal state of Letania, and Syracuse was once Letania-ruled territory. The independence of these two countries would be a great disgrace to a powerful Letania and its proud people.

You will surely reclaim the territories of both countries, restoring Letania's borders to "completeness" once more.

[Regarding powerful nations, you further mentioned that during the Four Emperors' War, Letania was the first to declare war on Gaul, suffering the most casualties and losses, yet the greatest spoils of victory were taken by Victoria and Ursus, who joined the war halfway through.]

You absolutely cannot compromise on this matter. The proud people of Letania will surely reclaim this debt from both countries.

All of this was built upon the foundation of a powerful empire; therefore, in the book, you determined Letania's future direction—military power.

Only a powerful military can support them in achieving their revenge, restoring Letania to its former glory, and making all the nations of this land tremble once more before Letania's might.

To solidify the organization's ideology, you arranged for many literate members, along with those possessing considerable oratory talent, to recount scenes from "Mein Kampf" to everyone in beer halls and various gathering points in the slums.

Those who achieve good publicity results, as well as those who strongly endorse your ideas, will be specifically promoted to leadership positions within the organization.

In this environment, soon, almost every literate member of the "Son of the Witch King" had a copy of "Mein Kampf" and began actively studying and understanding your ideas.

Even illiterate members would buy a copy, and then, driven by a desire for promotion or simply out of admiration, they would frantically study the text, hoping to understand "Mein Kampf" and one day be able to compete with the other members of the organization.

Even outside the slums, many commoners and nobles who were curious about you because of your prestige and deeds bought your book, and for a time, "Mein Kampf" became quite a bestseller in Letania.

Even the publisher had to reprint it several times, and the book was still in high demand.

However, this unexpected little thing didn't get your attention.

What you're more concerned about is the extent to which your victory, which was permitted by the Gemini Queen, has spread in the outside world over the past few months...

After the Twin Queens acknowledged the innocence of your strike and demonstration, the people of Letania, who had long been fed up with the constant tax increases, wage cuts, and the "if you don't do it, someone else will" mentality of the nobles and merchants, finally erupted.

In various mobile cities, similar marches and strikes began to unfold time and again, with long-suppressed citizens taking to the streets to protest the exploitation by nobles and merchants.

Now that your trial has the Queen's support, who would dare to use violence to suppress these workers?

Faced with a horrifying yet uncontrollable mob and workers, both nobles and merchants ultimately had no choice but to temporarily compromise.

However, this only strengthened the workers' will to resist exploitation.

When people discovered that marches and strikes were truly effective, protests and demonstrations erupted throughout Letania. They used the only known method that worked to fight for their interests, forcing merchants and nobles to compromise time and again.

[After this situation persisted for some time, conflict finally erupted.]

The nobles of a certain mobile city, finally unable to tolerate the repeated uprisings by workers and commoners within their territory, dispatched their private army to violently suppress a large-scale demonstration and strike, causing enormous casualties.

However, this time, because the mobile city where the conflict occurred was not under your party's jurisdiction, and because no empress spoke out this time, the nobles only received a minor economic penalty for their actions.

This incident also led the nobles to discover the bug.

Although you have the Empress's backing, your organization can only influence the mobile city where your territory is located; you have no ability to take care of other places.

Wherever your influence doesn't reach, that remains their rule.

[In an instant, riots, conflicts, and bloodshed unfolded continuously in the various mobile cities of Letania, and the pent-up anger of the people grew increasingly agitated with each clash.]

Repeated violent repressions and bloodshed have made it increasingly difficult for workers, civilians, and infected individuals from other mobile cities to survive. They are forced to leave their homes and families, flocking to your territory in search of refuge.

Gradually, the population flowing into the slums continued to rise, your organization began to grow larger, and the slums became increasingly unable to meet the living needs of the immigrants.

You know, it's time to expand your territory.

"No, we were unaware that you two earls had graced our company with your presence. May we ask what brings you here?"

Inside a steel company, the boss was already drenched in sweat as he looked at Chen Qi, who sat in his office chair like the master of the house, and Count Gertrude, who stood beside him like a guard.

Although I don't know why the two came uninvited, it certainly wasn't anything good.

After all, everyone in Letania knows that this "Slum Count" is supported by the Queen, and as long as he and his organization are involved, no strike ends in failure.

His steel company was naturally also greatly troubled, with strikes and demonstrations taking place several times. Each time, he, the boss, had to grit his teeth and suppress the protests in order to maintain relatively stable operations.

Now that the person who supports the strike and wants to hang the businessmen has arrived, what good will come of it for him?
However, to the boss's surprise, Earl Chen Qi's attitude was unexpectedly kind, and he spoke to him quite calmly:
"We've come here hoping to discuss a business deal with you, Mr. Yousef."

"Talk, talk business?"

Yusuf thought for a moment that he had misheard.

Count Qi, who is regarded as a lifelong enemy by almost all nobles and businesses, actually talks business with him, a businessman.

“I think you should have read my book, Mr. Youssef. You should understand that what I hate is not businessmen.”

"On the contrary, I value the worth of businessmen, but the actions of some unscrupulous merchants are truly despicable and they should be punished."

Chen Qi smiled slightly, effortlessly explaining his position, and then, without waiting for Youssef's reaction, continued:
"Mr. Yousef, you seem to be in a bit of a mess lately? Is it because of the workers' strikes and demonstrations?"

"No, no, that's not true, Your Excellency. I am a businessman who is most supportive of the workers' movement."

Yusuf, sweating profusely, chuckled awkwardly.

"If you don't believe me, you can ask my workers. The wages I pay them are absolutely commensurate with their hard work..."

"Alright, alright, Mr. Yousef, of course I believe you."

Chen Qi and Gertrude exchanged a glance. Looking at Youssef's chubby face, which was almost in tears, he finally got down to business.

"I'm not lying to you. We're here to discuss a business deal with you." "And, by the way, I might even be able to help you resolve the strike and protest issue."

"Uncle, is what the Earl said true?!"

As soon as Chen Qi said this, Yusef was immediately drawn to his words. His obese body trembled noticeably, and his voice even sounded like he was about to cry.

It's easy to imagine that he was utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally, by the continuous strikes and demonstrations.

Now that the biggest leader supporting the strike and demonstration is right in front of him, how could he not be tempted?

"Your company is the largest steel manufacturer in several recent mobile cities. However, the recent series of strikes has indeed had a significant impact on your business operations."

Chen Qi calmly and methodically said to Yousef:
"Would you be interested in setting up your factory on my territory?"

"You, you mean... the slums?"

Youssef uttered the word almost subconsciously, but quickly realized he had misspoke and slapped himself.

Even if it's true, calling the Earl's territory a slum is absolutely wrong!

Oh no, I'm afraid I'm going to die here.

"You're right, it's in the slums."

However, just as Youssef was looking utterly dejected, as if he were about to hear his own death announcement, Chen Qi answered his question without being affected at all.

"However, I don't want my territory to remain a slum forever. Therefore, I need a businessman like you to help me develop my territory."

“In my territory, you don’t need to worry about strikes, demonstrations, or other issues. My organization will manage them, and I believe that the civilians under my protection will no longer cause trouble for no reason.”

"What you need to do is move your factory and production center to my territory, regardless of whether they are civilians or infected. I will provide them with the corresponding jobs and wages commensurate with their skills."

"This……"

However, as soon as Chen Qi finished speaking, Youssef's expression suddenly became somewhat troubled. He could only say to Chen Qi cautiously, with a hint of embarrassment:
“Well, Your Excellency, you may not know much about the commerce of Letania…”

“Relocating the factory is a huge undertaking. Even if it’s considered as an expansion of the company, it requires starting all over again from scratch.”

"This...is a very time-consuming project that requires a lot of funding. May I ask you..."

"—That's very simple, Mr. Yousef," Chen Qi replied first.

“In my territory, there are a large number of families who have moved here, and there are many unemployed civilians and infected people.”

“If you are willing to hire them at the same wages as regular workers, I believe they will be very happy to contribute to the relocation of your factory, and they will be more hardworking and less likely to cause trouble than ordinary workers.”

"As long as you bring along a professional architect and a few foremen to help them familiarize themselves with the work, I believe your factory relocation will be completed sooner and faster than expected."

"And after that, you can continue to employ them. Once they are familiar with your factory operations and job duties, they will bring you very stable profits."

"Isn't this exactly what you wanted?"

Chen Qi's suggestion was so perfect that for a moment Yusef even thought he was right.

But the businessman's shrewdness allowed Youssef to quickly grasp the essence of the problem—Count Qi had no intention of funding him for all of this; he would have to pay for it himself.

Although these unruly infected individuals and workers will generate wealth for him in the future, the life and death of his own company will be entirely in Qi's hands—after all, his factory is located on his territory.

Yusef knew perfectly well how powerful Qi was. Those workers who had worked obediently under his command could instantly become sharp blades aimed at him at any moment, all at Qi's discretion!
After weighing the pros and cons, Youssef finally swallowed hard and cautiously said to Chen Qi:
"Then, if I don't want to accept this deal..."

"My lord, what... will you do with me?"

"..."X2
However, Yusef's words made Chen Qi and Gertrude exchange bewildered glances, and they couldn't help but smile at each other.

Unbeknownst to them, their smiles just moments before were, in Yusuf's eyes, a thousand times more terrifying than those of ruthless Sarkaz mercenaries...

“Then Mr. Yousef is free to refuse. We have neither the position nor the ability to force you to close this deal.”

"only……"

As he spoke, Chen Qi deliberately drew out his words, a murderous ruthlessness flashing across his calm eyes as he smiled:
"We're afraid we won't be able to help Mr. Yousef's company with its strikes and demonstrations over the next few months."

"Tsk tsk, I hope Mr. Yousef's family and business are big enough to withstand a few months of strike. There are already enough unemployed people in my territory, and I don't want another one..."

"Wait, wait! Your Excellency!"

Finally, under Chen Qi's threats and intimidation, Yousef realized how serious the situation would become, and his psychological defenses completely collapsed.

The obese man plopped down on the ground, his large face turning deathly pale, and he was covered in cold sweat, looking as if he was about to go into shock.

But in the end, he forced a sound out of his throat, his heart pounding wildly:

"I... I'm willing to move, to relocate my business and factories to the Earl's territory..."

"Then, Mr. Youssef, please put your fingerprint on this contract."

Upon seeing that Youssef agreed, Chen Qi immediately had Gertrude place a pre-prepared contract in front of Youssef. Although it only bore Chen Qi's signature, it already had the company seal affixed.

Finally, after Youssef cautiously extended his hand and pressed his fingerprint on it, Chen Qi smiled and took Youssef's weak and powerless hand.

"Don't worry, Mr. Yousef, you won't lose out by cooperating with me."

"Although I am a staunch supporter of state-owned enterprises, I also support companies owned by people from Letania. In the future, I might bring your company profits that you can't even imagine in your lifetime."

"You can discuss the details of the cooperation with Countess Gertrude later."

"Well then, it's a pleasure to work with you, Mr. Yousef."

With the agreement reached, Chen Qi and Gertrude left behind the seemingly drained Yousef and immediately strolled toward their next chosen company...

Ahhh, please, dear readers, add this to your favorites! (Begging on the floor, kicking off the covers)

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(End of this chapter)