Miss President wants to talk to you

This one is much more meager.

There were only a few yellowed registration forms and some figures copied from the local government.

“Preston owns a Carolina Agricultural Settlement and Credit Company.”

Edgar said, "Our main business is recruiting unemployed people from cities and other rural areas and sending them to work on farms in the Waterley Valley."

"Free job referrals?" Eleanor asked.

That's how it is nominally.

Edgar shook his head. "The company paid for the train tickets, work clothes, tools, and initial food and lodging in advance."

"After the laborers arrive at the farm, they will repay the debt slowly with their wages."

It sounds like there's nothing wrong with it.

During the economic crisis, countless people couldn't even afford a ticket to their workplace.

The company's willingness to advance the expenses can even be considered a charitable act.

But Eleanor didn't rush to comment.

Since Edgar specifically brought this up.

The problem is definitely not on the surface.

Eleanor thought for a moment and asked, "How many people has this company employed in total?"

"In the past four years, there have been 2,743 recorded cases."

How many people are still on the farm?

"do not know."

Eleanor looked up: "You don't know?"

"The company did not submit a complete list of employees."

Edgar said, "They only report formal employees to the local government, while contract workers who repay their advances through labor are not on the public roster."

It turned out to be the case.

Eleanor understood: such a large company couldn't produce a complete list of its employees.

In other words, they recruited so many people, yet they couldn't explain at all where these people went afterward.

If this is investigated further...

I really don't know what horrifying things they might find out.

Eleanor didn't rush to comment.

He asked, "Has the local government not taken any action on this matter?"

"No."

Edgar said, "Not only that, the local government even has a deep partnership with Preston."

This is not difficult to understand.

Preston’s agricultural resettlement company helps local governments address homelessness and unemployment issues.

In addition, his father was a senator, making him a very respectable figure.

Everyone was naturally happy to cooperate with him.

Eleanor remained silent.

He leaned back slowly and asked the system:

"Is there any problem with Preston Smith's agricultural resettlement company?"

[Thinking about the problem...]

[Estimated thinking time: 108 hour.]

Seeing this amount of time spent thinking, it's almost certain that there's something wrong behind it.

Moreover, because his father, a senator, was involved, the time he had to think about it was not short.

Eleanor left the system to think and ignored it.

He asked Edgar again, "Do you know what the specific work entails for the farms in the Waterley Valley?"

"do not know."

Edgar shook his head. "If we want to investigate further, we have to go deep into the south, but the atmosphere there is too conservative, and the residents all know each other."

"If a stranger stays in a hotel for more than two days, the police will find out."

"If he were to inquire about Waterley Valley Farm again, his name would be on Preston's desk that very evening."

"It is extremely difficult for our agents to get started."

"All we have right now is this one photo."

Edgar reached out and flipped the report on the table backward.

A photograph quickly appeared before Eleanor's eyes.

The location in the photo is far from the main road, with only a company railway branch line and a muddy road.

Looking around, you can see cotton fields, tobacco sheds, wooden dormitories, and a warehouse.

That's all.

"This"

Eleanor raised an eyebrow; judging from the photo, everything did indeed appear normal.

But the fewer problems there are, the harder it is to explain the situation.

How could more than 2,700 workers, if they were in a normal industry, disappear without a trace after joining?

Is it

Eleanor thought of a possibility.

Could it be that this Preston Smith is actually a 1933 Federal version of Uncle East?

They led villagers and laborers from outside to plant some thriving crops in the valley.

For example, leaves of Western trees or something?

But upon closer reflection, Eleanor realized it wasn't that simple.

Because of the different locations and times.

The current federal government is not actually that strict about planting Western leaves or similar things.

Many regulatory laws are also extremely lax.

According to regulations, planting without permission constitutes a crime.

However, if there is a registration permit, there is a great deal of room for interpretation.

Preston's father is a senator, and this is his hometown. He could get any permits he wanted without being so secretive.

Therefore, what he did must be a felony clearly recorded under federal law.

"Edgar".

Eleanor looked up. "If I asked you to start the investigation now, where would you begin?"

"From the outside."

Edgar was prepared.

She took out a pencil and began to write and draw on the file.

"No matter how many secrets a Preston resettlement company has, it's impossible for it to be completely isolated from the world."

"His workers need to eat, drink, and relieve themselves; he needs to purchase raw materials; and he needs to sell the products he produces."

“These are all directions we can start investigating, without having to alert Preston himself.”

Eleanor nodded.

"Okay, let's start from this direction."

He said, "You continue with your current approach, while I will also arrange for others to approach it from another angle."

Arrange for someone else?

Upon hearing this, Edgar felt an intense sense of crisis.

What do you mean?

Do you have other trusted confidants besides me?

Edgar's expression gradually turned dangerous.

She wants to see.

Who on earth is this fool who dares to compete with me for favor!

Chapter 100: The Federation is full of good people, there are no bad people.

Edgar had planned to wait in his office.

Let's see who has the audacity to challenge my position as my most trusted confidant.

Unfortunately, Eleanor didn't give her that chance.

"Alright, let's not delay any longer. Edgar, go and arrange the investigation."

This……

Edgar was unwilling, but he dared not disobey Eleanor's orders.

All I could do was think that there would be plenty of time in the future, and I left with gritted teeth.