Forging America: My Campaign Manager is Roosevelt

Chapter 394: Chapter 184: Snowball

"Issue the announcement."

Leo closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again, his gaze clear.

"Jointly issue the ’Emergency Notice on Maintaining Regional Financial Security and Implementing a Liquidity Incentive Program’ in the name of the Mayor’s Office and the Pennsylvania Industry Alliance Trust."

"Make sure the six percent holding reward is in the most prominent spot."

"Use phrases like ’combating malicious short-selling’ and ’protecting local assets’."

"We need to make everyone feel like this is a great battle to defend our financial stability, not a bankruptcy crisis."

Sarah nodded emphatically, her fingers flying across her tablet as she took notes. She then turned and hurried out.

Ethan looked at Leo, wanting to say something but holding back.

"Just say what’s on your mind," Leo said as he organized the papers on his desk.

"Boss, you’re drinking poison to quench your thirst," Ethan said in a low voice. "Six percent interest, plus the principal... this will snowball very quickly. If something goes wrong on Murphy’s end..."

"Then let the snowball get bigger."

Leo cut him off.

"As long as the snowball gets big enough, anyone who dares to stand in its way will be crushed."

"For now, we’ve survived."

"And as long as we’re alive, we have a chance to turn the tables."

Leo glanced at his watch.

"Alright, Ethan, go check outside. Is that girl still there?"

Ethan was taken aback. "Who? You mean Alina?"

"Yes."

Leo nodded.

"Have her come in."

"Since we’ve temporarily put out the fire outside, it’s time to deal with our internal problems."

"I’m going to start making good on my promise to her."

Hearing Leo’s words, Ethan was dumbfounded.

He realized he was finding it harder and harder to figure Leo out.

Just a few minutes ago, Leo had been on the phone with Smith, discussing the run on the promissory note platform. Now, in the blink of an eye, he had switched gears completely, effortlessly turning his attention to the microscopic concerns raised by a community student about rising rents and dishwashers’ rights.

It was as if he lived in two worlds at once and moved through both with perfect ease.

This elusive complexity left Ethan feeling both awestruck and bewildered.

’He isn’t a simple politician,’ Ethan thought. ’He’s a freak of nature, someone who can hold the clouds in the sky and the mud on the ground in his hands at the same time.’

"Yes, Mayor." Ethan collected his thoughts and backed out of the room.

...

「Philadelphia. Chestnut Hill.」

The computer screen in front of Evelyn Saint Cloud displayed the announcement just issued by Pittsburgh City Hall.

Her long, slender, fair fingers tapped lightly on the desk.

"A six percent holding reward..."

Evelyn stared at the line of text.

"He even added a pledge of the port’s equity as future collateral."

She had expected Leo to collapse, or to come crawling back to her like a dog, begging.

She had accurately predicted Leo’s cash flow issues and the panic among the other mayors.

But the one thing she hadn’t predicted was Leo’s audacity.

This young man had the gall to forcibly lock up liquidity with a method bordering on a Ponzi scheme.

He didn’t deny the crisis; instead, he repackaged it as an opportunity.

With the promise of higher returns, he welded those who wanted to jump ship right back onto it.

"So this is his ’if I don’t sell, you can’t buy’ gambit?"

Evelyn stroked her chin.

"Interesting."

"He’d rather take on high-interest debt than bow to me."

"He’d rather mortgage his future to those country bumpkins than let me get a finger on his power."

Evelyn didn’t feel angry, or even particularly disappointed.

"Alright, Leo," Evelyn murmured to herself.

"You win this round."

"You’ve saved your alliance and locked down your power."

"But the debt on your shoulders is even heavier now."

"I’m curious to see how you’re going to fill this ever-growing hole."