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Chapter 1798 Who is the Federation? Friends and Enemies (Long Chapter, Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Dawn City · Radiant Palace
"This is the data I gathered from my investigations in various cities during this trip." Sert placed a thick stack of documents on his desk, then looked up at Christos.

"How are you feeling?" Christos asked with some curiosity. "You know, I haven't left Dawn City much. I've spent most of my life in Dawn City. When I do go out, it's usually for Dawn City's diplomatic activities. My understanding of other cities is basically limited to data and documents."

“Well, the Federation is more complicated than I imagined,” Sert paused, pondering for a moment, “but also simpler than I imagined.”

"How so?" Christos asked, further inquiring.

“To put it simply, every city in the Federation has its own problems,” Sert pondered for a moment, then pulled out a file from a stack of documents beside him. “For example, in mining cities like Rock City, the problems are mainly related to mining, and its related industries are also related to mining. The main problem is the exploitation by mining conglomerates.”

He pulled out another book, "The problems in agricultural cities like St. John's also lie in agriculture, mainly the exploitation by agricultural conglomerates."

He raised his hand and pulled out another book. "In industrial cities like Kaya, although the conflicts created by the Nolanca Group, which originally ruled the city, were not sharp, they still faced various problems such as unsold products, employee unemployment, declining living standards, and internal corruption and oppression."

He picked up the top document in the document and said, “Winter City is a special case among energy cities. Although it is also exploited by energy conglomerates, because energy mining has been scaled up, the problem it faces is that the upper class appropriates a large amount of energy revenue and lives a life of luxury, while the residents and employees at the bottom of the city live a life of uncertainty.”

He paused, pulled out a thick document, stacked it in front of Christos, and continued, "The situation in Elan is more complicated. It is a complex city with mining, industry, finance, and service industries. As one of the largest cities in the Federation, it faces a variety of contradictions."

At this point, he paused slightly and looked at Christos, "Of course, these cities are an order of magnitude less complex than Dawn City. Dawn City is the Federation's financial center and eastern industrial center, and it also houses one-tenth of the Federation's population."
"This place is like a small federation, with gangs, corporations, and factories forming a continuous and intertwined whole."

His tone paused slightly at this moment. He looked at Christos and said in a low voice, "However, I think that all these cities, and even the entire Federation, have the same complex contradictions."

"These are all places our 'old friend' has been to?" Christos said, half-jokingly.

“In a sense, our ‘old friend’ didn’t just pick cities randomly,” Sert nodded somewhat seriously, and said thoughtfully, “He’s actually telling us clearly what these seemingly completely different cities have in common.”

"What do they have in common?" Christos lowered his head, picked up the document that Sert had placed in front of him with some curiosity, and quickly flipped through it.

“Poverty,” Sert said thoughtfully, “is that most people in these cities live a precarious existence, and the source of this livelihood is essentially the local conglomerates or powerful nobles who take away a large amount of profits and revenue, especially a large number of factories and conglomerates that have laid off employees without any bottom line in order to save costs.”

“But business is tough in the Federation. A lot of things are unsellable and no one wants them even when they’re on the shelves,” Christos said slowly. “Many factories and corporations are not making a profit, so layoffs are a normal occurrence.”

“And here’s the problem,” Sert looked at Christos, paused, and continued, “Why aren’t these things selling?”

“Because nobody’s spending money, nobody’s buying things, especially the high costs of medical care and social security, which have drained the money of ordinary federal citizens and even put them in debt, which in turn has further drained their wealth,” Christos said calmly, as if he had thought of something. “That’s why we encourage small factories to produce, hire more people, and enact healthcare and employee protection laws.”

“Yes, that’s the problem,” Serth said slowly, looking at Christos. “The total wealth in society hasn’t decreased, but most people have become poorer and can’t afford to buy goods. Where has that lost wealth gone?”

"It ended up in the hands of conglomerates, their controllers, and those ancient families?" Christos pondered slowly. "These people are ultimately a minority, and their consumption has its limits. So, a large amount of wealth stopped flowing, leading to a sluggish social market."

"In fact, they prefer to invest their money in the financial markets, creating a boom in the financial markets, thereby increasing the value of their assets, or even doubling them,"

At this point, Sert sighed softly, "This isn't the first time we've discussed these issues. I used to think that these conglomerate controllers were evil."

Serth looked at Christos and said in a hoarse voice, leaning against the desk, "But now, I actually have some new ideas. They also have their own limitations."

"What do you mean?" Christos asked, puzzled.

“If we were in charge of a company, a conglomerate,” Sert turned to Christos, “what should we do?”

"To grow the company into a large corporation, take it public, continuously expand our business, and become the largest conglomerate in the Federation?" Christos pondered.

“Yes,” Sert nodded slightly, “Now the Federation’s conglomerates are all financial conglomerates, banks and financial companies, which bind together different companies from different industries through various complex shareholding structures.”

He placed his hand on the table and took out another document, placing it on the table. "Taking the telecommunications industry as an example, Nord Financial Group is one of the top ten companies in the telecommunications industry, but it is also the second largest shareholder of Trison Group, the third largest shareholder of Yin Fu Intelligent, and the second largest shareholder of United Communications. At the same time, Trison Group is also the third largest shareholder of Nord Financial."

Christos reached out and took the document, flipping through it slightly. "It's quite normal for major conglomerates to hold shares in each other, using their original industries as a pillar, and then expanding into other industries?"

“Yes,” Sert sighed, “we all took it all for granted, and it was indeed taken for granted for the past few hundred years. It was this taken-for-granted structure that built the Federation we have today.”

Christos looked up at him.

“As I just told you, the problems in these cities are complex, complex because they are all different,” Sert said slowly. “But the problems in these cities are also very simple. Before our old friend appeared, each of them was controlled by conglomerates.”

He paused, then continued, "These conglomerates, through complex shareholding relationships, have actually built an invisible monopoly network that covers all industries, including these cities and the entire federation."

He looked at Christos, "So, including Dawn City, all cities face only one problem, and in reality, only one enemy."

He placed his fingers on the table, looking out at the gloomy sky. "Have you ever heard this old saying—'The conglomerate is the federation'?"

“I have heard of it,” Christos nodded slightly. “In the time before the Federation, this was an indisputable fact.”

“Of course,” Sert nodded slightly. “The Federation does not have the same powerful ruling system as the original Federation. In the hundreds of years before the collapse of the original Federation, the Federation was essentially just a hollow structure. Each city governed itself, and even the presidential election in Irons took a lot of time.”

“Different cities have different companies and municipal governments. Even some large companies that can operate across the federation don’t actually have much power. At that time, the federation was essentially a loose confederation.”

He looked out the window at the sky and continued, "When the founder of Nord Finance, that old Nord, used financial means to unite different companies together, started large-scale development of roads, established caravans, and built new cities, the Federation gradually connected and became the unified Federation we have today."

He tapped his hand on the table. “The conglomerate’s caravans control the Federation’s transportation lines and use them to connect various cities. In order to facilitate their exploration of new trade routes, connect new cities, and even encourage them to build new cities, the conglomerate mercenary groups came into being.”

His voice lowered, “The mercenary groups of the consortium bear the responsibility of protecting caravans, as well as the responsibility of protecting the Federation’s communication network. With these communication networks, the Federation’s news can be gathered in Irons, and Irons’ decrees can be transmitted to every city in the Federation.”

"These mercenary groups protected the Federation's network of contacts and built the Federation's centralized mechanism."

"Similarly, these centralized mechanisms have also brought the entire Federation together into a single huge market, allowing the goods produced by the conglomerates to be sold throughout the Federation. This, in turn, has stimulated the conglomerates to open trade routes, build new cities, and connect the Federation."

Serth looked at Christos and said, “Essentially, the current structure of the Federation is maintained by conglomerates. The network they have built forms the blood vessels of the Federation. They are the true power core of the Federation and the true ‘masters’ of the Federation.”

He paused, then continued, "And the mayors elected by each city, and Irons' president, are essentially just 'performers' pushed onto the stage by the true masters of this federation."
"They may seem to have unlimited power, but in reality, the exercise of every power they wield requires the consent of the conglomerate; otherwise, they would be like us, struggling to move forward."

Hearing this, Christos paused slightly and chuckled, "It sounds like some kind of popular conspiracy theory."

“But we all know,” Sert paused, then said hoarsely, “this is the Federation, the corporations are the Federation.”

Upon hearing this, Christos remained silent for a moment, and after a long while, he finally spoke softly, "So, we are fighting against the entire Federation?"

“That’s another issue,” Sert said, looking at Christos, “an issue we’ve actually considered before, but not in such depth as we are now.”

He paused, then asked in a hoarse voice, "Who exactly is the Federation?"

He looked out at the dark sky and continued, "The conglomerates are indeed the controllers of the Federation. They have indeed constructed the current federal order and have seized a great deal of benefits and core power within it. If they are the Federation, then our resistance is naturally meaningless."

“But the real majority are those who live hand to mouth under the control of the conglomerates,” Christos paused for a moment, then said slowly, “For a certain period of time, the existence of the conglomerates was beneficial to the entire Federation and to everyone. This was the soil in which they existed. But now, they have drained the soil dry and are extracting nutrients far beyond what their status allows.”

Sert glanced at Christos, took out a small file, placed it in front of Christos, and said slowly, "This is a draft document I wrote based on my previous investigations and the insights from this investigation. It may be helpful in your choice."

Christos reached out and picked up the document. There was no text on it, and even the cover was a bit crumpled. He opened the document and found it filled with dense handwritten text on a blank printed sheet of paper.

This is a handwritten draft.

He looked up at Sert and smiled slightly, "How did you know I was hesitating?"

“We’ve been friends for decades. If I couldn’t even see that,” Sert chuckled, “then haven’t I wasted all these years of friendship?”

He paused, then said in a hoarse voice, "In terms of academic research, you are not as good as me; in terms of politics and judgment, I am not as good as you. Whatever decision you make, I will support you."

"Even if it leads us to our deaths?" Christos asked with a smile.

“Physical death will eventually come,” Sert shook his head, “it’s only a matter of time, but the death and annihilation of the spirit is only related to what one has done.”

“Okay,” Christos looked down at the document in his hand, “let me think about it some more.”

“I’ll wait for you outside,” Sert nodded gently. “Call me if you need anything.”

He slowly walked out, but halfway there he suddenly remembered something, turned around and looked at Christos, "The bodies have already entered the city gates and will be here soon."

“Yes,” Christos nodded. “I know.”

After saying that, he lowered his head and continued looking at the documents that Sert had brought over.

The sky outside the window was unusually quiet, with only a faint, heavy darkness.

The only sound in the empty office was the clicking of pages turning.

Christos flipped through the book quickly, finishing Sert's manuscript in no time. After a brief pause, he turned back to the documents beside him.

Time passed second by second, and after an unknown amount of time, the office door opened with a soft click.

Serth entered the room and looked at Christos. "They've arrived."

“Okay.” Christos closed the last document in his hand and placed it on the table. “I’ll be right there.”

Sert nodded slightly and closed the door.

Christos glanced at the somewhat messy desk, then slowly pulled a piece of paper from the pile of documents.

He glanced at the contents of the paper, then took a deep breath, folded it up, put it in his pocket, and slowly stood up.

4300 words, asking for votes at the beginning of the month.