244: Chapter 244 We Have Our Own Faith

This is a bandit enterprise; they actually want to lease a large swath of land in eastern Mavidais, and the domestic government is forbidden from any interference.

Carlos's face turned ashen as he looked over the contents.

The company demanded 99 years of complete jurisdiction over 30,000 square kilometers of Mavidais's eastern coastal region. This area would be designated as the Third-Party Technology Special Development Zone, where Mavidais law would automatically become invalid, and company internal regulations and security forces would take over all public security, judicial, and administrative management.

The rights to exploration, extraction, and utilization of all resources within the region—including but not limited to minerals, spirits, vegetation, and water sources—would belong exclusively to Third-Party Technology.

Is this a lease? This is total plunder!

Carlos was so furious he felt dizzy. He snapped his head up to look at William, so enraged he couldn't form a complete sentence. "You... you..."

Seeing this, William quickly said, "President, is there any other problem? These are already the most generous terms we can offer."

"Rest assured, as long as our company settles on this land, we will certainly help your government build a better Mavidais together; the people will have a better tomorrow."

Carlos was so angry he nearly coughed up blood. If his secretary hadn't been supporting him from behind, he really would have collapsed to the floor.

"As long as you agree, three billion US dollars will be transferred to your account immediately..."

William delivered his final word.

"Three billion US dollars?" Carlos hurriedly flipped to the back of the agreement and found that it was exactly as he said—as long as he agreed to this contract, three billion US dollars could be instantly transferred to the designated account.

Carlos fell silent.

The immediate benefits were staggering, but he knew that if he agreed to this deal, the future consequences would be immense. No matter how much his country developed, Third-Party Technology would become an inextricable tumor upon his nation.

This three billion wasn't life-saving medicine; it was blood money. Once he agreed, those thirty thousand square kilometers of land would completely slip from his control, becoming a 'state within a state' exempt from the law.

No, absolutely not.

Carlos closed the agreement and said coldly, "I cannot accept this agreement. Mr. William, you should leave."

William frowned. "Don't you need money? I can make the call to add another billion US dollars."

"Mavidais is poor, but we have not fallen to the point of selling our territory and our future just to scrape by."

"Sigh... in that case, it's truly a pity."

William, the former manager of the Umbrella Corporation, gave a sigh. "I originally wanted to complete this mission using a method that would make everyone happy."

"Mr. William, what are you trying to do?"

Carlos shouted as he saw the middle-aged man step closer, calling out, "Guards!"

Several armed soldiers rushed in, their muzzles aimed at William and the other two personnel from Third-Party Technology.

William chuckled at the sight. "President, don't be nervous. I just wanted to say goodbye. I look forward to our next meeting..."

William left with the two men.

Carlos watched their retreating backs with a flickering expression, which finally turned into a sense of deep helplessness.

In the evening, after finishing his day's administrative duties, Carlos prepared to go home, which was only a few hundred meters away from the Presidential Palace.

Carlos Mendoza walked back.

He had no entourage behind him; once he left the Presidential Palace, he seemed like any ordinary resident of Mavidais.

"Good evening, Uncle Mendoza!"

A few children kicking a worn-out leather ball ran across the intersection. Seeing Carlos, they stopped and shouted with grins. There was no awe of a President in their eyes, only the innocence of children and a hint of familiarity at seeing an acquaintance.

When Carlos walked home, he would often stop to pat their heads.

These few greetings were like a faint but real ray of sunlight, briefly dispelling the gloom in Carlos's heart. Carlos nodded to them and smiled, "Good evening, children. It's getting dark, go home early."

Regardless, there was still hope for this country.

Carlos's home was a small five-story building, considered quite luxurious for this neighborhood. Before being elected President, Carlos had also done quite a bit of business.

"Honey, dinner is ready," a decent and dignified woman greeted him after he opened the door, calling toward the dining table, "Aisha, Ulan, how many times have I told you? You must wait for your father to come back before eating."

"Let them eat first."

Carlos looked at his daughter and son with a warm smile; any amount of exhaustion melted away in this environment.

—

"SIR, all four chips have been implanted."

"Good, wake him up..."

In the middle of the night, Carlos was startled awake by a faint sound of conversation, and a slight stinging pain came from deep within the back of his neck.

What's happening? Who is in my room!

Carlos snapped his eyes open, fully waking from his deep sleep, only to find the lights in the room had been turned on. The piercing white light made Carlos squint, and he saw three people standing by his bed.

Carlos was instantly scared out of his wits.

"Who are you!"

A somewhat familiar voice rang out, "President, we meet again."

Carlos focused his gaze and saw that the speaker was a middle-aged white man with a thick beard.

It was the manager of that company!

The other two were fully armed combat personnel wearing masks, their faces completely obscured. Only the U.S.S. insignia was embroidered on their shoulder patches.

Carlos's heart sank as he quickly understood his current situation. He hadn't expected this company to be so utterly insane.

"Mr. William, as long as you don't hurt my family, I can consider cooperating with you and pushing the Congress to agree to this matter."

Because his wife had to take care of the other two children, they slept in separate rooms. Now, Carlos was extremely worried about their condition.

Damn it! Carlos tried his best to suppress his impulses.

"Uh..." William also hadn't expected him to change his tune so quickly, so he could only scratch his head and reply with a hint of embarrassment,

"President, I'm sorry, but it's too late for that now. My team has just brought you and 37 government officials from the Mavidais Congress under control, and we've already implanted Control Chips in all of you and your respective families. You were the last one."

"Also, the cost for this will have to come out of the fees paid to you."

Carlos felt all the blood in his body rush to his head, then instantly turn cold. Thirty-seven members of Congress? This meant that Mavidais's legislative body and high-ranking defense officials had been destroyed overnight.

"What is a Control Chip? You demons! What have you done to my family!"

Carlos's eyes were nearly splitting with rage.

"We have our own faith, how could we be demons?" William gave a hearty laugh.

"President, you have no other choice."