Chapter 226: Winter, Impeachment, Escape

When Lynch shamelessly said those words, even Mr. Fox thought this guy was something else… and he shuddered at the solution Lynch proposed.

A shudder from deep within, because he knew Lynch’s plan could really solve his problems.

As for help, he didn’t see any—he only saw a demon in human skin, a ruthless capitalist standing before him. He thought of many famous capitalists who likely used similar methods, draining people dry.

Noticing the shock and a hint of sarcasm in Mr. Fox’s eyes, Lynch smiled modestly. “I’m not lying.”

“I’m helping them—and you, Mr. Fox.”

“If someone borrows a thousand Sol from you and ends up forced to sell their house to repay you, what do you think happens?”

Mr. Fox fell into thought.

This kind of thing wasn’t uncommon in the finance industry. They lent money to targeted groups without reminding them to repay on time, letting compound interest skyrocket until the debtor had to sell prized assets.

This tactic was mostly used for land acquisitions.

Some capitalists targeted certain land—maybe from insider information or other reasons.

They believed the land’s price would rise sharply. To get the land, they financially squeezed the owners, creating traps and problems, pushing the owners into crisis.

Once the owners borrowed from banks or finance companies, they would lose the land.

Bankruptcy forced them to sell land cheaply to repay debts, no other choice.

Other capitalists got what they wanted almost for free, paying only favors.

But this caused trouble no finance company could easily bear. Society loved reporting such stories: someone borrowed a few hundred, years later had to sell their house to repay but still couldn’t clear the debt.

Exposing these social ills boosted media’s positive image. Fueled by public outrage and curiosity, newspapers sold more by adding subjective speculation instead of fair reporting.

Most finance companies trapped like this had to change their names or faced FBI and tax investigations.

Mr. Fox looked at Lynch without guessing. He knew his mind wasn’t as sharp and preferred to wait for Lynch’s answer.

“Someone forced to sell their house after borrowing a thousand is no different in essence from someone forced to sell after borrowing ten thousand. But people sympathize with the former and despise the latter.”

Lynch’s words sparked Mr. Fox’s thinking—a strange power.

“For the former, people condemn you: they only borrowed a thousand, and you take their house.”

“For the latter, people just laugh: If you can’t pay back and still borrow so much, you deserve it!”

“This spares you great trouble—public opinion, social supervision, and legal issues. And it’s mutual help.”

“The borrower temporarily has a large sum. If they use it to solve serious problems like illness, a house is no match for life. That deal isn’t a loss.”

“If they borrow that much just for indulgence, their house is rightly ours. They’ll lose it eventually, so why not keep it?”

Lynch paused, then added, “By the way, if you notice current housing and land prices, consider buying property in Eminence or southern big cities soon. Great appreciation potential, banks like those places.”

“Where was I?” Lynch paused briefly but recalled, “For those needing work, we can export their labor abroad!”

“Federal recession has cut demand in the free market—we don’t need as many workers. Meanwhile, agriculture and animal husbandry industrialized faster due to labor shortages. Few people now do what many did before. Excess labor has nowhere to go, causing unemployment.”

“But internationally, many countries lack young labor due to war. Women there must do men’s work.”

“Set up a company to export these workers abroad. I believe they won’t refuse!”

Lynch turned to Mr. Fox. “Any questions?”

Mr. Fox mumbled, “No, Lynch. I have a personal question…”

Lynch joked, “If it’s uncomfortable, you don’t have to ask!”

Mr. Fox laughed, “I’m curious—do you have compassion?”

“Of course!” Lynch replied firmly. “Charity is something I care about deeply.”

Mr. Fox, knowing what charity really meant, asked with a peculiar working-class sense of justice, “Is it still charity then?”

Like criminals holding strange moral codes, Mr. Fox—the ruthless finance boss who ruined families—had his own twisted sense of justice.

Lynch didn’t take offense. He asked seriously, “If even one percent of the aid a struggling family receives comes from me, isn’t that charity?”

After circling outside, they returned to the set, where the lead actress chatted with Fox Jr.

Lynch tilted his head and reminded Mr. Fox, “Instead of worrying about my kindness, maybe consider your son won’t marry a girl like her…”

He smirked, “Countless men have seen her body and given in to their urges.”

Old Mr. Fox twitched his eye, replied, “He wouldn’t dare,” but walked over and interrupted their talk. Lynch was smart; what if he was right?

Most outdoor scenes were shot, giving Fox and his son a new understanding of filmmaking.

To save cost and time, productions usually shoot selected scenes out of order before official filming—sometimes shooting the ending on day one.

Reporters often asked stars about their scenes and feelings, but most couldn’t answer—not because they didn’t want to, but because they had no idea. Everything was fragmented. Only after editing could they understand their role.

“The film is scheduled for release the second Friday of January. We won’t have much competition,” said the studio manager. The Foxes hired a young professional to handle these tasks.

Maybe influenced by Lynch, they began trusting young people more.

Good news, but what interested Lynch more was that he seemed right. He saw something abnormal in Fox and the girl’s eyes, sparking a dark curiosity—an interest, if twisted.

The weather grew colder, but the number of beggars increased. Since December, the president’s cabinet seemed to vanish from the Baylor Federation.

They no longer appeared on TV praising the president, no longer deceived the public. Everything would get better—they just remained silent.

The impeachment process against the president has entered its second phase, with a second vote scheduled around the end of January. This stage involves various investigations into the impeachment, inquiries into the president, the president’s defense in Congress, and multiple hearings.

However, this has intensified public dissatisfaction with the president and his cabinet, as if people have forgotten how fervently they supported them just a few years ago.

People are fickle—or simply too practical—and cannot hold onto things for long.

These days are destined to be difficult, a period of torment, but everyone believes things will eventually improve.

It was during such a time that Gap escaped.

Lynch learned the news through the television. In the increasingly cold winter, Gap mysteriously vanished from his house arrest location. The Sabin City Police Department and the FBI both issued wanted notices.

But everyone knows capturing him won’t be easy.

The fact that he can still run shows he was well prepared. Investigators even wonder if he truly escaped or simply disappeared.