Chapter 737 - 344: The Revolutionaries

Washington D.C., the Jefferson Hotel.

Leo sat at a round table by the window.

He had arrived ten minutes early.

The bombshell news from Ethan about the natural gas exports had completely upended his plans on Capitol Hill.

Leo mulled over the Energy Association’s intentions. He was prepared to lay his cards on the table and give Sterling no room for ambiguity.

Fifteen minutes later, Sterling walked into the restaurant.

He walked straight to Leo, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

"Five minutes late. Washington traffic is always this terrible." Sterling called over a waiter and ordered a club soda.

Leo’s gaze was sharp and piercing.

He had no intention of exchanging pleasantries.

"Sterling, what’s this about the strategic agreement in Houston?"

Leo cut straight to the chase.

"You went behind my back and sold Pennsylvania’s natural gas to Europe and Asia. You’ve slammed the brakes on the Computing Power Special Zone project."

Sterling took a sip from his glass. He set it down and met Leo’s gaze calmly.

"It’s a long-term supply contract in the hundreds of billions."

"Europe is in desperate need of energy right now, and the buyers in Asia made extremely high offers. We came to an agreement," Sterling explained. "As for restarting the nuclear power plant, we need to put that on hold."

Leo let out a cold laugh.

"On hold?"

"You’re worried that once the Three Mile Island project kicks off, it will drain all of Pennsylvania’s construction resources."

Leo laid their motives bare.

"Whether it’s expanding your natural gas liquefaction and transport facilities or restarting the nuclear plant, both require massive amounts of heavy construction machinery, power line installation crews, and, most critically, skilled labor."

"The total resources within the state are finite. If the nuclear plant project goes full steam ahead, the construction of your export pipelines to the East Coast will slow down."

Sterling nodded, acknowledging the point.

"Besides the fight for physical resources, you’re even more afraid of the capital markets being drained."

Leo continued.

"The natural gas companies are raising massive amounts of capital on Wall Street to support your global expansion plans."

"The nuclear project is a public utility. With a Federation guarantee, the risk is extremely low, and the returns are highly certain."

"The moment I push the nuclear project forward forcefully, those huge Wall Street pension funds will immediately pull out of high-risk shale gas development and pour everything into secure nuclear infrastructure."

Leo stared into Sterling’s eyes.

"Building the nuclear plant gets in the way of you making money right now, doesn’t it?"

Sterling didn’t deny it. He leaned back in his chair.

"You see things very clearly, Leo. The capital market’s funding pool is only so big. We have to prioritize the projects with the highest profit margins and quickest returns. Natural gas exports can bring us enormous cash flow immediately."

"And the nuclear power companies within the National Energy Association agreed to this?" Leo demanded.

"There’s a fierce debate within the Association right now," Sterling replied. "The fossil fuel and natural gas factions hold more sway. Everyone’s making their moves."

"I can’t give you a definitive answer in support of the nuclear project at this time. We need to balance our internal interests."

Sterling spread his hands.

"We’re businessmen. Businessmen have to make money."

"We promised to support your industrial revival."

"Once the new natural gas pipelines are built and we’ve completed this wave of overseas expansion, we’ll use the returning capital to build the nuclear plant."

"It’s perfectly sound business logic."

Leo’s chest heaved violently, anger surging through his veins.

He had run himself ragged all over Washington for these energy tycoons.

He had endured the curses of countless environmentalists, forced the Progressives into line, and clawed open a path on Capitol Hill.

And now, for the sake of short-term overseas profits, these same energy tycoons had viciously stabbed him in the back.

"The nuclear plant can make money too!" Leo suppressed his fury. "The long-term, stable returns from the Computing Power Special Zone are more than enough to fill your coffers. I’m clearing the political hurdles for you, and now you’re dragging your feet!"

"Nuclear power is tomorrow’s money," Sterling said, his tone flat. "We want today’s money."

"Wall Street reports earnings every three months. The shareholders don’t have the patience to wait ten years."

Deep within Leo’s consciousness, Roosevelt let out a cold laugh.

’This is the nature of capitalism, Leo. Now you see it clearly.’

’Capital has no nationality, no loyalty, and no morals. Its only driving force is profit.’

’With fifty percent profit, it becomes daring. For one hundred percent profit, it will trample all human laws.’

’Faced with the promise of absolute, short-term, exorbitant profits, your long-term plan holds no appeal.’

Leo looked at Sterling across the table.

"You’re selling out the country," Leo said through gritted teeth. "Those capital groups in Asia and Europe, they know full well that the United States is building the Computing Power Special Zone, that we’re fighting for hegemony in the AI era."

"They’re deliberately dangling these exorbitant natural gas contracts at this exact moment to drain Pennsylvania’s energy and infrastructure resources and delay the construction of the Computing Power Special Zone."

"They are specifically targeting the United States’ tech strategy."

Sterling’s expression remained blank. He even found Leo’s words somewhat laughable.

"The country? Who is the country?"

Sterling shot back.

"Mayor Wallace, I am responsible only to my board of directors and my shareholders."

"I abide by the commercial laws of the United States of America. The law does not prohibit me from exporting natural gas to Europe and Asia."

Sterling cleared his throat.

"The rise and fall of nations is something for common folk to discuss in taverns. National strategy, the great power game—that’s a responsibility you politicians have to bear for the sake of votes."