Chapter 739: The Revolutionary

“The first force is the traditional oil magnates.”

“This group has the highest capital density and is the most rigidly organized.”

“They control the global fuel supply network, command the multinational logistics system, and possess massive chemical raw material production lines.”

“Most critically, the oil trade is directly tied to the hegemony of the US Dollar. They are the cornerstone of the nation’s entire financial and military machine.”

Leo wrote the word “Oil” in his notebook and continued to listen.

“The second force belongs to the natural gas magnates.”

“This group is extremely flexible. Over the past decade or so, they’ve used hydraulic fracturing to change the global energy landscape. They are the undisputed heroes behind the United States’ achievement of energy independence.”

“In Pennsylvania, the shale gas giants, led by EQT, are the absolute local kingpins. They control the land extraction rights and the dense pipeline network.”

Roosevelt paused, then shifted the topic to the area of Leo’s most immediate concern.

“The third force is the nuclear power magnates.”

“Nuclear power possesses unparalleled baseload power stability.”

“The nuclear industry has an extremely high technological barrier to entry. Nuclear energy development is a trump card directly tied to national security. Any region that wants to command future technological supremacy cannot bypass this force.”

Leo looked at the three categories on the paper, gently rubbing his temples.

“I originally thought I could leverage the competition between them for a trade-off,” Leo said. “I offered the nuclear power magnates a massive order for the Computing Power Special Zone. They shouldn’t be willing to give up on those profits.”

“Although Sterling said they’re balancing internal interests, I think they’ve already reached a tacit agreement internally to delay nuclear power construction.”

“That’s an inevitable outcome.”

Roosevelt immediately pointed out the flaw in Leo’s understanding.

“Modern large-scale energy companies moved away from a single-source sales model long ago. They’ve all pivoted to become integrated energy service providers.”

“You have to see the overlap at the corporate level. The vast majority of oil giants are also natural gas giants, and some have even started venturing into the nuclear sector.”

“Shell, BP, and Saudi Aramco are all doing this.”

“They use the same geological exploration technology and underlying pipeline networks to manage oil and natural gas as a mixed asset portfolio.”

Roosevelt explained the logic behind this type of capital operation in detail.

“These large energy companies are essentially asset management firms. They don’t have any special attachment to any particular type of energy.”

“They only see internal rates of return and cash flow. As long as it brings the highest returns to their shareholders, they’ll cut any project with an overly long return period at a moment’s notice.”

“But that doesn’t mean they’re a monolith.”

“Although on their external financial reports they are a single, unified company, internally, there’s still extremely fierce performance-based competition between their various business divisions.”

“The vice president of the natural gas division and the vice president of the nuclear division will fight to the death for influence.”

“The natural gas division just secured massive export deals with Europe worth hundreds of billions, so naturally, they can completely overwhelm the nuclear division in the internal battle for influence.”

“These integrated energy companies will fund different industry associations to make their voices heard on Capitol Hill.”

“The clean gas associations they fund will publish articles questioning the safety of nuclear power, emphasizing the technical risks of nuclear waste disposal.”

“At the same time, the zero-carbon alliances they fund will turn around and emphasize that natural gas still has carbon emission problems and that clean energy must be vigorously developed.”

“This strategy of playing both sides is to test the political winds.”

“They ensure that no matter which energy path the Federal Government ultimately chooses, the company has pre-existing lobbying results ready to use.”

“They always remain in an invincible position.”

Leo finally understood the root of Sterling’s confidence.

“So these energy companies can shelve the nuclear power plan without a second thought.”

“Because even though there are still internal struggles within the group, they all operate under a unified corporate narrative.”

‘That also explains why the Republican Party’s reaction was so uniform; not a single official had even tried to approach me privately.’

Leo felt an unprecedented level of resistance.

This was an extremely complex labyrinth of capital games.

‘You simply can’t use a simple order to win over a large energy company and get them to make a clear political statement.’

‘Money from nuclear projects flows into their accounts, and money from natural gas projects flows into their accounts just the same.’

‘They’re hedging their bets.’

Leo was cornered.

The bargaining chips he held, which could have been used to threaten them, were rendered useless in the face of their absolute capital portfolio.

They could easily shift their resources to overseas markets beyond Leo’s control.

Roosevelt sensed Leo’s predicament.

“Leo, you’ve fallen into the rigid mindset of a traditional politician,” Roosevelt prompted. “You have already established a massive organizational structure in Pennsylvania.”

“You established the Pittsburgh Urban Renewal Public Trust.”

“You used this trust structure to successfully intervene indirectly in pharmaceutical benefits management, and you possess a tool for capital flow that is independent of the traditional financial system.”

Leo looked up.

“Why don’t you take it a step further?” Roosevelt said.

Leo’s mind started racing as he followed Roosevelt’s line of thought to its logical conclusion.

“Are you asking me to directly create a nuclear power operator in Pennsylvania based on local capital?”

“Yes,” Roosevelt replied affirmatively.

The name of an agency flashed through Leo’s mind: the Tennessee Valley Authority.

That was the giant public utility company founded by Roosevelt during the New Deal era, led by the Federal Government. Using a method that bordered on state capitalism, it completely transformed the energy and economic landscape of the Southern States.

Leo said, “You want me to directly create a public nuclear power operator in Pennsylvania, controlled by us and based on local capital?”

Leo immediately began to assess the practical feasibility of this plan, and a variety of thorny problems flooded his mind.

“This faces a sea of obstacles.” Leo quickly listed the problems. “It still doesn’t solve the problem of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s long and tedious approval process.”

“A new company formed with local capital will lack sufficient credibility in the eyes of federal regulators.”

“The power supply agreements we signed with the tech companies would need to be renegotiated.”

“Google and Microsoft value the ability of established energy giants to deliver on their contracts. They’ll have a hard time trusting a newly formed local enterprise.”

“We also lack a large number of specialized nuclear technicians and a senior management team with operational experience.”

“Procuring and disposing of nuclear fuel requires overcoming numerous international trade barriers.”

Leo rattled off a long list of extremely specific difficulties.

He was weighing the costs and risks from the perspective of an administrator.

Roosevelt listened quietly to Leo’s complaints.

“Leo,” Roosevelt said his name. “Do you think you’re a politician, or something else?”

The question stumped Leo.

“I exist within this power structure,” Leo answered. “I participate in elections, I create budgets, I exchange interests with various factions.”

“Of course I’m a politician.”

Roosevelt let out a faint sigh.

“When I first told you about the Second Bill of Rights, you were fired up by those grand societal visions.”

“What did you think you were at that moment?”

“Did you see yourself as a calculating politician who only looks for loopholes in the existing rules?”

Leo stood there, stunned.

He remembered that night.

He remembered the moment he swore an oath to shatter the old system of wealth distribution.

He remembered his determination to uproot the entire corrupt system.

‘A politician only compromises within the existing framework.’

‘A politician would shrink back because of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s approval process.’

‘A politician would give up because of doubts from the tech companies.’

‘A politician would choose to cater to those energy giants.’

Leo’s body began to tremble.

He realized that in his recent negotiations in Washington, he had relied too heavily on trading favors and had nearly lost himself in these delicate political calculations.

He had forgotten the fundamental reason he had been able to get this far.

“I understand.”

Leo took a deep breath, his tone becoming incomparably firm.

He gave his final answer.

“I am not a politician.”

“I am a revolutionary.”