novelraw Chapter 448 448: Tripartite Confrontation
Chapter 448 448: Tripartite Confrontation
As the story unfolds to this point, we have to mention the political situation before Dirk Carter went to Koryn City.
During the term of the previous mayor, Cara Marshall, the situation in Koryn City was one of division among three powers.
The first power was led by Committee Secretary Jeff Hughes.
Jeff Hughes was a student of Rexton City Vice-Chief Fabian Vincent.
The reason for his current position was all thanks to Fabian Vincent's support.
With Fabian Vincent backing him and Jeff Hughes being the top leader, this faction had no small amount of strength.
The second power was led by Mayor Cara Marshall.
Her main operative was Vice Mayor Cornell Morgan.
Cornell Morgan was the secretary of Serenity State Deputy Chairperson Duncan Linden, who had also served as Rexton City Committee Secretary. With such a background, the strength of Cara Marshall's faction was undeniable.
Following that, there was another faction outside these three powers, led by the then Organization Department Minister Robert Shepherd.
Under such circumstances, Robert Shepherd's power was undoubtedly the weakest.
But do you think Robert Shepherd had no backing?
No, he too had support.
It was Yves Giles, a committee member, standing committee member, committee vice-secretary, and mayor of Rexton.
Before Dirk Carter came, Yale Quill had told him about how the political situation in Serenity State was far more complicated than it seemed, with overlapping rivalries and mutual restraints among factions.
The reason for such a chaotic situation boiled down to one word: "interests."
Originally, the political scene in Koryn City was not so convoluted; the root cause lay in The Economic Development District.
The Koryn City Economic Development District was proposed by Rexton City Vice-Chief Fabian Vincent, aiming to make it the political, economic, cultural, financial, and trade center of Koryn City.
It was anticipated that there would be over 2,500 companies, including more than 1,200 industrial firms, settling in the future.
The planned district was characterized by distinct industrial features, with specialized zones such as Mechanical Equipment Industry Park, New Energy and New Materials Industry Park, Biomedical Industry Park, and a provincial high-tech entrepreneurship center, providing various professional services to investors.
It was expected to achieve a future GDP of 20 billion yuan, with industrial sales revenue reaching 50 billion yuan and fiscal revenue of 2 billion yuan.
To say nothing else.
Just the over 1,200 industrial firms, each average with a 1 billion yuan investment, represented a truly staggering scale.
Such a large Economic Development District involved countless composite interests.
Whichever faction held control would be akin to holding a gold mine, with endless wealth at hand.
It was for this reason.
Duncan Linden quickly entered the scene, assigning his secretary Cornell Morgan to Koryn City, promptly securing the position of the District Secretary in the Economic Development District.
Meanwhile, Duncan Linden personally intervened, persuading then-Mayor Cara Marshall and creating a division to counteract Jeff Hughes.
Although Duncan Linden made swift moves.
Nobody anticipated that a change would occur at a critical moment.
Cara Marshall was diagnosed with cancer.
At this moment, Mayor Yves Giles took action.
When Duncan Linden was the primary leader in Rexton City, he was publicly known to be at odds with Fabian Vincent.
She knew that at this critical juncture, Fabian Vincent would surely not allow Duncan Linden to secure the mayor's position in Koryn City.
So she allied with Fabian Vincent, pushing Organization Minister Robert Shepherd to the mayor's position.
At this time, Fabian Vincent was unaware that Yves Giles also had her eyes on the valuable Economic Development District, and that Robert Shepherd had long since been drawn into Yves Giles' camp.
Thus, the tripartite political balance in Koryn City officially formed.
Above Jeff Hughes was Fabian Vincent.
Above Robert Shepherd was Yves Giles.
Instead, it was Duncan Linden's secretary Cornell Morgan who became the weakest faction.
Someone is bound to say, Cornell Morgan's backing is the state leadership, clearly a higher level, why is it the weakest faction?
Don't forget, local officials are stronger than central authorities.
What's more, Duncan Linden's position was in the state authorities, where he couldn't effectively enforce power.
Just at this moment.
A mysterious woman appeared.
This person was Sister Hua.
Of course, Sister Hua didn't appear directly; she had an agent, and this agent was Boone Jacobson of the Garland Real Estate Group.
Boone Jacobson was in the real estate business.
If the Economic Development District were established, and he could earn a share, the Garland Real Estate Group would rise swiftly.
Such an opportunity, naturally, he wouldn't miss.
Boone Jacobson first approached Cornell Morgan, but Cornell Morgan was proud and didn't want to collaborate with Boone Jacobson, so, under Sister Hua's direction, Boone Jacobson crafted a scandal.
Fabian Vincent saw this.
This was the best opportunity to deal with Cornell Morgan.
Thus, Fabian Vincent immediately used this matter to attack Cornell Morgan.
Cornell Morgan was quite troubled.
It was then that Boone Jacobson stepped forward, telling Cornell Morgan that he could help resolve the matter.
That led to Dirk Carter witnessing the spectacle of Sister Hua bribing Party Secretary Wayne Ford.
In simple terms.
The entire affair, from occurrence to resolution, was orchestrated by Sister Hua.
Until this point.
Cornell Morgan had become Boone Jacobson's man.
Next, Sister Hua's target shifted to Committee Secretary Jeff Hughes.
She uncovered Jeff Hughes' nature, having Boone Jacobson send money and women, thus, Jeff Hughes ostensibly remained Fabian Vincent's man, but was actually "controlled" by Sister Hua.
Up to this point, these two powers had already been merged into one by Sister Hua.
Only Robert Shepherd's faction remained unaware.
The matter involving Eladio Shelby.
It occurred after Cara Marshall was diagnosed with cancer, guided by Yves Giles and orchestrated by Robert Shepherd.
The purpose was to earn merit for the Organization Department.
This way, Robert Shepherd, as the Organization Minister, had the potential to ascend to the second-in-command position.
They also assumed that with Fabian Vincent and Duncan Linden at odds currently, no one would backstab Robert Shepherd's faction at such a juncture. After all, with Robert Shepherd's faction at this time, aligning with either side could potentially sway the other, a move only a fool would make.
...
On the way to Stonewater Village.
Jerome Sullivan gave Dirk Carter a detailed introduction about Sydney Tanner.
Sydney Tanner, aged 30, was married to Martin Summers.
Martin Summers worked as a painter, working away for many years.
Perhaps due to his painting profession, despite being married for many years, they still hadn't had a child.
And Sydney Tanner, although a village woman, was a beauty known for miles around.
Back then, the men who wanted to marry her nearly broke down their family's door, but in the end, she married the honest Martin Summers, and to be fair, Martin Summers was hardworking and had decent conditions in the village.
Upon hearing this.
Dirk Carter grew somewhat suspicious.
He had already reviewed Eladio Shelby's file, learning he was an ordinary civil servant in the Bureau of Civil Affairs and had no connection whatsoever with Blackstone Town, let alone Stonewater Village.
If choosing someone like Sydney Tanner, a village woman, to stage an act of bravery as a fabrication.
The two at least had to be acquainted, otherwise, how would they cooperate?
"Comrade Jerome, does Sydney Tanner often go to the city?"
Dirk Carter inquired.
Jerome Sullivan furrowed his brows and replied, "I'm not very sure about that, but as I'm also from Stonewater Village, to my knowledge, Sister Sydney rarely goes out, is usually quiet, and always treats everyone courteously."
"So, does she usually stay home alone?"
Dirk Carter followed up.
Jerome Sullivan nodded and said, "For the most part, yes, she stays home alone. Martin Summers rarely comes back, only one or two times a year."
After saying this, he suddenly seemed to remember something, adding, "Martin Summers has an older brother, named Barclay Summers, in his forties, who remains a bachelor. The two brothers lost their parents early; it was the older brother who raised the younger with great difficulty. His house is right next to his brother Martin Summers' place..."