Magic Industrial Age

The bidding was set for January 15th, and today was January 11th. All in all, there were only four days left.

And in those four days, Loye was nearly driven to death!

Garry Mills was right. There wasn't just one or two great nobles interested in the Northern Railway Company.

The Hawke and Sespin families were just the advance party. Subsequently, envoys from other great nobles came to visit.

They weren't so impolite. They sent their calling cards first, made appointments, and arrived one after another.

Yes, they seemed to have discussed it beforehand, perfectly staggering their times so they wouldn't even run into each other.

But Loye suffered, drinking tea round after round, repeating the same old lines again and again.

Their goals were consistent, offering many conditions for the sake of that 19% stake.

Theoretically, if you took all the shares in the bidding, you'd have 20%, which would give you the right to manage the company.

However, you also had to consider the 10% within the Executive Hall. Therefore, if they wanted to truly gain control, the shares in Loye's hands were essential.

Originally, they thought Loye was just Baron Miller's front man, acting on his behalf.

As long as they offered enough conditions and benefits, and guaranteed his safety, becoming a 'traitor' shouldn't be unacceptable!

Zeb Sespin and Adrian Hawke had come with this idea in mind.

However, after being rejected many times, they realized, and upon further investigation, they discovered that Loye's relationship with Miller wasn't what they had imagined.

In fact, from another perspective, Loye could be considered the financial backer behind Baron Miller.

However, in the eyes of these nobles, 'betrayal' was just a matter of price.

Despite the short time, Loye had been subjected to a great deal of 'sugar-coated bullets'.

Some offered extremely considerable gold Teals as enticement.

Some promised status, even willing to marry their family's children to him, though of course, not their嫡女(direct descent daughter).

Others recognized his strength, willing to offer two decent martial techniques in exchange for his allegiance.

Even more bizarre, as long as he agreed, they could even sponsor him to enter the Imperial political system, learning from Miller and climbing up step by step.

Loye almost spat out his tea when he heard that. He didn't want to get involved in politics, and now someone was using this to entice him?

Looking at their expression, it was as if he had received a great benefit?!

It was only because Loye was so cultivated that he didn't throw him out.

Of course, most of the great noble envoys used multiple approaches, offering money, beauty, wealth, and status.

Even more confident ones didn't even want all of Loye's shares, but only 9%. Obviously, they were confident in acquiring more at the bidding.

In just four days, Loye had experienced multiple temptations, almost failing to maintain his 'chastity'.

Of course, it was just almost!

He didn't lack money, didn't lack women, didn't want to enter politics, and didn't care about that high and mighty circle.

So, the temptations these people offered weren't much to him!

If, and Loye said if, if someone were to open their family's library to him, offering ten or eight secret sacred techniques, he might really be tempted.

But now, he was just watching coldly, rejecting them with various reasons.

However, these people were more cultured than Zeb and Adrian.

They did a lot of intimidating and enticing, but they were always smiling on the surface and didn't do anything out of line.

According to Butler Hoover's statistics, in just four days, Loye met with the envoys of ten great nobles.

If there had been more time, there would definitely have been more.

It's worth mentioning that, as time went on, Miller also received specific news.

It turned out that the reason these great nobles were so active was largely because, at the cabinet meeting in the throne hall, the great Hohenzollern III had inquired about the progress of the 'joint venture model for railway construction' three times in a row.

And twice, he praised the excellence of the joint venture model in non-public occasions.

This is what attracted the attention of those great nobles.

Perhaps, for them, making money was only one aspect. Figuring out His Majesty the Emperor's intentions and having His Majesty remember their good deeds was the most important thing.

In a sense, Hohenzollern III was definitely well-intentioned, fearing that the Northern Railway Company didn't have enough funds, which is why he paid such attention.

The Emperor's attention, even without actual action, could mobilize a huge amount of power.

However, this one was too high-end. Even a slight tilt disrupted Miller and Loye's plans.

Saying it was a well-intentioned deed that went wrong was no exaggeration.

But you couldn't argue, you could only hold it in!

However, after learning the reason, Miller and Loye breathed a sigh of relief, at least showing that these people were really here to invest, not to sabotage.

But even so, after some discussion, the two didn't dare to give up control of the railway.

There was no way. Miller's trip to the Imperial Capital, although he gained the support of the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Machinery, he also offended the Minister of Political Affairs.

Who knows which of these great nobles belong to the Minister of Political Affairs' faction?

If they really gave up control, and that one intentionally operated and sabotaged, then Miller's future would be completely gone.

Don't think this is impossible. In fact, the saying 'rather give to foreign countries than to domestic traitors' is all too common.

Miller didn't dare to gamble, and Loye wasn't willing to back down. As a result, Hohenzollern III's good intentions became the biggest obstacle.

In just four days, Oakland City had become turbulent, and all kinds of news were like a blizzard, scattering in the sky.

Loye sensed the danger. Obviously, those great nobles were brewing something.

He considered it for a long time and finally made arrangements.

...

New Divine Calendar 312, January 14th, evening!

Loye moved through the streets like a shadow, suppressing his aura to the lowest level, dodging one powerful life force field after another.

Today, the envoys of these great nobles either were themselves third-order transcendents, or had third-order transcendent guards.

Each one, like a dragon coiled and a tiger crouching, was stationed in a certain area of Oakland City.

It could be said that this was the time with the most transcendent powerhouses in Oakland City, except for the Twilight Hermit Society incident.

The only thing that reassured Loye was that he didn't sense too much life aura, meaning no fourth-order powerhouses had appeared.

Otherwise, he would have had trouble sleeping and eating!

Carefully avoiding all human presence along the way, Loye finally arrived at the entrance of the Philant Magic Academy.

He didn't enter rashly, but stood there until a figure appeared, slightly raising his head and saying, "Loye, do you really need to be so sneaky?"

It was the voice of Douglas Hill!

Loye said, "Better safe than sorry. You also know that this matter is getting bigger and bigger. I have to have some backup plans."

Douglas Hill's expression became serious. He was silent for a moment and asked, "What do you need me to do?"

Loye looked around and said, "You don't want to talk here, do you?"

"I always feel like you're trying to trick me!"

"Even if I trick you, it depends on whether there are enough benefits to tempt you!"

"Haha, you still understand me, Loye. Then let's go, let's go inside and talk."

"Let's go!"

One after another, the two figures immediately disappeared into the Magic Academy. The magic array that enveloped the entire academy only flickered and then went silent.

And an hour later, it was Douglas who sent Loye out again, and the two separated at the entrance of the academy.

Loye once again turned into a shadow, disappearing from Douglas's sight in a flash.

Douglas stood there, staring for a long time, with a hint of struggle and hesitation in his eyebrows.

But in the end, he gritted his teeth, and a look of determination appeared on his face.

...

Time passed quickly, and dawn arrived in an instant.

New Divine Calendar 314, January 15th, arrived so quietly.

On this day, the weather was gloomy, the leaden clouds were heavy, the temperature dropped sharply, and snowflakes fell one after another, fluttering in the air.

This was the first snow of the new year, decorating the entire Oakland City into a silver-clad world.

But such weather still couldn't stop people from going out.

The new year was a busy time, and the current Oakland City was not short of job opportunities, so naturally they had to be more active.

Then, these busy people saw a scene that surprised them.

One luxurious and exquisite carriage after another appeared on the streets, with the flags of various great families flying in the wind.

There were also knights escorting the way, and guards with swords vigilantly observing the surroundings, their eyes like knives, making people fearful.

And such convoys were not one or two. They gathered from all directions and finally arrived at the center of Oakland City, stopping in front of the Seven Gods Bank.

The Seven Gods Bank had naturally prepared in advance, with the doors wide open and temple guards stationed in various positions, really pulling the solemn atmosphere to the max.

And as one gentleman after another in neat suits jumped out of the carriages, staff members of the Seven Gods Bank, one beautiful girl after another, greeted them with smiles and led them into the auction hall.

Before long, many carriages gathered here, as if to hold a grand banquet.

On the third floor of the bank, Miller looked at this scene, took a deep breath, and asked, "Will we succeed?"

"Of course!" This was Loye's answer:

...

PS: For some reasons, my schedule has been changed, and the result is that the rhythm has been completely disrupted.

Please allow me to adjust it before determining the release time!

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