Chapter 672: Power Over Life and Death
Just as Dreyoka had said, the successful implementation of wartime rationing was far more significant than winning a single battle.
For Charles, an undefeated war hero, one more victory would merely add another note to his already illustrious military record—nothing new to the citizens or soldiers. But the wartime rationing policy had dealt a devastating blow to France's capitalists, completely stripping them of control over vital supplies.
If necessary, Charles could even quietly exploit this new system for personal influence.
The naval forces under his control monitored all incoming cargo. With a single word from Charles, certain shipments could be conveniently overlooked by the navy. Once ashore, these goods wouldn't officially enter national warehouses; instead, they'd become invisible resources, entirely at Charles's discretion.
Military provisions, aid to wounded veterans, support for soldiers' families—Charles could effortlessly use these hidden resources to win hearts or discreetly bribe politicians when needed.
Even more importantly, Charles had subtly tested the French public's tolerance for dictatorship.
At its core, the wartime rationing system handed Charles power over life and death. Resources dictated everything during wartime: the survival of civilians, the combat effectiveness of frontline troops, the morale of an entire nation.
Control of these resources by Charles rather than the parliament essentially meant establishing a form of quiet dictatorship.
Traditionally, the French public vehemently opposed any hint of dictatorship, instinctively resisting any form of absolute power. Parliament had consistently guarded against Charles's rise, even risking military defeat multiple times to curb his growing influence.
But now, Charles had skillfully created an atmosphere where people perceived any alternative as dangerous: starvation, social upheaval, and ultimately, national ruin.
Thus, Charles was portrayed not as an ambitious dictator but as France's reluctant savior—stepping up in a desperate moment to shoulder responsibility, becoming the single figure entrusted with control over vital resources.
The entire process unfolded so naturally, so smoothly, that most citizens didn't even realize they'd accepted a dictator.
Almost imperceptibly, the French people's mindset shifted from fiercely opposing any authoritarian governance to strongly endorsing Charles's leadership.
Only, they themselves hadn't noticed this subtle transformation.
Dreyoka, however, knew Charles well. He'd recognized long ago that Charles aimed not merely to defeat Germany but also to defeat domestic capitalists, ultimately securing his place at the pinnacle of political power.
Now, Charles had taken a major step toward this goal.
Amazingly, Dreyoka reflected, this incredible transformation had taken place in less than two years.
Until now, Dreyoka had always believed such a feat impossible. Suddenly realizing how close Charles was to achieving absolute power left him stunned and nearly disbelieving.
Charles wisely chose not to openly discuss this sensitive issue further. Under the French system, achieving absolute authority without openly declaring it was the best strategy—it allowed people to believe they had willingly made this choice, rather than having it forced upon them.
It mirrored precisely how wartime rationing had been adopted: the public had demanded and supported granting Charles this immense responsibility, rather than Charles explicitly seeking it.
Changing the subject, Charles opened another document, casually asking, "How's our business in the United States doing?"
"Extremely well," Dreyoka replied, nodding enthusiastically. But his expression quickly shifted from pride to puzzlement. "Did you already foresee what would happen?"
Feigning ignorance, Charles looked up innocently. "What happened?"
Dreyoka turned several pages of the report in front of them. "You released the Garand rifle onto the civilian market at half price."
"They immediately sold out and then appeared on the black market at two or even three times the original price!"
Charles replied calmly, "Really?"
"Yes," Dreyoka confirmed. "You can't imagine how popular these rifles have become, or who's buying most of them."
Charles shrugged, maintaining his facade of ignorance.
"American gangsters," Dreyoka said incredulously, laughing with a touch of disbelief. "I thought Americans would use these rifles for hunting. Instead, they've equipped their gangs."
Flipping through more pages, Dreyoka continued, "Look here—in just one month, New York gangs have had eight major shootouts recorded officially. Two gangs were completely wiped out. Police who intervened suffered more than seventy casualties and were utterly defeated."
"The army then stepped in, yet even they failed to restore order."
Charles silently listened, maintaining a calm expression.
Dreyoka recounted the details vividly from the report: Colonel Johnson's experimental tank unit entered the city to suppress the gangs, only to be devastated.
Gangs had cleverly employed coordinated fire using multiple Garand rifles, effectively pinning down infantry. Tanks struggled to maneuver effectively in urban terrain and quickly fell victim to explosives, losing their tracks and becoming easy targets.
This battle cost the army two expensive tanks and over forty casualties—astonishingly severe losses inflicted by mere criminal gangs.
Colonel Johnson, furious, had shouted into the phone: "Compared to their weapons, ours are worthless junk! If we don't stop this immediately, we'll become the first country ever to lose political control to criminals!"
That very night, Colonel Johnson confronted Joseph directly: "You must stop selling these rifles!"
Joseph, the Bernard Group's representative in the United States, calmly responded, "That might be difficult, Colonel. Our agreement explicitly allows us to freely sell small arms on the civilian market. Clearly, these rifles qualify as small arms."
Johnson swallowed hard, acknowledging reluctantly, "Yes, they're indeed small arms. But you've seen the chaos they've unleashed in New York, rapidly spreading nationwide. We're powerless to stop it!"
Joseph remained unmoved. "That's not really our problem, Colonel."
Johnson's voice took on a threatening edge, "This chaos won't benefit you either. Aren't you afraid the gangs might take over your factories?"
Joseph spread his hands nonchalantly, gesturing toward the sprawling factory buildings. "Only if these gangs somehow manage to operate and maintain an entire production line."
Johnson quickly realized Joseph was right.
The gangs already bought the Garands cheaply—half price. Why would they seize a factory only to end up paying more and losing maintenance support?
One day, the factories might stop selling them guns or ammunition altogether. Then rival gangs would easily crush them. Thus, no gang dared antagonize the Bernard factories.
Frustrated, Johnson finally conceded: "Fine. We'll buy your entire stock ourselves!"
Joseph smiled smoothly. "Unfortunately, the price has risen—now it's double."
Johnson, momentarily stunned and about to explode in anger, was interrupted by Joseph, who calmly added, "On the black market, they're already selling at triple the original price. You see…"
Colonel Johnson, speechless, swallowed his anger in bitter defeat.
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