Leo wanted 40% of the shares, and it wasn't for free. Besides putting in a real cash investment of $300,000, as the largest landowner in Virginia's current biggest city, he directly upgraded the workshop into a modern research center.
Leo paid no attention to Ecott's fiery glare and directly gave the two of them an order: the remaining research must be completed within ten days. By the 15th day, Leo wanted to see the prototype.
The capitalist's fangs were showing again—what performance charts? Daily targets and midnight inventories were all scheduled.
Only at this moment did Ecott realize he had been deceived. Leo wasn't trying to please a woman; he was obviously targeting his company. But Ecott was too poor to hire a lawyer and hadn't read the contract closely.
Faced with a penalty ten times over and the transfer of management rights, if he didn't want to end up a homeless man, he had no choice but to accept reality.
He had even tried to resist with his researchers, but no one supported him. Most of the research scholars had no shares anyway. Joining this company was purely for dreams, and Leo's presence, besides making them busier, brought only benefits.
First, research could continue normally. Second, salaries returned to normal. Most importantly, they no longer had to starve while working on research.
Overtime work began in earnest.
Fifteen days flew by, and cars began arriving at the newly renamed Valentino Laboratory.
Gerard from the Federal Housing Administration smiled as he introduced Charles, the head of the Census Bureau, to Leo.
"Mr. Valentino, thank you for your funding. I thought the advance payment on my order would go to waste. You've spared me from being questioned by the old men on Capitol Hill at year-end."
Charles's posture was extremely humble. As a federal official who wasn't a legislator, he couldn't afford to offend a billionaire.
"Hahaha, Mr. Charles, a product from Valentino Laboratory will never disappoint," Leo said, smiling, leading them into the lab. Ecott and the team, waiting since early morning, took over the demonstration, powering up the machine for a live demonstration.
The data compilation, which previously took hundreds of people three months or more, was completed by the business computer in just two hours.
Everyone was shocked.
It was understandable. Although everyone knew about supercomputers, no one outside Penn's research team had actually seen one, so the concept was completely abstract.
Now, with the future rushing in, everyone was dumbstruck.
After a long pause, Charles asked tremblingly, "Our contract was for $500,000, right?"
Ecott nodded, and Charles immediately looked like he had struck gold.
Gerard, beside him, was shocked: "$500,000 for this miraculous machine?"
Consider that the Federal Housing Administration also had massive data to compile. Hiring over a hundred people for three months, plus travel and other costs, would easily run into two or three hundred thousand dollars. And that's just once. But this machine only took two hours, and could be used repeatedly, instantly boosting the efficiency of the FHA many times over.
The impact of his work in office would surpass all predecessors by dozens of times!
Gerard, realizing this, grabbed Leo's hand: "How long to produce one of these? I want the next one!"
Leo smiled: "Of course. We've mastered the production method. As of now, it takes ten days to assemble a machine. If you pay the deposit now, you'll have it in ten days.
But the price—you know, it cost a million to develop, so $500,000 won't cut it. Our initial price is $1.5 million per unit. As my friend, I'll give you the cost price: $1 million!"
$1 million—double the initial contract—Gerard hesitated, given his department's limited budget.
"One million is cheap for a machine that solves your big problem," Leo joked.
Charles, studying the machine thoughtfully, brightened at Leo's words: "Mr. Valentino, its current functions far exceed what we initially requested. This may breach the contract. In my opinion, such a great machine shouldn't be $1.5 million; in America's business world, it should be double."
The researchers were stunned—more functions, isn't that better? How could someone complain it's cheap?
Leo, ever perceptive, caught the hidden intent behind Charles's words: he was negotiating. Leo laughed:
"Yes, Mr. Charles. As you suggested, we'll sign a supplementary agreement. Now the price is $3 million.
By the way, Mr. Charles, I have a James River Charity Association. Would you like to contribute? I have only a few seats—three, for you and your family."
Charles's eyes lit up. He realized Leo understood him and was now negotiating. "We are all committed to charity. I have a large family. Can you give me six seats?"
Leo shook his head: "That's hard. With Gerard included, I can give you five seats."
Others were confused—weren't they discussing a computer? Why talk about charity now?
But Leo had just completed a clever transaction with Gerard. Gerard voluntarily raised the price. The $500,000 machine became $2.5 million.
Leo had already said the cost was $1 million. The extra $2 million would circulate through charity, leaving $1 million to Leo and $1 million to Charles.
Gerard, lacking political savvy, stared at Charles in disbelief. He couldn't understand how Charles raised the price from $1 million to $3 million!
Charles, astute, said to Leo: "With this machine, our efficiency will skyrocket, and government orders will surely flow in."
Gerard finally realized he'd been beaten to the punch. He couldn't let someone else get the second unit. Considering its importance, and since it wasn't his own money, Gerard gritted his teeth, directed his secretary to wire the deposit immediately. He would pay the $3 million.
After they left, Ecott and the others looked at Leo as if seeing a cunning merchant. As real researchers, they knew the machine's true cost was $300,000—the rest was R&D detours. Yet Leo sold it at ten times the cost.
Everyone else was thrilled, seeing a bright future for the company, but Ecott pounded his chest in frustration. $300,000—he could have gotten that himself!
That night, after signing two orders, Leo hosted over forty researchers at Pharaoh for a celebration. Late at night, Vinina, unable to restrain herself, submitted her fee, dressed in a lab coat, going "all in." At that moment, Leo immersed himself in the ocean of knowledge until it dried up.
The next day, Leo asked Vinina: "Can the lab function without Ecott?"
Vinina shook her head: "Ecott controls several core aspects of the business computer."
"Can you handle it?"
Vinina looked at Leo curiously: "I'm not in that field, but as far as I know, Mochili can."
Leo nodded thoughtfully.
After ordering Valentino Laboratory to produce three more units, Leo called Ruben aside, the lab's most versatile technician, inviting him to help establish Valentino Technology Company. He arranged for Daniel to meet him to co-design the world's first commercial computer factory.
After finishing this, Leo rushed to the Lynchburg Hotel. After a month of data preparation and initial promotion, Sidney reported on the IPO progress to the shareholders of American Realty.
"The response has been excellent, surprisingly so. Especially foreign capital—just in the past two days, we've met with over ten bankers from London's financial district.
The previous $35 pricing may have been conservative; I believe the final closing price could reach $45. Our professional team is working overtime on demand assessment. In 15 days, we can begin the roadshow."
Shareholders cheered—popularity meant growing wealth.
As usual, a dinner followed. With the IPO nearing, almost everyone wanted a ride on this money-making express. The dinner had twice as many attendees as the meeting.
Compared to other shareholders surrounded by people, Leo's entourage seemed sparse. To most attendees, Leo was a gambler, all-in on Truman. If Truman lost, Leo's fate would be grim.
Among those around Leo, one invitation was difficult to refuse. His former benefactor, chairman of the Virginia Stonemasons Association and Southern Railroad giant, Norfolk & Railway Company, Evan, invited Leo for a private discussion on a hidden balcony at the hotel.
"The Southern Railway Company is aggressively acquiring Norfolk & Railway's stock, reaching out to our shareholders to buy their shares, aiming to take over my company. Leo, I've helped you before. Now, I need your help."
Leo remembered his debt to Evan. "How can I help you?"
"I heard that Archia Group and Merlin Realty bought shares of American Realty from you. You should have lots of cash. Invest in our company and help drive out these predatory wolves."
Evan's tone conveyed respect, expecting Leo to assist. His company was thriving; he felt confident Leo would agree.
But Leo remained calm. He knew the nascent aviation industry would soon rise, and after WWII, America was entering its second major infrastructure era—the national highway network was already on Congress's agenda.
America would soon be a nation on wheels. The railroad's bonus period would last seven to eight years. For ordinary investors, seven to eight years of stable growth was good. But with his vision and golden touch, Leo could earn the equivalent of Norfolk & Railway in that time.
"I'm sorry, Evan. I need this money elsewhere, and I'm not familiar with railroads. I can't help," Leo said.
Evan was shocked—he expected Leo to agree and hadn't prepared a Plan B.
Southern Railway was advancing relentlessly. In this wartime, Evan trusted no one. He began passionately praising Norfolk & Railway.
One point did catch Leo's attention: Norfolk & Railway's network extended across Southern states.
Truman's campaign speeches would rely on trains, but if private railroads refused, a candidate Truman couldn't do much. Leo had considered funding an alliance with Evan for smooth campaign logistics.
But now he had a clearer cash flow plan. Acquiring Norfolk & Railway and Southern Railway would cost hundreds of millions, at least one or two hundred million each. Spending that much for Truman, when potentially profitable cash flows existed elsewhere, seemed undeserving.
Yet Truman's victory was crucial for Leo's future.
Suddenly, Leo had an idea. He remembered a book from a previous life: when American railroads built lines, the land on either side belonged to the real estate company.
Leo asked Evan about this.
Evan said some states still enforced similar laws, but most had abolished them. However, Norfolk & Railway was an old company and had experienced such a golden period, owning substantial land.
"Then, Evan, I have an idea. Must the shareholder be me personally? Could it be American Realty instead?"