I Became a Black Market Tycoon with an Inventory - Chapter 69

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

069-The Election
69.
“Patrick. I want you to become the mayor of Zamboanga.”
“Pardon?”
Patrick looked confused by my words and asked me to repeat myself.
“Become the mayor of Zamboanga.”
“I’m not entirely sure what you mean.”
Patrick still seemed completely lost.
“Simon, explain it to him.”
“Of course. Allow me to explain.”
Simon gave a brief overview of recent events.
How Abu Sayyaf and the BLF had disappeared, and the rebel forces had been integrated into Damaya.
How Damaya’s popularity had skyrocketed.
“With so much work ahead of us, having Patrick as mayor would be tremendously beneficial.”
After Simon’s explanation, Patrick seemed to contemplate for a moment before responding.
“So what you’re saying is that we need someone to help Damaya expand its influence in Zamboanga and Mindanao through administrative and policy measures, correct?”
After hearing the simple explanation, Patrick immediately grasped the situation and understood what he needed to do.
A true University of the Philippines graduate.
I’m becoming increasingly curious about the University of the Philippines’ educational methods.
Such quick situational awareness.
I wish I could learn that too.
“Exactly. You’ve got it.”
I replied.
“To be more precise, wouldn’t it be closer to ‘the rebel forces will cause incidents, so clean up after them’?”
“Huh? Is that how it sounds? But would there even be incidents to deal with? There’s no opposing force to clash with. The administrative support is needed because we want to legitimize and properly operate not just mines, but also farms and logging operations. It’s easier with someone in an administrative position to help. That way, we can provide insurance for those workers too, right?”
“That’s manageable. Honestly, once you’re mayor, the possibilities are endless. But can you actually win an election just by running? Elections aren’t child’s play.”
Simon answered that question.
“Of course. Absolutely. Damaya’s popularity in Mindanao is overwhelming right now. Many people want to join Damaya, and it has tremendous economic influence. Especially since many people are dissatisfied with the current mayor, if we use the catchphrase ‘we can change everything’ and unite our forces to push forward, we should see good results.”
Confident in Simon’s words, Patrick picked up a tablet and checked various news outlets and community forums.
He made several calls to verify information.
It took quite some time.
After confirming the current situation and deliberating for a while, Patrick finally spoke.
“But if Damaya’s influence spans all of Mindanao, would just becoming mayor of Zamboanga be enough?”
“What do you mean?”
“We need to control all of Mindanao. That’s the only way we can move things according to our will.”
“Huh??”
What is this guy talking about?
This is terrifying.
Control all of Mindanao?
This man certainly thinks big.
Whenever I ask this bastard for something, the problem always balloons.
I misjudged him.
Patrick is actually right.
Damaya’s influence spreads across all of Mindanao.
Of course, controlling all of Mindanao is far better than just Zamboanga alone.
That’s self-evident without saying.
Yet I spoke only of Zamboanga’s mayor because our capacity doesn’t extend that far.
First of all, we don’t have a suitable candidate.
Patrick at least has a university degree and is the most presentable.
The rest are… bleak.
Should I put forward Sandro, the gangster?
Should I put forward Scott, who fights well?
Should I put forward Dennis, who deals in weapons?
They’re already disqualified on so many counts they couldn’t even register as candidates.
That’s why, after careful deliberation, I chose Zamboanga.
Zamboanga has our armory, and Damaya’s headquarters isn’t far away.
If I had to pick just one place in vast Mindanao, it had to be Zamboanga.
But Patrick is saying we should take all of Mindanao.
What scale is he talking about?
“We should establish a political party.”
“A political party?”
“Since the Philippines practices party politics, establishing a party brings many benefits and various advantages.”
“I mean, we can create a party, but do we have people to run as candidates? The only person we know is you, Patrick.”
Patrick flashed me a grin, teeth and all.
“Don’t worry about such things. It’s Patrick. Patrick.”
.
.
.
Election preparations were in full swing.
Patrick had established a political party.
The party’s name was Akbayan ng Katarungan.
He combined Akbayan, meaning “shoulder to shoulder,” with Katarungan, meaning “justice.”
It meant “justice’s companion,” “justice’s partner.”
The name conveyed the meaning of fighting for justice and being each other’s strength.
It aligned well with Damaya, which carried the spirit of compassion.
We simply called it Akbayan.
Patrick gathered people into Akbayan.
I expected chaff to swarm in, but quite respectable people showed up.
People I’d seen on the news, in newspapers.
People whose names I’d heard before.
The special visa officer I met in Manila last time is here too.
The special visa officer came up to me and thanked me about a hundred times before leaving.
He went on and on about how my aura had been different since then, saying he knew I’d become such a great person.
I don’t understand why he’s thanking me when I’m not even the one getting him elected.
Other people came up to me too, pledging their loyalty.
Why me?
Why are they pledging loyalty to me?
I’m the real fraud here.
Having nothing to say, I just told them I’d watch carefully going forward.
Anyway, I was worried about lacking manpower, but that problem is somewhat resolved now.
In my opinion, Patrick shouldn’t be doing politics—he should be running a headhunting firm.
With connections that good, it’s a waste to let them rot away.
Just when I thought I’d overcome a major hurdle, a real one appeared.
Massive campaign expenses.
Unimaginably enormous campaign costs were necessary.
Did elections really cost this much money?
I’ve only voted before; I’ve never actually run an election.
Wasn’t it just supposed to be installing a speaker on the back of a truck and making some noise?
Wasn’t it just hanging banners and distributing flyers?
I should have been satisfied just being the mayor of Zamboanga.
Greed clouded my judgment.
The desire to control all of Mindanao muddied my thinking.
Instinct overcomes reason.
Mindanao Island is the second-largest island in the Philippines.
There were an enormous number of provinces and cities.
There are thousands of barangays—village-level divisions.
I couldn’t field candidates in every district,
but at least I needed candidates in the provinces and major cities.
Philippine elections are somewhat of a mess.
For example, in a mayoral election, you don’t just elect the mayor—you also elect the vice mayor.
They don’t come as a package.
They’re separate.
The mayoral election is separate, and the vice mayoral election is separate.
The mayor isn’t appointed after being elected; the vice mayor is also an elected position.
The mayor serves as the head of the executive branch, while the vice mayor serves as the presiding officer of the local assembly.
The mayor pushes forward policies, and the vice mayor becomes the head of the assembly that deliberates and approves those policies.
The problem is that because the mayor and vice mayor are elected separately, they often don’t work well together.
If they’re from different parties or have different ideas, they just fight throughout their term and that’s it.
So you need to match the mayor and vice mayor as a set for things to run smoothly.
That’s the only way it works easily.
Provincial Governor and Vice Governor, Mayor and Vice Mayor.
I had intended to field only that many candidates, but even that proved far too difficult.
There were simply too many large electoral districts.
Mindanao has 27 provinces, 33 independent cities, and roughly 400 municipalities and cities combined.
The thousands of barangays were entirely beyond our reach.
The manpower and capital required were staggering.
The mere thought of conducting elections across so many districts gave me a headache.
So I opted for the simplest approach.
The most Filipino method available.
In the Philippines, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished with guns and money.
I placed firearms in the hands of those seeking candidacy,
and placed money in the hands of voters.
It was far more effective than clumsy campaign efforts.
Sandro joined in as well.
He insisted he was more confident at intimidation than anyone else and begged to be entrusted with it.
The secret behind his exceptional negotiation skills seemed to be revealed here, but he drew a line, claiming negotiation and intimidation were different matters.
Members of the Sandro Group crossed over to Mindanao and assisted with the campaign.
A few intimidated candidates went to the Police Officer to lodge complaints,
but the officers, already having pocketed bribes and maintaining special relations with Damaya, feigned ignorance.
We did not campaign for individual candidates.
We centered our campaign efforts on Akbayan ng Katarungan, the party itself.
Rather than “please vote for this candidate,”
we shifted our electoral strategy to “our Akbayan ng Katarungan is different.”
We will become your new friend.
I will walk alongside you.
I will share in your misfortune, your poverty.
I will change everything by a fair standard.
Become a partner in reform.
We will transform the rotted politics of the Philippines.
Just as Damaya defeated the Rebel Forces and brought peace, Akbayan ng Katarungan can bring new politics.
We distributed guns and money while conducting party-focused campaign operations.
The moment we shifted the direction of our campaign, Akbayan ng Katarungan’s approval ratings surged.
Akbayan ng Katarungan became a major political force.
Many candidates were predicted to win their elections.
Consequently, newspapers and media outlets began covering us.
The more exposure we received, the higher our electoral prospects climbed.
As our chances of victory increased, people began arriving from all directions with money in hand.
Without doing anything, they came seeking us to spend their money.
There had never been a more grateful time.
I had already exhausted my funds and sold every last coin Jerico had left behind.
Simply the increased likelihood of winning was enough to bring people with money to my door.
I couldn’t bring myself to ignore their goodwill,
so I distributed appropriate positions based on the amounts they brought.
Engaging in politics this way, I began to understand why politicians develop a taste for money.
Having spent so much, they would naturally feel compelled to recoup those expenses.
I wasn’t even in politics, yet I couldn’t fathom why I’d spent so lavishly.
I’d truly emptied my coffers to supplement the funds.
Money could be earned again, but I believed this was the moment to go all-in here.
As the election drew closer, Akbayan ng Katarungan’s popularity soared relentlessly.
The enthusiasm was so intense it became a social phenomenon worthy of historical record.
In a reality where survival was a daily struggle, Akbayan ng Katarungan became both solace and salvation.
And Damaya’s sterling reputation moved in lockstep with Akbayan ng Katarungan.
Throughout Mindanao, Damaya’s reputation was exceptionally favorable.
While the existing rebel forces had ruled through violence and terror, Damaya had positioned itself as a benefactor.
They lacked military might, but they were genuinely good people.
Yet that same Damaya had grown stronger.
They had liberated the people from the terror of the rebel forces.
They had eliminated the rebels who kidnapped people without warning and plundered anything of value.
People said this grateful Damaya stood alongside Akbayan ng Katarungan.
They said Damaya, which provided wages and employment, stood together with them.
The two had linked arms.
Those oppressed by the rebels decided to cast their votes as a gesture of gratitude.
Those who had suffered at the hands of the rebels pledged to vote for Akbayan ng Katarungan.
Young people chose Akbayan ng Katarungan to secure employment with Damaya.
This alone was impressive enough.
The candidate was someone I’d seen on television before.
A famous person.
Seeing them frequently on TV made them seem like someone important.
Both the party and the candidate passed muster.
On top of that, they bought drinks and meals.
There was no reason not to vote for them.
And then came election day.
Akbayan ng Katarungan’s candidates achieved victory in key regions.
It was a landslide.
In every region where victory was essential, we won decisively,
and in the ambiguous areas where outcomes were uncertain, we claimed numerous victories.
We won in most regions where we fielded candidates.
Akbayan ng Katarungan became the overwhelmingly dominant party in Mindanao.
Patrick became the mayor of Zamboanga.
Patrick’s appearance had transformed now that he held the position of mayor.
I congratulated Patrick profusely on becoming mayor and gave him a standing ovation.
Yet I felt a pang of regret.
I had encouraged him to run for mayor, but now that he’d won, I found myself torn between conflicting emotions.
From my perspective, it had been ideal having Patrick continue managing our operations.
He executed his duties flawlessly.
However, when I weighed the benefits of him continuing to work under me against becoming mayor of Zamboanga, the answer was unmistakable.
I had to let him go.
Still, I resented seeing Patrick slip from my grasp.
No matter how much I hesitated, Patrick had to leave my side.
It was the right choice, yet it stung nonetheless.
******
Bohol, Philippines.
Late at night in the GoGo Casino office.
Nam Yong-woo was quietly transferring the GoGo Casino source code onto a USB drive.
Nam Yong-woo had recently received a clandestine offer.
An offer to create an identical site using the GoGo Casino source code in exchange for five billion won.
A staggering proposal granting him complete authority over online casino operations if he desired.
He hadn’t deliberated long.
He’d accepted immediately.
Nam Yong-woo had felt increasingly uneasy at GoGo Casino lately.
His position seemed precarious, as if it might vanish.
It hadn’t started this way.
Nam Yong-woo had created GoGo Casino, after all.
His position there had once been unshakeable.
But GoGo Casino had grown exponentially.
Hundreds of thousands accessed it daily.
It had become a massive casino where hundreds of billions cycled through.
It was no longer a scale Nam Yong-woo could manage alone.
Superior developers had been brought in.
Nam Yong-woo had built programs with basic arithmetic, yet developers who wielded calculus and integration effortlessly worked for less than one-fifth of his salary.
The presence of developers superior to him made Nam Yong-woo anxious.
Even the janitors there seemed more capable than he was.
He feared becoming someone entirely replaceable.
When the casino integrated with coins and exchanges, more personnel were brought aboard.
That was a field Nam Yong-woo knew nothing about.
Monsters prowled that domain in abundance.
They coded concepts Nam Yong-woo couldn’t even comprehend as naturally as breathing.
He despised how GoGo Casino, which he’d created, seemed to be erasing his fingerprints from it.
His very existence felt like it was disappearing.
And then Ana appeared as the final blow.
I need to launder the money.
I can’t trust Ana.
She appeared out of nowhere, suddenly.
I said I’d trust her, but I can’t.
Nam Yong-woo watched Ana carefully.
In the meantime, Patrick left his position.
He departed for Zamboanga for the election, and Ana took over his responsibilities.
Ana was handling money laundering along with the major issues of Candy Tour.
Ana was doing the work Patrick had managed.
Nam Yong-woo hated that.
At the very least, Patrick’s position should have been his.
Ana, being born in the Philippines, would naturally be more familiar with local affairs than Nam Yong-woo,
but that still shouldn’t have happened.
The position should have gone to Nam Yong-woo, who had created GoGo Casino.
At least, that’s what Nam Yong-woo believed.
Nam Yong-woo was deeply disappointed.
His unstable standing at GoGo Casino.
His absence in new technologies like coins and exchanges.
A resentment that transcended jealousy over losing his position to Ana.
The resulting sense of betrayal toward the Young Boss.
These emotions led Nam Yong-woo to accept the proposal to steal the source code.
Though he oversaw GoGo Casino in its entirety, it wasn’t enough.
The opportunity was now.
All of Alex’s operations are in chaos right now.
Whether it’s Candy Tour or GoGo Casino, he has no capacity to pay attention to them.
All eyes are fixed on the election.
If I quietly disappear with the source code now, that’s all there is to it.
Ding.
The copying was complete.
Manager Nam Yong-woo pocketed the USB and left the office.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————