Chapter 269 Grevi's "Cooperation"

Saint-Etienne, more than 400 kilometers away from Paris, is the 14th most populous city in France.

Grevi was sitting alone by the window of the Weber Cafe, drinking coffee while looking at the huge chimneys outside the window. They were constantly sending out thick black smoke, and they could still be seen occasionally. Little sparks, like ink sprayed high, dyed the entire sky black.

Even the snow on the ground and top was covered with a layer of faint black spots.

Everything is gray, including the suffocating air!

Who would have thought that a few decades ago Saint-Etienne was just a quiet town with a population of only a few thousand people.

During the great industrial development, various minerals were discovered in Saint-Etienne, especially coal mines, which brought energy, wealth and prosperity to the town.

The metallurgical industry, mining, metal, and textile industries are booming here, and France's largest arsenal is also located here.

Grevi looked back at the coffee in the cup, and suddenly realized that its color was so similar to black smoke, including the bitter taste of burnt coffee.

Why wasn't this discovered before?

Grevi sighed softly and put the coffee cup back on the tray on the table.

Just a moment ago, he had longed for coffee to give his confused head a little stimulation, but now he had lost interest in it.

He took the train for more than seven hours, not for this!

"Can't you get used to the coffee here?" Layom smiled and sat on the chair opposite Grevi.

"No!" Grevi forced out a smile: "I just don't fit in here..."

Grevi raised his chin toward the window.

Rayom nodded to express his understanding: "You will adapt if you stay for a while. This is not an easy thing."

The waiter brought Rayom a cup of coffee. Rayom expressed his thanks and looked at Grevey: "Besides, you don't seem to need to adapt."

He asked Grevi's purpose in a subtle way.

Grevi and Layom were not acquaintances.

Grevi helped Dominic a lot when he was in high school, and as an older brother, Rayom was grateful for it.

Grevi picked up the coffee spoon and stirred it gently in the cup, although he had no intention of drinking it.

"You may have heard something about the Shire," Grevy asked.

He had no intention of beating around the bush with Rayom, because unlike Dominic, Rayom was a shrewd businessman. He had been managing the arsenal for Steed in Saint-Etienne.

"Yes." Layom frowned slightly. He thought he had guessed Grevi's purpose of coming to inquire about the equipment developed by Charles?

"Hand grenades, mortars, 37MM artillery, aerial bombs..." Grevey shook his head and smiled, with an incredible expression and some respect in his eyes: "It's enviable, don't you think?"

Layom replied coldly: "This seems to be none of your business, Grevi. If you want to know the information about these equipment, I'm afraid you will be disappointed..."

"No, no, you misunderstood." Grevi replied: "You know, I have no interest in these at all."

Only then did Layom remember that Grevi was a representative of the opposition to industrialization. Layum was so busy in the arsenal that he ignored this.

"So!" Layom raised his head and looked directly into Greve's eyes: "You're not here just to drink coffee today, are you?"

Grevi smiled softly and said unhurriedly: "I hope to cooperate with you, Mr. Layom!"

"Cooperation?" Rayom laughed: "Is there room for cooperation between us? Are you interested in industrial or military equipment now?"

Grevi shook his head and explained: "You don't seem to know what kind of cooperation your father and Ciel are working on?"

This question stopped Lajome. Steed did not tell him. He only knew that Saint-Etienne and Charles each had a 50% profit.

There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s a win-win.

"It's not as simple as you think, Lajome." Greville continued, with a touch of sarcasm in his tone: "You know, the equipment currently produced by the Saint-Etienne Arsenal will one day be eliminated. All, No one will be spared, and everything that is eliminated will be replaced with equipment invented by Ciel.”

Layom's eyes suddenly widened. He really hadn't considered this.

Not long ago, he had been excited by Ciel's amazing creativity and the practicality of these devices.

Now being reminded by Greville, Lajome immediately realized something: if Charles had 50% control over all the equipment invented, and everything produced in the Saint-Etienne Arsenal in the future was invented by Charles, Does that mean that Charles has absolute say over the Saint-Etienne Arsenal?

"As far as I know." Grevy added: "Your father has such a plan. He is completely conquered by Charles. He hopes that Charles will lead the Saint-Etienne Arsenal, rather than simply cooperate..."

"No, this is impossible!" Layom interrupted Grevi.

My father is a shrewd businessman, and there is no way he would hand over his lifelong efforts to the hands of an outsider, even if he is Ciel.

"If it were someone else, it would be impossible." Grevi replied, his voice was very cold, as if he was describing Layom's cruel future: "But that person is Charles, and you know very well what kind of strength Charles has. His talent He is a gifted military strategist and inventor, and inventing equipment is only a small part of his many abilities. What is even more frightening is that his creativity seems to have no end..."

Layom remained silent, knowing that what Grevi said was the truth.

No one in the world can compete with Charles. When others were thinking about making money by producing cannons, warships and airplanes, he just put gunpowder in wood and iron shells to make grenades, and easily realized this dream, even making more money than making warships.

Grevy continued: "Your father obviously knew that he could not compete with Charles, so he decided to become a part of Charles, to be precise..."

Speaking of this, Grevy paused intentionally, emphasized his tone, and said in a low voice: "It should be, 'surrender'."

This word deeply hurt Layom's self-esteem. He gritted his teeth, frowned and complained: "Stupid, this is surrender without a fight!"

Hearing this, Grevy knew that he was right.

From the beginning, he should have looked for Layom instead of Dominic.

Layom is the successor of Saint-Etienne designated by Steed, and the future development of Saint-Etienne is closely related to Layom.

As for Dominic, he was only interested in guns and didn't care about the inheritance at all, so he naturally didn't care about Charles's threat to Saint-Etienne.

This might be the reason why Dominic rejected him, Grevi thought!