Mr. Jeruno's first question target was Mr. Pato, which is actually not surprising.

No one can truly be impartial and selfless, just like the Federation's lifelong Chief Justice can't, they also deviate from the fairness they insist on due to some "external factors", let alone Mr. Jeruno, who is not a judge adhering to justice, but merely a capitalist.

Interest is his ultimate goal, therefore he cannot be that fair.

He and Mr. Pato are of the same group, similar people, with roughly the same identity background, they belong to the first batch of immigrants, whose ancestors established a prominent family by slaughtering natives, there is commonality between them.

Commonality means Mr. Pato will stand with him, in fact, they didn't intend to carry out any extinction acts in Nagariel, they just wanted to promote the legalization of slavery in Nagariel on a small scale.

Please note, they are not trying to reintroduce slavery internationally or within the Federation, but want the government of Nagariel United Kingdom to permit slaveholding.

Look at how subtly they prepared their vocabulary, no slave hunts, no killing, only the rearing of slaves with obscured origins, this way their needs can be met.

Whether it's ordinary metal mining or energy mining, it requires a lot of labor force, and there are always great safety risks in the mining process.

The cost of using ordinary laborers and using slaves is completely different, if a backward nation can be allowed to reauthorize slaveholding, then on moral issues they have no blemishes, because it's an internal affair of another country.

Moreover, the Nagariel United Kingdom is very backward and ignorant, they even believe in "false gods", so why can't history be reversed?

The Federation never interferes in the internal affairs of other countries, doesn't suggest, nor refuses, so Federation citizens will watch the Nagariel United Kingdom pass this law.

As outsiders, Federation people will also abide by this law, Federation citizens are moral exemplars, preservers of law.

As soon as Mr. Pato speaks, the overall situation will tilt, even if some people's stance is still uncertain, they will be swayed by the clear position of the first speaker.

People always warn themselves not to be misled by some restless and not necessarily accurate information, but people are always misled by these informations, such as preconceptions.

You know that it may not be correct, nor may everyone have such thoughts, but the first person expressing this information, the stance, makes people feel this may be the majority's opinion.

This is what Mr. Jeruno wants to achieve, whether these people are the majority or not, he needs people to think they are the majority, and a strong majority at that.

He looked at Mr. Pato with a confident, faintly proud smile, waiting for the words he wanted to hear from Mr. Pato's mouth.

Mr. Pato glanced at Mr. Jeruno, although he felt a bit apologetic towards this old gentleman, he can only follow his heart for those enticingly ink-scented small paper bills.

"Thanks to Chairman Jeruno for allowing me to be the first speaker. Regarding this topic, I do have some thoughts…"

At this moment, Mr. Wardrick, sitting not far from Mr. Pato, frowned. He glanced at the honest Lynch, hesitating whether to express his thoughts when it was his turn to speak, or directly state opposing views after Mr. Pato's speech.

The former won't make him too confrontational with some people here, nor annoy Mr. Pato by interrupting his speech, but directly refuting and attacking afterward is too obvious in targeting, likely leading to some conflicts.

But it is not timely, by the time of his speech, people's positions have already changed, and at this point, some people's attitudes are hard to recover.

The latter can quickly revise these people's attitudes, but he will also offend Mr. Pato, including Mr. Jeruno and other like-minded individuals.

After much deliberation, Mr. Wardrick decided to speak his views and stance when his turn comes, actually for him, whether Nagarielis live or die, he can profit, as long as he can make money, other matters are secondary.

He just couldn't imagine that Mr. Pato was also persuaded.

"Social progress cannot be achieved by the awakening of one person alone, it requires everyone's capability, I am grateful to my parents and the Lord for allowing me to be born in the Federation, allowing me to be born in a civilized society."

"But Nagariel obviously is not such a civilized society, it's barbaric, cruel, violent, ignorant, backward…, I can apply all the negative terms for society to the country of Nagariel."

"Yet we cannot abandon it simply because it's more backward than the Federation."

"Regarding Nagarielis and those indigenous people's attitude, I suggest being relatively strict yet retaining a degree of leniency, we should guide them to develop into a prosperous civilized society, which is one of the aims of the United Development Company."

"We are cultivating this market, gentlemen, in just three months time, based on incomplete statistics, Nagariel's almost desert-like private market has begun to show potential for prosperity, the hot sale of Mr. Lynch's products also demonstrates this, our initial decisions were correct!"

"That is my perspective, Mr. Chairman, directors!"

Mr. Pato leaned slightly forward, nodding slightly as a gesture of respect.

He didn't clearly state his position, using a seemingly vague sentence "relatively strict yet retaining a degree of leniency."

Actually, he has made clear what he wants to say between the lines, and left room for maneuver.

He turned indigenous people into natives. "Indigenous" and "natives", these two terms are not the same.

When describing some people as indigenous, it carries a very obvious hostility, but natives, although disdainful, don't bear such intense hostility.

Adding the final "leniency", Mr. Pato's stance could be seen as completely opposite to that of Mr. Jeruno.

The latter also looked at Mr. Pato with some curiosity, not long ago they were discussing these matters over the phone, Mr. Pato also expressed interest in using slaves to further reduce already low labor costs, didn't expect him to pull a complete turnaround.

But Mr. Jeruno did not become furious as a result, in his decades of life, he has seen too many things, what to be angry about, what to be glad, what to feel rage about, and what to feel low, no matter how they be, he's experienced them all.

Having experienced them means he can remain calm through changes, like some people the first time they can't find the door, but having once been inside, they will never find themselves unable again.

What makes him curious now is what changed Mr. Pato's stance, he is very interested in this.

"A very wonderful speech…", Mr. Jeruno commented, and then asked as if casually chatting, "Are you planning on being the speaker at this year's religious ceremony, Mr. Pato?"

He could understand, but he wouldn't remain unaffected, so he made a sarcastic remark.

Mr. Pato chuckled, "If they want to invite me, I wouldn't mind, I am a devout follower."

Everyone laughed softly, regardless of being a believer or not, whether they believe in the Lord, or believe in judgment after death, all capitalists are the most typical "theists."

This is not because they fear the size of religious groups, or need to cater to mainstream religious groups, purely because religious groups are also their customers, they also profit off of religious groups, and this part of people's money is easier to earn.

It's like those foreigners before in Nagariel, to sell products better to locals, to integrate better into the local community, they would marry local women and give birth to one or several mixed-race children.

The simplest way to gain acceptance from religious groups and sell one's products is to take a Bible to church on a Sunday, earnestly spend a Sabbath, and have oneself praying appear on the front page of religious publications, then there would be no issue.

Everyone is a devoted believer, only what they truly believe in is not the Lord, but wealth.

The meeting's atmosphere wasn't serious, and those shareholders sitting at the tail end had more smiles on their faces, actually, they are the unluckiest ones.

Many of them don't even have the qualification to take sides proactively, can only follow whichever side the wave is stronger.

But once someone is in trouble, they certainly cannot escape.

Now, it's good, the atmosphere is so relaxed, they laugh more loudly, as if this way they could maintain the current situation.

After a few more people spoke, Mr. Wardrick was named.

The biggest difference between him and Mr. Jeruno, and Mr. Pato, is that his family is not that prominent.

Though his family started earlier, compared to these first batch immigrant descendants, it falls slightly short, this also leads to his family lacking commendable "glory".

Without those peculiar collections, without various startling old photos, in terms of wealth and status, there is no tremendous gap from those people, yet it's very difficult to blend into their circle.

Actually, everyone is one kind of person, just like a saying circulating in the market described immorally, saying the Akiner Clan's first generation patriarch was not actually a noble lord, just a noble lord's long trusted follower.

On the sea, he killed the noble lord and took his place, with no noble blood at all, only a long trusted lineage.

But the Akiner Clan, and the Duncan Clan, these people are still one group, they find it very hard to blend in with later emerging capitalists, they consider later arrivers lacking foundation, just like later arrivers mock them for being stodgy.

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