King Of War: Starting with Arms Dealer

Joe Ga stayed at the Reed family's farm for two days, and it wasn't until after the rally for Big Mouth Don had concluded that he finally met Tom Reed at the farm's cocktail party.

Originally, Big Mouth Don had wanted to invite Joe to give a campaign speech at the rally, but this time Joe declined.

Big Mouth Don's political network wasn't extensive enough, but Joe Ga knew that Rashiri had already given up.

Because what they did in Oregon had thoroughly enraged Tom Reed, which led the old man to join forces with the governor and senator of neighboring Idaho State to confront them head-on.

For someone like Tom Reed, if you get caught using methods beyond the rules, you either make concessions or risk losing face—breaking the rules only makes you look worse.

There was no need for a vote anymore; Big Mouth Don had already won!

It's just that Big Mouth Don didn't know it yet!

Finally, Joe Ga saw Tom Reed at the party...

The redneck old man, famed but never before encountered by Joe, rushed up to him the moment he saw him and grabbed him by the collar...

Seeing the complicated emotions in Tom Reed's eyes, Joe glanced at the crowd standing cautiously at a distance around them. He let out a sigh and whispered, "You can punch me on the chin, just lightly, and then we'll talk in the side lounge."

Tom Reed's eyes lit up and, loudly cursing, he threw a punch at Joe Ga's chin...

The 6'2", nearly 200-pound Joe, as if hit by a truck, flew back almost six feet, crashing into a smaller lounge, startling several men and women who had been talking inside.

Committed to playing his role to its fullest, Joe climbed up from the floor, roared at Tom Reed, and grabbed the old man by the shirt. The two of them started throwing wild, amateur punches, tussling into a chaotic mess.

Grace rushed in holding the baby, exclaiming in disbelief, "Dad…"

Tom Reed raised an arm to block one of Joe's punches and shouted at his daughter, "All of you, get out! Today, I'm going to teach this bastard a lesson, so he knows what happens when you wrong a Reed family daughter...

Oh, shit, kid, underhanded move…"

Like a furious wild boar, Tom Reed rolled to his feet, yelled at the few men and women cringing in the corner to get out, and then walked to the lounge door. He slammed the door shut, locked it, and picked up an expensive-looking vase, smashing it on the ground...

The old man let out a growl, pulled a golf club from the bag behind the door, and began smashing everything breakable around him. Amid the chaos and crashing sounds, he said, "I've already talked with those people. They're willing to give up a few seats in the House of Representatives...

Do you have anyone suitable in mind?"

Joe froze for a moment, then grabbed a golf club as well, smashing objects as he replied, "I don't have anyone ready. Can we still find someone in time?"

Tom Reed, looking like a maddened savage, roared and hammered on the door a few times, scaring away people who had been eavesdropping, and then said, "I'll introduce a few to you. Once we secure 15 seats together, we can influence the House of Representatives.

Later, if you find the right candidates, we can make adjustments."

Growling again, Tom Reed smashed apart a showy bookshelf and turned to Joe Ga, saying, "That guy Eric isn't bad; it's a waste having him act just as a lobbyist...

I've got a few old friends in New Jersey. You could consider running him for a district council seat. With that title, it'll be easier for him to help you."

Joe paused, then sincerely began helping smash the bookshelf into smaller pieces…

Eric had once fought tooth and nail for a position, but with just a word from Tom Reed, he could go straight to competing for a district council seat, with a real chance of entering the House of Representatives later on.

Where before Eric's aspirations for administrative positions were for service-only roles, becoming a "representative" was the real stepping stone to American politics.

The U.S. House of Representatives has over 400 seats, allocated by state population. Each state gets at least one, but highly populated states can have multiple.

Each Representative ostensibly represents 700,000 to 800,000 constituents. Whether those numbers are fudged or not, Joe didn't know, but he did know that entering the House meant gaining the rights to propose legislation, draft bills, and even impeach the president.

This is where the top-tier powers lie!

Although at times it might look like a chaotic marketplace brawl, it's also a reflection of how crucial the intricate network of interests within the House truly is.

Joe Ga lacked much in this area. If not for Tom Reed offering this kind of compensation, Joe wouldn't have had the capability to capitalize on it.

Tom's earlier words about "15 seats between the two of us" implied that this Oregon senator controlled or influenced at least ten other Representatives and was willing to form a strategic alliance with Joe.

This was truly a considerable force!

When the Republicans and Democrats are in deadlock over a bill or economic measures, a block of 15 votes could become a decisive force.

The clout that comes with it is enormous!

Smashing and breaking alongside Reed, Joe remarked, "This is great, but what do I have to do in return?"

Tom Reed, leaning on his golf club and catching his breath, said, "You don't need to do much initially...

But if you want to groom your own people, you'll need a confidential fund to provide them with resources and occasionally support their policies or charity endeavors for their districts.

This is a long-term project—you'll need patience and a steady flow of funds!"

Joe nodded and said, "No problem, I've got suitable people in New York to handle such matters."

Hearing this, Tom swung his club hard, sending a nearby lamp flying, and said, "I think Grace is quite suitable...

Kid, Grace is my only daughter. I want her to have a bright future..."

Joe cut him off before he could finish, nodding decisively, "We're on the same page here...

How about this: those initial seats most certainly shouldn't cost you money. I'll set up a confidential fund for Grace and George in my bank. You fill the vacancies with people of your choosing, and Grace will act as the liaison for coordination.

Grace and Monica already know each other. They can work on this together moving forward.

P.B. has a strong relationship with the Justice Department, so Grace will definitely benefit from those connections.

Maybe Grace will even become the Reed family's matriarch in the future!"

Exhausted from smashing things, Tom Reed realized Joe wasn't interested in resolving things his way—namely by marrying Grace. With a sigh of regret, he threw in the towel and said, "If you married her, at least there'd be a chance..."

Then he forcefully yanked open a slightly warped drawer, pulled out a document, and handed it to Joe. "Here's a land transfer agreement. Sign it, and it's yours.

Then gift this land to Grace and say it's compensation for her and little George..."

Joe examined the land title and found that the property was not far from the Reed family farm. It covered 150,000 acres, nestled against snow-capped mountains, facing a lake, and flanked by expansive grasslands...

The location wasn't prime, but the plot's size and surrounding scenery were first-class.

Tom Reed, clearly pulling out all the stops for his daughter and grandson, was willing to fork over what must have been tens of millions for such a large parcel, even considering Oregon's relatively lower land prices.

He couldn't carve out land from the family estate, so he had to dig into his private savings to cushion "the jerk's" missteps and ensure his daughter could maintain face, even after their "split."

Though on paper the land would briefly pass through Joe's hands, the transaction taxes alone were a hefty expense.

To be honest, Joe was touched by Tom Reed's efforts. As an expectant father himself, he wasn't sure he could do better than Reed someday.

Seeing the seriousness in Reed's expression, Joe thought for a moment before saying, "So who are Grace's competitors within the Reed family?

Don't get the wrong idea. I mean no harm.

I just think—how can merely 150,000 acres fully demonstrate my sincerity in admitting my guilt?

Your family's a land empire, so surely you have channels to acquire more land. I could shell out cash to buy another 150,000 acres for little George.

After all, he's my son, right?"

Tom Reed froze, then finally understood why so many people spoke so highly of the young man in front of him...

Joe wasn't focused on immediate benefits; he clearly saw that through George, he could forge a deeper connection with the Reed family. Compared to money, aligning with the Reeds to control a dozen House seats was far more significant.

Tom Reed wasn't exactly old, but retirement was inevitable, and investing in Grace and George was a surefire long-term plan.

George, with his complex heritage, would inherit 150,000 acres of land from his "father" and combine it with Grace's 150,000-acre stake, making them the most prominent mother-son force in the second and third generations.

While the Reed family's wealth consisted largely of land and company shares, the cash flow available to the second and third generations was far from what outsiders might imagine.

Owning 300,000 acres would mean Grace and George could easily secure $200 million in loans from the bank whenever they needed.

Liquid assets with immense purchasing power were also a form of influence. This alone would make Grace stand out among her generation.

Given her status, she'd profit whether running a business or managing the farm.

Even investing her funds into Joe's ventures—like buying North Kivu Province bonds—was a guaranteed win.

Currently, North Kivu bonds were a hot commodity. Despite the ongoing civil war in South Kivu, Gami's maneuvering had spiked the value of North Kivu's bonds.

And Joe, being the real decision-maker in North Kivu, ensured investments there were foolproof!

By this point, Tom Reed finally understood the magnitude of Joe's financial prowess beyond his battlefield reputation...

The old man grinned and said, "Deal!

Kid, treat Grace and that child well. The Reed family doesn't disappoint its friends!"

Joe extended his hand to shake Tom's firmly, smiling as he said, "I haven't thought that far, but...

Grace should take George to Central Africa for a visit sometime. He's my son now, so naturally, I have to take responsibility for him."

Hearing this, Tom Reed, on alert, glared at Joe and warned, "If you're not marrying Grace, then don't even think about toying with her."

Joe looked at the old man in front of him and shook his head with a chuckle. "Old man, when it comes to being a scoundrel, I can't hold a candle to you..."

After thinking a bit, Joe added, "Old brother, the Reed family's main business is livestock. To ensure Grace and George get the respect they deserve, I'll have my people purchase $20 million worth of beef annually from Grace for export.

If anyone dares talk crap behind their backs, I'll personally come and smash their mouths...

Does that sound good enough to you?"

Tom Reed nodded in admiration and said, "That's how you treat your own son!

Why not give it some more thought? I can tell Grace really admires you!"

Joe shrugged and laughed, "That just means Grace has good taste...

She's fiery and passionate by nature. She'll find someone perfect for her!"

Tom Reed listened, shook his head in disapproval, and let the matter drop...