I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 181

Chapter 181: The German Tank

At the Blayre Manor, Francis emerged in a brand-new suit, his appearance full of energy as he entered the villa’s living room.

He looked like a completely different person, walking in with his chest out and head held high, greeting everyone, “Hello, Mr. Grevy, Mr. Armand, sorry to keep you waiting!”

Without waiting for a response, he casually sat down on the sofa and took the glass of red wine the servant had brought.

A flash of anger passed through Armand’s eyes. This guy’s getting too full of himself!

In Grevy’s eyes, there was always disdain. He didn’t even raise an eyebrow and kept his focus on the Achievements Gazette in his hands.

To Grevy, Francis was someone who never bothered to hide his thoughts. Once he gained a little power, he immediately acted arrogant and failed to see his true position. Such a person could hardly achieve great things.

Francis didn’t sense any of this. Proudly, he took a sip of the red wine, his face showing a relaxed smile. “Gentlemen, here’s the situation: He wants to reach some kind of agreement with us.”

“We?” Armand asked, giving a cold, mocking snort.

“He” referred to Schneider, and “we”… wasn’t Francis more aligned with “him” now?

“Yes, we!” Francis held up his wine glass and waved it at the two men, seemingly signaling that he hadn’t abandoned his old companions.

What Francis didn’t know was that in their eyes, those so-called “old companions” still didn’t take him seriously.

“The collaboration works like this,” Francis continued. “He hopes we can support the ‘Saint-Chamond’ tank and get it back on the battlefield…”

Grevy interrupted Francis coldly, “That’s not easy, Francis. Everyone knows that the ‘Saint-Chamond’ is unfit for battle. It has already failed!”

“Yes, that’s true,” Francis replied. “But we have the Parliament, gentlemen. With him and our cooperation, we can surely dominate the votes in Parliament…”

Grevy grunted, “But the Parliament can’t make decisions completely against the will of the citizens. People have already accepted the Char tank. Everyone wants to purchase more ‘Mark I’s,’ not the ‘Saint-Chamond.’ If we force through the ‘Saint-Chamond’… Do you know what will happen?”

Armand smiled and added, “Strikes, protests, and even the military might get involved. Some parliamentarians will be forced to step down. I doubt he can accept that.”

“Right, gentlemen!” Francis asked with confidence, “But what if we have a good reason?”

Armand crossed his legs and gestured grandly, “Go ahead, tell us his reason!”

Armand emphasized the word “his.”

Francis detected the sarcastic tone in his words and cleared his throat awkwardly. “Well, they’ve made a series of improvements to the ‘Saint-Chamond,’ including the engine, armor thickness, and especially the enhancement of its trench-crossing capability.”

Grevy lowered his newspaper and finally looked at Francis. “But that’s not enough to convince the public. After all, the Char tank has proven itself in actual combat. People will wonder, why should we use those failed tanks, even if they’ve been improved?”

“You’re right, sir,” Francis nodded. “But they’ve thought of that. They gave a reason, a perfect reason.”

Grevy raised his hand slightly, a gesture that seemed to invite Francis to continue.

“The German tank, Mr. Grevy,” Francis leaned in a little, his voice filled with a sense of mystery and excitement. “If the Germans have developed a tank, and it’s specifically designed to counter the Char ‘Mark I,’ and the Germans have even installed a cannon on their tank, while the Char tank only has a machine gun, then…”

At this point, Grevy understood.

It was a good idea. By suggesting that the Germans had developed a tank, people would worry that the Char tank couldn’t handle the new German tanks.

In their simple minds, it was easy to imagine this scenario: The machine gun on the ‘Mark I’ wouldn’t be able to penetrate the enemy tank’s armor, while the enemy’s cannon could blow the ‘Mark I’ to pieces with one shot after another.

Armand, interested, asked, “Are the Germans really developing a tank?”

Francis smiled with a knowing expression. “Maybe they are, maybe they aren’t!”

Whether or not it was true didn’t matter. The important thing was that as long as there was an “enemy,” the Char tank would be obsolete, and the ‘Saint-Chamond’ would logically regain its orders and return to the battlefield.

Grevy smiled. Schneider hadn’t disappointed him. His methods were extraordinary.

He had casually spread a “rumor” exaggerating the enemy’s strength, turning the public’s fear into a victory that would get the ‘Saint-Chamond’ back on the battlefield.

The key was that the “rumor” was entirely reasonable.

The Germans wouldn’t just sit back and watch. After experiencing the shock and power of the ‘Mark I,’ they would surely come up with a countermeasure. Otherwise, they’d have to watch their land defenses get breached by the ‘Mark I’ time and time again.

This way, the “rumor” would no longer be a rumor; in fact, it wouldn’t just be a rumor—it would provide France with valuable intelligence.

Perfect, meticulous, flawless!

Grevy thought for a moment, then asked casually, “So, what’s in it for us?”

“CA-1 tank!” Francis answered. “He’s willing to support us, for instance by installing a more powerful engine to increase its speed, and making other improvements to its design.”

Armand raised an eyebrow, seeming somewhat intrigued.

Colonel Estigny’s “defection” and Francis’ tractor factory being placed under Schneider’s control meant that the CA-1 tank project had almost no chance of progressing anymore.

But with Schneider’s strong backing, the CA-1 might just be able to make a comeback.

However, Grevy immediately rejected the offer without hesitation. “I’m not interested.”

Francis stared at Grevy in surprise. “But Mr. Grevy, this is a tank! Please reconsider…”

“Also!” Grevy coldly interrupted Francis’ words. “Tell him to send someone else.”

Francis froze, a flash of fear crossing his eyes.

He immediately thought of the consequences: If Grevy wasn’t willing to talk to him, he wouldn’t be able to act as the intermediary between the right wing and Schneider. He would be nothing, and might even be ruthlessly abandoned by Schneider.

So…

“I’m very sorry, Mr. Grevy, Mr. Armand!” Francis struggled to swallow, his face full of panic as he looked at the two men. “Please believe me, I’m always on your side. I’ve always done everything I can to fight for your interests…”

Armand sneered. This guy had finally realized his position.

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