"Step two: jurisdictional challenge."

"They chose to file the lawsuit in the Federal District Court in Philadelphia; that’s their home turf. We will file a motion to transfer the case to the federal court for the Western District in Pittsburgh, on the grounds that the core assets and the place of contract performance are both in Pittsburgh."

"The hearings and ruling on jurisdiction alone will buy us at least three months."

"Step three: discovery bombardment."

Bennett gestured toward the busy junior lawyers in the main hall.

"Once the case enters the discovery phase, we will issue massive document requests to the plaintiffs. We’ll demand they provide business communication records, financial statements, and meeting minutes for all relevant members from the past ten years."

"At the same time, we will submit millions of pages of technical documents to the court regarding Pittsburgh’s logistics history, river hydrology data, and global port operation models."

"We will use trucks to deliver the paper and bury the plaintiffs’ legal team alive under a mountain of documents."

"They won’t even have enough time to read all these documents, let alone find any loopholes."

"Step four: the battle of expert witnesses."

"We have already contacted twelve top antitrust law professors and economists from Harvard, Yale, and the University of Chicago. They will produce authoritative academic reports arguing that the exclusive franchise for the Inland Port falls under the category of a ’natural monopoly’ and is the optimal solution in the public interest."

"Mr. Mayor, this lawsuit won’t be over in three months. It won’t even be over in three years."

"The other side wants to use this lawsuit to attack Morganfield Industrial Group and disrupt the construction of the Inland Port."

"But we’ve already filed for an emergency protective order, and our legal team is confident we can persuade the judge that an infrastructure project with significant public interest should not be suspended before the case’s final ruling."

"In other words, the lawsuit goes on, and so does the construction of the port."

"We will drag them into a legal quagmire that will cost tens of millions of US Dollars and last for years."

"We’ll see if their financial backers are willing to burn that much money on a case that’s doomed to go nowhere."

Bennett paused for a moment, then continued:

"Furthermore, Mr. Mayor, according to our intelligence analysis, the timing of this lawsuit is very interesting. It coincides perfectly with the critical moment Representative Murphy announced his campaign for Senator."

"We have reason to suspect that their real objective isn’t to promote free trade in Pittsburgh, and it certainly isn’t about some nebulous concept of market fairness."

"Their goal is clear: to create a legal dispute, obstruct the port’s construction, and thereby damage the momentum of Representative Murphy’s campaign."

"So, our strategy is also simple: stall."

"As long as we can drag this case out past the midterm election cycle, until the dust has settled on Representative Murphy’s campaign."

"Once their political objective fails, their backers will realize that continuing this expensive lawsuit has become pointless. At that point, they’ll most likely choose to withdraw the suit or seek a low-cost settlement."

"We doubt they’re truly burning money in the name of justice."

Having said his piece, Bennett fell silent again.

Leo looked at the flowchart, at the legal traps that were meticulously calculated at every step.

He was profoundly shaken. This was top-tier legal defense.

It had nothing to do with justice, nothing to do with the truth, and not even with the spirit of the law itself.

It was all about technique, about resources, about who could afford to hire more, and smarter, minds to bend the rules to their will.

In Pittsburgh’s South District, an unemployed worker who stole a loaf of bread could be locked up in a holding cell for a month because he couldn’t afford bail, waiting for an overburdened public defender who would never get to his case.

But here.

In Morganfield’s conference room.

A group of elites, charging thousands of US Dollars per hour, was using the most legal of means to protect a monopoly deal worth billions.

They had turned the law into a maze—a maze for which only the rich held the map.

"Don’t worry, Leo."

Morganfield leaned back in his chair.

"Before that complaint even landed on your desk, my lawyers had already drafted our counterarguments."

"As for that... Free Trade Promotion Association, or whatever it’s called. Whoever’s behind it, they think they can scare me with the law."

"But the law, at its core, is a service."

"As long as you can pay the price, you get to enjoy the best service money can buy."

Leo stood up.

He looked around the room, which reeked of money, and at the brilliant minds bustling about for their paychecks, feeling a clarity he had never experienced before.

"Thank you for the presentation, Douglas."

Leo straightened his suit.

"Since you’re already prepared, I have nothing more to add."

"My people will coordinate with your legal team. If any issues arise, just contact Ethan. You have his number."

Morganfield nodded.

Leo turned and left.

The elevator doors slid slowly shut, sealing off that world that ran on money, forty-five floors up in the sky.

The numbers began to descend, returning from the clouds to the ground.

Leo leaned against the cold metal wall, not saying a word.

He had read countless history books about corporate monopolies and heard countless rumors about money manipulating the law. He thought he had long since seen through the nature of this game.

But there is a world of difference between "knowing" something conceptually and "seeing" it with your own eyes.