Darkstone Code
Chapter 141 - 0140 How can one swallow the sky without great courage?

Chapter 141: 0140 How can one swallow the sky without great courage?

At this moment, in the room, the people sitting across from Lynch had already made a decision; they would invest in this business, although the method might be a bit different.

A small amount of money, combined with other items that could offset the price, to exchange for shares in this business.

This is actually the process of forming a consortium, where certain merchants with a shared stance start to engage in more intimate alliances with each other. Ultimately, they will evolve into a complex community of interests, centered around a core company or key individual, turning into a consortium that people envy immensely, yet also hate and resent.

In truth, when these people mentioned they needed to "consider," Lynch already realized that the matter was essentially settled. He flicked the ash from his cigarette, and a big lump of ash from the cigarette fell onto the ground, cracked open, scattered, and might eventually be inadvertently crushed under Lynch’s toes, becoming just a pile of dust.

He set his leg down, extinguished the cigarette in the ashtray, and stood up. The people across from him also stood up. After shaking hands with Lynch, he watched them leave.

Standing outside the hotel, Lynch took out another cigarette, slightly lowered his head, gathered his hands, and the fire briefly illuminated his face before quickly dimming, leaving only a faintly visible spark.

From the start, he was well aware that this business wouldn’t last long.

The peak period for second-hand goods transactions usually occurs in the early stages of economic development and the initial phases of economic downturns. During these periods, the entire society still has a relatively strong material demand, but people’s economic capabilities can’t satisfy their material needs, causing the second-hand goods market to become extraordinarily prosperous.

However, it won’t be long-lasting. Once people have completed their initial capital accumulation, or they no longer possess disposable wealth, the second-hand goods market starts to shrink.

Currently, it seems like everyone is still financially well-off, but soon this situation will vanish as more people engage in business. When their pockets are no longer able to produce any money, even cheap second-hand goods will become difficult for them to afford.

At that point, the profitability of second-hand goods auctions will start to rapidly decline, and due to his incentive system, may even face losses.

But that doesn’t matter because by then, he will have completed his initial personal asset accumulation. These people are likely to try to suppress the price of the Interstellar Trade Company, but Lynch won’t let them succeed.

In business operations, if you want to prove that a product’s actual value exceeds the price assigned to it by people, the simplest method is to introduce a competitor who can raise the price, akin to bidders at an auction.

If there’s only one person, the product might truly not be valuable, but as soon as there is competition, the actual value of the product quickly reveals itself, and it might even surpass the expected price.

After finishing the entire cigarette outside the hotel, he returned to the third floor of the hotel, where the attendees of this celebratory party were still reveling.

Richard had already called the girls over, and he even hired a band and singers—all female—to perform for them, wearing very simple and modest attire.

Job opportunities in society are increasingly scarce, particularly suitable jobs for female workers are even more limited. Richard firmly embraced Lynch’s ethos of caring for them as much as possible.

As the boss, Lynch wouldn’t stay here too long, but he also wouldn’t refuse to come by. He must ensure that even when they are indulgently reveling, these people carry a profound impression that he is their Boss.

Richard once again achieved today’s "champion." When he saw Lynch, he proactively released his grip on the two girls by his side, who were happily chatting and laughing, approaching Lynch with a pilgrim’s expression and demeanor. He bent over, pouring Lynch, seated on the sofa, some fine wine.

Next, he turned and raised his glass, picking up a spoon to tap on the glass.

The crisp sound of tapping instantly penetrated through the seductive tunes of the band, awakening some awareness among the revelers.

The band’s musicians quickly halted their performance, and everyone’s eyes focused on him. Red-faced Richard genuinely felt as if his life was standing atop the peak at this moment!

He slightly raised his head, holding his glass high, loudly shouting, "To Lynch!"

The guys, including those girls, all raised their glasses in tandem, and Lynch, sitting at the center of the crowd, smiled and watched the scene. He also picked up his glass, raised it slightly in acknowledgment, and took a small sip.

After finishing his drink, Richard threw the glass directly at the wall. The exquisite glass shattered into shards with a crackle, "Continue the music, continue the revelry!"

His action was so graceful that many people began to emulate him, hurling their glasses against a wall, shattering them into shards, as if doing so imparted a feeling of grandiosity.

Richard finally sat down on the sofa next to Lynch. He shook his head slightly, "Boss, do you think we’re in the heavens now?"

Holding his glass, Lynch took a sip, with a smile that seemed laced with deep mockery and disdain, "Is this it?"

"I must say, Richard, your standards are really too low. From my perspective, this place is like a foul drainage ditch on the countryside, with a swarm of maggots twisting in the stagnant water!"

"Our stage won’t be this small city of Sabin; we’ll head to the capital, on the bustling Empire Avenue. We’ll book the Empire Hotel, and those actresses will be crawling on the floor like cats and dogs, shaking their butts for you."

"Here?" He chuckled, saying no more, but everything about him told Richard that he didn’t care for it at all.

Richard swallowed hard, starting to imagine the scenery Lynch described, envisioning those stars appearing on the big screen and on TV, those high and mighty actresses he’d only fantasized about, shaking their tails in front of him. A rush of hot blood surged to his head.

His face flushed with excitement, "Will you take me with you, Boss?"

Lynch nodded, "Of course, you’re my most satisfactory partner. I’ll take you with me!"

He wasn’t lying; since crossing into this world, no one has been able to fulfill Lynch’s requirements for a ’business manager’ better than Richard.

Richard was smart, undoubtedly, but there were many smart people. However, someone who was smart, unscrupulous, lacked any moral or justice sense, and was shameless was rare.

Lynch believed that if he complained about his shoes being dirty, Richard would kneel down and use his sleeve to clean his already immaculate, reflective shoes.

This was a villain, a frightening villain, but also a good villain.

In the distance, there was an out-of-place guy keenly observing everything, his eyes fixed on Richard and Lynch, then at the uneasy Wood beside him, "Your relationship with Lynch isn’t close enough; you need to perform better. This is my last action participation, after which you’ll have to carry on alone."

"Remember, don’t let these money, alcohol, and women blind your eyes. Stay aware of your responsibilities amidst temptation..."

Confronted with the officer’s teachings, Wood felt a bit ashamed. The mention of revelry from his officer made him even more embarrassed.

"Young people nowadays are really wild. You’re a good kid; I know your heart must be troubled, but this is the Lord’s test for you."

"Go join them; don’t make yourself appear different from them. Only this way can you blend in fully, be accepted by them, and find evidence to completely destroy these people!"

"I’m leaving now. Remember, whenever you are confused, ask your heart what you need and what you can do for this world, for this society!"

The middle-aged man’s departure momentarily stunned Lynch, but he didn’t react much. Some, like Richard, would be a villain for wealth, but others steadfastly uphold their principles.

He admired persistent people, but he wouldn’t emulate them. If happiness is possible, why choose pain instead just to prove you’re different from others?

After concluding his talk with Richard, he chose to leave as well. He was still young, but more so, he was these people’s Boss. Didn’t the revelry downgrade significantly since he arrived?

Moreover, as a superior, one must maintain their dignity in front of subordinates. The idea of blending in is always just the nonsense spoken by those so failed they rely on injecting others with their past successful ways for survival.

True superiors never mingle with inferiors!

The next day, Lynch registered several more companies, grateful for the simplified procedures by the social services bureau, allowing him to finish this task in just one morning.

In the afternoon, he continued to entrust law firms to register companies for him in other cities and took a stroll down the street.

People say the best way to truly feel the essence of an era is to roam around a city’s downtown and slums, experiencing the lives and states of the richest and poorest groups to understand the current societal condition.

Without visiting the slums, Lynch already felt the atmosphere once unique to them. With the driver’s advice, he abandoned the idea of heading to Lower City, reportedly a crime haven now, with even mounted and patrol police refusing to enter Lower City when empty, especially into slums for law enforcement.

The situation was quite serious, yet under such a dire context, Lynch still had dinner with the Mayor that evening.

In the elegant setting, lavish decor and furnishings immediately revealed the power of wealth here. Just beyond these walls, the entire world was filled with despair, but here even the air was sweet.

Just as they sat down, the Mayor smiled, "I heard your company is valued at seventy million?" He proactively took out cigarettes and placed them on the table, "Do you accept personal investors?"

Lynch nodded silently, without liking the few investors to come.