Darkstone Code
Chapter 142 - 0141 There are always more solutions than difficulties!

Chapter 142: 0141 There are always more solutions than difficulties!

How can you make something that might not be valuable become valuable?

Many ordinary people, including those who have just become merchants, might employ several practical methods to turn such an item into a commodity, thereby increasing its value.

The most common example is adding extra value to something inherently worthless, using this added value to convey its expense.

Take, for instance, paleontological fossils inlaid with gold and precious gemstones. These fossils are widely distributed in this world, found almost everywhere.

The first group of people who discovered these fossils indeed sold them for a good price, but once people realized that with a hoe and a suitable location, they could easily dig up some fossils unless their luck was too poor, the price of paleontological fossils began to plummet swiftly.

From being revered as the "memory of history" to becoming the "pages of history" and finally being reduced to "historical trash," this evolution happened quickly.

However, there were some counter examples where individuals chose some relatively complete and aesthetically pleasing fossils, embedding them with gemstones, gold, or other precious ornaments based on their contours.

They made these fossils, adorned with expensive materials, appear dazzling, immediately linking them with wealth in people’s minds, and coupled with an outrageously fabricated story, these fossils sold for high prices due to their added value.

This is a method many would choose—if you want to sell something worthless at a high price, let the added value work its magic. Many semi-official authoritative agencies also use added value as an example to disseminate some success study that isn’t necessarily successful.

However, for capitalists, making something worthless become valuable only requires heating up the nonexistent conceptual value of the item, with the precondition that it must be rare.

This rarity is not strictly in the sense of "scarce," "uncommon," or "unique." This rarity is merely a concept.

A successful capitalist can identify a "rare item" among a million identical mass-produced products, such as a special color variation, a minor flaw, or some difference from others, and then heat it up.

This item will soon make its appearance in newspapers and public opinion, with each appearance accompanied by a surge in its value.

For a pure commodity, an auction would be an excellent avenue, as some items always become a miracle at auctions, creating demand, and they will wait for the last foolish heir to emerge.

The situation now is similar. These merchants who have decided to invest in Lynch’s Interstellar Trade Company have already started heating up the company before officially becoming investors.

Lynch gave them a valuation of fifty million, so how could they ensure no loss after investing?

It’s straightforward—make the company’s perceived value exceed five billion or even ten billion, ensuring no matter how they invest, they won’t incur a loss but instead enjoy a windfall.

But this requires a process, which is a situation many idealistic entrepreneurs most dread facing. The operation and manipulation of capital can destroy their dreams because, compared to dreams, the game of numbers and concepts is more joyful.

In just one day, the potential and initial market value assessment of the Interstellar Trade Company have risen from Lynch’s bare fifty million to seventy million, and with the ensuing large-scale construction, this figure could continue to increase.

Some are undoubtedly aware that this company isn’t worth that much, but as qualified merchants or speculators, they don’t mind participating in this game, just like in today’s financial market, not every participant is clueless about what’s happening.

Meanwhile, some genuinely unaware of developments in the company might consider themselves clever for observing for a while before determining its authenticity and potential before deciding to get involved.

But when they finally decide and make up their minds, it’s often at the end stage of the situation.

The mayor also found this tempting; he was surprised that Lynch’s small company could be valued so highly, thinking if he had known earlier, the gains might have been more.

Of course, Bail Federal law does not mandate that politicians cannot engage in any investment activities, but the scrutiny process will be more stringent than for ordinary people. However, most politicians won’t enter the field themselves; they will have proxies.

"I have a nephew who’s very interested in your company..." The Mayor smiled, "Isn’t it the way with young people, full of energy, yet unaware of what the future holds?"

It seems like a remark, but more so through these words, he expressed his attitude. Lynch, having undergone years of tempering, could not possibly fail to perceive this.

He, too, shook open his napkin, spread it on his lap, and seemingly casually said, "Do you have his contact? Perhaps we young people could have a common language." After he placed the napkin, he lifted his head, looking directly at the Mayor, "Of course, we also need the experience and insights of our elders to help us, after all, we are still young..."

The two exchanged glances, for a rough three to five seconds, confirming through their eyes that there was no misunderstanding between them, and the Mayor placed a black business card on the table, sliding it over.

Then he sharply shifted the topic to other matters.

"Have you heard of any rumors related to the Ristone Group lately?" The Mayor asked in a very ordinary manner as a segue into the next topic, to which Lynch nodded affirmatively.

No one was unaware of this matter during this period, to the extent that Lynch felt perhaps the Mayor’s and Governor’s attitudes were a bit too direct, lacking artistry. They could completely address the current matters in another manner, yet they didn’t.

Seeing Lynch nod, the Mayor’s expression subtly changed, turning somewhat helpless as he sighed, "The situation is indeed not optimistic; Neo has been in contact with the Conservative Party, you know..." He twirled his index finger beside his ear, "There is some connection between us."

He implied that there is a flow of information between the Federal Progressive Party and the Federal Conservative Party, which is quite normal because Bail Federal is governed by three parties, even though the Federal Socialist Party often seems like an invisible entity, they indeed exist.

This connection, or interchange if you will, is crucial for stabilizing the entire Federation’s political situation; we are no longer in the Empire era, where people have emerged from ignorant feudal rule and won’t repeat the mistakes those rulers made before.

With Neo reaching out to the Conservative Party, it’s inevitable that news would leak, including the conditions the Conservatives offered Neo for switching sides, all of which have been known to the Mayor and Governor.

This is why the Governor sent people to support the Mayor, it’s not without reason.

"I actually don’t care if Neo and Ristone can stay in Sabin City; I’ve never concerned myself with these matters. What I care about is how many people in this city are facing unemployment, hardships, hunger, and similar situations."

"Shameless Neo and his company use these people as chips in their dealings with the government, I won’t compromise, for my citizens!"

If at this moment a grand, soul-stirring symphony played, Landon Mayor might have a shot at this year’s Augustine Screen Award Hall of Fame, at least a nomination for Best Actor.

"My biggest headache now is the solution for the tens of thousands of jobs if they really leave..." he said, his gaze lingering on Lynch.

When he heard Lynch’s company was valued at seventy million that noon, he realized perhaps it could be leveraged as a bargaining chip; seventy million worth needs to be created by people, it cannot emerge entirely out of thin air, or else it wouldn’t withstand inspections from various departments and the public.

Since it requires people to create this value, when Lynch solved 500 job positions for the Mayor when he wasn’t worth a million, now being valued over seventy million, could he solve more job positions?

Not saying seventy jobs for 500 people, at least there should be thirty-five jobs for 500 people, right?

For the sake of that damned nephew, at least twenty jobs for 500 people, right?

Lynch didn’t respond, indeed, it was not an easy topic to tackle; he was adept at painting a grand vision of the future for others, but the Mayor wanted him to provide tangible returns with one word.

The wages for a thousand people amount to two hundred thousand monthly, and if he employed five thousand, the monthly payroll alone would reach a million. Even with a company valued at a billion, it cannot endure this reckless spending a few times.

Lynch’s silence made the Mayor realize he couldn’t wholly treat Lynch as a young man, should Lynch say it’s unmanageable, or indicate only partial resolution, those could be leveraged by the Mayor.

But this silence was puzzling, should you say he disagreed, he hadn’t said it, yet should you affirm his agreement, he hadn’t nodded.

After a few seconds of silence, the Mayor changed his approach, "You’re merchants, maybe you understand better why they’re doing this; how about you, personally, what difficulties have you faced in your current entrepreneurial journey?"

Lynch raised his eyebrows, showing a slight smile which quickly turned into a bright one, "Mayor, I have faced many difficulties, but you know, I’m a socially responsible entrepreneur, some I can solve, but some are beyond my capability, perhaps you could provide some constructive opinions for me?!"

The Mayor didn’t immediately respond, but appeared thoughtful, "We can discuss it."

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.