Darkstone Code
Chapter 143 - 0142 A sumptuous dinner

Chapter 143: 0142 A sumptuous dinner

The crimson wine in the exquisite crystal goblet was as vivid as blood, emanating an enticing sweetness. It was devoid of bubbles and as clear as fine crystal, belonging to the kind of luxurious item only the upper class could afford.

In truth, for many, whether or not there are bubbles, or if it is pure and transparent, doesn’t affect whether a glass is used for wine or for a beverage. However, this is the biggest difference between high society and lower classes.

"I am planning to establish a logistics company soon, which will create approximately seventy to a hundred jobs..."

The Mayor interrupted Lynch, "I think a hundred is appropriate."

Lynch did not argue, he just looked at him, the two of them exchanged glances briefly, then Lynch nodded, "Alright, a hundred jobs. Besides this, there’s also the club over there, various athletes, related institutions and personnel, which will probably provide two to three hundred job opportunities, plus the Warehouse District I’m planning to set up. By the end of the year, I will be able to offer you at least eight hundred jobs, with more gradually added next year."

The Mayor shook his head. Even with what Lynch mentioned, it was still far from enough. He was quite clear about one thing: Lynch alone couldn’t undertake a group’s employment needs, that was impossible, he couldn’t achieve that.

Actually, he already had more comprehensive solutions. Firstly, those merchants who devoured Henghui’s assets couldn’t remain stingy. They acquired a large amount of premium assets at prices far below market value, virtually for free. They must prove their value to the Mayor, the Governor, and society as a whole.

Secondly, if Ristone indeed left, a large amount of assets and a commercial void would be left behind. A political defector cannot retain their interests here. At that time, others will divide these interests, and those who swallow them must naturally bear the responsibility of supporting society.

His current stance was really just an attempt to squeeze Lynch’s maximum potential, much like capitalists exploit and squeeze merchants. Politicians sometimes also exploit and squeeze merchants.

Without pressure, who knows if these merchants are telling the truth. Besides, wouldn’t it be a happy surprise if some unexpected benefits arose?

However, eight hundred jobs were indeed beyond the Mayor’s expectations. When Lynch previously claimed he could provide five hundred jobs by the end of the year, the Mayor believed it might just be a form of expression.

Five hundred people, with each person’s monthly salary alone needing to be tens of thousands, and for eight hundred jobs, the salary would need to be at least close to two hundred thousand.

According to the gross profit mentioned in the previous issue of the Trade Report regarding light industrial goods, Lynch would need to sell products worth over a million each month to earn these workers’ wages. The Mayor thought this seemed somewhat unlikely.

But this response was still quite satisfactory to the Mayor. Whether Lynch gritted his teeth to give this answer, at least it proved one thing — that the Mayor held a very important position in Lynch’s mind.

As they spoke, the door to the room was knocked, and soon a server, guided by the restaurant manager, entered pushing a trolley, followed by a chef.

This wasn’t a meal with ceremony — if ceremony was required, usually one dish would be finished before another was served. However, this was clearly not suitable for the dining habits of politicians and merchants.

They preferred to whisper in enclosed rooms, discussing confidential matters. Such interruption-filled dining rituals were never favored by these two kinds of people. Only those wanting to prove they could afford meals costing hundreds or thousands per person would do so.

Most of the time, if there are no special requests, places like this, where one could have a private dining space, won’t serve one dish at a time.

The server introduced the food on the trolley while setting up for the Mayor and Lynch. When it came time for the main course, the chef pushed the trolley to a position about three meters from the table, a safe spot where oil and smoke wouldn’t splatter on the guests.

He lifted the silver platter lid, and instantly a burst of flame rose with a sizzle. Underneath the lid were two juicy steaks. Their surface color had already changed, but now the change was quicker and more obvious.

These were two slightly processed steaks, and what the chef was doing now was simply making them look more expensive.

The flames, sprays of spices, and rich wine aroma — the chef used strong liquor as a fuel, so the room was not filled with an oily smell but rather a wine fragrance.

Finally, he replaced the lid, extinguishing the flame. The entire process lasted about three minutes. After finishing, the chef stood aside and bowed respectfully to the Mayor and Lynch at the table, expressing his respect for the two.

When he lifted the lid again, there was no more flame inside, only a mist-like vapor rising, quickly floating to the ceiling and filling the room with a rich aroma.

"Grilled veal fillet..." After the chef plated the main course, the restaurant manager personally served the Mayor and Lynch the sumptuous main dishes, and after everyone bowed respectfully again, they quickly left.

The veal for the grilled fillet was sourced from the far west of the world, selected from a special edible cow called Kuerlik. This breed was not native to this world but was artificially bred to better suit high-end consumption.

It has more intricate fat than regular beef, and has always been the ultimate choice among beef. Just a piece of veal loin around three hundred grams costs as much as one hundred twenty dollars, even before cooking.

Once cooked, factoring in the ambiance and service, its price now is one hundred ninety-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents per serving.

So, it seems like this meal would be very expensive, but that’s not exactly true; Lynch only needs to cover the main course of two people, the grilled veal loin, and the red wine they opened.

The other dishes are actually side dishes to the grilled veal loin, some ingredients even being derived from the trimmings of these two pieces of veal loin. From this perspective, it is not particularly expensive, enabling Lynch to dine with the Mayor in a high-end setting for less than a thousand dollars, which many people would view as quite a bargain.

Even if the price was increased tenfold, many would still scramble to foot the bill, if they too could sit at the table.

Unrelated people left quickly, the door closed, and the room restored its tranquility.

"The veal loin here is really delicious, and you’re sure to love it!"

Lynch nodded slightly. He picked up the knife and fork and sliced off a small piece from the edge of the steak. As he tasted it, the meat juice and a little blood combined with liquefied beef fat presented a very delicate texture. It wasn’t as chewy as ordinary beef, nor did it feel too mushy; rather, it was tender, tender enough that a gentle press of the teeth could cut right through the beef.

From the outermost layer of sauce, to the marinade, to the meat itself, then the meat juice, blood, beef, and minced meat mixed together in chewing, emanating the most original beef flavor. Lynch raised an eyebrow, "Very delicious."

The Mayor smiled, finding simple joy in Lynch’s recognition—sharing something good with a friend and seeing that friend enjoy it was enough to satisfy many.

After eating a little, their eating pace slowed down. Lynch, while deftly manipulating the knife and fork to precisely and quickly slice food, mentioned something that caught the Mayor by surprise.

"Actually, I can provide more job opportunities. I plan to acquire some factories, but there are still two important issues unresolved...," he said, wiping a piece of cut beef in the sauce before putting it in his mouth, where the changing flavors turned filling one’s belly into enjoyment.

He scooped a spoonful of rural thick soup with a silver ladle, finding that the flavorful soup offered more complex textures and layered tastes as it entered his mouth.

The rural thick soup was also very tasty; the name was certainly not meant to disdain rural people but represented the style and substance of this dish.

White mushrooms, celery, potatoes, corn kernels, beef bits, chicken bits were simply pan-fried before being stewed in a pot with milk, flour, cream, and butter. After stewing to a rich thickness, it was put briefly in an oven.

This made the rural thick soup arrive with a very noticeable crust on the surface. Breaking through it, the aroma from the soup was enough to enchant anyone. It’s said the method of making this rural thick soup originated from rural stews.

Whether this claim is true is hard to say, but coupled with the menu’s promotional content and the stories described by the waiters, most people believe it.

Dining nowadays is challenging, not only needing chefs who can create beautiful dishes but also storytellers who can weave tales around these dishes.

Lynch was enjoying the sumptuous dinner, while the Mayor sitting opposite him suddenly stopped his knife and fork, staring at Lynch who looked seemingly uncomplicated with a faintly satisfied smile, suddenly finding it hard to understand this young man.

Previously, although Lynch’s actions were dazzling, the Mayor felt he could more or less anticipate some of Lynch’s thoughts. But now, he realized he might have been a bit arrogant.

Everyone knows engaging in tangible businesses can quickly lead to failure, even big capital avoiding sustained investment in industries and instead increasing investments in finance.

At this time, Lynch suddenly mentioned wanting to acquire factories, which sounded... was it somewhat absurd?

But he is a young man who can create miracles. The Mayor also realized Lynch was waiting for him here, which were those two issues.

For a moment, the delicious food in front of him didn’t seem as appealing. Furrowing his brow for a bit, he resumed cutting his beef, casually asking, "If you have issues, feel free to share, maybe I could offer some ideas for resolution."

He didn’t promise solutions, nor boast confidently, slightly unsure about Lynch’s notion of "issues," whether it matched his understanding of "issues."