Darkstone Code
Chapter 178 - 0176 A Heavy Rain

Chapter 178: 0176 A Heavy Rain

In September, the weather was no longer so sultry. Although it was still somewhat hot, there was already a hint of chill in the wind.

With the establishment and remarkable transaction volumes of two new subsidiaries, Lynch had already instructed Richard to prepare for the second-hand goods auction in the state capital. As the Interstellar Trade Company began to appear more frequently in people’s eyes, Lynch gained significant wealth and reputation.

"Adelaide is the governor’s chief of staff and a relative of the governor..."

Sitting in the car designated for the mayor, the mayor was briefing Lynch about the person they were about to meet, along with some precautions.

The better Lynch’s business did, the more it proved the success of the mayor’s policies.

The more successful the mayor’s policies, the higher his status within the state’s Progressive Party, and there were already suggestions that he stood a chance of running for governor.

Such opportunities are not afforded to every mayor. The vast majority will likely end their careers as state legislators or Members of Parliament. Some won’t even achieve that, merely holding some party position.

It takes innumerable resources to push a politician to run for governor. Therefore, unless there’s a high degree of confidence, neither the Progressive Party nor the Conservative Party, or even the often-overlooked Socialist Party, would consider nominating anyone else for the run.

The mayor might get this chance, but the prerequisite is that the policies he’s implementing are demonstrably effective in allowing Sabin City and the state to fare better in economic hardships compared to others, while also leading the direction of the entire Federation.

Only in this way can great prestige and media exposure compensate for his most significant shortcoming—he is not a member of the Saint Harmony Association!

So now he heavily relied on Lynch. The two sat in the car to attend a small exchange meeting organized by Adelaide, the governor’s chief of staff.

The entire state, not just Sabin City, faced the problems they had already encountered. The governor’s staff began to work, searching everywhere for solutions, trying to find some that might succeed.

Why hadn’t they done so before? Because they previously believed their own minds could come up with suitable solutions.

Why do it now? Because they found out their minds weren’t as capable as they thought.

Adelaide’s visit to Sabin City was a direct instruction from the governor, at least because implementing the second-hand goods auction there was proven to be a good policy—backed by surveys conducted by professional research institutions.

People often saw individuals conducting surveys with questionnaires on the streets, answering them in exchange for small gifts. These were action staff of professional survey agencies, with each street questionnaire valued at least fifty cents, sometimes one or two bucks (depending on the target demographic).

So, the governor wanted to know if the mayor of Sabin City or his partner Lynch had any other more constructive ideas.

"...Adelaide was born into a Saint Cultist family and has firm beliefs, although he often does things devoid of faith!" The mayor casually mocked, indicating his disapproval of Adelaide.

After mocking, the mayor’s tone slightly sank, "He’s a sly person, with an appearance like a priest, but don’t be deceived by it. He’s nothing but a cunning fox."

Lynch found it interesting, "No offense, but is there something between you two...?" He shrugged his shoulders with a small gesture to make the mayor understand his meaning.

The mayor admitted with some embarrassment, which was the function of "value." Lynch having this value made them close, allowing even personal topics of conversation.

But if one day Lynch lost his value, they would be like strangers seen through a car window, clearly visible to each other but acknowledging none.

"He once suggested that I bypass my current job and go directly to the State Senate as a legislator—not out of any genuine advice, he just wanted his nephew to take my current job!"

The mayor said with a smile on his face, "But I won this round!"

He didn’t talk about the cost of winning this round, which presumably was very heavy.

He then mentioned some of Adelaide’s habits and details, repeatedly urging Lynch not to believe that bastard’s nonsense, stating that he’s a liar.

In fact, everyone is a liar; some still have a bit of innocence, while others deceive themselves too, and those who are neither struggle endlessly.

This exchange meeting was set in a manor on the outskirts of Sabin City. The owner of the manor was Mr. Green, a Progressive Party legislator of the State Senate. When Adelaide was coming to Sabin City, he voluntarily took on the hosting job.

As the car was about to arrive at the manor, a sudden heavy rain started. This unexpected rain cooled down the temperature a bit and made the formally dressed Lynch feel a slight relief.

Actually, his back was almost sweat-soaked, but to ensure the wearer doesn’t lose decorum due to sweat, they would make some "adjustments" to the vest of the summer suit. The vest would get damp, but it wouldn’t affect the suit.

This timely rain also cleaned the air, though the driver’s experience might not be as pleasant, as the rain made everything a bit blurry, and the car slowed down considerably.

About ten minutes past the scheduled arrival time, they arrived at the manor. The butler immediately guided the two guests, Lynch and Mayor Landon, to their private guest rooms to freshen up and remind them that due to the heavy rain, the exchange meeting was postponed to start at 9 PM. They had about forty minutes to rest.

The unplanned rain made them possibly a bit disorderly, so this time wasn’t really for resting or napping, but for them to address some issues they needed to solve.

For instance, if clothes were wet, there were dedicated maids in the manor who could help guests dry them.

If the shoes were stained with mud, the servants could quickly help them clean.

Even issues like muddy socks or unclean cuffs could all be addressed before the meeting started.

In fact, even if they didn’t solve these issues, nobody would say anything, much less perform a theatrical song, exclaiming, "Haha, look at that fool’s backside, is it mud or poop?"

But people always want to save face, especially at important occasions.

After arriving with the maid at the guest room, the maid offered to clean some of his attire. Lynch thought for a moment, removed his suit, and noticed there was no dust or rainwater on it, only his cuffs were a bit damp but not noticeable.

He changed his shoes, had the maid clean the mud splashes off his leather shoes, and then sat in the room enjoying some snacks, some rich coffee, and some newspapers.

After about ten minutes, his shoes were returned. The servants had wiped the dust off, polished them with oil, and gave them a lambskin finish to make them look as good as new.

For the rest of the time, Lynch read newspapers or watched TV. At eight o’clock, the TV program ratings hit their peak, with many people opting to lounge on their sofas, consuming cheaply delightful fatty and sugary foods, pursuing rare spiritual enjoyment.

Lynch casually flipped through a few channels, not seeing much related to the current situation. However, the "Trade Report" featured in several institutional sections unanimously raised concerns about the exchange risks of various war bonds, signaling how quickly the situation was deteriorating.

Many might think that not buying war bonds meant these issues had nothing to do with them. Seeing these matters as isolated incidents seems warranted.

But the question is, how many isolated events are there in this world that can truly remain completely isolated?

It’s challenging!

Lynch walked to the window and looked out. In the distance, the earth and sky blended into one color. In the heavy rain, it was impossible to distinguish where the sky began and the ground ended. They were both pitch black, swallowing all light.

At 8:50, the butler personally knocked on the door, informing Lynch that the exchange meeting would soon be held in the manor’s conference room, and arranged for someone to guide Lynch there.

While walking through the long corridor, Lynch noticed some oil paintings on the walls. Although not knowledgeable about oil paintings, he could tell they were not cheap.

Art is resonant, for true art is an expression of emotion.

Clearly, Senator Green was more than just a legislator. He was quite wealthy.

In the conference room, Lynch and the mayor greeted each other, then sat in the front row because they were the main figures in today’s event.

At 9:01, right on the dot, as the second hand passed fifty-nine seconds and the minute hand moved forward a tad, the conference room’s door opened again, and a smiling, silver-haired gentleman walked in from outside the room.

He wore relatively plain clothes; perceptually, he resembled a teacher more than a politician, with not much in common between the two.

One educates, instills the pursuit of truth, and imparts methods.

The other plays with rhetoric, inventing stories to serve their own interests.

Yet, in this individual’s case, these contradictions blended seamlessly, making Mr. Adelaide, as the mayor correctly depicted, seem like a priest or a teacher, putting others at ease.