Darkstone Code
Chapter 54 - 0054 Be a person who separates public and private affairs

Chapter 54: 0054 Be a person who separates public and private affairs

From the moment young Michael was sentenced in court, some media started to rethink certain issues: the conflict between Michael and Lynch, does it stem from law enforcer versus suspect, or is it personal?

If it’s the former, they needn’t worry too much about anything else. But if it’s the latter, then the direction of public opinion is wrong.

It’s like the clash between the little red man and the little blue man, where the little blue man got hurt. If it’s just an isolated incident, it will always remain just that, and no one would care.

The current problem is that everyone says the little red man is the enforcer, and the little blue man is an innocent bystander. Without evidence, the little red man hurt the little blue man because the little red man had too much enforcement power and was abusing his authority to harm citizens.

This is the situation, but if we remove this layer of relationship, the little red man attacking the little blue man because of a personal vendetta, with no question of enforcer authority or innocent suspect, becomes an isolated incident.

When Lynch saw the latest edition of the newspaper, he already realized that high-level officials in the Federal Tax Bureau, at least state-level administrators, had begun to take action. He hadn’t even had time for Director Johnson to accidentally leak some information, and speculation had already appeared in the newspaper.

Some less formal newspapers, mostly tabloids, are just taken as a bit of fun because they often publish sensational stories.

But admittedly, this time was too coincidental. An entertainment tabloid said young Michael was convicted of burglary, specifically from the house of the innocent suspect in Michael’s enforcement case. Could there be some connection here?

Many times certain people claim that our masses are brainless, living under collective consciousness all the time; this statement is clearly a laughable perception.

At least under the tabloid reports, some people have begun to ponder if there’s a larger conspiracy at play.

In fact, every person, every citizen of a nation, fundamentally does not want to believe that the country is completely rotten and beyond redemption. They always believe there’s hope, even if they spend their days in their rooms in front of the TV, shouting "Marefak" while removing their pants.

So when they realize that the country can be saved, but an individual cannot, they subconsciously find a way to vent their frustrations, turning public opinion from criticizing the national system to attacking an individual.

After finishing the whole newspaper, Lynch casually put it down. At this moment, he was in Mr. Fox’s office—his money had been laundered significantly, moving from the basement to a bright, street-facing, standalone two-story building with signs and phones of Gaitenau.

"This is good news..." Lynch picked up another newspaper, glanced at Mr. Fox, "The Federal Tax Bureau also realized that it is meaningless to entangle with us. Abandoning Michael might be a bit ruthless to him, but for the entire system, it’s redemption. We’re safe."

Mr. Fox finally breathed a sigh of relief. He’d been on edge for days, as several peers were already sent to district prison on money laundering charges, waiting for their verdict. A few others vanished overnight without a trace.

Currently, only two or three places in Sabin City can offer small financial aid services. The phone outside the office never stopped ringing.

The busy business made Mr. Fox both nervous and greedy. Fortunately, Lynch kept reassuring him, telling him to continue with his trade and not give up easily, suggesting now was the best time for his transformation.

Emerging from the shadows to greet the sunlight, even this standalone office was rented at Lynch’s insistence.

Mr. Fox glanced at the young men outside the room, feeling a bit embarrassed, and asked, "Lynch, my friend, I’m in a bit of a bind..."

Lynch was somewhat surprised. He put down the latest issue of the "Trade Report." A war had ended in the country across the Bail Federal Strait; prices of basic construction materials, after a nineteen-month decline, finally showed signs of improvement.

Undoubtedly, hardworking Federal merchants, to avoid total losses, found a temporary respite for their cash flow.

He drew a line with a pen on this piece of news, then looked at Mr. Fox, "Is there anything I can assist you with?"

Mr. Fox still smiled awkwardly, somewhat embarrassed. "I’m out of money..." After saying this, he felt it might lead Lynch to misunderstand, so he explained briefly.

In the past few days, with other financial companies either fleeing or being caught, Sabin City’s financial aid market had become exceptionally vacant. Lynch repeatedly informed him that now was a good time to expand and strengthen his financial company, and indeed, he did so.

At least, he thought Lynch wasn’t a scammer but a smart man, smarter than himself, so what Lynch said must be correct.

Every day, Sabin City faced a financial gap ranging from tens of thousands to even hundreds of thousands, sometimes even exceeding a few million.

For some gamblers, fluctuations of a few hundred, thousand, or even tens of thousands at the gambling table were insignificant.

With demand, there is a market. The buyers’ market suddenly turned into a sellers’ market due to the unexpected reduction in sellers, making supply unable to meet demand.

In less than five days, Fox had invested all of his savings, totaling more than two million!

Now, his pocket money was just a small fraction of its peak amount. After tonight, he would have no money left to offer.

At the thought of this, he grew anxious; it was all money, an endless amount, and while he was out, others might not be. Once someone else captured the market, forget about the future—he wanted to cry right now.

Signs began showing yesterday, and after a night and a day of deep contemplation, he finally decided to discuss it with Lynch.

He knew Lynch was a smart man, and smart people often came up with ideas others couldn’t.

With an expectant look that almost sparkled with hope, Lynch raised an eyebrow and nodded, "No problem, whatever amount you need!"

These words made Mr. Fox’s mouth fell open. He even checked his ear to make sure he hadn’t misheard.

With Lynch’s handling, the money was only slightly more than a hundred thousand, leaving him with perhaps just under ten thousand. Ten thousand seemed not quite equal to "whatever amount you need," leading him to suspect that Lynch had misheard.

Carefully, ensuring he wouldn’t hurt Lynch’s dignity, he reminded, "I’m not talking about tens of thousands, I’m talking about hundreds of thousands or millions!"

Lynch continued to nod casually, "I said whatever amount you need!"

His repeated assurances made Mr. Fox excitedly stand up, clapping his hands, and walking back and forth in the office a few times, "That’s fantastic, fantastic! When can I see it?"

Maintaining his previous posture, Lynch slightly turned his head. The sunlight outside made Mr. Fox squint slightly. Lynch appeared somewhat blurry and less tangible to him.

"I’m not a charity, Mr. Fox. I know we share a good personal relationship, but you know..." He smiled, showing his white teeth, "We’re merchants, and merchants pursue profit!"

"If I lend you money, what can you offer me?"

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