Darkstone Code
Chapter 98 - 0097 Guide

Chapter 98: 0097 Guide

Early the next morning, the contents of Saturday’s secondhand goods auction became the focus of public discussion.

The economy is in a downturn, unemployment is high, but the level of consumption will not and cannot fall back, causing many families’ needs to remain perpetually within the realm of planning.

Previously, in Sabin City and throughout the entire Federation, there were places for trading secondhand goods. For example, in some alleys in Lower City, people would cheaply dispose of items stolen from elsewhere, mostly clothing.

Many times antique shops would also collect some secondhand goods that appeared relatively new. Besides antique shops, there were small specialized stores that recycled secondhand appliances, as well as actual pawnshops.

However, pawnshops in Bail Federal are not the same as those in another world. In Bail Federal, pawnshops only deal in luxury goods. They have no interest in business that might be worth only a few bucks.

Therefore, the entire secondhand goods trading industry is still in a half-barren stage, with many people unaware of the wealth it holds, which Lynch conveniently capitalized on.

A secondhand goods auction of the scale that Lynch organized yesterday had never occurred in Federation history, immediately attracting the public’s attention.

The main core that caught everyone’s eye consisted of two parts.

The first part was whether Lynch’s secondhand goods auction was truly as described in the newspapers—comprehensive in variety, with low prices.

The second point of discussion revolved around yesterday’s transaction amount, which was nearly half a million!

This sum of money needs to be taxed, and Lynch had no intention of hiding it. He generously disclosed the real information to the newspapers, including the Tax Bureau, which shocked the entire populace of Sabin City.

Achieving a transaction volume of half a million in an afternoon, how many things did they sell, and for how much?

No matter how speculation and discussion roamed outside, it couldn’t change the fact that Lynch’s Interstellar Trade Company, along with this secondhand goods auction, suddenly became popular, dragging the mayor along into the spotlight.

The lunch originally scheduled for the day after tomorrow was moved by the mayor to Sunday noon.

He was supposed to spend a pleasant weekend with his family, but Lynch’s big surprise made him take some time at noon to handle these matters.

Their lunch was arranged in a somewhat private venue. Such places, from the countryside to the core of the Federation, filled with various private venues of business nature, accommodated those in need of discussing confidential matters anytime, anywhere.

It was a simple lunch; Lynch arrived at the appointed place ten minutes early, and the mayor arrived shortly after.

The mayor was in his forties, with slightly graying hair, looking somewhat careworn.

His build was slightly on the heavier side, but not fat, just fuller than average. About five feet seven inches tall, not considered short for this era.

A person who looked to give off a somewhat stern feeling yet seemed quite amicable.

Introduced by Ferrari, the two greeted each other, which was as good as an acquaintance.

Ferrari proactively supervised the chef cooking their food, intentionally giving the space to the two.

The mayor took a cloth bag out of his pocket, which contained a very nice pipe, with golden brown wood grain, giving a very precious feeling.

"Mind if I?", asked the mayor. Lynch shook his head, so he put some tobacco in the pipe and, after lighting it with a blowtorch, took a couple of puffs, seeming to relax a bit.

"I like this, although some say it’s unhealthy...," he chuckled, and the topic quickly shifted from the pipe to what happened yesterday, "Today I originally planned to be with the kids, but when I saw the news in the morning, honestly, I was shocked."

"A transaction volume of half a million, you may have created a history!" The mayor did not stint on his words of praise; after the news came out, his staff gathered in his study discussing the auction.

In their view, a transaction volume of half a million equated to satisfying at least a million Sols worth of material demands for the lower society—Sol is the unit of the Federation’s popular currency, as well as a person’s name, the founder of the Federation, and its first president.

He is hailed as a hero, and to commemorate him, after nationwide discussions, it was decided to print his portrait on the currency, and people also call the money "Sol."

This is a more official term; in everyday life, no one would rigidly say "one Federation Sol" in such silly dialogue; they just say "one dollar."

One million Federation Sols, distributed averagely, could be said, perhaps exaggeratingly, that yesterday afternoon’s secondhand goods auction fulfilled the short-term material needs of ten thousand families in Sabin City, turning into a frightening number.

If further processed and guided by policy, it can be said that this secondhand goods auction held under the promotion of the City Hall and the mayor significantly fulfilled the lower society citizens’ pursuit and yearning for a better life in Sabin City, reducing some potential social conflicts. This is undoubtedly an achievement one can be proud of!

Neither he nor his staff expected Lynch to do so well, exceeding everyone’s expectations. Other matters he could delay, but issues related to his own interests, he wouldn’t wait.

Lynch appeared very modest, "I owe this achievement to the free market environment of Sabin City, as well as the local policies that support and welcome new ventures, especially your significant support in this regard."

He said these flattering words without blushing or skipping a beat, which made the mayor smile even broader. He had seen shameless merchants, plenty of them.

But never had he seen a merchant who could speak so compelling that he felt truly remarkable, like Lynch. He suddenly found Lynch to be a very interesting person, at least very articulate.

This was also the main reason he moved up the meeting with Lynch. He planned to project Lynch and his business as an achievement led by the local city hall, which would inevitably attract people from all walks of life to examine and scrutinize.

His and Lynch’s views need to be aligned, so both sides could reap predictable benefits without scandals and trouble.

He originally thought Lynch, being young, might be hard to deal with. Young people often think the world won’t turn without them, but to his surprise, Lynch turned out to be so understanding, leaving him a bit astonished. Lynch didn’t seem to be a child from an ordinary family.

Turning from a bystander to a protagonist suddenly, even though it was the mayor’s initial intention, the smoothness of it still made him feel a hint of guilt, just a tiny, insignificant bit.

With the pipe in hand, he said, somewhat suggestively, "I heard you plan to expand your business across the entire state?"

Lynch calmly nodded, "Inspired by your charisma, Mr. Mayor, I believe we should transcend regional limitations and shoulder greater social responsibilities. We should strive to do things that are meaningful and good for people."

"Moreover, I will not just sell secondhand goods but also conduct large-scale recycling of secondhand goods across the state, making items ignored and unused, unable to generate effective value, turn active."

"Things that might be temporarily of no use to me could play an important role in others’ lives. Through specialized trading channels, we can meet the material needs of the lower society without increasing their financial burden."

"They might even sell secondhand goods in times of financial difficulty, easing their significant household financial stress, which could improve the financial and living conditions of millions of families in the coming years."

"I firmly believe in this!"

As Lynch expressed himself, the mayor kept nodding, thinking even further. Lynch’s words were inspirational, and if he could achieve what he mentioned, it would undoubtedly become a shining achievement during the mayor’s term in Sabin City.

He roughly got some understanding, and his smile became kinder. "Your idea is good. I was chatting with the Governor earlier about how young people today have interesting ideas; if there’s a chance, I would introduce you..."

He paused here and asked, somewhat suggestively, "What do you think of the Progressive Party?"

Lynch responded with great enthusiasm, "It’s an exceptionally outstanding party..."