Darkstone Code

Chapter 658 - 0656 Even gods can’t do it, I said so!

"Thank you!" After taking the glass of wine from Lynch’s hand, he didn’t immediately take a sip but sat with his legs crossed on the sofa, holding the backrest with one hand and shaking the glass with the other.

He was thinking, if possible, he would let those people realize what foolish things they had done without hesitation.

But during this time, he discovered that he had oversimplified some matters. He always thought he stood together with the President until he was suspended, then he realized it was just his assumption.

In reality, he stood alone, without holding the greatest power nor possessing wealth that could rival nations. All he could do was survive awkwardly within the rules set by those people.

So he understood and began to go with the flow. During this time, he attended countless cocktail parties, parties, and various social activities.

Everyone felt he changed; he began accepting capitalists and capitalist forces like a "normal person." In some private non-public occasions, someone even said, "When a dog barks at you crazily, you must let it understand who the master is, and the best way is to beat it."

Without a doubt, the "dog" in this sentence referred to Mr. Truman, and this sentence gradually spread. No one avoided talking about Mr. Truman, and he had heard this sentence more than once himself.

However, he never expressed dissatisfaction, sometimes even joking about it with others; he was rapidly transforming into a model officer in the eyes of the Federation people.

The change in this period can be described as extremely favorable; his relationship with the President improved, becoming more harmonious and closer.

Relationships with colleagues also became much more integrated; colleagues who previously barely chatted, including Cabinet members, would now stop for a chat when meeting, which was basically impossible in the past.

Everything was changing, including the capitalists.

Don’t be deceived by their previous cries for action, because now, he seems to have become a guest of honor among them, with invitations to various meaningless cocktail parties and parties every day.

Those beautiful female celebrities could roll onto his bed sheets just with the curl of his finger!

Fighting against the whole world alone is truly exhausting. Sometimes Mr. Truman experiences moments of delusion, feeling that if things continue like this, it might not be bad.

At least when he needs to do something for this country and its people, he wouldn’t have to guard against a knife from behind.

To the extent that he seems to genuinely immerse himself in such a life, becoming more rounded.

But Lynch knows that’s not his true self.

Mr. Truman has many connections in the military, from Federation Admiral to a newly enlisted soldier, all rooted deeply.

After all, since his grandfather’s generation, the males in their family have always served in the military, and over the years, they inevitably encountered some "General comrades."

Regardless of whether it’s for the military’s own interests or to achieve some personal ambitions, Mr. Truman would not easily change his principles, nor does he need to.

Remember, he is backed by the Federation Military; he is the military’s representative in the government!

This was why the President simply gave him a break rather than dismissing him or assigning him to another department.

It’s also why, even though he snatched a large number of orders from the major consortiums, they only found someone to indict him with some nonexistent charges.

These charges, as well as the break, will eventually come to an end. They’ve merely issued a warning without more aggressive actions, all because of the military forces backing him.

Now, the question Lynch asked made him slightly tempted. As a soldier—he always regarded himself as a soldier—if given a chance for revenge, he wouldn’t miss it.

He picked up the glass and took a small sip, constantly contemplating and wrestling within, finally shaking his head.

"Forget it, I’ve already resolved the conflict with them, and we’ve been getting along well recently."

Using the hand holding the glass, he extended two fingers towards Lynch, "If you need, I can arrange for you to meet with some of them, maybe resolving misunderstandings will make things better."

Mr. Truman knew what Lynch had been going through recently; someone reported Lynch for committing significant tax evasion and fraud during his time in Sabin City, alerting the Federal Tax Bureau, which is now investigating him.

Although Lynch has the attributes of a diplomat, he himself is not a government official, so all kinds of investigations proceed relentlessly. Mr. Truman heard that his old partner had already been arrested, and the Tax Bureau intended to extract evidence from Fox to threaten Lynch.

Lynch is currently burdened with troubles, but these troubles are not fundamentally significant. As long as he is willing to yield, those issues will soon be resolved.

At that time, apart from Fox who has been brought to the case, others wouldn’t have any involvement.

Just bowing once, expressing an attitude.

After listening, Lynch couldn’t help but laugh, even bursting into laughter, tears streaming down his face.

While wiping his tears, he looked at Mr. Truman, "A good joke, but not suitable for me."

His laughter gradually stopped, and after wiping his tear stains with a handkerchief, he looked at Mr. Truman seriously and solemnly, "If bowing could keep me alive, I’d rather stand and die."

"Those people want me to lower my head?"

"Fine, let them cut off my head and throw it at my feet on the day they completely defeat me!"

"As long as I’m alive, no one can make me lower my head!"

Truman widened his eyes and stared at Lynch, feeling goosebumps rapidly spreading across his body, followed by a desire to roar.

He instinctively picked up the glass and gulped it down to suppress the impulse he shouldn’t have, looking at Lynch as if recognizing him for the first time.

The two were silent, approximately ten to twenty seconds later, Mr. Truman heavily sighed, "You don’t want to bow, but everyone wants you to bow, what can you do?"

It seemed he was talking about Lynch’s situation, yet he was also speaking about himself.

After all, now both he and Lynch were entangled in troubles; once Lynch is identified for tax evasion, those capitalists would immediately divide his assets.

Such things are prevalent and common in the Federation. Past capitalists used this method to annex enterprise after enterprise.

If a major shareholder of a corporation cannot attend the shareholders’ meeting for some reason, then shareholders only need to initiate a meeting and vote.

According to regulations, if the major shareholder abandons arranging a proxy to attend the meeting, it constitutes a waiver of voting rights in the meeting, and if he doesn’t want to forgo them, he must arrange a proxy.

The proxy’s cooperation initially doesn’t matter; eventually, the proxy will cooperate. If the proxy never cooperates, they have ways to change one.

In the absence of the major shareholder, a company will be thoroughly divided to minimize future legal issues.

Ultimately, they moved the company through dismantling, restructuring, and other means, leaving the major shareholder with a shell filled with debts.

In Bupen, there are specialized "jackals" helping others, specifically engaged in such work.

They dismember company after company, reaping corporate wealth and shareholder wealth if it’s listed.

Eventually, enterprises transform into debt-laden shells, dragging shareholders (if there are any) into the abyss, announcing bankruptcy, while those capitalists and jackals enjoy money not rightfully theirs.

This is why Federation financial laws stipulate that enterprises reaching a certain scale must receive investments and be listed; they aimed to be unreasonable from the start!

Once Lynch is incarcerated, the outside matters will instantly spiral out of control; they might even use board resolutions to acquire loans equal to Lynch’s total assets, leaving the debts and a shell corporation to Lynch.

The bank directly acquires all of Lynch’s assets judicially, using it as partial repayment of the loan—just a partial repayment!

All these assets may, in the bank’s eyes, not even reach thirty percent of their loan amount, leaving Lynch with more debts.

These debts aren’t meant to ruin Lynch, but just deny him a comeback opportunity. If he doesn’t intend to do business or seek revenge, willing to settle, then banks and creditors won’t push him, even forgetting the matter.

At this time, debts are merely insurance; to those vested interests, as long as there’s no perceived danger, everyone is safe.

Once danger is sensed, they’ll use debts to ruin someone.

The world of capital is never gentle, and the war among capital is more brutal and savage.

Now, an upper-level member of a regionally dominant consortium publicly declared targeting Lynch. Who dares to speak up for Lynch?

Even a consortium of equal level might not volunteer—if anyone wants to, they’ll wait until Lynch falls into the deepest abyss before extending a hand.

If they help now, they’re friends; if they help after he falls into the abyss, Lynch is inferior.

In such circumstances where enemies are everywhere, bowing a bit might not be significant.

He simply hadn’t expected Lynch to be so fierce.

"I suddenly thought of a condition where I would bow...," Lynch took another sip of wine, "After slapping them, I would bow and say sorry!"