Darkstone Code

Chapter 684 - 0681 arms sales and dispatch

Lynch was just making a joke, but Mr. Wardrick kept it in mind.

"Sand can’t cover the shine of a gem. People will eventually know everything...," Mr. Wardrick was in a good mood and told a joke himself, "...and know what you’ve contributed to this country and its people!"

Both were in good spirits. After this stage ends, the next one begins. The storm has passed, leaving behind a rainbow that could never be seen on a clear day.

"What are the main topics of this meeting? I haven’t been following the news from Nagariel lately." They walked into a corner where others tactfully did not come to disturb them.

Mr. Wardrick answered without much hesitation, "Arms sales and security."

"You know, Nagariel is about to be divided. Some recent events have made everyone a bit worried. If someone else organizes a mob to assault our industries, it could be very costly to us."

"The Ministry of Defense has recently given out many large orders. Those guys are eager to clear out their inventories. You know, times are difficult for everyone now..."

Without new procurement plans from the Ministry of Defense, various military industrial enterprises have focused on developing new weapons, but there’s no large-scale mass production.

The Federation’s military industrial group has not proven the value of its products internationally. Each country has its weapon design schemes, and there’s no widespread weapon specification standardization worldwide. Everyone is still using their own.

In this context, exporting weapons is rather difficult; it mainly relies on domestic sales.

If domestic sales are slow, there are no new production plans, and the warehouses are filled with weapons developed in previous years with a focus on "defensive" strategies.

Who knew that with the dramatic changes over the past two years, the Federation took a one hundred eighty-degree turn in its direction. Now, the weapon designs piled up in the military industrial group’s warehouses no longer conform to the mainstream military ideology of the Federation.

It’s a shift from passive defense to active offense.

Although the change seems to have little to do with the weapons, that’s not the case.

For example, designs focused on defense tend to favor sustained fire output and higher stability, meaning these designs sacrifice weight and agility—larger magazines, bigger bases, more components. The value of these weapons is in concentrating them to form a defensive line.

But weapons centered on aggression are different: easy repairs, convenient loading operations, lighter weight for soldiers to swiftly transfer weapons. All designs aim for rapid movement and breakthroughs.

These two distinctly different changes will lead to a mass of weapons that can’t keep up with the times and must be phased out. If all these were to be scrapped, it would be a huge financial loss.

Thus, led by the Ministry of Defense, they plan to dump this batch of weapons into Nagariel—since the military will also be replacing a large number of defensive weapons. If these aren’t disposed of, they will occupy warehouses and require maintenance costs, so it’s better to sell them all at once.

Coincidentally, Nagariel is forming a new Federation, and these arms can come in handy.

After listening to Mr. Wardrick’s brief introduction, Lynch nodded slightly, "It appears they already have a complete plan."

Mr. Wardrick affirmed, "They won’t give those people a chance to defeat us with our weapons; the most they have now are retired soldiers and militiamen..." He pointed out subtly.

"The Army downsized many soldiers. These people cannot find jobs and have become a social issue, so this time they plan to dump these troubles into Nagariel..."

Lynch understood somewhat. Indeed, it’s a very suitable solution.

Although the employment rate has started to recover after experiencing the lowest point in history, the pace of recovery is still not fast enough, and many people cannot find suitable jobs.

Soldiers, for instance, only know how to kill and are clueless about working on an assembly line. Capitalists are never good at charity; they only want skilled workers and won’t waste time training these novices.

Some retired soldiers, with no skills except for killing, due to living pressures, joined various gangs and criminal organizations, which has brought significant threats to the Federation’s security.

The inability to beat gangs has gradually become a common phenomenon, given that the Federation’s police, in their individual qualities or professional skills, are no match for retired soldiers.

How to solve these problems became the issue, but fortunately, the Ministry of Defense’s genius had a plan.

Using Nagariel’s money to purchase the Federation’s weapons and hire the Federation’s retired soldiers to "protect" their safety and maintain law and order—this is one hell of a clever choice.

Considering they have to go through the United Development Company for such plans, that’s why there’s this banquet.

"Nagariel’s value is increasing for the Federation. I’ve heard some legislators even plan to propose annexing Nagariel into the Federation." Mr. Wardrick’s face was filled with a sarcastic expression.

Lynch chuckled lightly, "Foolish idea."

Both of them shared the same view on this issue—it’s not a good time to annex Nagariel, at least not before the next world war begins.

The reason is simple: annexing Nagariel now will only provoke vigilance and hostility from some entities, which does not align with the Federation’s current international interests. So such thoughts are arrogant and foolish.

As they were speaking, Mr. Wardrick suddenly said, "You haven’t seen Severa recently, have you?"

Lynch was a bit surprised, "What’s up with her?"

Mr. Wardrick pulled out a cigarette, instinctively looked at Lynch, who was staring at him, so he had to take out another one and handed it over.

After this incident, he realized Lynch possessed the ability to become his son-in-law. Whether his personal capabilities or connections, Mr. Wardrick had gained respect and recognition for him.

Bringing Lynch "on board" is an enticing thought, but it also made him slightly embarrassed, just a little.

"She’s been busy with her business, lost a lot of weight, and looks worn out. Even I have to schedule an appointment to see her."

"As a father, I’m very concerned about her health and mental condition, but you know, once kids grow up, they tend to have more gaps with their parents. Some matters I can’t say easily or ask comfortably."

"But it’s convenient for you; you’re friends, and a friendship isn’t as sensitive. Isn’t that right?"

Lynch pondered the meaning behind Mr. Wardrick’s words and raised his eyebrows, "You want me to pursue her?"

Without waiting for Mr. Wardrick to respond, he shook his head, "That’s not possible. She and I aren’t the most suitable pair."

He stated seriously, "It’s not a good choice; it would hurt both me and her."

Mr. Wardrick sighed, "You misunderstood me..."

At this point, he lost interest in continuing the conversation, even though Lynch was indeed right.

Severa isn’t suited to be the "dependent" partner of a strong male. She should be the dominant side in a family relationship, only then can she live well, both physically and mentally.

Lynch is too dominant, and even if they can be together, many conflicts would erupt later on.

After they parted ways, someone approached.

"Mr. Lynch, hello, let me introduce myself. Orn, Orn Haines..." The speaker looked to be around forty with the standard appearance of a successful person from the Federation.

A low-key yet expensive jacket, even in the heat to maintain a tidy appearance, a polite smile that was standard yet false, most importantly, his aura.

Lynch reached out and shook hands with him, "Hello, it seems you know me."

"Of course, who doesn’t know the Billionaire Mister?" Orn’s smile and voice were infectious, as if everything he expressed was genuine.

Being flattered felt subtle; even the calmest and most rational person would feel a bit flattered, knowing this also represents external affirmation of oneself.

Lynch’s smile broadened somewhat, "Analyzing from your name, you seem to have some connection with the Haines Group?"

Orn nodded slightly, took out a business card from a holder, and handed it over, "I currently serve as the CEO of Haines Group."

Lynch received the card, which only had Orn’s name, no surname, with two phone numbers marked "private" and nothing else.

The Haines Group is one of the Federation’s largest military industrial enterprises, providing many weapon systems for the Federation Army and is also one of the promoters of this meeting.

Just like people don’t understand medical groups, eighty percent of the Federation’s people only know about the Haines Group from posters in weapon shops they accidentally see passing by.

Aside from these, people might not know much more about them.

Actually, the Haines Group isn’t only a company developing, producing, and selling weaponry. They’ve also made many achievements and contributions in cutting-edge technology, chemistry, and physics.

Lynch glanced at the card, pulled out his card holder, stored it away, and handed over his own card.

Orn was straightforward; he wasted no time with detours or probing and went straight to the point. "I heard you have a good relationship with the Provincial Governor Drag in Mongwu, and I want to sell weapons over there. Your help might be necessary."

"Very direct!" Lynch pressed his lips, commented, "So what’s in it for me?"

"Strategic cooperation. I heard you’ve established a military equipment research institute?"

"Perhaps we can find some common ground in this aspect."

"Besides, there are discounts!"