Darkstone Code

"Welcome, I'm glad you could come..." Ms. Trish seemed to have heard the news from the gatekeeper, and by the time the car had stopped, she was already standing outside the house, showing her enthusiasm.

According to custom, receiving guests at a family dinner should be the husband's job. The Federation is still a patriarchal society, yet there was no sign of a man outside, only Ms. Trish by herself. This made Lynch think about her current work.

At the peak of the feminist movement, women proved that they can live independently without men by asserting "Women can live alone" and "Women should leave men and choose independence." Many women actually did just that.

Men were no longer a necessity in life; they had their own jobs, stable incomes, and could lead good lives.

They could even mess around in bars at night like men, sleep with different people every day, and didn't have to endure societal condemnation because they were new women who proved that women can live without relying on men.

This was exactly when Ms. Trish was young.

Lynch smiled and nodded in greeting, shook hands with Ms. Trish, and the two walked into the room. He expected to see Ms. Trish's child or a servant inside, but instead saw two elderly gentlemen who looked somewhat alike.

One wore very casual clothing and was sitting on the sofa, an apple in hand and arguing fiercely with another elderly man dressed in a priest's outfit, until Ms. Trish coughed lightly, prompting them to stop fighting.

"I'm sorry, for letting you see such a joke..." Ms. Trish was a bit embarrassed; anyone walking into a house and seeing an argument would feel somewhat unwelcome.

However, before Ms. Trish could finish her apology, the elderly gentleman in casual clothes interrupted, "I don't think this is a joke. The topic we're arguing about is no laughing matter!"

This elderly man stood up, walked up to Lynch extending his hand, "I'm this girl's father, you can call me Jackson..." He glanced at the other elderly man who had stood up, "This is my brother, Jefferson."

As they shook hands, Jackson even brought up their names, "I know, our names sound a bit..." He shook his head, "But we truly are brothers."

In an era pursuing individuality, parents typically don't give their children names with similar pronunciations to emphasize independence and uniqueness, which are the essence of Free Federation's free spirit. Everyone is unique, and names with similar sounds can sometimes confuse two individuals; the closer the kinship, the greater the phonetic differentiation of their names.

Jefferson looked more like a gentleman; he also shook Lynch's hand and reintroduced himself, as though he hadn't heard Jackson already introducing him to Lynch.

He didn't forget to inform Lynch of his occupation; he is a priest. People in Bail Federal revere and believe that the Lord truly exists, and priests have high prestige among the public.

The public's devout faith gives priests some power to influence politics, such as "district canvassing."

This is a term unique to Bail Federal. Each city has some churches, forming a psychological parish around them, where the priest of each church is the core of that parish.

Votes from the churchgoers become an indispensable part of every election, and crucial at that.

Whoever can persuade the Lord to stand on their side can receive the vast number of churchgoers' votes.

Don't think this is an easy task, because convincing a devout priest on who to pick is difficult; they've long devoted themselves to the Lord and won't be swayed by external forces to change their faith and beliefs.

But it's also not that difficult, because convincing the Lord is indeed simple; a check or some promises, and the Lord will send down the will for the priests to execute.

After shaking hands with the two, Lynch found a place to sit and waited for dinner to begin.

During this idle time, they chatted about some recent changes in Federation policies, a topic most men love to discuss. They can share their opinions and criticize new policies to show they're smarter than the President and those in the President's Mansion.

The conversation naturally steered to this year's unexpected downsizing, where many retired servicemen returning home had nowhere to go, roaming the streets like vagrants, embedding instability into stable order.

These former soldiers, skilled in various weapons, tactical cooperation, and solo or group killing techniques, once recruited by gangs or deciding to resort to crime, will become the biggest and saddest joke in history.

In fact, many gangs have started recruiting these veteran soldiers as henchmen. Some reject these invitations under the restraint of universal values and self-discipline, but others have joined them.

While discussing this, Jackson mentioned something Lynch didn't know, "Many believe the constant reduction in military size represents peace, but people don't realize the President just signed a new executive order, doubling the military budget this year compared to last year, with some military upgrade plans scheduled!"

This is the first increase in military budget and update of standard equipment after six consecutive years of budget cuts without large-scale upgrades.

No wonder the industrial index of the Federation has been trending upward lately. Some experts in Bupen believe this is the obvious benefit of "internationalization," but in reality, it's driven up by some weighted stocks.

Of course, the public hasn't shown any opposition to this executive order, because that's the Progressive Party. Just like the Conservative Party claims during canvassing that they'll suppress the military after taking office, the Progressive Party's rise means good times for the military.

Still, these linked with the downsizing create a sense of confusion.

Soon, the cook at Ms. Trish's house finished preparing dinner, and the family, along with guest Lynch, sat down at the dining table. Lynch also brought a gift with him on this visit, ensuring no details were missed without needing a reminder.

A bottle of wine, already opened, was placed on the table, and their conversation shifted from serious political news trends to slightly more ordinary topics like new movies released recently and some celebrity developments, all very relaxing and leisurely.

After the meal, Lynch and Ms. Trish went to her study, sitting across the desk. She personally held the teapot brought by the servant and poured Lynch a cup of herbal tea, "I need your help, Lynch..."

"Those people from the United Transport Association aren't good people and aren't easy to deal with; our individual strength is weak, so we need to unite. Just like I will support your ideas, will you support me?"

Faced with Ms. Trish's request, Lynch slowly lifted the teacup, smelled it, then took a sip, "Of course, ma'am, but I must first state that this is under the premise that my personal interests aren't compromised. I hope you understand."

Trish nodded, Lynch's statement made her breathe a sigh of relief, yet she felt something indescribable.

Lynch's unabashed emphasis on his interests occasionally makes it difficult to associate him with his age. Only someone like Jackson wouldn't shy away from shamelessly advocating "self-interest comes first (all actions should be based on the premise that one's interests are unharmed)," as young people often experience inexplicable sentiments, even sacrificing their own benefits to fit into public perceptions.

This is foolish, but also easily exploitable, like those young girls and boys.

Lynch is an anomaly!

The atmosphere became more congenial afterward, and Ms. Trish shared some of her thoughts. She wants the Women's Rights Protection Association to have a more significant role in the women's occupational movement.

This is similar to how unions demand a necessary presence and play an important role in labor-management relations, aiming to elevate their status and indispensability.

The primary goal is the proportion in broadcasting rights and dominance over the entire field.

"Ms. Trish, have you considered how much funding you'll need to operate this undertaking?" After chatting for a while, Lynch suddenly asked an important question.

During their negotiations, Ms. Trish consistently fantasized about the future, speaking high-level and vague ideas without touching on specific operational details, like the funding issue.

Setting industry standards and pioneering a new field isn't achieved merely through rhetoric, but requires investment, which is precisely the biggest weakness of the Women's Rights Protection Association.

In terms of financial resources, ten feminist associations can't compare to a single United Transport Association. The ongoing confrontation between the United Transport Association and them persists just because the former doesn't want to ignite the feminist bomb, not because they can't outmaneuver Ms. Trish and her team.

Ms. Trish seemed not to have considered this issue, yet Lynch continued, "What you mentioned previously actually rests on the foundation of having sufficient budget. Setting industry standards, getting others to heed your ideas and opinions, achieving a higher position in a new field, and acquiring more power starts with money."

"Let me cite some simple examples; once our new organization begins operations, initial publicity costs, competition organizing expenses, and prize money at various levels, involving wages for relevant personnel nationwide..."

"This constitutes a big sum, possibly involving millions in funding. Ms. Trish, if I agree and allow you to hold an important position, how much can you contribute?"

"Or rather, how much can the Federation Women's Rights Protection Association contribute to operate this affair?"