Darkstone Code

Lynch hummed with great rhythm, a kind of rhythm infused with ethnic culture. It's hard to describe, but it's definitely there, and people can instantly feel it.

Asir was somewhat curious, "Mr. Lynch, is this a Federation song?" He touched his forehead, "I don't think I've ever heard it before!"

Lynch glanced at him, smiled, and nodded, while pausing his humming, offering a slight explanation.

"It was popular during the cultural assimilation period, but later the education committee stopped promoting this song. It's normal that you haven't heard it; many Federation people haven't either!"

The history of the Federation is neither long nor extended; a group of bandits built their country on others' land. It can't possibly have a long or boastful history.

While others discuss the grandeur of dynastic changes...

While others sing poems depicting miracles and hero images...

While others...

Federation people can't find anything worthy of pride to boast about, thus the term "cultural assimilation" arose. They infused indigenous culture into the Federation's history, awkwardly depicting invasion, occupation, and massacre as "a new page of civilized progress," while describing the generations of indigenous people's peaceful lives as "feudal barbarism filled with dross of the old pages."

Although feudalism is also barbaric, these histories effectively filled the pale historical void of the Federation, forcibly extending its history from a few hundred years to over a thousand.

It's absurd and pitiful, reflecting the inferiority complex of Federation people regarding historical issues—they desperately want to appear as if they have a long history like other countries.

During this period, the Federation implemented many policies and documents, among them was this song, "Hunter's Tune (19)," which was popular among tribes when the Federation's indigenous people were not yet persecuted. It's often sung by hunters returning with full catches.

This upbeat content, lively melody, and folkloric rhythm were incorporated into the elementary education system during the "cultural assimilation" period, becoming a mandatory song to learn.

But it was quickly deleted because some indigenous human rights organizations released data and materials to the public, claiming the Federation's invaders sang this simple song while massacring indigenous people upon landing on this land.

In some footage, gentlemen in vests, wearing top hats, spurs on boots, holding hunting rifles, their faces covered in blood, sang loudly while stepping on countless indigenous corpses.

Thus, it died a societal death, with no one mentioning its simple joyous melody or its "upbeat" content. It's normal that Asir hadn't heard of it.

So Asir couldn't help but sigh, "It's really a beautiful melody, more people should hear it, they would like it."

Like it?

Lynch smiled slightly, no, they wouldn't like it. They wish this part of history didn't exist, though at the time, the massacre of indigenous people was an unavoidable necessity.

Around six-ten or so, the convoy stopped outside a building complex that looked like a palace. After Asir's introduction, Lynch realized it wasn't some historical relic; it was the Provincial Governor's home.

The overall structure was vessel-shaped, with four symmetrically outward-extended buildings around a main building, further surrounded by lawns and an artificial river. The clear riverbed and the fearless ornamental fish inside once again demonstrated the grandeur and terror of wealth and power.

Mikhail personally came out to greet Lynch. He was supposed to be the host of tonight's banquet, a very prestigious role, but in reality, the true host was the Provincial Governor. His status was lowered a notch.

If he didn't personally welcome Lynch, should the Provincial Governor do it himself?

So he took the initiative with a welcoming smile, one that makes people feel close, even acting in the role of a service worker by opening the car door for Lynch.

"You're too courteous, it's somewhat overwhelming for me!" Lynch appropriately expressed his astonishment.

Mikhail shook his head repeatedly, "No, today you're our most distinguished guest, you should be entitled to enjoy all this!" He spoke, leading Lynch into the main hall, a gigantic hall.

Words like exquisite fail to capture the opulence of the building's interior; golden, jewelry, various animal specimens are everywhere. Lynch even saw some complete pelts of either lions or tigers laid out at some entrances serving as rugs.

No incense burned in the room, yet it was filled with a subtle yet ubiquitous fragrance of plant and wood. The main material for the building was red wood woven with golden threads.

Lynch couldn't help but look at those materials a few extra times. The wood's blood-red color, seemingly soaked with fresh blood, and the mysterious golden threads weaving through it, made this lumber very striking.

The Federation is located in a temperate region with very distinct four seasons, lacking some special plants and animals, these things can be sold for a lot when sent to the Federation!

There are also those gems, jewelry, and various animal specimens included.

Humans, to prove their strength, hunt other species at the top of the food chain and turn them into specimens to highlight human dominance in nature.

Some wealthy individuals are said to have their own "zoos," filled with complete specimens of various animals they hunted, which also becomes their capital to show off to guests.

However, this behavior is currently illegal in the Federation. Since the establishment of the Federation Environmental Protection Agency, many behaviors have been prohibited. They prohibit people from destroying vegetation, prohibit people from emitting harmful industrial waste, prohibit people from hunting beasts, and set up one protection zone after another for these things.

Of course, it's worth mentioning that even the Federation natives have three protection zones. The Federation claims this is a protection of native human rights, although outsiders do not quite understand how treating these natives as animals relates to human rights, but the protection is indeed adequate.

As the heavy front door of the hall was pushed open, an even bigger and more awe-inspiring room appeared before Lynch's eyes.

It was large, spectacular, with at least a ten-meter-high ceiling giving a sense of one's insignificance, with not many words to describe the luxury and opulence, only awe-inspiring.

People in the hall had long waited anxiously, the noise bustling. After half a month of propaganda by Asir, the news that a wealthy individual from the Federation was going to invest in Nagariel had spread among the upper echelons of the entire city and even the entire province.

Privately, the Provincial Governor had already used his connections to inquire about Lynch's assets in the Federation to avoid being disadvantaged.

They had suffered losses before, with some people claiming they wanted to come to invest in Nagariel, then they were deceived, not just once. Now they've become smarter, knowing to investigate first and then arrange.

After an investigation from the Federation's people, Lynch reportedly has wealth exceeding ten billion Nagariel, which led the Provincial Governor to decide to host this banquet at the Governor's Mansion.

"This is the Director of the Police Station, you met yesterday...," Mikhail introduced the guests to Lynch, starting with the Director of the Police Station.

The Director of the Police Station removed his police cap and tucked it to his waist, reaching out to shake hands with Lynch, "If there's any issue regarding law and order in this city, feel free to contact me, always at your service, Mr. Lynch!"

His attitude was very humble because this police director is not part of the "nobility." In Nagariel, the Director of the Police Station is actually the ruling authority's henchman and lackey, not a position with great power and prestige, which members of the upper-class families are reluctant to take on.

Almost all city police directors come from the civilian class and are actual tools in the hands of rulers. Moreover, these people often treat civilians more ruthlessly, more viciously, and more decisively than the upper-class people.

When they are of no value, they are discarded without regret and can also be used to quell public resentment, so in Nagariel, the status of a police director is not high.

Next were various local officials, wealthy individuals, celebrities, and socialites, until the appearance of the Provincial Governor.

This was Lynch's first meeting with the Provincial Governor, who wore a very appropriate outfit with local style, which is also his very remarkable characteristic or feature.

Looking around at these people, whether they were socialites, dignitaries, or magnates, most of their clothes leaned towards international mainstream styles. They seemed to have a blind closeness to developed countries, but the Provincial Governor was different.

From top to bottom, he wore clothing full of Nagariel style, a pair of reddish-brown wide-leg skirt-pants, a piece... an indescribable piece of clothing — a common shirt, but with many fabric strips extended. These strips wrapped around the body, looking somewhat peculiar.

The Provincial Governor's appearance seemed very amiable, not stern, his voice not sharp, like someone not difficult to get along with.

"This person I need to introduce with great significance...," Mikhail slightly bowed, "He is the Provincial Governor of Magulana Province, the people's friendly companion, our mentor and close friend along our life journey, Mr. Drag Bile."

When Mikhail introduced the Provincial Governor, he used completely different words from those he used to introduce other people, which highlighted the unique status of the Provincial Governor.

In Nagariel, the position of Provincial Governor can be said to be semi-hereditary. After the closure of the ascension path by the upper-class society, the whole upper society began to slowly decay.

In a society where power is centralized and classes are solidified, people see power as private property, which leads to the abuse of power, and the transition of power becomes troublesome.

Moreover, in Nagariel, there's no concept of a term limit, with decades-long reigns enough for rulers to suppress all opposition and smoothly pass on power to the next generation.

The central authority of Nagariel has thought about solving these problems, but historical challenges are extremely difficult to resolve. The regime's adversary—Divine Authority, has played a crucial role in maintaining the status quo even with these evident systemic flaws.