Darkstone Code

"We are not interested..." said Mr. Truman, who had just locked his car door and happened to walk over. He shook his head and rejected the broker's pitch.

Lynch, on the other hand, didn't mind and gave the broker a business card. The young stockbroker knew this wasn't the place to talk, especially with someone who didn't like him present, so he chose to leave without further insistence.

He didn't show any signs of anger or disappointment on his face. He had experienced this too many times, even being cursed at and driven away by others.

Compared to those, these two gentlemen were exceedingly polite.

In fact, he knew Lynch. Most people in financial and political circles or those who keep up with current events know Lynch. Even if they don't recognize him at first, they will after looking a bit longer.

This was an opportunity. He dared to pitch his yellow slips to Lynch, he tried, and he received a rather positive outcome; Lynch gave him an opportunity.

Watching the encouraged young man leave, Mr. Truman shook his head and said, "You shouldn't have given him your card. He will constantly hassle you, and they only sell small yellow slips."

In an era when informatization was not yet possible, stocks still had physical forms. Currently, there are two main forms of stocks on the market. One is a bond-like rectangle, and not small.

It has a blue border and some anti-counterfeiting patterns and techniques, with inscriptions regarding the number of shares of a certain company, the issuer, the regulator, the issuing bank's seal, and the handler's signature.

These stocks were mostly issued in the early days when anti-counterfeiting methods were relatively backward. To ensure stocks did not become a new target for counterfeiters, issuers even used handwritten signatures and stamps.

However, as technology developed and more unreplicable anti-counterfeiting methods emerged, the size of the stocks gradually shrank, now roughly the size of two to three hundred-dollar bills laid out.

The production of the entire stock adopted the same level of anti-counterfeiting printing technology used for currency, ensuring that various counterfeiters could not massively fake stocks.

However, whether from the past or present, stocks have blue borders and backgrounds. While not particularly blue, they do appear blue, and these can be traded on the big three exchanges, known in the industry as small blue slips.

In the Federation, blue represents safety, stability, and trustworthiness. It is a universal color code.

Besides these blue slips, there is another type of stock, which is the small yellow slips recommended by the stockbroker to Lynch, existing in the gray area between legality and illegality.

The issuers of these yellow slips are mostly uncertified enterprises or individuals, and various official organizations do not strictly regulate the yellow slip market; it's like a forest.

It cannot even be called a stock; calling it a financing slip or a fundraising slip would be more appropriate. More importantly, these small yellow slips were created by major stockbroker companies in Bupen.

They offered opportunities to some people. For instance, at today's expo, some people believe their inventive projects have potential, but no one is interested in their ideas, and they need funds to continue research. What to do?

At this time, they can approach some brokerage companies (although it's more often stockbrokers who approach them) and are offered favorable conditions.

Those needing funds for further development set a funding goal. With just five hundred dollars given to the brokerage firm, the economic company will issue stocks worth five thousand dollars and have stockbrokers actively promote them.

Many are gambling; invention and creation are inherently gambles. No one knows if their inventions will become memorable milestones in human history, like many that have changed the world.

The Federation sees tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of inventions each year, but only a couple dozen may make it into people's lives, leading many to believe inventions are challenging.

In fact, they aren't difficult. The crux is no one knows if any invention has value, introducing the element of risk.

Inventors gamble, raising money to issue small yellow slips to continue their creations, and buyers of these slips are also gambling, because who can tell if what the brokers say is true?

Everyone is betting, but the stockbrokers are the real money-makers, extracting huge service fees.

If ordinary stock transaction fees range from 0.5% to 2%, then for yellow slips, it's over 50%, with even instances of underreporting.

Lack of regulatory mechanisms and institutions results in a chaotic yellow slip market, where brokers and brokerage firms act with audacity that could leave the President stunned, as long as actions aren't illegal or seriously violative.

From its inception, the yellow slip was a creation by dirty financial practitioners to extract money from entrepreneurs and ignorant stock investors.

Unexpectedly, this scam has grown so large that it spawned a dedicated yellow slip market and trading system.

Every week, numerous brokerage companies in Bupen publish various yellow slip sales information in the "Weekly Trading Morning Paper," including stories of people buying stocks at low prices and seeing them skyrocket overnight by hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of times.

Many stories are real. Yellow slips aren't legal, but they're not illegal either; providing false information is illegal, so they don't do it, but they find ways to make these deals happen.

People are always amazed by miracles and see every stock as having vast prospects, leading some to gamble hundreds or thousands of dollars for a big return.

Oh, no, these financially ignorant investors aren't gambling; they genuinely believe these small yellow slips will miraculously transform their wealth.

Many brokers and brokerage firms have survived the worst economic periods thanks to yellow slips.

With the situation no longer deteriorating, these individuals have become active again, with major expos becoming primary markets for marketing yellow slips, where inventors showcase their inventions, and brokers promote yellow slips, harvesting wealthy returns daily.

To ensure public awareness of this gray area, some financial institutions decided that privately issued stocks must be yellow, warning and alerting investors.

However, in practice, this is useless. Those with no financial knowledge never face these stocks directly; they only face brokers who speak persuasively and boastfully.

"That phrase he just used, radio detection array, sounds very technological and interesting," Lynch said, smiling as they walked in.

He found the term somewhat familiar but couldn't recall its exact meaning. Yet, given his current social status and wealth, he could afford to be curious about anything; he had the capital for curiosity.

Mr. Truman said nothing further, confident Lynch wouldn't get caught up in it. If Lynch stumbled in the yellow slip market, he wouldn't be Lynch.

While speaking, the two had entered the rudimentary entrance of the expo, just a porch made of a few wooden frames with a sign hanging, accompanied by some triangular stands with posters affixed.

"Inventors and conmen, let's hope we gain something today," said a soldier in uniform who greeted them as they entered and led them deeper into the expo.

While walking, Mr. Truman explained, "There are two things I'm interested in at this expo, which also concern the military."

"The first is an invention concerning harpoons, and the second is a new aircraft..."

When mentioning the aircraft, Mr. Truman had a peculiar expression. "Lynch, did you know that in the field of invention and creation, aircraft-related inventions are called 'the most dangerous field'? Do you know why?"

Lynch cooperatively replied, "Is it because aircraft might be used in war?"

Mr. Truman paused, "Why would you think that?" but before Lynch could respond, he continued shaking his head, "Forget it. You have some point but not entirely."

"The real reason is that over the past decade, at least a hundred inventors have died trying to invent an aircraft with practical use."

"Crashes, explosions, or whatever else."

"You can't imagine, someone even thought of launching a wooden bird-like model with wings spread out into the sky as if firing artillery!", mentioning this bit of news with an uncontrollable smile, "It's truly a tragic tale!"

In fact, Mr. Truman didn't realize that this sudden idea that killed someone had actually pushed forward the development of glider-like aircraft. Of course, these things were irrelevant to him; he wasn't in that field.

Mentioning aircraft prompted Lynch to realize he was somewhat an expert in this field; he had not only seen aircraft but rockets as well!

The expo was surprisingly large, so much so that after over ten minutes of walking, they reached the more spacious rear area.

A roughly hundred-meter-long dirt road lay there, with a rudimentary bleacher on the side, already filled with people. Compared to the lively and interesting inventions inside, this area had fewer people, almost no children.

No children meant families visiting with kids wouldn't focus on this section, as previous expos with aircraft displays often resulted in fatalities.

They brought children to experience the advanced scientific atmosphere, to inspire dreams of becoming scientists, not to watch a bunch of "fools" crash bloodily.

This... is truly a sad story!