Darkstone Code

People are not machines, they are emotional beings with moral boundaries. Some individuals are perceived as cold and ruthless, lacking moral boundaries, not because they truly lack them, but because their boundaries are invisible to others, leading to criticism and fear.

In reality, everyone has their limits and experiences fear. Thoughtful management is necessary for arranging these veterans.

Those with a strong sense of moral purity, who, for example, are unwilling to fire at civilians, are assigned to work in Nagariel, where the main tasks involve passive defense.

Some with weaker resilience are sent to the Amelia Region, as even places like warehouses require guards.

Those without much moral purity are dispatched to the Amelia Region. Suppressing regional unrest is not merely about killing riot instigators but curbing a certain consciousness, requiring greater psychological resilience and executive ability.

A moment of hesitation during any mission execution can lead everything towards an unpredictable direction, so these individuals must appear cold and ruthless.

If they can't even achieve these two points, Lynch will arrange for them to go to Cook's place.

Cook's transportation company has experienced a significant leap in development. In today's world where most companies are on the verge of bankruptcy or already bankrupt, nobody bothers with logistics companies anymore.

This results in most companies possessing limited transport capacity. Once the demand exceeds their capacity, their transport capabilities collapse.

At this time, they have two choices: grit their teeth and spend a fortune on second-hand trucks, hiring some truck drivers for these occasional transportation tasks.

Alternatively, they can spend a bit to hire local transport companies for the task, which is genuinely not expensive. Sometimes, they calculate that hiring a transport company costs just a little more than doing it themselves.

Consequently, more and more companies are delegating their transportation tasks to Cook's company, which, of course, is also Lynch's company.

Nearly break-even transport fees have kept the company from making any real profit. Cook even discussed this with Lynch privately, hoping to raise shipping fees for Lynch to earn some money, unlike the current situation of continuous losses.

Yes, continuous losses—the thought is terrifying, but it's the reality. The freight charges cover little beyond the drivers' wages and fuel costs.

The vehicles need maintenance, parts frequently need replacing, and there are office building expenses, utility bills... As the General Manager of the transport company, Cook is acutely aware of this point; the company is continuously losing money. Therefore, a modest increase in freight charges wouldn't necessarily make Lynch rich, but at least it wouldn't result in losses.

However, his suggestion was rejected by Lynch. This is also why contemporary perspectives fail to penetrate the historical fog. One must realize that people decades or centuries ago invested money crazily into customer acquisition, even if it meant not turning a profit. Cook wouldn't think this way.

Moreover, Lynch is certain that profits will eventually come. From the moment some companies sell off their remaining fleets and lay off their truck drivers, Lynch knows he will surely make money.

Currently, his focus is solely on the market. The more market share he can capture, the more companies will sell their trucks and lay off their drivers, then commission tasks to him.

The higher their dependence on transport companies, the more Lynch will earn in the future!

This has resulted in a shortage of truck drivers, and among those present before Lynch, some will undoubtedly stay.

"There are only five questions, gentlemen. Please answer them sincerely, true to your heart, because, in some sense, your answers will determine your future and the situations you will encounter."

"I don't want anyone to suffer harm in the future due to forcing themselves to answer incorrectly, and it could be fatal harm!"

The atmosphere at the scene was somewhat tense. Honestly speaking, Lynch's questions were somewhat 'inhumane.'

The Federation's education and the societal values are still quite positive. At least people persistently believe that effort leads to creating miracles, believe in truth, kindness, and beauty, and, with the guidance of the Lord, they face an undoubtedly difficult choice.

Ten minutes later, Lynch looked at the lieutenant in front of him, "Please collect the people's answer sheets, and I will review them before leaving..."

The lieutenant promptly stood at attention and saluted, indicating compliance, though it seemed he wanted to say something to Lynch, but his compliance prevented him from asking.

Soon, these items were collected and handed to Lynch, who allowed them to move freely afterward, taking the questionnaires with him as he left.

At this point, the atmosphere in the drill ground suddenly changed, with many young people gathering with friends they're on good terms with, discussing what just happened.

Some people had excited smiles on their faces. After several years in the military, they had become somewhat disconnected from society.

Indeed, the Army was not as dull as the Navy, getting periodic breaks to visit cities near military bases, but overall, they remained isolated from society, making it hard to adapt.

It's akin to the freshness during tourism, making each place seem wonderful, but when settling in an unfamiliar place, various issues soon arise.

Why did the Federation Military and Ministry of Defense swiftly advance a Veterans' Club plan, allotting military funds to keep soldiers' morale high?

It's actually very simple: this is a transitional place. Those who can truly adapt to society have long left, and the ones remaining here can be said to be... somewhat defective. Their ability to reintegrate into society is relatively low, and they are more prone to making mistakes.

To prevent them from making mistakes in society or going to extremes, the Ministry of Defense has to give them a safety net for now.

Their excitement is understandable because they don't have to worry about what problems they will encounter after leaving here. They can live as they did before, by just obeying orders and completing tasks daily.

This is indeed a rather tragic situation, but no one cares about it.

Having been commissioned by some people, the lieutenant, as the highest-ranking officer here, found Lynch shortly after Lynch left.

"Sir..." he knocked on the door, "There's something I don't quite understand, and I'd like to discuss it with you."

Lynch, in the office having Ferrari and his wife's father handle these questionnaires, did not immediately look up when he heard this. He finished reading the questionnaire in his hand, then got up to open the door.

The lieutenant, maintaining his erect posture, stood outside the door. As Lynch opened the door, he stood at attention and saluted, calling him "Sir."

Lynch lightly gestured with his hand, left the room, and followed behind him slightly.

Once slightly out of the office, he took out a box of cigarettes, hesitated for a moment, then accepted one from Lynch, "Thank you, sir!"

"You don't need to call me sir; you can call me Lynch. If you think me worthy of respect, you can also call me Mr. Lynch," he said, taking out a lighter to light the lieutenant's cigarette, and his own.

The smoke went on a tour from the lungs before being exhaled, dancing wildly with the wind, finally dissipating into the air. He asked a question, "Lieutenant, before we start our conversation, I have a small question: With your rank, you don't seem to be on this downsizing list."

He patted the lieutenant's arm, "Relax, you can see me as your friend."

The lieutenant's expression was still somewhat stiff, the lit cigarette held between two fingers, not smoking beyond the first puff. He wasn't accustomed to smoking in front of a superior.

But at this moment, he had no choice. The cigarette was given by Lynch, and the lighter was his.

After taking a puff and feeling better, he softly said, "Officers below the rank of major all have the possibility of being reduced..."

This downsizing may cut down ten to a few tens of thousands of army personnel. The military can't just reduce ordinary soldiers and leave behind a bunch of bosses. After the initial large-scale actions, the direction of downsizing will mainly focus on reducing a few ordinary soldiers and officers.

Lynch nodded slightly, "What are you wondering about?"

The lieutenant's thoughts didn't keep pace; he paused for a moment before asking, "Mr. Lynch, if we meet your requirements, what would you have us do?"

He didn't explicitly say it, but he seemed worried that Lynch might ask them to do something illegal, which is a choice many soldiers are facing.

Some criminal groups are actively absorbing these soldiers, offering them higher welfare and benefits because they are very professional, yet what these soldiers have to do is fight against the government, which is very dangerous.

Only as a part of this nation's violent apparatus could one grasp the terror of the national machine. He feared Lynch could be such a person—endangering the country could happen domestically as well as abroad.

Lynch also needs someone to help him transmit some of his ideas to young people. Even if the lieutenant didn't come, he would actively contact him.

He answered the question with a smile, "You don't need to worry about anything; I am already a military partner with the Ministry of Defense. You can verify this with anyone you know; I just returned from the Ministry of Defense."

"As for your main tasks, they are actually quite simple: guarding and suppressing..."

"Lieutenant, do you love this country?" Lynch suddenly asked a question unrelated to their conversation, causing the lieutenant's mind to pause again.

But soon, he nodded and said, "Yes, Mr. Lynch, I love this country and am loyal to her!"

Lynch heard this was the lieutenant's heartfelt words because he used "her" instead of "it," adding emotional color to his words, indicating he was sincere.

Lynch nodded slightly, turning to gaze at the blue sky and white clouds, "I do too; I like this country, like her spirit of freedom that never forces people, and the equality she grants us. When people in other countries still live under tyranny, with even life and property not belonging to themselves, we already have everything."

"I want to protect this beauty, and I believe at this moment you have the same feelings as I do; anyone daring to harm national interests will be our enemy."

"And what we are going to do next is maintain this peace, preserve her beauty, and defend the nation's interests and honor!"

Lynch turned slightly, looking at him as sunlight bathed his body, giving him a glowing appearance, "Someone's got to do something to fill children's faces with smiles, allowing people to freely work and live here. Perhaps people won't know all we've sacrificed, but we will find peace of mind for the nation we all hold dear!"