Blackstone Code

Would Chairman Auburn and CEO Neo be supporters of the President?

It was obviously a lie. If they truly supported the President, they wouldn't have been able to establish themselves in a stronghold state of the Progressive Party. They would have been dismantled by the targeted hostile policies, reduced to social debris.

They had always been supporters of the Progressive Party until they recently switched sides.

The Mayor understood Lynch's point within seconds. He couldn't help but glance at Lynch a few more times, with a mix of admiration and contemplation. "You should be a politician, not a businessman," he remarked.

Lynch silently chuckled, quickly refocusing on the people being surrounded by reporters.

Would people reflect?

It was an intriguing question because people constantly made mistakes, even repeating the same ones. Thus, the question arose: would humans reflect?

If humans would reflect on their past actions, why did some people stumble in the same place twice, three times, or even more?

But if people wouldn't reflect, why did they keep summarizing past experiences and lessons? Where did these insights go?

During recent years of continuous economic decline in the Baylor Federation, many had been reflecting—from the President to the homeless on the street. Sometimes, they pondered why society had become the way it was.

Why had their past glory faded, and why were they now shrouded in shadows?

What did they do wrong to face such a situation?

This kind of reflection rarely yielded useful and universal insights. Most of the time, it was just worthless mental rambling. But sometimes, they wondered if someone did something wrong.

Of course, they would never consider that their own mistakes brought about the current situation.

Nostalgia for the past, anxiety about the present, and fear of the future made people uneasy. Every day, people saw those downward-sloping graphs in newspapers and on TV, and heard horrifying news.

Except for the unemployment rate, which was rapidly increasing, nothing else was positive.

Until... someone stood up, pointed at the President, and said to everyone: "Look, it's this person's fault that we are suffering now."

Society, once a tranquil pond, suddenly erupted into chaos, leaving the president feeling helpless. Filled with doubt, suspicion, and even pity, people stood together as a unified group, pointing fingers at the president. They were uncertain if their actions were just, but everyone joined in nonetheless.

Gradually, they began to feel justified, thinking it was only natural. Blaming the President became a trend, a correct path, and a value system.

But deep down, everyone feared that if it wasn't the President's fault, they might continue to be wrong.

People felt uneasy. The weaker the President appeared, the more uneasy people became. They would feel they had done something wrong. Even if they accepted this fact and welcomed a new President, they would transfer some negative emotions onto the new one.

This was not a good thing.

This was not a good thing at all!

The new President's rise might make him seem like a winner in a conspiracy theory, which was the last thing he wanted. He should be the hero who defeated the evil dragon, not the next evil dragon.

So, how to make people feel at ease and believe what they did was right?

It was actually simple. Just make the President appear not so weak. After all, a real evil dragon always had some minions around. The President, the greatest evil dragon in the history of the Baylor Federation, should have some "minions" too.

As long as some minions were found, people wouldn't think it was a nationwide conspiracy, and they would believe they were on the right path.

Ordinary people needed this, politicians needed this, the entire Baylor Federation needed this.

As for whether Neo would deny it?

He would shut up if he didn't want to be permanently silenced.

Under the watch of Lynch and the mayor, socialites eagerly donated to those they would normally find repulsive. Some well-dressed ladies even posed for sympathetic photos with these deformed old people, making touching speeches.

Many elderly people, suffering from illness, became more emotionally involved. They were more proactive than when Lynch visited them, believing that this exposure might change something.

It actually wouldn't. The fervor would last only a short time. Once some people achieve their goals, everything would return to normal.

They would still have to live here and endure the pain. They still wouldn't be able to afford medical treatment and would slowly die here as if nothing had happened.

Oh, maybe their meals would improve, and social workers might smile a bit more. But that was about it. Those who would be truly benefited would have already received their benefits.

The event was a success. The impact of the prime-time broadcast was astounding. Before the program even ended, the TV station received many viewer calls. People inquired about those individuals, provided similar information, and a few even asked how to help.

Even in a cold society, there were moments of warmth.

However, some were furious, like old Auburn and his son-in-law Neo.

The two sat in a living room that resembled a palace. The enormous rhinoceros leather sofa they were sitting on had taken the hides of six rhinos to complete.

It consisted of two single sofas and a large one that could seat four to five people. On the backs of these sofas were complete, closed-eyed rhinoceros heads with sharp horns.

The price of this sofa set could equal a person's or even a family's lifetime savings.

But today, the two sitting on the sofa showed no signs of enjoyment. They too had seen the program and knew things were rapidly deteriorating.

Neo remained silent, but Auburn couldn't hold back any longer. Perhaps it was his age, making him less able to restrain himself. "Is it too late to fix these issues now?"

It was a question, but more like a hopeful wish. Neo shook his head.

Before the situation fermented, everything was solvable. But once it did, and public opinion got involved, it was impossible to change anything.

Doing nothing was better than taking any action at the moment, as even the smallest move would confirm the truth of these issues.

In fact, companies involved in the chemical industry, even those that used only some raw chemical materials, often had employees who suffered from health problems each year due to various issues.

It was normal. No one could guarantee a chemical reaction would be 100% stable, nor that there wouldn't be any accidents in the process.

Maybe in a lab, but in a factory... even human sweat could react with some materials, let alone the complex factory environment.

Wasn't it the most normal practice to cover up problems when they arose?

Ninety-nine percent of companies in the Baylor Federation had done this. If treatment costs were lower than the federal compensation standards, they would persuade workers to forgo compensation claims, exaggerating treatment costs while promising to cover them all.

If treatment costs were higher, they would refuse humanitarian care and obligations, leading to a lawsuit where workers would get insufficient compensation, legally ending the causal relationship.

Every company had done this, and many were worse than Neo.

The largest chemical company in the Baylor Federation once had an accident where over a hundred people were exposed to toxic gas for at least two minutes. The gas, carried by wind, spread over ten kilometers, causing varying degrees of harm to thousands and killing livestock.

They also settled it this way, some even saying they profited from it—through insurance.

Neo didn't think their actions were excessive, but now, with public opinion targeting them, people would think he went too far.

He felt wronged because he couldn't speak out. Some things could be known privately or discovered by others on their own, but they should not be spread through word of mouth.

In this world, there were countless ways to cause someone to lose their life, especially for those who intended to break the rules. They often found that as soon as they put their plans into action, they were abruptly silenced.

With a grim expression, Neo sighed, took out a cigarette, and lit it. "Let the public relations department handle it first...," he said, though it was a desperate measure.

All big companies had such departments. Though names may vary, their functions were the same. They managed the company's relations with the public, maintaining a positive image.

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