Blackstone Code

As the music in the hall began to quiet down, people who had gathered in small circles gradually stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to the center of the crowd. Some who had been resting in the VIP room reappeared, now dressed in outfits more suited for the evening's festivities. Among them were, of course, Mr. and Mrs. Waldric.

Mr. Waldric smiled kindly at Lynch and gave a small wave. There was no trace of arrogance in him—he seemed approachable, even friendly. However, if anyone believed this was the whole truth, they would soon be in for a surprise.

The evening's celebration wasn't just about honoring the president's successful ascent to the highest seat of power in the Federation. It was, more accurately, a… marketplace of deals?

Everyone present was a supporter of the president, people who had backed him for years. And if the president wanted these people to continue supporting him in the next election, he needed to make it clear what they would gain in return for their financial and political support.

To put it simply, these people had spent money and effort on him, and if they were to continue doing so, they expected something in return.

This was the hallmark of the Baylor Federation: everything had a price tag. Every action had its reward. Though the public refused to believe this was true, it absolutely was.

It was at this moment that Lynch noticed some people who hadn't been visible earlier had now emerged, including the director of the Federation's largest medical conglomerate. Ever since dental insurance had been successfully lobbied to be removed from the social insurance program, larger medical conglomerates had begun to push for similar changes.

They had even set up a large professional PR team, trying to convince various sectors that their claims were true—namely, that paying higher medical insurance premiums would guarantee better medical services and protections.

One of their main goals was to escape government oversight. After all, part of medical expenses were funded by the federal government, which monitored every medical project closely to ensure that every cent was well-spent.

As a result, most citizens—actually, the vast majority—who wanted the government to cover part of their medical costs had to use the drugs specified by the federal government.

This was, of course, not in the best interest of the medical conglomerates. The profit margin on the cheapest drug was far smaller than on the more expensive alternatives, sometimes hundreds of times lower.

They wanted the public to use the most expensive drugs, not the cheapest, and they also wanted to eliminate government scrutiny.

The easiest way to achieve this was to remove health insurance from the social insurance system—just like the dental industry had done. As long as the government no longer had to pay for citizens' medical costs, it had no reason to oversee each medical transaction. That responsibility would then fall on the insurance companies.

This meant that citizens might end up paying hundreds or thousands of times more for treatments that could have been cured by cheaper drugs.

Even if the medical insurance companies covered 50% of the cost, their profits would still soar.

To achieve this, these medical groups had been spreading the supposed "dangers of cheap healthcare" through TV and newspapers. They cited examples of wealthy individuals and the types of treatments they received compared to the care the average person got.

They even invoked the concept of life equality, convincing the public that they too deserved better, more comprehensive, and more reliable medical services—not just "cheap treatment."

On the other hand, increasingly greedy medical groups were no longer content with profiting from just one side. They had formed medical insurance companies, intending to take control of both the medical and insurance expenses.

Everyone knew that health insurance was indispensable. No one could predict when they might run into medical issues, but not everyone got sick every year. This meant billions in insurance fees sat unused annually.

And if that money could go straight into their pockets…

Seeing these people now, Lynch couldn't help but think he was still too soft-hearted compared to them, far too kind.

These people were feeding on others in a very real sense. The entire upper class knew this, but no one spoke out. Even the federal government remained silent.

The government understood very well that if citizens voluntarily paid for their health insurance and medical conglomerates bore the costs, it would save the federal government a huge amount of money.

As for whether those paying the higher costs for medical treatment would get satisfactory results—that was another matter entirely.

Everyone remained silent. Faced with massive profits, people were all alike, including the "truthful president," who was no exception.

Besides the representatives from the medical industry, several famous chemical company executives also appeared. The chemical industry was another sector facing numerous problems and legal battles, and they hoped to resolve these issues from the top down.

The best way to do that was to support a politician, help him win the presidency, and in turn, receive favorable conditions for their companies.

Finally, the music in the hall came to a stop. The president stood in the middle of the crowd, ready to deliver a few words for the evening's event, setting the tone for his audience.

After a brief pause and a glance around the room, he solemnly said: "Thank you."

"I want to thank everyone for being here, and I want to thank you all for your support over the years!" His voice grew louder, and the room became so quiet that only his voice could be heard.

"Though we lost the last election…," he smiled slightly, "we got lucky!"

The crowd responded with kind laughter, appreciating his self-deprecating humor, which always helped in social situations.

Once the laughter died down, the president continued. "These past few months, I've been thinking… Now that I'm president, people no longer have to wonder how to address me with the proper respect."

The crowd smiled again, and the atmosphere in the room was warm. It was as if every important figure was an expert at easing tension.

"Now that I'm president, I have to do what presidents do.

"We all know the Federation's current situation isn't optimistic, and it's time we put aside our blind optimism and face the reality of our problems.

"If you listened to my earlier speeches, you might have noticed a particular point: we must take on more international responsibility. And that idea came from a young man.

"To be honest, I never expected such a perspective from someone so young. But it reminded me that we've long been aware of these problems—we've just chosen to ignore them!

"Mr. Lynch!" The president glanced around and locked eyes with Lynch. The crowd parted, and Lynch was exposed to everyone's gaze.

Even Mr. Waldric was surprised as he looked at Lynch, puzzled as to why such an unassuming figure would be singled out by the president at such an important occasion.

"Mr. Lynch was the first to propose this idea. He made me realize that isolation doesn't mean abandoning all power and responsibility. It doesn't mean shirking our duties.

"That's not what isolation should mean. That's escapism.

"I will see to it that the Federation becomes more involved in international affairs. This time, we won't be deserters. The mistakes of the past will serve as lessons to guide us toward the right path.

"For the Federation, for the people—Long Live the Free Federation!"

The president raised his glass, and so did the crowd, echoing the same words—"Long Live the Free Federation!" The atmosphere instantly surged with excitement.

The next part of the evening was more personal, where people could engage in deeper conversations. Each person had the chance to speak to the president about the issues they cared about. Of course, this was the real purpose of the event.

They would present their ideas and demands, and if the president found them appropriate, he might give some form of acknowledgment—but never a promise.

Beyond that, this was a high-level social gathering, bringing together top capitalists, top politicians, and various shadowy intermediaries.

Some people began looking for others to chat with, but most remained clustered around the president.

After fending off two individuals who approached him for pointless conversation, Lynch moved closer to the president, who was already discussing some matters.

"I recently spoke on the phone with the president of another country. He expressed strong support for our re-engagement with international society and agreed to promote bilateral trade, within limits, given the current situation…Please vote for this novel at https://www.novelupdates.com/series/blackstone-code/There are advance chapters available nowAccess will be granted 24 hours after the donationTier 1: 7 Advance chapters Link

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