Darkstone Code

The goods Lynch brought from the Federation didn't sell out completely, but more than half had been sold, delivering a heavy blow to those in the United Development Company who were waiting to see him fail.

Why couldn't they understand? Were the natives of Nagariel all fools?

But soon, they turned this dissatisfaction and doubt into motivation.

A large number of orders returned to the Federation from Nagariel, providing a strong boost to the Federation's employment rate and further convincing people that Nagariel was the Federation's ultimate path.

At such a time, on the last day of the last week of January, the board meeting of the Nagariel United Development Company was to be held.

The meeting was held on a luxury cruise ship in the Great Eastern Ocean, which the United Development Company chartered for three months.

For the first week, the ship was used for meetings and networking, while for the rest of the three months, it would take some people around the Great Eastern Ocean before docking at a Federation port.

This was also considered a benefit for some outstanding employees of the United Development Company; however, this benefit was not given directly to employees but to their families, as the company wouldn't allow a key employee to be absent for three months — only exceptional employees could receive such a reward.

This luxury cruise around the Great Eastern Ocean also inspired many people. If one were to buy the tickets, it would cost about two thousand dollars, but now, the benefits were given away to the families of outstanding employees, which truly was... enviable.

Lynch, as a board member of the United Development Company, was also invited to attend the board meeting for the first quarter of this year.

Such meetings would be held every quarter, but in subsequent board meetings, many real company directors would not attend in person. Instead, they would appoint full or ordinary representatives to attend such board meetings on their behalf, listen to the board's content, and contact them to make some decisions when necessary.

This was the first meeting of the year and the first since the United Development Company fully started its work, so basically, all the shareholders were present in person.

"Mr. Lynch..." As Lynch just stepped out of his room to the third deck and picked up a drink from a waiter's tray, someone called him.

He turned back, smiled, put the glass back on the tray, and reached out his hand.

"Mr. Pato!"

Mr. Pato, whose face still bore severe stereotypical marks as if he had lived six hundred years ago, smiled awkwardly. This smile seemed incongruous and less comforting than his stern look.

He had also just walked out of the ship's interior and saw Lynch, subsequently calling out to him.

The exchange between the two also attracted the attention of others on the deck. Many sought to make eye contact with Lynch or Mr. Pato.

Some failed, but no one could tell they had, while others succeeded and nodded in acknowledgment or raised their glasses in respect to Lynch or Mr. Pato.

Lynch released the handshake with Mr. Pato, and they both took glasses from the waiter's tray, then moved to a less central place to converse.

"I heard about what you did—very bold and effective. It alleviated much pressure on the domestic economic environment. You're remarkable!"

He was referring to Lynch's actions of dumping goods in Nagariel. In this era, nothing could hide from the curiosity of capitalists in the Federation, not even Congress. Moreover, Lynch hadn't hidden much.

Soon, people obtained more detailed data, possibly even unknown to Lynch, listing his achievements in these trades.

Not considering the almost negligible cost of acquiring those factories and raw materials, merely the costs starting from production, raw materials at market price, alongside workers' wages and various expenditures, each small iron pot, or cooking pot, cost about ten to eleven dollars.

As Lynch continued production, which he was indeed doing, the labor cost per worker would be spread across more products, thereby lowering the labor cost in each, eventually bringing the price to about nine dollars per pot.

An iron pot costing roughly ten dollars, with freight charges around three to four dollars, would reach Nagariel with labor and storage costs included, amounting to about fifteen dollars per pot.

But this wasn't the absolute cost because, during this process, the Federation Government would subsidize products providing more jobs, based on the number of workers Lynch employed, by one or two dollars, and also grant him a tax exemption. The actual cost of these small iron pots was about eleven to twelve dollars.

These pots, costing eleven to twelve dollars, were sold by Lynch for twenty-eight dollars each, even when others couldn't sell their goods.

This was definitely a commercial miracle and a successful business case, finding opportunities, tapping into consumption desires and capabilities, and profiting from them—a perfect textbook example of business opportunity capture. Many praised Lynch's transaction and the returns and changes it brought.

Moreover, some goods were 'picked up for free' from warehouses of some newly acquired factories, even saving on transportation—subsidies and tax exemptions were enough to cover shipping costs, meaning every sale was pure profit.

However, things couldn't simply be viewed this way, at least not spread this way. After all, Mr. Lynch was a socially responsible young leader willing to take on more social responsibilities.

So, in reports, his social responsibilities would be emphasized more, like how he had enabled many struggling factories at home to receive some orders, improving some social conditions. His success wasn't just about creating economic benefits but also had profound political significance and social value.

Thus, Mr. Pato lavishly praised Lynch. It was indeed rare to see such an outstanding young man, unlike those "children" who wake up and sleep on women's bellies day in and day out, Lynch was perfectly enviable.

That's why they could converse normally. To Mr. Pato, Lynch seemed more like a peer than a "child."

"I heard you have some other plans next?" Mr. Pato was interested in getting some insights before the board meeting.

Lynch nodded, "Next month or the month after, I might go to Gafura. They've written my name into the diplomatic delegation, so I have to be in Gafura for a while."

"During this time, we'll try to persuade Emperor Gafura to allow us to participate in the development and post-war reconstruction in the Amelia Region. You know, that's a big sum of money!"

Mr. Pato nodded continuously, sipping a small amount from his glass, "Yes, a big sum indeed. We all know this because the bill is on the Gafurans!"

They exchanged smiles, both understanding the other's real thoughts. Such exchanges without needing much expression only occur among top-tier individuals like them.

They had a very clear understanding and grasp of social forms, developments, possible changes, and outcomes, enabling them to predict the process and outcome with just a spark of an idea.

Emperor Gafura's military defeat to the Federation was already a massive blow. Despite seeming normal in Gafura, his stability on the throne was no longer assured.

The military defeat had shaken his domestic authority. In a monarchy, a monarch's rule is maintained by authority formed from various sources.

With a loss here, he must reclaim it elsewhere, so he would tolerate the Federation's slightly excessive actions in Amelia, provided that the Federation proposes effective solutions to the Amelia Region's issues!

If this condition is met, Emperor Gafura wouldn't mind showing the Federation the Gafura Empire's wealth and generosity—although losing militarily, having the Federation work for us is another form of victory!

He might, or indeed, tell others that's how he sees it. Successfully negotiating this agreement could bring unimaginable wealth to the Amelia Region.

"So, what do you intend to do?" Mr. Pato was interested in Lynch's idea, mainly working in mining but open to expanding in other areas.

The mining ores, metals, and even the waste from smelting could be directly used in construction, increasing their profit margins.

"Post-war reconstruction requires people, many workers. I can't afford to employ the Federation's workers, but in Nagariel..." Lynch took a small sip of his drink, sharing a knowing smile, "That's my thought."

"So you want my support on the attitude towards the Nagariel natives. I heard some of you seemed interested in cleansing parts of the native population?"

Mr. Pato raised his eyebrow slightly, moving his fingers over the glass, "Did we? How come I didn't know?"

Lynch looked at him, and he looked back. They both knew that Mr. Pato was indeed a supporter of such an idea, one of the staunchest ones.

Employing native workers in his mines required paying wages, and compensating for deaths. But with slave labor, there were no wages, no compensation, no societal condemnation, and no one advocating for slaves.

However, he now felt that Lynch's plan might be more profitable.