Darkstone Code

Mr. Pato, who was contemplating other matters, swiftly shifted the conversation between the two from work to life.

"Have you been in touch with Anna lately?"

It was a rather abrupt question, but luckily Lynch responded quickly. Instead of answering directly, he replied in a roundabout way, "You know, people like us, if we're not here today, then we're there, rarely able to stay put."

This sentence nicely explained why he hadn't been in contact with Anna and left enough room for answers to any further unexpected questions Mr. Pato might ask.

Mr. Pato nodded, "Indeed…", he paused, "Anna is quite interested in news related to you. I asked if she might be… you know, young girls always have incomprehensible thoughts. Maybe there could be some common ground between you two."

In Lynch, Mr. Pato saw potential. For big capitalists, they don't mind giving up a son or daughter for a suitable heir.

Mr. Pato and his family, as well as the entire clan, had a deep obsession with the concepts of "family" and "surname," perhaps due to their innate "noble" blood or perhaps because they wanted people to believe they were true nobility. In any case, some of their views were markedly out of step with modern thinking.

He didn't care who would inherit his business; he only cared that the Akiner surname continued to exist in the Federation with certain flag-bearing value and significance.

Bringing more outstanding talents into this big family aligns more with the ideas of him and most of the family members. The family's interests are above all else.

If Lynch were willing to marry Anna, and among their children, at least one was surnamed "Akiner," Mr. Pato would be willing to help Lynch realize most of his dreams.

The expansion of Lynch's business would become an important aid and partner for the Akiner Clan. Additionally, as long as at least one of his children could inherit part of his assets, this very much aligns with the family's interests.

In these matters, Mr. Pato was entirely different from Mr. Wardrick. Mr. Pato sought the most tangible and the family's benefits, while Mr. Wardrick was different—he wanted complete control.

At this moment, Mr. Pato made this point very clear; he was hinting to Lynch that perhaps their relationship could become more solid through Anna.

Lynch smiled, "That is also my biggest headache; many people tend to admire outstanding individuals."

Mr. Pato was slightly stunned because Lynch had not explicitly expressed an accurate statement, whether it was agreement or disagreement, or even a willingness to try. Instead, he provided an answer that even he couldn't evaluate.

However, this answer was sufficiently related to his question. It's normal for outstanding people to be admired by others; it's just pure admiration, one-sided, and whether it can develop further is uncertain.

"You're thicker-skinned than I imagined, and that's good news. Many young people fail because they care too much about their face, but it seems you won't stumble in this regard."

In Bupen, everyone knows what happens when young people challenge or confront each other, and what ultimately results from those actions.

After all, Bupen is only so big, you could even say the whole Federation is only so big. Seventeen states, with possibly a large land area, but not many people.

When a young person taunts another young person with "You're not as good as me," the other young person is very likely to respond actively, rather than avoiding it with a smile like the older folks.

Many young people have lost face and suffered painful failures because of their competitive nature. The youthful rivalry between them seems to have become an eternal topic, even though people know it might be wrong, they just can't avoid it.

Lynch smirked, "Child's play!"

"The way you speak is just like someone of my age, no wonder Anna says you have no friends."

The conversation between the two seemed to change slightly, veering away from money and profit, becoming more ordinary, and adding a bit more fun.

"But I have money!" Lynch raised his glass and clinked it with Mr. Pato's, signaling the end of their increasingly normal conversation.

"It's quite enjoyable talking to you, Lynch, I look forward to our next discussion!" After a courteous farewell, Mr. Pato left with his glass.

There wasn't much rapport between Lynch and Mr. Pato. They had spoken a few times and were relatively unfamiliar, but this old gentleman was quite an interesting person.

Straight-laced, not given to much talk, most of the time looking very serious, yet very genuine in conduct.

The dull and tedious social interaction that many people crave finally wound down after some time; it was merely a chance for everyone to get acquainted before the shareholders' meeting commenced.

You don't want someone to stand up and speak, only for others to stare blankly, not knowing who it is, whose interests they represent, or what stance they stand for.

Worthy of note was that Mr. Wardrick didn't attend today, but he sent a trusted aide to explain the situation: he was negotiating a very important deal and would arrive on the cruise at the latest by tomorrow or the day after.

This also led to the shareholder meeting being postponed by a day compared to the original schedule—no one would stand out to express unwillingness to delay. Each time someone was asked whether they agreed to postpone a day to wait for Mr. Wardrick, except Mr. Pato and some other high-level consortium leaders who expressed "no issue," everyone else smiled and said it was worth the wait.

Returning to the room, Lynch changed into some casual attire and took Helen for a stroll around the cruise ship.

This luxury cruise ship was extremely large, with multiple cinemas and two opera houses inside, along with all kinds of entertainment facilities. Helen, stepping onto the ship for the first time, couldn't help but gasp softly at every corner.

She couldn't imagine that the lives of wealthy people could be so joyous. Just look at the exquisite food on the tables, various expensive ingredients piled up randomly. You have to know, at the moment, many in the Federation couldn't even afford meat.

Yet here, these were all free, and the captain even assured that any unused food each day would be thrown into the sea, ensuring the ship's esteemed guests never ate leftovers from the day before.

Is this the life of the rich?

The life of the rich is truly filled with joy!

"Are those company employees' families?" At the outdoor swimming pool on the fourth floor, Helen observed the girls in and around the pool, notably gorgeously dressed.

These girls all had one thing in common: they were very young, beautiful, and well-built.

They didn't seem to mind others appreciating their figures, occasionally frolicking with some young men, or snuggling next to some middle-aged and even older men, tender as little lambs.

Lynch merely glanced and then withdrew his gaze, "Anybody able to take this ship around the Great Eastern Ocean isn't exactly a poor person, they are here to enjoy, and so the cruise offers all sorts of entertainment projects."

"There are cinemas, opera houses, sports fields, even mixed martial arts rings, and two casinos, all to provide joy to people. So… these girls too."

Helen looked in surprise at those young, beautiful girls, somewhat incredulous. "You mean… they're all call girls?"

"High-class call girls!" Lynch corrected her term while leading her across the pool, "These girls all have regular jobs. They could be senior employees at some company, teachers in some schools, or… you know, they all have decent jobs."

"If their jobs weren't good enough, they wouldn't be able to take such long holidays. Besides enjoying this trip for free, they also earn several thousand to tens of thousands in extra income during the trip…"

Providing high-class escort services on a luxury cruise ship is an unspoken secret, but it doesn't actually matter if it's proclaimed or not as most people know it.

People will speak with disdain when discussing these girls, yet also harbor deep envy in their hearts, including some other girls not qualified to board the ship.

Luxury cruise guests are mostly wealthy, hence the escort service here requires a matching social level. These girls belong to high-end agencies or directly liaise with the cruise company.

Whenever a luxury cruise trip is planned, these girls or their agencies are contacted to get them aboard.

After all, the journey is long, and some single gentlemen want to leave memorable recollections during the trip, or even come aboard specifically for such encounters.

Sporadic romantic encounters are slim to none. The world doesn't possess that many surprises, mostly dullness.

So, to meet these passengers' expectations, the cruise company must organize every encounter, including for female passengers, with the aim of ensuring every guest is satisfied.

The cruise provides gratifying services; passengers attain fulfilling encounters, while these girls earn unfathomable wealth without blemishing their reputation—everyone wins.

After crossing the outdoor pool, upon entering, staff in white shirts and red vests bowed and loudly welcomed, "Welcome!"

The lively buzz instantly dragged Helen out of her thoughts; effortlessly, directly, the casino unveiled itself before her.

Lynch pulled at Helen, who hadn't quite come to her senses yet, "Come on, I'll show you something interesting."