Darkstone Code

Chapter 1462: Chapter 1460: Eyes in the Darkness

From a certain perspective, the election was actually over by late October to early November.

After that, there wouldn’t be much change between the results of public opinion polls and the final survey results, essentially staying the same.

From now until October, only half a year remains, and this time is actually somewhat urgent.

Mr. Truman found it challenging to oversee everything and could only entrust Lynch to take a look.

Lynch took on this responsibility wholeheartedly.

The car started, and both men maintained their silence.

After a while, Mr. Truman glanced at his watch, "Let’s find a restaurant and have something to eat first."

Soon after, the car stopped at a private venue, a type of restaurant not open to the public.

Such venues are everywhere in Bupen; capitalists can’t openly discuss the transfer of benefits with politicians in public.

Sometimes the relationship between them isn’t strong enough to invite each other to their own homes, so finding a sufficiently private and very safe place becomes necessary.

The expense for these places is high, and it’s not just about having money, often requiring membership.

The two entered the room, and soon the chef brought exquisite food before leaving.

There was only one table in the room, with the two men sitting beside it.

"Do you think Lemar will side with us?" Mr. Truman asked as he ate the delicious food.

He already had an idea in mind, just needing some recognition, some certainty.

He appeared focused on the food in front of him, but in reality, his attention was on Lynch.

Lynch shook his head slightly while manipulating his knife and fork, "No, if they don’t remain neutral, they won’t side with us either, especially if we don’t continue to intervene."

Mr. Truman set down his knife but still held his fork.

He looked at Lynch and asked, "Why?" Then he put a piece of slightly pink meat into his mouth.

Lynch looked at him as well, "It’s like two boys pursuing a girl at the same time, but the girl doesn’t want to date in high school, so she rejects them both."

"Now, if one of them gives up and has other choices, even if the girl suddenly wants to date, she won’t choose him!"

"That’s the situation we’re facing now."

"We’ve built a lot of defense constructions near Modorik Port, which has already hurt the feelings of the Lemar people."

"I believe the Peng Jieao people have persuaded them, so they sent a diplomatic note requesting through diplomatic channels."

"In any case, they won’t side with us anymore."

Lynch’s views were in line with Mr. Truman’s; he just hadn’t thought as meticulously as Lynch. He nodded slightly, "That’s why we find it challenging to agree on a solution we can all accept now!"

Once the defense constructions began, from a certain low-level perspective, the Federation and Lemar have split into two forces not in the same camp at least.

On the contrary, they still have the possibility of cooperation with Peng Jieao, as Peng Jieao hasn’t built any defense constructions there, even though there’s no place for them to do so.

If there’s no intervention, Lemar might gradually slide toward Peng Jieao, causing a terrible impact and threat in the North Bay of the East Ocean to both the Federation and Mariluo.

Mr. Truman, in fact, still hoped to cooperate with Lemar, as long as the Federation’s displayed attitude was not too strong, which would help the Federation and the international community establish a positive image.

But politics is politics, and reality is reality. When reality can’t fulfill some beautiful ideas, then the needs of reality must come first.

Mr. Truman started cutting into the steak again, "While you’re outside, we’ve been discussing this inside too. We have some ideas and want to help those on our side climb to higher positions!"

"But..."

Lynch continued, "Time seems rather short!"

Mr. Truman nodded, "Yes."

"According to the intelligence compiled by the Strategic Command from all over the world, we can conclude that a war could break out as early as April or May next year."

"And their President has just been elected..."

Being newly elected means that, by normal means, Lemar’s Grand President can’t leave his position normally or otherwise.

If he doesn’t leave that position, Lemar’s Conservative Party will continue to govern, and this largest party is not on the Federation’s side.

They belong to the neutral faction, but when neutrality can’t meet their interest demands or poses danger to them, they will make a choice.

The information gathered from Lemar indicates that they are secretly contacting Peng Jieao’s diplomats, which is not a good sign.

Lynch paused for a moment, swallowed the food in his mouth, and looked at Mr. Truman, "What do you mean by this?"

Mr. Truman hesitated for a moment, but finally said, "I mean we need someone outside our field of vision to do this. You know, in case it doesn’t go so well and gets exposed, it wouldn’t be good news for us."

"People won’t take kindly to news of the Federation Government conspiring to overthrow or subvert another country’s ruling party. We’re still lacking something in the international community, and such news is not good for us!"

Mr. Truman wasn’t just saying this offhandedly. If the Federation were indeed exposed as being involved in such activities, it would be devastating to the Federation’s reputation.

Nobody wants their "partner" to be someone who doesn’t allow dissenters, nor do they want the political ecosystem in their own country to be under the control of the Federation.

The best way, then, is to stay away from the Federation and to group together with other countries similarly troubled by this.

The Federation has not yet firmly grasped an advantageous position and still cares very much about its reputation on the international stage.

The two men looked at each other, and Mr. Truman’s meaning was already quite clear.

Certain activities that the state cannot do, individuals can.

He wanted Lynch to do this!

It wasn’t out of any... altruistic purpose.

During this period, Mr. Truman also dealt with many issues related to the Duncan Clan, and he was increasingly shocked and even terrified by all that this family had established!

Before them, the Federation Government had no authority because most people had dealings of interest with them!

If it weren’t for the consideration that suddenly removing too many mid-to-upper-level politicians would cause unpredictable problems, along with some political and interest exchanges, if the truth were revealed, eighty percent of Congress would need to be purged!

Governors from various regions, officials at all levels, politicians...

It’s terrifying!

More frightening is the fact that people don’t actually have much leverage against the Duncan Clan, and if it weren’t for the accumulated dissatisfaction of the bipartisan committee’s high ranks toward the Duncan Clan reaching its peak, the Duncan Clan might not fall!

This also made Mr. Truman more wary of capital, and there was an even more terrifying person right beside him!

A young man he considered to possess intelligence, capability, talent, ideals, courage... far beyond his own!

If Lynch wasn’t controlled, if there wasn’t some lethal leverage against him, once Lynch went out of control, the damage to the Federation would be devastating!

Once he is elected, Lynch’s influence will inevitably expand further, and he can’t possibly spend his entire life monitoring Lynch as President, preventing him from making mistakes.

So he must ensure Lynch remains within a controllable range, and rather than some trivial transgressions, multiple attempts at overthrowing other nations’ regimes, or repeated attempts to assassinate or actually assassinate foreign leaders, would obviously serve as a fitting leverage.

To deal with him, it would just take signing a diplomatic treaty to escort him to those countries for trial.

In those countries, Lynch’s influence is nothing like it is in the Federation; he can’t interfere with the political landscape of those countries that bear a grudge against him, and ultimately he would surely face a fair verdict!

This is the reason why Mr. Truman plans to have Lynch execute this task; dealing with Lemar isn’t really the true objective, but ensuring Lynch can be controlled is his real motive to prompt this!

Lynch could sense these things too. He had already taken care to avoid what he did in Gafura and Nagariel, yet Mr. Truman brought it up unexpectedly.

He pondered for a moment, "I can’t just go there and kill him now; there has to be a process."

"Only when we really have no other option would I consider doing such a thing."

Mr. Truman smiled lightly, "That’s what I wanted to say, if there’s no other way at the end, no one would want to resort to such methods."

"But once the situation becomes irreparable, for the safety of the Federation and its people, we have to make certain sacrifices, what do you think?"

Lynch raised his glass, toasting, "To the Federation and its people!"

That evening, after returning home, Lynch sat quietly in his study without turning on the lights.

The dim room was lit a little, from Bupen down the Half Mountain.

Other than that, there was the blinking of a cigarette.

Occasionally, when he took a puff, the cigarette tip would glow, casting a slight red light on his face, only to return quickly to darkness.

He knew Mr. Truman was setting a trap for him, trying to leash him up.

When the matter of a capitalist being involved in multiple plots to harm foreign heads of state is exposed, no one will forgive him.

It seemed as such, but he couldn’t refuse, because Mr. Truman knew too much, and once he won the election, the next eight years would be his.

After a while, Lynch took his last drag of the cigarette, the heat from the cigarette was close enough for his fingers to feel, and he promptly snuffed the butt out in the ashtray.

The darkness was devoid of even the last flicker of light, leaving only the darkness.

And in that darkness, faintly visible were a pair of eyes...

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