Darkstone Code

Chapter 1476: Chapter 1474: Adding Fuel to the Fire

Kent was a very ordinary Lemar native, not an immigrant.

Recently, the trading company where he had been working suddenly closed down—though it can’t really be considered a closure, it simply hadn’t opened its doors for quite some time.

The company’s boss, who had returned home, mentioned that when they would resume operations depended on whether the situation in Lemar eased or after the war ended.

Just like that, Kent lost his job.

In the Lemar Islands, people traditionally lived by fishing. Only a few large islands could cultivate a small amount of crops, so for the Lemar of the past, fishing was almost an instinct for survival.

However, with the development of the times, social progress, and integration with the world, the younger generation, including the previous generation, had begun to interact with the entire world.

Fishing was no longer the only skill for survival; people learned to work and do more things.

This also resulted in young people like Kent, who generally did not rely on fishing for a living, nor were they willing to fish.

After all, being at sea all day posed great risks, and there was no guarantee of making money.

Why not just sit in an office all day, do some simple work, and get paid on time every month?

The younger generation’s resistance to traditional labor caused them to lose the skill of fishing.

Even if some people wanted to go out to sea now, they would either follow someone else’s boat, doing dirty and laborious work without gaining much.

Or, they would buy their own boat, making the fish they catch theirs. But the problem is, if they can afford a boat, why go out to sea?

This is like a vicious cycle, especially after external trade almost came to a halt. Even if they caught a large number of fish, these catches could not be exported, and they couldn’t rely on them for money, only ensuring they and possibly their families wouldn’t starve.

This was not what the young people wanted; they wanted money!

And all this is blamed on the Grand President...

Fortunately, now the Independents helped Kent by finding him a job, although it was a bit tough, a bit tiring, but a job that paid cash.

Having cash meant being able to fill the stomach and having the ability to withstand risks!

Every day, Kent’s job was quite simple, just removing the designated range of plants on the island where he worked.

Trees, shrubs, vines—clearing them, then burning...

The work was quite tiring, exhausting, and dirty, but Kent didn’t think it was a bad job.

At nine in the morning, after breakfast, Kent began his work. The job also included meals and accommodation, as they lived on the island for convenience.

While chatting with his coworkers, Kent was clearing some trees and chopping down the roots of large trees when suddenly some noisy sounds came from afar.

Kent straightened up holding his back, and looked into the distance. The person in charge of the island was speaking with a group of people in formal attire.

The two sides seemed to be arguing, and the workers stopped their work to watch.

About two or three minutes later, that group left, and the site supervisor gathered everyone together.

The supervisor, also a local, looked dissatisfied, "Take a break for two days..."

People inquired about what had happened, and then Kent learned that there was an issue at a construction site on another island. A worker’s foot was pierced by a steel bar.

Then someone reported the unsafe construction processes, prompting Lemar’s police station to start investigating and supervising the matter.

Lemar Republic had no army, only police and armed police, so anything that alarms the police wasn’t considered a small matter locally.

Some asked if they’d be paid for the two days off, but they were met with a glare.

Kent thought, even if there wasn’t work for two days, he still had some money on hand, and the site provided food and lodging, so he could manage.

And he could even be a bit lazy.

But this matter wasn’t as simple as it seemed!

Peng Jieao’s diplomatic envoy advised the Grand President to first delay the development of these islands with various relatively unimportant matters.

As for why not stop immediately, it was because Peng Jieao’s orders hadn’t arrived yet, and stopping the only foreign investment project abruptly would cause an uprising among its ordinary beneficiaries.

Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s only a few tens of thousands working on the project’s preliminary services. Behind these people are their families, their parents!

Though it appears to be only tens of thousands, once the issue ripples outward, it could affect hundreds, even tens of thousands more!

Such a large-scale uproar would put the Grand President in greater danger.

So Peng Jieao’s diplomat suggested dragging it out, letting them work for a few days, rest for a few days, and within a maximum of twenty days, Peng Jieao’s domestic orders would be released.

Of course, they would be issued through third parties, like companies from equally neutral countries, to avoid triggering sensitive nerves among people.

With these orders, the Grand President’s and the Supporters’ Party’s prestige in the Lemar Islands would rise again, allowing them to move forward with eliminating Lynch, this "Federation Merchant."

At that time, just randomly pin some things on them. As long as the public realizes they don’t need to rely on the Federation’s investment to make money, they won’t protest, at least not too fiercely!

This plan is very moderate and doesn’t involve intense confrontation, which allowed the Grand President to breathe a slight sigh of relief. At least he doesn’t need to openly show his changed stance to defuse the crisis.

Now, this is the first step!

A complete work stoppage for two days wasn’t a small matter, and Lynch quickly heard about it, and he was quite surprised.

What surprised him was how quickly the Grand President reacted. He had not yet thought that Peng Jieao people were behind this mischief, after all, he was not the Lord and didn’t have omniscient abilities.

But he had anticipated the Grand President’s counterattack!

"Mr. Lynch, what do we do next?"

At this moment, the chairman of the Independent Party in front of Lynch seemed to be... Lynch was reluctant to use certain words to lower his own refinement, but he had to admit.

In the political environment of Lemar, lacking political struggle, it’s difficult to cultivate cunning politicians like those in the Federation!

These people, if sent to the Federation District, might at most manage to become a mayor, and beyond that... they don’t have the capability.

Lynch thought for a moment, calculated a bit, "Inform all the construction sites to stop work completely."

The chairman of the Independent Party was stunned for a moment, then felt a bit troubled, "What if they ask us why the work is stopped?"

There are tens of thousands of people at the construction sites now, and if they get angry, they could tear him apart!

Moreover, these projects are all collaborations between the Independent Party and Lynch. To some extent, both sides are tied to this project...

No, it is the Independent Party being helped, Lynch can leave at any time!

Now that it was hard to establish the Independent Party’s prestige, if it gets destroyed because of this matter, it would be too regrettable.

Lynch looked at the chairman of the Independent Party somewhat inexplicably, "Do you need to ask me for a reason?"

"You can totally have those workers go and ask our President..."

Lynch feared that the chairman of the Independent Party wouldn’t understand, so he added, "Let them go and ask the Grand President why he wants to stop our project!"

A few seconds later, the chairman of the Independent Party suddenly understood and had a little more smile on his face.

Originally it was just a two-day stoppage, but now it became a direct stoppage, and then the responsibility was thrown on the Grand President.

He even thought further ahead.

If work continues to be stopped, the workers’ sensitive, fragile, and tense nerves will snap, causing an even more terrible backlash at that time.

If they don’t stop work, then the harsh methods they intend to use on the construction sites won’t achieve the desired effect.

The chairman of the Independent Party glanced at Lynch with some reverence, then stood up to arrange for people to do the work.

That afternoon, Kent, who was sitting on the bed playing cards with other familiar coworkers, was suddenly attracted by some commotion outside the door.

In fact, he didn’t want to play cards either, but when young people gather together, if they have nothing to do, someone will find ways to seek fun.

His luck wasn’t very good; he lost more than thirty dollars and was already thinking of quitting, and at this moment, the outside noise fulfilled his wish.

He threw his cards, and amidst his companions’ teasing and mocking, he ran out.

But after actually running outside, he discovered that many people had already gathered in the distance, all talking loudly, which was the cause of the disturbance.

He approached, grabbed a coworker, and casually asked a question, and what he heard next made him instantly furious!

"You haven’t heard, have you?"

"We’re now at a complete standstill, and it’s the Grand President’s request. There wasn’t any mention of when work will resume; it might be a permanent stoppage..."

At this moment, Kent’s only thought was to grab the President by the collar and thoroughly ask him why he first provoked the Federation people and is now stopping the hard-won jobs?

What exactly have they, these ordinary people, done wrong for the Grand President to target them like this?

The construction site’s manager continuously tried soothing the workers’ emotions, but it was obviously meaningless at this time.

Then, someone suddenly shouted "Let’s go settle accounts with the President," as if everyone suddenly found their direction, and they all ran towards the dock.

This scene didn’t just occur on this island; it was an outbreak of work stoppage on all islands involved in the Paradise Island plan!

Moreover, with some people’s instigation, the influence of this matter is continuously expanding!

That night, a large crowd gathered outside the Lemar Republic Government building to protest, and some even went to the President’s residence to protest.

Some hot-tempered people even threw stones and bricks at the government building or the Grand President’s residence, and even the police found it difficult to stop the surging crowd outside!

The Grand President, once again, became "famous"!

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