Blackstone Code

For a Federal citizen, weekends are pure joy. They don’t have to work and can spend the entire day lying on that black leather sofa—one that others would disinfect after touching, but they can roll around on without a care.

Next to them, the specially designed snack rack is packed with junk food and syrupy drinks. A little reach, and the pleasures of the day are right at hand.

If the house is crowded, squeezing together and passing the time isn’t so bad either.

So on Saturdays, most regular people sleep till noon, then wake up and watch TV until late at night.

As for what’s shown on TV or in newspapers—that people go out and exercise on weekends—those are stories from middle-class neighborhoods or the rich districts.

After sitting all week in chairs that symbolize status, wealth, and power, of course they’d want to move around.

But if they worked ten hours a day on a factory assembly line, they wouldn’t be jogging in the park or rowing a boat until they were drenched in sweat on the weekend.

At 2 PM on Saturday, prime time begins. Some people choose to watch boring dramas, others turn to political and current affairs shows.

It must be said—the Federal government leads the world in entertainment. From yelling at homeless people to cursing the president, whatever people want to see, TV gives it to them.

Today’s Saturday View of the World was different. Normally, it’s a show that takes viewers around the globe to see interesting things.

With the international community just starting to take shape, people’s curiosity about the world beyond their borders translates into ratings. For many, this show is their main window into what lies beyond.

Of course, what they see isn’t always the real world—it’s often what someone wants them to see. Still, that’s enough to make them feel satisfied.

With nothing to compare it to, they assume what they see is true.

Besides, everyone loves to talk and brag. Sharing some news about foreign lands is the perfect way to add color to a dull life of work.

Take for example the once-popular rumor that Nagaryll people defecate and urinate anywhere—women included. That joke ran through factory floors, especially the second part. Men would smirk at the idea of women squatting in the open—then grin knowingly…

Assuming they ignored the part where there might be actual feces involved.

But today, the tone was different.

The usual cheerful opening music was gone. The host looked somber, as though mourning a loved one. People could sense something serious was coming.

“Recently, the Animal Protection Society protested at the Eminence Zoo. They believe humans lock up animals to strip away their freedom, to abuse them.”

“But what they don’t understand is that putting animals in cages… is to protect them!”

“Outside the cage, they face predators at any time, food shortages, and—most importantly—humans.”

“Animal products are bestsellers. Everyone wants a lion’s head on their fireplace, a bearskin rug beneath their feet.”

“But sometimes, we humans are the ones in the cage…”

The host paused, tidied his papers, and looked up after a moment. “When I saw the footage we’re about to show, I realized peace is still far away.”

“I recommend minors watch with parental guidance. If you’re emotionally sensitive, please switch to another channel. The world outside the cage… may be too much to bear.”

“So—are you ready?”

The screen switched to video, instantly gripping.

It showed several people lying in a pool of blood, two clearly teenagers—already lifeless. One teenage boy still showed signs of movement.

A narrator spoke over the footage. “This targeted attack took place in the region of… The victims were a family of Federal merchants.”

“The father had planned a holiday picnic with his family. On the way, they were ambushed.”

“Only their eldest son survived with serious injuries. The others were all killed. The attackers were after cash, jewelry, a car, and the key to the cold storage in their home.”

“After the ambush, the attackers raided the house, took all their savings and bank documents, then disappeared.”

“The local police refused to investigate, citing the lack of witnesses.”

The screen flashed again. A small, ordinary store—on the floor lay a couple in their 30s, covered in blood. Dead.

The store was ransacked, the cash register on the floor, coins scattered.

“A Federal couple opened a store in… offering rare goods from the Federation, giving locals a unique experience.”

“They thought this business would bring prosperity. What they didn’t expect was that while they worked hard to build wealth, others were watching them.”

“According to reports, around 8 PM, masked robbers stormed in. The couple didn’t even have a chance to resist. They were shot at close range.”

“The attackers stole all valuables and a large amount of alcohol. Witnesses suspect it was the work of a local gang from…”

“But the local police refused to pursue it. They claimed it was late, witness accounts might be unreliable, and without concrete evidence, no action would be taken.”

Clips like this continued, one after another. It became clear: those who left the Federation to seek fortune abroad weren’t always living a dream.

Each chilling image silently screamed: Outside the Federation, there is no real peace or safety.

The Federation is the cage. Inside, you are safe.

Step outside, and you must face the unknown.

Federal wealth has become the target of criminals everywhere. These people choose Federals—deliberately.

From initial shock and anger to numbness and even fear, viewers stayed glued to this channel—for the first time, watching not for entertainment, but for something serious.

More and more people tuned in. The truth of life abroad was becoming known.

The screen cut back to the studio. Two guests were seated.

One was an international policy expert. The other—a former local government official.”After watching these videos, I have a question: why are the local police so indifferent to solving these violent crimes?”

The host looked at the two guests. It was a question on everyone’s mind.

With such serious criminal cases happening, why did those foreign police seem not to care at all?

Guest A cleared his throat and replied, “From the perspective of the locals, Federal citizens are essentially foreigners. Coupled with the huge wealth gap, there’s a deep-rooted resentment, even hatred, toward Federals.”

“In some regions, the ruling authority is unstable. Larger gangs can openly challenge the government. So even when heinous crimes occur, the local police often won’t bother.”

“The victims being foreigners—that’s the key.”

“No one wants to offend locals or people around them for the sake of strangers. It’s not hard to understand their attitude.”

The host’s expression grew more serious. “Aren’t they afraid of diplomatic consequences?”

Guest B gave a sarcastic laugh. “Diplomacy between two countries rarely reaches down to the level of individual law enforcement officers—especially over something this low-level.”

“They know very well that even if we lodge protests or issue diplomatic notes, the worst those negligent officers will face is a reprimand. There will be no serious punishment.”

“Faced with the choice between risking their lives fighting local gangs and criminals, or doing nothing and losing nothing, they choose the latter.”

The host looked down at his notes. “I have a set of statistics here. Over the past 24 months—two years—according to the data we could obtain, more than 5,000 Federal merchants have been attacked and killed abroad.”

“That’s nearly seven to eight deaths every day from various causes, with even more injured—and that’s not counting the cases we weren’t able to document or those being covered up by local governments.”

“I believe, as international trade becomes more normalized, this has become one of our greatest fears—something we most dread seeing.”

“We might find ourselves alone in a foreign city, isolated, with no support. If we face danger in such a situation, does that mean we have absolutely no way out?”

Both guests nodded. Guest A sighed. “If the local governments are unwilling to intervene in such matters, and refuse to provide more protection for Federal merchants, then when something happens, all we can do is hope those people only want what’s in our pockets—not our lives.”

The host frowned. “Is there really nothing that can be done?”

“We can defeat Gephra. We can surpass most countries in science and technology. Are you telling me that for a problem this small, we have no solution at all?”