Blackstone Code

While Lynch and Ms. Tracy were discussing how to expose the brutality of the Sugran people through the case of Mike’s younger brother’s fiancée, Mr. Truman was also talking about the matter with the President.

“Mr. President, the entire society is increasingly leaning toward avenging those Federation citizens. This is the voice of the people—we cannot ignore it.”

Mr. Truman sat across from the President, speaking seriously. But it was clear the President didn’t want to invest too much energy in the matter.

He looked at the man sitting opposite him, fingers interlocked on the table. “This is in the past now. People always say they want revenge for those killed, but we can’t treat every emotional outburst as a directive.”

“The world is leaning toward peace. If we rashly launch a war, we’ll be seen as a global threat. And forgive me, but I won’t risk putting the entire Federation at odds with the world just for a few citizens.”

To the President, yes, Mike and his business associates had been killed, but hadn’t the Sugran central government sent photos as a form of explanation?

Those photos of decapitated bodies were truly shocking—especially the unfiltered versions he’d seen, which were far more graphic and nauseating.

It was clear from that act that the Sugran central government and their president didn’t want to antagonize the Federation. If the Federation pushed further, it would be seen as unreasonable.

Of course, what weighed most on his mind was the optics—resorting to military action right after taking office would seem far too aggressive.

Seeing that the President wasn’t going to change his stance, Truman made one last attempt.

“Mr. President, in the past, the Gephra people always claimed they would eliminate all their enemies. They were arrogant—over even minor conflicts, they would dispatch fleets to bombard enemy territories or seize merchant ships at sea.”

“Their conduct was atrocious, yet they only gained more allies. No one said Gephra was in the wrong—people only said others provoked them first.”

“Between individuals, respect should be mutual. But between nations, respect doesn’t come from showing it—it comes from force, from making others understand who is more deserving of respect.”

The President shook his head. “I remember you once told me that if we pressure the international community too much, Gephra will unite others to form a new alliance to undermine our advantage.”

“But now you want us to take a tougher stance, even consider initiating force to seek justice? Isn’t that just handing Gephra the excuse they need?”

These were indeed Truman’s past words. He frowned, realizing the President was using them against him—a sign that the President deeply opposed being persuaded this way.

He gave it one last push. “That applied to normal circumstances, where we wouldn’t initiate conflict. But this is different—someone has shown us malice, and we should defend ourselves.”

“For these hostile acts, we should retaliate hard!”

The President had many flaws, but one strength—he was willing to listen.

Any former salesman knows the hardest part isn’t selling the product—it’s getting the customer to actually hear you out.

Hearing Truman’s argument, the President looked a little shaken.

Truman recognized the hesitation in his expression—he’d seen it many times before. He quickly added, “We don’t actually have to use force. We just need to show that if they don’t give us what we want, we’ll pursue justice ourselves and defend our rights.”

“It’s about the posture—that’s what matters most.”

The President thought seriously. “Just the posture?”

Truman exhaled in relief. “Just the posture.”

At 1:00 p.m., the President’s press office issued a statement to major media outlets regarding the recent Mike massacre in Sugra.

In it, the President explicitly stated he would not rule out using other means to pursue justice for the victimized citizens of the Federation.

This declaration immediately sparked public uproar. Many citizens spontaneously took to the streets, waving flags and cheering the President’s tough stance. People saw him as potentially the toughest leader the Federation had ever had.

Just listen to what he said—he was reserving the right to use force first!

For a Federation long labeled as weak and evasive for years, even decades, this marked a change.

We are rising—not just in words this time!

But with the good came the bad—or at least, what the President saw as bad. For instance, Mr. Fitch called him.

“Some people have been calling me. They think the Federation’s international policy is shifting…” Mr. Fitch’s tone was calm and gentle, lacking any trace of the sinister, powerful figure he was rumored to be. He sounded like an ordinary old man.

“Some from the Conservative Party, some of our own people, and even a few foreign ambassadors.”

“You need to calm them down—explain the reasoning behind your decision…”

To the President, Fitch’s call was a headache. Even as President, there were still people in the Federation more powerful than him.

Like Mr. Geruno. Like Mr. Fitch. Like the chairman of the Conservative Party Committee.

These men might be unknown to the public, but each wielded power the President couldn’t defy.

After the call, the President phoned Mr. Truman. “Many people are concerned about our statement. They think our international policy might be changing. That’s your responsibility, isn’t it?”

Truman was, after all, the Federation’s first Minister of International Affairs. Matters of international policy naturally fell under his jurisdiction.

After Truman confirmed this, the President hung up, still feeling a bit frustrated—he believed he was being unfairly blamed.

Truman wasn’t surprised by the President’s reaction.

He had always known the President was easily swayed—by him, by others, by current events.

He then gathered his office staff to prepare a press Q&A…

In international affairs, nothing is ever isolated.

“If we don’t stand up for Sugra and their ambassador today, then if one day we face the same situation, who will stand up for us?”

The Gephra ambassador was a hereditary count—a rare, high-ranking title even in Gephra.

Being hereditary meant he didn’t need the Privy Council or the Emperor’s approval to retain his status—he only needed to report the succession, and the title continued.

At this moment, he sat in the center of the room. Soft music played in the background, the atmosphere was relaxed, and the lighting was gentle—everything about the room was designed for comfort.

But today, the gentlemen who usually spent their leisure time here all wore serious expressions, their eyes fixed on the Gephra diplomat as he spoke.

“I don’t deny that the Federation is a powerful country. And as you all know, in that naval battle—which we won’t name—they defeated us completely.”

“Even now, if someone tells me the Federation is the number one military power in the world, I would agree.”

“Until today, that never worried me. I believed the Federation was a peace-loving nation, one that never initiated conflict. So I never saw them as a threat.”

“I wasn’t concerned they’d invade anyone, or coerce others into anything.”

“But, gentlemen, that has changed today.”

“The statement from their presidential office makes it clear—they’re growing more aggressive. And if we let them succeed this time, what happens the next time?”

The room was silent, the diplomat’s voice sinking in. There was no doubt—humans are creatures of inertia. As long as a past solution still works, they rarely look for a new one.

That’s why so many problems have been solved the same way for hundreds or even thousands of years—not because new methods don’t exist, but because people are unwilling to change.

If the Baylor Federation becomes accustomed to using military force to resolve international issues—and who doesn’t face problems on the world stage?

What then?

“They’ll keep relying on the method they find simplest and most effective: force.”

“Gentlemen, in these future troubles, it could be you. It could be me.”

“None of us can guarantee the absolute safety of every Federation businessman operating in our countries. We can’t even fully protect our own businessmen—how can we guarantee the safety of theirs?”

“If we can’t meet their demands, they’ll resort to force. That is the greatest danger the international community faces right now.”

“A power is actively working to dismantle this hard-won peace.”

“Gentlemen, we must stand together.”