Darkstone Code

In the cemetery, the President of the Workers’ Union looked at the brand new gravestone in front of him and silently laid down the flowers he held.

On it were photos of a family of three, which gave him a somewhat absurd feeling.

Clearly, they had only recently been discussing... how to change society, change the world, and he never expected that in such a brief moment, his close friend and his family would leave this world together.

"The police responsible for the case said it was a traffic accident, the driver was drunk, and he didn’t make any excuses for his actions, even admitted his guilt in court."

The investigator standing beside the President tilted his head to look at him, "My condolences..."

The President ignored the investigator beside him; he was currently awaiting trial. Although he was released on bail, the Federation Government still arranged for FBI investigators to "monitor" him.

And he had just learned that his friend’s family died in a car accident. Before this, the Police Station had blocked information, preventing him from understanding these matters.

Yes, before.

Now his case was handled by the FBI. In reality, cases like office scandal are hardly enough to alarm the FBI.

From the distribution of responsibilities, only criminal cases that have a bad impact on the people and society would be handed over to the FBI.

And office sexual domination scandals do not fall into this category.

In many people’s eyes, it is just tabloid news, people wouldn’t even sympathize with the victim. Most women living in the Lower City streets, when discussing these matters, would express with exaggeration the view that "she must be very promiscuous" and then add a sentence like, "otherwise these things wouldn’t have happened to her" to affirm their perspective.

The case had always been handled by the local Police Station in Bupen, but just two days ago, things changed.

Although the trial was already scheduled, the FBI suddenly took over the case, and with the reason that "the President might be implicated in a murder case," they took him away.

So he gained temporary freedom, of course, he also got a "partner."

Today’s wind is somewhat fierce.

The desolate autumn in the wind carries a sharp chill, the wind can pierce through the clothes, making one feel a cold despair in their heart!

He tightened his coat, yet this still failed to bring him the slightest warmth.

He truly couldn’t understand, what have his actions provoked?

The investigator next to him smoked, waiting for quite a while, until the President’s mood had eased to some extent, then he said, "Do you think this was a genuine traffic accident?"

The President turned his head to glance at him and lowered his head again, still in self-reproach.

"I can reveal some undisclosed content, actually, this is a murder case."

"And the person causing all of this is you."

The President couldn’t stand it anymore.

Being framed, betrayed, alongside betrayal, now with the blame for his close friend’s death placed upon him, he turned angrily towards the investigator, "What does this have to do with me?"

The investigator looked down and kicked a pebble with his toe, the pebble bounced and jumped to the edge of the gravestone, he then raised his head to look at the President, "Just like this..."

The President was overtaken by a wave of anger from being manipulated, his face flushed, but immediately that feeling faded, only a sense of loss and slight panic remained.

His close friend, who he had agreed to create the future with, was like a small pebble on the road, because he was somewhat... obstructive, hence kicked aside.

And himself?

"Because of the matters over in Nagariel?"

The investigator made an invitation to walk and talk, the President hesitated for a moment, then followed him.

"Actually I don’t know how to tell you about this, can only say there is indeed a significant relationship, but to pursue the core reason, it actually lies domestically."

The investigator didn’t delve too deeply, merely used some convenient disclosures to make the President realize that behind the domestic disappearance cases, there’s a connection with international human trafficking.

And everyone knows, this is the Duncan Clan’s most core voice.

Not only is it extremely profitable, but the benefits it brings can make them earn even more!

"So you mean that these big figures fear that after we expand the Workers’ Union in Nagariel, it might bring them some trouble?"

In the President’s tone, there is still a hint of distrust, he stopped walking, "You can’t convince me; what we’re doing can’t possibly shake the family of such big figures, what you’re saying sounds very absurd to me..."

The investigator seemed somewhat helpless, he also stopped walking, turning sideways to look at the President, "Listen, if it were any other time in the past, what you said would be correct."

"But now, we’ve caught their weak spot, and no matter what, they won’t allow you to run the business you want in Nagariel so quickly."

"You are the President of the Workers’ Union, and you know better than me that the Workers’ Union itself is actually a very large intelligence agency."

"This very characteristic dictates that your activities are not permitted, at least not while they still hold the power of the United Development Company!"

The President then fell into silence, as there was nothing wrong with what the investigator said.

The Workers’ Union is indeed a very large intelligence agency, and the intelligence it collects is not singular.

From a certain factory possibly concealing an accident to a factory owner unable to continue operations due to debt issues.

As long as they are willing to collect this intelligence, they can instantly become one of the largest intelligence agencies within the Federation.

Perhaps they can’t obtain the highest-level information, but they find it hard to miss any event occurring in the middle and lower levels of society!

Even now, the Workers’ Union is collecting intelligence through clubs and other means.

Of course, they won’t say that, nor will they admit they’ve done it, but they indeed sell the information of their adversary companies to certain capitalists or capital groups.

This information may not seem significant to the workers, such as a sudden reduction in production at a factory, a sudden increase, a sudden halt for assembly line renovation, or changes in raw materials...

These things can happen every day and are not very concealed. They’re laid out in front of the workers, and even if they don’t want to see them, they do.

To the workers, it’s just their everyday work and life information, but once sold, it can have a significant impact on some enterprises.

At least you can understand your competitor’s dynamics before they publicly announce anything, or directly cause you terrible losses in some aspects. Is there anything more important than this?

So the Federation’s Workers’ Union has never been an organization standing on the side of the working class. Perhaps they portray themselves that way, but they are not in essence.

Just like the Workers’ Union President at this moment, he never admits to being a worker. Instead, he sees himself as an ’official.’ That is the essential difference.

Workers believe that the Workers’ Union is a place where workers are in charge...

But in reality, they’ve just changed methods of being exploited further, and more thoroughly.

At least capitalists will only make workers labor more or harder, whereas the Workers’ Union directly sells them for money.

The President, caught in silent contemplation over even the core profit methods of the Workers’ Union, can imagine what results this ’non-official, non-capital organization standing from the workers’ perspective’ would have if it spread fully in Nagariel.

The successful experiences of the Federation will allow the Workers’ Union to develop more rapidly in Nagariel.

And this will precisely cause significant harm and impact on certain interest groups!

So when the President decides to implement this, it inevitably means someone will pay the price for his decision.

He reached out to the investigator for a cigarette, lit it, took a deep drag, suppressing the surging anger and regret inside him, "So, am I the one who actually caused their deaths?"

He spoke as if it were a question, but anyone could hear the self-blame in his words.

The investigator didn’t speak, implicitly acknowledging the fact that if it weren’t for the President’s decision, which made Mr. Jeruno worried, his friends and family wouldn’t have fallen victim.

Some words from the Chairman of the Socialist Party Committee also made him vaguely aware that the old guy had known all along.

But he said nothing...

At this moment, countless emotions were boiling and churning inside the President as he looked at the investigator, "And you, what can you do?"

"Protect me from getting killed, or do you want to use me as bait?"

The investigator grinned. Though the President’s words sounded like sarcasm, in fact, behind these words, he had already accepted the FBI’s cooperation deal.

The investigator gestured for him to "follow," continuing forward, and the President hurried two steps to catch up with him.

"We have established a specialized investigation team specifically dealing with cases related to them."

"If you’ve been following the news recently, you would know that some things on Paradise Island have already been exposed by us, and many have been arrested."

"This is just the first step. We have many other task forces working hard, and you are my group’s main focus next."

"In the upcoming trials, some evidence will be overturned. Although you can’t be acquitted, we can get you out on bail..."

The Federation’s judicial system often needs to consider the emotions of ordinary people. When so many people accuse the President of being deeply involved in certain scandals or even criminal activities, letting him off scot-free would make those at the bottom of society feel everything is shrouded in darkness.

So he will be sentenced, but for a short period, and with evidence issues, it’s more likely to result in community service or a short term within six months.

Then, getting out on parole five months and twenty-nine days early won’t be a problem.

All these conform to judicial procedures, so they are allowed!