Darkstone Code

Lynch is leaving.

Mr. Jeruno looked at Lynch and truly didn’t know how to keep Lynch here, let alone persuade him. He realized that he, or the President, wasn’t what Lynch wanted, which left him clueless on what to use as bargaining chips!

You always need something others want in order to get what you want. Not a completely equivalent exchange, but at least both parties should find it suitable.

But now he was the one asking Lynch for something, yet there was nothing that Lynch must have or wanted, leaving him unable to speak.

It’s not that he couldn’t speak, but that he understood the meaning of speaking was minimal.

If he "forcefully" wanted Lynch to stay, it wasn’t impossible, but at that point, Lynch would make exorbitant demands.

He would ask for all sorts of things that Mr. Jeruno couldn’t afford or couldn’t part with. Instead of preserving awkwardness, it’s better not to do so now.

Watching Lynch’s decisive departure without any pause, Mr. Jeruno tightened his clothes. From here, he gained nothing.

After returning home, Lynch immediately made a call to Mr. Truman and narrated the meeting with Mr. Jeruno.

At this moment, Mr. Truman was unaware of this matter, but he realized the seriousness of the situation immediately.

Almost within minutes, the entire upper echelon of the Federation’s core staff was alarmed by this news, even the President, who was watching TV in bed, had to put on clothes and walk into the office.

"What’s going on, is there something special?", he asked his butler.

Generally, the butler wouldn’t disturb his rest because, by Federation habits, work hours and personal time are distinctly separated. Unless it’s working hours, it is personal time.

As long as it’s personal time, it shouldn’t be interrupted by business, even for the President, unless it’s very important, he wouldn’t get up to handle something that could be resolved in a minute the next morning.

The butler stood by the door without entering. He knew such late-night calls disturbing the President were often very important and confidential, and he shouldn’t listen.

At least until the President asks him to, he shouldn’t listen.

"It’s a call from Mr. Truman, his tone is very urgent."

The President’s heart sank, he nodded, "I understand."

He walked behind the desk and sat down while the butler closed the door.

Before closing the door, the butler said, "I will be right outside."

The tightly closed door and the quiet, dark environment compelled the President to draw a cigarette and light it. He vaguely sensed what was happening.

If anything occurred recently, it would be the unpleasing solo interactions with Mrs. Chris.

Taking a puff, he picked up the phone, "It’s me."

As Mr. Truman narrated, the President’s face grew increasingly grim.

"I’m sure they searched her bag, there was nothing inside..."

"Yes, back then... I remembered, she touched up her makeup, all those cosmetics were placed on the table!"

"I know, I know, I’ll figure something out..."

After hanging up, the President couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh.

He actually doesn’t have a strong pursuit of carnal desire; he just likes bowling, that’s all.

Mrs. Chris coincidentally shares his interest and is truly skilled.

She also has a good figure, and regarding some... carnal desires, she doesn’t have any special needs, obedient and compliant, just occasionally has some small requests related to her husband.

Looking back at the whole relationship process, some things were truly unexpected.

The President never thought he would have such a relationship with a married woman. All in all, everything was so coincidental, to the point of being natural.

If she refused to play at his estate, if she slightly paid attention to her exposed bags, if she had some resistance to closer interactions, even the slightest "discomfort" wouldn’t have led to today’s situation!

The President blames no one; he only blames himself for the mistake.

The phone rang abruptly, he glanced at it, took a deep drag of smoke, and picked up the phone to hear the voice of the little short man.

"If you aren’t asleep right now, I’ll arrange for someone to pick you up. We need to talk."

The President didn’t want to face the little short man at this time; they were intimate "comrades," perfectly collaborating partners, but also competitors.

From their youth until today, this stumble might make him more embarrassed than losing the Presidency!

But not going wasn’t an option; once the scandal fermented, this matter wouldn’t be just his issue. It also concerns the party’s image and future development.

He didn’t hesitate for too long and agreed to it.

A few minutes later, two cars stopped at the back door of the President’s Mansion. He got into the car low-key, and before long, he saw the little shorty.

The Chairman of the Progressive Party Committee had a very serious expression at this moment. There were a few others in the room, a small handful of people. When Mr. President came in, he immediately stood up, his face full of seriousness.

Their eyes collided across a distance of more than ten meters, neither avoiding the other’s gaze.

"Congratulations on becoming the headline news figure the whole world will discuss soon!" the short old man sarcastically said to Mr. President, "The entire world will be shocked by your personal life."

Mr. President then avoided his gaze, walked into the room, and took off his coat, handing it to the person by the door.

"I didn’t expect this, but who knew that wench secretly brought a camera disguised as cosmetics inside? I never thought this would happen!"

Mr. President defended himself with a statement. At this moment, the lady who used to share hobbies and topics he could converse deeply about had become a wench.

He went to the bar, poured himself a large glass of wine, then walked over to the sofa and sat down, "Now I have a terrible headache..."

The short old man glared at him, then also sat down, "From what I know of Jeruno, he should get in touch with you and force you to compromise."

Mr. President shook his head, "The plan we made is obviously not going to change, I could never agree to a compromise, even if Congress were to impeach me."

The short old man nodded slightly at this time, his expression also softening a bit. Although Mr. President made a very foolish mistake, he wasn’t foolish beyond redemption.

At least he knew what he ought to do and what he shouldn’t do.

"You need to stick to this, we will try to dilute the matter, but the public will certainly have discussions."

If Mr. Jeruno really decides to completely break with the Federation’s higher-ups, then obviously no one can stop him from letting the public know all about this.

So at this time, what’s needed is not blockade but finding a way to guide it.

"Quickly organize people to make them realize this is a conspiracy, that those photos have been technically altered, that person is not Mr. President," the short old man’s response was swift; as soon as he got the news, he had some countermeasures.

Mr. President furrowed his brow slightly, "Photos can be technically... forged?"

He was almost despairing, but he didn’t expect the photos could actually be forged. If the photos could really be faked, then he... he might as well resolutely deny it all?

The short old man nodded, "I asked those tech guys, and they said they could try something, but we don’t have much time, and..."

He suddenly showed a bit of a smile, "We need the negatives, you understand what I mean."

Doing tricks on the photos now is actually following the methods used in films, simply put, it’s about piecing together multiple layers of film or fragments of multiple negatives into a composite photo.

Such composite photos will surely differ from the original ones, but for this era, such methods are still too advanced.

Many of the public don’t know, haven’t even imagined that photos could be fake, so when those entertainment reporters get the photos, newspaper and magazine companies will pay for them, and the public will believe this to be true.

"You can’t put all your hopes entirely in this," the short old man was very clear-headed, "What we should consider is what to do with the worst outcome if we can’t change what’s about to happen, rather than think about what if we can solve these problems!"

Mr. President nodded, "If it really comes to that point, I will admit my mistake, resign due to my mishandling..."

As he spoke, the door suddenly opened, and two people walked in, led by an elder who was also untying his scarf and handing it to his assistant, asking, "Who is resigning due to mishandling?"

People in the room stood up again; this elder was none other than the chairman of the Conservative Party Committee!

Sometimes the opposition between parties, the opposition of positions, is just to give the public a choice and a sense of belonging. It’s a more advanced way of harmonizing contradictions!

In the past during feudal rule, when people were dissatisfied with the rule of the Imperial Family or the rule of the nobles in the fief, what would they do?

They would overthrow all the ruling. In history, things like this have happened more than once.

No matter the result, the process has always been brutal.

But now, the way of playing politics has been updated and become more advanced. Politicians, or rather, rulers, have learned the correct ways to control the public, and those terrible processes of the past are no longer necessary!

Now, when people have very negative emotions towards a party in power, strong aversion, even hatred for this party.

They won’t think of gathering a group of people dissatisfied with the party, then raising a team to launch a coup through armed reform to change the country.

They will just join another "Opposition Party," and that completes their "resistance."

Civilized, orderly, simple, peaceful, safe!

This is the core value of a multi-party system!

We must give the people a way to oppose us that is within our control and under our restraint!

Perfect!