Darkstone Code

"This year, Lynch’s birthday party is quite different from previous years."

A reporter, Reporter A, who was in the process of changing his film, couldn’t help but mutter a comment. He had already used up four rolls of film, and this was the last one.

Of course, he had also called the magazine company, and shortly they would send over some more.

In past years, two or three rolls of film were enough for Lynch’s birthdays, but this year... in such a short time, he was about to run out of film.

Another reporter felt the same way. He was also from a magazine company, but he carried an ample supply of film.

At this time, while he pressed the shutter, he chatted away. The conversation did not affect his photography, which was a testament to his professional skills.

"Have you noticed, at this year’s birthday party for Lynch, apart from the wealthy people, not a single notable politician showed up?"

Reporter A, who had finished changing his film, nodded, adjusted the position of the film, and began shooting again. He could also chat while taking photos.

"Yes, so I wasn’t fully prepared. Do you think it’s because Lynch didn’t invite them, or is there some other reason?"

Reporter B turned the dial manually to advance the film to the next frame.

He was using the latest model of the camera, not the "single-piece" type but with a film compartment and rolling film design, yet it still wasn’t fully automatic.

For example, after exposure, he still needed to manually turn the roll column so it would shift one frame, leaving the unexposed film on the exposure plate.

"Maybe they just find it uninteresting?"

"Or perhaps they hope Lynch will establish good relations with these young people, even though they are all..." Reporter B pursed his lips and shook his head, showing disdain for the character of these young people.

If he could hide the deep envy and jealousy in his eyes, perhaps he could present himself better.

Reporter A agreed with this view, that letting the young people become good friends was deemed the most appropriate approach. At least it would ensure a good relationship between Lynch and their descendants.

Among these young people, many came from politically influential families within the Federation, and naturally, their topics were much larger than those of their uncles, fathers, or others.

For instance, there was a set of triplet sisters whose private lives were so chaotic that describing it as merely bad would be an understatement: it was like hell itself!

Allegedly, the three of them often simultaneously slept with a man they fancied, and many became their prey, "hunted" and then discarded by them.

A once-popular Federation male star also became the private guest of these three sisters, only to be cast aside afterward.

The male star, unwilling to give up, persistently entangled with the three, and later, reportedly due to a filming accident, had his legs broken and vanished from public view.

Young people filled with such blemished histories could be found everywhere, and people loved reports related to them, so bringing less film was becoming an issue.

Every second, their conversation, their attire, the direction their faces were turned, all were newsworthy material.

These photos could entirely sustain content for the next three days or even longer, such as discussing the birthday party itself tomorrow, the day after about the guest identities, and the day after that fabricating tales of love and hatred, followed by the potential chaotic relationships, eventually discussing every guest’s attire and accessories...

These people could contribute significantly to news material—missing capturing them would be a loss.

At this time, the so-called "three sisters" whom Reporter A and Reporter B mentioned were standing in front of Lynch.

Honestly, these three girls indeed looked almost identical, but not entirely indistinguishable—just very similar.

And through makeup, they could mend the biggest differences among individuals, making them quite confusing indeed.

Behind these three girls was the power of a state governor, but unlike York State’s governor, who had begun retiring after a long series of terms, he was just starting his re-election.

The new party committee internally believed he still had six to eight years on the governor’s seat, meaning he could be re-elected three or four more times, whether three times or four times, signifying the family’s imminent greatest development in the upcoming years.

Whether in business or politics, even when the influence of this governor faded, they could still leverage a series of political maneuvers to seek the greatest benefit for themselves and then transition into Congress to continue wielding power.

A political family clearly on the rise, and there were several such families within the Federation.

Their success stemmed not only from having someone in the family who could emerge as a leader fulfilling everyone’s expectations, but more importantly from external connections.

Unite party members, connect with outsiders, be they politicians or capitalists, all were part of their agenda.

Behind every successful politician, there was a substantial capital force supporting them, unless they themselves were exceedingly wealthy individuals.

These three sisters played a very crucial role in the family’s growth, with their forte being persuading others, turning those who initially had no relationship with their family into supporters of their family.

Both in politics and among capitalists.

"Do you know how to tell us three sisters apart?"

"Actually, we have some very obvious features that make us identifiable!"

These three girls were only in their twenties, youthful and lively.

Why is it said that girls from wealthy families rarely appear ugly or fail at managing their figures?

Because they have enough wealth and social status to mobilize resources for their own benefit. If they are dissatisfied with their own figures, they can easily find the best professionals in the relevant fields to create a plan for themselves.

They don’t need to work, don’t need to worry about expenses, they just need to keep themselves looking perfect...

Lynch carefully scanned the three girls with his eyes, as if playing a game called "Spot the Differences." He actually noticed some things.

For instance, issues like double eyelids versus single eyelids, or the fullness of the lips. But sometimes when you notice small details, it’s better not to point them out.

It won’t make you seem smarter than anyone else, it will only spoil the atmosphere.

Lynch shook his head, "I can’t tell them apart."

The girl speaking moved closer to Lynch, said "Sorry" to Penny, and then whispered a few words in his ear.

Lynch raised his brow, feeling a little surprised.

"Honestly, I didn’t expect that."

The scent on the girl was pleasant, a natural aroma, not like the strong and difficult-to-remove chemical perfumes.

When she moved away from Lynch’s side, the scent noticeably faded and then disappeared, unlike chemical perfumes that linger for a long time.

Only such a natural and normal fading process can be alluring to people, and what people become captivated by is certainly not cheap!

"Let’s chat again sometime when we’re free, we’re eager to enjoy the party!"

The three girls greeted Lynch individually, then blended into the party.

Once they had walked away, Penny curiously asked, "How do you differentiate them?"

"Honestly, aside from a few small differences, without a magnifying glass, it’s really hard to tell them apart quickly."

Lynch smiled without saying anything.

But obviously, Penny was filled with even more curiosity about Lynch’s mystery, intrigued by secrets laced with socialite connections.

"You don’t want to know!", Lynch refused again.

However, Penny was adamant, "Tell me, I’m dying to know!"

Lynch had no choice but to lower his voice, possibly due to poor sleep the night before, sounding slightly nasal, "They have different conspiracy shapes..."

Penny paused for a moment, then reacted, gritting her teeth, "These bitches!"

Indeed, she was still Lynch’s companion now, and these bitches were sharing these intimate details with him. Penny could even imagine them seeming eager to show Lynch.

Sometimes women’s intuition is very accurate. She glanced back at the spot where the three girls were, and as luck would have it, those three girls were also looking their way.

Penny’s dissatisfaction quickly transformed into a sweet smile. She even waved her fingers a few times. To an onlooker, they might think her and the girls were very good friends!

The second among the three girls lifted her glass and took a big sip. They had not been the types to receive much attention from a young age, though being triplets gave them somewhat more attention than others, but it didn’t go further than that.

They hoped to gain attention from their families in certain ways, but they were destined to be disappointed.

Skipping classes, dropping out of school, completing significant milestones of growing up early, and even drinking alcohol and smoking as minors did not gain them extra attention.

For their family, as long as they didn’t drag down their Governor uncle, they could do anything they wished!

In such an environment, gradually, they found a sense of meaning and value to their existence.

"He’s really handsome, even more so than those stars from before."

The second girl licked her lips, couldn’t help but glance at Lynch again, "When shall we give him a call? I can’t wait to see him embarrassed!"

"Your brain’s messed up!" the youngest sister couldn’t help but protest, but then she also laughed.

Spending a wonderful night with three girls at once is indeed something many envy, though this envy is usually based on their lack of understanding of the situation.

In fact, men have significant limits on certain matters; sometimes, it’s not simply about wanting to work hard and being able to do so.

If you can give enough happiness to each of the three girls, then surely it’s enjoyable.

But even if only one person doesn’t find happiness, it becomes very... awkward, or frightening for that man.

They only need to casually twist their lips and someone’s terrible performance will quickly become a topic of conversation in the Socialite Circle...