Blackstone Code-Chapter 510: Master Lin’s Wealth Secrets

Lynch certainly remembered Mr. Simon. Not long ago, he had accompanied many media personnel to interview Simon’s child, publicizing the cultural, racial, and ideological conflicts erupting in Nagaryll.
“He has a son, named Gor…” Lynch hesitated, unsure if his pronunciation was correct. The documents listed the name as
Jordon
, but locals pronounced it differently—a reflection of the differences between native and international pronunciations.
The police chief quickly chimed in, “It’s Jardon, Mr. Lynch.”
“Yes, Jardon—I almost got the name wrong. I visited him recently. What happened?”
Jardon’s name differed from typical local names that often began with the particle
A
, because he was mixed-race, with a foreign father, so his name didn’t include the local naming particle.
This kind of foreign name—neither a commoner’s nor a clan’s name—was part of why foreigners became a third ruling class: their names weren’t commoner names, nor clan names.
Though it sounded odd, with religious backing, people accepted this, which was one reason foreigners were considered nobler than local commoners.
The police chief explained what he knew, and Lynch immediately understood—it was an inheritance dispute.
Every year, the most watched federal cases were never about corporate mergers or bankruptcies, nor celebrity scandals, but the dramatic, scandal-filled battles over fortunes among the wealthy’s wives and children.
Every few years, such dramas played out, captivating society’s attention, with inheritance disputes being the most prominent.
Interestingly, people loved following news completely unrelated to their own lives.
Who might win the inheritance, who looked pitiful, who seemed villainous—these stories were even more popular than hit TV dramas.
When a major tycoon passed, betting companies would even offer wagers on who would inherit the most.
Lynch felt he had a full grasp of the situation and didn’t want to dwell further; he had guests waiting. “Anything else?”
The police chief nodded slightly. “Mr. Lynch, what’s your stance on this matter?”
He asked cautiously, “The injured foreign mother and son say they have your support to claim Mr. Simon’s inheritance. I want to understand your position to avoid any misjudgment.”
A smart question. Lynch hesitated briefly, then gave a reasonable answer: “I don’t know that mother and son. I’ve heard there have been many imposters claiming to be rich or related to the rich lately. I’m not sure if they’re genuine. But I know Jardon—I’ve met him. He’s a good kid. You understand what I mean?”
The police chief smiled sincerely. “I think I do. I won’t bother you further. Have a good evening.”
“You too. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
Back in his room, Lynch quickly returned to his seat among the crowd. People stopped talking and looked at him—a symbol of status.
If he stayed silent, no one would speak over him.
“Where were we?” he asked those beside him. Though he remembered, he asked to cue others to recall previous topics, preventing any breaks in the discussion flow.
Someone teasingly replied, “Mr. Lynch, you were talking about small investments and communication issues.”
“Yes, small investments and communication issues. You’re right…” He smiled, nodded, then turned his attention to others and continued his earlier topic.
The investors this time were less wealthy than earlier groups—small investors with combined assets possibly under thirty to fifty thousand.
They lacked the capacity to set up factories locally; starting a factory in Nagaryll was no easier than in the Federation, often with higher initial costs.
The industrial base was almost non-existent. All machinery had to be transported from the Federation, and transportation costs consumed most, if not all, their funds.
So, starting factories was unlikely. But they had come, and Lynch couldn’t let them leave empty-handed. He needed to offer them something—the purpose of this salon.
He wanted to show that the wealthy could invest on a large scale here, and those less rich could find suitable projects.
“I was interrupted when talking about small investments, so let’s start with communication investments.”
“Communication investment isn’t just about building simple lines. If you’ve noticed some city changes, you’d see there’s almost no proper supporting network.”
“Wiring, whether electrical or otherwise, is chaotic.”
“Some areas have none; others are overly concentrated. If accidents occur, ignoring casualties, timely handling and absorbing losses is something we dread.”
“As more individuals and organizations invest in Nagaryll, we can’t avoid two questions: first, how much longer can this inadequate, unhealthy network hold?”
“Second, how do we effectively and reasonably fix these issues and turn what could be a headache into profit?”
“This is what I mean by building the city’s network infrastructure.”
Everyone listened intently. Lynch’s words were akin to a wealth code. Some had blind faith in his methods.
“Some of you don’t have much money—don’t be ashamed. I know because I started where you are. If you seize the opportunity, you’ll soon be as wealthy as I am.”
“Small funds mean smaller-scale approaches. Nagaryll lacks a hated environmental bureau, and there are no regulations on tree cutting. This means building wooden utility poles costs almost nothing because labor is nearly free.”
“Hiring a dozen or twenty workers paying them about one sol per day each…”
“Half cut trees and process them, the other half build poles and signal posts.”
“Once connected, you can sell the network to me personally or mortgage it to banks for loans to expand your network.”
“With investment and infrastructure improvement, you can open interfaces to become suppliers of information, wiring, and electric networks.”
“As long as you ensure network functionality, money will flow steadily into your personal accounts each year.”
“Selling is also a great option. We’ll arrange professionals to appraise the networks and buy them at prices you’ll be satisfied with.”
“Low investment, quick returns, and currently a blind spot for mainstream companies—perfect for you to seize the market first.”
“Once big companies notice the opportunity, their business habits and exclusivity will make it hard for individuals to continue.”
“Besides, there are many other profitable ventures waiting for you to discover—like education.”
“Advanced production technology requires cultural foundations. Nagaryll’s illiteracy rate is staggering, meaning education will be a crucial step for those determined to change their lives and fates.”
“You can start literacy schools, sign teaching contracts with students, provide free education, and they repay through labor services.”
“Of course, you don’t need to worry about losing money. The Federation will soon establish the ‘World Committee for the Promotion of Culture, Science, and Education,’ and those of you running basic cultural education classes in underdeveloped countries will receive some subsidies.”
“Additionally, I will offer you some help. You can transfer the labor contracts of those who complete basic education to me, and I will pay a fair price for them…”
Lynch’s face almost radiated with saintly light—so selfless and great that people silently admired his nobility.
What they didn’t realize was that running literacy classes and then sending those people elsewhere to work was far less efficient than simply accepting laborers who had already completed literacy training and signed contracts. This saved enormous effort and educational expenses. If problems arose, it would be the schools’ responsibility.
By transferring the labor contracts to Lynch, he naturally wouldn’t worry about hidden risks or conflicts—those issues would be covered in the contracts.
But that was the worst-case scenario. On the bright side, Federation culture was flourishing throughout Nagaryll, and cheap labor influenced by Federation culture would spread worldwide—contributing to progress for the entire world.