Blackstone Code-Chapter 585: The Value of Knowledge

Someone once said—
Individuals or groups shouldn’t inherently have enemies, yet enemies are everywhere. It’s not because others oppose us, but because we need them to create a certain environment
.
Whether this view is right or wrong isn’t all that important. Ideas like this, rooted in philosophy and idealism, are rarely absolutely correct or entirely wrong—they’re only effective in specific times and contexts.
Lynch felt that way now. Be it the Youth Party or those stubborn rulers unwilling to compromise with the Joint Development Company, their existence wasn’t entirely harmful.
As long as the outcome could be controlled, these
hostile forces
had value.
At the very least, they served to unite the opposition to the Corporation into identifiable groups. Who was with the Corporation, who was against it—positions became clear and polarized.
Lynch understood that the simplest solution to the problems raised by the sergeant was to support a group of ambitious locals—perhaps members of the current privileged class—and provide them with a bridge to cross into the ruling class.
In return, they would offer their loyalty and become the Corporation’s sharpest weapons, slaughtering the current rulers in their pursuit of power and control.
But Lynch didn’t share this more efficient strategy with the sergeant. He needed people who could operate independently without constant guidance.
He didn’t want to keep hearing,
Mr. Lynch, I don’t know what to do
, or
Mr. Lynch, what do you think of my idea?
The sergeant had begun to recognize some of the core issues in society. He wasn’t yet able to articulate them or grasp the deeper truths, but Lynch believed he would get there.
Anyone who begins to think seriously won’t stay lost in the fog for long. This isn’t about how much knowledge someone has—knowledge only determines the range of what one can see, not whether they can see at all.
In the days that followed, life was ordinary. Lynch spent his time comfortably in his office, but significant events were unfolding in Nagaryll.
A short young man had just finished work. The hot-headed, impulsive cadre had vanished from the scene. It was said he had confessed but didn’t reveal any names. With help from a federal judge, he was sentenced to 100 years for endangering national security.
The young man had no good way to respond. He hadn’t even gone to the trial to see his comrade one last time. He felt ashamed—powerless, and forced to endure everything in silence.
But wasn’t this the necessary cost of pursuing a great ideal?
When he thought about it, he believed that if he were the one caught, he wouldn’t give up his superiors either. Even if he faced death, he’d meet it calmly.
Because the pursuit of an ideal—even if it led to death—would not make him feel alone or afraid. His ideals would light the way, and those who shared his beliefs would be his companions. He would not be alone, nor would he fear.
With that realization, he began seriously searching for a way to pursue his ideals.
At that moment, the Joint Development Company made a public announcement across the Kingdom of Nagaryll. To improve the education level of its workers and assist in expanding basic education, the Corporation would build numerous free adult literacy classes in every city.
At first, people thought it was foolish—why teach adults to read for free? But when the Corporation introduced the concept of “high-skilled jobs,” everyone began to understand the real difference between educated and uneducated workers.
The difference? Roughly double the salary.
Literacy alone couldn’t push people into classrooms, but the promise of technical certification could. Anyone who completed basic literacy and received a diploma could then enroll in professional training.
From operating machinery to maintaining it, the staggering benefits and salary increases stirred excitement throughout Nagaryll.
Higher pay, better benefits, and even opportunities to work abroad with extra allowances—it all made people hopeful.
Public discourse shifted from
working for foreigners
to
how to earn more money
.
It was a clear shift in social focus. Everything that once happened in the Federation was now repeating itself here. The power of business and capital not only shapes the future—it can recreate the past.
The short young man, Akumari, enrolled in a technical class. Since he already knew how to drive, a technical skill, and was literate, he qualified for advanced training.
He chose to train with construction vehicles like excavators—a highly specialized field. Before the Federation arrived, Nagaryll had fewer than a hundred such machines.
Back then, forget learning—people hadn’t even seen one.
Now, he had the chance to learn.
His instructor told him that once he completed excavator training, his job classification would rise from
general laborer
to
skilled worker
, and his wages could potentially double.
It’s worth noting that capitalists know how to maximize perceived value—promising things like
double the income
while using complex
wage structures
to give as little as possible in practice. Still, this was exciting news.
While training, Akumari also saved money to buy books on Federal thought—like
The Theory of Legal Value
, once considered foundational to Federal law, and the more recent
Precision Instruments
.
The latter didn’t focus on actual instruments, but rather used the metaphor of a nation and its society as a precision machine, analyzing the components—especially law and economics—required to keep it functioning.
Some argue that including economics is a sign of capitalist intrusion into academia, but few can truly understand scholars’ reasoning.
Regardless, Akumari was studying, believing this was the path forward—learning while meeting other like-minded Nagaryllians at school.
After the impulsive cadre was arrested, he began reflecting on why the Youth Party had failed before even taking off. He concluded that the key issue was a lack of knowledge.
Without educated, high-IQ individuals, the Youth Party’s efforts had looked more like child’s play than a meaningful awakening.
Now, his goal was to gather more intellectuals who could understand his vision.
To attract them, he started an interest group to read advanced Federal books and search for the foundations of a prosperous nation.
Back at his residence, he opened the door to find the room already full of friends with similar ambitions. Together, they studied what made the Federation strong, analyzed why Nagaryll was backward, and discussed what they would do if they ever gained power.
Everything was quietly moving according to an unseen script.
By the end of February, Lynch received a call from Mr. Truman. It was nearly time to depart.
There were two routes from Nagaryll to Gephra. The first went east, around the entire continent, across the central ocean to the Western Ocean, and finally to Gephra.
But no sane person would choose that route—long voyages at sea are risky, and longer trips mean more potential for problems. Lynch opted for the second.
He would sail west, across the Eastern Ocean, following part of the Amellian coastline, through the Erperil Strait into the Western Ocean, and then northwest to Gephra.
This route was shorter and more developed. If anything went wrong, they could easily return to the Federation or dock at a nearby port.
The entire trip would take between 10 to 20 days, depending on weather and conditions.
One thing was certain—getting there early was impossible. Not being delayed was already a blessing.
After briefly delegating the local work, Lynch set off for Gephra with his assistant, the sergeant, and a group of bodyguards. He would meet the delegation at the largest port in eastern Gephra before jointly
visiting
the world’s second-largest military power.
This was Lynch’s first time in Gephra. Until now, his understanding of the country had been limited to written sources. He was looking forward to the trip and had also arranged for others to travel to Gephra, where they would reunite.