Blackstone Code-Chapter 602: Signal Flare

In another room, Lynch was also on a call.
Thanks to the direct communication between Gephra and the Federation, Lynch was spared a lot of trouble. He was speaking with Lime.
Lime was still managing his various financial accounts, including some entrusted accounts. People had witnessed how effectively Lynch and Lime made money in finance and had voluntarily handed over account management to Blackstone Fund’s management company for delegated trading.
These were all under contract. Lynch would provide an expected annual return and then reasonably use those funds for financial transactions.
Stirring up the financial markets wasn’t easy—it required substantial capital. That’s why people preferred working in groups. Individual strength alone couldn’t shake anything significant.
Thanks to strong returns and stability, Lynch had gained control of numerous financial accounts. He and Lime had become fairly well-known figures in the industry.
“First, have our managers notify all clients—make sure they record it. Remind them of the risk assessment we’ve made regarding holding Valier. Advise against continuing to hold it.”
“Make sure it’s not too formal—don’t scare them. Let the managers deliver it as if it’s routine, even jokingly.”
“Then you need to talk about your confidence in Valier in some informal settings. Don’t make explicit recommendations—just subtly convey that we still have our doubts about Valier.”
“Begin offloading our physical holdings in small amounts. Keep it low-key. The more accounts you set up, the better—don’t let anyone catch on. You understand?”
On the other end, Lime sounded excited and kept nodding. “Yes, boss, I understand…” He trailed off, and Lynch picked up on it. He didn’t rush him. After a short pause, Lime asked, “You mean… our clients will end up taking these off our hands?”
“I didn’t say that,” Lynch shut him down. “I clearly said we need to inform them of the risks. But remember, we’re only entrusted with managing these accounts. If clients have their own ideas, you can advise them—but you can’t stop them.”
“And I don’t want anyone to realize this in advance. Got it?”
Lime thought for a moment. “Yes, I understand, boss.”
“I see great things in your future, Lime. You’ve suffered enough in the underbelly of Eminence. Now it’s your time to earn fame and fortune. Think of those who bought your stocks and never got back up. You know what the future looks like.”
“After this is done, I’ll support you in setting up your own firm. Don’t let me down. You’re destined for the spotlight!”
After hanging up, Lynch made a few more calls to arrange some details with overseas accounts before he could finally relax a bit.
The negotiation would likely stretch until late April or early May. The unexpected rise in Valier’s exchange rate gave Lynch a whiff of danger.
The spike was abnormal. According to mainstream media, Valier’s rise was attributed to the Federation’s increasing international status. As the Federation’s
little brother
, Nagaryll would gain more exposure on the global market. Cheap labor would spread worldwide with the expansion of the Federation’s commercial sphere.
Many Nagaryll workers would benefit. Ignoring issues like exploitation and oppression, average incomes in Nagaryll could double or even triple. So the appreciation of Valier seemed reasonable.
But it was all nonsense. The growth potential had already been priced in earlier, which was why Valier had appreciated so rapidly before.
This latest change was, strictly speaking, international hot money expressing dissatisfaction with a stable trend. They had begun frantically buying Valier.
It resembled the eve of the Federation’s financial collapse—hot money, dissatisfied with short-term gains, started squeezing every last drop of profit before exiting.
Since they were cooperating so nicely, Lynch had no intention of becoming the one left holding the bag. The best move was to start offloading early and pass the risk to others.
He also believed the six major banks and the Joint Development Company had sensed something was off. If the currency rose just from starting talks, what would happen once the deal was finalized?
What about when the commercial plans were actually implemented?
Someone was overdrawing potential, trying to jump the gun.
Lynch didn’t need to be faster than everyone—just faster than most.
After arranging these matters, he took a short break and refocused on the upcoming negotiations.
They were here to negotiate—not for Lynch to play the diligent farmer.
In every round of talks from here on, everyone would fight to push their agenda, arguing over digits buried deep after the decimal point.
Surprisingly, negotiations were going more smoothly than expected.
The Gephrans had become unusually cooperative on issues that were originally hard to compromise on—and the reason was Amellia.
Another round of talks began. This time, Lynch, who usually sat on the sidelines, moved to the central negotiation area.
Across from him sat the person responsible for Gephra’s social and cultural affairs. They didn’t even have a dedicated agency for this—just a branch office or similar.
“Mr. Lynch, we currently don’t intend to deepen social and cultural exchanges with the Federation, so…” The negotiator shook his head at the new agenda. Few people had shown up for this session.
Gephra’s stance was clear: quickly reject the item and move on.
But Lynch had other plans. “Culture is the most brilliant symbol of civilization. If we want broader cooperation in multiple areas, understanding each other is crucial.”
“International cooperation isn’t just a simple transaction—you give me a Sol, I give you a product. Our peoples must understand the necessity and promise of our collaboration.”
“There’s a saying in the Federation:
Only through mutual understanding can our fates intertwine
. And our request isn’t one-sided.”
Lynch’s team was small—since this was an additional topic added to the negotiations, there wasn’t much domestic interest. Lynch handled the talks himself, with only a few basic staff for support.
In truth, Lynch was the only one capable of leading the discussion. The rest were just set dressing.
The Gephrans had a similar attitude—just going through the motions. They didn’t expect to face someone so skilled at persuasion.
“Would you care about a complete stranger—someone with no direct or indirect connection to you, totally unfamiliar?” Lynch asked.
“Please answer honestly, gentlemen.” The negotiators all shook their heads. Who cares about strangers—unless it’s a pretty girl?
Lynch smiled and nodded. “Exactly. I wouldn’t either. I don’t know what they do, their name, whether they have a family, or what kind of person they are.”
“It’s the same between nations. If people don’t understand you, they’ll oppose some of our cooperation. And vice versa.”
“But if they can find common ground—shared emotions—then they’ll support deeper cooperation across the board.”
“This negotiation is a great opportunity. A chance for Federation citizens to understand Gephra, and for Gephrans to understand the Federation.”
“I propose our two countries strengthen cultural exchange—not just cooperation in other areas.”
“The world is vast—so vast most people will never visit every country. But it’s also small—small enough to understand a country through a few books, or a few television programs.”
“The future global order will be shaped by our two nations. We should not allow a serious divide to exist in social culture and emotional connection. I urge you to carefully consider my proposal…”
“I think I’ve been convinced…” said the Gephran negotiator during a break. He felt that Lynch wasn’t wrong.
If people didn’t even understand what kind of country the Federation was, then certain forms of cooperation would inevitably draw strong domestic opposition.
Although Gephra was a monarchy, it still had its own opposition forces. But unlike the Federation, where opposition came from the public, Gephra’s opposition was made up entirely of nobles. Only they dared to openly challenge the decisions of the royal family and ministers.
So he decided to postpone the outcome of the talks slightly and the cultural proposals discussed to the Emperor and the ministers for their decision.
Within just two days, Gephra agreed to Lynch’s proposal for social and cultural exchange. However, certain cultural products would require Gephran oversight and approval before they could be distributed in the country.
In turn, Gephra would also export a large volume of cultural products to the Federation. This was both an obligation and a responsibility.
Amid such smooth negotiations, time slipped quietly into April.
During the second week of April, a local Nagaryll newspaper caused a major stir in the region.