Blackstone Code

Chapter 192:

Chapter 192:

"This friend seems to have some different ideas."

In the crowd, Herbert quickly noticed an outlier with a hesitant expression on his face.

To be able to spend hundreds of thousands or even millions to buy practically worthless bonds, these people were not ordinary.

Their distinctiveness lay in their aura, a kind of nonchalance in the face of potential complete financial ruin, which set them apart from the common folk.

But indeed, there was an odd one among them. He wore clothes that appeared half a size too big, and from Herbert's position, he could even see the tags inside his suit, which was clearly mass-produced.

Apart from him, no one else wore such attire, which was why "one-size-fits-all" garments were unwelcome in high society.

They never fit perfectly, either too large or too small. Finding the perfect fit was nearly impossible.

This guy's eyes were lively and constantly darting around. Herbert almost apologized inwardly for the frown he instinctively wore, nearly mistaking him for a thief who had slipped in.

Then he remembered a friend mentioning this fellow as someone with "some interesting ideas," and it all came back to him.

The young man, realizing Herbert was addressing him, initially seemed lost but quickly straightened his spine.

He looked a bit troubled because his thoughts indeed differed from everyone else's here. Herbert comforted him gently, ultimately stating that if he was really unwilling to share, no one would force him.

However, as soon as these words were spoken, the young man began to feel a subtle but distinct sense of being ostracized by these people.

This was his first time being so close to what people called high society. Human instinct drove him to want to stay here, so he took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat and began to articulate his thoughts.

"Mr. Herbert, Mr. Lynch, and other gentlemen…" He only knew Herbert and Lynch, as the others hadn't introduced themselves.

Mentioning the names he knew seemed to bolster his courage, making him feel less alone. "It's not that I don't want to speak, but my ideas might be…" His features contorted slightly as he searched for the right words, "somewhat crude. I'm not sure if that's the right description."

Herbert smiled and nodded, "That's not important. The sparks of ideas are what we need. Just tell us how you plan to handle your bonds."

Perhaps it was Lynch's previous remarks about overthrowing the ruling party's presidential cabinet that gave this guy great courage. In his view, what he had to do certainly couldn't compare to overthrowing the cabinet. He swallowed hard and voiced his thoughts.

"I'm in the… um… printing business. I noticed the paper used for these bonds is the same as their national currency paper, and then I had an idea."

He glanced around at the others, who all listened seriously, which gave him a boost of confidence. "I can chemically remove the dye from these bonds, then re-pulp the paper and add a small amount of long fibers to recreate this special paper."

"Even if we don't completely remove the color, it doesn't matter. We'll re-dye the surface anyway. As long as the texture is consistent, it should be fine."

Herbert suddenly interrupted him, pulling a twenty-bucks bill from his pocket to examine, "What about the anti-counterfeiting measures?"

He wasn't joking; he asked very seriously. This young man could be said to have provided the final "guarantee" for their plan.

If their plan didn't work out, their bonds could still be turned into real money and flow into the target country.

The young man grew more confident. "Last year, the federal government obtained a patent that uses a special solution to corrode metal. With this innovation, we can now manufacture high-precision copper plates with uneven surfaces more easily than before."

"As for the rest, we also have solutions. The hardest part for us is actually the paper since this type of paper isn't sold to entities outside the issuing organisation."

In fact, the Baylor Federation was similar. The Baylor Federation's currency was controlled by the Federal Currency Issuance Committee, and this kind of special paper was used only for printing money and national bonds.

They did this for anti-counterfeiting reasons. Since national bonds were essentially equivalent to currency, they needed to be easily and effectively authenticated. Thus, using the same paper and anti-counterfeiting measures was the best choice.

These measures were already mature, which could minimize unexpected issues. Moreover, banks could easily distinguish real bonds from fake ones for redemption.

It was the same abroad. The bonds in Lynch and others' hands were printed with the same techniques and anti-counterfeiting measures as their country's currency.

Through the young man's description, the seemingly mysterious industry behind him became clearer. He owned a printing company, though it was on the verge of bankruptcy due to poor market conditions at the moment.

One time, at a friend's party, he got drunk and vented about the terrible current business environment in the federation, saying in frustration that he might resort to printing money if pushed too far.

His words were overheard by his friend's friend, leaving an impression that led to a recommendation for him to come here and try his luck.

It must be said that it was an enticing but dangerous idea. A single mishap could provoke bloody retaliation.

Herbert gave the young man a half-smile, "You need to quit drinking, understood?"

Under Herbert's strong aura, the young man could only nod. Though his heart raced, he knew he had passed the test.

Others began exchanging business cards with him, signifying his acceptance into the group.

Herbert then made a final decision on the matter, "We shouldn't just watch our friend walk down the path of crime. We should help him."

He looked around at the others, who began voicing their support.

"My company publishes internal newsletters monthly. The previous printing company was too demanding. Maybe I can give this job to our new friend."

"I have some new product designs that need new packaging. Maybe you'd like to take this order?"

People enthusiastically offered the young man numerous orders. He was pleasantly surprised to discover that failing in business wasn't entirely due to market conditions. It had a lot to do with the business leader.

Even Lynch gave him an order for posters and prints for his next business venture.

Lynch's plan was to split trades and auctions into two companies, something Herbert would surely find intriguing, though he didn't reveal it now.

With the young printing company owner onboard, the atmosphere lightened. Having a fallback plan greatly reduced the risk.

It was foreseeable that if their plan failed, a large amount of "real money" would soon flow into some of the victorious countries from abroad—money so authentic that even they wouldn't be able to distinguish it from their own.

But this was still illegal, and they would only resort to it as a last resort.

They soon returned to discussing domestic matters, "The President has yet to come up with any effective measures to address the current situation. It's very disappointing…"

When Mr. Herbert said this, he glanced at Lynch, who raised his glass in a distant toast to Herbert.

From Herbert's perspective, Lynch's previous suggestion was the most suitable.

Economics was always an extension of politics. Relying on helping these countries with post-war reconstruction to redeem their bonds had a minimal chance of success.

The way the domestic government treated multinational corporations now was how those war-torn countries would treat the businessmen of Baylor Federation in the future.

Seizing assets might be the mildest outcome. Many could end up buried in those countries forever.

After all, countries just emerging from war would still be chaotic, making accidents quite normal, wouldn't they?

So, the most reliable way to make these bonds redeemable was through political influence.

And the first step was to overthrow the current President and his cabinet.

Herbert started the conversation, and people quickly began discussing the President's foolish actions, contrasting sharply with his earlier reputation for intelligence.

Whether lying or trying to cover up truths, it all seemed foolish.

Especially his stubborn belief that his policies were correct and things would improve if they persisted, blaming external forces for targeting him.

Such absurd claims only further disappointed the public. Activities of the Progressive Party and the Socialist Party became more frequent, and things grew increasingly complex.Please vote for this novel at /series/blackstone-code/There are advance chapters available nowAccess will be granted 24 hours after the donationTier 1: 7 Advance chapters Link

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