Blackstone Code

Chapter 193:

Chapter 193:

In the presidential residence in Morton District, a bit away from Lynch and other bond acquirers, the President sat at the conference table looking rather disheveled.

He had removed his tie, ripped open his collar, leaving it undone to reveal a patch of chest hair. His left arm was pressed against the table, the sleeve rolled up high, and his head was resting on his hairy forearm, tilted and furrowed in distress. In his other hand, a cigarette, almost burned down to the filter, dangled precariously, its long ash nearly falling.

He had been in this position for quite some time, feeling his mind had turned to mush, losing all ability to think clearly.

Around the conference table sat several people—his aides and some cabinet members.

Suddenly, the President, who seemed on the verge of dozing off, jolted awake. He glanced at his right hand and at the cigarette butt that had rolled off the table, scattering sparks as it hit the ground. It had burned his hand, snapping him out of his stupor.

The pain brought clarity. He wiped his face and looked at the others. "Gentlemen, we are in a very dangerous situation. Congress has accepted the impeachment process. What do we do next?"

When rumors began circulating that someone intended to impeach the President, the process had actually already started; otherwise, there wouldn't be such news in the public. This was essentially a warning to the President that someone was planning to take action against him.

Such secret information would only spread when things were set in motion and there was a need to build momentum.

Information from Congress revealed that the Progressive Party and the Socialist Party had allied, rallying many House representatives to their cause. Vote-gathering in both the House and Senate was commonplace, making outcomes uncertain. Even Conservative Party members might side with the Progressives if it meant preserving the party's public image. Abandoning the current President could be seen as a necessary move to maintain favor with the electorate.

This may sound quite absurd, but it was the reality. There could be many presidents, but there were only so many states and so many votes. Losing one vote today meant the opponent would be ahead by two votes, and the gap would only widen. Therefore, there was no need to be tied to a particular president.

The President's aides were also dejected. Their policies had started to make an impact internationally, garnering support from even the defeated nations against the victorious coalition's shameless actions. This had achieved some results, at least enabling the Baylor federation to start making its voice heard internationally. As for the subsequent issues, further efforts were still needed.

However, the members of the Progressive Party may not give them this opportunity. They had directly initiated an impeachment motion, aiming to force the President to leave office in disgrace!

Silence lingered until the President suddenly grabbed his cup and hurled it aside. It landed on the thick carpet, spilling its contents but not shattering, just staining the rug. The President felt both furious and wronged.

At this moment, the principal aide knew he had to speak. As the core member of this group, he had to express an opinion. Glancing at his colleagues' blank faces, he cleared his throat. "Mr. President, we need to act immediately. We need more supporters…"

Before he could finish, the President interrupted, his tone laced with sarcasm, "Do we still have supporters?"

The room fell silent again. Everyone knew they had lost their supporters—political allies and capitalists alike had deserted them. Politically, it had been proven that isolationism had limited benefits, causing significant overall detriment. Aligning with the President now was clearly a very foolish move, not even worth considering as opportunistic. He had already lost, and the outcome was quite evident.

Economically, the unprecedented financial disaster had caused severe losses for the President's supporters, who had not funded his campaigns to face bankruptcy but to reap rewards. The President could no longer provide those, so they would not waste another penny on him.

Some public support might still exist, but with the impeachment process underway, even those few would likely join the mainstream opposition.

They were isolated, much like their policies had been.

This was foreseeable. When they failed to quickly change the federation's current state, their abandonment was inevitable.

The President sighed, waved the others away, leaving only the principal aide. As the door closed, the President took a large gulp from his glass, indulging for the first time in years. "Would it be more dignified if I submitted my resignation to Congress?"

After all, stepping down voluntarily rather than being ousted might garner some public sympathy and preserve a bit of political legacy. Resignation seemed the better option.

At this moment, the principal aide understood the President's intent. He could leave the position, not resist, but wanted to trade his departure for some value—a true politician's move.

The next day, the President's principal aide appeared at the Progressive Party Committee Chairman's farm.

Everyone had their hobbies; some liked playing golf, despite rarely scoring. Others preferred farming, like the Chairman of the Progressive Party's Committee, a politician with a farmer's background.

Standing by the cow shed, watching the sixty-something man, nearly at the political pinnacle, personally feed the cattle while stepping on cow dung, the principal aide nearly vomited.

Cow dung, although not as foul as human waste, still had an unpleasant smell. Regardless, it was dung, yet the Chairman seemed unaffected, trudging through it. Just thinking about that squishy sensation made the principal aide feel nauseous.

After ten minutes of farm work, the Chairman washed up and led the principal aide to an old farmhouse at the farm's edge.

"If you had helped, we could've gotten to the topic faster." the Chairman sarcastically commented, criticizing the principal aide's lack of respect for the elderly. Some people had such a habit; they would speak sarcastically as soon as they opened their mouth, even though they may not actually have much malice.

The principal aide smiled. "I'm allergic to cow dung."

The Chairman was caught off guard by the statement, pointing at the principal aide and remarking, "That's not a good excuse; it's ridiculous."

The principal aide did not argue further. Instead, the Chairman continued, "So, what do you want from me?"

"The President is willing to submit his resignation voluntarily."

The straightforward reply did not surprise the Chairman. Such occurrences were historically common, and as the Chairman of the Progressive Party's Committee, his position was second only to the Party Leader, sometimes even more influential. After all, leaders were often numerous, but there was only one Chairman.

He showed no expression, merely observing the principal aide. "You have never experienced struggle; you will never understand how profoundly precious success achieved through countless hardships can be. It can unite people, transcending differences between us. Do you understand what I mean?"

The principal aide nodded, "I understand…"

He was interrupted by the Chairman before he could even finish, "If you understand, then tell him: dignity or benefits, he can choose only one, not both. The federation is now facing unprecedented challenges, but this also presents a tremendous opportunity. He may be condemned now, but in years to come, his contributions will be recognized."

The Chairman's words enlightened the principal aide, revealing that success was valued for its difficulty and the potential failures along the way. For the Baylor Federation to be reborn, an enemy was needed to unite against. If the President sought benefits, he must not resign but fight the opposition fiercely, tightening the Federation's unity and ensuring its future revival.

But if he desired dignity, not only would he get nothing, but he might also become the biggest stain and scandal in history.

The principal aide's quick grasp of the old man's intentions didn't surprise him; after all, that was their job. "If you've understood, go tell that guy. Don't waste your time here with me."

That night, after a lengthy discussion with the President, a presidential decree was issued, deploying the National Security Committee to arrest "rumor mongers," causing an uproar across the Federation.

Some believed the President had gone mad, persecuting dissenters merely over impeachment rumors—This was persecution! This was political intimidation!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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