Darkstone Code
Chapter 242 - 0240 Unified thinking and don’t look back

Chapter 242: 0240 Unified thinking and don’t look back

Will Alben, the chairman, and Neo, the president, be supporters of the President?

This is obviously a lie without even thinking about it. If they truly supported the President, they wouldn’t have been able to establish themselves in the Progressive Party’s stronghold states. They would have been dismantled by the targeted hostile policies here and become the bottom rung of society.

They have always been supporters of the Progressive Party, only recently did they switch sides.

The mayor took just a few seconds to understand the meaning behind Lynch’s words. He couldn’t help but look at Lynch a few more times before saying with some emotion or with a certain thought, "You should become a politician instead of doing business!"

Lynch smiled silently, quickly turning his gaze back to those surrounded by reporters.

Will people reflect?

This is a very interesting question because people continuously make mistakes, even on the same issue. Thus, this question arises: do humans reflect?

If humans reflect on their past actions, then why do some of them stumble in the same place once, twice, three times or even more?

But if people don’t reflect, why do they always summarize past lessons and experiences, and where do those lessons learned go?

This is a very complex question that cannot be easily answered, but the people posing the question, and even more humans, are willing to believe that humans do reflect because they think about the past, present, and future every day.

During the past few years of continuous economic decline in the Federation, many people have been reflecting, from the President to the homeless individuals on the streets. Sometimes, they reflect on why society has become like this.

Why has our past glory gradually faded, and ultimately we’ve been enveloped by shadow?

What did we do wrong that led us to face this situation?

This reflection rarely produces useful and universal conclusions. Most of the time, it’s just people’s worthless mental wanderings, but sometimes they do wonder if someone did something wrong.

Of course, they would never think they did anything wrong that led to today’s situation.

The nostalgia for the past, worry for the present, and fear for the future make people uneasy and restless. Every day, they see those downward trending graphs on newspapers and televisions, hear frightening news.

Besides the rapidly growing unemployment rate, nothing is good.

Until... someone stands up, points to the President, and says to everyone—Look, it’s because this person did wrong that we are suffering now!

Like a pond, society suddenly boils over, leaving the President helpless. People, with some doubt, some suspicion, even some sympathy, join with social groups in pointing at the President. They don’t know if this is right, but everyone is doing it.

Gradually, they begin to feel justified and rightful, pointing fingers at the President has become a trend, a correct path and value.

But actually deep down inside, everyone also fears. Fears that it might not be the President’s fault, and they may continue making mistakes.

People are persistently uneasy, the more isolated the President appears, the more restless the people become. They might feel they’ve made a mistake, so even if they acknowledge this factual result and welcome the new President’s ascending, they’ll harbor some negative emotions onto the new President.

This isn’t good.

This isn’t good!

The new President’s arrival makes him look like a victor of conspiracy theories, a situation he least desires. He should be the hero who defeated the Evil Dragon, not the next Evil Dragon.

So how do we make people compose themselves and believe their actions are right?

Actually, it’s quite simple, just make the President appear not so isolated, after all, a true Evil Dragon always has some kobolds and small monsters around him. As the biggest Evil Dragon in Federal history, the President should have some "kobolds" around him.

Once kobolds are discovered, people won’t see this as a conspiracy sweeping the Federation, and they also stand on the correct path.

Ordinary people need it, politicians need it, the entire Federation needs it.

Will Neo deny it?

He’ll keep quiet if he doesn’t want to remain silent forever.

Under the gaze of both, social elites rush to donate to those people whom they find disgusting even with a glance. Some well-dressed ladies don’t mind posing for photos with these deformed old folks with compassionate smiles and delivering lengthy heartwarming speeches.

Many elderly, suffering from pain, gradually become emotionally agitated. Compared to when Lynch came to see them, they participate more actively in this event.

They seem to really believe this exposure can change something!

Actually, it won’t, the craze only lasts a short while. Once some people have achieved their goals, some have fulfilled their purposes, everything goes back to where it was.

They still have to live here, endure the pain, unable to afford treatment for their ailments, they can only slowly die here as if nothing ever happened.

Oh no, maybe their meals get slightly better, social workers might smile a little while working, that’s pretty much it.

But those who were meant to benefit, have already benefited.

The event was very successful, the impact of gold-time broadcast that night was even more astounding, before the program finished airing, the TV station received numerous viewer calls, providing similar information, and a few even inquired how they could help these people.

The indifferent society has its tender side.

It’s just, some faces turned pale, like Alben the old man and his son-in-law Neo.

The two sat in a living room like a palace, the huge rhino-leather sofa required six rhinos to complete.

It consisted of two separate single sofas and a long one seating four to five people. On the back of these sofas were complete rhino heads with eyes closed, including the pointed rhino horn.

The price of a set of sofas equals a person or even a family’s lifetime savings.

But today, the two sitting on the sofa had no expression of enjoyment on their faces. They saw these programs and knew things were quickly deteriorating.

Neo remained silent, while Alben couldn’t hold it any longer, perhaps because of his age, some things he just couldn’t keep inside, "Is there still time to solve these problems?"

This is a question, but more like a certain wistful wish, Neo shook his head.

Before things ferment, everything is solved easily, but once fermented, once the wind blows on the public opinion, bringing the entire society in, changing it is impossible.

Even if they remain inactive, taking any action confirms the authenticity of these matters.

In chemical-related companies, even those merely using some raw chemical materials, people lose their healthy bodies each year due to various issues.

This is normal, nobody can guarantee some chemical reaction will remain 100% stable, nor can anyone ensure the work process will have no accident.

In laboratories possibly, but factories... even human sweat can cause chemical reactions in some materials, let alone complex factory environments.

Mistakes occur, cover them up, isn’t this the most common way?

Ninety-nine percent of companies in the Federation are doing this. If treatment costs are below the federal compensation standard, they persuade workers to drop compensation claims, whilst exaggerating treatment costs and assuring to bear all costs.

If treatment costs exceed compensation, they’ll rudely refuse humanitarian care and obligations, through lawsuits, workers get compensation inadequate for their treatment, and legally end all causal relationships.

Every company does this, and many are more excessive than Neo.

The largest chemical company in the Federation once caused over a hundred people to stay in poisonous gas for at least two minutes in a production accident, later, with the wind’s aid, the gas covered an area as large as ten kilometers, causing various injuries and deaths, including livestock.

Didn’t they suppress it according to this standard?

Some say they even profited from it, thanks to insurance companies.

Neo doesn’t feel they’ve done too much wrong, but now with society and public opinion targeting them, it makes people feel what he did was excessive.

He’s actually quite aggrieved because he cannot speak, some things you can know yourself, let others discover themselves, but cannot be spread verbally.

In this world, countless ways exist to end one’s life, especially those intending to disrupt rules, right as they put thoughts into action, they shut their mouths forever.

Neo’s pale face sighed deeply, he reached for a cigarette and lit one, "Let the social relations department operate a bit first...", but this too is just a helpless remedy.

Large companies usually have similar departments, maybe not called social relations department, but their functions are alike.

This department manages company and public relationships, maintaining the company’s positive image.

Some passionate social activists are the department’s main focus, including reporters and columnists, they throw money, guide opinion.

Alben the old man sighed too, his lips moved softly wishing to ask if there’s still a chance to turn back, but ultimately didn’t say.

From the beginning, there was no turning back!