Chapter 185: A Thousand Faces

When Lynch first read the article We Are Isolated and Helpless, he immediately knew it came from the Progressive Party. Only those who truly understood the domestic and international situation could write something like that.

Getting such an article published was no easy task; it required a powerful backing and strong execution to have the media print it without hesitation.

At this critical moment, the only ones who could directly stab the Conservative Party in the back, ignoring the country’s internal situation, were the Progressives. Lynch couldn’t imagine any other person or faction capable of this.

Ordinary people or groups acting this way would only anger the ruling party. Even though the Conservatives were overwhelmed now, dealing with one rebellious person or faction was still relatively easy for them.

They could have even used the article as a diversion to shift public attention, but since they did nothing, it meant the instigators were forces they couldn’t immediately confront or defeat.

Only the Progressive Party had such strength, and their purpose was not hard to guess.

The war between the Progressives and Conservatives had been going on for a long time. This had nothing to do with the Socialists, who always avoided competing with the two major parties and remained perpetual bystanders.

Once the Conservative policies were confirmed as mistakes, the country’s direction would have to change. Lynch even thought the Conservative leadership might have known this all along.

Politics was sometimes dirty and ugly, yet somehow sacred.

After a moment of reflection, Ferrell suddenly seemed to recall something and asked pointedly, “Do you have any other plans?”

Surprisingly, Lynch didn’t avoid the question and gave an answer that made Ferrell’s mind struggle to keep up: “I plan to visit Eminence as soon as possible.”

“Why go to Eminence?” Ferrell’s curiosity was piqued. “I heard the price of trading seats has dropped. Are you planning to open a financial company?”

Ferrell and others hadn’t yet realized a bigger disaster was coming. They thought what they faced now was already a disaster, but it wasn’t.

With two stock market crashes and a bearish outlook, the price for the most expensive trading seats in the exchange had dropped for the first time in ten years—from 970,000 at the start of the month to 850,000 now—and trading became more frequent.

Some predicted prices might fall to around 800,000, a great opportunity to buy in.

Trading seats were scarce and always valuable. Even if prices dropped further, as long as people invested in stocks and securities, trading seats held value.

People still held onto hope that things would get better.

That hope wasn’t wrong, but there was no short-term hope.

Lynch wiped some possible soup from his mouth and hands, tossed his napkin on the table, and smiled: “I’m going to buy bonds.”

“Sorry, what did you say?” Ferrell felt he might be hallucinating from lack of rest. “Did you say you’re going to buy bonds?”

Lynch nodded seriously. “You heard right. I’m buying bonds.”

Ferrell finally understood and raised his voice. “You’re crazy! Buying bonds now? They’re worthless paper!”

The Progressive Party’s article exposed the president’s words and made people realize these bonds were unlikely to be redeemed—unless by a miracle.

Despair spread among bondholders; some reporters even captured furious holders tearing bonds outside exchanges and banks.

Lynch had been uncertain before, but Ferrell’s confirmation told him this was the right moment.

If the Progressives planned to strike at the Conservatives now, their policies would have to completely reverse Conservative policies. In other words, the Conservative isolation policy had failed. To turn the situation around, they would topple the Conservatives and simultaneously promote international integration.

They would strengthen ties with the international community and diplomacy, taking a clear stance likely aligned with the World War victors’ alliance.

The logic was simple: everyone wants to be friends with the best, and countries are no different.

Once relations between the Baylor Federation and those victors improved, some lingering issues would have to be resolved as a sign of upgraded bilateral relations.

Resolving the bonds, even partially or by policy exchanges, was very possible.

What seemed like worthless paper now might regain value in two or three years, or maybe longer. Of course, it might also be forgotten forever.

But Lynch believed this deal could work. Business investment was essentially gambling: when risk was low, it was called investment.

When risk was high, it was speculation.

Either way, it was a gamble—betting on a project’s eventual success.

Quality projects had many factors—low risk, high return—but beyond these common factors, there was a rarer and more important one: room to operate.

Huge risk meant huge returns. With some operational space, Lynch felt it was worth a shot.

This wasn’t a return of a few or dozens of percent; it could be hundreds or thousands of percent. Anyone would bet on that.

Before the news spread, he needed to act fast.

Seeing Lynch refuse to argue, Ferrell knew Lynch’s decision was firm. Lynch was a determined young man, so Ferrell dropped the subject.

Sometimes it’s better to let someone run before they’ve learned to walk, then tell them why not after they’ve fallen.

After getting some useless information from Lynch, Ferrell left quickly. Lynch prepared.

Later, Lynch called Vera. This bond purchase involved a lot of money and his personal account, so he needed her help.

Not long after, Lynch’s car arrived outside Vera’s upscale community. The neighborhood showed signs of being affected too. Lynch noticed a truck outside loaded with furniture and a woman holding two children’s hands, her face full of uncertainty.

Only the two children played carefree, laughing as if moving was fun, unaware that their future was now less bright.

Happiness was fleeting.

Soon Vera came out carrying a bag. She wore light makeup to look natural and conceal minor flaws.

Once in the car, Vera noticed Lynch’s gaze and looked at him, saying, “This is the ninth household this month…”

She looked back at Lynch. “You might not believe it, but more families are facing moving out decisions. They can’t pay loans or interest, and the bank has taken their homes.”

Lynch met her eyes. “How’s your situation? Any trouble?”

Vera nodded. “Some trouble, but not serious. I know what you’re going to say. If necessary, I’ll speak up.”

“I hope I can’t be of help,” Lynch said with a slight blessing, easing Vera’s mood a little.

They had already invested a lot in stocks. Gap’s job and hers earned them much more money than most.

Part of the money went to loan repayments and installments; the rest was invested in financial markets to grow.

Both were accountants, naturally sensitive to money and numbers. They understood well that money depreciated—and quickly.

According to a report not made public last year, the federal Sol had lost 12.7% of its value in just one year. That meant 12.7 out of every 100 Sol had vanished.

In any rapidly developing society, this was common. The value created by society outpaced the face value of existing currency. To meet demand, more money had to be issued.

The more money issued, the more its value shrank. Currency itself was a commodity subject to market rules.

Most people only saw inflation as price increases, but Gap and Vera clearly understood that if money wasn’t invested or spent, its real value would keep declining.

Investment was thus a necessity for families like theirs. Nothing suited accountants better than stocks and securities. Especially Gap, who sometimes had access to insider information, which he used to make money.

But this time, they were deeply trapped.

The only relief was that their trapped funds didn’t include credit loans. No matter how bad the losses, they wouldn’t owe external debt.