Chapter 192: Technology and Assurance

“This friend seems to have a different idea!”

Herbert quickly spotted an odd one out in the crowd, noticing the hesitant expression on his face.

Those willing to spend hundreds of thousands or even millions to buy bonds that were basically worthless were no ordinary people.

Their temperament set them apart—they showed no fear of potentially losing everything.

Among the crowd was this outlier, wearing clothes a half-size too large. From Herbert’s position, he could see the brand inside—a mass-produced suit.

No one else wore such standardized clothes, which was why these one-size garments weren’t favored by high society.

They never fit perfectly—either too big or too small—finding a perfect size was nearly impossible.

The young man’s eyes darted around nervously. Herbert silently apologized for initially frowning, almost mistaking him for a thief.

Then Herbert recalled a friend had mentioned this man as someone with some interesting ideas.

The young man didn’t immediately respond but soon straightened up, realizing Herbert was referring to him.

He hesitated—his ideas truly differed from everyone else’s. Herbert comforted him, saying no one would force him to speak if he didn’t want to.

Yet after hearing this, the young man sensed a subtle exclusion. Though everyone smiled at him and stayed nearby, he felt himself slipping outside the group.

It was his first time this close to the so-called upper class. Driven by instinct, he wanted to stay. Wiping sweat with a handkerchief, he spoke.

“Mr. Herbert, Mr. Lynch, and gentlemen…” He only knew Herbert and Lynch’s names; others had not introduced themselves.

Mentioning the names he knew gave him courage, making him feel less alone. “It’s not that I don’t want to speak, but my idea might be…,” his features shifted slightly as he struggled for words, “somewhat… lowbrow. I’m not sure if that’s the right way to put it.”

Herbert smiled and nodded. “That’s not important. What matters is the sparks of ideas. Just tell us how you plan to handle the bonds in your hands.”

Perhaps Lynch’s earlier talk about overthrowing the ruling cabinet had given the young man courage. Compared to that, he thought his idea was modest. Swallowing nervously, he explained.

“I’m in the… uh… printing business. I noticed these bonds use the exact same paper as their national currency. That gave me an idea.”

He glanced around at the serious, attentive faces, which encouraged him. His voice grew steadier. “I can chemically remove the dye from the bonds, then reprocess them into pulp, add a bit of long fiber, and restore this special paper.”

“Even if the color isn’t completely removed, it’s okay—we can recolor the surface later. As long as the texture doesn’t change much, it will work.”

Herbert suddenly interrupted, pulling out a twenty-Sol Federal Sol bill. “What about anti-counterfeiting?”

He wasn’t joking and asked seriously. This young man might provide the final assurance for their plan.

If their plan failed, these bonds could be turned back into real currency and flow into the target country.

The young man grew more confident. “The Federation patented a special solution last year that can corrode metal. We can now produce high-precision, uneven copper plates more easily.”

“As for the rest, we have solutions too. Actually, the hardest part is the paper—because this special paper isn’t sold outside the issuing bank or government.”

The Baylor Federation’s currency was controlled by its Currency Issuance Committee. This special paper was only used for printing banknotes and national bonds.

This ensured anti-counterfeiting, as bonds are somewhat like currency. They require fast, effective verification, so using the same paper and security features made sense.

The process was mature and reliable. Banks could easily verify bonds and redeem them.

Abroad, it was the same. The printing and security techniques for the bonds Lynch and others held were identical to those for that country’s currency.

The young man’s description gradually unveiled the mystery of this industry. He himself ran a printing company, though business was bad and the company near bankruptcy.

Once, after drinking at a friend’s party, he had ranted about the poor domestic business climate and joked about printing currency out of desperation.

A friend’s acquaintance overheard and remembered, recommending he try his luck here.

It was an enticing but dangerous idea, risking violent retaliation.

Herbert looked at him with a half-smile. “You need to quit drinking. Understand?”

Under Herbert’s powerful presence, the young man nodded, his heart racing but knowing he’d passed the test.

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

Herbert made the final decision. “We shouldn’t watch our friend stray into illegality. We must help him.”

Others began chiming in.

“My company publishes an internal magazine monthly. Our old printing partner was terrible, demanding too much. Maybe our new friend can handle it!”

“I have new product packaging designs—would you like to take this order?”

The young man was surprised by the flood of orders. He realized failing business wasn’t entirely due to the market—it also involved leadership.

Even Lynch gave him an order—for posters and printed materials for his next business plan.

Lynch planned to split trading and auctions into two companies. Herbert would have been very interested if he knew.

With this printing entrepreneur joining, the mood lightened. Having a safety net greatly reduced risk.

It was clear that if their plan failed, large amounts of real currency would soon flow from abroad into the victors’ countries—some so authentic even they couldn’t tell.

But this was illegal, and they would never cross that line unless absolutely necessary.

They soon turned back to domestic affairs.

“The president still hasn’t presented any effective solution to contain the current situation. It’s very disappointing…” Herbert said, glancing at Lynch.

Lynch raised his glass slightly, clinking it with Herbert’s from a distance.

From Herbert’s perspective, Lynch’s earlier views were the most accurate.

Economics is always an extension of politics. Merchants hoping to use postwar reconstruction aid from these countries to cash in their bonds face an almost negligible chance of success.

How their own country treats multinational corporations will dictate how these war-torn nations treat the federal merchants.

Asset seizure might be the mildest outcome; many could end up buried forever in those lands.

After all, the war just ended, society is still chaotic, and accidents are inevitable.

So, the most reliable way to redeem these bonds is through political influence.

The first step is to overthrow the current president and cabinet.

Herbert started the conversation, and soon people began discussing the president’s recent foolish actions. He had lost the smart image he once had years ago and had become foolish.

Lying or trying to hide the truth was simply stupid.

Especially his stubborn belief that his policies were flawless, that enduring would lead to improvement, and that external forces were solely targeting him.

Such absurd excuses only deepened public disappointment. Progressive and socialist parties grew active, and things became increasingly confusing.

While chatting and sharing ideas, Herbert suddenly said, “I’ve heard from some special sources a very interesting rumor—that someone plans to impeach His Excellency the president…”