Chapter 219: Reality First

“I am truly a merciful man!”

Lynch flipped through the documents in his hand, feeling genuine comfort from his own mercy.

In this era, people like him were rare. Most were lost in endless pursuits of money, power, fame, and pleasure. Those who could find their true selves and reach such a mindset were few.

He looked up at Asel, who quickly lowered his head. “You truly are a merciful gentleman, Mr. Lynch.”

Lynch was pleased with the recognition. Sometimes, even knowing flattery is flattery, you still like to hear it—Lynch was no different.

The materials in his hand came from clients of the factory where Nail used to work. For less than fifty thousand, Lynch obtained these orders from them.

He thought if he pushed a bit more, maybe he could get thirty or forty thousand extra, but he was merciful. He couldn’t bear to see the workers and their families fall apart. He was a capitalist with a limit.

“If they fail to fulfill the contract…” Lynch flipped through the papers. “How much would they owe me?”

Asel, having reviewed the documents, replied confidently, “I consulted a lawyer, Mr. Lynch. You have the right to claim the full contract amount. If you want more, it may require multiple lawsuits, but for the full amount, the judge will support you.”

If you demand too much, the judge will consider whether the ruling is appropriate, weighing arguments from both sides and issuing a reasonable verdict.

But asking for full compensation is straightforward. Even if the other party appeals, there’s little they can do because the contract is clear and binding.

Lynch nodded with satisfaction and put the files back on the desk. “How are things on Nail’s side?” He looked at Asel. “I’ve been busy lately and haven’t kept up.”

After the big strike ended, Richard came to Lynch asking about the auction in the capital.

Because of the strike, the auction, originally scheduled for mid-November, was postponed into December. Richard was anxious.

Though the past two months had been filled with leisure, he still felt uneasy.

People like him needed to be busy—only then could they find joy in the little breaks.

Various trivial matters had consumed Lynch’s attention, leaving him little time to focus on Nail’s situation.

Asel smiled more at the mention of Nail. “Nail is very talented. He’s good at dealing with workers and earning their trust…”

That was obvious—Nail was one of them. He knew how to relate to his class. Following his usual approach made everything seem natural.

From Asel’s description, Lynch quickly understood that Nail had a good relationship with the workers and sometimes helped out on site.

This was normal. Many believed that empathizing with others’ feelings could win their approval.

But it wasn’t that simple. Class differences meant that even if Nail had once been like them, now there was an unbridgeable gap.

Their closeness to Nail was only because he could provide jobs. If Nail made decisions that harmed them, they would turn on him immediately.

But Lynch did not plan to warn Nail. Everyone had to grow, Nail included.

Later, Lynch called lawyer Adam to his office again. Adam was delighted to see such a generous client.

Lynch tossed him the duplicate documents. “Help me with two things. First, sue all the workers who sold stolen goods to me…” Adam tried to speak, but Lynch cut him off. “Second, find a legitimate way to make them pay us compensation without them realizing it.”

Adam wanted to mention his fees but held back under Lynch’s firm tone.

After reading the documents for over ten minutes and pondering, Adam said, “Mr. Lynch, may I ask where you got these?”

Adam explained patiently, “If you obtained them through special means, we might not hold up in court and could face counterclaims.”

He was serious. These orders clearly identified both parties. Without notifying the other party of a change, the transfer might not be recognized.

Lynch answered quickly, “As a creditor, these were pledged to me.”

Through Dyson Asset Management and Gatner Finance, this process was easily completed, and Lynch had his explanation.

“These orders have value. The original owners paid deposits of no less than 150,000. To repay debts, they pledged the orders to me for 50,000. I intend to fulfill the subsequent obligations. Even if I can’t reduce the remaining costs, I am releasing a profit margin of no less than 100,000. Do you find that reasonable?”

Adam thought a moment and nodded. “Very reasonable. No further questions.”

“As for triggering compensation clauses without alerting the other party, that’s difficult. You must first fulfill your obligations to give them reason to compensate.”

“May I ask about the company’s condition?”

Lynch quickly informed Adam. It became clear this related to Lynch’s previous legal consultation—a company near bankruptcy, suddenly given a chance to prosper because of a group of dishonest workers.

But it was just a chance, only if no one interfered. Now, that chance was gone.

Adam gave his opinion: Lynch could notify the other party that the order rights had transferred. Once Lynch transferred the second payment to the designated account, the other party had to continue fulfilling their obligations—that is, production.

If they failed to produce and deliver the goods on time, Lynch could sue and demand full compensation.

“According to these orders, production time starts once you pay for production. They must deliver within one hundred days.”

“If you can ensure they lack the funds to produce, then…” Adam shrugged, “Mr. Lynch, if you don’t mind, may I share my fees?”

With Lynch’s approval, Adam sighed in relief. “For contract-related cases, my fee is 12% of the case value if we win. If we lose, you only pay 3%.”

In other words, if Lynch won a million, twelve thousand would go to Adam. If Lynch lost and gained nothing, he would still pay three thousand for legal fees.

In the federation, three professions were the most respected and lucrative:

Community dentists serving middle-class neighborhoods, licensed psychologists, and lawyers.

There was a famous federal case where an elderly man sued his employer. What seemed like a minor case caught the attention of the top legal team.

They provided free legal aid and won. Their fee was 95% of the case value.

Many saw the lawyer team’s actions as mercy—or, more cynically, as deliberately picking easy cases to boost their win rate.

But that wasn’t true. From this lawsuit, they gained wealth that many couldn’t earn in several lifetimes.

They successfully convinced the judge and public opinion to impose a punitive fine on the employer. What started as a small matter worth a few hundred Sol became a massive case, with most of the money going to the lawyers.

Even more absurd were some divorce cases involving wealthy men. Their wives didn’t get a single penny, yet the lawyers easily took a large share. The wealthy would rather pay the lawyers than their wives—it was a huge joke.

If capitalists were vampires, then lawyers serving them were the leeches feeding off the vampires.

“That’s too much. I can pay you two thousand a month to be my company’s legal advisor, or…” Lynch glanced at the clock, “…fifty Sol, and I’ll spend five hundred to hire a starving lawyer outside to do the work.”

Adam scratched his temple, feeling sweat though there was none. “That’s improper. People would mock me, Mr. Lynch.”

“But you’d eat well and support your family, Mr. Adam!”