Blackstone Code-Chapter 274:

Mark was interested in most business dealings and helped the Mayor manage his assets. Of course, none of this was illegal.

In the Baylor Federation, it wasn't illegal for a politician to own businesses. Many businesspeople, during the course of their careers, would suddenly feel a heavy burden on their shoulders or come up with good ideas that inspired them to help others achieve wealth. As a result, they would transition from being businesspeople to becoming politicians.

They didn't need to sell off all their assets just because they became politicians, nor did they have to cease engaging in any business activities.

There was no such strict rule in the Baylor Federation. The only thing these individuals had to be cautious of was not using their power for personal gain, and that was all.

The Mayor entrusted his assets to Mark primarily to avoid suspicion, much like how people didn't need a sign by the roadside to know not to relieve themselves in public, even if it was technically not illegal. It might not break the law, but it still felt... wrong.

With Mark managing things, it became more convenient for the Mayor. He could often declare loudly to the public that they were on the same side and even reveal the balance in his hidden accounts to demonstrate his noble character.

Apart from earning a commission for managing these assets, Mark also invested his own money in them. Over the years, Mark had made quite a bit of money. After all, with an uncle like the Mayor, it was nearly impossible to lose money on investments in Sabin City.

After Lynch returned from Bupayne, Mark sought him out to discuss his recent investment opportunity. He believed it was a solid investment and, of course, was using his own money. He had pooled together some money and put it all into the investment. And Hart, being a very considerate person, offered Mark a quite affordable price—just 25,000 for each apartment.

After six years, the house could be sold back to Hart for 50,000. Doubling the investment in six years was way too tempting for Mark to resist; he was drawn in immediately. He even thought of involving Lynch in the deal, not because Hart gave him any benefits but because he simply wanted to share his successful investment experience. Such behavior was actually quite common in every social circle.

That was actually how some inside information slipped out—one person shared what they knew, then someone else added what they'd heard, and soon enough, everyone knew about it!

Lynch, however, declined and suggested he had a better project on hand, which piqued Mark's interest.

"What is it?" he asked, though he immediately hesitated. "I'm a bit tight on cash right now, you know. I just gave over 200,000 in cash to Mr. Hart, so I might not have much left to invest."

Lynch waved his hand dismissively. "Money isn't the issue. You can listen to my project first, and then we'll figure out the money."

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Once Mark agreed, Lynch outlined his plan. It wasn't about business scams or shady dealings; it was a genuinely good project.

"You know, in a few days, the bank will start auctioning off some of Listoan Group's assets to compensate those injured on the job and those who lost their ability to work."

Mark nodded again. He was aware of the situation and was even involved. He had invested 100,000 in a charity-oriented private equity fund Lynch had recently established, securing a 15% stake. This fund was expected to win the upcoming bid—he knew the details.

Lynch paused for about three or four seconds before continuing, "There are many families in Sabin City facing huge problems. As a socially responsible and just businessman in Sabin, I've decided to shoulder my responsibility.

"I'm going to place orders with families that desperately need work, rent sewing machines to them, and even subsidize part of the material costs.

"All they have to do is produce the goods I need according to my specifications, and they'll earn much more than they would working in a factory."

Mark didn't care at all about those first two sentences. He couldn't care less about social responsibility or justice. His mind was focused on indulgence and money. Anything beyond that simply didn't interest him.

Standing from the perspective of a failure, that was Mark's biggest flaw. He had never experienced struggle, yet he reaped the rewards. He didn't have to endure long, arduous efforts to taste the sweetness of success. The process was dull, and so the result felt flat.

Of course, that was just a polite, well-mannered way of expressing jealousy and envy—a gentle way to put it.

What truly piqued Mark's interest was Lynch's next statement: "Much more money?" His voice lifted slightly. "How much more?"

Lynch smirked slightly. "The more effort they put in, the more they earn. Do you get what I mean?"

Mark's expression grew more serious. He adjusted his lazy posture, took out a pack of cigarettes, and lit one. "Tell me more."

"Right now, factories in the Federation still operate on an hourly wage system. Workers are protected by various laws, and they can even slack off on the job while still getting paid the same as others.

"That's not reasonable for us. They're not putting in the hard work, yet they're reaping the rewards.

"But I've come up with a new idea: a piece-rate system. These small workshops, organized by families, would get paid based on their actual output. If they slack off, they get nothing.

"But you know, Mark, I have a lot going on. I don't have the time to handle all these details. I need partners.

"I'll give you a favorable deal, leaving you plenty of profit margins. Then, you can assign these orders to those who need the work.

"You'll be helping your uncle by providing jobs to some of the unemployed. With work, they won't be out protesting at the City Hall all day. Their families will also be able to ease their financial pressure. People will thank you for your kindness and generosity.

"Everyone will speak well of you, and at the same time, you'll make money. Do you understand?"

Mark frowned and thought for a moment before nodding slowly. "So, you're saying I'll need to subcontract the work you give me and earn some benefits from it?"

Lynch nodded; that was exactly what he meant. But soon, Mark shook his head. "Sorry, I'm not very interested in this project. Sorry to disappoint you."

Lynch wasn't surprised by Mark's refusal. Mark was a classic example of a wealthy man who hadn't earned his fortune through hard work. He didn't want to do much actual work but still wanted to enjoy the privileges that wealth, power, and status provided—a common trait among privileged family members.

As a friend, Lynch wouldn't say this to his face, but it was clear that's how he felt.

"Well, if you're not interested, that's fine. Someone else will be." Lynch's smile didn't fade, but he knew Mark would eventually come back to him.

If Mark had only used his own money to invest in Hart's project, and if Hart really ran off, it would mean Mark would lose hundreds of thousands of bucks. To fill that hole, Mark would have to stop being picky and accept whatever opportunities came his way, or he wouldn't recover his losses in time.

If the Mayor's money was involved, then Mark would be even more desperate to return to Lynch, as this was clearly not an official deal authorized by the Mayor.

Business involving sensitive groups like this was not the place for the Mayor to intervene. If it went well, people wouldn't feel much gratitude because they'd think the Mayor was exploiting the poor. And if it went wrong, public backlash from all corners of society would ruin him.

After discussing this, Lynch and Mark talked about the cooperation they'd need moving forward.

Three days after their meeting, the bank, under the authority of the City Hall, held a private auction for some of Listoan Group's assets in a meeting hall at the Sabin Hotel. Lynch was also among the attendees.

The hall was filled with people. Lynch expected Joegleman to keep a low profile and avoid any overt association with him, but to his surprise, Joegleman sat right beside him and started chatting.

"Is this a good idea?" Lynch asked quietly, handing him a cigarette and leaning in to light it. He was referring to the many bank employees and auction attendees present.

As the auction organizer, Joegleman's behavior could easily lead to unnecessary speculation.

Surprisingly, Joegleman, usually discreet, smirked arrogantly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

Everyone he looked at lowered their heads submissively.

"It's fine. They know what to do." Joegleman had reclaimed his power after being suppressed for half a year, and now he was stronger than ever.

Hundreds of bank employees had been fired for various reasons. At Sabin City Bank's quarterly meeting, these dismissals were attributed to unsuitability for their roles, and the risk department had flagged them with orange markers, indicating their continued employment posed risks to the bank. These individuals were either reassigned to remote areas or let go.

But everyone knew the real reason they were fired, which solidified Joegleman's dominance within Sabin City's banking system.

Lynch watched Joegleman, noting the arrogance on his face. He gently reminded him, "Your opponents made the same mistake. I don't want you to be next."Please vote for this novel at https://www.novelupdates.com/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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