Blackstone Code-Chapter 276:

"I know you." The first sentence from the man who briefly acted as Lynch's competitor made Lynch feel something indescribable.

It wasn't like when others said, "I know you," implying "I know what you've done, so I know you." When the man in front of Lynch said "I know you," he truly meant it in a literal sense: "I know who you are."

It might sound a bit convoluted, but these two types of knowing are completely different. Though it's hard to convey the distinction through words alone, they certainly evoke different feelings.

Lynch glanced at the man sitting across from him. The small roadside café was almost empty, with only their table occupied. Behind the bar, a lethargic waiter absentmindedly watched a soap opera on TV, occasionally cracking a dull smile that quickly faded, leaving a trace of unhidden sorrow.

Pedestrians hurried by outside, and no one noticed the two men sitting inside the café, let alone their uniqueness.

"I don't know you yet, sir," Lynch said playfully with a smile. "You know me, but I don't know you. That doesn't seem fair."

There was a hint of childlike mischief in his tone, along with a touch of innocence that only children have. Only children believe the world is fair, and only they strive for fairness in everything—until they grow up and truly understand the world.

Lynch wasn't pretending to be young; he genuinely was. The man across from him pulled a finely crafted card case from his coat, took out a metallic card with gold edges, and handed it to Lynch. "Now it's fair."

Lynch was a bit surprised as he took the card. Metal business cards were rare, especially ones with gilded edges. They were difficult to maintain and couldn't be bent.

The card only had a name on it: Herbert Zizifonko, with an address on the back, but Lynch had never heard of him.

After examining it for a few more moments, Lynch placed the card into his own cardholder. Though he had limited artistic appreciation, he could tell that the card's design style didn't match that of the Baylor Federation.

The style of the Baylor Federation was either minimalist or luxurious, but there was always an underlying sense of lacking in sophistication, likely due to its origins.

The Federation was founded by exiled criminals, disgraced nobles, crazed pirates, and mad gold seekers—none of them cultured individuals. Naturally, the country they established lacked any real cultural depth.

The early culture of the Baylor Federation was pieced together from various elements, which made it seem a bit lowbrow. Later, several federal presidents forcibly integrated native culture into the Federation's civilization, giving rise to what was now known as the Federal Civilization. They refused to acknowledge that their country had only a few hundred years of history, claiming in textbooks that the Federation had over a thousand years of history. The last few hundred years were merely the history of modern civilization.

This card, however, felt different. It had roots.

Moreover, the surname Zizifonko didn't seem like a Federal surname—at least, Lynch had never heard of such a strange name.

Herbert casually began discussing matters related to Lynch. "You mentioned economic warfare at the President's celebration banquet, and later attended some radical salons. Honestly, I find it hard to believe such ideas come from someone so young. Mr. Lynch, you're an interesting person. I'm honored to know you."

At this point, both Herbert and Lynch paused naturally, neither rushing to continue. After a brief moment, Herbert resumed, "Many of your views align closely with mainstream international perspectives."

"Perhaps I'm still unfamiliar to you," Herbert continued. "Allow me to formally introduce myself: Herbert Zizifonko, a member of a small country's royal family. You may call me ‘Prince.'"

"But I prefer you to use another title—‘International Banker.'"

With a shift in tone, Herbert began explaining his work. International bankers were different from national bankers. For a bank to be considered international, its business must cover at least two countries. The addition of "banker" meant that Herbert was a significant figure within an international bank—perhaps a director or even a major shareholder.

The Baylor Federation's increasing engagement with the world was also allowing the world to engage with it. International banks were among the first to enter the Federation, scouting locations to establish a branch on a national level.

Not everyone trusted the Federation or its banks, especially given some of their previous actions, which were rather... problematic.

They detained those trying to withdraw funds from the Federal economy, either imprisoning them or driving them out, while confiscating their money.

This led to a lack of trust in the Federal banking system among international businessmen, who sought a more reliable institution for certain matters.

It wasn't a simple task. Many factors had to be considered, including politics.

The friction between international and national financial institutions would never fade, so Herbert's bank sent him to take charge of the situation personally.

Today's meeting was merely a coincidence. Herbert had come to York State to observe the financial environment when he heard about a small internal auction.

Such events also occurred internationally, where economic disputes would sometimes involve third-party financial institutions as intermediaries. It was common. So, Herbert decided to check it out.

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When he saw items being sold at laughably low prices, he decided to step in. He believed there was no real harm in doing so; he was simply seeking a reasonable profit. He was sure that even if Lynch bought the items at the current prices, whether for personal use or resale, he would still make a profit.

Of course, Herbert's actions may have seemed a bit over the top, but as a banker—a person even more profit-driven than businessmen—it made sense. At least businessmen wouldn't trade money itself, whereas bankers would, so his actions were justified.

Lynch shrugged. "But, Mr. International Banker, I just lost over a million bucks because of you."

Herbert smiled nonchalantly. "You could see it differently—you spent a million to buy my friendship. Listen, many people would pay far more than a million to meet me, but I wouldn't give them the chance. You've actually made a profit."

There was some truth to his words. Generally, board members of large international banks would remain anonymous. Aside from those who needed to appear in public, most stayed hidden.

Some people wouldn't even know the names or identities of these individuals, let alone how to contact them.

So, in a way, Lynch's million-buck investment in a connection didn't seem like a bad deal.

Lynch's smile was clean, his gaze sharp. "I hope my million wasn't wasted."

Herbert laughed. "I can guarantee that."

Their conversation then shifted to simpler topics, such as international affairs. Perhaps it was Lynch's ideas, which aligned with or even surpassed mainstream international thought, that had attracted Herbert.

Recently, the core of the Alliance of Victorious Nations, Gevra, had been causing a stir, demanding that the weaker party in unequal trade agreements using their national currency, Gera, for settlements. This had caused headaches for many countries and capitalists.

If they wanted to maintain close trade relations with Gevra, they would need to hold a substantial amount of Geras, which would tie up their capital.

This led to an increased demand for Gera in international banks, and its value continued to rise in the foreign exchange markets, strengthening Gevra's position in international trade. As more countries used their currency, Gevra could buy more goods with less money.

This emerging economic model, though it may have existed in the past but had not been deeply explored by people, was now being seriously studied.

Some joked that while the world war had left the world in chaos, it also brought countries closer together.

Where once nations operated independently, now there was a strange trend of global integration.

Military, economic, and cultural forces would shape a new form of warfare in the next decade—more subtle, yet more powerful than traditional wars.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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