Blackstone Code-Chapter 373: The First Wave of Turmoil

“The resistance group incited the workers at Mine No. 7. They blew up the tunnels and attacked our stationed soldiers. They’re now exchanging fire with our reinforcements…”

Gunfire crackled faintly over the phone, with occasional explosions. The caller, a captain responsible for Mine No. 7, sounded grim and had blood on his temple.

The Gephran are arrogant; they refuse to live alongside defeated, lowly people. That’s why they have a separate courtyard—this is what kept the captain alive, allowing him to call the governor instead of dying alongside the others.

Both he and the governor understood the gravity of the situation. Losing the mine or some soldiers dying didn’t matter much to him.

The real danger lay in the explosives stored at the mine to speed up extraction. If the resistance seized those explosives and ammunition, it would fuel their cause. Once these madmen had such supplies, the entire Amellian Province would be unstable.

The governor immediately ordered: “Destroy all weapons and explosives that cannot be evacuated. Tell the reinforcements to retreat along their original path and be cautious of ambushes.”

“Do not engage. Withdraw immediately. The spotlight blinds you to the darkness outside—your current position is very dangerous.”

The governor was no fool who rose through family ties in peaceful times. As the chief military and administrative leader in Amellia, he had fought in dozens of battles, including the final great war.

He knew well that under the searchlights, the captain and his soldiers had nowhere to hide, while the resistance lurked in the dark forests beyond the light.

If they didn’t retreat now, they’d all be dead before dawn, and weapons and explosives would be lost. It was better to destroy what couldn’t be taken and slip into the darkness. Without terrain advantage, the rebels would withdraw.

The captain began carrying out the orders immediately. The governor, however, had no intention of sleeping. More than anyone, he understood what Amellia’s stability meant to the empire.

His face was dark and fierce. He once hoped kindness might sway these lowly people to stay loyal and avoid danger. But the rebels and the people’s defiance had angered him deeply. He no longer intended to show mercy.

Since goodwill failed, he’d threaten them with death.

At dawn in Mazel City, the provincial capital, the sound of polished boots woke residents. Loudspeakers announced everything that had happened the previous night.

The governor reinstated military control and curfew across the province. Anyone caught on the streets after 5 p.m. could be killed without question.

Anyone harboring or failing to report rebels was considered a rebel themselves.

Gephran soldiers were authorized to inspect any house at any time and search anyone’s belongings. Resistance or obstruction would be treated as rebellion.

By 7 a.m., gunfire began rhythmically in the city center.

Those caught outside during the overnight search were arrested as rebels and publicly executed.

Citizens—some truly rebels, some innocent—were indistinguishable at that moment.

Despite pleas, Gephran soldiers coldly raised their weapons and threw the bodies onto trucks.

Many citizens were forced from their homes and gathered around the square to witness the grim scene. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Blood spilled through the truck’s gaps, and once full, the bodies were taken away and burned. The heat caused rapid decomposition, raising health risks unlike earlier when bodies could dry naturally. ɽ𝔞𝐍ộ𝔟Ë𝒮

Bright red blood flowed between the bricks, forming a river. The people watched with a mix of anger, fear, and humiliation—watching the Gephrans, watching the dead and dying among their own.

That same day, international reporters broadcasted the events. While countries led by the Baylor Federation condemned the governor’s actions, Gephra praised the decision and dispatched more troops to tighten control.

They had wanted to send their first-class Royal Navy fleet to suppress the unrest, but strong opposition from other nations blocked this. Most countries accepted a land force as an internal matter, but a naval deployment risked military confrontation or accidental conflict near Amellia’s coast.

Lynch couldn’t stop smiling all morning, his jaw nearly aching from grinning so hard.

When he arrived at the office he recently bought, Lime greeted him eagerly.

For financial convenience, Lynch had purchased an entire floor in a skyscraper at Eminence’s financial center. Though prices had dropped to their lowest in years, it was still a good investment.

His office was vast and empty, with transparent glass walls giving a panoramic view of Eminence’s busiest district below.

“Mr. Lynch, copper prices are rising!” Lime said excitedly. The news of the blast at Amellia’s largest copper mine had spread, reducing global supply overnight. Gephra began buying in, pushing prices up.

Lynch had already started making money—big money.

Leverage, or margin trading, was how this worked. People often talked about fifty, a hundred, or even two hundred times leverage, especially common in futures markets, less so in stocks.

Lynch nodded modestly. “That’s certainly good news.”

Lime added, “But the Gael currency hasn’t dropped significantly yet…”

Lynch treated it as a lesson. “Right, it won’t fall for now. Gephra sent troops to quell the unrest in Amellia, stabilizing the region. So far, the situation hasn’t seriously damaged Gephra’s international standing or authority. Gael’s price might dip briefly but will quickly recover.”

“Right now, we focus on copper prices. Tell our traders to watch turnover in the futures market carefully and establish hedges when necessary…”

Hedging had recently become a popular trading strategy—basically holding two opposing accounts, one betting prices up, the other down. Ideally, this prevents loss but might incur transaction fees.

However, sometimes traders can predict trends with controlled risks, such as during policy-driven market shifts.

At those moments, they keep the profitable positions and sell off the losing ones to secure gains.

When profits meet initial expectations, they can hedge or reduce exposure to minimize risk further.

The benefit of hedging is controlling risk within acceptable limits, though the downside is often lower returns.

Unlike speculation, which thrills traders, hedging appeals to those who prefer steady, retirement-like safety.

Setting up hedges is a reliable risk management method—very stable.

Lime nodded, making a mental note. The traders Lynch had brought in were independent operators recommended by friends.

Their commissions were far higher than most imagined, but rightly so.

The best traders in Eminence took no less than 20% of the employer’s profits as their personal cut, with no upper limit.

However, this came with conditions. In this world, nothing was without constraints, especially good things.

These top traders’ contracts resembled betting agreements. Lynch provided them with data and a baseline return target. Only after meeting Lynch’s return expectations would the higher commission tiers kick in.

For these traders, every trade mattered. One mistake, and Eminence would drop them.

Overall, Lynch’s own interests were secure, but he preferred having a few trusted people on his team rather than relying solely on independent traders.

Independent traders were less controllable and not necessarily safe.

“You need to learn from them. I want you to be able to handle things on your own by next year,” Lynch said, rising and motioning Lime over to the glass wall.

When Lime approached, Lynch put an arm around his shoulder and pointed to the Eminence Financial Center outside. “This will be your world.”