Blackstone Code-Chapter 391: I Can’t Refuse You Can’t Refuse (Also Known As: Despicable Scoundrel)

Chapter 391: I Can’t Refuse You Can’t Refuse (Also Known As: Despicable Scoundrel)

Too much had happened in a single day for anyone to keep up.

Everyone expected the Emperor of Gephra to respond with fury and launch a new war to reclaim his honor—this was the impression he had long left on the world.

Whenever things went against him, he would threaten to unleash his invincible navy to wash away the humiliation. But in truth, he was rarely the one truly humiliated. His arrogance had become a defining label pinned firmly to him.

If Gephra had declared war, it wouldn’t have come as a shock. But what was interesting was that the Gephran ambassador stationed in the Federation gave a firm denial during an interview at the embassy.

“Federals?”

“Defeated our invincible fleet?”

His tone was absurd, incredulous, almost mocking, full of the typical Gephran arrogance. “Impossible. Let me correct your mistaken assumptions.”

“First of all, we have never engaged the Federals in a naval battle, so there’s no such thing as a total defeat. If they—or you—believe otherwise, then show us the evidence.”

“I’m certain you have none. Because if you did, you wouldn’t be standing here asking for confirmation—you’d be spreading it globally to mock our failure!”

“No battle. No defeat!”

This statement, along with Gephra’s eerie silence, brought the initially euphoric public back to their senses. Then the Federation’s Minister of Defense held a second press conference.

During it, he disclosed to the global press that the Federation had verified new information with Gephra.

According to their findings, Gephra had not deployed any warships to the neutral seas. Their First Fleet was undergoing maintenance in a Gephran military port.

To prove this, they presented visual evidence: the Princess Victory and Commander Knight battleships—symbols of the First Fleet—along with six frigates and several destroyers, were currently traversing the Erperil Strait en route to the Amellia region, now docked at a public port. Anyone could verify this with local authorities or residents.

The Minister of Defense suggested that a failure in intelligence may have caused their initial misjudgment. Ultimately, salvage operations would confirm the truth by identifying the sunken warships.

Simultaneously, the Ministry issued a new international warrant for a pirate leader named Preyton Grutt, outlining charges that included piracy, looting, murder, and even treason.

The Federation, in the name of justice and peace on the seas, declared its duty to eradicate these criminals. Naval forces would continue to hunt down remnants of the Preyton pirate group worldwide and called on international ports to provide docking and resupply support when needed.

Events had unfolded so rapidly that some journalists’ morning reports were already outdated by afternoon. But this also made one thing clear: a new hegemon had arrived on the global stage.

Surprisingly, people were not alarmed. With Gephra’s history of domineering imperialism as a benchmark, the Federation’s actions seemed more palatable in comparison. While the Federation might be retracing Gephra’s path, they did so with a far more acceptable demeanor.

It was like a woman walking alone through a dark, remote alley at night encountering a predator.

Gephra was the foul-smelling brute—ugly and violent—who invoked hatred even in submission. The Federation, on the other hand, was a well-mannered gentleman.

The woman might not only refrain from resisting but might even willingly cooperate in hopes of gaining pleasure from it.

A Gephra that only plundered could not compare to a Federation that offered mutual benefit while still demanding tribute.

That same day, the Baylor Federal Industrial Index soared, with companies like Shepford Marine Works and Veyport Naval Industry posting record-breaking gains—over 200%. Veyport’s stock price rocketed from 1.13 to 3.81.

Their new torpedo, dubbed the “Battleship Killer,” had proven its dominance. The Federation Navy placed a massive order, causing Veyport to operate at full throttle, even launching two new production lines to meet the demand. This boom was reflected in the stock market.

This financial momentum also stirred change among the lower rungs of society. Federals were now convinced they had defeated the Gephran navy—even without official confirmation. People flooded the streets in celebration—not in protest, but in jubilant parades, proud to be citizens of a rising power.

If the Federation could defeat Gephra at sea, then surely happiness and prosperity were not far off.

Standing by the window, Lynch let go of the curtain, allowing it to fall. He walked back to his desk and sat down. “See, this is what we need—victory.”

“Victory fuels morale, revives industry, elevates the Federation’s global standing. Even the air of freedom,” he said with a smirk, tilting his head slightly, “requires victory—victory that shatters the old order.”

“To the world, the Federation and Gephra seem like enemies now. But who would have thought that the President himself called the Gephran Emperor—cordially discussing potential cooperation?”

Mr. Truman, seated across from Lynch, also found the past twelve hours surreal—bizarre, fantastical, and tinged with irony.

That morning, the President had a brief call with the Emperor. No rage. No insults about the President’s family. No threats. Just a calm, amicable discussion, even including talks of collaboration.

A battle had broken out, followed by an unexpected result: after Gephra’s surrender, the fleet commander still gave the order to annihilate them—completely unforeseen.

What seemed like an irreconcilable conflict actually laid the foundation for secret peace talks. Neither side wanted the situation to spiral beyond control, so both were determined to keep it tightly reined in.

When one man or one nation can’t control a crisis alone, then two must do it together.

War now would mean devastating losses for either side. The situation had to stabilize.

It was surreal. Gephra had been struck, and their Emperor now had to help the Federation manage the fallout…

“What happens next?” Truman asked, curious. Lynch’s perspective on international affairs was clearly on a different plane.

For instance, Truman had expected military standoff, yet Lynch had given the enemy an offer they couldn’t refuse—turning devastation into negotiation. It was clear Lynch had grasped Gephra’s most vulnerable point.

Yes—Amellia.

In private talks with the President and key cabinet members, Lynch had explained his view: Amellia’s strategic value far outweighed any benefit from retaliating militarily against the Federation. Military revenge could, at best, prove parity with the Federation—while also exposing their weaknesses.

But if Gephra could stabilize their hold over Amellia, it would be far more constructive for the empire’s long-term development.

The President raised this point during his call, offering international support for Gephra’s sovereignty over Amellia and assistance in maintaining control of their overseas territories.

This kind of statement essentially signaled a powerful alliance. Geographically, the Federation’s support made stabilizing control much easier than Gephra achieving it through military force—and without intensifying the conflict between the ruling class and the ruled.

After the meeting, Mr. Truman had a brief break. The President gave him two hours, so he came to see Lynch—to talk about what might happen next.

He wasn’t looking for an answer to report back to someone. It was pure curiosity, a personal drive. He wanted to combine Lynch’s predictions with his own to better understand the coming shifts in global power.

“What’s next?”

“We all make money—big money—and then in the next war, we beat each other’s brains out!” Lynch laughed heartily. “As long as we don’t go to war with Gephra, the global order won’t fall into chaos anytime soon.”

“We’ll gain more resources, better terms in partnerships, more favorable policies. But we’ll also attract growing hostility from other nations in the shadows. We’ll replace Gephra as the new target—what others strive to catch up with, or eliminate.”

“Until… the next world war breaks out!”