Blackstone Code-Chapter 453: I Also Hope Others Are Reasonable

People often act on impulse when making decisions—that brief, instinctive moment reveals what they truly want.

For the young man facing a difficult choice, the moment Lynch gave him the option, he almost blurted out that he’d rather lose one of his…

He already had a child, a wife, and that particular part of his anatomy wasn’t as indispensable as people might think. He remembered a coworker once telling him that even with just one, things still functioned normally.

Their small construction company mostly took on minor jobs—like leveling ground—using tools like pneumatic tampers. These machines delivered powerful impacts, required just two or three operators, and were cost-efficient—making them a favorite among small contractors.

Once, a coworker misused one and got hit square in the groin. The impact shattered one of his testicles.

The operation was deemed irregular because the insurance company didn’t want to pay in full. After some pressure from the doctor and claims manager, the man gave up optimal medical treatment for a payout with more cash.

It was then the young man learned—one was enough. They even joked about intentionally losing one if it meant getting a decent settlement from insurance.

But impulse is just that—impulse. In the moment, anything can seem bearable. Once it passes, fear sets in. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Compared to losing a part of his body, maybe marrying the girl wasn’t such a bad choice.

He turned to Lynch. The blinding sunlight made it hard to open his eyes. Backlit, Lynch looked like a silhouette in the sky—almost divine. The sun framed him in gold, making it impossible to look directly at him.

“Mr. Lynch, I’ll marry the girl,” the young man said, decisively.

Lynch nodded slightly and looked at the girl. “Do you agree?”

She bit her lip and gave a small nod. This was exactly what she wanted.

If she could tie this foreigner to her—even just enough to buy her a ticket to the Federation and get a spousal visa and residency—she didn’t care what happened after. Even if they divorced once settled, it wouldn’t matter.

As a woman, she knew how to earn money once she got there.

Both parties agreed, and the mood shifted to celebration. People behind the girl began to smile.

If she could make it to the Federation and settle there, her relatives could visit on temporary family visas. She’d send money to buy their tickets. A new life would begin.

As for surviving and earning enough there—that was a problem for another day.

When people dream of a better life, they overestimate themselves and underestimate the difficulties.

With the happy resolution, the crowd’s anger and suspicion melted into smiles. Many onlookers smiled too, feeling it was a small victory—some even a bit envious.

If trading a girl for such a chance was all it took, the deal didn’t seem too bad. Some even thought maybe these foreigners would take interest in their own wives…

Just as the scene seemed to conclude with a harmonious ending, the police chief let out a long breath.

There had been no large-scale violence. In fact, the day’s events might be considered a success.

It bore witness to a love story between a local girl and a foreigner and the bright future of a new family. Far from being a bad day—it was a celebration.

He even thought if the governor asked, he could frame this as a sign of growing unity between Nagarylls and the Federation people—perfectly in line with the current political narrative.

He stepped back toward Lynch, head bowed respectfully. “Mr. Lynch…”

But Lynch interrupted him again. “Now that their matter is resolved, it’s time we discuss ours.”

His international standard accent was crisp and untainted by any Baylor inflection. Enunciation was sharp—fluent and precise—bridging the gap between people with ease.

Everyone understood him clearly.

The smiles on several faces froze. Lynch looked at them. Some were visibly nervous. Then one man stepped forward—the girl’s brother, whom she tugged at anxiously.

“Mr. Lynch, I led this. I let my anger cloud my judgment. I solemnly apologize to someone as remarkable as you. Your generosity and mercy are as vast as the sea,” he said, bowing and speaking in heavily accented praise.

To many, this felt like a familiar ritual.

Make a mistake, cause no major harm, then bow to the powerful, flatter them, ask forgiveness—this had become a kind of social protocol in Nagaryll.

Not because the powerful were truly magnanimous—these small fry simply weren’t worth their wrath. What they called mercy was often just indifference.

But Lynch was not that kind of person. Today had been a crisis—but also an opportunity.

Lynch smiled and waved Nail over. The man came to stand beside him.

Lynch looked at the people, especially the man who had stepped forward. “This man—Mr. Nail, Manager Nail, whatever you prefer—is my father.”

The police chief, still forcing a smile to hide his earlier frustration at being ignored, froze the moment he heard this. The smile vanished instantly.

All the annoyance he’d felt vanished too—because you had your father here undercover like an ordinary man? Are you kidding me?

But now was not the time to complain. Sweat poured down the police chief’s face. He felt his gut clench, a heat trickling down again. He tightened his abdomen, hunched forward, and moved in closer to Lynch.

This time, Lynch didn’t interrupt him.

“Mr. Lynch… I didn’t know Mr. Nail was your father…”

Lynch gave him a sidelong glance. The slow movement of his eyes carried a terrifying weight—no change in expression, yet the pressure was overwhelming.

The police chief shut his mouth on his own. He held his breath. The look in Lynch’s eyes was too much—he couldn’t go on.

Lynch turned back to the crowd. “My father’s head was busted open by your people. My place was thrown into chaos. The losses are countless.”

“Anyone who makes a mistake must face consequences—whether it’s my employees, myself, or any of you.”

“I’m giving you a choice: break a leg and crawl out of here, or go to prison—and forget about ever getting out!”

After punishing his own people, Lynch moved on to the others. This made him appear more impartial, and even those watching didn’t feel he was being excessive. Some even thought he was a good man.

After all, he had lost an iron gate, part of a roof, electrical appliances, steel, and various other materials—yet all he demanded in return was a broken leg from these people. That was merciful.

In Nagaryll, lives are worth less than property.

So whether it was a broken leg or a prison sentence, it was harsh but not unreasonable. No one protested for the young men; the crowd simply watched in silence.

“Mr. Lynch, some of this wasn’t even our doing…”

Lynch ignored him. “If you can’t decide, I’ll decide for you. Maybe a lifetime in prison suits you better—steady job, steady meals. That’s far more stable than living free.”

“I’m a reasonable man. I expect the same from you.”

His words made the atmosphere heavy. The choice was brutal—either lose a leg or lose your freedom.

“It seems you can’t decide…” Lynch turned to the hunched-over police chief beside him. “Chief…”

“I choose the leg, Mr. Lynch!” The leader of the group stepped forward, gritting his teeth. Now that some things were settled and hope was in sight, he couldn’t give it up.

A broken leg might slow him down, but once they got to the Federation, money was everywhere. Even the simplest jobs paid more than anything here.

He was only a meter from the gate of hope—he wouldn’t stop now.

“Mr. Lynch, I’ve realized my mistake. I choose… to accept punishment.” He stepped forward and stopped not far from Lynch.

The surrounding gun barrels subtly aimed at him, but he stood calmly.

Maybe it was the clarity of a final decision that made him fearless. “How do you plan to do it?”

Lynch walked over to a sergeant, pulled the pistol from his holster, and handed it to Nail, gesturing for him to shoot and break the young man’s leg.

Nail wasn’t a remarkable person—just a reserved, slightly lost man who had only recently come into some wealth. Before this, he had never harmed anyone, not even a small animal.

Now Lynch was asking him to shoot someone’s leg. It was too much.

Seeing Nail’s hesitant eyes, Lynch took the pistol back, flipped the safety off, stepped forward, and without pause—bang, bang, bang!—fired three shots.

In an instant, the birds that had just settled in the treetops took to the sky again in a loud, flapping burst.