Darkstone Code-Chapter 719 - 0717 Embrace the Future [This - is sponsored and additionally updated by Silver Alliance: Mr_Crow - 5/5]
A transfer check filled with so many "zeros" in cursive made everyone in the room gasp.
Sometimes it’s not just cash that can profoundly shock people; numbers can too, especially when they appear on checks or promissory notes.
One million!
The Professor’s hand trembled slightly as he picked up the check. This was one million, and though he often handled large project funds and had developed a strong adaptive capacity, he still felt waves of emotion faced with this money.
Many people struggle their entire lives and can’t manage this figure, not even if they decrease a digit.
Based on Bupen’s minimum wage of two hundred forty-one a month, without spending anything for a year, one could only save two thousand eight hundred ninety-two, and it takes a hundred years to save two hundred eighty-nine thousand two hundred.
Mind you, this is without eating, drinking, or spending anything, just saving.
Of course, someone might say, my heavens, times are progressing, and wages will increase.
But no matter how much they increase, one can’t earn one million in a lifetime without eating or drinking!
For ninety-five percent of the Federation’s population, this number is only ever a distant figure, unable to be approached. That’s why seeing Lynch’s pen tip scribble a series of "zeros" on the check made people so excited.
However, for capitalists, this might just be the kind of money they earn in a day, a few days, or over a period of time.
The wealthier someone is, the faster they make money.
Those sent to Amelia contribute sixty or seventy thousand dollars a day in pure profit to Lynch. In just half a month, he could earn what many wouldn’t in a lifetime.
Is the world fair?
No, this has nothing to do with hard work or anything like that because the world has never been fair.
"I hope we can move quickly into the third phase of research, Professor," Lynch put away his six-figure pen. This pen was a gift from Mr. Herbs, but unfortunately, the gentleman chose to end his life by jumping off a building.
Yet the gift matched Lynch’s tastes perfectly.
Lynch used to have a friend, a friend fond of showing off, but his friend’s way of showing off clearly was high-class. He wouldn’t wear a wristwatch worth hundreds of thousands or millions to show off by running his hands through his hair or raise his hand occasionally to block the sun.
His showing off lay in subtler details, like his pen, his tie clip, his keychain...
These inconspicuous little items, any of which could cost tens of thousands, lay there for all to see, but few knew their price.
This kind of showing off isn’t for those who don’t understand it, so Lynch said his friend’s style of showing off was high-grade, and he liked it too.
Is there anything more capable of inflaming one’s vanity than pulling out a pen worth a worker’s lifetime of toil without eating or drinking?
No, there isn’t.
"Any other questions?" he asked, sitting up straight.
The Professor kept staring at the check as if it had some magic power that held his gaze. He snapped back to reality at the sound of Lynch’s voice, put the check into his chest pocket, and shook his head, saying, "No, Mr. Lynch."
"We will complete our second phase of research as soon as possible, and also..." he extended his hand, somewhat humbled, "Happy cooperation!"
The first phase of research has about ten thousand dollars left over, some of which must be shared with the principal.
Taking on external research projects while using the university’s students and instruments certainly requires some form of compensation.
Although the contract includes fees for venues, instruments, and personnel hiring, those are paid to the school, and now this money is directly for the principal.
Once the principal is paid, there are other relevant personnel to compensate, more or less, ranging from hundreds to thousands. He can net three to four thousand.
This is because the first phase of the project didn’t have much high-tech content; the budget was stretched thin, and many costly materials were used during the research, leaving little to remain.
As for the experimental residue?
Those things have long been taken by the bosses and won’t be left to the end.
If the second phase can be completed low-cost and promptly, he could earn tens of thousands, which would be a significant income. He’s already planning to recruit more students to join the research, helping Mr. Lynch realize his dream quicker!
Seeing Lynch off, the Professor became more amiable than usual, having become more amiable since returning from the bank.
Actually, as per regulation, Lynch should have sent an accountant to supervise their use of this money, but for some reason, Lynch hadn’t mentioned it, and naturally, the Professor wouldn’t remind him. The fees without supervision are surprising just to think about.
Actually, Lynch knows full well the ins and outs of this. He knows everything and understands that to make a horse run fast, it must be well-fed.
After leaving the university, Lynch did not take a car but walked for a few minutes to the entrance of a luxury apartment building.
The Administrator on the first floor looked at Lynch with some wariness, but after a few glances, the wariness vanished, leaving only some excitement and humility.
The Administrator remembered that on his first day on the job, the real estate company told him, Lynch owned an apartment here, currently occupied by a girl, and he was to keep an eye out.
He initially thought it might be one of those clichéd stories, like Lynch abandoned the girl and never returned, but now, at this moment, he didn’t think so.
"You know me," Lynch chatted with the Administrator while waiting for the elevator.
"Yes... yes! I know you, Mr. Lynch!"
The Administrator was a bit excited, a young man in his twenties, but there was an inexplicable yet seemingly normal air of spiritlessness about him. He felt cautious, "Excuse me, may I shake your hand?"
"I have never met someone of your status. I want to shake your hand. I don’t know why I want to, but I just do..."
Lynch extended his hand and smiled, at which the Administrator hurriedly extended both hands to shake Lynch’s, gently shaking his head, "My God, we shook hands!"
The young man became a bit excited thereupon, truly appearing like a youthful person.
After retracting his hand, Lynch smiled, "Do you consider this a miracle?"
"A miracle?"
"Yes, Mr. Lynch, this is a miracle. I never expected to meet you here, let alone shake hands," the young man said honestly.
But obviously, Lynch didn’t mind spending a bit of time in idle talk while waiting for the elevator, so he shook his head, "No, this is a miracle."
Seeing the young man’s somewhat bewildered face, Lynch spoke softly, "This isn’t a miracle because you expressed your desire, you told me you wanted to shake my hand, and you made an effort, Mr. Administrator."
"Your efforts were met with a response, which is why we have our handshake. This isn’t a miracle; it’s the result of your efforts."
"Even if not all efforts yield a good result, isn’t this precisely our longing for effort and motivation?"
"We hope that through our efforts, we attain a good future. Whether or not such a future manifests, our efforts may either cause us to lament the opportunity lost or be joyful because we embrace that future."
"This is your success, and hence your happiness, Mr. Administrator. Life is composed of many such ’efforts’ and ’results.’
"From you, I sense a certain air not fitting of our age, a weariness, a lifelessness, I think this may not be the right job for you. You should venture outside, at least do something you wish to while still young, striving a few times for your future and ideals."
"Regardless of whether we fail, at least we won’t regret it. What do you say?"
As Lynch spoke, he pulled out a pen, extracted a note from the first-floor counter, and wrote a line—
To Mr. Administrator:
May the youth not regret, strive to change the future!
With a "ding," the elevator doors slowly opened, and Lynch tapped his finger on his temple, making a hand gesture popular among the young, "Have a wonderful day," he said, then turned and entered the elevator.
The Administrator stood in place for a long while, his gaze eventually landing on the note, tightly clutching it all of a sudden.
His expression became especially ardent, his face flushed, as he paced back and forth several times before picking up the phone, "I’m quitting... What the hell, I’m going to embrace the future!"
Lynch didn’t know whether this Administrator would live a different life because of his words, but he had specific people tasked with protecting Catherine.
As Lynch’s only "ex-girlfriend" for now, Catherine still held a lot of value, and one never knows when someone might kidnap her, so Lynch arranged for someone to protect Catherine.
The elevator soon arrived at the respective floor, where he walked to the apartment door and knocked.
"Who’s there?"
Catherine’s energetic voice came from behind the door, and Lynch’s mouth slightly curved upward without conscious intervention.
Sometimes people are bizarrely emotional, inexplicably happy, or inexplicably sad.
But right now, Lynch felt incredibly good, at least good enough to joke with the Administrator downstairs.
"The Big Bad Wolf!"
There was the sound of something falling inside, followed by an exclamation, and then the door opened.
Catherine, wearing red shorts with white trims and a white T-shirt, looked at Lynch dumbfoundedly, pinched his face, then screamed and lunged forward.
Lynch laughed and took a few steps backward, holding her in his arms.
"You didn’t tell me you were coming!" She said angrily, "So were you planning to surprise me?"
"You’ve succeeded!"
