Blackstone Code

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Truman and his associates believed that a second World War was inevitable. Their fears were bluntly voiced by Lynch.

This time, they had escaped disaster thanks to the former president's isolationist policies. But what about next time?

Could they rely on isolationism again to avoid war?

No, it was unlikely they could escape it.

Though this war had been extensive, in reality, no country had suffered severe losses. There were two main reasons for this.

First, transportation was inconvenient. Even if certain territories of an enemy nation were occupied, the vast distances involved would quickly lead to loss of control. Stationing troops might be one solution, but how many troops would be needed to secure an occupation zone within a hostile country?

The hatred and animosity brought by war wouldn't dissipate with the advent of peace; instead, like wine in an oak barrel, they would continue to ferment.

Yet, they were still competing in terms of the number of soldiers, which wasn't much different from past cold weapon wars. It was all about population attrition. A larger country with more people would have an advantage, possessing greater war potential.

This was why some nations could be hurt by war but not defeated. Moreover, populations were a renewable resource. With effort, a significant resurgence was possible.

Having identified these causes, during the upcoming period of peace, each nation would strive to rapidly advance its technology. To gain dominance in the next world war, they must ensure they have fewer weaknesses than others.

Once these issues were addressed—such as the invention of advanced turbines boosting ship speeds, stronger internal combustion engines allowing trains to carry heavier loads to any region, or more efficient and long-lasting fuels—the shadow of war would once again loom over the world.

Currently, any technological innovation that could enhance military strength was essentially preparing for the next war. Every nation was quietly developing such capabilities.

However, there was another issue: even if the Baylor Federation was technologically on par or slightly ahead of other nations, it didn't guarantee dominance or victory.

Compared to those countries that had been fighting wars for years—countries that already knew how to face war and how to wage it—the Federation did not.

The Baylor Federation hadn't yet proven its military prowess on the international battlefield nor participated in large-scale battles. No one knew how they would perform.

In many eyes, apart from slaughtering unarmed natives, the Baylor Federation had little noteworthy achievements.

Thus, training soldiers became crucial. Although the Federation was actively addressing these issues, it still fell short.

Advancements in technology and the material reserves were both crucial. But what was hard to admit was that the Federation wasn't ready in either area.

Lynch knew the answer just by looking at Truman's silence, evident when he didn't immediately refute him.

"Nagalier can help us achieve part of our goals. It has abundant resources, various metal ores, and even energy mines."

"Some of these are wealth, providing us with stable resource sources. We can also use Nagalier for military training."

"Nagalier's governance structure has always been fragmented and adversarial, with tensions between central and local authorities, secular and religious powers."

"Moreover, during my investigation in Nagalier, I found that the populace harbors hatred towards the ruling class, openly expressing it, albeit channeled through indoctrinated ideologies."

"We can exploit this..." Lynch said, sipping his tea with a faint smile. "We can sell our weapons to those seeking revenge against the ruling class. We can aid them in overthrowing the corrupt regime, sparking a nationwide war for justice."

"In this war, we will play a crucial role. We can test our weapons in various environments and war scenarios, let our generals try their tactics, and refine our war systems..."

"Enough!" Truman interrupted sternly. "Your ideas are dangerous, Lynch. Are you trying to incite civil war?"

Lynch looked at Truman as if wronged. "No, I never thought of it that way. I merely want to help the oppressed rise. If freeing equality and freedom from the rulers' cage is a sin, Mr. Truman, I am willing to be that sinner."

"And all this isn't for me personally but for the Federation, for all who deserve fairness, justice, and freedom."

Hearing Lynch's shameless rebuttal, Truman's sternness eased. "You are a unique person, Lynch. You should be a politician, not a capitalist."

Lynch had a differing view. "But some things you can't do, we can. And..." He smirked disdainfully. "Politicians enjoying life are seen as corrupt, while we enjoy life, people envy us."

"I love fine wine, money, and sleeping with different girls every night..."

He paused briefly before continuing, "We must prepare before the next world war. Time is short, Mr. Truman. A new president or political agenda might lead us astray again. Progress might halt; avoiding regression would be thanks to divine grace."

Truman nodded. "You've convinced us. I'll discuss this with the President. Perhaps we'll regret it."

"Why regret?" Lynch retorted swiftly. "Because preparing the Federation for war or because we're bringing light to those in hell?"

Truman sighed. "Because many will die because of us."

"Let those who accuse us go to hell. Only God can judge us."

The day after his secret talk with Truman, Lynch wrote a letter to the Provincial Governor of Magura and sent it via express ship.

In the letter, Lynch outlined his ideas: transporting industrial machinery to Nagalier, investing in factories, and helping Magura establish an initial industrial base.

To prove his intentions, he included photos of ports crowded with machinery, covered and stacked like mountains—a sight both impressive and daunting.

However, he faced a problem that, if unresolved, would render everything in the letter impossible: the embargo.

Though Nagalier hadn't participated in this world war, it wasn't on the list of allied nations. In other words, since Nagalier wasn't part of the victorious alliance and lacked diplomatic relations with the Baylor Federation, these industrial devices couldn't be shipped.

According to the new Allied Convention, industrial machinery and equipment were prohibited from being transported to non-convention countries to prevent aiding enemies.

Lynch stated in the letter that he had tried to navigate these restrictions without success. Thus, his promised investments and industrial development were unlikely unless Nagalier joined the convention and established diplomatic ties with the Baylor Federation.

The letter reached the Provincial Governor four days later. Seeing the diverse industrial machinery, the Governor felt conflicted.

Nagalier's situation was complex. Dual governing structures and loose opposition made unified decisions difficult. Even if the Provincial Governor agreed, the central government might not, as they saw no benefit unless they gained something too.

He initially considered shelving the matter. But every time he saw the photos on his desk and thought of the world's rapid advancement, he couldn't resist. He decided to discuss it with the central government.

He was prepared. If the central government disagreed, he planned to establish diplomatic relations with the Federation on behalf of the "province."

Fortunately, things weren't as extreme as the Provincial Governor feared. Just as he worried, the world was advancing quickly. Could backward nations afford to lag behind?

Of course not. They wanted progress but didn't know how to start. Now, an opportunity presented itself.

After negotiations between Nagalier's central government and various Provincial Governors, they agreed to give it a try.

In late May and early June, a month after Lynch returned to the Federation, Nagalier's central government formally proposed establishing diplomatic relations with the Baylor Federation government and sent a delegation to discuss the matter.

The Allied Nations had no objections. Gaining an ally meant increasing their power compared to the defeated coalition.

Defeated nations were scrambling to form alliances, but mere diplomatic relations weren't on their minds, especially with a backward country.

Everything proceeded according to plan...

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