Blackstone Code

Lynch knew how terrifying hunger could be—he had gone on a hunger strike before.

Back then, he was still young, unaware of life’s meaning or value. He naïvely saw starvation as a final act of defiance. Even now, the memory sent chills down his spine.

Mark didn’t understand any of this. He hadn’t experienced it. He probably still naïvely believed that people traded their dignity for food simply because they didn’t want to work—when in fact, they just wanted to survive.

The convoy soon disappeared at the end of the empty street.

After lunch, Lynch didn’t give Mark much of a break. They went straight to a factory on the outskirts of Zhuris to inspect the premises.

There were food factories and vacant facilities within the city, but Lynch didn’t like those. Governor Sedel had mentioned plans to redevelop all of Zhuris, starting from the Imperial District and extending outward for several kilometers—everything would eventually be demolished or relocated.

Amellia was a special imperial zone under Gephra—essentially a showcase to the world. Whether Gephrans were brutal, foolish, or arrogant would all be on display here.

The Emperor had recently taken a strange, unpredictable stance—likely due to mounting pressure. After all, people kept blaming him for the rise of the Federation.

Well, that was a joke—but Zhuris was indeed facing major changes.