Blackstone Code-Chapter 617: How Fast

“Your Majesty, gentlemen!”

Lynch bowed slightly to the emperor in respect, his calm gaze sweeping over the nobles and ministers. His voice was steady, without trembling or fluctuation, giving a sense of reliability.

His pronunciation of the common language was precise, without any Federation accent—truly international.

“When facing a problem, I usually break it down into stages: identifying the problem, seeking solutions, implementing concrete steps, accumulating phased victories, and finally achieving the goal.”

“I’ve been monitoring the situation in Amellia and pinpointed the core reason for the chaos there: the empire’s soldiers can’t win in battle, can’t outrun the enemy, and can’t find the root cause of it all.”

The emperor glanced quickly at the Minister of the Army and stroked his beard with a noticeable motion. The army minister caught it and cleared his throat, as if trying to stop Lynch from continuing.

Lynch looked politely at him. “Sir, are you feeling unwell?”

The minister shook his head, unsure if Lynch was genuinely naïve or just pretending. “My throat’s a bit itchy.”

At this point, the exchange could have remained civil. Normally, Lynch might have shown some concern and then shifted topics to save face and keep things smooth.

But he didn’t.

“Sir, if you can’t face your pain or admit your mistakes, and keep avoiding these issues, they will never disappear—they will always surround you.”

“We all know this truth, and we know problems don’t vanish just because you ignore them.”

“Now that we recognize them, we must tackle them—not pretend they don’t exist.”

“Am I right?”

“Sir?!”

The army minister was speechless, forced to sit down awkwardly. He glanced at the emperor, feeling he’d done all he could.

The emperor frowned, clearly displeased. These were the empire’s wounds, his most hated issues, and he didn’t want to hear about them.

Gephra’s army could only bully weaker, technologically backward nations; beyond that, it was ineffective.

The navy’s continuous victories masked the army’s failures, so Gephrans hadn’t seriously considered reforming the army for years.

This was partly due to the navy’s overwhelming power. The age of great navigation made sea control vital; the navy could do what the army could not, so the army’s flaws were overlooked.

There’s a saying: Before the cripple walks, people only care about his hat. This vividly describes Gephra’s current condition—fixing it means facing the problem head-on.

After a moment, the emperor relaxed his brow, tapped the throne’s armrest, drawing attention.

“Continue, Mr. Lynch.”

Lynch bowed again in respect, then said, “Let’s analyze the reasons. First: they can’t win.”

“Geography means Gephrans don’t face enemies in direct land battles, so they’ve neglected the army. As a result…” He grimaced, “I’d rather not mention their performance in Amellia.”

“Second: they can’t run fast enough. The soldiers lack systematic military training. Given the first point, I understand—the army seems more like a ceremonial guard than a fighting force.”

“When favored by the wind, they can’t catch fleeing enemies; when trapped, they can’t outrun pursuers.”

“Third: they can’t find them.”

“So far, I’ve noticed the empire hasn’t captured a single anti-government armed leader, nor effectively destroyed any of those groups.”

The room grew heavy with tension. Two years of chaos in Amellia, and the empire hadn’t even caught one notable figure, let alone dismantled organizations.

The core of this military decay is summed up in Lynch’s three points:

Can’t win, can’t run, can’t find.

No matter how strong a fighter is, he can’t beat an enemy he can never reach.

No one had ever laid out the problem so simply and clearly, giving the emperor some hope. He asked, “How do you plan to solve these problems?”

“The Baylor Federation and Gephra Empire, the two strongest nations and allies, should collaborate broadly, setting an example to maintain world peace.”

“Of course, to avoid complications, allow me to introduce a company under my command…” Lynch looked at everyone present, and even the previously embarrassed army minister’s hostility lessened as Lynch smiled.

“I own a company called Blackstone Security, with over 3,700 employees. Besides providing personal and corporate security services, we also take on national and international security contracts.”

Someone interrupted, “Isn’t that just a private military organization?”

Lynch’s words were cut off. He glanced toward the voice sharply, his gaze imposing enough to make the speaker feel pressure.

Then he turned back to the emperor. “Blackstone Security is a legally registered business, fully compliant with Federation laws. This is the easiest solution I offer.” 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

“A mercenary army.”

“Once contracted, you need not worry about your soldiers. They can remain safely behind fortifications while my trained personnel handle the toughest, most dangerous battles.”

“They can fight, run, and find the enemy. Your Majesty, you only pay a modest fee—less than the pension paid to a Gephran soldier.”

“I also promise you and gentlemen here, we operate very fast.”

The previously embarrassed army minister interrupted, “How fast?”

Lynch faced him without fear; they locked eyes, neither looking away—a standoff.

After about ten seconds, Lynch turned back to the emperor. “Give me a phone and twenty-four hours. I’ll prove how fast we are.”

The emperor stared at Lynch a few moments, then nodded.

Soon after, a palace attendant brought Lynch a phone. In front of everyone, Lynch picked it up and dialed a number.

The emperor’s royal butler squinted for a long moment, then whispered in the emperor’s ear, “It’s a number from the Amellia region…”

Ring…

Major, currently on leave, was bored watching TV. He had been assigned to Amellia for some time. He expected a tough job but found it surprisingly easy.

Life had been comfortable lately, just a bit dull.

The major had joined Lynch’s Blackstone Security at the Federation Army’s arrangement. The Defense Ministry and Army knew Lynch was recruiting many veterans, but he was unique—he never hid his intentions.

Whether dealing with the Defense Ministry or Mr. Truman’s inquiries, Lynch was frank: he was here to make money.

He planned to profit from the veterans’ military skills. It sounded unpleasant, but his openness made it easier to accept.

Especially when Lynch decided to intervene in Amellia’s armed conflicts, the Army arranged for some personnel to enter Blackstone Security.

This was partly to monitor whether Lynch threatened national security, and partly because the Army, overshadowed by the Navy’s recent heroics, wanted to assert itself.

The Navy had proven its strength in a naval battle. What about the Army?

So far, the Army hadn’t stopped its downsizing plans. The Federation government saw cutting the Army as a way to appease other countries.

Without an Army, no invasion wars could be fought. At worst, their fleet would bombard coastal areas for a while and then leave.

With an Army, they could advance step by step, occupying invaded territory until a country was defeated.

The Army resented being downsized but it was a national strategic decision they couldn’t oppose. Their only option was to prove their strength to the government and the world.

Only then could the Army gain more influence within the official system.

But the Federation had no reason to start wars now. Without war, how could the Army prove its worth?

Lynch and Blackstone Security’s arrival gave the Army a chance to showcase its power. Through Mr. Truman’s mediation, a cooperation known to all but spoken by none quietly began.

The major and those around him were actually Army elites. Their mission: to make the world recognize them.