Chapter 868: The Impulse to Get Rich

At the end of February, Lynch and Penny attended the Spring Tasting event hosted by EveryMoment in the Northern Federation State.

Traveling overland from Eminence to Marilo was difficult. The biggest obstacle was the northern mountains. Taking the train to Marilo required at least three or four transfers to reach the border between the Federation and Marilo.

That was just the journey itself. The last part within the Federation and the first part within Marilo were very dangerous.

Smugglers, illegal immigrants, and bandits often attacked trains.

They’d place objects on the tracks to stop the train, then loot or even hijack it. Traveling overland was not only slow but also foolish.

To offer their prestigious clients the ultimate experience, EveryMoment spent a fortune buying a luxurious cruise ship. In fifteen days, it would reach Marilo’s open port. But during those fifteen days, it would sail south, then west, before heading north along the Federation’s west coast to their destination.

The cruise featured an opera house, cinema, casino, sports facilities…

No extra fees were charged during the entire trip—it was all covered by EveryMoment.

Of course, gambling losses in the casino were the guests’ responsibility.

This trip was called the Golden Journey in the Federation and was the ultimate dream for many.

Being invited on the cruise meant you had secured a place in this money-driven country.

To showcase its influence, EveryMoment even held a boarding ceremony, turning the process into an awards-style event.

Guests arrived in luxury cars, walked the red carpet under flashing lights, and boarded the ship.

Everyone who boarded was featured in a special EveryMoment publication a week later.

Yes, they had their own globally distributed, paid magazine.

Published every two months, it mainly focused on Coluff—new perfume blends by master perfumers, tastes preferred by major figures in the Gold Club.

Capital’s power was immense. Though meaningless to many in lower society, the magazine sold well among the middle class.

An interesting saying went around—

The big figures in the Gold Club knew less about pure tobacco than the middle class!

So Coluff wasn’t just a nicotine product anymore; it had become a culture of capital.

Being featured in the supplement was a dream for many young people.

The true big shots might not come themselves, sending their successors instead—and young people were eager to come.

“Remember to walk quickly later…”

Soon Lynch and Penny would board. Seeing Penny dressed up, Lynch thought she’d probably slow them down.

She didn’t resist, just looked at Lynch with her pure face and clear eyes. “My butt hurts.”

Tsk…

Lynch chuckled. Penny ignored him, staring seriously.

After a moment, Lynch sighed, “Alright, but don’t walk too slowly.”

“You need to understand, how long you linger there won’t help you enter any social class. What matters most is the people around you.”

“No matter how fast or slow we finish, as long as you stand by me, you’ll be the headline tomorrow!”

A surge of confidence hit him like a breeze—but inside the cramped car, with windows closed, where could the breeze come from?

Penny was momentarily stunned. She understood the meaning, but hearing it from Lynch made her realize what really mattered.

“Oh…” was her reply—neither good nor bad, no further comment.

Seven or eight minutes later, the car slowly moved forward, then stopped steadily after some distance.

The door opened. Lynch’s personal manager greeted him outside. Amid endless flashes, Lynch signed the guestbook and took Penny’s hand as they walked toward the cruise ship.

Their pace was moderate—neither fast nor slow.

“Should we slow down a bit?” Lynch asked as they walked.

Penny didn’t reply or slow her pace. ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Reporters swarmed after them. Compared to the established wealthy elites, the public was more interested in Lynch, the new billionaire, and the young pure goddess accompanying him.

The youngest billionaire ever, paired with the Federation’s new generation icon—that was a combination everyone loved to see.

Speculation about their lives ranged from wholesome to wicked, comforting everyone.

They boarded the ship and were led by a waiter to the upper deck.

The ship wasn’t left idle except during the Spring Tasting event; at other times, it was rented out to travel companies for various cruises.

Owning a cruise ship was expensive. Using it once a year wasn’t practical—they might as well rent.

The ship had two levels. The upper deck had spacious private rooms over 300 square meters, each with a bedroom, guest room, study, living room, parlor, and multiple bathrooms.

These were reserved for VIPs. The lower deck had small 15-square-meter rooms for ordinary passengers.

Those passengers paid about a thousand Sol to squeeze into cramped rooms, convincing themselves they enjoyed the same treatment as those above.

This trip’s lower deck was closed. Everyone was a VIP and stayed upstairs.

Soon they reached their room. The waiter handed them two sets of keys.

The keys opened not only their room door but also the safe inside, which had a password.

“Whatever you need, just pick up any phone you see. Our operators will arrange it for you as soon as possible!”

“Finally, I wish you both a pleasant journey!”

After entering the room, the girl quietly walked to the bedroom and lay on the bed, her eyes still slightly red.

Before they arrived, the EveryMoment staff had already delivered and hung up their luggage.

She tilted her head and looked at Lynch, who was changing clothes, and pitifully said, “My butt hurts!”

Lynch took off his tie, rolled it up, and put it in the tie box while picking out two bow ties. Turning to the girl, he held them up to his chest and asked, “Which one do you think looks better?”

Most of the time, Lynch was flawless—he knew too much. But there were things he couldn’t handle, like choosing small accessories such as bow ties.

To him, the two colors were almost the same, but to others, they looked completely different. He needed an assistant.

He didn’t need to know these things himself; he wasn’t familiar with fashion design or color matching. He just needed someone who understood.

A young, fashionable girl was obviously perfect for that.

“You should pick the one in your right hand—it makes you look more mature…” Penny answered instinctively, then quickly realized and patted the bed, “My butt hurts!!”

Lynch changed into his evening suit in front of the mirror. The clothes worn outside, on the ship, and at the party were all different.

You might not be sensitive to color matching, but you definitely couldn’t get the outfit wrong.

“You don’t have to go. There’s a banquet tonight with many people, including EveryMoment’s own reporters!”

At the mention of this, the girl suddenly stopped complaining about her pain. She scrambled over to the wardrobe and began choosing her outfit.

Describing her actions like this might seem exaggerated, but it was perfectly accurate.

EveryMoment’s publication wasn’t just for the Federation; it was global. This was a prime chance to be seen by high society worldwide—she wouldn’t miss it.

With a swish, her dress dropped to the floor. It was a $6,000 dress many could only rent, now lying on the carpet.

Wearing just her underwear, she began picking out her evening wear from the wardrobe. Lynch leaned back and glanced down at her backside, which still showed some marks.

He smirked slightly and resumed dressing himself.

A naughty girl who doesn’t listen deserves punishment. It was said that in the Gephra noble family, nuns were responsible for such matters.

They made misbehaving children pull down their pants and whipped their backsides with soft whips made of multiple layers of tightly bound leather.

Each strike left a swollen mark—painful and humiliating.

But for the girl, the pain wasn’t about shame. The only audience was herself, and she had brought it on herself!

Lynch adjusted his bow tie, straightened the platinum-based sapphire cufflinks and collar pins—they looked perfect!

Meanwhile, in a foul-smelling room, a rather fierce-looking man was watching TV.

Onscreen, wealthy guests boarded the ship in pairs. Each time the outdoor host introduced a new pair, the man’s expression grew more sinister.

EveryMoment had enemies in Marilo. Many envied their Federation assets.

But EveryMoment was too powerful. They used their Federation earnings to solidify control in Marilo.

Small groups couldn’t compete; they were simply on different levels.

Those who could interact with them avoided reckless warfare.

This created Marilo’s most interesting situation—

Several major powers rarely launched expansion wars, while small warlords constantly fought each other without end.

But surprises happened. Some feared EveryMoment; others did not.

They didn’t plan to confront EveryMoment’s warlords directly. Instead, they intended to hijack this cruise ship and make a big score!