Chapter 883: The Spirit of Commitment

“…I made the above statement of my own free will, without any threats or coercion, and after having sufficient time to consider it. I personally commit to and will abide by the contractual rights stated therein.”

The old tycoon wrote this declaration at Lynch’s request. He had already reached an agreement with Lynch—at this critical moment, he purchased 0.3% of one of Lynch’s companies for one million federal sols.

To get capitalists to behave, you have to control them through capital; otherwise, some of them may not play by the rules.

Lynch took the handwritten agreement, carefully reviewed it, and smiled.

He then placed another sheet of paper on the table. “Now, please witness for each other that everything which just occurred was entirely voluntary and without coercion.”

“Of course, even now, if either of you has any doubts about our deal or needs more time, I will return the contract and leave…”

The old tycoon quickly interrupted, “No, we’ll write it.”

“Thank you very much for your cooperation, sir. Perhaps when we return to the Federation, we can have a proper chat.” Lynch remained friendly to those who were willing to cooperate.

The tycoon seemed moved by Lynch’s confidence. Half joking, half serious, he asked, “Do we really have a chance to return?”

Lynch nodded casually, as if it were already a foregone conclusion. “Of course.”

The tycoon felt a surge of strength from that one word. He straightened the paper in front of him and looked calmer. “How should I write it?”

“Just like before. I’ll provide a template—you decide how to phrase it.”

Once both parties agreed, Lynch recited a sample statement.

Federal law is sometimes thorough and sometimes not. For instance, it stipulates that actions taken under threat to one’s life—most of them—can be pardoned.

A unique value system exists in federal law: when a person’s subjective will drives their actions, their life holds greater value than others’.

In other words, if someone kills an innocent person to save themselves from a fatal threat, the law may forgive it.

As for what constitutes a fatal threat, that’s where the law is less clear.

This leads to lengthy legal battles when people later claim their decisions under duress contradicted their true will.

What Lynch needed was to form a triangulated judgment of the situation at the time using three subjective witnesses. While not foolproof, it would make it much harder for him to lose a lawsuit.

After finishing the sample statement, both men handed their writings to Lynch. He stood, extending his hand.

“Don’t worry. We’ll be safe soon.”

The old man nodded. “Let’s hope so.”

Lynch smiled, said his goodbyes, and left the room. Once outside, he exhaled and glanced at the two soldiers standing guard, frowning slightly. “Next room…”

Inside, a young woman clung tightly to the old tycoon’s arm, still trembling.

The execution of that unfortunate woman by the man in the beret was both a warning and a tactic—it made all the companions realize they weren’t safe.

This gave them every reason to persuade their partners to cooperate. That gunshot was calculated, and it achieved its goal.

Compared to the composed male tycoons, the women were far less stable.

“Can we trust him?” the young woman asked the man beside her—the only one she could rely on.

He nodded. “We don’t have any other choice.”

It wasn’t a reassuring answer, but it was the only one she could accept. She had to try to believe things would go the way Lynch said.

By 11 p.m., Lynch had secured five million in investments.

Soon, the entire Federation might be shaken by how Lynch managed to sell shares of an empty shell company to over a hundred tycoons, raising tens of millions, possibly hundreds of millions, in funding.

In the final room, Lynch faced a robust man in his forties. Unlike the elderly or younger investors, this one wasn’t easy to deal with.

“Why should I trust you?” he asked bluntly.

Lynch replied with a smile, “Because you have no other choice.”

The man shook his head. “No, I do have options.”

“You’re able to talk to their leader. That means he’s not insane. So I might be able to talk to him, too—earn his trust.” Truthfully, this middle-aged man had already decided to give Lynch the million.

The amount was far less than what he had expected to lose in this crisis. It wouldn’t even affect his business or lifestyle.

Still, he had to make a point: he wouldn’t just obey because a young man asked for money or demanded signatures.

He wouldn’t be this defiant with the hijackers—but with Lynch, he didn’t feel threatened.

He would give the money and sign the papers, but he wanted Lynch to understand that it wasn’t out of fear—it was for other reasons.

Lynch nodded, showing no emotional reaction to the challenge. He even seemed to agree with the logic.

Then he offered a new perspective. “Sir, you realize—it’s one thing for them not to hurt us, but returning to the Federation is another matter. Don’t you agree?”

The man froze, then frowned deeply.

There was no mistaking the threat in Lynch’s words.

Lynch implied that even if the hijackers spared them, they still weren’t safe—and whether they returned or not was up to him. This stirred both anger and curiosity in the man.

“Can you tell me what you plan to do?” he asked as he picked up a pen and took a check from his pocket. “I’ll do as you say. I’m just curious.”

Lynch wasn’t afraid to reveal his secret. He answered openly, “Do you know how to steer a ship?”

He pointed to the floor. “This cruise ship—can you pilot it?”

The man shook his head.Lynch turned to the woman beside the tycoon. “And you, miss—do you know how to operate this ship?”

She shook her head. “I don’t.”

“Neither do I,” Lynch admitted without hesitation. “So the hijackers leaving doesn’t mean we’re saved. Do you understand what I mean now?”

The tycoon thought carefully, then nodded. “So how are we going to get out of here?”

“My people will come. They’ll take control of the ship and get us out. Any other questions?”

The man seemed to realize something. “Blackstone Security.”

Lynch nodded silently. He’d said enough.

The tycoon sighed, completed all the documents Lynch required, and handed them over.

Still, a trace of unwillingness lingered—like the resentment of an old wave being swept away by a new one on the shores of time.

Lynch was too young. His presence made it feel like the wheel of a new era in capital was turning once again, heralding the dawn of a new generation.

For many mid-generation capitalists, who now held wealth and power in the Federation, this was difficult to accept.

Capital had never been united. What ordinary people saw as solidarity among the rich was simply alignment of interests.

Without shared interests, they’d have torn each other apart long ago.

The new generation of capitalists was in direct competition with the mid- and first-generation tycoons. He didn’t want to yield—but he had no choice.

As he handed over the signed documents and the check, he asked one last question, still somewhat defiant. “What if I go back and break the contract?”

Lynch firmly pulled the documents and check toward himself, then grasped the tycoon’s stiff hand. “No, you won’t.”

It was a strange feeling—Lynch’s confidence always seemed contagious. In that moment, even the middle-aged tycoon felt that maybe, just maybe, he really wouldn’t break the contract.

He let go. “You’re an interesting man, Mr. Lynch.”

“So are you.”

Lynch turned to the woman beside him. “Then I wish you both a pleasant night. Goodnight, miss. And sir.”

As the door closed behind Lynch, the tycoon inexplicably chuckled, shaking his head. “He’s going to offend a lot of people. That’s not a smart move.”

He wasn’t wrong. No matter Lynch’s motives, doing this now was bound to provoke resentment in some.

Not everyone would see things from his perspective, or from a sense of justice. Many would simply view him as an accomplice to the hijackers—not someone trying to buy time.

The tycoon believed Lynch had made a mistake. There were other ways—he didn’t have to do this.

“He’ll regret it,” he said to the woman beside him.

As if he were also saying it to himself.