Darkstone Code-Chapter 1022 - 1020: Everyone Has Their Own Worth, Even If It’s Negative

Chapter 1022: Chapter 1020: Everyone Has Their Own Worth, Even If It’s Negative

"Don’t be so downhearted, I’m more satisfied with my life now than ever!"

Sitting on a recliner basking in the autumn sun, there was already a hint of chill in the wind, making the body crave more warmth.

Preton glanced at the Eldest Prince sitting beside him, who always showed no expression, and smiled to offer some comfort.

"Look, now we don’t have to worry about why the things we want to do aren’t done well, don’t have to worry about those prostitutes betraying us, and certainly don’t have to worry about being crushed tomorrow."

"I thought living without worries only existed in stories, but I didn’t expect it to actually enter my life, and I’m enjoying it. You will enjoy it too."

Like all those who’ve been through it, Preton shared his experience with the newcomer, "Here, there are endless good TV shows and movies to watch. If you need, you can request for a girl to accompany you for a night every week."

"Whatever products you like, you can have their people buy them for you, without even using the money in your account. What more could upset you?"

"Isn’t this the life we’ve pursued all our lives?"

He had been locked up with the Eldest Prince for more than half a year. Compared to his carefree attitude, the Eldest Prince was clearly still caught up in inner turmoil.

In more than half a year, he had hardly spoken a few words, everyday seemed as lifeless as a corpse, without even a smile.

On this, Preton could only offer some counsel, but it was just general counsel, he wouldn’t do much. A few words here and there were enough.

He knew the Eldest Prince, having helped him handle his study abroad back then, so when they met, he immediately recognized the true identity of this "Youth Party Leader."

He wasn’t surprised at all that the Eldest Prince would also be caught, given that Nagariel was merely a small country, which compared to the Federation, couldn’t find a place to stand.

If the Federation still cared about appearances, everything would be fine, at least on the surface.

Once the Federation truly lost their shame, nothing would work. We’d just have to lie down, and feign two cries of pleasure for the Federation to enjoy itself quickly.

The Eldest Prince, as always, sat silently without a sound, neither answering nor refuting.

This was a passive, hopeless expression, Preton could understand his feelings, given that from the TV he learned that even if Nagariel became the "New Federation," with the King’s status demoted to Legislator, the King still held dignity.

Maybe after some time, he’d realize this.

Preton thought so, here apart from lacking freedom, was in many ways more comfortable than outside. He never worried about someone sneaking into his room at night and stabbing him.

He could eat and drink freely, enter dreamland without caution anytime, anywhere - he had already grown accustomed to the lifestyle here.

It would be even better if he could find a bit more "companionship."

There were still too few people here, he had a strong desire for communication, being locked up for too long naturally prompted various urges to speak and connect.

Before, he would talk to the TV, scared he’d go crazy being alone for too long, but now it’s much better; they’ve brought the Eldest Prince, he finally had someone to talk and confide to, feeling life had never been so beautiful.

Just then, the speaker in the yard suddenly sounded, "Mr. Preton, please come to the conference room..."

Preton looked at the speaker on the pole, rolled over and sat up, "I have some work to do, don’t drink my juice, wait for me to return."

He showed no sense of being a prisoner, rather behaved like an employee here, adjusted his dress and walked out of the yard.

This was a secret prison, the room where he was detained looked like a villa, and there were many such villas here.

In other words, this was a high-end, tightly controlled prison community, detaining important prisoners here.

People from conglomerates, political prisoners, and some like Preton who had value.

At the entrance, two soldiers awaited him. Upon seeing them, he greeted them and handed over two Black Gold Venerables.

It was his request, the prison fulfilled his needs.

The two soldiers didn’t refuse either, Preton cooperated in a way that hardly seemed criminal, sometimes they even suspected whether there was a mistake, or if Preton was sent in with a mission.

Any criminal would have some resistance to the authorities, yet these signs never appeared in Preton, lodging here seemed like his ultimate dream.

Upon reaching the conference room, while bidding farewell to the two soldiers, he greeted the people inside, whom he knew well.

The Military Intelligence Bureau’s Lieutenant Colonel, Security Committee’s Supervisor, Strategic Command’s Captain...

He was familiar with everyone, greeting them warmly.

"Is there anything I can be of service for this time?", he asked as soon as he arrived and sat in the restraining chair, even actively lowering the crossbar, placing his hands on it, indicating for the soldier to lock them up.

"It’s fine, there’s no one else here...", the person from the Military Intelligence Bureau shook his head, "I remember your relationship with the Ministers is good?"

He didn’t specify which Minister of Construction, but Preton knew they were talking about Gafura’s Minister of Construction.

He immediately nodded, "Yes, I’m quite familiar with all their ministers. In the past, with Gafura reigning over the seas, if I didn’t forge good relations with them, a cannonball would fall on my head in the next second!"

To engage in piracy at sea and have a monopoly on business, more than half of the annual income from the Pretton Trading Company flows into the hands of Gafura’s ministers in various ways.

Especially with the Minister of the Navy, Preton’s relationship with him was the best. After all, they were both people making a living at sea, and he was clearly at a disadvantage.

One-third to one-half of his bribe money went into the pockets of the Minister of the Navy.

Only in this way would the Gafura fleet pretend not to see his convoy and even help intercept his competitors’ merchant ships.

He also had contacts with the Minister of Construction, who was equally greedy. Sometimes he would smuggle some people to sell to the Minister of Construction.

He didn’t care about the fate of those people in the end; it didn’t concern him.

The lieutenant colonel nodded, "We need some intelligence, maybe you can help us, as long as you..."

Preton raised his hand, stopping the lieutenant colonel from continuing, "I said, I don’t want to go anywhere; I just want to stay here for life!"

He wasn’t foolish; if the Federation really let him out, it’s very likely that as soon as he steps out of the prison gate, the whole world would know what he did in the next second.

The Federation wouldn’t need to kill him to silence him; the people of Gafura would go crazy trying to assassinate him, making him permanently close that mouth of his that should be ripped apart.

So he wasn’t going anywhere; he’d rather die in prison.

Then he expressed his willingness to help as much as possible, "I need a phone..."

The Minister of Construction had just finished having lunch with the Minister of the Army and hadn’t been home for long. He was considering whom to continue persuading for support when the phone suddenly rang.

He glanced sideways, casually picking up the receiver, "Who’s there?"

"Hi, remember me, Preton."

The Minister of Construction paused, frowning, "You shouldn’t be calling me."

Preton didn’t care at all, "The agents don’t monitor the minister’s phones, so don’t try to scare me."

"I’m not scaring anyone!" The Minister of Construction retorted in dissatisfaction, then realized his rebuttal was meaningless, and immediately changed his tone, "I’m waiting for an important call. If you have nothing else, you’d better hang up."

No one knew if Preton had been captured; anyway, the Federation was still issuing a wanted notice for him, and they continued to maintain an armed patrol stance over the East Ocean, occasionally conducting searches.

As if... that son of a bitch Preton really had escaped the Federation’s capture and went into hiding.

He didn’t dare to be too harsh because, after all, he had conducted many dirty deals with Preton. If exposed, it would cause a fatal blow to his ambition to become the Minister of the Air Force.

People wouldn’t want a butcher to become an important minister and wouldn’t even give him a chance to stay in that position.

The Secretariat was full of people waiting for someone to slip up!

"I heard you guys are working on some very powerful Sea Fortress plan?"

"What’s that?"

The Minister of Construction was stunned; he didn’t answer the question but instead asked, "Are you in Gafura?!"

He thought he had guessed the truth. The matter only happened this morning, and now it’s been less than... he glanced at his wristwatch, less than four hours, and Preton couldn’t have known.

Unless he was hiding in Gafura.

Ha, no wonder the Federation couldn’t find that son of a bitch worldwide; it turns out he was hiding in Gafura. Who the hell could find him?

Feeling he’d caught a lead, the Minister of Construction slightly breathed a sigh of relief; as long as he could confirm Preton’s whereabouts, finding him wouldn’t be too difficult.

Along with that, his attitude subtly changed, "Who told you that?"

It didn’t sound like questioning a "thief" who had intercepted a secret, more like saying, "It’s indeed true!"

"Everyone’s talking about it!"

This statement deepened the Minister of Construction’s suspicions. "There are no secrets in the Ruler’s Hall" was as classic as "There are no secrets in the Congress Building."

Considering that once the Sea Fortress began construction, it couldn’t be hidden, the Minister of Construction didn’t continue to cover it up and simply explained, "Yes, an airstrip at sea. Are you interested in this?"

He suddenly recalled that Preton also had contacts with other ministers; this might be a good opportunity.

"Coincidentally, I also need you to help me with something!"