Darkstone Code

Chapter 1346: Chapter 1345: Be Responsible

"Thank you to the school and everyone for giving me the opportunity to speak. I’m honored to be here today representing the third-year students to say a few words."

Lynch’s introduction was quite ordinary, nothing special, but those who knew him understood he was not someone who liked to follow the rules.

After saying that, he looked at the people and suddenly asked, "I forgot my self-introduction, although, I doubt there’s anyone here who doesn’t know me, right?"

Someone already started laughing, and others shouted loudly, "We know you, you’re Lynch."

Lynch heard the ’support,’ nodded repeatedly, pointed his fingers towards the sound, and gave two thumbs up, "Hey, thanks, buddies."

An unrefined slang made everyone laugh, this style clearly from the lower society humorously resonated with those present here.

This feeling stemmed from the arrogance of the upper-class people; they imagine themselves as gods looking down on the Human World, seeing all good and bad things as serving their amusement.

Lynch was laughing too; the President felt a vague sense of unease but chose not to speak.

His goals were different from Lynch’s; he wanted to appear as the kind of President people needed.

Approachable, friendly, humorous, not minding flattering the ’electorate.’

Lynch... sometimes his thoughts were unique; the President didn’t know how to describe that feeling.

Lynch was laughing, and others laughed too. Once they had laughed enough, he lifted a hand to gesture calming, "I’m Lynch; many believe I represent the Federation dream of this era, the epitome of the Federation spirit."

"And today, the theme we’re facing is related to graduation and realizing self-value."

"Actually, I knew what I wanted to say not too long ago; I even suspect they intentionally made it difficult for me, not giving me much time to prepare."

"You know, a speech script is an essential part of giving a speech, but today, I don’t have one."

He even made an empty-handed gesture; if someone noticed both his and the President’s speeches, they’d see they both used specific body language appropriately to enhance the power of their speech content.

It’s like when you tell others you have no money, they might not immediately believe you, but if you say you have no money while flipping all your pockets inside out, they’ll believe you!

Even if one pocket less turned a bundle of cash, they’d still believe you have no money because your actions convince them.

Speech is the same; you speak, they listen, that’s just surface-level, you must let them feel your emotions and empathize with you.

That’s the best!

Lynch looked at them, "I originally intended to discuss effort, struggle, perseverance, but the fellow before me said all I wanted to say..."

People burst into laughter again, even the graduation representative from the Duncan Clan smiled.

It wasn’t a bad statement; it actually expressed Lynch’s endorsement of his speech.

He spread his hands, "So, what should I say?"

Someone jeered, "Talk about your girlfriends!"

The first interaction achieved good engagement, so someone tried interacting again.

Besides, it wasn’t a particularly serious speech; the school had no reason to oppose such interaction.

The students started laughing loudly, some continued to cheer, Lynch feigned ’shyness,’ people assumed he’d refuse only for him suddenly to ask, "Which one are you referring to?"

The students fell into excitement; it was the first time meeting someone so unorthodox, people started naming the women they knew.

"Sorry, my speaking time is limited, and you have too many ideas, I can’t answer you."

"Besides, the school surely doesn’t want such an important occasion to discuss my personal life."

"So we should talk about something normal."

"Well then, talk about what?"

He asked again but this time didn’t give others a chance to answer and answered himself, "Let’s continue talking about issues like struggle, effort upon entering society."

"Actually, I don’t encourage you to exert yourself so much, whether you’re starting a business or joining a company, it’s unnecessary to work so hard, so earnestly..."

The enthusiastic scene suddenly went cold briefly; former graduates, the President, who all talked about effort and struggle, now Lynch... was going against the grain?

Lynch ambiguously pointed to the people in logical conflict making expressionless faces, "I can see how shocked you are inside..." he even squeaked in their shoes, "Why did he say that?"

Then he shook his head slightly, "You might think, did I say something wrong, why didn’t I encourage you to work hard, to strive?"

"Because you were born on heights many who truly need to exert and strive can never reach in a lifetime!"

"Why do people have to work hard?"

His tone rose; the President maintained a smile while the principal and school board appeared numb.

This isn’t describing their thoughts.

"Because of poverty, because life forces them, if they don’t work hard, they’re consumed by this devouring society!"

"And what devours them, is us!"

"The harder we work, the more common people we swallow, along with their dreams, pursuits, visions of the future, all swallowed by us!"

"As someone who climbed from the bottom, I sincerely hope you stop working so hard, stop striving because the more you strive, the more others will be hurt!"

"Actually, for people like us, our work, our struggle, isn’t quite the same as generally understood work and struggle."

"In our class, the work and struggle we talk about is exerting maximum effort to exploit, oppress, pillage!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, there’s nothing uplifting in these words..."

Everyone was still contemplating, or shocked, none interrupted him.

Both the President and some invited Saint Harmony Association senior members fell into contemplation.

Their approach and perspective differ from those ordinary students.

In their view, Lynch said nothing but the truth; just rarely does anyone express it so bluntly.

At this point, someone raised opposition, a graduate, "Lynch, if I enter a company and strive, and struggle, will I hurt someone?"

Lynch faced him straight on, "If you’re a bottom-level employee living a life without security, your hard work and striving won’t hurt anyone."

"But you’re not; after we graduate, we least start as mid-level managers, some even directly run a business."

For us, our efforts and struggle are not about achieving success through personal effort—no!

"Our effort and struggle are about exploiting, oppressing, using various unequal powers to command, requiring those bottom employees for our ideals and pursuits to work and strive."

"And we, roughly will be dressed in high-end outfits, sitting in warm places, politely discussing how much more goals we achieved through others’ hard work and struggle..."

The questioner fell silent, no one further contradicted Lynch because Lynch spoke with no faults.

For enterprise managers, their job is to squeeze their employees’ potential, turning it into company profit and value enhancement.

For those enhancing the company, they actually don’t see big changes but because company demands constantly increase, they strive desperately chasing.

Some get lucky, barely keeping pace with the company’s progress; others are less lucky, discarded by companies for various reasons.

Same endeavor, same struggle, they appear as one word but are completely different.

Lynch smiled lightly, "That’s also why I said I don’t hope you’re so diligent after graduation."

"For most here, so-called diligence is nothing more than setting higher pursuits, higher goals for some project or enterprise."

"In reality, executing this pursuit, achieving this goal is not you but those whom you’ll never notice."

"Those won’t be cared much, yet bear most responsibility."

"Ultimately hoping you exert effort are in minority, more of us hope you can muddle through, at least then the majority won’t live as bitterly!"

Completely divergent remarks led many to start contemplating his words.

The Duncan Clan’s graduate representative raised his query then, "According to your perspective, shouldn’t we all stop exerting effort?"

"Then how will society develop, and how does a nation become strong?"

He even leveraged the President’s speech against Lynch, showing clearly quality education in responding swiftly and methodologically, being outstanding.

Alas, he stood against Lynch, a man who could use words to confine him lifelong!

Lynch listened to his question, nodding continuously, then said, "What you stated is exactly what I meant to say."

"That is..."

"Responsibility!"