Empire of Shadows

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Gunfire is also fire.

The continuous flashes of gunfire illuminated the faces of four people, and also lit up the death knell for three others!

The shop assistant still maintained her wide-eyed, stunned expression and slowly raised her hands. Perhaps at this moment, what she hated most was why she hadn’t genuinely fallen asleep earlier.

The three individuals hunched over their meal at the table didn’t even have time to react before losing resistance, and after a series of “clack-clack-clack” empty clicks, they slowly lay down on the ground.

Elvin loosened his grip on the submachine gun and handed it to the person beside him. He walked over to the three.

At this point, one of the three, the high-ranking cadre, was not yet completely dead.

He was a bit luckier, sitting in the position facing them.When they drew their submachine guns, he had already tried to dodge, but how can a person compare speed with bullets?

This restaurant only had simple tables and chairs, not even booths, so he could be hit no matter where he hid.

However, at least because he tried to dodge, he sustained the fewest shots.

But even so, he wouldn’t have a chance to survive until the ambulance arrived.

He lay on his back on the ground, warm, wet blood continuously spreading from beneath him. His body was unwilling to die and was still trying its last efforts, twitching constantly.

His head weakly swayed slightly with the twitches of his body. He looked at Elvin, who had walked in front of him. The two looked at each other for about two seconds.

Massive bleeding from ruptured internal organs had begun to surge up his esophagus, and the blood overflowing from his mouth and nose already sealed his fate.

Elvin drew a pistol from his waist and fired all its bullets into him with rapid popping sounds.

He looked at the corpse, now completely still, and pulled out a cigarette from his pocket.

He seemed to have forgotten to bring matches. He patted his pocket, just about to turn and ask his comrades for matches or a lighter.

Suddenly, he crouched down. A corner of a matchbox protruded from the blood-stained vest pocket of the dead cadre.

He took out the matches, struck one on the deceased’s only dry collar, lit the cigarette in his mouth, shook it, and casually tossed the extinguished match into the pool of blood, just like the extinguished life of the dead man.

By this time, the shop assistant was so scared she had wet herself. As a witness, she strongly suspected she would be killed.

Elvin took one last look at the dead high-ranking cadre, stood up, and walked to the counter.

The female clerk pleaded, “I have a husband and children…”

Elvin smiled, “I don’t, but do you have a phone here?”

The female clerk nodded repeatedly. She quickly took out the phone and placed it on the counter.

Elvin, cigarette in mouth, holstered his pistol, picked up the phone, and dialed a number. The call was quickly answered. “He’s finished.”

“Come back early, be safe.”

Elvin hung up the phone, then looked at the female clerk who was still softly pleading and crying. The moment Elvin’s hand went into his pocket, she almost collapsed to her knees in supplication!

She thought Elvin was reaching for his gun. Most of the time, the sole eyewitness at a scene would be eliminated; she knew this, and had heard stories.

But in reality…

He took out a wad of money, tilted his head slightly, the burning tip of his cigarette stinging his eyes a bit.

With one eye wide open and the other squinted, he deftly counted out thirty dollars with his thumb, index, and middle fingers, then placed them on the table.

“For damaging your tables, chairs, and floor, ten dollars should be enough.”

“The other twenty dollars are for you to buy new pants, and some food for your husband and children. When you go back, tell them you love them.”

“Also, don’t say you saw us. You were hiding under the counter the whole time.”

He put away the remaining money, held the cigarette between his thumb, index, and middle fingers, taking it from his lips, a heartfelt smile of revenge on his face. “Have a pleasant night, madam.”

With that, he left the female clerk with a deeply etched memory she would never forget, turned, and left with his brothers.

She stood there, staring blankly as a car quickly drove away from the motel, and then, a few minutes later, heard some scattered footsteps approaching.

She quickly wiped away her tears, clutched the thirty dollars on the table, and after a moment’s thought, only put twenty dollars into her pocket.

The owner had actually noticed earlier, but since the other party hadn’t left, he didn’t dare to come out at all.

When he pushed open the door by the counter and saw the three bodies on the floor, the first thing he thought of was not calling, or anything else.

Instead, he rushed over to search their pockets.

A gold watch?

Mine!

Blood-stained cash?

Mine!

A gemstone ring?

Still mine!

And car keys?

All mine!

After a long while, he finally remembered there was a female clerk here. He walked over, pulled out… seven or eight twenty-five cent coins from his pocket, and slapped them on the counter, “You didn’t see anything, right?”

The female clerk was stunned for a moment. “Yes, boss…” She hesitated, about to say that the other party had given ten dollars for them to replace the tables and fix the floor.

But her boss seemed not to want to linger. “I have to go. Someone called the police, and they’ll be here soon.”

“Listen, we both don’t want any trouble. You haven’t seen them, and you haven’t seen me, understand?”

He looked out the window, patted the counter to remind the female clerk with the slapping sound, then quickly left.

He didn’t notice that he had left a bloody footprint at the scene…

In the city, Lance hung up the phone, took a photo from the blackboard, tore it in half, but then re-pinned it.

“Only four left!” Lance pulled up a nearby chair, sat down, and lit a cigarette. “Where are they all now?”

Morris sat beside him. During this period, Morris had demonstrated excellent tracking and surveillance skills, and he was meticulous, cautious, yet very daring. Lance had entrusted him with finding and tracking people.

“Heller has been hiding in his manor and hasn’t come out. His two trusted subordinates are also there, and there’s another high-ranking cadre who came that night.”

“He… er, I don’t know how to say it.”

Lance was a little curious; Morris wasn’t the type to keep people in suspense. “What about him?”

“He went in.”

“In?”

Morris scratched his head. “He surrendered to the police, admitting to an assault case, and is now being held by the Imperial District branch. He’s locked up there.”

“I had someone inquire. He signed a plea agreement with the police department. The police will communicate with the judicial bureau, and he’ll probably be out in a year or two.”

“A year or two?” Lance shook his head. “I can’t wait that long.”

Morris knew this too, which was why he didn’t know what to say. “If we act inside the police station, will it cause unnecessary trouble?”

The law enforcement system can pretend not to see crime, but you cannot challenge their authority, at least not until they allow you to do so.

It’s like an adult holding a knife.

He can choose not to use the knife, but you can’t deliberately provoke him and insist he try to stab you with it. That would be very foolish.

Lance thought for a moment, then picked up the phone and dialed lawyer Robin’s number.

The call was quickly connected. Lance and lawyer Robin had a series of collaborations on Ennio’s issue, so he could directly call lawyer Robin’s desk without needing the front desk to transfer the call.

“This is Robin Law Firm. I am lawyer Robin. How may I help you?”

“It’s me, Lance.”

Lawyer Robin immediately raised his eyebrows. He knew better than anyone else what had happened to Lance recently. As a lawyer specializing in defending gangs, he was very well-informed in this field!

“Mr. Lance, it’s a pleasure to hear your voice. So, what can I do for you this time?”

Directly challenging the Camille Gang and even gaining a slight advantage was already enough for Lawyer Robin to respect Lance, of course, also for the money and future work.

Although many people look down on the Camille Gang, it is after all a regional gang with over three hundred core members, and it has great dominance within the Empire District.

Now everyone is waiting, watching. If Lance can replace the Camille Gang, then the Camille Gang will become the culprits who caused all the unrest, and will be liquidated.

But if they remain deadlocked, their outcomes will not be good.

Regardless of whether it’s good or bad, for Lawyer Robin, this represents the possibility of work.

“I won’t say much about what happened; you’ll surely find out.”

“Some idiot went to surrender for a serious assault. You mentioned before that you have connections in the state prison system. Can you get him and Ennio assigned to the same prison?”

After briefly inquiring about the general situation, Lawyer Robin calmly replied, “No problem. I’ll give you a discount, fifteen hundred dollars. I guarantee he and Ennio will be in the same prison. If you want them in the same cell, that’s also fine.”

“Excellent. Then can you help me get two more people in?”

Lawyer Robin didn’t waste words. He knew Lance didn’t want to waste words either, so he directly quoted a price, “All together, give me four thousand, and I’ll help you send that person and your two people, along with Ennio, to the same correctional facility, to the same block.”

“I suggest you give me another thousand, and I can help them customize their crimes and sentences, so they can get out with Ennio.”

“Deal. Someone will come to you with the money tomorrow, and then you send those two in.”

“Mr. Lance, I sincerely hope you emerge victorious in this conflict. It’s truly a pleasure to work with you!”

“Then I wish you a pleasant revenge, and good night!”

“Good night, Lawyer Robin.”

Lance hung up the phone and looked back at the blackboard. “Now there are only three left…”

Around ten in the evening, someone called Heller. He answered the phone, and after only three or four seconds, he stood still.

The person on the phone told him that another high-ranking cadre had been shot dead in the Oasis Motel restaurant.

It must have been Lance’s group because he was shot twenty-seven times, with nine of those being close-range finishing shots.

In other words, before the finishing shots, he had already been hit eighteen times; he wouldn’t have survived, but was still given finishing shots.

This kind of insane act would only be done by Lance’s group. Other gangs or organizations typically do just enough.

However, because they had already left Golden Port City territory, this case was being handled by the Interstate Highway Police. They didn’t know the victim and didn’t necessarily believe it was done by people from Golden Port City.

The highway police decided to proceed officially, following all murder investigation procedures. The female clerk didn’t get a clear look at these people and escaped harm by hiding under the counter.

However, someone left a bloody footprint at the scene…

Actually, Heller didn’t clearly hear the latter part of the conversation. Only when the phone went silent did he say thank you and hang up.

He slumped into his chair, somewhat dazed. In just one week, the situation had completely reversed.

Lance and his few people were actually not even on his radar, but the problem was that he couldn’t find this group now!

In other words, although he had many people, several times more than Lance, if he couldn’t maintain this situation, then Lance’s people could instead gain a local advantage!

And a strict defense could be maintained for a week, but not a year, while an offense could be launched anytime, anywhere.

Enemies hiding in the shadows like vipers, waiting for a fatal strike at any moment, are the most terrifying!

He couldn’t continue to passively respond to Lance’s attacks; he had to do something.

But… what could he do?

He sat in his chair and took out a cigarette. At this moment, cigarettes were better than cigars because they could be inhaled into the lungs. That feeling of fullness brought satisfaction and a sense of security.

He thought for a long time but couldn’t figure out what he could do.

Those peripheral members were already searching everywhere for Lance’s group’s whereabouts. He even arranged for people to go to the Wanli Firm, where someone named Sean was still working.

Originally, his intention was to kidnap this person, but there were people there from morning till night, giving him no opportunity to act. He could only watch from afar.

Besides these, what else could he do?

Find connections?

Who?

Now, finding anyone would cost money, and a lot of it. He didn’t have that much money left, unless he used his savings.

But his savings were “his money,” not the gang’s money. He didn’t have the awareness to use his own money for the gang’s work!

If he did, he probably wouldn’t have laundered and transferred that money to a safe account in the first place.

It seemed everything had entered a vicious cycle, leaving him feeling helpless, at a loss, and unsure what to do.

While Heller was racking his brain over how to find Lance, Lance was thinking about how to force them out.

Directly attacking Heller’s manor was something he wouldn’t do. He hadn’t expanded his manpower yet, with only about twenty people left. Attacking a manor defended by a hundred core gang members?

He would only die faster and more miserably. Those people, hiding behind the windows in the house, could make him leave even without firing a shot.

So he had to find a way to force them out first.

His gaze quickly shifted to Morris. “Have someone keep an eye on Heller’s manor. You go and find out how many businesses he has. We’ll find a way to make him leave that turtle shell…”

He looked at the others, “Those who need to recover, recover. Those who need to rest, rest. We’ll be making a big move soon…”

For several days, the entire Golden Port City quieted down again. Over the past half month, the public order in Golden Port City had been surprisingly good, with even fewer petty crimes.

Most likely, many important figures were watching, all wanting to know how Lance would resolve this matter, how he would force Heller out of his fortified manor.

People were also speculating whether Heller could hold out until the end. Before this, no one had thought that Lance could push Heller to such an extent.

What truly made people applaud was Lance’s sudden disappearance, hiding himself in the shadows, leaving the seemingly more powerful Heller completely helpless.

Now, even if Heller wanted to hide, he had no chance, because Lance, in the shadows, would definitely be watching him closely.

As soon as he left his turtle shell, Lance would definitely act!

This left Heller with no other options but to keep guarding his manor.

Just when everyone was eagerly anticipating, rumors suddenly started spreading wildly in the Empire District that Heller was actually dead.

His subordinates had found someone who resembled Heller to impersonate him. Otherwise, with Heller’s prestige of ruling the Empire District for fifteen to twenty years, how could he choose to evade the challenge of newcomers like Lance?

And it wasn’t just one rumor; each one was detailed and believable. Some even spread rumors that they had stopped paying protection fees!

If it were just simple rumors, people would only find them amusing or not, and their involvement in spreading them wouldn’t be as strong.

But the matter of not paying protection fees truly attracted more attention—it seemed a huge mountain had been moved?

Every district in Golden Port City had to pay protection fees, especially the businesses.

Some districts paid less, such as the Xilin District, which was mostly inhabited by middle-aged and elderly people.

But there were also areas that paid more, like Priliccia and the Bay Area, and the city center also had considerable fees.

This vice almost suffocated many businesses. Suddenly, when these businesses in the Empire District heard they didn’t have to pay, the rumors spread even faster.

Some people even genuinely refused to pay protection fees. Two young men collecting fees were beaten by a shop owner and his staff and driven out, and there was no follow-up to this incident.

Because those businesses were still operating, and no one came to bother them.

Now, Heller didn’t dare to casually dispatch anyone. And with fewer people being mobilized, they were unwilling to go out.

Who knew if the Lance Family, unable to find trouble with Heller, would turn their attention to them?

First, clip their wings, and then, when Heller had no one left, go after him?

This led to a situation where first one business refused to pay protection fees, then a street, an entire block. By December 20th, protection fees had essentially been completely halted throughout the territory controlled by the Camille Gang!

This was definitely a large sum of money. Over a thousand businesses, each paying forty to sixty, amounted to tens of thousands a month!

It was already a time when money was scarce, and suddenly no one was paying, which undoubtedly made things worse.

And soon, Heller himself would have to pay his subordinates’ salaries.

Everyone was putting their lives on the line not out of loyalty, but for money. And now the situation was very bad. His trusted subordinate told him that if he didn’t give more money, many people planned to quit.

After all, the risks were too high now!

(End of this chapter)

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