Empire of Shadows

On the gambling table, a gentleman in an ivory-white suit was skillfully shuffling the cards. The poker cards in his hands seemed to have been given life.

Besides him, five other people were sitting at the gambling table, but there was clearly an empty seat. They were still waiting for someone.

The shuffler shuffled the cards twice and glanced at his watch, “Paul is always so late. Next time, we can set the appointment half an hour earlier.”

He complained and began to deal the cards. It was a popular poker game. Each person had two cards, and there would be five community cards in the end.

This was a very complex game. To win the final victory, it was not enough to just calculate the winning rate. You also needed to have amazing luck, which was why many people liked to play it.

Compared to blackjack, which has fewer unknown factors and is easier to calculate, this type of game on the table has more unknown factors, making calculation more difficult, and luck occupies the main component.

After the dealer had finished dealing the cards, he threw them on the table where everyone could see them.

He covered his cards with both hands, lifted a corner so that only he could see, and then, without changing his expression, picked up two red chips and threw them in.

“$100.”

The man sitting to his left scratched his head, “You always give people a hard time, Rick.” He hesitated for a moment and finally threw the cards in his hand into the discard pile, “I’m out,” he said, tapping on the table twice.The felt on the table made the sound not so loud. He leaned back, picked up a cigar from the ashtray, took a drag, and looked at the person next to him.

But the person next to him didn’t seem to want to show him his hole cards. He gave him a sideways glance, avoided him, quickly glanced at his hole cards, and then covered them.

“Come on, Bandy, just a look at your hole cards, and I’ve already folded!”

Bandy ignored him, took out four blue chips from his hand, and threw them in, “$400.”

“If you want to see my cards, give me $2,000, and I’ll let you have a look.”

The gentleman called “Rick” immediately lost interest in his cards, “Your cards aren’t worth $2,000.”

Bandy didn’t indulge him either, “You can take your discarded cards back, and then choose to call. I’ll let you know if it’s worth $2,000.”

His strong confidence made the others subconsciously look at the cards he had placed on the table. Unfortunately, they didn’t have X-ray vision and couldn’t see what these two cards were, but they had a guess, which was that they definitely wouldn’t be too small.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have such confidence!

The gentleman sitting to his left also quickly peeked at the cards in his hand, took out the same chips, and placed them on the table, “This hand is worth another look for me.”

“I call.”

Then it was the last two. They both threw their cards in.

It seemed that a few hundred dollars shouldn’t be a very large number for these gentlemen, but in reality, by the time the river card appeared, the bets were at least in the thousands.

Sometimes, if both sides got angry, tens of thousands were also possible!

The dealer picked up the discard pile. Bandy’s hand tapped on the table, “Burn one.”

The person next to him indicated it was fine. The dealer, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, put the first card into the discard pile, then placed the second card on the table and turned it over.

A seemingly very safe card. The dealer looked at Bandy’s expression, casually threw two white chips over, “$2,000.”

Bandy was not at all fazed. Perhaps the wealth of everyone here combined was more than his, but in a one-on-one comparison, he was not afraid of anyone.

He picked up a purple chip and threw it in, “$5,000.”

The person next to him sat up straight and threw his cards into the discard pile, “F—k, it was just $400 just now!”

His cards were actually not bad, but both the dealer and Bandy were so aggressive, he was a little unsure if these two really had a big hand.

The dealer said with a grin, “I’ll borrow Bandy’s words. You can take your cards back, and then put the money on.”

The man shook his head, “What’s gone is gone. You guys play.”

Just as they were talking, the door suddenly opened. Paul walked in from outside with an apologetic look, “Sorry, I’m late. There was some traffic on the road.”

The guy dealing the cards, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, tilted his head slightly, making the side with the cigarette a little higher so that the smoke rising from the cigarette butt would not irritate his eyes.

“Still want to burn?”

“Of course.”

He burned another card and turned over the last card, an Ace. This card was not very friendly to either of them because it didn’t complete a combination, but instead became a “cap”!

Having a cap meant that the other party had a chance of beating you. So in a situation where everything was unknown, the best way was to check, and everyone would turn over their cards to see who won and who lost.

This was a very safe approach, but there were also unsafe approaches.

The dealer picked up two golden chips and threw them onto the gambling table, “$20,000.”

“Fegal, you’re going crazy again,” Paul rubbed his hands, eagerly having a servant bring a box of chips.

Each box of chips was worth $100,000. Of course, you could also take the initiative to ask for more.

This was not free. How many chips you wanted, you had to pay how much cash, but it wasn’t settled now, but after the game was over.

Bandy casually threw $50,000 onto the table, “You can push it back.”

He was putting pressure on Fegal, and at the same time, exerting a kind of influence, I’m definitely bigger than you!

In fact, this was a very common psychological game at the gambling table. If Fegal gave in, he might not even notice it himself. The next time a similar situation occurred, he might fold his cards.

Even if he knew Bandy’s cards might not be big, because his momentum was already lower, he couldn’t get it back up.

Unless he also used a similar method to suppress Bandy, only then might he be able to get his momentum back.

As for pushing back, if you win, it’s good, but if you lose, you will also be at a psychological disadvantage.

Including calling, is actually a kind of compromise or a sign of backing down, but repeatedly pushing…

He glanced at the chips on his table, which were less than $100,000, and directly pushed them all in!

“Let’s just say we didn’t open for business today!” he took a drag on his cigarette, biting the butt, his eyelids twitching.

Bandy raised his eyebrows, nonchalantly counted out enough chips, threw them in, and then slowly turned over his cards.

Rick, sitting next to him, cursed “f—k,” because if he hadn’t folded, he would have won this time!

But now, Bandy had won.

Bandy had the servant collect the chips. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, holding a glass of brandy in his hand, and said to Fegal in the tone of scolding a child, “You are as stupid as you used to be!”

Fegal’s lungs were about to explode with anger!

He had the servant bring another $100,000 worth of chips and stared at Bandy viciously, “You can’t win all the time!”

Bandy didn’t care about his words, but instead said with a grin, “But I’ve been winning until now.”

Before Fegal could say anything more, he spoke first, “You said there was a problem with the poker cards, now we are using the poker cards you had someone buy.”

“You said there was a problem with the dealer, I let you deal the cards yourself.”

“Last time you said there was a problem with the gambling table, this time we are using a brand new one.”

“Fegal, why don’t you consider whether there’s a problem with your IQ? Maybe changing your brain would help you win against me!”

The Five Families were not a monolithic block. They had also experienced long periods of war and were the ones who had survived in the end.

They had also had hatred for each other and had been at war continuously. It was just that the stable order and the desire to make money had made them temporarily put aside their hatred and war.

This did not mean they were one, a monolithic block.

When interests collided and made their seemingly stable relationship become not so stable, the family wars would be rekindled!

Fegal was the patriarch of the Keane family. The Keane family had once competed with the Kodak family for the casino license, and they had even won one.

The firefights between the two sides were almost daily occurrences. It was either you robbing my casino, or I robbing yours.

Later, under the mediation of the lieutenant governor, the Keane family gave up that license, but correspondingly, the Kodak family compensated them with a large sum of money, and the state government also promised that the next time a license was issued, the Keane family would definitely get one.

Then it was almost… thirty years, and the state government had never issued another license. And just this year, they had even talked with Bandy in private. As long as Bandy continued to give money, they guaranteed that for the next twenty years, they would still not issue a license.

In fact, it wasn’t just for the next twenty years. As long as he kept giving money, the state government would never issue a new license.

Without a new license, the “next license” they had promised the Keane family would never need to be honored.

The Keane family gradually came to their senses, but by this time it was too late. He no longer had the qualifications to make a fuss.

If he continued to make a fuss, not only would the Kodak family take the opportunity to make a move, but even the state government would express dissatisfaction with the Keane family, so Fegal could only endure it.

Now they were still very peaceful and even united because other businesses could also make big money, not limited to a certain one.

But the contradictions and hatred between them would not be forgotten because of these things.

Rick, sitting on the side, was appeasing both sides. He represented the Cassia family. The main members of the Cassia family came from Yalan. They were immigrant gang of the Federation, with a total of about a hundred years of immigrant history.

In the long process of immigration, they have now gradually become recognized people of the Federation, but a minority.

However, in recent years, as more and more people from Yalan have tried every means to immigrate or smuggle into the Federation, this group has also been rapidly expanding.

The Cassia family mainly operates businesses related to population. Of course, they are also good at various ordinary crimes. After all, as long as you give money to the desperadoes from Yalan, they dare to kill.

Their family’s reputation among the Five Families is not very good, but who cares?

Some with good reputations are not as good as them.

Paul also interjected to appease both sides, “We came today to discuss Sidney, not to watch you two argue. It’s just tens of thousands of dollars.”

He paused, and the others also expressed their agreement. Fegal glared at Bandy again and began to shuffle the cards again.

The one who had been silent all along was Sariford, “I heard that Wade and old Williams are very dissatisfied with him and are trying to find a way to have the state legislature impeach him.”

Paul, while looking at the cards in his hand, shook his head, “I think there’s little hope. That Mike from a while ago, remember?”

“He is the representative of the Likalai State Socialist Party. They have a certain status within the party and a very large network of connections.”

“If Sidney’s relationship with him is very good, and he wants to protect Sidney, their ideas are simply impossible to realize.”

He picked up two chips and threw them on the table, “I call.”

Bandy placed his cigar on the ashtray, covered his cards with both hands, and continued to lift a corner. This was his signature move.

He then also threw two chips onto the table, “Whether it’s the state government or the federal government, they are actually somewhat dissatisfied with us.”

“Including the Wade and Williams families. We have occupied the interests here for too long. Every time they want to get involved, we block them.”

“This time they found a good opportunity and gave Sidney a possibility. I even suspect if they are targeting us with this, this Prohibition.”

Prohibition gave the Bureau of Hazardous Materials too much power, which was a big headache.

If it were just the police or something, they wouldn’t care at all. Anyone living in Golden Port knows not to make an enemy of the Five Families.

But these people are all from out of town. Although there are locals, not many. This gives the mayor, who already holds administrative power, a chance to have a say among the law enforcement groups.

Plus, now he has appointed an acting chief. He is eroding the municipal system of Golden Port step by step.

“They are the most anxious. I think we should first see what countermeasures they have.”

Sariford threw his cards in, “But what if they can’t handle it?”

“Watch him grow stronger and stronger, to the point where we can’t resist?”

Soon it was Paul’s turn again. He threw some more chips in, “This is indeed a problem, and we actually don’t have many good choices.”

“Either fight to the end, or compromise directly, but I don’t think there’s much of a chance for compromise.”

The few of them fell silent. They had been targeting the mayor for six years.

In the six years, the mayor had not actually achieved any practical results. On the contrary, it could be said that they had pushed him into a trap.

So there was no chance for compromise between them, nor was there a basis for compromise.

If they compromised, who knows how he would torment them. For the sake of the family and interests, they had to find a way out.

When the mayor mobilized men from other cities, it actually also showed his attitude.

He wanted to give Golden Port a major reshuffle!

If you don’t want a full-scale war, the best way is to find a basis for compromise.

Fegal took a final drag on his cigarette and threw the butt into the ashtray, “How about giving him a little warning?”

Rick, who had been silent all along, continued to call this time, “I think it’s possible. No one is not afraid of death, no one will not die. Perhaps when he feels death, he will collapse faster than we imagine!”

“Agreed!”

“I also agree!”

“What do you plan to do?”

“Throw two dead cats and dogs on his bed?”

“Or mail him a threatening letter with a bullet in it?”

Although they had already decided what to do, they had not yet figured out how to do it to deter the mayor.

The purpose of this kind of deterrence is not actually to solve the mayor, but just to provide a basis for compromise, to make the mayor realize that the consequences of going to war with the Five Families of Golden Port and the local political forces will be very serious.

Then there would be a basis for compromise.

At that time, they could fully support the development of the New Bay Area and the New Port District, and would also agree to add new administrative districts. Aren’t these all minor problems?

But how to do it, and to what extent, they still needed to think about.

This time they were facing an unusual mayor, not as easy to handle as the previous ones.

If the threat was not in place, then it would not achieve the result they wanted, and they would not be able to force the mayor back to the negotiating table.

If the means were too drastic, it could lead to the mayor directly flipping the table and refusing to talk, which would also be a huge problem for them!

Whether it was the Five Families or the two senior city councilmen, the reason they hadn’t flipped the table so far was that Sidney was running out of time.

His term in Golden Port was only one and a half years left!

Time actually passes very quickly. As long as you endure it, a year and a half will pass. He will be promoted to the state legislature, and Golden Port will return to its former tranquility.

At that time, they will clean up the forces left by the mayor, and it will be back to normal!

As for the new mayor?

It might be a cycle, but it could also be the next puppet!

The mayor actually also knew that the Five Families and the two senior local councilmen were starting to find ways to deal with him, but he was not afraid.

The local forces in Golden Port were too stubborn, which led to many people who wanted to make a fortune here not being able to.

In fact, it was the local forces of Golden Port that were blocking others, not others coveting their wealth.

Different angles lead to different worlds. Sidney believed that victory would ultimately belong to him, not those stubborn local parochialists!

At this time, compared to the Five Families who were brainstorming, or the mayor who had a plan in mind, Eric seemed much more relaxed.

It had been a while since he had personally watched that unlucky guy’s head being smashed by Lance.

Orson the lawyer had hired a psychiatrist for him, and he was walking out of the psychological shadow.

His mood had become cheerful again. As a young man, he now had many old friends around him, and they were doing quite well.

Eric couldn’t help but run out to play.

The bar was his favorite place to go. Lance’s way of running a bar was quietly influencing the business model of the entire Golden Port’s bars.

Now many bars have some beer girls and girls who can be had for free. These girls always say they are here to play, not prostitutes, but if you really want to sleep with them, most of them will give you a price very skillfully.

The ones who are really just there to play are very few, but even so, it still attracts the attention of drunkards and old lechers.

Eric also liked alcohol and women. For example, at this moment, he saw a beautiful girl, and he wanted to invite her to enjoy a brief affair with him.

But it seemed a little difficult!