Empire of Shadows

These past few days, Hope, the refugee social activist who wanted to become a citizen of the Federation and even a politician, had been doing quite well.

His performance in front of the media had earned him the support of some people.

Never underestimate the complexity of humanity and human nature. Even though many people thought he was no good, there would still be people who were attracted by what he showed and believed that he was a good person.

And there were not a few such people in the Federation.

Several charitable organizations had found him, willing to help him and the refugees who were waiting for humanitarian aid. This was a good thing.

He knew better than those charitable organizations who needed help and who didn’t. In addition, with his fame among the media and the public, all the charitable organizations had taken the initiative to cooperate with him.

Charitable organizations were not necessarily truly charitable, because in the Federation, there was no charity, only business.

Charity was also a business, and a very high-end one at that. It could help people build a positive image, gain great social praise, and at the same time, deal with some sensitive money and make it not so sensitive.

The trick of using charitable organizations to evade the tax bureau was not new, but it was very useful and difficult to investigate.

Besides these things, their biggest business was fundraising.How could a charitable organization make people proactively donate money to them?

In fact, it was very simple: do charity.

As long as they let people know that they were indeed helping those in need, that they were properly using the donations on the poor or refugees, they would not have to worry about fools donating money to them—

This was not to say that the rich people who donated to charitable organizations were fools. They donated with a purpose. The money they donated could allow them to gain more than what they lost.

The real fools were the “good people” who, under a certain public opinion trend, were not rich themselves but still donated money to charitable organizations.

The media would also often report on this kind of thing. They needed to use noble morals to move those ordinary people and gain the focus of public opinion. And the charitable organizations also had to let more people know that doing charity was right, even if it meant wronging themselves a little.

The people who could donate to charitable organizations were either stupid or bad.

A large number of reporters surrounded Hope. These reporters were all found by the charitable organizations. They needed more exposure to get more donations.

This was Hope’s highlight moment. In front of the media, he frequently showed his face, helping the staff of the charitable organizations to hand over the supplies to the people in need, one by one.

It was just that people didn’t notice that the greasy shine on his face before the flash, and the refugees who were so hungry that their faces had no luster at all, seemed to be a little different.

This was one of the benefits of being a social activist. As long as he showed his value, someone would soon provide him with some “convenience.”

“Thank you, thank you, you and these gentlemen. Without you, we really don’t know what we would do!”

The lady who received the gift cried very sadly. Hope supported her and introduced to the media, “Her husband starved to death this winter. I have seen him. He was a kind person, spoke very gently, and was very friendly to everyone.”

“But just such a good person was taken away by the cold and hunger!”

“We need the attention of the whole society. The purpose of our coming to the Federation is to seek humanitarian relief. Mr. President also once expressed his willingness to accept us.”

“But we cannot jump from one hell to another, a humanitarian hell!”

His face was full of sadness and solemnity. He looked at the staff of the charitable organization. “Anyway, thank you. If it weren’t for you, there would be no these supplies. Thank you, thank you for your helping hand. May God bless each and every one of you!”

The staff of the charitable organizations had already made a “strategy” before they came. They recited their lines according to the script. The two sides continued to cooperate, continued to give those worthless things to the people who needed them, or who actually didn’t need them, to get one praise after another.

The entire aid ceremony lasted for about forty minutes, and all the supplies were delivered.

Hope stood in front of the camera, with a vacant lot crowded with refugees behind him. The air was filled with an unpleasant smell, but he seemed to be unable to feel it.

“Today, we were fortunate enough to receive 3,000 worth of supplies. 300 refugee families have received relief because of this. But gentlemen, look behind me. How can there be only 300 families here?”

“We need more people’s attention, more people’s help. Don’t let the beautiful Federation become a cold hell. Love brings us together, and we should also return each other’s love…”

After the interview, he said goodbye to the reporters and the staff of the charitable organizations and returned to his residence.

It was an unfinished apartment that he had someone pry open, and he had chosen a relatively complete room to live in.

Because of his actions, many of the surrounding apartments had been pried open, and people had all moved in. But it was impossible for so many people to move in, so most people still lived outside.

After returning to the apartment, he sat on the sofa he had picked up, wiped the sweat from his forehead, lit a five-cent pack of cigarettes, and his whole person relaxed.

“How much did they give this time?” he asked.

He helped the charitable organizations with their publicity, and it was not for free. As a social activist, he knew some of the unwritten rules of society better than others.

The assistant he had chosen looked through it. “225, sir.”

Hope was very satisfied. More than two hundred dollars, although not much, was a good sign.

He actually already had the ability to move out, but he wouldn’t do that. He had to be with his refugee brothers and sisters at all times.

Today he had an important thing to do.

Many gangs had gradually emerged among the refugees. Some were just for self-protection, not to be bullied by other gangs.

Some were to get supplies from others to make their lives a little better.

And some were trying to infiltrate other areas, or run various criminal businesses.

It was said that a group of guys had stolen a lot of money from a construction site and had already achieved freedom in eating.

Hope actually looked down on these people. Whether in Slad or in the Federation, these people could only be at the very bottom of society. But now he had to rely on these people, because they represented power, the fist of the refugees.

As a social activist whose goal was to become a well-known politician, he knew very well that a group could not be without a fist.

This was like a person. If you don’t know how to resist and attack, then you can only be trampled under the feet of others.

Sometimes violence does indeed make the situation worse, but it can also make people respect you more!

He had arranged for some well-known refugee gang leaders to meet here. With his current status and fame among the refugee group, it was not surprising that he could do this.

One after another, the leaders of the gangs, who couldn’t even be called gangs yet, came to his apartment.

It has to be said that Hope had been doing quite well recently. He was very famous, and everyone knew him.

Some people didn’t like him, but they still came. Some admired him very much.

With more people coming, the room seemed a little crowded. He was considering that when he got some more money, he would go to the new Bay Area next door to buy a villa, seven or eight thousand, the price was very suitable.

He had never worried about whether he could come up with this money. It would be news if he couldn’t, not if he could.

When almost everyone had arrived, he had everyone sit down according to the instructions.

He looked at the faces of these people and memorized their appearances and their names.

After waiting for about twenty or thirty seconds, he walked to the middle of the room. “We come from roughly the same country and are strangers here.”

“Recently, I have gained some attention through public opinion, and there are also some people who are willing to support us, to let us have a better living environment and opportunities.”

“I have gathered you all here today because there is something I want to discuss with you.”

As he spoke, he took out a cigarette and lit one for himself.

The smell of cigarette smoke filled the air, which made the other refugee gang leaders can’t help but start to light up cigarettes one after another. For a time, the room was filled with smoke.

“I… want you to work for me,” he said after taking two puffs of his cigarette.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room became a little strange. Some people were thinking, some were just looking at him, and some were sneering.

“Hope, on what basis do you think we will work for you?”

Faced with such a provocation, questioning, and doubt, he was not angry, nor did he get angry.

He looked at that person and nodded twice. “A good question.”

“A good question should have a good answer.”

He had a cigarette in his mouth and took out a wad of money from his pocket, about a hundred dollars or so.

Seeing this money, the expressions of these leaders changed again.

“This is just the loose change I have in my pocket. In fact, I have already saved several thousand in the bank.”

He looked at these people, enjoying their shocked expressions. “Making money is not a difficult thing, gentlemen.”

“Refugees are our bargaining chip, and also the foundation for us to move towards a better life. But your use of this identity of a refugee is too inefficient, not even efficient at all!”

“You are very energetic, and also very good at executing. you shouldn’t just be wasting your talents for a bite to eat and a drink.”

“Follow me, and I can make you rich quickly.”

“Money, food, tobacco, women, and even liquor, all of it.”

He paused for a moment and continued, “Do you know the Lance Family?”

“A while ago, that Lance said that this city has a liquor market of 200 million, gentlemen.”

“Two hundred million!”

He held up two fingers. “Even if it’s 1%, that’s a market of two million.”

“While those gangsters are frantically putting money into their own pockets, what are you doing?”

“Snatching loose change from the hands of children, fighting with some garbage collectors for scrap iron, and some even go to rob passersby.”

“They are a gang, and you are also… a gang. Why is the gap so big?”

He looked around. “Because you can’t think of it. You don’t know how to survive correctly, but I do!”

“I know how to make you grow strong quickly. I know how to make us rich. I also know how to make everything develop in a better direction. But there is one prerequisite: you have to work for me.”

Hope had fallen into a somewhat fanatical state. As an active social activist, he knew very well.

If you want to persuade others to believe in you, you must first persuade yourself to believe in yourself!

If you don’t even believe what you say yourself, how can you use your emotions to infect others to believe you?

Someone looked at him with great interest. “What are you planning to do?”

This was a test, but Hope was not worried at all.

“Greater influence,” he looked at the people here, a trace of coldness and ruthlessness in his eyes. “And greater destructive power.”

“A child who only cries and doesn’t make a fuss is not as likely to get the attention of his parents as a child who cries and makes a fuss.”

“Now everyone has seen us crying, but just crying is not enough. No matter how fiercely we cry, it won’t make them feel the pain.”

“The people of the Federation will even watch our crying as a kind of entertainment!”

“If we want them to help us more, we must make a fuss, make them feel that it is troublesome, that it is not easy to handle.”

“Golden Port City is a beautiful city. If a large number of refugees appear in the city center, in the Starlight District, in the Bay Area, and on those beautiful docks, what do you think the people of the Federation will do?”

The person who had asked the question couldn’t help but swallow. “The Federation guys will go crazy!”

Hope nodded. “Yes, they will go crazy. They will also want to solve this big trouble of ours as soon as possible.”

“Go and find a random refugee from the side of the road and have him solve these problems?”

“No, he can’t do it. He can’t even handle one person, let alone everyone.”

“They can only come to me!”

“I admit, I have my own selfish motives, my own purpose.”

“I can get more people’s attention, and contact with capital or political forces, and walk out of this quagmire.”

“But, while I am walking out, I can also help more refugees.”

“The aid from these few charitable organizations is the best example. Without my publicity and activities, it would be impossible for them to come here and provide tens of thousands of dollars worth of supplies to help the people here!”

“I may not be a great person, because I have selfish desires, but I believe that I am a greater person than others, because I can help many people.”

“Not to let them freeze to death, not to let them starve to death, not to let them die of illness, to let them at least live with dignity!”

Hope’s tone was full of confidence. This was also the reason why he had been doing this all along.

As long as the federal government contacted him, he had successfully taken the first step.

Then he would use these gangs to firmly control the refugee group in his own hands and become his political bargaining chip.

In this process, there would definitely be some challengers, for example, someone who had learned something from him and tried to become the next him, or even replace him.

The influence is only so big. If you take a little, and he takes a little, then it’s useless.

There will also be some people who oppose him, or stop him. These are all people who are blocking his way forward, and they all have to be dealt with.

He can’t do it himself. That would become his stain and trouble, so he needs a “fist.”

Take one step, look three steps ahead. He had already seen a more glorious future!

He explained some of his ideas that did not involve the core secrets. Many people seemed to have some interest in joining his command.

The most important thing was that he promised to let all these people make money.

But he did not tell these people how he would let them get a sum of money, but only ensured that this matter was true.

“You guys think about it. After you’ve thought it through, tell me. I don’t have much time for you.”

“Because I don’t have much time to stop either. When I’ve rested enough, I will run forward again.”

“Those who have not kept up with me will only be left far behind by me, by us.”

This was indeed a special gathering. Boni came out of the room. He was also among those invited, because he controlled some “resources” and quickly stood out among those ordinary gangs.

He also did not shy away from the fact that he had gained the appreciation of the Federation’s people. This was a plus, not a minus.

He was a key focus of Hope’s attention. Making good use of Boni could allow him to walk faster.

“This person’s ambition is very great,” on the way back, the companion who had grown up with him since he was a child commented. “We have to tell Mr. Lance.”

Boni glanced at his good brother with a somewhat complicated expression. “Carl, do you think he is a bad person?”

Carl shook his head after listening. “To be honest, I was also very excited when I heard what he said. I don’t think he is a purely bad person, but he can’t be said to be a good person either.”

“He is using our compatriots to achieve his own ambitions.”

Boni did not refute this sentence, but he asked again, “But those people really got benefits because of what he did.”

“They got food, some loose change, and some medicine. Someone was saved because of this. Isn’t that enough?”

Carl’s expression was a little strange. “But have you ever thought that the work provided by Mr. Lance, the relief he gave us in the winter, the number of people he saved is much more than the number of people he saved!”

Boni nodded slightly. “I don’t deny this, but I feel…”

He sighed. Some words he did not continue to say. Carl’s gaze at him became a little more serious. “You’re not going to tell Mr. Lance about this?”

Boni was a little at a loss. “I don’t know…”

On the way back, Boni was obviously absent-minded. He had been thinking about these things. He was not a bad kid. Lance had helped him at the worst of times.

He had always been very obedient to Lance and had worked hard to do the things Lance had told him to do.

But when faced with whether to “betray” Hope, he had some conflicting feelings.

That was not a bad person. He had helped many compatriots. Boni did not want anything to happen to him.

In the evening, he was obviously absent-minded as he lay in bed. His mother saw his abnormality and took the initiative to come to his room.

“You look a little off. Is there anything I can help you with?”

Boni expressed the thoughts in his heart. After his mother finished listening, she asked, “Then why don’t you talk to Mr. Lance frankly?”

(End of a Chapter)