Empire of Shadows

Lance had been in New Golden City for almost a month. Seeing that the Federation’s war machine had fully started to operate, the gentlemen no longer had the time or inclination to talk to him, so he also planned to return to Golden Port City.

This trip had been very fruitful. He had gotten to know many people from the upper class, and these people would be of great help to his future whitewashing.

It wasn’t that he was unwilling to be whitewashed now, but that he couldn’t be. At least not before the situation had stabilized. To be feared was much better than to be seen as someone who could be manipulated.

The “bizarre deaths” of five police officers in the New Golden City police station were enough to deter those with ill intentions. In addition, with Lance moving between the military and Congress, even the Death Angels had temporarily stopped touching him.

It wasn’t that the Death Angels had given up on dealing with Lance, but that the figures and connections Lance was now in contact with made the big boss of the Death Angels feel a little uneasy.

In the Federation, those who could run a gang to the scale of spanning multiple regions were definitely not fools.

Fools also had no chance to run a gang that large; they would have been swallowed up by other gangs.

So for this period, Lance was safe.

The gentlemen didn’t have many thoughts about Lance’s departure. For them, when they needed to see Lance, they didn’t even have to call him themselves.

He would tell his aides, subordinates, butler, anyone, “I want to see Lance,” and then Lance would soon come over here.On the contrary, some of the “lackeys” in his daily interactions still hoped to be able to move around with Lance more.

They didn’t know what Lance had that allowed him to get into the eyes of the military and Congress, but they knew one thing: Lance’s connections were very strong. In the future, maybe sometime, for some matter, they might need Lance’s help.

There were not many people in total, thirty or forty, or maybe a few more?

This was not a dinner party, but more like a salon.

Everyone sat together and chatted. There were chefs at the scene cooking food, and there were all kinds of drinks and liquor.

Lance’s biggest impression after coming to New Golden City was that Prohibition here was as useless as a fucking fart!

No matter what level of official or capitalist, in public or private occasions, when they should drink, they still drank. They would never stop drinking because of Prohibition.

The “Four Major Suppliers of Congress” did not refer to the people who supplied stationery and office supplies to Congress, but to the merchants who supplied high-end liquor.

Lance had also met with them. They also had the support of members of Congress behind them. Otherwise, their liquor would not have been able to be sold into Congress at all.

Maybe the money they earned from Congress would eventually have to be shared with these gentlemen.

Lance’s plan required a large amount of liquor, so those gentlemen might not really just be thinking of getting a kickback from this project. They also wanted to make another profit as a “defense supplier.”

These politicians had already reached the highest achievement in the game of power: a senator in Congress.

In seeking economic benefits, they were not inferior to their status as senators.

They had agreed to meet again in February or March. At that time, the entire plan would be passed, and the Department of Defense would have to start bidding. They had to be on the same front.

It wasn’t that Lance didn’t want to take on the order to supply the entire Department of Defense, but that this order was so large that he couldn’t take it all, and at the same time, he didn’t dare to take it all.

Such a large order, if you take a little less, everyone is a friend.

If you take a little more, then he would be the enemy of others.

Under the influence of various factors, this salon was still very lively.

Some of the “Federation will win” remarks that Lance had recently proposed had also sparked some discussion in New Golden City. In the eyes of many, he seemed to have become a rising “social activist.”

The several core topics of conversation at this salon also began with the war and social changes. They wanted to dig out some information from Lance’s mouth that they didn’t know but could feel.

So for most of the time, it was Lance who was actively participating and was in the limelight.

The salon lasted for more than three hours. In the end, Lance did not reveal any information, but still firmly believed that the Federation would win, and he also got along quite well with everyone.

After the salon was over, Lance and his men left. At this time, behind a window that they had not noticed, two people were staring at Lance’s back.

Lance, who had just opened the car door and was about to get in, seemed to have sensed something. His body, which was about to get into the car, froze. He stood on the spot, and then, in several segments, he turned sideways, looked back, and looked at the building behind him.

He glanced at it roughly, and soon, behind a window, he found that someone seemed to be standing there.

The gazes of the two met in the air. Because of the reflection of the glass, Lance seemed to be unable to see clearly who that person was.

However, he could feel the faint malice emanating from the person who was staring at him.

After the two had looked at each other for a moment, Lance got into the car. In Golden Port City, not everyone liked him, let alone in New Golden City. There would always be someone who saw him as a thorn in their side.

Politicians, or some capitalists, speculators, and brokers.

While he was achieving his own plan and winning over various forces, he had inevitably also destroyed the plans of some other people.

He didn’t know who it was, but he knew that as long as the other party dared to reach out to him, he would chop off their claws.

After getting into the car, Lance swayed back and forth a couple of times so as not to let his butt press on his clothes. “Drive.”

The car slowly began to move and merged with the convoy into the traffic. He was about to leave New Golden City.

Behind the window, the two watched Lance’s car disappear without a trace. A young man’s eyes were already a little red.

The fierce and hateful look in his eyes made it clear to anyone how agitated his emotions were at this moment!

“He has already left.”

The older person next to him comforted him and at the same time sighed lightly.

“I know,” the young man said through gritted teeth, and you could even hear the sound of his tooth enamel grinding.

His voice was filled with a deep hatred, because he was the son of the older of the five police officers who had died bizarrely.

He was in college in another city and was about to graduate this year. After graduation, his original plan was to join the New Golden City Police Department.

The income of the New Golden City Police Department was not low, and its social status was a little higher than in other cities. And the extra income was also not small. It was a good job.

It couldn’t be said to be very decent, but at least it was much better than the workers, and it was not so dangerous.

With his status as a college student, he could be promoted to a sergeant’s assistant as soon as he came in. The starting point was very high, and in the future, it was not impossible for him to become a police inspector or a deputy police superintendent.

His father knew the police in New Golden City too well, so he was very supportive and affirmed his choice.

But he had not expected that he had just come back for two days for the New Year, and not long after he had left, the police department had asked him to come back to identify the body and handle the funeral arrangements.

He had found the police chief and had asked about this matter, but the police chief had not given him any answer, only saying that it might be a case of home invasion robbery and murder.

And he had told him not to investigate this case.

This was a clear act of protection. He was not so stupid as to think that the police chief was a bad person. After all, he had also seen the chief of the inspection bureau a few times before.

He, through his school alumni connections, had contacted a capable alumnus who was also active in the police circle, and only then did he learn the inside story!

His father had been killed because he had arrested a criminal!

Many people knew who that person was, but they didn’t dare to make a move, not only because the other party had a big shot behind him, but more importantly, because of his “touch me and I’ll kill you” attitude!

The young man’s father’s colleagues were also just colleagues. They would not take such a big risk for a colleague who was already finished.

So everyone pretended not to know this matter.

But at this time he knew. He wanted revenge!

“I’ve made up my mind,” he suddenly said after a moment of silence. “I’m going to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”

The “senior” by his side nodded slightly. “This is also what I wanted to say to you.”

“To deal with someone like Lance White, even if you become the police chief, you will be powerless.”

“Because countless people have ways to make you do nothing, and it will become very dangerous.”

“But the Federal Bureau of Investigation is different. Our new director is a man with ideas. Now it’s a state of war, and the president has begun to centralize power.”

He paused for a moment. To say more would be a bit too deep. “In short, this is a very good choice, and I also plan to be transferred to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”

“After entering this department, we will be directly responsible to the director and Mr. President. Even if Lance White has a congressman or military personnel behind him, they will not, for a gangster boss like him, directly confront the Presidential Palace.”

The young man’s lips were tightly pursed, so tight that they had turned white and were bloodless. He could even feel a trace of a metallic taste.

He had unconsciously bitten his own lip. He nodded. “I know.”

The middle-aged man looked at him with appreciation. “You are a college student. It is easier for you to be promoted than us. Keep the hatred in your heart and don’t let it interfere with you.”

“When you have grown tall enough, then go and deal with him.”

“Time will make you strong, will give you the power to defeat your enemies. you have to be able to endure all of this. I know it’s hard!”

He patted the young man’s shoulder. “Let’s go. We should also be leaving.”

The young man looked in the direction where Lance’s convoy had disappeared again. He had made the decision in his heart to avenge his parents, and then he left with his senior.

Originally, his senior had not agreed for him to come over, for fear that he would be impulsive, but he had so wanted to see Lance in person, to carve his appearance into his bones.

If there was anyone at this very moment who hoped that Lance would live a long and healthy life, then it must be this young man.

He hoped to be able to take revenge himself, hoped that Lance would not have any accidents, and would wait for the moment when he walked up to him and sent him to the electric chair!

Lance did not know that someone would hate him so much, but even if he knew, he would not care.

There were many people in this world who hated him. It didn’t matter if there was one more or one less.

Anyone who wanted to deal with him had to be prepared to die!

Mr. Charles did not have such an awareness. He was now very uneasy and panicked. He had been sentenced to three months in prison, and the judge had refused his request to be transferred to a private prison, on the grounds that a three-month sentence would be over soon.

If he wanted to be transferred, he would have to go through many judicial procedures, and it would also have to be assessed whether he was qualified to be transferred. By the time the assessment came down, his sentence would be almost over, so it was directly rejected.

His lawyer had helped him appeal to the appellate court. The appellate court held that the verdict and sentence of the Golden Port City court were very appropriate.

Soliciting prostitutes was indeed an illegal act, and considering Mr. Charles’s history of doing charity and his willingness to continue to do charity, he was given a sentence of three months, which was on the borderline.

This matter had been influenced by Lance. Attorney General Terry and the people from the State Department of Justice had a very good relationship. After all, the two sides often had to cooperate.

The judge of the appellate court pointed out that the lawyer’s attempt to use moral kidnapping to let Mr. Charles escape the punishment of the law was shameful. If they were always entangled in the fact that they had committed a crime but wanted to spend money to not bear the consequences, then the appellate court would increase the sentence to ten months.

At this point, Mr. Charles’s “prison break” plan had completely failed, and he had to stay here for a full three months.

He had to thank the money he still had. As soon as he entered the prison, he had someone make good arrangements for the warden to have him managed separately from the ordinary prisoners.

His lawyer also told him that he had already been detained for more than half a month outside, and the actual time he had to serve was only a little over two months. These days would pass quickly.

Although the conditions in a public prison were not good, there was one good thing, and that was that the warden, as long as he did not run into the Prison Administration, had unlimited power within the scope of the prison!

They had brought a thick stack of banknotes to the warden, so that he could live a good life here.

Of course, to say it was good was just that there was no forced labor.

There was also forced labor in the prisons of the Federation.

After a senator in Congress had proposed the idea that “even a prisoner is a member of the Federation, and as a member of the Federation, they should contribute their own strength to the Federation’s war,” now the entire federal public prisons had begun to have forced labor.

They would produce some of the military equipment they could produce, for example, water bottles, military leather boots, and the like.

If you don’t do a good job here, it means you will be beaten. But fortunately, Charles and the other wealthy people from the Bay Area who had been imprisoned with him did not have to do these things.

It wasn’t just Mr. Charles who was imprisoned. The others had also been imprisoned for the crime of soliciting prostitutes. If even Mr. Charles could not escape this prison sentence, let alone the others!

When he learned that Lance had already mastered a large number of the dock investment company’s stocks, his heart was filled with terror!

It was only at this moment that he realized that Lance and Mayor Williams, these two people, both had their own purposes!

But now he was in prison and had no way. He could only wait until he got out before he could find a way to deal with it.

At the end of January, it was almost February. His lawyer came to visit him.

Usually, there was only one chance for a prison visit every six months, but he had given a lot of money, more than enough, so someone could come to visit him anytime, anywhere.

When Mr. Charles was brought to the room, he was a little puzzled and sat down opposite his lawyer. “We didn’t have this meeting in our plan. Did something happen?”

The lawyer’s expression was no different from usual, very professional.

“You’re not wrong, Mr. Charles. A small problem has occurred.”

“Mr. Lance wants to acquire the shares of the dock investment company in your hands. He hopes you will sell them to him.”

Mr. Charles’s expression changed a little. He had seen great storms and waves and did not jump up just because of the lawyer’s ambiguous words. He stared at the other party’s eyes. “Are you working for Lance now?”

The lawyer nodded, but then shook his head. “I am still your private lawyer, Mr. Charles.”

“But you know that our law firm does not only accept your commission, although we also want to do so!”

“From a work perspective, your case has already been closed, and my work has also ended, so our subsequent contact is based on my personal work issues with you.”

“Mr. Lance has sent a work invitation to the law firm. It is very difficult for the law firm’s side to refuse, so I have come here.”

To completely “contract” such a well-known lawyer’s law firm, the price was ridiculously high. Even Charles could not withstand such a squandering of his own money.

There was no problem with what the lawyer said. It wasn’t that just because Mr. Charles and Lance were in an opposing relationship, the law firm would not accept Lance’s commission.

And on the surface, the cooperative relationship between Mr. Charles and the law firm had been terminated because he had been imprisoned and the case was closed. This did not violate professional ethics.

Mr. Charles had a lot to say, but in the end, he said nothing.

“How much is he willing to pay?” he asked this key question.

He had a rough calculation. Lance should now have more than 33.4% of the shares in his hands. In other words, he already had a veto power.

This was a very bad situation. A veto power meant that everyone could just stop fucking working.

If the other party’s offer was sincere enough, it was not that he could not sell and leave.

Anyway, he had already earned so much over the years, and he could earn another sum by selling his shares.

It wasn’t too much of a loss.

Life in prison had made him think through many things. Mayor Williams’s power was stable, and Lance’s power was constantly expanding. He was no longer a match for these two.

Instead of continuing to struggle, it was better to leave early.

The lawyer’s expression was a little strange. He took out a transfer agreement and handed it to him. “You’d better take a look for yourself.”

A very standard share transfer agreement, but when he flipped to the place where Lance had made his offer, his face immediately flushed!

“I can’t possibly agree!” he stood up directly. “Don’t waste your time. Go and tell Lance that if he really wants them, he can make a good offer.”

“But if he comes like this, I won’t sell the shares to him!”

The lawyer glanced at the “one dollar” mark and knew that this would be the result.

However, he was not too disappointed, because Lance had said that in at most three days, Mr. Charles would change his mind!

(End of a Chapter)