Empire of Shadows

After Lance had given some more instructions, he had Elvin go and do his work.

After he had walked out of Lance’s office, he had walked directly towards the company’s lounge.

As he walked, he was thinking about some of the things he had to do next.

Lance had asked him to do it personally. On the one hand, the incident had occurred in Indeno State, which was not the territory of the Lance Family. They had no influence there, and everything had to be done with caution.

On the other hand, there might be a slight problem with this matter. It wasn’t that he was to go and make a move directly, but to observe and to think.

It was not a long way from Lance’s office to the lounge. In a short while, he was standing outside the lounge.

The combat captains on duty in the company would usually be in the lounge when they had nothing to do. There was a billiard table here, some game machines, like a pinball machine, and also the latest model of a television.

They could do whatever they wanted here, play, chat, or just lie on the sofa in a daze, reading the newspaper.

The captain on duty had to be on standby here at any time. In case a combat mission occurred, they had to respond to the call at the first opportunity, gather their men, and then throw themselves into the battle.

It could be in the daytime, it could be at two or three in the middle of the night. No matter what time it was, as long as they were needed, they had to be here and respond immediately.When they saw Elvin, the number two figure of the Lance Family, push open the door and enter the lounge, many of the young captains stopped what they were doing and looked at him.

Lance had set up all kinds of systems for the entire family, or rather, the entire company, to ensure that the company could operate normally.

They looked at Elvin with an expectant look in their eyes. After all, staying here was too boring, and they had to stay for three days.

For three days, they couldn’t go anywhere. For young people, it was indeed a kind of torture—

At this moment, they seemed to have forgotten that there were thirty days in a month.

Elvin looked at these young men who were so eager that they had all squeezed in front of him, raising their hands and shouting “pick me.” He smiled and greeted them, and finally, his gaze fell on Alan.

Alan had saved him, so for this mission, he would definitely take Alan with him.

“Alan, and… and…” he pointed out three captains. The ones he had pointed at pumped their fists and, under the envious and jealous gazes of the others, stood by Elvin’s side.

“Let’s leave it at that for now!”

“You guys continue to do your own thing.”

The other captains sighed. Given the authority of the family cadres in the family, these captains could only shake their heads in disappointment and continue their “game time.”

The three young guys followed Elvin out of the room. Alan immediately couldn’t help but chase after Elvin and ask, “What are we doing this time?”

As the few of them were walking towards the main gate, Elvin briefly explained the matter. “Lance has asked us to go to New Birmingham to do something. It might be a little dangerous. You have to be mentally prepared.”

“Stay calm and cautious, and obey orders. This is my advice to you!”

He paused for a moment as he spoke, and then pulled open the door of the main hall. The hustle and bustle of the city outside was like a wave, and in an instant, it poured in through the open door.

“Now, go and contact your men!”

“I’ll be waiting for you in the parking lot!”

The men under these rotating captains actually also had to be on standby on the company’s side. Some people didn’t like the environment and atmosphere in the company, mainly because there were quite a few cadres and captains.

The members at the bottom of the family might feel a little uncomfortable, so most of them were concentrated on the streets outside the company.

Lance had also bought the house next door. The landlord was very enthusiastic and generous and had insisted on selling it to Lance at a very low price.

After Lance had taken it over, he had turned it into a larger “lounge.” Many of the low-level gang members who were in charge of the standby were gathered here.

The three of them came out of the main gate in single file. The people on the street, in groups of three and five, and wearing uniform attire, saw them at a glance.

The three captains raised their arms, signaling for their men to gather towards them. Soon, about a dozen or so people had gathered around each of them.

A captain controlled more than a dozen subordinates, and some would have more. This depended on them.

Some of the captains here were themselves some of the “street families” of Golden Port City. They were all young people who had lived on the same street and had then joined the Lance Family together.

After one of them had stood out, the good brothers from before would re-gather under their command.

Logically, this kind of typical “factionalism” should not be supported, but Lance did not object to them doing so.

Because a gang is not a government, and a gang member is not a government official. Their familiarity with each other can, on the contrary, produce a greater effect in their work.

And as long as you ensure that the upward channel is always open and fair, then it is not so easy for irreconcilable conflicts and problems to arise internally.

Those guys who were standing on the spot and watching these people leave also knew where these people were going. Besides sighing that they had gotten lucky, they had no other thoughts.

In the parking lot, Elvin saw them. “The time for this mission is a bit long, so you have forty minutes to solve your personal matters.”

“Before you leave, go to the warehouse to get the equipment for this mission. Of course, if you have your own things, you don’t have to go.”

“Forty minutes later, we will gather at the intersection of Highway 11, in the direction of leaving the city. Don’t miss the time. Any other questions?”

Everyone said there were no problems, and then Elvin got into the car and, under their watch, left.

He also had to go back and pack up.

In fact, the company’s side had a relatively complete “mission system.” An ordinary gang member could, with his own signature, get a handgun, two magazines, and two boxes of bullets from the warehouse.

The members of the captain level and above could get submachine guns, rifles, and even grenades.

Besides these, there were also emergency medical kits, adrenaline, and some special painkillers, and surgical supplies.

Sometimes these low-level gang members really didn’t know if the Lance Family was a gangster organization, or a legitimate armed force.

At least in other gangs, they wouldn’t prepare so many things!

And this was also one of the reasons why many young people longed to become a member of the Lance Family!

Lance had always emphasized “corporatization.” The company’s system was very complete, formal, and the welfare benefits were also good. Although some people might think that this was a dangerous thing, after all, they sometimes had to participate in some firefights, and some would be injured or even die.

But, this was the price of a high income, a high status!

Sitting or standing by the assembly line in a factory was not dangerous, but the money they earned from a whole day’s labor was only enough for them to support themselves and their families.

Want to let your family live a good life?

Want to live a good life yourself?

If you just work honestly, you will have no chance in this life!

If you want to get something, you must definitely pay something. The greater the risk, the greater the reward.

And even if there was a risk, the number of people who wanted to join the Lance Family was much more than the number of people who didn’t want to join!

Especially now that Likalai State had achieved a substantial position as the strongest. Besides cooperating with the highway patrol to arrest those smugglers everywhere, there were almost no other combat missions.

A high income, a high status, a low risk. This was indeed an enviable job.

So much so that even some police officers were inquiring whether they could join the Lance Family, and how to join.

After returning to his own residence, Elvin first gave Ethan a call. They had originally planned to have a meal with some friends from their hometown over the weekend. It seemed that he wouldn’t be able to go this time.

Then he sat in a daze for a while, and then began to pack his luggage.

In fact, there was not much to pack. Just two sets of clothes to change, and then a modified handgun, and two modified magazines and a modified feeder.

He had a dozen or so boxes of bullets in the trunk of his car. Hiram often didn’t have enough and would take others’. In addition, a submachine gun also had to use handgun bullets, so he had prepared a lot.

This handgun was modified by a gunsmith. The rate of fire was a little faster, and the magazine could hold twenty rounds. When necessary, it could be used instead of a submachine gun.

Of course, the one he really had to use was still in his car. This was just his last means of self-defense.

If he really had to use this handgun, it meant that he was already at a point of no return.

He casually grabbed some change and put it in his briefcase. After he had packed his things, he came to the door of his house, looked back at the empty house, and then turned and left.

He had some ideas in his heart. He wanted to bring his family over.

Half an hour later, at the intersection where Highway 11 connected to the interstate highway, he saw the others who had rushed over.

Without much communication, a dozen or so cars merged into the interstate highway and sped towards the direction of Indeno State!

The news that Elvin had left with his men soon reached Lance. Lance did not pay any more attention. He believed that Elvin could handle this matter well, and at the same time, he also needed to rest.

The next morning, he had a good sleep. Ennio had given him a call, saying that a lady named Debbie, along with two other people, had come to see him.

Lance sat up on the head of his bed and rubbed his face. After thinking for a long while, he finally remembered who this person was—the lady from the Labor Federation who was in charge of the textile workers.

The workers in his garment factory were all found by Debbie.

He had Elvin receive them first, and then he got up and washed up. In twenty minutes, he had rushed to the company.

As soon as he pushed open the office door, he saw Ennio chatting with the three visitors, and it seemed that they were chatting quite happily.

He had good skills and talent in communication. Lance felt that he had inherited it from his old man.

Seeing Lance come in, the four of them quickly stood up. Lance also smiled and first walked over and shook hands with Debbie. “You should have called me first. That would have let me come over earlier.”

“I just came back from out of town yesterday. I was a bit tired, so I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”

Debbie’s face was full of smiles, without the impatience of having waited for a long time. Power and status are really a good thing. So good that even if you have offended someone, they will take the initiative to make excuses for you.

“We came in a hurry, so we disturbed your rest. It should be us who should be sorry, Lance!”

Debbie said so.

(End of a Chapter)