Empire of Shadows

Some people, after a lifetime, only see life slowly leaving their bodies when they are old and can no longer move, leaving without any reluctance, without any turning back.

But there are also some people who, just as they are reaching the age of blooming, see the things that those people have spent a lifetime, and their lives have reached the end, to see.

It’s hard to say whether this is a gain or a loss. After all, they have avoided decades of detours, but for this blooming life, perhaps it is a loss.

A twenty-year-old young life was lying in front of Alan, covering his neck. He was staring at Alan with wide eyes, as if he were asking him—

”My father is Police Captain Matthew. How dare you make a move on me?”

In his understanding of the world, these gang members would at most beat him up, and at the most, break his legs or hands and feet.

Because his father was Police Captain Matthew, if these gangs did not want to be frantically retaliated against, they had better not injure him.

But he had never thought that these gangs from out of town were so... brutal, barbaric, and completely disregarded his identity.

He just looked at Alan like that, his life slowly draining away.

Alan was a little annoyed by his stare. He lowered his head and stabbed him a few more times with his dagger. ”Fuck!””I told you to fucking sit there obediently and you didn’t listen. Are you happy now?”

More injuries could no longer cause any emotional fluctuations in the young man. He was very calm now.

The entire world was becoming dim, including the world in his eyes. His world, at this moment, was permanently closed.

A world had permanently stopped turning.

Alan wiped the dagger on the young man’s clothes, took a deep breath, and then put it back in its leather sheath. Then he looked back.

On the internal road leading to the school, some people were already running. They would definitely call the police. ”Leave the city immediately. Turn on the sirens.”

The brother in the driver’s cab had a serious expression as he sounded the siren. He floored the gas pedal and drove towards the east.

At the same time, the news of the kidnapping at Red Rock University began to spread rapidly. The police also arrived here in five minutes. So much so that Alan and his group had just happened to pass by a police car on the road.

When the police heard that a university student had been kidnapped, they immediately became nervous. Red Rock University was very famous in the entire Indeno State.

Although Red Rock University was not an Ivy League institution, it had a lofty status in the minds of the people!

In an era where not everyone could go to university, it represented class, represented the key to a better life, and was also the hope of every family!

A large number of police officers had rushed over. When they learned that someone had impersonated the police and had kidnapped a student, these police officers all felt that they were being challenged!

The police officers who had already returned home also returned to the police station. They began to put on their gear and drove out to look for the robber’s police car.

But to be honest, it was of no use.

The police cars with their sirens blaring were everywhere, which on the contrary made Alan and their car leave the city faster.

On the campus, the lady who had received Alan had covered her mouth and had screamed and had found the police officer who was questioning the eyewitness. ”Oh my God, I’ve become an accomplice...”

The supervisor of the criminal investigation team was immediately called over. After a simple but detailed questioning, he had pulled out this student’s file.

Seeing that this student actually lived in a villa in a rich people’s district, he subconsciously thought that this kidnapping might be related to extortion.

Red Rock City’s development in these years had been okay, and there had also been many major cases.

Like robbing a bank, like kidnapping, these happened often.

The speed of social development was too fast. There were always some people who couldn’t keep up and were comprehensively left behind. This had become their only channel to catch up with the forerunners.

Having dealt with many kidnapping cases, he was already very experienced in this kind of case.

The most important thing now was to find out the identity of the kidnappers, and their demands, and then, through some small tricks, to lure them out.

A kidnapping case was basically never unsolvable. As long as the kidnappers wanted to get this money, they had to appear!

Some people say to use an anonymous account to transfer money. Please, this is still an era where office work is mainly based on paper carriers, let alone cross-state transfers.

Even if you don’t transfer across banks to a non-account-holding bank, it still requires a lot of procedures and processes, and also time.

After the money is transferred, they always have to transfer it away again, whether to another account, or in some other way. In fact, as long as this money is in a bank, it is equivalent to always being in the hands of the federal government.

This is also why kidnappers basically only want cash.

As long as what they need is cash, they will definitely show up, and they will definitely be caught.

In the kidnapping cases where the kidnappers were not caught, most of them ended with the kidnappers directly killing the hostage and hiding because the negotiations had not been settled.

It was purely for a matter of pride. They didn’t want the money, and you don’t get the person either.

As long as it hadn’t developed to the point of killing the hostage, the criminal investigation supervisor was confident that he could arrest this group of people.

He immediately took a few police officers and rushed to the villa district. Now they were in a race against time.

At the same time, he was also considering whether there were some problems with this student’s family, because that screaming lady had said that the kidnappers had claimed to be entrusted by the kidnapped person’s family to pick him up. This meant that the role they had played was perhaps a role that the kidnapped person was familiar with.

He needed to get more clues as soon as possible and to get in touch with the family of the kidnapped student.

When the police cars arrived outside the villa district, the security guard in the security room was already a little impatient. ”Gentlemen, this is the fourth time you’ve come!”

”Which villa is having a problem this time?”

Someone had already complained to the service company. They were always seeing police cars coming in and out, and they were worried about being harassed, and also worried that these police officers would destroy the tranquility of the community, and also spy on their privacy.

So the security guard was very impolite. The service company behind this villa district was not a minor character either, which had given him this confidence.

The criminal investigation supervisor had immediately noticed that something was wrong. ”What fourth time? Have other police officers been here before us?” he had keenly discovered that something was wrong.

The security guard was stunned for a moment, and then he still recounted what had happened during the day.

The criminal investigation supervisor knew at once that this student’s family might also have been kidnapped. He used the phone in the security room to call for backup, and then he led his men into the villa district.

At this time, a large number of police cars had appeared here, which would inevitably alarm some of the rich people in the villa district.

These rich people, like the rich people in the Bay Area, controlled all aspects of this city, and even this state, in a place that people couldn’t see.

Countless phone lines began to generate current, began to be used. People were exchanging intelligence through the air. This might be the first time in recent years that Red Rock City had had such a large-scale police deployment!

When these police officers pushed open the main gate of that villa, the scene they saw made every one of them feel their scalp tingle!

A dozen or so corpses were placed sitting on the sofa. Some had died of gunshot wounds, some had had their throats cut. And in front of them was a television that was playing an evening program.

On the not-so-clear black and white screen, with the static, a host was, with a not-so-standard accent, broadcasting the stories that had happened in Red Rock City today.

Some police officers felt seriously uncomfortable. They left this place and went outside to vomit. The criminal investigation supervisor had his men not to destroy the scene and to first collect the evidence. At the same time, he gave a call to his immediate superior, the chief of the city police department.

”This matter might be a bit tricky.”

The chief was in his office now. With such a big thing happening, it was impossible for him to leave. However, he had not yet realized how serious the problem was, or rather, he had not yet realized the complexity of this matter.

”How tricky?”

The criminal investigation supervisor glanced at the people by his side and stood in a different position. ”The kidnapped person is the son of a police captain of the state police, and we have come to his home. His family is all gone.”

”There are twelve bodies here and two maids who have been tied up. This is a revenge case.”

The chief’s eyes immediately began to feel hot and swollen after listening. ”Holy shit... did you tell anyone else about this?”

”Not yet.”

The chief sighed. ”I’ll say it. You guys find a direction to solve the case as soon as possible, and also those kidnappers.”

He hung up the phone and then dialed the number of the chief of the state police. The state police department was in Red Rock City, so the call was answered very quickly. The chief of the city police and the chief of the state police knew each other.

Although they belonged to departments of different levels of government, the police itself was a unified system, so it was very normal to have dealings, not to mention that the two police departments were not too far apart.

”I heard the sirens in the city all morning. Did a big case happen?”

At this time, the state chief had not yet reacted. In his cognition, the group from the Lance Family should still be in New Birmingham, not in Red Rock City. He had not connected these two matters at all.

This could also be said to be a kind of natural arrogance. Just as a cat would never think that a mouse would eat it, so they would sometimes be very arrogant in the face of a mouse.

The Lance Family had no foundation in Indeno State. He didn’t have to worry at all that the Lance Family’s men would use any extra means. He just had to wait for the other party to take the initiative to talk.

But he had overlooked one point. The Lance Family was not the gangs he knew.

If the price is not right, Lance will absolutely not compromise!

The chief, listening to the relaxed and teasing tone in the state chief’s words, couldn’t help but laugh twice, with helplessness, and also some annoyance.

”This matter actually has nothing to do with me.”

The state chief still hadn’t reacted. He teased casually, ”Does it have something to do with me?”

”You have a police captain named Matthew under you, right?”

When he heard this name, the state chief knew that something had happened.

He also no longer had that playful attitude. His tone had become serious. ”What happened to him?”

At this time, the chief’s mood was much more comfortable. It was your turn to be anxious.

He pursed his lips. ”Matthew’s family has been kidnapped. His bodyguards, including a few police officers, have all been killed.”

”I think I should tell you about this first. You think about how to tell Police Captain Matthew. This is really bad news.”

”In addition, I have to communicate with you, to see if we should consider setting up a blockade on the interstate highway, so that they can’t escape so easily?”

”I think you, or you all, should have some intelligence on this group of people, and also know where they are fleeing to, so we have to cooperate.”

The state chief took a deep breath. ”I see.”

He rubbed his temples and began to mobilize the highway patrol to set up checkpoints on the highways leading to Likalai State. At the same time, he was also considering one thing, whether to tell Matthew or not.

This matter had its pros and cons, to talk to him about this topic.

The advantage was that they could maintain mutual honesty, and also maintain the most basic right to communicate. Even if something happened that was beyond their plan, they could also discuss it and solve it, instead of having a rift due to deception.

But the disadvantage was that Matthew’s family had all disappeared. Would he go crazy because of this, and would he fall into the trap of the Lance Family?

At the same time, he also had to consider a problem.

Police Captain Matthew knew so many things, including some of the extra, not-so-legal financial dealings between him and him. Would he reveal these things?

This might seem to have nothing to do with this matter, but who the fuck knows how complicated human nature is. What if he fell into the hands of the Lance Family, and he wanted to live?

What if, after he knew about this, he lost his reason and took the initiative to go and talk to the Lance Family and Lance?

What would he do?

Would he stop him, or not?

If he stopped him, that would be a grudge.

If he didn’t stop him... to let such a ”landmine” be outside, he was very uneasy.

How to choose did not bother him for too long, because Police Captain Matthew himself had called.

”I got a call from... the police captain (from the neighboring section branch). He is setting up a roadblock over there and has asked our side to also cooperate. What’s wrong? What happened?”

”He said that the suspect vehicle is currently known to be a police car, but it’s not out of the question that they have changed vehicles. What on earth happened?”

Police Captain Matthew’s questioning, however, did not get an answer. He gradually felt that something was not right.

If this matter had nothing to do with him, or was just a very ordinary matter, there was no need for the chief to be silent, but he was silent.

This meant that he didn’t know how to open his mouth!

What matter could make a chief not know how to open his mouth?

That was only a matter that was related to Matthew’s own interests.

The receiver was instantly silent, so silent that only each other’s breathing could be heard.

After about a dozen seconds, ”Don’t tell me, something happened to my family.”

”Matthew, you listen to me...”

”What happened?”

”...I just got the news...”

”Fuck, what about my children and my wife?”

”Your family may have been kidnapped...”

”Where are they?!”

”In a car!”

”In a police car!”

”They are on the run. Fuck, can you let me finish!”

This time the receiver was quiet again, but the previous breathing sound had turned into a fierce panting sound. Through the receiver, the chief could feel the anger and a trace of fear that Matthew was exuding.

”Listen, Matthew, I’ve already had people set up a comprehensive blockade. they won’t be able to escape. Your family will eventually come back to you.”

”The most important thing for you to do now is to calm down, have someone get you a cup of coffee with whiskey, have a drink, and then seriously go and arrange the roadblocks, to check the passing vehicles.”

”Then, by the side of the phone, don’t go anywhere. Wait for the good news that I will call you at any time, understand?”

Police Captain Matthew did not speak. He just slammed down the phone, and then opened the drawer, took out his own carved revolver and holster, stood up and was about to go outside.

The phone on the desk rang. He glanced at it and finally walked over and picked it up. ”If you’re trying to persuade me to do nothing, when my family is being kidnapped, then fuck you!”

”Matthew, Matthew!”

”You listen to me. Even if you go over now, it will be too late. They left from Red Rock City. Even if you come over, it will be more than a day later.”

”For you to calm down now is much more useful than for you to do something stupid. Believe me, believe your colleagues!”

After an unknown amount of time, Matthew took off the holster he had put on and slammed it hard on the desk. ”Don’t fucking let me down!”

”I promise!”

The chief who had hung up the phone let out a heavy sigh. He thought for a moment and picked up the phone, and called his own trusted man.

”Go to Matthew’s side, keep an eye on him, and wait for my news.”

His trusted man nodded, and without any extra words, he turned and left.

This guy had been discharged from the army. At that time, he had run into trouble and had found the local veterans’ association, but the veterans’ association had ignored him and had even had someone beat him up and throw him out.

He had been seen by the chief, at a time when this guy was at his most helpless, and then the chief had extended a helping hand, had helped him to solve his difficulties, and from then on he had become one of the chief’s most important trusted men.

This person was a good hand, whether it was at doing things, or at killing people.

After arranging all this, the chief rubbed his eyes. This damn Lance Family!

A little later, Lance had gotten in touch with Mayor Wade.

Lance had not gone directly back to Golden Port City, but had, after entering the border of Likalai State, stayed in a town.

The state police department had sent some police officers over to assist Lance. In addition, Lance’s side still had some of their own people, so the manpower on hand was still sufficient.

”Did you do the thing in Red Rock City?”

”I hear you’ve poked a hole in the sky. Almost all the police in the entire city have been mobilized. What did you do?”

Lance frowned, but his tone did not change. ”To be honest, I don’t know, but it’s definitely not a good thing.”

”Are you here to ask for news?”

Mayor Wade denied this statement. ”I just want to know if there are any projects we can cooperate on. It seems you’ve played a big game this time, but don’t overplay it.”

”...My police chief says that you are provoking the entire Indeno State police community, so I’m very curious what you are doing.”

Lance scratched his head. He also wanted to know now...