Empire of Shadows

”Mr. Lance, my side is ready,” Editor-in-Chief Mason said, giving Lance a call after receiving the report from his subordinate.

The meaning of this call was actually that Mr. Auge could commit suicide at any time.

Whether it was suicide or being ”suicided,” it didn’t really matter.

In this confrontation between Lance and the Labor Federation, in the tentative clash between the congressional forces represented by Lance and the Labor Federation, they were already prepared.

It was like... on a beautiful date night, you’ve kissed, you’ve touched each other, and now you are naked before each other, with only one last step left.

This step had to be decided by Lance.

”Well done, Editor-in-Chief Mason. I will handle it as I see fit.”

”If I need to do anything, I’ll call you first. I’ll trouble you to keep an eye on these matters during this period.”

Editor-in-Chief Mason had a very easygoing look. He laughed heartily. ”This is all within my job scope, and being able to work for you is in itself an honor, Mr. Lance!”

Logically, Editor-in-Chief Mason could also be considered a ”cultured man,” having read many books, with a deep cultivation and refinement. He shouldn’t have said these things so bluntly.But in this world, under the corrosion of capital, even a man of letters, even with cultivation and refinement, would still bow his head when it was time to.

So much so that they, more than ordinary people, knew more clearly when to bow their heads, and how to bow their heads.

No one dislikes the feeling of being praised. A few more smiles appeared on Lance’s face, and his tone also became a little more cheerful. ”When all these messy things are over, we can have a get-together.”

”It just so happens that I still lack a more formal meeting with the high-level of the News Group. You should know them better than I do. At that time, we’ll go together.”

This was tantamount to implicitly proposing to promote the editor-in-chief from an editor-in-chief to the management.

The wrinkles on Editor-in-Chief Mason’s face had piled up several layers from his smile. After doing so much, wasn’t it all for this moment?

He had won a Golden Newspaper Award, but he still had to do things according to the requirements of the chairman of the newspaper’s board of directors, who had only gone to high school and had never even touched a Golden Newspaper Award.

At his stage, in the upper-middle region of the middle class, he could already see some of the essence of how this world operated.

After a person’s ability has reached a certain level, it can no longer be used as an upward driving force to push him upwards.

Editor-in-Chief Mason immediately replied, ”I await your summons at any time, Mr. Lance!”

Lance laughed twice more. ”I will.”

He hung up the phone as he spoke.

He put down the phone and thought for a moment, then gave Ms. Debbie a call.

When Ms. Debbie had received the call, she was on vacation at home. The failure of this major strike had put a lot of pressure on the entire Likalai State Labor Federation.

And Ms. Debbie, this director who had clearly not stood on the side of the Labor Federation, had been directly put on vacation, an indefinite vacation.

Her friends in the branch and the general association had already contacted her privately. This strike seemed to have failed, but if they could turn the tables in the process of pursuing Lance’s responsibility later, then Ms. Debbie would still have a chance to return to the office, but this time not as a director, but as a deputy director.

The general association was very sensitive to her ”passive attitude towards the strike.” If it weren’t for the fact that she had not had any problems over the years, she might have already been expelled.

If the Labor Federation did not manage to turn the tables in the subsequent confrontation, then she would have to bear a part of the responsibility and would be directly expelled.

After all, with the strike as the most effective weapon of the Labor Federation, for the first failure, there had to be some people with some weight to take the blame.

She was one, the local branch president was one, and there were also two vice presidents.

It was just that she was being expelled, while the others were just being suspended from work, or changing jobs.

The Labor Federation wanted to use this method to tell people that it wasn’t that the knife of the strike was no longer useful, but that the branch in Likalai State had used the wrong method, which was why it had not achieved the effect.

Debbie, who was at leisure, didn’t really care about losing this job. She had made enough money over the years.

Most of the enterprises related to the textile industry in the entire Likalai State had contacted her privately. She had been a consultant for more than thirty enterprises, and it had been for more than ten years now.

Even if each enterprise only gave her fifty a month, for more than thirty enterprises, that was 1,500 a month, 20,000 a year, and 200,000 in ten years.

Let alone 200,000, even 20,000 was a lifetime for many people!

So she was not worried about this matter at all. And she herself could also start a business. She knew this industry too well and could completely start her own factory and still make money.

The sudden ringing of the phone had made her a little curious. When she had answered it, she had realized that it was a call from Lance.

”I have something I want to talk to you about. I called your office, and they said you were temporarily on vacation.”

Ms. Debbie smiled lightly. ”It’s more like a suspension. I hope this doesn’t affect the reason you are looking for me.”

Lance was a little surprised, but just a little. ”No, of course not. Can you come to my office?”

”There are some things that can’t be said clearly on the phone.”

Ms. Debbie did not refuse. Not long after, she had arrived at Lance’s office.

”Please sit.”

He had the secretary bring two drinks over, and then he sat in his chair and asked with a smile, ”I hope it’s not because of me.”

Ms. Debbie shook her head. ”No, it’s not. You don’t have to feel guilty, Lance.”

”I have lived in Golden Port City for many years. I am very clear about the situation in this city, so this is my own choice!”

She had not said it very clearly, but it was almost enough to understand.

Lance nodded slightly. The secretary from outside had brought two cups of coffee. Because Ms. Debbie had liked Lance’s coffee last time, so Lance had asked for coffee this time.

After the door was closed, Lance asked, ”They have been very quiet recently, and haven’t caused me any trouble. They must be brewing something.”

Ms. Debbie nodded. ”I’ve heard, just heard!”

”They still have someone to accuse that young man named Carl, and they are planning to extradite Carl to another state for trial.”

Lance whistled. ”This is so Federation!”

The situation in every state of the Federation is different. In some states, theft is a minor crime, and you might be able to leave the court immediately after paying a fifty-dollar fine.

But in some states, theft is a serious crime, and some have been sentenced to twenty years for theft.

How to extradite a criminal to a state that is favorable to him for trial and court hearing has always been one of the most skillful jobs of high-level lawyers.

Hearing her say so, Lance realized that this might really be a challenge for Carl, but at the same time, it was even more important that Carl not be caught.

He pondered for a moment. ”Thank you for the reminder. This is very important to me.”

He picked up a stirring stick and stirred his coffee, and then took a small sip. ”Are they still planning to have you go back to work?”

Ms. Debbie seemed very relaxed. ”They haven’t considered it, and I don’t have any particular desire to go back. It’s the same whether I go back or not.”

”For them, I may be an irresponsible director, but I have been responsible for myself. I am first a person of Golden Port, and then a director of the Labor Federation.”

She was, through this method, showing her attitude, to ensure that Lance could accurately feel it.

Of course Lance could feel it. What she had said was too blunt, but this was also good. Sometimes, to express it a little more bluntly is helpful in avoiding the birth of a misunderstanding.

He thought for a moment. ”This way, my invitation to you today is not too presumptuous. I plan to give you a new job.”

Ms. Debbie became interested. ”May I know what it is?”

”Of course!”

Lance adjusted his sitting posture. ”A senior consultant and vice president of the labor service company. you have come into contact with many factory owners, entrepreneurs, capitalists, and also many workers.”

”You know how to deal with the capital side, and you also know how to deal with the laborers.”

”Your experience is what we need. You know, my company is developing rapidly. I plan to, within this year, to make it a more huge labor system.”

”You will be one of the founders!”

Lance was also a person who liked to draw big pies, and at the same time, the ones he drew were very real.

Ms. Debbie had personally experienced the lethality of Lance’s company on the union, on the Labor Federation!

In other words, the things that Lance had said could really come true!

If his labor service company really became another behemoth, then a new ”Labor Federation” would be born. As the vice president at this time, and also one of the founders, what kind of an honor would she get?

Like that Vice President Walter?

To be above thousands of people?

She didn’t know, but she was very interested.

She put down her coffee cup. ”Thank you very much for thinking so highly of me, Lance. It’s just that I’m not sure if I can be competent for this job.”

”And my identity in the Labor Federation, will it become an obstacle for me to build trust with my new colleagues?”

In a situation where the Wanli Group and the Labor Federation were in a direct conflict, if Ms. Debbie were to join as a director of the Labor Federation’s industry, perhaps some people, a small group of people, would be dissatisfied with him.

The Labor Federation was a very large organization, so it was destined that you could see many things here that you couldn’t normally see, the power struggles between ordinary people, the political purges in the office.

And she was only ”one.” Even if she were given the position of vice president, would it just be a nominal position?

She had many things to consider.

For the things she was worried about now, Lance, on the contrary, did not think it was a problem at all.

”So there is an interview that you need to complete. If you can complete the interview, then I can guarantee that you will be the most suitable person for this job.”

”So much so that... it’s not impossible to become the president in the future!”

Ms. Debbie’s breathing had quickened a little, and her heart had also begun to beat faster. She picked up her coffee again, lowering her head to adjust her emotions.

After she had taken a large sip, and the bitterness had begun to dissipate, and the rich and thick taste had begun to permeate, her emotions had stabilized a little.

”What interview?”

After walking out of Lance’s office, Ms. Debbie did not immediately go home.

She had actually not been completely truthful about whether she was a person of Golden Port.

She was not a person of Golden Port. In fact, she had come from Manteno. She was a person of Likalai State, but not a local of Golden Port.

Because the scale of the textile industry in Golden Port City was very large, and the industry was focused, so the textile industry office of the Labor Federation was set up in Golden Port City.

This made it convenient for her to connect with those enterprises and unions, while the other offices of the Labor Federation were all in Manteno.

She was here all by herself. Her husband and children were all in Manteno.

Now, even if she wanted to find someone to discuss with, it seemed that she couldn’t find anyone.

After sitting on the street for a while, she thought for a moment and still dialed her husband’s phone number.

”What’s that sound?” she frowned, hearing some sounds that were easy to let one’s imagination run wild.

She actually knew that her husband... would definitely be fooling around sometimes. Her husband was in the financial industry.

A crazy industry!

Either it would make everyone a madman, or it would make everyone depressed. The psychological pressure of working in this industry was very great. The string of numbers was not a mathematical problem, but a monetary problem.

She had heard that this industry was a bit chaotic, but it was a pity that the financial industry did indeed make money.

In 1010, the financial industry of the Federation began to go from ignorance to a kind of maturity. The major exchanges began to appear, and finance became more standardized, which also announced the arrival of the financial era.

Her husband had been in this industry for a relatively long time and could be considered one of the first practitioners. Now he worked for a brokerage, and the money was like it had been picked up.

But the pressure was also really great. It was said that among his batch of colleagues, more than half had either gone to prison, or had jumped off a building.

The two had been living apart for a long time, so she actually knew in her heart.

It was just that as a woman, a wife, 50% of the marriage, as long as it did not get in her face, she could pretend not to know.

Some sounds of clothes rubbing came from the receiver. She was very familiar with this sound. After all, she had also been a textile female worker in her early days.

”Honey... hmm... what did you just say?”

Ms. Debbie stood there, holding the receiver for a while. ”No, it’s nothing. I just wanted to ask if the child is okay.”

”The child?”

”Oh, God, yes, the child. He is fine, very fine. You know I have hired the best tutors and a butler and maids. They can take good care of him. you can rest assured.”

It could be heard that her husband still wanted to say something, but Ms. Debbie did not give him this chance. ”It’s good that he’s fine. I just wanted to ask about this.”

”I still have other things to do. I’ll hang up first.”

She hung up the phone. She stood in the phone booth for a while, and only then did she leave.

Sometimes, what prompts a person to make a difficult decision is not ”support,” but ”harm.”

On the other side, Ms. Debbie’s husband put down the phone. He looked down at the mischievous young girl, a similarly mischievous smile on his face. ”You little troublemaker, let me come and check...”

He did not take the call just now to heart at all. Ever since he and his wife had both had their own careers and had been living apart for a long time, marriage was just a way for them to prove to people that they had borne their own social responsibilities.

As for real life, who the fuck cared about that?

Ms. Debbie strode back to the side of her car, and then drove her car back home.

She was holding a piece of paper and began to call one by one according to the number and name on it.

A little later, some people had successively arrived at her villa. These people were all from the textile industry, or members of the Labor Federation who were related to the textile industry, the so-called ”skilled workers” or ”certified technical workers.”

It could be seen that their situations were actually not very good. Basically, they were all injured. Some had their arms broken, and some had their legs broken. In short, they were not doing very well.

Ms. Debbie had made a total of seventeen or eighteen calls, and in the end, only six people had come, not even half, but it was enough.

Sometimes, a voice is not loud, and people will listen.

These people more or less all knew Ms. Debbie. She first invited these people to sit down, and then looked at them.

”You know who I am, and you also know what I used to do.”

The five people all nodded. One of them was not very clear, but the person next to him told him.

”Actually, before this big strike, if you still remember, you should know that I once advised you not to participate in the big strike, because this is Golden Port City.”

”The situation here is a little special. This place is different from other places. Do any of you remember?”

Two of them raised their hands, indicating that they knew about this.

Ms. Debbie continued, ”I have now been dismissed from my post, because I knew that our big strike could not succeed. They may think that I am a traitor, or think that I... have caused the failure of the strike.”

”They never find the reason in themselves. They always feel that as long as someone goes on strike, they can achieve their goal.”

”Gentlemen, what has caused your current situation is not those refugees, not the Lance Family, but the unrealistic greed of the Labor Federation!”

Hearing this ”former director of the textile industry office of the Likalai State Labor Federation” say such words, the only six who had come were so shocked that they were speechless!

One of the middle-aged men whose arm had been broken couldn’t help but ask, ”Ms. Debbie, I don’t understand what you mean!”

The others all looked at Ms. Debbie, wanting to know what she meant by saying these words.

Ms. Debbie tilted her head slightly and loosened her shoulders. ”I’ve made my meaning very clear. If it weren’t for the wrong concepts and practices of the Labor Federation, you wouldn’t be like this now.”

”I hear you can’t afford the hospital’s medical expenses. Some have mortgaged their real estate for a loan, and some have borrowed high-interest loans.”

”How is it? Is it very difficult to find a job now?”

”Or rather, is your current situation very difficult to support?”

This sentence had made everyone’s face change, because Ms. Debbie was right.

They had basically all borrowed high-interest loans. Of course, not the kind from a casino, but a relatively normal high-interest loan.

It is worth mentioning that in fact, the interest rate of a portion of the high-interest loans for ordinary people in the Federation is not much higher than that of a bank loan. The further south, the more so.

Sometimes these financial companies could even be called philanthropists!

But no matter how philanthropic, this money was not so easy to pay back.