Empire of Shadows

All of Zhuolan was like a huge gambling table. Every faction was a player at the table, except for the ordinary people.

Whether it was the ordinary people living here, or the rioters who had caused this riot.

The moment they had snatched the first weapon and had pulled the trigger, they were already rioters.

The process of the game seemed to have suddenly accelerated. The gentlemen at the side of the table were all a little unable to see the future of this gambling game, except for a certain person, or rather, certain people.

They were both the dealer who was dealing the cards, and the players at the gambling table, and even more so, the referees who decided the win or loss.

They had manipulated the game. The result would not be unexpected.

Lance stood by the huge floor-to-ceiling window, holding a wine glass, looking down at the even more chaotic city.

From his current perspective, he could already see some refugees running on the streets.

They were using the things in their hands to smash the shops on the side of the road, or to pry open the doors of the shops, and then to rush in.

Not long after, they would rush out with some goods. The entire city had fallen into a state of disorderly chaos.The police chief had fled back to the police station and had reorganized a group of people, but this time, they had not gone to directly face the refugees who had entered the city, but had, on the grounds of ”protecting important city facilities,” disappeared from people’s sight.

He had originally wanted to take advantage of this turmoil to gain more power. Now it seemed that he might not get a further opportunity, and might even lose his current job.

For Diego at this time, the incompetence of the police chief had already put a firm noose around his own neck.

His stupidity was not in that he had failed to control these refugees from entering the city, but that he had opened fire, and had also lost some weapons.

It had made the refugees, who had originally been of no threat, become a threat.

While Lance was thinking about how the situation would develop next, Mador walked to his side and said in a low voice, ”Mr. Smith is here.”

Mr. Smith was the leader of the visiting delegation that the federal government had later arranged for, Mr. Albert.

”Let him in.”

Soon, Mr. Albert had entered the room with a smile. He had walked to Lance’s side, and had stood in a position slightly behind Lance, also looking down at the city, from which black smoke was constantly rising.

Under their watch, a burst of firelight had suddenly appeared on a street not far away, and then the building had begun to burn.

The building was only four stories high, a small building that was very common locally. The fire was on the second floor, and the fire looked not small.

The two of them had just watched, watching the sesame-sized people run out of the building, but there were also some who were calling for help from behind the windows on the third and fourth floors.

The entire city had fallen into a state of stoppage. Zhuolan, this city, only had ten fire trucks, which was simply not enough to take care of so many fires.

Soon, in the burning building that was like a matchbox, some had jumped down from the third and fourth floors, and some had gone up to the roof of the fourth floor, and had hidden in the water tank.

Seeing this, Lance shook his head slightly. ”A human tragedy!”

Lance’s voice had suddenly sounded in the quiet room, and the atmosphere seemed to have softened a little.

Mr. Albert agreed with a smile, ”Although they will break their legs if they jump, at least they are still alive.”

”But to hide in a water tank, in the end, you can only become a pot of soup.”

Lance turned his body to the side to look at him. ”Want a drink?”

Mr. Albert had hesitated for a moment, and then had said a ”thank you.” ”Whiskey.”

Mador had poured a glass of whiskey with ice cubes and had brought it over. He had said ”thank you” again.

The air in Zhuolan was a little humid. Although the weather was not hot, it gave people a feeling of a thin film covering the surface of their body, which would make people feel a sense of stuffiness.

This was also the reason why Diego would always be sweating even when the temperature was not high. Of course, this might just be one of the reasons.

”Mr. Lance, should we start to get in touch with some of them next?”

The purpose of Albert and Andy’s trip to Rapa this time was to provide operating funds and supplies for these forces that were resisting the government, in the name of ”humanitarian aid.”

This model had also been proposed by Lance. Since you were going to give, you could just give it openly. This was not a bad thing.

To help those who need help can only reflect the noble quality of the federal government and the federal people, and the local governments that refuse to let these federal humanitarian organizations help those people will become the antagonists in the international view.

Senator Cleveland had been very appreciative of this plan he had proposed. He had gotten the benefits, and had not lost face.

Lance shook his head. ”We have to wait a little longer.”

”Wait a little longer?” Mr. Albert took a sip of his wine, and his gaze returned to the chaotic city.

In his view, now was actually a very good time to get in touch with these people.

Lance nodded slightly. ”Yes, wait a little longer.”

”Now they are too scattered, have no purpose, and no one has stood up to stop them.”

”They are not even as good as the strikes and parades pushed by the Labor Federation and the unions. At least those of the working class still know how to unite.”

”But look at these people, what are they doing?”

Mr. Albert’s gaze fell on the street at his feet. They simply did not have an accurate purpose. Logically, the place they should be going to the most now was outside the Presidential Palace.

To gather outside the Presidential Palace, to use their huge numbers, to put pressure on the president, to have the president agree to some of their conditions.

In the Federation, it would definitely be like this, because there was the Labor Federation and the unions to organize them.

But here, these people were participating in this kind of activity for the first time.

The desire for destruction, the desire for greed, all kinds of desires had been released. They were immersed in the ditch of their own desires that could never be filled, and had completely forgotten what they should be doing at this time.

So they were just a sheet of loose sand. They simply couldn’t play any deterrent role, nor did they have any value.

”After their riot has been suppressed, you can then go and get in touch with some of them.”

”After experiencing a painful failure, these people should understand that whether they want to assert their own ideas to the government, or if they want to overthrow this terrible society, they must be united, organized, and disciplined.”

”At this time, to invest in them is the best choice, not now.”

Mr. Albert, after listening, had nodded with considerable approval. He had always had a smile on his face, and had not shown any other emotions. It was very difficult to perceive his inner heart through his exterior.

This kind of person was actually much harder to deal with than the kind of person like Andy, who had his emotions on his face.

”Mr. Lance, do you have any candidates?”

He swirled the wine glass in his hand. ”I hear that before we arrived, you had held a seminar on the library’s side, and had invited some people.”

”I believe that these people you have invited must be very special.”

Lance did not deny it. ”I will have someone give you a list later. you might be able to use it.”

”These people... I call them ’kindling.’ They are the first batch of awakened ones, and also the kindling that can ignite the entire Rapa!”

”As for a part of this ’kindling,’ whether they can pass their first test...”

Lance shook his head and took a sip of his wine. Then he smiled and spread his hands, looking at Mr. Albert. ”Who knows?”

The city had already been destroyed to this extent. Both Lance and this Mr. Albert knew very well that what would come next would be the ruthless suppression of the Rapa government.

A considerable portion of these people who were continuously pouring into the city might never be able to go back.

However, they did not feel that it was a pity or a regret. The development of the world is just like this.

Whether it is society or the people who make up society, in this process, they will play the role of ”firewood,” to ignite themselves, to promote the progress of the world.

Only those who can break through the storm will be qualified to come into contact with the funds, the resources, everything of the Federation.

This money did not come from a strong wind. It was accumulated bit by bit by the taxpayers’ money.

In the past, the ordinary people of the Federation might not have been very qualified to use ”our taxpayers’ money” as a beginning. At that time, the federal government did not want to collect taxes from the ordinary social class.

But now they were qualified. Even if their income was only one cent, when it came to the end of the year, they still had to report their taxes.

As a responsible young member of society, even if the federal government did not plan to be responsible to these taxpayers, he planned to be responsible for the taxpayers’ money.

The conversation between the two had stopped at this point. At this time, they had both seen a crowd of about two or three hundred people who were surging towards the Rapa Grand Hotel.

It was clear that these people had already taken on the change of a ”gang.” Their actions were not like the people that Lance and his group had seen before, who had no clear target, no purpose, but were purely loyal to their own desires.

And the destination of these people seemed to be this hotel.

”There must be a lot of food in the Rapa Grand Hotel, and there are many foreigners inside!”

A strong-looking guy was walking at the very front of the team. He was also one of the ”kindling,” a worker from a factory.

A kindling is not just something that only those with a higher education have a chance to become. Everyone is possible, but they all need to have something special, something different from others.

To put it more mysteriously, it was that Lance needed to see in them that they had the talent to lead, or had the special temperament to become a leader.

Otherwise, they could not become a ”kindling.”

This worker downstairs had a very unique temperament. Lance had heard that in his own place of work, he often represented the workers in negotiating with the factory owner, and was a very prestigious one.

So he had gotten a chance. As for whether this chance could brew a flame that would dye the sky red, no one knew.

However, from the looks of it now, the probability of him growing up strong had become a little smaller.

He had chosen the wrong place.

He had chosen the Rapa Grand Hotel, which was also the only hotel that dealt with foreigners.

Lance actually didn’t really mind if a federal person were to meet with a mishap here. On the contrary, it could become an excuse for the federal government to put pressure on the Yalan League—

We, with the idea of promoting and facilitating bilateral, non-governmental, cultural, economic, and trade exchanges, have let some people go to the Yalan League, but they have suffered an accident.

You have to give us an explanation, right?

An ”explanation” between a country and a country, and an ”explanation” between an individual and an individual, are completely different.

But it wasn’t that he had completely lost his chance. As long as he didn’t mess around, he might still be able to survive.

If this guy could, after choosing a hell-mode start, still survive to the end, then his probability of winning in the end would on the contrary be increased to the maximum.

At the entrance of the hotel, there were already many security guards who were guarding the entrance. They were all holding things like steel pipes, but no weapons.

The people of Rapa had always been very docile. They seemed to have already accepted this kind of a numb life, without any thought of resistance.

It had always been like this. Besides some of the gangs who might have weapons, overall, the people were still safe.

Of course, the security captain and a few of the deputy captains had weapons in their hands, but as long as it was not the last moment, they would not use their guns.

When the security guards had seen a large group of people walking towards the hotel, they had immediately reported this matter. More security guards had come out from the nine o’clock side to support, including the security captain and the deputy captains.

One of the bolder deputy captains had taken the initiative to walk towards the group of people. At the entrance of the hotel, this group of people had stopped.

Behind them, at this time, some more people had followed them. These people, when they had realized that this group’s destination was the Rapa Grand Hotel, had all seemed very excited.

As people of Rapa, of course they knew the peculiarity of this hotel, and its luxury. They wanted to follow and get some of the oil and water.

So it looked like a group of people, but there were also many who were following around.

”You cannot enter here,” the deputy captain of the security team raised his hand to stop them. ”If you want money, or food, I can arrange for someone to send some over, but you cannot enter here.”

”There are many foreign guests who are resting inside. If you disturb or harm them, it will be a huge trouble!”

”I hope you can understand.”

The worker kindling, who had been chosen by Lance, had walked out from the crowd. He was very strong, with a chiseled, resolute face. His eyes were a little deep, and he gave people a good feeling, like a positive character.

And he was very strong. Under the singlet he was wearing, were bulging muscles, full of explosive power.

Just by standing in front of the deputy captain, a smile had appeared on his face. ”I hear that the Rapa Grand Hotel does not welcome the lower class. Is that right?”

At this time, in his mind, he still deeply remembered the matter that Lance had mentioned on the first day. He had originally wanted to arrange for their accommodation and research and discussion in the Rapa Grand Hotel, but had been refused by the Rapa Grand Hotel, because they did not welcome the lower class.

The worker kindling, who had been naturally labeled as the lower class, although he was smiling, anyone could feel his displeasure.

The deputy captain was a little speechless. At a time like this, it was very difficult for him to say the rule that the hotel refused to let the poor in. In the face of these lower-class people who had already turned into rioters, he also felt afraid.

It was obvious from his face that you could perceive his inner activities at this time. The worker kindling took a deep breath. ”Is it?”

The deputy captain was forced to the point of breaking down. He could only shake his head and say, ”We welcome every guest.”

A sneer appeared on the worker kindling’s face. ”Very good. Now we are going to the hotel to consume.”

As he spoke, he was about to walk forward, but the deputy captain still blocked him. ”We are not receiving guests now.”

The worker kindling pushed him away and strode towards the hotel. The people in the distance all had a smile on their faces. This group of people would eat the meat, and they would drink the soup.

The deputy captain still wanted to say something, but was immediately beaten to the ground by a few people. He behaved.

Seeing this scene, the security guards at the entrance of the hotel suddenly became nervous. In the face of this approaching group, they could only continuously shrink back.

Until there was no place to retreat.

The captain knew that this group of people was determined to come in. Seeing these people getting closer and closer, he had no choice but to make a decision—

”Hit hard, hit to kill. If you kill them, it’s on me!”

His voice was filled with a ruthless energy. As long as he was fine this time, he would definitely be able to be promoted!

A security guard really couldn’t stand this kind of an oppressive atmosphere and had taken the initiative to rush out, waving his steel pipe. Then the people by his side had also closely followed him and had rushed out.

The two torrents had collided at the entrance of the hotel!

The sound of cursing was louder than the sound of fighting. In the main hall of the hotel, there were many foreign tourists. By their side were those young and beautiful escorts. These people did not seem too afraid when they saw this scene.

Some of the foreign tourists had even shown a smile, and had taken out their cameras to take pictures of this scene that was happening outside the main hall.

They believed that the security guards could protect their safety, or rather, they believed that these people would not dare to harm them.

During this period, these foreigners had felt an unprecedented thing here—privilege.

This was different from when they were in the Federation or in their own countries. Even if they had money, they were not a part of the privileged class.

If they were really rich, they would not be here, so they were merchants, just merchants who were richer than ordinary people. Naturally, they could not talk about collusion between officials and businessmen, and their limited wealth could not provide them with privilege.

But here, they had felt it.

Whether it was the Rapa government or the local chamber of commerce, or all the ordinary people, they all had a kind of awe, a fear for them.

Sometimes it was clearly them who had gone too far, but with the help of the hotel manager or some other similar person, and after communicating with the victims, in the end, everything would be fine.

A foreigner had forcibly had a relationship with a girl who did not provide bed service. The girl had called the police, but in the end, it had come to nothing.

This was the wonderful taste of privilege!

At this time, they still believed that the people outside the hotel would not dare to do anything to them!

The battle had broken out very fiercely. These security guards were not just for show. When they got ruthless, they were really the lower class.

Maybe it was because the ones they were dealing with were all the lower class. The lower class, in Rapa, had no human rights, so they could be so ruthless.

The two sides were fighting inextricably, but it could be seen that the security guards were being defeated!

Because their numbers were, after all, not dominant.

A fight, a gang fight, is all about having more people and more power.

Seeing that his subordinates were about to be unable to hold on, the security captain had drawn his handgun and had pulled the trigger on a lower-class person who was closest to him.

In an instant, a piercing gunshot had broken the peace of the main hall. The foreigners had begun to feel uneasy, and had begun to think of leaving.

But at this time, to leave, it seemed too late.

The worker kindling had also taken out his weapon and had fired a shot at the security captain. The short exchange of fire had only lasted for less than twenty seconds before it had ended.

The security team had been completely defeated...