Empire of Shadows

Pedro had demanded to tear down many things. If they followed his request, the entire camp would seemingly be dismantled.

For example, he had demanded that all the tents be taken down. These large pieces of cloth were good materials for holding wheat.

Also, all the door panels and round things that could be used as pulleys or wheels.

These were the main materials of the camp, of the tents. If these things were taken away, there would naturally be nothing left of the camp.

Pedro had demanded that they do this, for only one purpose—to take away more grain.

Using the tent’s cloth or whatever, they could pack more grain, and then use wooden boards for support. Coupled with logs or wheels, it would be easier to transport it in the jungle.

Many of the surrounding people had gathered around. Although this camp had not been in existence for a long time, it had given these people something profound.

A home.

A home is not just a place where people can relax, but also an important emotional sustenance.

In this terrible environment and background, a home, for some people, might be more important than food.This word is easy to spell, but the feelings it contains are not so easy to obtain!

The time everyone had gathered here was short, but also deep. So deep that just the thought of dismantling this camp made people feel very uncomfortable.

It was as if Pedro had suddenly demanded to tear down their homes. They couldn’t do it, at least not before they were persuaded.

Pedro looked at the people who had gathered, and he knew that he had to say something.

After a dozen or so seconds, he raised his hand to signal for the people to quiet down. ”This batch of grain is, in fact, a trap.”

The surrounding people’s eyes widened in an instant as they looked at him, as if they couldn’t believe what he was saying!

Only a few people showed a knowing or enlightened expression.

These people were either teachers or the parents of students. They had come into contact with a more advanced social form, so they had already understood something.

Pedro looked at the people who still didn’t know what was happening. His voice was not loud, and everyone around could hear him clearly.

”This batch of grain comes from the Jede Republic. It is a part of the 500,000 tons of grain that the Jede Republic is aiding to Rapa.”

”The federal people have destroyed the railway, and have derailed the train. We are, in fact, stealing this part of the aided grain.”

”Without a doubt, this is Diego’s grain!”

When he had said Diego’s name, the crowd, which had been in a bit of a commotion, had, in an instant, become quiet.

The ”Zhuolan Massacre” had just happened not long ago. Perhaps the smell of blood in the vicinity of Zhuolan still remained to this day.

The psychological trauma that the bloody massacre had caused to the people was very difficult to be easily resolved, and what it had left behind was fear!

Deep fear!

They had actually stolen Diego’s wealth?

Some people were, with their hands, supporting themselves on the things by their side, a little unsteady on their feet.

Their faces were all filled with expressions of astonishment, shock, unease, and fear.

Someone even said, ”Why don’t... we send this grain back!”

Some people looked at the person who had spoken. It was an old man who looked to be in his fifties or sixties. He was hunchbacked, and was so thin that he was just skin and bones. He looked as if he would fall down at any time.

Pedro shook his head. ”Even if you send the grain back, and Diego finds you, he will still kill you!”

”His brutality, I believe every one of you knows. Do you think he will, because you have sent the grain back, or because he didn’t find any grain in our camp, let you go?”

”No!”

”He won’t!”

”He will ask you, why didn’t you stop those people? Are you in cahoots with them?”

”And then kill you!”

His voice was very loud. This time, everyone could hear it. He looked at the dense crowd around him. In fact, he also didn’t know how many people had gathered around, but it just gave him a feeling of many.

So many that it gave him a feeling that as long as they were united, they could overcome the difficulties!

This had made him think of the phrase that Lance had said to them during those seven days, ”Unity is strength”!

Yes, as long as they were united, they would have the power to break the class!

”And, can you continue to endure hunger?”

”If you can endure it, can your families, your children, your parents, your partners, can they endure it?”

”The harm that hunger does to a person will accompany you for your whole life. Even if you can endure today, what about tomorrow?”

”What about the day after tomorrow?”

”You can’t just keep enduring!”

”Some people say that it will be fine when autumn comes...”

”But, here, of the more than a thousand brothers and sisters, and those who are old and young, how many can wait for autumn?”

”What if the situation has not improved by autumn?”

A series of rhetorical questions had made everyone shut their mouths. The current situation was indeed not very good. No one dared to say that they would definitely be able to last until the autumn harvest.

And they had heard some news, saying that in some places, the seeds that were to be kept for planting had all been eaten!

Just like they had dug out the potatoes from the ground. As long as it was not too green, they would take a gamble, boil it, and eat it.

Compared to death, it was clear that hunger was more tormenting!

No one was speaking. It was very quiet, but Pedro knew that this was an opportunity, an opportunity to consolidate his position!

”Now, the choice is in your hands!”

”Is it to choose, in order not to anger Diego and his army, to choose to continue to endure the hunger, and not to know when, because of organ failure, you will return to God’s embrace.”

”Or to choose, in order to live, for survival, for the future, to go with us to take the grain, and to let Diego and his army go to hell!”

”The choice is in your own hands!”

”Those who want to leave, you can leave now. I will absolutely not stop you.”

”But for those who stay, I don’t want you to talk about these topics again, to have us give up, or to have us submit!”

”If you want to submit, to give up, you can leave here at any time.”

”I won’t keep you either. But I also hope that you don’t, before you leave, say some discouraging words, or create panic.”

”Otherwise!” he looked around, ”I will punish you!”

After he had said these words, he looked at the people in this group whom he could trust. ”Go and cook the wheat. Cook all the wheat. We will go after we’ve eaten our fill!”

His colleague was a little confused about the decision he had suddenly made. ”But won’t this delay our time?”

”It will take at least thirty or forty minutes to cook now...”

Pedro shook his head. ”Thirty or forty minutes is not enough for us to make another trip back and forth, and I have no intention of staying here.”

His voice was very loud, not at all avoiding the people around him. He had directly stated his intention to leave this place.

This place was too close to the scene. It was possible that in the military’s search, they would be discovered, which would bring a devastating disaster.

Instead of staying here and praying that Diego’s men would not find the traces they had left near the railway, and to track them here, it was better to leave as soon as possible.

At least if they left now, their danger would be greatly reduced.

His colleague thought for a moment, and did not continue to object to his opinion, but chose to support it.

In this process, some people were indeed unwilling to bear these terrible consequences and had taken the initiative to leave.

Pedro was respectful of these people’s choices. In any group, it was impossible to always have only one person’s voice.

Some come, some go. This is the norm.

Those who come and never leave, that is simply not realistic!

The part that had left was just a small part.

The entire camp was very silent, until the cooked wheat had been carried to the very center.

One large pot after another of wheat kernel congee, firmly attracting people’s attention.

It couldn’t be said that it was enough to eat their fill, but it was enough to let people eat a little something before they set off.

No messy food, just the simplest boiled wheat kernels.

But it was precisely the simplest thing that, at this moment, was exuding a fatal attraction!

The cooked wheat had not had anything else added. Just the strong aroma from the food itself was already enough to make many people unable to sit still.

They, holding something to hold the food, began to spontaneously queue up.

The ladle stirred in the pot a few times, and the wheat kernels, mixed with some water, began to roll.

The wheat kernels had been boiled open. Many had already split, constantly rolling, and the aroma was also constantly spreading. This had become a wheat kernel congee.

The thick, and the strong aroma, had made everyone unable to take their eyes off it.

Since last November, they had not eaten such a ”formal” food.

Most of the food would, by adding some other food, to increase the sense of satiety, to increase the resistance to hunger, and to reduce the loss of grain.

How long had it been since the people here, and even most of the people in Rapa, had had a normal lunch or dinner?

Pedro himself had also asked for a bowl, and was savoring it.

The simple aroma from the wheat kernels was, at this moment, giving people an unimaginable, and irresistible power!

Everyone was eating in silence. This was the best they had eaten in these few days.

It was all wheat kernels. No stones, no sand, no ubiquitous weeds, no crushed wood fibers, no...

Just a simple bowl of boiled wheat kernels was enough to make people make a decision on this issue.

Someone asked, ”In the future, can we always have wheat to eat?”

Pedro forcefully waved his fist. ”Not just wheat, but also vegetables and meat!”

The emotions of the people around him had clearly become high-spirited after his words. They began to eat their food at a faster pace!

It seems that a beautiful tomorrow is just around the corner?

Seeing everyone eating so seriously, Pedro shook his head slightly, and also began to enjoy his own share.

In fact, he could feel people’s confusion. He was actually also very confused now.

It had taken an hour to finish lunch. Then the people had begun to act. The entire camp was dismantled. Pedro had said that after they got the grain, they would not come back, and this place would be abandoned.

Standing outside the camp, Pedro had taken one last look at the dilapidated camp, and had left without looking back.

At dinner, Diego had remembered this matter. While enjoying his pan-fried veal, he had asked the butler, ”I remember Jede’s side said that the grain they were aiding would be delivered today, right?”

The butler bowed slightly. ”Yes, Master.”

The butler’s confirmation had made Diego a little puzzled as he put down his knife and fork. He had looked up at the clock, and then had turned his body to look at the butler. ”But it’s already seven, and no one has told me that the train has entered the station!”

This sentence was not to have the butler tell him what had happened, but he was telling the butler that he should go and find out what had happened for him.

The butler had immediately replied, ”I’ll go and find out.”

Diego had nodded with satisfaction. ”Alright, as soon as possible. I don’t like the feeling of being out of control.”

After he had finished speaking, he had picked up his knife and fork again, and had begun to cut the veal that had just been fried.

Being a president is very tiring. There are always some things that cannot happen, develop, and end as he wishes.

For example, the sudden appearance of the federal people!

Their appearance had made Diego’s appetite worse and worse, especially that group of Lance’s. They had actually dared to threaten him!

But as it happened, he had no way at all, which had made him feel very stifled!

Only food, only food was the best to him. Not only would it not find trouble with him, but it could also satisfy his appetite.

The steak was very tender. Under the combined action of the knife and fork, it was very easy to cut. The movements in Diego’s hands were very flexible. This was one of the few things he could do very well.

The fork had stabbed a piece of beef, had been coated with the sauce on the plate, and had been put into his mouth. The wonderful feeling had made a faint smile appear on Diego’s face.

At this moment, all his troubles had disappeared!

No fatty is born of hunger, but is piled up with food, and Diego was no exception.

For others, one serving of steak might be enough, but he needed a ”large portion,” at least a pound or more, and possibly even more.

In addition to other food, he could easily, in his ”not-so-much” lunch or dinner, to consume too much food. He himself didn’t feel that he had eaten a lot, but he had indeed eaten quite a lot.

But it had to be said, it was a happy time when he was eating.

After about a dozen or so minutes, the butler had returned to the side of the dining table with a serious face. He had walked to Diego’s side, had bent his waist, and had lowered his head, in silence.

Diego had noticed the butler’s movements, and he already had some preparation in his heart.

After he had swallowed the fruit juice in his mouth, he had asked without turning his head, ”How is it?”

”Where has my grain gone?”

The butler was silent for two seconds and then said, ”In the morning, they had set off from the... supply station on the border. According to the speed of the train, they should have arrived at the transfer station in the afternoon, and before dawn tomorrow, they would have arrived in Zhuolan.”

Diego put down his fruit juice. ”Should have?”

The butler bent his waist and lowered his head. ”They are gone now.”

”The transfer station’s side, until now, has not seen any train pass by. Maybe it had an accident on the way!”

Diego’s expression had clearly become dissatisfied. ”Then have someone go and find it!”

Soon the army had begun to act. Although they had not yet found the train or the current situation of the train, Diego had a premonition.

His grain had been stolen!

It’s always like this, always like this!

Ever since those damned federal people had come to Rapa, there had not been a single thing that had gone smoothly for him!

He had slammed the table hard. The empty plates had all ”jumped” a little.

Damn Feds!