Empire of Shadows

The dring-dring-dring of the telephone interrupted the conversation between Lance and Precinct Chief Bruce. Lance glanced at the phone and picked it up, “This is the Wanli Firm.”

“Mr. Lance?”

“It’s me, Roger!”

“I don’t know how to say it. Now I can’t see those people from the family on the streets. Did something happen?”

Roger was a little nervous.

He had walked around outside today and was surprised to find that the people with red armbands who often appeared on the streets had suddenly disappeared!

This greatly surprised him. Although the Merchants Association had not docked his pay, and even if they disappeared, he would not suffer any loss.

But at this time, like many people in the Empire District, he did not want the Lance Family to disappear.

In the half year that the Lance Family had appeared, it could be said to be the most comfortable time in the Empire District!

Although there would occasionally be some vicious cases, basically, compared to before, there were far fewer.No one was kidnapped and their families extorted, no girls suddenly disappeared and were never seen again, and robbers on the streets were basically gone.

This was like a truly civilized city. People were polite, no one swore, and no one held a weapon and told you to hand over your money.

Everything was so beautiful, so beautiful that it felt a bit unreal!

The housing prices in the Empire District, the Port District, and the Xilin District were the lowest in Golden Port, but just in this half year.

Because of the excellent public security situation in the Empire District, the housing prices here had begun to show a significant increase, reaching the level of the Valley District.

Many people believe that in another two years, perhaps the housing prices in the Empire District could touch the tail of the housing prices in the Priliccia District.

This is what people yearn for, and what they perceive as the Federation and the Federation life. Everything has hope, and everything has the possibility of being realized.

But now, the person who maintained all of this had disappeared!

Roger, as well as others, were all trying to find out what had happened. Fortunately, Lance’s phone was still reachable, and he called right away.

“Something happened, Roger, but you don’t have to worry. We won’t leave.”

“You can’t see them now, it’s just that we’ve contracted our forces a bit to prevent our opponents from taking advantage of any openings.”

“If you, or anyone else, runs into trouble, you can call me again, and I will arrange for people to help you solve it.”

“Tell the friends in the Merchants Association not to run around recently. If there’s nothing to do, it’s best to stay near home and not go to other places.”

“Especially at night, it’s best to go back early to avoid accidents.”

Roger still wanted to ask something, but Lance didn’t give him a chance to speak, “That’s all for now, I still have things to do.”

He hung up the phone and shook his head slightly. This old man was a bit too sensitive.

Precinct Chief Bruce chimed in from the side, “Lance, everyone loves you!”

No one would hate flattery. As long as the technique wasn’t too bad, no one would hate it.

Lance wouldn’t hate it either. If others said you were good, you couldn’t say “I’m not good.” That would be wrong and not in line with the actual situation.

He raised his hand to signal Bruce to stop there, “Let’s talk about our business.”

“Bruce, can I trust you?”

Precinct Chief Bruce quickly nodded, “I am absolutely loyal, Lance!”

A smile appeared on Lance’s face. Ever since he had gotten rid of John, Precinct Chief Bruce’s performance had become even more blatant.

However, this was within Lance’s expectations. Bowing to the strong is actually a smart move, and there was no conflict between him and Precinct Chief Bruce. On the contrary, their relationship was good.

When they were friends, it could be “you’re good, I’m good,” but if they were doing things together, then a superior and subordinate had to be distinguished.

It was impossible for Lance to be below him, and it was also impossible for him to be so stupid as to think that because he was a precinct chief, he should be on an equal footing with Lance, or even above him.

So he directly stated his position, using the word “loyalty”!

Loyalty to love is for spouses.

Loyalty to friendship is for brothers.

Loyalty to a career can only be a superior-subordinate relationship!

He opened his cigarette case and threw a cigar over. He caught it fumbling, “The Five Families can no longer be counted on. The two councilmen may also be in trouble, you know, Bruce?”

“The ‘glory of the locals’ they have always been promoting now looks shaky!”

“When the old rules are broken, it’s time for new rules to appear.”

Precinct Chief Bruce skillfully cut a small opening in the cigar and then began to toast the tobacco with a flame. While doing this seriously, he was thinking about what Lance had said.

He looked at Lance, “You mean…”

“Everyone is writing the rules of Golden Port, and I want to as well.”

Precinct Chief Bruce was stunned for a moment, then quickly focused his attention on his hands. He took the cigar away from the alcohol lamp.

This was not for his own consumption; it was prepared for Lance. Lance looked at him with a smile, and he also returned a smile.

Lance reached out and took the cigar, brought it close to the flame, and took a drag. He used the cigar he was holding to point at Bruce, “Do you know what I like about you?”

He gave another cigar to Bruce. This time, Bruce was preparing it for himself. While doing so, he said, “I’m not sure. Maybe it’s because I’m handsome?”

Both of them laughed out loud. Precinct Chief Bruce was not handsome at all, just an ordinary middle-aged man from the Federation, not tall, not strong, with nothing particularly memorable.

This was just his humor, and could also be considered a kind of self-deprecating humor.

After laughing for a while, Lance finally gave his answer, “You know how to make choices.”

Precinct Chief Bruce was a little confused, “I don’t quite understand.”

Lance leaned back on the sofa, “ABCD, multiple choice. Maybe there are sometimes fewer options, sometimes more, but no matter how you choose, there will only be one correct answer.”

“You can choose it, and that’s your advantage…”

He paused, “Charlie has already resigned, yet he still wants to control the police force. I don’t like his approach.”

“Tomorrow he will call you all over for a meeting. I believe he will definitely say that you need to unite. I don’t like his approach.”

“The police force is clearly a very powerful law enforcement department, but in these years, under Charlie’s control, what has the police force become?”

Lance spread his hands, his face full of disdain, “A bunch of lackeys who specialize in wiping the asses of the Bay Area!”

“Whether they need to deal with some difficult matters, or solve some troubles with the workers, in the end, it will all be pushed to you.”

“He has been a dog for too long himself, so long that he has forgotten that he was originally a person, and also forgotten that only he is a dog.”

“By the way, and Hunter.”

“So I want to make a change, to make the police force strong and vibrant again, no longer someone’s lackey, tool, but to truly play the role of the police force.”

It sounded ridiculous. A gang leader telling a precinct chief that the police force should play the role of enforcing justice. Perhaps this was the most absurd scene of this era.

But it was also the most interesting and exciting scene of this era!

Precinct Chief Bruce listened seriously to what Lance was saying. He took small puffs of his cigar. In fact, he didn’t smoke cigars very often, not because he couldn’t afford them, but because he couldn’t experience the pleasure of the bosses!

Because compared to directly inhaling cigarette smoke into the lungs, this process of swirling it in the mouth and then finishing was something he was not used to.

But today, he had experienced a little bit of pleasure, based on a better cigar.

Regarding what Charlie had done, everyone actually had their own opinions, but no matter what, he was the boss of the Golden Port police system. Even if everyone knew he had the nickname “Bay Area Hound,” they still had to obey his management.

As for those who didn’t obey, everyone had already seen the result.

Most people couldn’t stand the targeting and left the police force. Some people were unwilling to leave and were sent to the farthest and worst places to do the most tiring work.

As for the worst, they had already disappeared silently.

Obedience is a habit. After more than ten years, everyone was used to it.

Now that Lance suddenly mentioned making some changes, Precinct Chief Bruce obviously had some thoughts and was tempted. He took a small puff of his cigar. The changes in flavor in the first, middle, and last sections actually made him feel comfortable.

“How many police officers are there in Golden Port?” Lance suddenly asked.

Precinct Chief Bruce was stunned for a moment, then immediately said, “The official statistics are about close to four thousand people.”

“There are also some sheriffs, and temporarily employed patrol officers. In total, there are about more than ten thousand people.”

Lance pursed his lips, “If I double the income of these police officers, do you think they will listen to me?”

Precinct Chief Bruce’s first feeling after hearing this was that it was impossible!

This wasn’t dozens of police officers, or hundreds of police officers, this was ten thousand police officers!

Even if the salaries of those sheriffs and patrolmen were relatively low, they still had to be given at least $35. You can’t let them do the most dangerous work and earn less than a normal job, can you?

And then there was a series of welfare and benefits issues. Even for temporarily employed police officers, they could get about $45 to $50 from the city’s finances every month.

A formal police officer could get about $60. This refers to including welfare benefits, not just pure cash.

The money the police department got, only a small portion was distributed to the temporary workers. Most of the money was still distributed to the formal workers, and also saved in a small treasury.

Even calculated at an average of $55 per person, this was still an expenditure of $550,000 a month!

He simply couldn’t imagine what an astonishing expenditure this was!

Precinct Chief Bruce’s eyes widened as he looked at him. He even felt a little at a loss, his hands not knowing where to put them, “I… this is an astonishing number, Lance.”

“You have to prepare at least $600,000 to double everyone’s income!”

Lance smiled with restraint, “Bruce, do you know why those rich people in the Bay Area are always high and mighty, while you guys, sorry, I didn’t mean to say it like that, do you know why you are always trampled under their feet?”

Before Bruce could answer, Lance said, “Because you never know how much this city is worth!”

Lance’s current monthly income from the bars was in the tens or hundreds of thousands. He hadn’t continued to expand, and the price of liquor was still rising.

If you included his other income, currently $300,000 a month was very stable, and this was just in the Empire District.

What if he took over more areas?

For example, the city center with the strongest spending power, Priliccia, the Starlight District, or even the Bay Area!

How much could he earn a month?

$2 million?

Or $3 million?

If you added other income, for example, casinos, for example… protecting those girls who had willingly fallen, for example, smuggling, there were too many businesses!

How much money could he get each month?

He was startled when he calculated it himself. In this era where the average monthly income was only in the forties, a monthly income of millions seemed like a very outrageous thing.

But f—king thirty years ago, someone already had a billion!

The world of wealth is always breathtaking. When you think a billion thirty years ago was very remarkable, those ancient kings, those powerful ministers, which one of them wasn’t as rich as a country?

Thinking of it this way, it seems… a monthly income of several million is not very difficult?

No, in fact, this is a very difficult thing, because to do this, Lance needs to open bars all over the city, and he needs to monopolize most of the profitable criminal businesses in Golden Port.

Why is it criminal business, not legitimate business?

Because with his current small size, if he really goes up against those huge capital groups, it will still be very troublesome.

On the contrary, the big capitalists are not interested in criminal business, which is why criminal organizations have the soil to survive.

But these are all far away. At this moment, Bruce was a little scared by the confidence in Lance’s words. He said he was very loyal to Lance, but on this issue, he was still a little hesitant.

Lance looked at him, appreciating the look of surprise and uncertainty on his face. This was the best emotional management.

He was forcing himself to believe, but his reason and subconscious were resisting. Lance looked at his constantly twitching expression and couldn’t help but laugh, “No need to be so polite, Bruce.”

“I can guarantee that it won’t be long before I can do these things.”

“You can reveal a little of this news to your friends in the police circle, but you also have to let them know that I am not a philanthropist. I can’t double their salaries for no reason.”

“If they want to get this money from me, there has to be some justification, don’t you think?”

Bruce’s attention quickly shifted from “whether Lance can really get so much money” to “is there any benefit for me,” and then he found that there really was a benefit!

He was Lance’s good friend. If all the police in Golden Port came over to his side, did that mean… he would become the chief?

Not a precinct chief, but the chief of the Golden Port City Police Department?

In just a few short seconds, his expression went through several stages of “doubt,” “shock,” “understanding,” and “surprise.” In the end, his face was full of smiles.

“I believe you, Lance. I believe you can do this more than anyone else!”

“If they want to get this money, then they must offer their loyalty. We are not philanthropists!”

He quietly added a “we” as the subject, tying himself and Lance together.

Lance didn’t expose his little trick, “Yes, they must be loyal to us. You understand very quickly.”

“Do you think they will offer their loyalty?”

Precinct Chief Bruce began to analyze this matter seriously, “It might be a little difficult, but I believe they will make the right choice.”

He knew the police officers in Golden Port better than Lance, including the temporary workers. They would definitely not risk their lives for justice and the police badge on their wide-brimmed hats. The only thing that could make them risk their lives was money.

It is undeniable that a portion of the police did indeed have a sense of justice, but Lance was not trying to become independent. He just… wanted to make the police officers’ lives better!

No one would refuse these!

The look in his eyes when he looked at Lance also became more eager. If he were a girl, or if he had a daughter or something, he would be willing to have a closer relationship with Lance!

Lance laughed and cursed, “The way you’re looking at me is not right, Bruce.”

“You go to the meeting tomorrow, listen to what they say, and then see who is their person, and who can be won over.”

“Next, we will swallow up the Port District, so besides these, you need to find out the situation of the Port District precinct. They just lost a precinct chief. See who is in charge now.”

“Win him over, tell him the benefits of joining us.”

Precinct Chief Bruce suddenly asked, “What if this person, or these people, don’t agree?”

Lance said as if it were a matter of course, “Then change them!”

“There will always be people willing to cooperate with us, Bruce. Don’t worry about this. There are many opponents, but there are even more supporters!”

“What you need to consider is how to do things well, how to do your job well.”

“You see, our people just didn’t appear on the streets for one day, and they called to ask if something had happened, instead of calling you.”

“This is what Charlie did during his tenure. He made people no longer trust the police, and what we have to do is to reverse this, to make people full of trust in the police again.”

“And also to make the police, in the eyes of the people, no longer be equated with gangs!”

Many people actually feel that the current Federation police are just licensed gangs. They will also extort merchants, and also blackmail passersby, randomly find a reason to stop passersby, and then search them.

Framing, or simply robbery, these people have no way.

Golden Port is full of wealth everywhere. If Lance wants this wealth, he will inevitably need a more stable Golden Port!

Precinct Chief Bruce left with a belly full of thoughts. He was now full of energy, feeling several years younger. He now believed more than Lance himself that Lance could achieve a great career!

If he couldn’t do it, how could he have thought of so many things?

Reorganize the police industry, re-establish the rules for the police. He seemed to have already seen a behind-the-scenes emperor who was about to rise above everyone, slowly extending his demonic claws towards this city…

No, that word is not quite right. It should be spreading his gospel, the gospel of a new era!