Empire of Shadows

In a corner of the venue, some people looked different from the leaders of the small gangs.

They were dressed in decent, expensive clothes, and their demeanor had a more upscale and textured feel.

They were from the Douglas family, one of the relatively larger gangs “left” in Golden Port City.

The current leader of the Douglas family was named Fergus Douglas, omitting some middle names.

The Douglas family had a sizable territory in the Bay Area, but this territory didn’t truly belong to them in the real sense. The territory they possessed actually belonged to the Kodak Family.

But the Kodak Family did not directly manage these territories due to Bandy’s whitewashing policy.

They desperately wanted to sever any connection between the Kodak Family and the word “gang,” so keywords like territory and criminal business could no longer be actively associated with them.

Therefore, they had split their territory in the Bay Area and handed it over to three gangs to manage. The Douglas family was one of them.

Because of Bandy’s death and Stone’s contribution, the elimination of the Kodak Family was not the result of a fierce firefight. This also meant that the three gangs in the Bay Area were largely unscathed.

This should have been a happy occasion. Bandy was dead, the Kodak Family was finished, and these gangs no longer had an “upline.” They no longer needed to transfer large sums of criminal proceeds to the casino in the form of losing money.No matter how much money they made, they could put it directly into their own pockets.

But in reality, things were not as wonderful as they had imagined. The Kodak Family was indeed finished, and the great mountain that had been looming over them had disappeared.

But a new, great mountain was now pressing down on them, even heavier and more despairing than the Kodak Family!

Left with no choice, Fergus could only choose to submit.

Not to resist. He didn’t have the courage to resist the Lance Family and Lance himself, because he knew very well that the demise of the Kodak Family was directly related to Lance.

He didn’t think he was smarter than Bandy, nor did he think he was more ruthless than Gorry and Stone.

Even they were no match for Lance. As their subsidiary gang, they were even less of a match for the Lance Family.

During this period, the Lance Family had been frantically eliminating dissidents, and even the police were helping them do so. All the gangs in the entire city had come to a clear understanding: in this city, Lance called the shots.

So they had come too, to participate in this bidding.

They had originally thought this was a “harvesting” operation, but when they saw that the bars in the Bay Area and the Starlight District were also on the “shelves,” their hearts were moved!

They knew better than most people here how much profit those bars could bring in each month. In the past, they could only look at these profits, but now they actually had a chance to put these profits in their pockets. The little dissatisfaction they had with the Lance Family instantly vanished.

“Number 1 is definitely out of reach. That’s the most profitable bar in Golden Port City. Our target should be on the three bars from number 3 to number 5.”

The number 1 plot was located in the very center of the Bay Area. There was a very luxurious bar there. Since its opening, no one had ever caused them any trouble.

This bar could generate a profit of more than 1.5 million a month, definitely one of the most profitable bars in Golden Port City.

The thought of such a huge profit made Fergus green with envy, but he also knew that he couldn’t take this bar.

“According to Lance’s rules of the game, the contract price for this plot’s operating rights is at least over eight million.”

“We can’t raise that much money.”

“It’s better to let someone else have it. This way, we might have a better advantage on other plots, and our chances of winning will be greater.”

Several people nodded one after another, and Fergus also quite agreed with their views.

Perhaps influenced by some of Bandy’s ideas, two of the people around Fergus had been to college, and one of them was even from a prestigious university.

They were whispering and discussing about getting a top-ranking bar, but most of the people around them still chose the ordinary ones.

In fact, Lance had not completely wiped them out. If they couldn’t win the bid, they could still run other businesses, such as the flesh trade, or smuggling guns, ammunition, and other dangerous contraband.

These were all ways of survival, but Lance already had some plans to gradually bring all the criminal businesses in the entire Golden Port City under his control.

They would not directly participate in the criminal business, but would control the entire city’s criminal organizations and criminal businesses by collecting various management fees.

This method of controlling gangs was not considered a criminal act. At the same time, Lance would always have the initiative over these gangs.

If he wanted to support someone, he just needed to let this person get better resources, and this person could immediately and quickly grow strong.

If he wanted to punish someone, as long as this person couldn’t get enough good resources in the bidding, then two years would be enough for him to completely decline.

He could control the direction of the strength change of the entire city’s gangs at any time, without being involved in illegal and criminal activities.

Even if the federal government were to start cracking down on gangs one day, he would not be afraid of those investigations at all.

The excitement at the scene lasted for nearly an hour. It wasn’t until someone announced a stop that the people became quiet again.

Lance returned to the stage, and then some people began to do the statistics. Soon, the gang name and the leader’s name of the winning bidder were written on the squares on the map.

The winners were not particularly happy, and the losers were not particularly disappointed. They were all waiting, watching to see if these people could really make money in this year, and whether these bars were as stable and safe as Lance had said.

After the problem of these small bars was solved, next came the auction for the operating rights of ten bars located in the Bay Area and the Starlight District.

These bars were definitely the most profitable bars in the entire city. Everyone wanted to get them, but people knew very well that they could only get one of them at most.

“First is the number 10 plot.”

“The number 10 plot was previously the operating area of the Keane family. I have learned through some side channels that a bar here has a monthly profit of about 600,000.”

“The annual profit is about over seven million.”

“The starting price for a one-year operating right is two million. If any of you are interested in it, you can bid now.”

At this moment, someone suddenly raised their hand. Under Lance’s signal, the person stood up. “Mr. Lance, I really want to get a top-ranking bar, but it’s hard for us to come up with so much money at once.”

During the period of the Five Families’ control, almost all the medium and large gangs had to pay “protection fees” to the Five Families.

The ruling class would not allow the ruled class to expand without limit. Compared to Lance’s obviously more scientific control method, the Five Families’ control over these subordinate gangs was very simple.

That is, not to give them a chance to expand rapidly.

Every month, they would assign some financial tasks to these gangs, forcing them to hand over more than half of their income to the Five Families.

After this part of the income was handed over to the Five Families, these gangs themselves did not have much left.

The leader and the cadres would share a part, and the rest would be just enough to be distributed to the ordinary gang members. It was very difficult to leave much funds for the continued development and expansion of the gang.

At the same time, even if they could really leave some, they might not do so, in order to avoid suspicion.

Now, for them to come up with two or three million, they might be able to do it, but to come up with several million, or tens of millions, they couldn’t.

Lance signaled for the other party to continue speaking. The man looked at Lance with a slightly expectant gaze. “Mr. Lance, I don’t know if we can owe it first?”

“And then pay in installments after our operating funds have been recovered?”

Lance nodded. “Yes, but the delinquent portion cannot exceed 40% of the final bid price.”

“That is to say, 60% in cash, 40% in installments. You can calculate it yourselves.”

As soon as someone couldn’t hold back and started bidding, the price quickly rose.

For these people, they realized that the so-called “contract fee” was, in the final analysis, the part they had previously handed over to the Five Families.

When they realized this problem, it had now become a great thing for them.

Because they might be able to get more profit from this!

The auction was very fierce. The operating rights of the number 10 plot were finally auctioned off for a price of 4.5 million. According to Lance, the winning gang, as long as they operated well, would still have at least 2.5 million in profit for a year.

If they made some improvements and attempts in their operation, then there might be more left.

By the time all the auctions were over, the sky outside had already become completely dark.

The operating rights of the number 1 plot were finally auctioned off for a price of ten million, with the fee being paid jointly by four gangs, and only 60% of the cash was paid.

The whole process, Lance was very satisfied, and everyone participated very actively. Some of the unsold, un-bid-for ordinary plots were also brought out again for some of the gangs who had gotten nothing to compete for. Overall, the vast majority of the gangs had gotten the plots they wanted.

After all the documents had been signed, Lance packed up his things. “Logically, I should invite everyone to dinner, but I have some important things to do tonight, so let’s call it a day.”

“You guys can go and decorate your bars during this time. When October comes, we’ll sit down and talk. It’s my treat.”

As he spoke, he said goodbye to everyone and then left.

He did have something to do tonight, and it was a very important matter.

Half an hour later, he arrived at a high-end club in the Bay Area. When the door of the reserved room was opened, the people inside all stood up.

Lance raised his hand and greeted them, saying with a slightly apologetic smile, “Sorry, I was a little delayed over there, and the road was a little congested. I’m late.”

Chief Bruce quickly laughed and came to his rescue. “No, we were early. You’ve come at just the right time.”

The others also said roughly the same thing.

Interest is the eternal and unchanging theme.

To make a person afraid and submit to you through violent means is only temporary.

When he believes he has the power to fight you, with just a little courage, he will throw a punch at you to challenge you.

The same goes for all other forms of rule, except for interest.

Interest can make people willingly submit, willingly bow their heads. It possesses a great power that cannot be explained by science or theology. It is the core of the universe’s composition!

Chief Bruce, Deputy Chief Duke, Director Dale, McCork…

They represented almost all the law enforcement departments in Golden Port City. If it weren’t for the fact that Lance couldn’t get to the tax bureau, he would have called the people from the tax bureau as well.

Making friends, he liked it the most.

Although Lance had not told them what he was going to do, they vaguely had a premonition.

Expectation, excitement, joy, shock…

Those positive and active emotions were like waves, constantly attacking the defensive line of their reason!

At this moment, seeing Lance arrive here, each of them was so excited that they couldn’t sit still.

Lance shook hands with them separately, and then the group gathered at the dinner table.

A very sumptuous dinner. The food on the table was worth several thousand, not including the expensive liquor.

“I’m a little hungry. Let me get something to fill my stomach first,” Lance used a knife and fork to take a piece of deboned beef and placed it on his own dinner plate.

This was actually a very plebeian way of cooking, not quite in line with the upper class’s demand for exquisite and complex food processing.

But it was delicious.

This was enough to make many people compromise.

The beef, stewed with spices and red wine until it fell off the bone, with the skin and tendons attached, was tender and soft. Every bite was a satisfaction.

The others also said they were hungry and also began to eat. It was just that their eating was obviously not as focused and attentive as Lance’s.

Lance was really hungry; they were just pretending.

After Lance had eaten a piece of deboned beef and some vegetable salad, he did not completely put down his knife and fork, but his eating speed slowed down a bit.

“In the afternoon, all the plots were contracted out. The cheapest plot was worth 125,000.”

“The most expensive was worth ten million.”

Everyone’s attention was drawn by Lance. They looked at Lance with wide eyes, as if they were looking at a monster!

Including James, he couldn’t help but gasp and repeated that amazing number, “Ten… million?”

Lance nodded. “Even so, they still have ample room for profit.”

“In short, this is the first year. Many people’s bids are relatively conservative. By this time next year, their bids will be much bolder, and the competition will be more intense.”

A year’s time to let them taste the joy of making a stable profit, it would be very difficult for them to refuse this model again.

No risk, and as long as you don’t do anything stupid, you can 100% make money. This is almost impossible in the capital world, but it just so happens that it really exists.

This is a miracle!

Lance got himself a piece of fish. With a gentle touch of his knife and fork, the bone and flesh completely separated.

He put the white fish meat into his mouth. The unique texture and taste of the fish meat satisfied his taste buds.

“This time, I received a total of about forty million, and there are still more than twenty million in installment payments. The total is nearly seventy million.”

“Chief Bruce.”

Chief Bruce suddenly shivered. He quickly put down his knife and fork. “Yes, Boss!”

He also used “Boss,” but no one thought he was being fawning. If it were anyone else, at this moment, they might not be as calm as him.

“We’ll calculate it as seventy million. Seven percent is yours.”

Everyone’s eyes looked at Chief Bruce with naked envy and jealousy. Almost five million, a year!

Chief Bruce’s and Deputy Chief Duke’s breathing instantly became heavy and rapid.

Chief Bruce asked softly, “Isn’t it… too much?”

He actually didn’t want to ask this, but he felt that it was indeed too much. Too much was not a good thing.

Lance shook his head. “More than ten thousand police officers in the whole city, more than five million. If it’s divided equally among everyone, it’s only five hundred a year.”

“This money is given to you, not just for you, but for all the police officers.”

“You have to come up with a rule for distribution. You have to let them understand who gave them this money, where it came from, and why they can get this money. Do you understand what I mean?”

Chief Bruce nodded repeatedly. “I know. I’ll handle these things.”

He had experience. He knew what to do.

Lance nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Director Dale. “The number of agents in the Bureau of Hazardous Materials is not large. Are there two thousand in total?”

Director Dale shook his head. “There are only a little over 1,700.”

Lance nodded slightly. “So five percent. Any objections?”

What objections could he have? Three and a half million to be divided among more than a thousand people, and there might even be not so many people to divide it. If he was a little bit heartless, he could also keep a lot for himself.

However, he still nodded to show that he understood how to handle this matter. At the same time, he was also a little unsure. “I may need a little more time to distribute this money to them.”

Lance nodded twice. “You take care of it. You have to make them understand one thing: we are one.”

Then he looked at McCork (the captain of the Coast Guard). “Although you have the fewest people, I’ll still give you five percent. I only have one request for you—”

“Not a single bottle of liquor is allowed to enter Golden Port from the sea without my knowledge.”

“I have some friends in the Department of Defense. Your job is very important, so I will let you move up a couple of steps.”

McCork licked his lips. At this moment, he felt his mouth go dry, his heart beat fast, his face flush, and even a buzzing in his ears.

He didn’t know what “promotion and wealth” meant, but he had such an emotional resonance!

“Thank you, thank you, Mr. Lance. I promise not to let a single bottle of smuggled liquor enter Golden Port from the sea. I swear!”

Lance nodded in great satisfaction. “No need to swear. Just do your best.”

“As long as you do your best, even God can’t blame you.”

He paused for a moment. “Does any of you know the chief of the fire department?”

“I’ve also left some for them. Although it’s not much, it should be able to improve their situation.”

Chief Bruce immediately raised his hand and said, “I know him. Do you need me to find him?”

Lance shook his head. “Not now. Now is a gathering of our friends. When he joins us, then we’ll let him meet everyone.”

He put down his knife and fork, picked up a napkin and wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth, then raised his wine glass. “Come, to a beautiful tomorrow, cheers!”

The light from the light bulb shone through the wine glass, casting a golden glow on Lance, giving him a sacred feeling!

(End of a Chapter)