Empire of Shadows

A little after eight o’clock, more and more people came into the dining car. Elvin casually picked up a newspaper that Lance had read and spread it open. His originally relaxed expression immediately became serious.

He also read books and newspapers. In the few years he had been with Lance, he had realized something he had never realized before.

This society, this world, was constantly moving forward, rolling forward!

For him in his youth, the so-called “past” was just a glance back, while the future was just the words “tomorrow,” “the day after tomorrow,” “the day after the day after tomorrow.”

He couldn’t see any changes, nor had he ever considered growth.

But now, not lacking wealth, not lacking status, he began to think more. He also began to demand that he read newspapers, listen to the radio, and occasionally read books.

Humans are a very interesting species. When they are ignorant, they are fearless. They are full of curiosity about this world and explore all kinds of emotions, except for fear.

You see, a small child dares to grab a snake with his bare hands, dares to jump around on the edge of a cliff. Because of ignorance, he is fearless.

But when a person begins to acquire knowledge, the more he knows, the more timid and afraid he will become.

In the past, he always felt that Lance was sometimes too cautious.There was no problem that a single bullet couldn’t solve. If there was, then a whole magazine.

But now that he knew more, he understood that many times, even Lance was powerless.

The two of them were focused on reading the newspaper. Ennio and Hiram couldn’t help but ask, “Is there a Tide Newspaper?”

The people around were stunned for a moment, and then burst into laughter!

Someone teased him, “Besides understanding the tits in the Tide Newspaper, what else can you understand?”

Hiram was still a little unconvinced. “Don’t you like to read it?”

The guy who was teasing him was at a loss for words for a moment, but he still answered the question honestly. “Who doesn’t like to look at free tits?”

These people…

Lance smiled and shook his head. He put down the newspaper. “The war is coming.”

The people in the carriage suddenly became quiet. Before, Lance had always said that a war would break out, but he had never told them so accurately as today that a war was coming.

“So soon?” Hiram, who was joking with his friend, also put away his playful expression and became serious.

With the outbreak of war, no one knew what it would evolve into. Everyone’s heart was full of fear of war.

They were too.

They had come to the Federation because of the civil war in the Empire. That was just an internal problem, and the land was almost torn apart.

Not to mention that the war now was between multiple countries. The world would become a purgatory!

Lance threw the newspaper over. “A Federation freighter was sunk by the navy of the Dantra Republic in the East Ocean. More than a thousand people died, and the loss was tens of millions. They have already sounded the horn of war.”

Elvin, at the side, asked, “What if Dantra is willing to compensate?”

Lance shook his head. “There is no such possibility, not even one percent.”

“After the war breaks out, the flow of customers in Golden Port City will definitely decrease sharply. The business of the casinos will become difficult, but there is no need to worry too much about the income problem.”

“The tension of the war will make people more dependent on alcohol. Those who didn’t drink before will now consider having a drink.”

“So the income from liquor will only increase, not decrease.”

“After we go back, control the development of the gangs in the entire city. We don’t need so many gangs now. Let some of the small gangs disband and find them a job.”

“Those who are not willing to work…” Lance pursed his lips, “send them to be soldiers.”

Some laughter broke out around the dinner table. To go and be a soldier at this time was actually no different from sending them to their deaths.

The supervisor of the dining car had the chefs push over the food carts. Sumptuous breakfasts were served on one plate after another.

Beef, fish, protein…

Delicacies were gathered together. Although it was just breakfast, it could still be described with the word “sumptuous.”

The people of the Federation, or rather, the people of the whole world, were actually not averse to eating such a sumptuous breakfast.

Under the effect of the delicious food, the heavy topic was temporarily put aside. Lance chatted about some things in New Golden City.

Among the people who had come this time, there were some who had not been here last time. It was as if he was taking them on a trip together.

The next morning, Lance met with Senator Cleveland.

“You should buy a house in New Golden City. You may come over often in the future. If you want to buy a house, I can give you some recommendations!”

Lance nodded. “I have such a plan too. You can give me some addresses or some phone numbers.”

Senator Cleveland glanced at Tom. “Remind me when we’re done.”

Tom, while pouring coffee for them, nodded. “I’ll remember.”

Lance sat opposite Senator Cleveland. Senator Cleveland grabbed the armrests of his chair and pulled himself forward to make sure he was not too far from the table.

“I really should change this chair. Now there are many chairs with universal wheels, which are very convenient.”

“With just a little force on your legs, you can push me around!”

He was just saying it. This chair had a long history. It was said that his grandfather’s father had already been using it.

It had been used until today, repaired and patched up.

His grandfather, in memory of his father, was unwilling to throw away this chair and continued to use it.

By the time it was Senator Cleveland’s father’s turn, he already felt that this chair might have some… special meaning, so he also had it repaired and continued to use it.

When it came to the senator himself, that special sense of mission and special meaning became even more obvious. It was like an emperor’s crown and scepter. It was no longer a matter of liking or commemoration, but represented “authority.”

His children would also continue to use this chair, and would have it repaired again. In the end, it would appear in the family’s museum, to be enshrined high up.

Yes, many of the big families in the Federation have their own family museums, which contain many precious collections, for example, leather goods made from native skins, ritual utensils made from their bones, and the like.

Of course, there are also works of art, precious collections from all over the world.

The collection of a family often also represents the foundation of a family.

Tom came over with a tray. Besides coffee, there was also a small silver bottle on the tray.

Senator Cleveland unscrewed it and poured out about an ounce of liquor, and poured it into the coffee. “Want to try it?”

Lance shook his head. “No, I don’t even like to drink coffee very much, let alone add other things to it.”

Senator Cleveland smiled. “You might like it if you try it!”

He did not force Lance to do so. He paused for a moment, and then continued to chat about some relatively superficial topics.

Their relationship in terms of interests was very close, but their actual face-to-face relationship was not so intimate yet, so the chat would be a gradual process. “I have already called my friends on the Likalai State side. The state government, the Socialist Party, the Liberal Party, they will no longer interfere in your affairs.”

“I have given you a ‘fair’ environment. Now it’s just a matter between you and them. Whether you are dealt with, or they are dealt with, others are not allowed to interfere!”

“So you can completely do as you please. You know what I mean.”

Lance took a sip of his coffee. “I am very grateful for your help. Now I don’t feel any resistance. Before I go back, everything will be over.”

“That’s for the best!” Senator Cleveland nodded with great satisfaction. “Don’t be bogged down by these small matters. You have more and more important things to do!”

He emphasized a bit on Lance. The small talk had come to an end at this moment.

From Senator Cleveland’s performance, his attitude towards Lance was much better than before.

Before, when he had talked with Lance, it had always been straightforward, either because he was too lazy to waste time, or “straight to the point.” He would not consider Lance’s emotions and state, because he did not need to value Lance at all.

But this time, the situation was very different. He valued Lance’s emotions very much and even chatted with him for so long.

He was buying a house, and he was also taking credit for what he had done. This showed that Lance already had the qualification to be taken seriously, which was why he was being polite and making small talk with Lance.

Lance’s performance was still so decent, so appropriate. He and Senator Cleveland chatted and laughed, as if they were very good friends.

Now that the small talk was over, it was natural to talk about serious business.

“Did you read the newspaper when you came?” he asked.

Lance nodded and said, “Yes, I did. There should be a result within a week, right?”

Senator Cleveland pursed his lips. “Actually, the result is already out.”

Seeing that Lance had widened his eyes a little, a smile appeared on his face. “The Dantra Republic’s side has refused to apologize and has also refused to compensate. The President is already going through the procedures. He will have a twenty-four-hour deadline.”

“At eight o’clock tomorrow morning, if there is no further feedback from the Dantra side, then the President will declare war on the Dantra Republic, and the entire country will enter a state of war.”

Logically, after entering a state of war, the president would have sole power and could directly sign a presidential special order to decide every matter without going through Congress.

But now Mr. President did not intend to do so, or rather, he knew very well what the consequences would be if he really did so.

He had to use some small tricks to seek to stay in the Presidential Palace. So naturally, his power in the political arena was not the top, the indispensable small group.

Once he really wanted to be a “dictator,” unless he could do it for a lifetime, otherwise, as soon as the state of war stopped, he and his family would immediately be liquidated.

So much so that it didn’t even have to stop. Congress could mobilize the military to launch a coup.

So even during wartime, Congress would not stop. On the contrary, because of the war, its power would also be greatly enhanced.

For example, when giving instructions to the state governments in various places, in the past they could resist the orders of Congress, but now at least they could not resist openly. Otherwise, they would be traitors and would be suppressed!

As a rising Senator Cleveland, it could be said that he was now also in power. It was not strange that he knew this news.

He looked at Lance with a meaningful look. “That guy Miles can’t explain many things clearly. He just told me that you have a big opportunity and can get a lot of money.”

“I’m interested in this.”

Lance knew that because of the war, the number of tourists in Golden Port City would drop sharply. Senator Cleveland definitely also knew this.

With the decline in the casino’s profits, his income would decrease. During wartime, it was also the best time for power expansion. He needed more funds to complete his power blueprint.

At this time, when Lance proposed that he could give him more money, he definitely wanted to know more details.

Admiral Miles actually hadn’t remembered much of what Lance had said. He only remembered that he could get tens of millions in funds a year.

That long string of numbers had occupied all his subconscious memory at that time, and there was simply no room for other things, so when Senator Cleveland asked, he had stammered and couldn’t explain clearly.

Lance smiled and explained his thoughts completely. “I’m only responsible for the liquor supply on my side. As for the other military bases and troops, I certainly can’t get my hands on them, and I don’t have any intention of getting involved.”

“But if their liquor supply is not available, I can help a little on my side.”

Senator Cleveland listened to what he said, an incredulous expression on his face. It wasn’t that this idea was so complicated, profound, or difficult.

It was just that it was so fucking simple, so simple that no one had thought of it, and no one had realized the things in it.

Three million troops, a military supply of 600 million a month. The thought of this number made him have an impulse to stand up!

Before, he was still a little worried whether the profit provided by Lance’s idea would be… not enough to be divided. After all, to make this happen, many people had to nod.

The executive committee member of the Prohibition Committee, some key senators, for example, the military committee, the budget committee, and the like, and also the cabinet, the Presidential Palace.

So many people had to be involved, and to share some from it. It really wouldn’t work if the money was too little!

A pack of cigarettes outside costs only five cents, but a pack of cigarettes provided by the military costs one dollar. Do you think its tobacco is very good?

No, not at all. It uses the most ordinary tobacco, and a pack only has ten sticks.

But why can it be sold so expensively?

Because many people have to get their share from this pack of cigarettes.

So its profit must be high. Only in this way can it meet the demands of these people for interests.

A dollar a pack of cigarettes, three million troops, one pack each a week. This is fucking only 12 million a month.

But those liquors… two hundred a bottle!

Senator Cleveland was already so excited that he wanted to curse.

He held his upper lip with his tiger’s mouth, a little bit forcefully. The place where the tiger’s mouth and the lip touched had lost its color.

His emotions were soaring. He looked at Lance. “The profit… how big is it?”

“Excluding my share.”

“The net profit, that is, the part that can be taken out and put on the table, is probably about half.”

Senator Cleveland looked at Tom. “Calculate it.”

Tom’s mind immediately began to spin at high speed. In fact, he had already been calculating just now.

Three million troops, each provided with two hundred dollars worth of supplies a month, that’s 600 million, 7.2 billion a year, 45%, let’s say 4 billion.

He gave such a number. Senator Cleveland looked at Lance with a different look in his eyes.

5% of 4 billion is 200 million. He can get a share of 200 million?

A year?

These few days, they were still considering how to maintain the span of the war at two to three years, because the presidential term had already passed two years, and this year was the third year.

In other words, the longer the span of the war, the more beneficial it would be for the one in the Presidential Palace. But not everyone hoped that he could sit for so long. There were also some who hoped that he could get out as soon as possible.

So two or three years was pretty good, very suitable.

But now he suddenly hoped that the war would last for four or five years.

Seeing Senator Cleveland start to wander in his thoughts, Lance had to interrupt his thinking.

“Mr. Senator, let’s talk about some disappointing things first.”

Senator Cleveland came back to his senses. He was stunned for a moment, and then nodded. “You speak.”

A very amicable attitude, just like that between ordinary friends.

Lance first wanted to pour some cold water on him. “Actually, we can’t completely calculate it this way. It’s impossible for the war to start with three million troops being sent to Tanfit…”

Senator Cleveland began to calm down at this time. This was a skill that a high-level politician had to master, to get out of some extreme emotions as soon as possible.

If they were to send so many troops in from the very beginning, the allied countries would definitely hope that they would be the main force, but this was not in line with the interests of the Federation.

So at the very beginning, the number of troops sent might only be five or six hundred thousand, or seven or eight hundred thousand.

Thinking of this, he understood what Lance meant.

“So this is just the income situation when a full-scale war breaks out.”

Lance nodded slightly. “Yes, you are very right.”

“Secondly, this quotation is only provided by my side. I am not very clear about the quotations and interest distribution provided by other liquor merchants.”

“In the end, these profits will definitely be summed up together, and then divided, so the specific amount that can be obtained may fluctuate up and down.”

“But a net profit of twenty or thirty million a year should not be any problem.”

Senator Cleveland frowned and began to think. Just falling out of the fantasy of an annual income of over a hundred million was indeed a bit difficult to adapt to, but this number had already far exceeded his expectations.

If it weren’t for the fact that too many people had to get a share from this…

He picked up his coffee and took a sip to hide the saliva that had been generated by his greed. He didn’t want to lose face in front of Lance.

“You’re right, Lance. I don’t think there’s any problem with this plan.”

“The Federation has not had a war for many years. Whether the soldiers can quickly adapt to the combat situation on the front lines, whether there will be huge pressure, are all unknowns.”

“Those children are going to war for our country. We have to solve some of the problems they face, and not create difficulties for them!”

“Don’t leave these few days. I’ll go and talk to them first.”

“They will definitely love this plan!”

Neither Lance nor Senator Cleveland had ever doubted this point. Who the fuck could refuse an interest of hundreds of millions, or even billions, a year?

(End of a Chapter)