Empire of Shadows

It had been a long time since Alberto had returned to Summuri Island, and he had still not found an opportunity to assassinate Christopher.

As a member of the Pasoretto family who had already made a name for himself in the “outside world,” Christopher’s “return” had given the four major families a great deal of face.

No matter what people said about the matters between Christopher and Paul, the four major families were willing to protect him.

The reason was simple: they needed to set an example.

As more and more Summurians were distributed around the world, this had led to the orthodox status of the four major families on Summuri Island being challenged.

Especially for those of the third or fourth, or even the fifth generation of Summurian immigrants, their reverence for Summuri Island was not the same as that of their ancestors.

Many people did not believe that Summuri Island was the holy land of the Summurian people. They lacked reverence for the four major families on Summuri Island, and also lacked a sense of identity.

The four major families had jointly created this situation—

Speaking of the migration of the Summurian people, this was a very complex historical legacy. Summuri Island itself was not very large. It was not like those huge continents that could accommodate countless people.

The scope of Summuri Island was limited, its output was limited, and the population it could accommodate was also limited.In the middle of the last century, as the population on Summuri Island grew larger and larger, and the environment on the island grew worse and worse, under the initiative of the four major families and the national government, a large number of Summurian people began to emigrate.

They went to all the countries in the world that they could go to. The government at that time even used warships and freighters to send them over for free, just to get them to leave Summuri Island quickly!

The Summurian people who had left Summuri quickly learned to unite in one battle after another. They began to take root and sprout all over the world.

The Summurian people who had emigrated at that time still maintained the most basic respect, and even awe, for everything on the island, including the four major families.

But as a new generation of immigrants began to be born, they had grown up in an environment that had no relationship with Summuri Island, and no relationship with the four major families on the island. They were born with a lack of a sense of belonging to Summuri Island.

This situation became more and more serious, so much so that now, many young Summurian people living in foreign countries had already denied the statement that the Summurian people on the island were the orthodox.

What’s so orthodox or not? Why do we Summurian people who are outside have to listen to the orders of the four major families on Summuri Island?

Perhaps the poor would still listen, because this was equivalent to giving them a new job opportunity.

But for those Summurian people who had already come up from the bottom through the accumulation of several generations, that was simply impossible!

I’m doing well outside. Now you say I’m your subordinate and have to sell my life for you. Do I have to go back and die?

There’s no reason for that!

The young people, especially the young people in developed countries, had accepted more advanced and forward-looking concepts. They would not, because of “tradition,” maintain the somewhat foolish reverence of their ancestors.

They would deny, and they would question.

For example, Paul of the Pasoretto family. He had directly refused the conscription of the four major families and did not recognize their orthodox status. This had made some of the wavering people stand on his side, causing no small damage to the authority of the four major families.

One can imagine that the four major families, who could control the Summurian immigrants all over the world with a single phone call, and the four major families, who no one paid attention to, were no longer so important, whether locally or in the world!

With the outbreak of chaos within Summuri Island under the clouds of war, and the outbreak of external wars, the four major families needed this sense of belonging, this sense of identity, and this obedience even more.

Christopher’s representing the return of the Pasoretto family had, to a large extent, set an example for some people.

The Pasoretto family was not a weak branch in the Federation. To be able to reach the level of one of the five major families in Golden Port City was roughly equivalent to being a top-tier gang in a state.

Their influence among the Summurian groups in the Federation and even the world was not small. After Christopher’s return, a group of Summurian people had followed.

This proved that his role as a role model was useful. And as more and more Summurian people returned, the four major families, even the hostile ones, even if they didn’t like him, would not hurt him.

Especially since he had killed that “rebellious scoundrel” Paul and was regarded as an orthodox “enforcer,” which had slightly enhanced the influence of Summuri Island.

This also led to Christopher’s special status on Summuri Island. Many people believed that he was the guardian of tradition and orthodoxy and would respect him.

The matter of him killing Paul had also allowed him to break free from the whirlpool of “betrayal.” He had become the guardian of the glory and honor of Summuri. In other words, the four major families had endorsed his killing of Paul.

This was exactly what the local rulers needed, so it no longer mattered whether what he said was true or not. What was important was that he had to be alive and become a banner.

Currently, Christopher had joined the Bianchi family. As one of the four major families, the Bianchi family was currently a proper pro-war faction. The head of the family, Leonardo, advocated for active participation in the war and for achieving victory to obtain more benefits.

So much so that Leonardo had even intended to run for the prime minister of Summuri. But it was a pity that his political opponent had listed a series of things he had done when he was young—

For example, a photo of him being imprisoned for murder, and an explanation of why he was not in prison even though he should have been serving his sentence.

All the atrocities committed by the Bianchi family in Summuri: kidnapping, extortion, murder, smuggling, various crimes…

His political opponent even asked all the Summurian people whether they wanted to elect a criminal as their prime minister and become the most shameful joke in world history.

Or to elect a politician who might not be so outstanding, but was at least a normal one, to be the prime minister?

Everyone respected the four major families. So much so that when the prime minister was implementing some policies on the island, he had to consider the face of the four major families.

They were used to that kind of self-righteous, humble, and low-key attitude. When someone exposed their fig leaf, the four major families were a little embarrassed and angry.

This candidate, while giving a public campaign speech, was shot by two gunmen. After being hit several times, he died on the spot.

Everyone knew that it was Leonardo who had arranged for it. Although he had killed his foolish opponent who had offended him, he had also personally cut off his own path to running for president.

However, he didn’t care too much. As an active pro-war faction, as long as the war could be won and they could obtain more and larger territories, even if he had done many bad things, which in the eyes of the public were bad things, he could, because of the victory in the war, because of obtaining territory to solve the problem of the Summurian people’s long-standing lack of territory, become the next prime minister.

He was more eager for war than anyone else. Now the Summuri government had indeed formed an army and was actively preparing to participate in the war.

Christopher, after killing Paul and fleeing to Summuri Island, also seemed to have undergone some changes. At least he was not as stupid as in the past.

He had not only married one of Leonardo’s granddaughters—he had many granddaughters, and this was just one of them. If you were to calculate by “rank,” she might be the tenth or twentieth something?

Christopher could also be considered to have integrated into the Bianchi family. He would usually live in the Bianchi family’s manor and rarely showed his face outside.

Alberto, who had been looking for an opportunity, had never been able to find a chance to assassinate him. Perhaps Christopher also had some kind of premonition, a guess, that someone would come to kill him.

This was the tradition of the Summurian people: revenge!

So he had always been very careful.

He would usually also inquire about the movements on the Golden Port City side. He knew that the Francisco he had always looked down on had successfully come to power, and also knew that Alberto’s good friend, Lance White, had become the new ruler of Golden Port City.

He had also heard that Alberto had been missing for a long time, which was also the reason why he was very careful.

He always felt that Alberto was on Summuri Island, but now it was a time of conscription and expedition. The four major families had just quelled their internal strife, and the control of the entire island was still slightly chaotic. To find someone who was deliberately hiding was not an easy matter.

“So… still no news of these sons of bitches?”

Christopher, who looked much more mature, sat behind his desk. He leaned back in his chair, his legs crossed, a cigarette between his fingers.

The young man standing in front of him nodded. “The docks, and other places, we’ve had people checking all the time. No one has seen him.”

Christopher frowned. “He must be near me.”

He paused for a moment, sighed. The feeling of being on edge was not comfortable. In fact, in the depths of his heart, he was also very regretful.

After learning the full truth of the matter, Paul’s death had made him less extreme. He had begun to think seriously.

He realized that if he were Paul, he could not have done better than Paul. The emotions in his heart were also complicated.

But now, considering these was meaningless. What he needed to do was to survive, to live a better life, and to obtain a higher status, power, everything!

“Has the mistress returned?” he asked, after a moment of distraction.

The young man in front of him shook his head. “The mistress has not yet returned.”

A hint of anger appeared on Christopher’s face. He took a deep breath. “I see. You can go out first.”

“If I need anything, I’ll call you.”

The young man left his study. The moment the door was closed, he slammed his fist on the desk. “Son of a bitch!”

There was no emotional basis between him and his wife. Marrying such a girl was also just to get the support of the Bianchi family. On Summuri Island, without the support of the four major families, it would be very difficult for him to develop.

To get the support of the four major families was not so easy. Whether in the Federation or in Summuri, or in other places, people, compared to swearing an oath, believed more in “marriage” to bring a stable connection.

Especially if his wife could give him a few children, then the family would give him more important work.

He and his wife had no feelings. This was just a gangster political marriage. His wife had her own life. Before they got married, she had told him not to interfere in her private life.

She would not interfere in his either. The only thing she could guarantee was that she would absolutely not give birth to a bastard.

And this sentence was tantamount to telling Christopher that she was messing around outside.

Before they got married, Christopher did not feel that this was any loss. But after they got married, when she became his legal wife, and she was messing around outside, people would naturally laugh at him!

But he couldn’t restrain her. They would argue, and even fight. This couldn’t solve it.

She would at most stay at home for a few days, and then she would run out to find her little lovers again.

The Summurian people are romantic, amorous, and also promiscuous.

This had made Christopher a little hysterical about this matter. If someone smiled at him, he would suspiciously think that that man had slept with his wife, which was why he would show that disgusting and mocking smile to him!

He was about to be driven crazy by his wife!

This one punch had vented a little of his anger. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled.

He swept the cigarette ash and the broken cigarette from the desk to the floor, and then lit another one, and then squinted his eyes.

He had never suffered such a great grievance and humiliation in his life. He was going to kill that woman.

And her lovers.

The phone on the desk suddenly rang, startling him.

He cursed “fuck” and then picked up the phone. “This is Christopher…”

There was no sound of anyone speaking on the other end of the line, only the flirtatious laughter of a woman. They should be dancing, because there was a clear rhythmic sound.

And the scene should not be small, at least there were several different panting sounds.

At first, he didn’t react, but when he heard the woman say, “Don’t get it inside,” his scalp instantly went numb!

His entire hair, like the fur on the back of a frightened, angry cat, all stood on end!

He was too familiar with that voice. That was his fucking wife’s voice!

Before he could say anything, his wife asked again, “Honey, what are you doing over there? Come to Mommy…”

The phone was then hung up.

At this moment, Christopher, who had never known what high blood pressure was, finally knew what it felt like.

His head felt as if it had expanded by a circle. It was as uncomfortable as if someone had blown air into his head. The flames of anger in his heart seemed to be able to burn everything!

Fuck!

At this very moment, he could even imagine everything that was happening in that room. He could imagine what state of mind the person who had called him was in. He must be laughing, laughing mockingly at him, this “superior person.”

Fuck!

From the moment he had returned to Summuri Island, he had sworn not to let anyone look down on him.

Anyone!

If it were any other time, he would have endured it, but this kind of “lover’s provocation,” he really couldn’t stand it!

“Little De, come in!”

He roared at the door. Not long after, the door opened a crack, and a young head poked in. “You were looking for me?”

Christopher took another deep breath, trying his best to calm himself down. “Where is the mistress tonight?”

The one he called Little De was a little hesitant. Christopher added some emphasis to his tone. “You are my man, not hers!”

“You have no obligation to keep secrets for her!”

Little De was a little embarrassed. “At Mr. Doyle’s.”

Christopher opened the drawer, took out the weapon and the holster, walked to the back of the door, picked up a bulletproof vest and put it on. “Call some men. We’re going over there.”

Little De did not refuse. He went out and called a few people. Soon two cars left Christopher’s villa.

This was a big scandal. Although some people knew his wife was a slut, even so, he didn’t want to take too many people.

And the ones he took this time were all his trusted men.

Now his mind was full of the images of his wife messing around with those men. He had already ignored the danger that he had always been sure of, that was hidden on the island!

The two cars soon stopped outside a villa in the suburbs. It was said that the money to buy the villa was all given to this guy named Doyle by his wife.

Strictly speaking, his wife and Doyle had actually known each other earlier than him. Of course, like her other lovers, the time they had known each other was also earlier than the time she had known Christopher. He was, strictly speaking, the latecomer.

There was a reason why they didn’t play with him!

Looking at the brightly lit villa, and imagining that bitch and those sons of bitches having fun inside, Christopher felt his blood pressure rise again, and his eyes turned red.

After the car had stopped, he immediately pushed open the car door and strode towards the main gate of the villa.

And at this very moment, gunshots suddenly came from behind him. He felt something push him hard from behind.

Christopher, who had lost his balance for a moment and stumbled forward, suddenly crashed open the main gate of the villa. He had to thank Mr. Doyle. If the main gate of the villa had been locked, he would have had nowhere to run.

He could feel a burning pain in his back. The pain made him have to take off his bulletproof vest. The dent on the bulletproof vest made him realize that he had most likely fractured a bone.

The sound of the firefight outside became more intense. His wife’s screams and the exclamations of those men also came from the room.

Looking at these naked people running down from upstairs, Christopher’s gaze was once again locked on them.

The woman standing in the middle of this group of people screamed, “Christopher, what the fuck do you want to do?”

“Fuck you, and you!” He raised his handgun. In his wife’s disbelieving gaze, he pulled the trigger.

She was pushed towards Christopher by the man who had just said he would love her for ten thousand times. She looked down at the few small, thumb-sized black holes on her body in despair, and then fell heavily on the stairs and rolled down.

She lay at Christopher’s feet and reached out to hold his foot. “Save me…”

Her eyes were full of a look of terror. Gone was the condescending look she had when she faced him in the past, the look of a little princess of the Bianchi family.

However, what greeted her was the dark muzzle of a gun.

(End of a Chapter)