Empire of Shadows

To talk in private is to have a conversation that is not known to others.

Not many people on the Golden Port City side knew what this rotating vice president looked like, but everyone knew him.

He didn’t want to sit with Lance in the spotlight. That would be too formal, and at the same time, their ”identities” and ”stances” would be directly locked.

In the spotlight, there is no ambiguity. He is the vice president of the Labor Federation, and he represents the interests of the Labor Federation, the interests of the industry unions.

Lance also represents his own interests, and even some of the interests of the federal political arena—in the matter of overthrowing the Labor Federation.

Such a conversation is not free. They can only say what is in line with their identity, in line with their stance. They cannot say anything else.

So the vice president wanted to meet in private. The two sides would not be meeting with a fixed stance and identity, so that they could talk about more things.

Lance did not refuse and agreed.

This way, he had connected some of the current matters, for example, the people and things that were beginning to become orderly, with this vice president.

A capable person is just like this. Even if he has just arrived, in an hour, two hours, he can restore a messy situation to normal.In the afternoon, Lance came to a private club. The vice president had already arrived here in advance, waiting for Lance.

No one knew that they would be meeting here.

When Lance entered the room, the vice president, who was reading a newspaper, stood up and walked towards Lance with a beaming smile, and extended his hand.

Although he was in the room, the attitude, the stance he was showing was not that of a ”host.” He had placed himself in the position of a guest, so he was walking towards Lance and extending his hand.

Instead of standing on the spot and waiting for Lance to come over.

Lance extended his hand and shook his. ”You must know me. Lance, Lance White.”

The vice president nodded with a beaming smile. ”I have read your file several times before I came, Mr. Lance.”

”I attach great importance to our communication this time!”

”Walter Carril, currently the rotating vice president. You can call me Walter. My friends all call me that.”

”You can also call me Lance.”

”A pleasure to meet you!”

After a simple pleasantry, the two came to the side of the sofa and sat down. This kind of private club was very common in the Federation.

Or rather, in a situation where the federal government was highly corrupt, people needed a large number of such places to complete the transaction of money and power, so it was very common.

From a small police officer to the federal president, everyone needed a private space, and private clubs had come into being.

”Mr. Lance, you are much younger than I imagined. It’s a bit presumptuous to ask, but how old are you this year?”

Lance replied with a smile, ”I’m twenty-five.”

”Twenty-five, a good age. I miss my twenty-five very much, and I feel ashamed that I only went on dates when I was twenty-five!” Walter was clearly a person who was very good at enlivening the atmosphere.

He had shamelessly flattered Lance, and it was very direct, not at all subtle.

Lance smiled. ”Everyone has his own mission. Your mission is to be happy, and my mission is to stand up straight.”

This answer was not what the vice president had expected, but he reacted very quickly. ”Do you know what my mission is now?”

Lance nodded and said, ”To persuade me.”

Mr. Walter pointed at him. ”Bingo!”

”Actually, I don’t really like this job, but who let me be the rotating chairman? They need me to do what I’m supposed to do.”

”Mr. Lance, can we find a point that we can both be satisfied with, within a range that both sides can accept?”

Lance shook his head. ”I’m not saying I don’t agree with your idea, but I think it’s very difficult to do.”

”Not accepting the union is my basic requirement. This is our biggest difference. Unless you can accept my request, otherwise we will always have a difference on this issue.”

”And you see, if you could have accepted it, things would not have developed to this extent.”

Mr. Walter sighed. ”Yes, it’s very difficult to reach a consensus.”

He paused for a moment. ”But I still want to try to persuade you.”

Lance gestured for him to continue, and took out a cigarette.

The cigarette and the nicotine at this time could help him to better concentrate his attention on Mr. Walter. This was actually a very strange thing.

Clearly, nicotine did not have these effects, but people would become focused because of the cigarette and the nicotine.

”You can completely manage the workers who are registered with the union, and the workers who are not registered with the union separately.”

”For example, you can set up another enterprise, a similar labor introduction agency, and this labor introduction agency will specialize in registering those union members.”

”If those factories only need non-union workers, fine, then you have the non-union workers go and work.”

”If the factories have no clear demand for workers, you can completely send workers in a mixed manner.”

”This is no different from what you are doing now, and it will not cause the resentment and opposition of the current workers.”

”Because they are not from the same company, they will not meet, and they will not have any influence on each other.”

”It’s just that the clients have a new choice, and the difference between us will also end.”

”The union, the labor federation, will not interfere in your work and business. We respect your ideas and choices.”

”Actually, union workers have many advantages. Most of them have been in this industry for a long time, and many of them are skilled workers.”

”There will be many newly established enterprises in the new industrial district of Golden Port City. They need some ordinary workers, but they also need skilled workers with rich experience and skills.”

”If we create too much opposition, it will only make it very difficult for both of us, and it will also make it very difficult for those factories!”

”Actually, on this matter, there is a possibility of cooperation.”

”We have the high-end labor force, and you have a large number of low-level labor force in your hands. There is actually no competition between us. On the contrary, we can form a resource complement.”

He sat forward a little, and also took out a cigarette. ”Mr. Lance, actually we have always been paying close attention to these illegal immigrants, refugees, these illegal workers.”

”But because of some legal problems, we have no way to take care of these people. Your appearance has filled this gap in the Federation.”

”We are a good complement to each other, as I said before.”

”Just like light and shadow, when they are together, they are the world!”

”This will not affect you. On the contrary, because the number of people who have registered with you has become more, and the composition has become more complex, it will allow you to gain greater influence!”

”This way we will not harm each other’s interests, and can also solve the current differences. What do you think?”

Lance considered for a moment and then said, ”This way, I am actually the one who is making a concession, Mr. Walter.”

Mr. Walter continued to add conditions. ”Mr. Lance, are you interested in a political party?”

Lance frowned. ”I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

Mr. Walter explained, ”We are about to establish a workers’ party. This is a powerful party. We have twenty million worker brothers.”

”We don’t care about the origin and background of any member. As long as you are willing, you can join us.”

”Mr. Lance, we can give you a party identity, a decent party identity, for example... a member of the Likalai State Workers’ Party Committee or the like.”

”This can make it more convenient for you to handle some matters in your work and life. So much so that if you want to run for mayor, governor in the future, we can all help!”

”We are never stingy with friendship and enthusiasm. you will feel it!”

Lance took a few more looks at him. This condition was something he had not expected.

Before, Senator Cleveland had also asked him a similar question, whether he was willing to go into politics.

In fact, he knew very well that in his life, there was a high probability, 99%, that it was impossible for him to become a federal government official.

It was still the most core problem. People could accept that he was a ”front-page figure” who often appeared on the headlines of newspapers, who often appeared in various public occasions, but they would not accept that he was a politician.

Because he was the leader of a gang, and he was not a native of the Federation.

Even if he had handled some matters cleanly, if people wanted to check, they could still find out.

That set of replacement methods was not applicable to the high-level.

These people in the high-level of the federal government, the senators, the president, the vice president, the governors, these people, they were all ”accounted for.”

Who’s ancestor was who, what contribution they had made to this country in the process of its founding, they could all trace it, they could all investigate it.

Even if they did not pursue Lance’s gangster identity, did not pursue his identity of impersonation, just the fact that the ancestors of the White family might have just been a free man, a farmer or the like, it would be impossible for him to go far!

At most, it would be a mayor level. This was his limit in politics.

Even marrying into a political family would not do.

Because that circle, that level, has a ”ticket,” and the ticket is their surname, their bloodline!

That sentence was very right. Some things, if you don’t have them when you are born, there is a high probability that you will never have them in your life.

This is even more so in the political world.

If you are not qualified to enter this circle, it is also impossible to do so through hard work later on.

Maybe it will be a little better in the future, fifty years later, a hundred years later, but now, in this period, everything is destined.

If it were someone else today, when Mr. Walter had said these words, he might have already been moved.

However, Lance was different. He was very rational, and also very calm.

In Mr. Walter’s expectant gaze, he shook his head. ”I’m sorry, I don’t think this can persuade me.”

Mr. Walter was stunned for a moment, and then he added, ”With our support, and some of your local help, running for governor is not a joke.”

”You have a great influence here, and there is a high probability that you will become the governor.”

Lance laughed twice. He knew that this guy Walter was not wrong at all. If he really went to run for election, he might really have a chance to become the governor.

But before he became the governor, the federal government would pass some bills to restrict him, and even the people from the Federal Bureau of Investigation would be immediately activated to investigate his criminal facts.

Just as he had framed others, the Federal Bureau of Investigation did not even need to investigate. They could just frame him directly. Anyway, in the end, the power to explain was in the hands of the federal government.

He was also thinking of going to the election. The closer he was to the prison, and even to the electric chair, the closer he would be!

”Mr. Walter, if your persuasion is only these, then I can only say it’s a pity. I don’t think these are conditions that I cannot refuse.”

Seeing that the other party still wanted to say something, Lance shook his head. ”You know, the problem is not with us, not with you, and with me.”

This sentence made Mr. Walter stunned for a moment, and then he laughed. ”A very sharp point of view, and very accurate!”

”The problem has never been with us.”

He knew what Lance was saying, and he could also understand that for a gang to grow to the point where it could control a state, and was even invading Indeno State, there was someone behind Lance.

He had read some materials. It mentioned that Lance had a relatively close relationship with Senator Cleveland. At the same time, he also had cooperation with the Department of Defense and the military.

This way, it was very easy to know which group of people he belonged to.

The military and the Department of Defense had no need to support a gang. If they wanted to control a place, they just had to build a military base locally.

A soldier is much more useful than these gangsters, so Lance is not a person of some people in the military or the Department of Defense.

Then there is only one possibility: he is Senator Cleveland’s man.

Congress and the Labor Federation have never been on good terms. The Labor Federation, using their influence over the working class, has always been trying to control power, so there are also natural differences and conflicts between them.

The fact that Lance was so clear this time was to tell Mr. Walter that if he wanted to persuade Lance, he had to first persuade Congress.

Mr. Walter laughed for a while and then stopped. ”Alright, anyway, I’ve done my best!”

”Then next, it will depend on our own abilities.”

Lance nodded. ”I’m looking forward to your performance, Mr. Walter.”

Mr. Walter, on the contrary, felt a little regretful, but soon the regret turned into a fighting spirit. ”We’ll meet again.”

Lance agreed with this view. ”Yes, we will definitely meet again.”

As he spoke, he stood up, and Mr. Walter also stood up. ”Then... that’s it for today?”

”Yes, see you later.”

The two shook hands again. The atmosphere was very relaxed and pleasant as they said their goodbyes, and then Lance took a step first.

Looking at Lance’s departing back, Mr. Walter returned to the room and sat on the sofa, and took a sip from his wine glass.

In fact, he also didn’t want to go head-to-head with Lance. After all, this was Lance’s territory, and now the situation was special. They didn’t dare to casually expand the scope of the strike.

This had put them at a disadvantage from the beginning.

The only way now was to cooperate with the Liberal Party or the Federalist Party, to find a way to put these problems on the table, instead of solving them here.

At this time, in the police station, a refugee attacker was being led into the reception room by the police.

”Behave yourself. I’m watching you from outside!” The police officer had the refugee attacker sit down, and then he left.

According to the regulations of the constitution and the local laws, the police needed to ensure that the criminal received a complete and independent judicial service.

The refugee attacker looked at the exquisitely dressed lawyer sitting opposite the desk with some confusion. He didn’t remember Carl saying that he would hire a lawyer for him. As for his family?

The total wealth of their whole family, put together, would not be enough for five dollars.

These lawyers, at a glance, were very expensive. His family simply could not afford them, nor was it necessary to.

So his eyes were full of confusion.

The lawyer, after the door was closed, had a professional smile on his face. ”You don’t have to doubt my identity. I am a lawyer.”

”A kind-hearted person has paid the lawyer’s fees for you, which is why I am here.”

”Do you know what you are going to face next?”

His speaking speed was very fast, and he did not give this refugee attacker any reaction at all.

The latter was stunned for a moment and then subconsciously replied, ”I’m not very clear. I should be deported back home?”

The lawyer nodded. ”Yes. What else did the person who organized you tell you?”

The refugee attacker suddenly became vigilant. ”No one organized us. I was just angry that they were trying to destroy my stable job and income.”

”If I lose the job in my hands, my family and I will not be able to fill our stomachs. We will starve to death, or freeze to death in the winter.”

”I hate them so much, so I only made a move after seeing others do it.”

The lawyer laughed out loud. ”The first two people also said so. Your stories are all the same. And you still say that no one organized you?”

He saw that the refugee attacker was still preparing to emphasize these points again. He raised his hand to interrupt him. ”Listen to me first.”

”Can you read?”

The refugee attacker nodded. ”A little, but not all.”

The lawyer gave up the idea of giving him the materials to read, but directly read them out. ”This conflict has caused a total of about eleven deaths among the parading and demonstrating public, more than two hundred seriously injured, and more than five hundred lightly injured.”

”In the past twenty years, this is one of the few conflict incidents with serious consequences that can be counted.”

”Do you know what this represents?”

The refugee attacker shook his head. ”I don’t know, sir. That’s your business, and it has nothing to do with me.”

The expression on the lawyer’s face became full of pity. ”This represents you, all of you, are very likely to pay the price for these people.”

”Someone may be sent to the electric chair, and the others, for example, you, all of you, will most likely go to prison.”

”Five years, ten years, or more. I’m not very sure, but five years is the starting point.”

”Do you think it’s over after you’ve been to prison?”

”No, it won’t be over.”

”After you have finished your time in prison, the immigration bureau will put you on a boat and send you back to Slad.”

”And it will be the Slad government that will arrange for someone to welcome you!”

”I don’t know what benefits they have promised you. Maybe a little money?”

”Or is it to provide you with a legal identity, or to provide a legal job?”

”But I believe that what they have given you is definitely not worth at least five years in prison and deportation.”

”If it’s because of money, or you want to stay here and get a federal citizen’s identity, they are not your only partners.”

”We are too!”