Empire of Shadows

Mr. Richard came to the police chief’s office with a gloomy face. He sat down opposite the chief unceremoniously, sitting at an angle.

One hand was on the edge of the desk, the other pressed on the armrest of the chair, his body slightly turned, legs crossed, with an ”I’m not to be trifled with” expression.

”It’s been three days. I want to know if your investigation has yielded any results.”

”If you can’t do it, it’s fine. Just tell me the truth, and I’ll arrange for someone else to do it.”

For three days, the police and fire departments had been investigating the cause of the fire, but they hadn’t obtained much of value from the scene.

Under the high temperatures, the steel-structured factory buildings couldn’t withstand the pressure and collapsed quickly, directly destroying any potential evidence that might have been left at the scene.

Wanting to find all the evidence accurately was very difficult.

The chief clasped his hands together, but they quickly came apart. He grasped the edge of the desk with both hands, his body leaning slightly forward. This wasn’t actually an aggressive posture; he was ”resisting.”

”Mr. Richard, the scene is very large, and there’s a lot of evidence we need to analyze. I can’t tell you for sure what kind of fire this was.”

”However...””However?” Mr. Richard’s gaze was somewhat chilling. ”Are you saying it was arson?”

The police chief leaned back in his chair, his separated hands clasping together again. ”I didn’t say that. It’s just that from the statements of some people at the scene, the fire in the warehouse didn’t spread to the production area, yet the production area started burning and exploding.”

”Although we haven’t found any explosives at the scene yet, we found that some of the production equipment has traces of an explosion, traces of an external explosion.”

”As for whether this was man-made, we can’t be sure yet. After all, we still lack key evidence.”

Hearing this, Mr. Richard roughly understood. The police chief just didn’t want to take responsibility without sufficient evidence, but it was highly likely that this was man-made.

Mr. Richard nodded and stood up. ”I will donate fifty thousand dollars to the police department. Thank you for your hard work.”

The police chief smiled and said, ”Thank you.” A small city couldn’t compare to a big one; fifty thousand was already a lot of money.

But... it was only fifty thousand.

Mr. Richard left quickly. He returned to his company, which was now packed with people.

Seeing Mr. Richard return, these people immediately swarmed him. Fortunately, Mr. Richard’s bodyguards were of some use; they quickly cleared a path, allowing him to enter the company.

By the time he returned to his office, there were already many people around him.

”Why are there so many people?” he asked.

A board member immediately replied, ”They are all our customers. They ordered whiskey from us, and now they’ve heard our distillery and warehouse are done for, they’re here demanding compensation.”

Just that one sentence made Mr. Richard’s head throb. He pressed his knuckles into his right temple and drilled hard. The pain brought a slight relief and cleared his head a bit.

”Did we sign a contract?” He looked up at the board member, staring at him with a fierce gaze. This made the board member pause, then immediately look at the secretary.

The secretary shook her head. ”We only had a verbal agreement, and we collected their deposit.”

Prohibition stipulated that ”selling” was an illegal act. Gold Label Distillery couldn’t possibly break the law, so no contract was signed at all.

A cold smile appeared on Mr. Richard’s face. ”We don’t even have a contract. On what grounds should we compensate them?”

He then became impatient. ”If they want compensation, they can sue us in court. Fuck, these sons of bitches!”

The board member looked as if he wanted to say something but held back, deciding in the end to say it when they were alone.

Taking the gangs’ money and not delivering was not so easy to explain.

Besides these illegal individuals trying to extort Gold Label Distillery, a large number of suppliers were also hoping to settle their payments as soon as possible.

Brewing requires a large amount of agricultural crops. Right now, Gold Label Distillery was brewing openly and had pressed its own profits very low. Of course, they definitely had enough money to pay the farmers for their grain.

But after paying for the grain, their cash on hand would be considerably reduced. Then they had to deal with the workers who died or were injured in the fire, and then they had to rebuild the factory. Almost every part required money, a lot of money!

Mr. Richard, with a throbbing temple, had the secretary bring over the bills that needed signing, picked out a portion of them, and signed his name.

”For the rest, tell them I don’t like them making a scene.”

”It’s not that we can’t afford it, we’re just unwilling to be coerced.”

”If they want it, fine. Apply, go through the process. If anyone tries to use a method like making trouble to force us to pay early, then let them sue us. We’re not paying!”

Being the president of any large company is not so easy. At the very least, they must have enough ability and a sufficiently black heart.

You know full well that this money is the farmers’ blood and sweat, that it’s the goods the distributors paid for upfront, but when you’re not supposed to pay, you don’t pay a single cent.

The purpose of signing some of the bills was to tell these people that the company still had money and could afford to pay, letting them weigh the pros and cons themselves.

As for whether anyone would make trouble?

Someone would definitely continue to make trouble. After all, there would always be people who thought others couldn’t do it, but they themselves might.

And, what if?

But this time, no matter who came to make trouble, he didn’t plan to pay. The worst that could happen was a lawsuit.

Grain isn’t worth much.

For people who only earn thirty or forty dollars a month, grain might be worth a little something. But for someone like Mr. Richard, for a big company, grain is worthless.

A ton of grain is only a few hundred dollars. A hundred tons is only a few tens of thousands. Sue me!

Hire a lawyer, gather evidence... every time the court convenes, it means hundreds or thousands of dollars are gone. How long could those people last?

In the end, they would have to be obedient. Capital has plenty of ways to deal with these people.

After finishing with this issue, the secretary said again, ”Today, many families of the injured workers also came...”

Mr. Richard became even more annoyed. ”Tell them to go to the insurance company. We bought accident and work injury insurance for them.”

”The insurance company said they need to investigate whether this counts as a work injury before they will decide whether to pay.”

”They need money for treatment now.”

Mr. Richard spread his hands, looking at the secretary with an innocent expression. ”Then what the fuck are you telling me this for?”

”You should go and tell them this has nothing to do with us. I bought insurance for them, they should go to the insurance company for money, not come to me!”

”We are also the party that suffered losses. I don’t even know who to ask for compensation for my losses. What’s the use of them coming to me?”

The secretary, having been scolded, stammered and couldn’t speak, her face also turning a little pale.

In fact, the workers’ families had already gone to the insurance company. The insurance company’s reply was rather perfunctory and vague; they even proposed a viewpoint.

That is, if this fire was caused by a business dispute, they would refuse to pay.

Not only would they refuse to pay the workers’ accident and work injury insurance, but they would also refuse to pay the factory’s property insurance.

Many enterprises in the Federation, especially the legitimate ones of a considerable size, would buy property insurance.

In the process of the Federation’s industrial development, countless fires and accidents have witnessed the entire process of rapid industrial development!

This is also a stage that industry must go through as it moves from immaturity to maturity.

To avoid accidental losses, many factories would buy commercial property insurance for their factory buildings and equipment.

Once these properties are damaged due to accidents such as fire or flood, the insurance company must pay compensation according to the contract.

But this does not include man-made arson. If there are traces of man-made arson, the insurance company will likewise refuse to pay.

Insurance companies are just like that.

Before you pay, they tell you that even if you fall while walking, they will give you fifty dollars.

But when you have paid, and you really do fall while walking, they will say the shoes you are wearing are not covered by the contract.

Or they will find other reasons to refuse payment, for example... you stepped out with your right foot first.

After clearing up some miscellaneous matters, Mr. Richard finally asked, ”Have the people from the insurance company arrived?”

The secretary suddenly felt like laughing, an inexplicable urge to laugh, but fortunately, she held it in. ”They’ve already arrived. Should I let them in?”

Mr. Richard didn’t agree immediately, but instead looked at the board member in the room who hadn’t left.

The board member gave the secretary a look. The secretary immediately picked up the documents on the desk and walked towards the door. ”I’ll be right outside.”

After she left and closed the door, the board member finally spoke. ”Richard, we were so rough in dealing with those gangs. Will there be any trouble?”

Richard frowned. He sat there, propping his chin, for a good ten or twenty seconds. ”I’ll find a way to take care of them.”

The board member breathed a sigh of relief. ”These people are all rats in the sewer, and we are all gentlemen in suits. We are not afraid of rats, but there’s no need to let them dirty our shoes.”

He then stood up. ”I’m leaving first. Call me if you need anything.”

When the secretary saw the board member come out, she ran to call the insurance company person in.

The insurance company attached great importance to Gold Label Distillery as a client, because every year they would provide more than thirty thousand dollars in premiums, which was not a small sum.

Because they had experienced two major fires, Gold Label Distillery was very keen on buying property insurance.

This time, Mr. Richard took the initiative to stand up, walked around his desk to shake hands with the insurance company manager, and then walked with him to the sofa and sat down, instead of sitting at his desk.

”Mr. Richard, I am deeply sorry about this fire!”

Mr. Richard nodded. ”Difficulties will always pass. What I’m more concerned about now is when the compensation will be in place.”

”We still have many orders to process. Ordering machinery takes time. I don’t want to affect the subsequent orders.”

The insurance company manager smiled and agreed with him. ”You are absolutely right. After our investigation is complete, if everything complies with the insurance contract we signed, we will transfer the compensation to your designated account at the earliest opportunity.”

Mr. Richard frowned slightly. ”There’s no need for that, is there?”

A look of regret appeared on the insurance manager’s face. ”From a personal perspective, Mr. Richard, we have been dealing with each other for a long time. I am willing to trust your character and credibility, and I am willing to give you the money first.”

”But you know I’m just a company employee. I don’t have the authority to sign off on such a large compensation payment. This requires the president or the board of directors to agree, only then will they pay you.”

”I have already explained to them that Mr. Richard and Gold Label Distillery are our important friends and clients. But you should be able to understand, those detestable capitalists don’t care about these things at all. They only care about the money in their pockets!”

”I have done my best to lobby for you. They agreed to pay only if the investigation results comply with the contract.”

”Rest assured, Mr. Richard, I will keep an eye on the results for you. As soon as the results are out, I will call you immediately!”

Mr. Richard’s face flushed noticeably. He stared at the insurance manager with a very unfriendly gaze, but the insurance manager still had an ”I’m very innocent” expression.

He slowly asked, word by word, ”What are you suspecting?”

”Suspecting that I... set fire to my own factory?”

”Do you have any idea how much money my factory makes for me every day, every single day?”

”Just this lost time alone is enough for me to earn hundreds of thousands, even millions!”

”Fuck!”

The insurance manager immediately placated him. ”I believe you, how could I not believe you?”

”Mr. Richard, you have to be considerate of me, too. It’s not enough for me to believe you. You also have to make the president, or the board of directors, believe you.”

Mr. Richard’s gaze was fierce as he stared at him, but the insurance manager seemed unaffected.

If this level of intimidation could affect him, he wouldn’t deserve to be sitting here, nor would he deserve to be the insurance company’s key account manager.

He had seen people more terrifying and more direct than Mr. Richard.

In the past, he was just an ordinary account manager, until an old veteran pressed a knife point to his neck, and even then, he did not waver in his firm belief of not paying. This was what got him appreciated by the company’s top management, and he became a senior partner.

He would not bury his future in the hands of a capitalist who didn’t even dare to kill.

Mr. Richard took two deep breaths to suppress his anger. He looked at this key account manager from the insurance company, who would always greet him enthusiastically when they occasionally met, and nodded noncommittally. ”If...”

The insurance manager knew what he was ”if-ing” about. ”If the investigation is clear, I guarantee the funds will be in your account within twenty-four hours.”

”But if the investigation finds that the cause of the fire is outside our insurance plan, then I’m very sorry, Mr. Richard, even if I were willing to give it to you, the president and the chairman would not agree...”

Mr. Richard stared at the insurance manager with what he felt was a very fierce gaze, but the latter still had that same smirking look, showing no sign of being threatened at all.

After sending away this ”friend,” who always pushed the responsibility onto the president and the board, who always said he was on his side, but whose eyes revealed a ”resolute refusal to pay,” Mr. Richard returned to his chair and sat for a while.

He then picked up the phone and dialed the number for the police chief’s office.

”This is the police chief’s office...”

Because it was an external call, the chief’s voice was very soft. Who knew who was calling? What if it was a big shot?

After all, a minor character wouldn’t deserve to know this number.

”It’s me, Richard.”

”Mr. Richard?”

”Do you have something to add, or some new clues or evidence?” This was the only thing the police chief could think of.

But what Mr. Richard said next was beyond his expectations.

Mr. Richard lowered his voice. ”Can you issue a certificate, proving it was a fire caused by a production accident?”

The police chief was stunned. Not long ago, Mr. Richard had just come by, and had been quite certain it was arson, and had even given him some pressure.

But now, he had suddenly changed his tune, asking him to say it wasn’t intentional arson... He was a bit confused.

”Mr. Richard, I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

”Thirty thousand.”

”What?”

”Thirty thousand, transferred to your designated account. This was an accident.”

The police chief didn’t answer immediately. After about ten seconds, he first said, ”Uh,” his tone hesitant.

”Fifty thousand.”

The police chief was stunned and quickly explained, ”That’s not what I mean...”

”Sixty thousand!”

”I am the victim. You only need to be responsible to me. Right now, I consider it an accident.”

”You issue the accident report, no need to waste police resources, no one will get hurt, and this case will be closed quickly and cleanly.”

”It’s good for you, it’s good for me. What do you say?”

A police chief in a small city rarely has the opportunity to get this much money. Usually, they just collect a little, three or five hundred, one or two thousand.

Suddenly getting sixty thousand was a big shock to him.

The fifty thousand Mr. Richard had donated before was to the police department and didn’t really have much to do with him. But this sixty thousand was directly for him. His breathing gradually became rapid.

”The fire destroyed a lot of evidence at the scene. It’s very difficult for us to restore the cause of the fire, but it doesn’t look like it was man-made...”

Mr. Richard immediately corrected him. ”It’s not ’doesn’t look like.’ It was an accident!”

The police chief acknowledged his viewpoint. ”Yes, this was an accident.”

”Very good. Give me an account number. After the investigation results are out, you will see my sincerity!”

Afterward, he made another call to the fire chief. It only took forty thousand to settle the fire chief.

If this fire was an accident, then the insurance company would have to pay them at least over a million.

But if this fire was not an accident, the insurance company wouldn’t pay a cent!

These damn vampires, they weren’t like this when they were collecting money, fuck!

Mr. Richard had never thought that he, who was considered a celebrity in this city, would actually have a day where he was extorted!

This was a day he was treated the same as those injured workers!