Empire of Shadows

Diego had heard some things about this person, Lance White, so when his foreign minister brother-in-law mentioned this matter, some images could appear in his mind.

It was just that at this moment, he looked at his brother-in-law with some uncertainty. ”Do you think a gangster guy can bring us much investment?”

”A few thousand, tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands?”

He didn’t really think highly of these things.

However, his brother-in-law clearly had a different opinion.

”Diego, times have changed. If we can’t keep up with the times, it won’t be like in the past, where we would just stay where we were, but we will be completely eliminated by the times.”

Rapa is not a rich country. Everyone knows this very well.

But this does not mean that there are no rich countries on the land of Yalan, for example, the currently strongest Jede Republic.

A stable regime, a reliable army, and the rising capitalism in the country have made the Jede Republic the richest and most powerful country on the land of Yalan, bar none.

The one who had initiated the United Alliance of Yalan Nations meeting this time was also the Jede Republic.They are the core group that truly does not want the federal people to station troops in Yalan and to expand their influence, because they are on the fast track of development.

Rapid development brings a huge growth in national strength. If there is no interference from external forces, perhaps in ten, twenty years, the Jede Republic will be able to start annexing the surrounding countries, and in the end, it might unify the entire Yalan region and become the only country in Yalan.

So that’s why they are so strongly opposed to the stationing of troops by the federal people, and why they have so quickly promoted the holding and passing of the Yalan League meeting.

Everyone could see the development of the Jede Republic, but it wasn’t that these things could be learned by just anyone.

To have the ruling group take out the money that should have gone into their own pockets and put it into the pockets of others, there was a high probability that they couldn’t do it.

Although they couldn’t do it, it didn’t prevent them from continuing to rule their country in the way they had before.

Some of the surrounding countries were developing, while some were still treading water. In a short period of time, at least in the next ten years, it was unlikely that there would be any changes. Rapa was still Rapa, and the Jede Republic was still the Jede Republic.

But now, with the addition of the variable of the Federation, it was not quite the same.

The Foreign Minister was in contact with this kind of work every day, so he knew this very well. Elimination did not mean becoming poorer and more backward, but being ”erased.”

The ruling group, and also this country.

The Federation’s ambition was almost written on their faces. The fact that they had rashly participated in a war that had not a single bit of relationship with them showed that they could no longer bear the loneliness.

Of course, the Foreign Minister didn’t actually know clearly that participating in the war was not just about not being able to bear the loneliness. The most crucial thing was that there were too many internal conflicts that needed to be resolved by means of exporting war.

For example, the increasing unemployment rate, and the high school students who were graduating year after year and needed a job.

The social economy was on a downward slope, factories and enterprises were constantly going bankrupt, and more and more people were losing their job opportunities, but the cost of living had not changed.

The conflicts between the classes were also increasing with the growing class differences.

The politicians of the Federation, compared to solving these problems from within, had found that it was, on the contrary, simpler to export the problems.

War would bring orders, promote economic recovery, and at the same time, it would also consume a part of the population, to maintain the rapidly expanding federal population at a relatively appropriate average.

Of course, this referred to the things that the federal government could get in the situation where they were not sure if they could achieve a final victory in this war, which was also a kind of a guaranteed minimum of income.

The result was unexpectedly good. They had exceeded their intended goals, by a lot, so their strategy had begun to change.

People are just like this. If you win a dollar, you hope to win two.

Their international posture was changing, and the pressure they were putting on the Yalan region would also continuously increase.

And in order to counter the Federation, the Foreign Minister believed that it was very likely that the Yalan League would eventually evolve into the ultimate form of a country.

A political group mainly composed of the ruling group of the Jede Republic, they would control the political succession in the other ten member countries, and would become the ”co-lords” in the substantive sense.

He had talked about this with Diego, but Diego was not very concerned. He felt that this day might not come while he was still alive.

As for whether it would come after he was dead, he didn’t care.

Diego was always not so fond of these ”complaints” of his brother-in-law. ”You’re always talking about the times, the trends, or something. Can it change anything about us?”

”No, it can’t change anything. This country is already like this. No one can change it!”

”And, is this the reason why you supported our establishing diplomatic relations with the Federation?”

In the matter of establishing diplomatic relations with the Federation, his brother-in-law had also played a role.

Cassia was originally just an undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce. The Minister of Commerce was held by a person from another family, and he basically did not do much.

The development of the country’s private commerce was mainly managed by Cassia, but no one thought that his job was very important—

Because the truly profitable, monopolistic enterprises were all in the hands of the ruling group, so the objects that Cassia needed to connect with and help in his work were many small and micro enterprises.

In the commercial system of Rapa, they were all at the absolute bottom. Even without Cassia, they could easily handle this bottom-level ecosystem.

On the contrary, after Cassia had visited the Federation twice, and had proposed the idea of establishing diplomatic relations with the Federation, he had obtained the support of the Foreign Minister.

And before, they had also invited the federal merchant, Alberto, to come and visit, which had let the Foreign Minister see Cassia’s diplomatic ability.

Relatively speaking.

So there was such an opportunity.

His brother-in-law was silent for a moment, and then he smiled and agreed with his point of view. ”You’re right. You still see things more clearly.”

”It was me who was thinking too complicatedly.”

This flattery had made a smile appear on Diego’s face. ”Haha, I don’t know if you’re being sincere, but I like what you said.”

As he spoke, he touched his cheek. ”Call Gomez. Tell him, I want to see this gangster boss.”

”If he wants to do business on my turf, it’s tantamount to taking money from my pocket and putting it in his own. I always have to know what the person who is stealing my wealth looks like, right?”

The Foreign Minister looked at Diego with some worry. ”I hear he has a good relationship with the high-level of the Federation. Don’t be reckless.”

Diego snorted twice. ”I won’t be reckless. I still understand this.”

Soon Gomez had received this news. He had just sat down for not long, and then he had gone to see Lance again. ”Diego said he wants to see you at dinner.”

Lance was looking at some of the documents that he had sorted out before he came, and also some of the confidential-level documents that Senator Cleveland had had someone send over.

He closed the file and looked at Gomez with some surprise. ”Why would he want to see me?”

Gomez knew Diego very well. ”Someone must have told him something, and he’s interested.”

Lance raised his eyebrows. ”Then I’ll just go and see him. After all, he can be considered the ’demon king’ of this game.”

Gomez was a little worried. He looked at Lance. ”Don’t provoke him easily!”

Lance nodded. ”I know.”

At Diego’s invitation, at a little after five in the evening, Lance’s group, including Roger and some of the members of the business delegation, had been invited to the Grand Presidential Palace in Zhuolan.

The Grand Presidential Palace was built on a slope in the northwest of Zhuolan. It looked as magnificent as a king’s palace.

Logically, a general presidential palace would not be built like this. After all, no president can be in power forever, so no matter how well it is built, it is impossible to live here forever.

But the Yalan region is an exception. Many of the presidents, prime ministers, and the like here are hereditary, so they will build the place where they live, work, and live like a royal palace.

As the convoy slowly wound its way up the winding driveway, it finally stopped outside the Grand Presidential Palace. Lance got out of the car. The great president’s men were already at the door to welcome them.

Although this place was poor and backward, they still had the proper etiquette, which at least showed that although they were poor and backward, they were still a civilized country.

After having seen the Rapa Grand Hotel, Lance had already had a little immunity to the luxury of the Grand Presidential Palace.

Soon, under the guidance of the palace-like attendants here, he and the others had come to a very huge reception room.

It might have been seven or eight hundred square meters, or even larger. It was very empty. There were exquisite murals on the surrounding walls, and in addition, the entire luxurious, glittering and golden decoration style, gave off an air of a nouveau riche.

In such a large room, there were only a few combination sofas, and a coffee table, in the very center of the room.

Diego was already sitting there. He looked short and fat.

Once a person is short and fat, and in addition, the skin color of the people here is generally a little darker, he will definitely not be good-looking.

And his obese physique had added a lot of health risks. Some of his skin had shown signs of acanthosis nigricans. He might have diabetes, and it was not light.

When Lance had entered the room, he had also seen him drinking water by the mouthful, but in a small place like this, there was a high probability that people were not clear about his situation, and what he would face.

When Diego saw Lance, he had no intention of standing up, but just sized him up with a look of curiosity. ”You are Lance White.”

Lance bowed slightly. ”It’s a great pleasure to meet you, Your Excellency, the respected Great President.”

Diego raised his thick and fat hand and motioned for Lance to sit down. ”I hear you have come to Rapa to invest. I am very curious.”

”I was born in this country, and it has been more than forty years. I have never known what is worth investing in here.”

”On the contrary, I think you should be more interested in Jede. Their economy is more developed, and there are also more opportunities to make money, unlike here, where everything is very backward, and the people are also very poor.”

”So, can you satisfy my curiosity?”

Looking at such a big fat man showing a look full of curiosity, Lance did not disappoint him. ”Actually, in my opinion, Rapa, Aldra, Jede, these Yalan countries are not much different.”

”A developed social economy does give you a chance to make more money, but it also means that the competition will be more intense. Those who lack competitiveness will, on the contrary, suffer a loss.”

”Rapa’s economy is not considered developed, but the competitiveness here is very small. We don’t need to pay too much to be able to get a steady stream of income.”

”And, Your Excellency Great President, you should know better than me.”

”People are the thing that can continuously generate benefits, not anything else.”

This sentence might have been a bit out of context, but Diego had actually understood it.

He had understood it not because he had read between the lines of what Lance had said, but because he had understood what he had said very directly.

People are resources. With people, you can make money.

Just like his way of making money, the resources are in the ground and won’t run away, but it takes people to exploit them.

As long as there are people, even if they go to cut down trees, they can bring benefits.

So people are the core resource.

This was how he understood it.

Diego was very satisfied with Lance’s answer after he had heard it. He asked again, ”Then what are you planning to invest in here?”

Lance pursed his lips and spread his hands. ”I have just arrived here, and I have not yet systematically observed this society. I can’t give you a definite answer. I have to see what is here before I can make a decision.”

Diego nodded and said, ”A very cautious approach. No problem.”

He glanced at Gomez in the crowd. ”Are you very familiar with Gomez?”

This question had made Gomez break out in a cold sweat. He kept a straight face, without any expression, as if he had not heard what Diego was saying.

At the same time, he was begging in his heart for Lance not to say things like ”we are very familiar” or ”we are friends.” He had already mastered some relatively special information. If he was still so close to the federal people, perhaps Diego would really have to consider how to shut him up.

Lance also glanced at Gomez, and then said with a smile, ”We’ve met a few times.”

”The first time was when Alberto had introduced me to him. Later, he had been to the Federation a few times, and it just so happened that I was also living on the Golden Port City side.”

Diego had a ”so that’s how it is” expression. He even asked with curiosity, ”Why didn’t Mr. Alberto come?”

”He and I can be considered old friends!”

Alberto and Diego did have some friendship. He had given Diego some things, which were not anything particularly good in the Federation, but were definitely rare in Rapa.

Diego had no friends. This federal friend, who he almost never met, and had no relationship with Rapa, and had no interest in the domestic ruling group, had become one of his few friends.

”He’s dead.”

Diego was stunned for a moment. ”That’s really regrettable news. I thought I would have a chance to chat with him again.”

This news had made the atmosphere in the room a little heavy. During this period, Diego had had another large glass of iced fruit juice from the table.

”Actually, my impression of the federal people is not bad. They are rich, generous, but recently, some of your actions are not very pleasing.”

”They say you want to invade Yalan and to annex the eleven countries, including Rapa. Is that right?”

This question had made the atmosphere in the room not only heavy, but also grave and tense.

Lance, on the contrary, was not very nervous. Maybe for others, some of the rumors about this Great President Diego could make them feel scared, and uneasy.

But Lance was not afraid. He had encountered things that were more dangerous than this, and he believed that even if Diego was a fool, he was a fool who could control a country. He would not be so stupid as to really do anything.

”This is a lie, Your Excellency Great President.”

”Actually, the federal government just doesn’t want to be ambushed by the Dantra people again, and also wants to help our neighbors to develop their own economy.”

Diego tilted his head and asked, ”Then why don’t you just give us money?”

”As long as you give us money, we will become rich.”

There was not a single bit of noise in the main hall. Lance frowned slightly. This question was very stupid, but it seemed to be not so stupid. He felt that perhaps people’s evaluation of this Great President Diego was not so accurate.

”I give you a fish, and you eat it, and you can fill your stomach, but you can only fill your stomach once.”

”But if I teach you how to use a fishing net, then you can fish for yourself, and you can always fill your stomach.”

”So when the Federation and the Yalan League were negotiating, they had mentioned the problem of developing a bilateral free economy, to use the Federation’s advanced development experience to drive the economic development of the backward Yalan region.”

”This is more meaningful than just giving you a sum of money. To have a sum of money is just a sum of money, but to learn to make money is to be able to always make money!”

Diego grinned after he had heard it. ”You are very good at talking, Lance.”

He glanced at the time and stood up, supporting himself with the armrests of his chair. ”Let’s stop here for now. Are you hungry?”

Lance timely touched his stomach. ”I am indeed a little hungry.”

”Alright, my friend from the Federation, I’ll take you to taste the delicacies of Rapa!”

The dinner could not be said to be luxurious or not. Beef and mutton were all very common ingredients, including seafood and the like.

It could only be said that the ingredients were fresh enough, and the taste was okay, not unpalatable, but to say how amazing or delicious it was, not necessarily.

After the meal, Lance had chatted with Diego for a while more. When he was about to say his goodbyes, Diego had told Lance that although he was a person of the Federation, he hoped that Lance could respect and abide by the laws of Rapa. If he were to break the law here, he might not let Lance go directly back to the Federation.

Lance had said okay on the surface, but in his heart, he had not taken it to heart.

The convoy he had brought this time were all the latest models of armored vehicles that had not yet been in service. They had the ability to be bulletproof.

If you remove the circular plate on the roof of the car, and install different accessories, you can choose between a machine gun turret and a small-caliber cannon.

With these things, even if Diego were to bring out their regular army, it was not that they couldn’t fight a battle.

However, on the surface, he still expressed his respect for the local laws of Rapa.

After returning to the hotel, Gomez said with a grim face, ”He suspects me.”

Lance looked Gomez up and down and shook his head slightly. ”Could it be that you are too rich?”