Empire of Shadows

As mentioned before, thinking is a very destructive thing.

You can be good friends with your bestie, your best brother, forever, but the premise is not to think about some of the details when you are together.

As long as you think about it, go to think, go to interpret, you will find that maybe you are not the best besties, the best brothers.

The country of Rapa, the social structure here is the same.

Before Lance had proposed this theme and had led the people, under the condition of having a preconceived notion, to think and explore, these Rapa people, including Pedro, did not feel that there was any problem with their country.

For so many years, haven’t they all come through like this?

From their ancestors, to their grandfathers, to their parents, and then to them, and then to their children and their even more distant descendants.

Everyone had come through like this.

It’s possible that at a certain special period, they would feel disappointed with life, but soon they would be perfunctorily dismissed by ”this is life,” and then would continue to maintain their current life.

It’s as if the whole world has a powerful force of correction, which can make them ignore the unreasonable things in life.And then until Lance mentioned it.

With a comparison, some of the things that people could actually tolerate would be magnified, for example, the problem of food.

Food is a problem that everyone cannot avoid, because to live, one has to eat.

Everyone has to eat every day.

What’s on the dinner table of the federal people?

On the dinner tables of those at the bottom.

It’s beef, it’s vegetables, it’s whole-wheat bread or bread made from refined flour, and also butter, or cheese, or something else.

Clearly everyone is a minor character at the very bottom, why can the federal people eat their fill, and eat a variety, while the Rapa people can only eat those garbage-like foods?

The labor that everyone has put in is the same, why can the federal workers get a salary that can meet the needs of themselves and their families, but the Rapa people may not even be able to fill their stomachs?

Sometimes, to derail a topic, all it takes is a single complaint!

Sometimes the discussion would be very intense, for example, when Lance had asked a question—

”The government of Rapa, in the process of the country’s development, has it played any positive role in promoting it?”

”Although we are always saying that the federal government is not good, and there are also people who curse the president or sue the president, the federal government has played a key role in the process of social development.”

”Under the auspices of the federal government, the banks will give loans to small or micro enterprises to help them get through the cold winter.”

”It will also give some entrepreneurs a certain degree of policy support, or loan support, so that they can smoothly establish their own business empires.”

”The government of the Federation has always been playing a positive role in promoting, so the government of Rapa, the Diego presidential government, have they played these roles?”

”What role have they played in the process of social progress in Rapa?”

This topic was clearly to stir up trouble. If it had been at the beginning, perhaps the people here would all have remained silent.

Diego was not an easy guy to provoke. He might be able to restrain his temper in front of foreigners, but to his own countrymen, he was always synonymous with a great demon king.

It was just that after several rounds of fanning the flames and guidance, these ”ideologically progressive” gentlemen who were participating in the discussion had completely let go, and they had begun to complain about the inaction of the Diego government.

”I have never heard of any ordinary person being able to get a loan from a bank. Although they do have this business, it’s just like... as you have heard, Mr. Lance, people like us are all classified as the lower class.”

”We can’t get a single cent from a bank, while those upper-class people, they can get money from a bank without any collateral.”

”The gap between the rich and the poor in society will only get wider and wider. And the facts are indeed so. The rich get richer, and we, the poor, will only get poorer!”

The speaker’s words had won the approval of the members of the seminar. Pedro also couldn’t help but express some of his own views.

”Our government has not played the role that a government should. They have not thought of helping our country and people to achieve a common prosperity. They are just making themselves rich.”

”Look here, all the industries that can make money are either controlled by them, or they have to be given a share. But they rarely spend the money they have earned on the ordinary people.”

”This has formed a vicious circle. Wealth is only constantly flowing among a small group of people, which is harmful to most people!”

”This is not at all like the government of the Federation. They get taxes from the hands of the public, and then they spend this money on the people.”

”So even the lowest-level workers, on their dinner tables, can have, can have beef!”

Pedro was panting. After saying these words, he felt that his whole person was comfortable, just like... having been constipated for a long time and suddenly having a smooth bowel movement.

He leaned back in his chair, his hands crossed over his chest. ”What’s worse is that we can’t change anything!”

This sentence had, in an instant, made the originally lively discussion in the reading room quiet down.

Another high school teacher from another city said in a low voice, ”The biggest difference between us and the Federation is that the power structure of the Federation is from the bottom up.”

”The people, through an election, elect the politicians they think are reliable, and trustworthy.”

”The politicians who are elected by these people construct the system of the entire country. Then the politicians who have come from the people will definitely consider the interests of the people.”

”But in Rapa, the power is from the top down, and is hereditary.”

”The president’s son is still the president, and the minister’s son is also still a minister. As for us?”

”The son of a commoner will always be a commoner!”

The guy who was speaking was in his fifties. His hair was already gray, and his build was on the thin side. He was wearing a pair of round, black-framed glasses. The lenses looked a little blurry, and they should have been used for a long time.

He took off his glasses, wiped the lenses with his clothes, and put them back on. ”I have been wearing these glasses for seventeen or eighteen years. It’s not that they have any special meaning to me, but just because I am reluctant to spend the money to buy a new pair.”

”Because a new one is very expensive and requires two months of my salary.”

”This is Rapa, so terrible that it makes people feel suffocated!”

”If we don’t change the current structure of society, let alone catching up with the Federation, we can’t even take the first step!”

The room immediately became quiet. He had touched on the core of the problem. The power of Rapa did not come from the people, so the people would not profit from the matter of ruling.

This was a dead end. If this was not changed, it seemed that they would never be able to develop like the Federation.

A few more smiles appeared on Lance’s face. If a person has not been disappointed, and even despaired, how can he have the idea of opening up a new path?

”What about the Jede Republic?” Lance asked. ”The power of the Jede Republic also seems to be hereditary. I hear that their power is always circulating in a small circle, which is very similar to the situation in Rapa.”

”Why can the Jede Republic do it, but Rapa can’t?”

When a person is in an emotional state, they will lose some of their ability to think. If they were to calm down now, they would be able to feel that Lance seemed to be guiding them.

But now their emotions were surging, and they simply could not consider the situation here. The middle-aged and elderly teacher continued, ”The ruling class of the Jede Republic is relatively more enlightened, and also very smart.”

”They know the benefits that a strong country can bring them, and they have also tasted the sweetness from this, so they will become more and more civilized, and open, just like the Federation.”

”Maybe in the end they will not let the people decide who is the ruler, but they will hand over a part of the development dividends to the hands of the ordinary people, instead of depositing them in their own banks.”

”This is the biggest difference. We need a group of smart...” His words suddenly stopped here, and he did not continue, but everyone knew what he was trying to express.

Rapa is controlled by a group of greedy and stupid ruling group, which has delayed their development, and has also made the people live in pain.

”To change a ruler” is a very dangerous thought, but this thought has a very strong ability to survive, and to infect.

If you don’t have this thought, then you won’t follow it and think about it.

But once you have this thought, it will entangle you like a demon, and will grip you tighter and tighter.

The room was very quiet. Everyone had their own thoughts. The group consciousness was vividly displayed at this moment!

When a leader appears in a chaotic crowd, the sheep who have no direction will surge towards the position of this leader.

Change a president.

Change a group of rulers!

This dangerous information had turned into the nourishment for a dangerous seed, and had entered everyone’s heart.

However, no one had continued to discuss this issue, and Lance had not continued to lead the topic in this direction, but had talked about education, about the different education systems between the two countries.

There were many teachers here. They were more attentive to this issue, and also knew more about it.

Pedro had also once again joined in the heated discussion.

Unconsciously, it had come to dinner time. Lance had taken them to a nearby restaurant. He had booked the entire restaurant.

More delicious food than at noon, and more cooking techniques. Some of the participants, at this very moment, couldn’t help but sigh that this was ”life” in the true sense, and not just living.

When he had returned to his hotel at night, Pedro was organizing some of the things he had recorded during the day’s discussion. After checking it again, he had placed it in his bedside cabinet, and then he had lain on his bed, waiting to rest.

The Federation’s television had not even been popularized, let alone Rapa.

There was a radio station here, but there was only one radio station, and many times it was not working.

It was only during the holidays that it would make a sound, to sing the praises of the ruling group.

Pedro, lying on his bed, had no intention of sleeping. He was resting his head on his pillow, thinking about the things they had discussed in the afternoon.

Gradually, the ”elements” of the discussion had gradually gathered together and had formed a more complete thought in his heart.

If the current ruling group is not replaced, the people of Rapa will never be happy, and will never be able to usher in a development like that of the Federation, not even as good as the Jede Republic.

This had made Pedro suddenly become extremely desperate!

The dark night was tightly binding him at this moment. He was gasping for breath, and his breathing had become exceptionally heavy!

He closed his eyes. After a long while, his emotions were finally relieved.

When a person is in despair, he will really be very desperate!

If he didn’t know all this, he would be like the people outside, the ordinary people, the people who were sleeping on the side of the road, not thinking about anything, not considering anything.

When the day breaks, they will show a smile to the people around them. When it gets dark, they will find a place to huddle and spend the night. Perhaps he would not have so many troubles.

He thought of his children, and then of the life of the federal students in the movie, and of the fact that the children could, under such a free sky, breathe the fresh and sweet air, drink the sweet water, and enjoy the freedom from the inside out. He had an impulse!

People should be free. Nature has nurtured humanity, not for humanity to be locked in a cage from birth.

People also need freedom. Only by soaring in a free sky can they bloom with a brilliant light!

He had thought a lot at night, and in the end, he had fallen into a deep sleep in a daze.

When he woke up the next morning, he looked a little haggard. When he was leaving the hotel, he had just happened to run into the middle-aged and elderly teacher from yesterday.

The two had greeted each other and had walked towards the library together.

”What do you think... is the purpose of the federal people having us participate in these seminars, playing movies for us, and promoting all kinds of content?” Pedro asked.

In fact, he already had an answer in his heart, but he himself didn’t quite believe it, or rather, he didn’t think this result was feasible.

The middle-aged and elderly teacher smiled. ”Many times in class, when a student asks me a question that is not in the scope of learning, I am more inclined to let him think for himself.”

”In fact, he doesn’t know. When he asks this question, he already has an answer in his heart, but he is just not sure.”

”He is not sure if the answer in his heart is consistent with the answer in our books, if it is the correct answer, so that’s why he will ask.”

”Pedro, is it okay if I call you that?”

Pedro nodded and said, ”Of course.”

”When you ask me this question, is it that you also already have an answer in your heart, but you are just not sure if this answer is correct?”

Looking at the half-smile on the old teacher’s face, Pedro had already gotten what he wanted.

From the subtle changes on his face and expression, the old teacher laughed out loud. ”My thoughts are the same as yours. They did not come with good intentions.”

”However, I have only seen their ill intentions, which are not aimed at us, but at those who have affected Rapa for so many years.”

”As for the unfriendliness towards us, I have not found it. I think they are in great need of us.”

”Perhaps this is the reason why they are constantly showing us, letting us to understand the freedom, the human rights, the democracy of the Federation. They want to use these things to buy us.”

The two crossed the road and ran two steps.

Although there were not many vehicles on the streets of Zhuolan, it did not mean there were none.

The police here were elusive. They would drive away the ordinary people who were lingering on the road, and the way to drive them away was to hit them with the sticks in their hands.

The two were both teachers. They certainly did not want to be chased by a stick.

Pedro could feel the wisdom of the old teacher. He asked humbly, ”Do you think this is a good thing, or a bad thing for us?”

The old teacher smiled and pursed his lips. ”This question is very difficult to explain clearly. I’ll give you an example.”

”We are all poor people, and those people are the rich. Now there is a group of outsiders who have come and told us.”

”They will give us money, and have us to support them. Do you think this is a good thing, or a bad thing?”

Pedro replied with a thoughtful look, ”In the short term, it’s a good thing.”

The old teacher also saw it this way. ”Yes, at least we have gotten the money now, as for the future...”

He stopped, a faint smile on his face. ”Our life is already like this. Even if it gets worse, how much worse can it get?”

This sentence was clearly biased. Pedro, after a short thought, also agreed with his idea. ”As you said, even if it gets worse, it can’t get much worse.”

The old teacher sighed lightly. ”Actually... it’s not that I have any prejudice or dissatisfaction against them... alright, I have a little.”

”It’s just that we should take a look at this world.”

”In the past, the world was only this small piece of land in front of us. We could maintain that kind of a life, because to be weak, to be backward, would not bring destruction.”

”But the situation is different now, Pedro. The war that is happening is telling us that to be weak is to be destroyed!”

”Our families, ourselves, our property, our land, everything, will become the spoils of others.”

”I know that saying this might make you feel... that I’m a little unrealistic, but I want to tell you.”

”If we don’t change, it may be too late.”

”I don’t want my children and grandchildren to become slaves. Although the Federation has abolished slavery, they have not said that slavery is also abolished in the overseas territories.”

”And this is also an opportunity, an opportunity to break the class barriers.”

”No matter what you think, I will take the initiative to seize it.”

He stopped at this point, and then patted Pedro’s arm, and walked into the library.

Pedro looked back at the bustling street and the crowd under the steps, at the gray sun. He stood there in a daze for a while, and then he also followed and entered the library.

For several days in a row, the people who were participating in the seminar in the library had all gone through a ”baptism.” They had come into contact with many things, for example, ”the spirit of freedom,” ”power comes from the people,” ”the working class and the ordinary people are the main body of the country.”

If the local ruling group had known about these topics they were discussing, they would definitely have told them that these were all the conspiracies of the capitalist countries, and were a virulent poison.

But for people like Pedro, this was a kind of a honey, a kind of a honey that could let them feel the future and hope. It was a panacea!