Empire of Shadows

Diego’s public speech had only lasted for thirty minutes, and Lance could still tell that he had probably made some cuts to the manuscript.

Some places clearly felt disjointed, especially those centered on ”flattering the people.”

Lance hadn’t dealt with Diego for a long time, nor had it been many times, but he could feel that this was a typical president, a ruler, who still held onto the ”old slave-owner mentality.”

He treated the people of this country as his own slaves, so when he was asked to say some words of flattery to the people, he would feel uncomfortable.

This was like the slave owners before the Federation’s Emancipation Movement. If you asked them to say, ”As long as you work hard, I will free you, and give you a piece of land, so that you can live a peaceful and prosperous life,” you might as well just pull out a gun and give them two shots, so that they could at least die comfortably.

They couldn’t say such words. For them, a slave was just an animal, no different from a horse in a stable, a cow in a cowshed, a sheep in a sheep pen, or a dog in a kennel.

They were all tools for them to make money, for them to obtain wealth.

Or even worse than tools.

They couldn’t say these words.

But if you asked them to say, ”If you don’t fucking move your ass from that stone, and move your hands to let me know that you are fucking working, I will hang you,” they would definitely be very willing, and could clearly, continuously, and with a hint of a gray, humorous tone, say this long sentence—A long sentence has always been the natural enemy of a person with a low level of education.

Diego also had this mentality. How could he possibly flatter his slaves?

He couldn’t do it. He was a president who cared about his face.

On this issue, he was actually not too qualified. Because a qualified president would, when necessary, say the necessary words, even if it was against his heart.

After Diego had finished speaking, Lance patted the side of his pants, and with both hands on the surface of his knees, he used a little strength to stand up.

”Help me to contact the president. I need to see him as soon as possible.”

Gomez immediately went to make a call. At this time, Diego had just returned from the large balcony of the Presidential Palace.

He always gave his public speeches on that balcony, including his father, his grandfather, his ancestors.

They were all like this. Of course, in the past, it might not have been at the Presidential Palace, but at some other place, but he needed to stand in a protruding place, a place higher than where others stood.

Diego, while wiping his hands and cheeks with a snow-white silk handkerchief—the temperature now made him feel very comfortable, and he was wiping his face and hands not because he was hot, but just because he had a lot of oil.

In just a short while, a thin layer of grease would seem to be secreted from the surface of his body. If he didn’t wipe it, his epidermis would soon start to reflect light, and he didn’t like this state.

His skin was already a little dark. If it was also oily and shiny, he would feel very strange.

He casually threw the used silk handkerchief to the butler. The pure white handkerchief was already stained with a layer of dirt and grease mixed together.

If this handkerchief, after being treated, could be restored to its pure white, then there was still a possibility of it being used.

If not, it would be disposed of.

The things in the Presidential Palace, even if they were crushed, and burned, would not be given to the servants. This was a rule.

”Master, it’s a call from Gomez.”

The president looked at the butler who was standing not far away, holding the receiver. He turned and swayed as he walked over. ”Later, find the best shoemaker in the city. I have to change a pair of shoes.”

”This pair of shoes is not very comfortable to wear. I can’t even walk straight, or steadily.”

He had attributed the problem of his swaying walk to his shoes not being good, not to himself being too fat.

The butler agreed with a smile. He was already used to Diego finding all kinds of reasons to absolve himself.

He picked up the phone, his tone a little impatient.

Gomez had been getting very close to the federal people, and he didn’t like it.

The federal people were not good people. On this point, he and the great president of the Jede Republic shared the same view.

It was just that the Jede Republic’s side had a certain strength and capital to refuse, while he, the president of a poor and backward place in Rapa, did not have this qualification.

Originally, he had already planned to get rid of Gomez, but he would run to Lance’s side for no reason, which, on the contrary, had made him feel a little tricky.

In a few days, he was planning to announce the decision to revoke Gomez’s position as the president of the chamber of commerce, and to re-appoint a new president.

”Is there something that you have to call me about now?” His tone was very unfriendly, with a hint of dissatisfaction and anger that could be felt, and also a hint of something unsettling.

It was like a piece of bone in a piece of meat. When you were chewing, you would always want to find it, to chew it, and then to spit it out hard.

Gomez knew that by making this call, he had already had no way out. This was also a kind of a statement.

”Mr. Lance wants to meet with you.”

Hearing this answer, Diego was very angry. He felt that Gomez had betrayed him. He had trusted Gomez so much!

Alright, not that much trust.

”Have you started to work for the federal people now?”

”Gomez?!”

Gomez’s mouth was a little bitter. He knew how terrible this fatty was. He pretended not to hear this not-so-easy-to-answer question, and had adopted another method, a method that might even make people feel a little targeted, to continue to push the conversation.

”What is your answer?”

”Mr. President!”

Diego’s teeth were itching a little. He glanced at the time. ”Just before dinner today.”

”I have time before dinner. Come to the Grand Presidential Palace.”

He hung up the phone as he spoke, cursed Lance, the Federation, and Gomez a few times, and then he swayed as he walked towards his room.

He now needed to drink a glass of iced fruit juice, and then to lie in bed for a while, to relieve his body’s fatigue.

If it weren’t for the fact that the temperature had dropped a little now, he would actually have preferred to lie in an open-air pool.

The feeling of the water washing over his body could make his mood much better.

A little over an hour later, Lance had arrived at the Presidential Palace. The Great President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs were, in a conference room in the Presidential Palace, receiving Lance.

A side hall, not the main hall.

It wasn’t that Diego was reluctant to use the main hall, but mainly that Lance did not have any official background. To use the main hall would make Diego feel that he was a step lower than the Federation, to have to use the main hall to receive a non-official person.

Although he was indeed a step lower than the Federation.

In a side hall, there were no such concerns.

After Lance had shaken hands with the two of them, and under the guidance of a staff member, he had come to the side of his sofa and had sat down.

”I have just listened to your public speech, President Diego. It will serve as an important warning and help to the people of Rapa. I believe the problem will be solved soon.”

Diego and the Minister of Foreign Affairs both nodded. There was no problem with what he had said.

However, Lance soon changed the subject. ”I noticed that you said the Jede Republic has aided a batch of grain to Rapa.”

Diego confirmed this news again. ”Yes, 350,000 tons of wheat.”

”We plan to grind it into wheat flour. This way, compared to just eating wheat kernels, it can give a greater sense of satiety.”

He meant to make the wheat flour into bread or flatbread, and then to add other things in it. Anyway, as long as people didn’t starve to death.

Lance nodded slightly. ”What agreements have you reached with the Jede Republic?”

”What is it that has made them willing to part with so much grain?”

Diego was stunned for a moment, and then an unhappy expression appeared on his face. ”I’m afraid this has nothing to do with you, does it?”

”This is a transaction between us and Jede. You don’t need to know, nor is it necessary for you to know.”

It could be seen that he was very unhappy now, and felt that he had been offended.

If it were someone else who had said it, for example, a federal ambassador, or some diplomatic personnel, he would have felt a little more comfortable.

Who is Lance?

A gangster boss, to just swagger in here, and to ask him what transaction he has reached with the Jede Republic?!

He could feel the arrogance behind Lance’s seemingly calm appearance, of not taking him seriously!

So when he spoke, he was also very impolite, and his voice was a little loud.

Lance, listening to his noise, did not rush to refute or to do anything. He smiled and picked up the coffee cup that the butler had just brought, and stirred it a few times with a stirring stick before taking a small sip. ”This concerns the interests of the federal investors in Rapa.”

He looked up at Diego. ”Me, us, those investors from the Federation.”

”What they have taken a fancy to is not how high the cultural level of the people here is, nor is it that you can help them to achieve a class leap, and it is certainly not because there is a complete and supporting industry here.”

”The reason why people come here to invest is because of the cheap labor and the cheap resources.”

”If you have reached some agreement with Jede, for example, through the method of exchanging resources, to have the Jede Republic give you a batch of grain aid,”

”And thus the interests of the federal investors have been harmed...”

He put down his coffee cup. Although he had been very careful, and had put it down very lightly, the moment the bottom of the coffee cup had touched the saucer, it had still made a slight sound.

He looked up at Diego. ”We will hold you responsible.”

The two looked at each other. Diego was staring at Lance with a fierce look that he could already show, but for Lance, he was still far from it.

His eyes, and also his expression, were indeed very fierce, very scary, but also very empty.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs timely inserted himself between them. ”This is our country’s internal affair!”

Diego took a deep breath and looked away. Lance then looked at the Minister of Foreign Affairs. ”I said, we need to protect the interests of the investors.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs was a little annoyed. ”How are you going to protect them?”

Lance answered very quickly, ”I need to know what transaction you have reached!”

For a moment, a country’s president, and his foreign minister, were so pressed by Lance that they might not even be able to speak clearly.

Seeing that the two were still not speaking, Lance began to say, ”Mineral resources, the big trees in the wild, rubber plantations, orchards, light and heavy industries, including the labor force, these are all what we need.”

”If you have allocated some of the mines, or the resources in a certain region, to them,”

”Or if something else has happened, in short, to have the interests of the federal investors been harmed,”

”Then, it will be the time for us to act!”

He did not show any weakness, but was completely face-to-face, holding his ground. ”For a minor character to sell out his country, it may just be to sell some insignificant news.”

”But for a person in power to sell out his country, that is to really sell out his country!”

Diego couldn’t help but shout, ”What on earth do you mean?”

He pointed at his own nose and stood up. ”Are you saying that I am selling out my country?”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs also quickly stood up to persuade him to sit down. The butler in the distance, and also a few of the soldiers, had also looked over.

”Do you believe that I will kill you?” he was already a little reckless in his speech. As a country’s president, even if he was an unqualified politician, he should not have lost his composure in anger.

But then again, he was already an unqualified politician. Who could expect him to make the right choice like a qualified politician?

Lance did not care at all about his threat. He did not even raise his eyelids. He casually picked up a fruit that he had not seen before and took a bite.

It was both sour and sweet. The tropics are full of such strange fruits.

He shook his head. It was unknown if he was dissatisfied with Diego’s actions, or if he was not very satisfied with the fruit in his hand.

He threw the fruit into the trash can, and then looked up at Diego. ”I believe!”

”I believe you can kill me.”

His gaze shifted to the face of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for a moment, and then it moved back. ”But before you kill me, you have to consider how you are going to explain your actions to the Yalan League, and you also have to consider how to explain to the Federation, why you had to do this.”

”And then you have to consider if your explanation can convince everyone, and if the Yalan League, which is controlled by the Jede Republic, will kick you out of the Yalan League.”

”And also, how you are going to deal with the pursuit from the Federation.”

”You, your family, this Mr. Minister by your side, and all your friends, all of everyone’s families, will all die.”

He had said these words in a very calm tone, but it was full of something convincing.

He leaned back on the sofa, and also took out a cigarette and lit it. ”It only takes one day for the federal navy to appear here and to wipe Zhuolan off the map.”

”Want to try?”

Diego was still glaring at Lance, but now, he did not continue to say anything to provoke each other.

Because he knew that there was a high probability that what Lance had said was true.

A meaningful smile appeared on Lance’s face. ”So, Mr. President, we can be enemies, or we can be friends.”

”To share information is one of the most basic etiquettes between friends.”

”Tell me something I’m interested in.”

”For example, what deal did you reach, that they were willing to support you with so much grain.”

Calculated at a lower price than what Lance had bought, 35 a ton, this was 17.5 million Federal Sols.

If they had sent a million worth of grain, Lance would have admitted that there was this possibility, to stabilize Rapa’s situation, which would be good for the entire Yalan League.

But this was 17.5 million. So much money, no one would casually give it to someone else. They must have a deal, and the thing that was traded was very valuable.

At the very least, it was worthy of this grain!

Lance’s attitude was undoubtedly very tough, so tough that it was a little hard for people to understand.

Diego’s small eyes had been staring at Lance. He had not seen in Lance’s eyes any of the surprise, or fear, or apprehension that he had wanted to see.

He had only seen calmness, and the raging waves that were hidden under the calm exterior.

Diego pushed, and pushed away the Minister of Foreign Affairs by his side, and sat back down on that sofa.

”We will be transporting a portion of our outstanding talents to the Jede Republic, and then rubber blocks and copper ingots.”

The Jede Republic had been promoting the development of industry. Rubber blocks and copper ingots could be said to be one of the core materials of industry.

Lance smiled. ”You see, it’s not so complicated to say it.”

”You have made a very smart choice at a crossroads in your life, Mr. President.”

Lance nodded with satisfaction. No matter if Diego was hiding something, in short, he had gotten the answer he wanted.

Then he stood up, supporting himself with his legs. ”I will truthfully convey everything that has happened today to Mr. Senator.”

”As for how they plan to dispose of this problem, I will contact you as soon as there is any new news.”

”Now, I should be going back.”

He extended his hand and looked at Diego. Diego could only, with great reluctance, shake it, and then with the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

There was no more communication between the three. Lance nodded slightly, and then strode towards the outside.

Looking at Lance’s departing back, Diego picked up his coffee and took a sip, but then he had slammed it hard on the ground, staining a large piece of the beige camel-hair carpet with a coffee color.

After he had finished speaking, he had glanced at the shattered teacup on the ground and the large, damp patch of the carpet, and had turned and swayed away.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, after Diego had left, had sat back down, and had lit a cigarette for himself.

He had a premonition that the federal people were definitely not just here to invest. They wanted to get more.

They wanted the cheap labor here, they wanted the cheap resources here, and they even wanted the people here.

Power, land, anything!

He knew very well that Rapa could not possibly be a match for the Federation. The two sides were simply not in the same league.

The fact that the Federation had wanted to forcibly station troops seemed like it was just yesterday!

If it weren’t for the fact that the president of the Jede Republic had hurriedly created a United Alliance of Yalan Nations, perhaps the federal people would have already begun to enter their lives.

Thinking of this, he let out a heavy sigh. The future was almost completely dark!

Even if he could barely see some of the veins of the future development, he was powerless to change it. This feeling was terrible.

On the other side, Lance had returned to his hotel and had immediately dialed Senator Cleveland’s number. He had recounted what he had discovered, and then had mentioned some of his subsequent thoughts.

This matter, more or less, might have some hidden dangers, so Lance’s idea was whether there was any way to have the navy’s warships take a turn around the vicinity of Rapa, or to go to the Jede Republic’s side for a turn.

To let them have a clearer understanding of the gap in strength between the two sides!

On this point, the senator had agreed, and at the same time, he had also instructed Lance to pay attention to his safety.