Empire of Shadows

The entire Federation, from top to bottom, had a morbid fanaticism for ”investment profitability.”

Especially after the economy had improved, what people talked about the most was how to, through the act of investment, obtain more returns in profit.

This included the people at the bottom of society; they would also talk about some matters concerning investment.

A relatively superficial one was investment in stocks, or buying some precious metals.

What had caused this phenomenon was, in fact, still the core of the federal culture, the ”Federation Dream.”

In all walks of life, there would be those who had forged the Federation Dream. They appeared in front of people too frequently, making many people think that they could also become one of them. For example, Ennio’s father, he had always believed that he could become a person of the upper class through sales.

Some, because they had sold a fishhook, had become a senior partner of a company, and had even established their own company and had successfully gone public, realizing a crazy leap from a worker to a capitalist.

There were also some who, because they had bought a stock, or had carried out some financial operations, had quickly achieved the accumulation of their own wealth.

In the bestseller of the federal financial industry, ”The Hundred Dollar Empire,” it had, in detail, expounded on the inspiring story of a young man who had never understood what finance was, who had entered the exchange with a hundred dollars, and had become a major shareholder of many listed companies, a Boss with assets of over a hundred million!

Almost every practitioner in the financial industry had read this book, and had been firmly attracted by the story in the book, and then had dreamed that they too would have a day when they could realize this dream, and then had walked into the Deterland financial street.They also had many similarities with the protagonist of this story—

First of all, they were all human, and were adults, with their own ideas and a desire to obtain wealth, and the most important point!

They all had a hundred dollars!

This was the reason why the financial industry had begun to prosper and develop to a high degree in the past twenty years. To build a dream here was so simple!

But they, or rather, most people, were not clear that behind the financial industry was the meat grinder of capital and the federal government.

They were not clear about this. They also had no channel to get more information. Limited by the news and intelligence they could know, they could be said to know nothing about this industry.

Lance had also read many books about financial investment before, especially about stocks.

Some of the biographies, and some of the technical books, the authors had told people how to analyze the market through price changes.

But they would never tell people that the changes in the market were often absolutely related to policy.

Because the market is free, it is impossible for them to tell people that the market is actually not so free, just as it is impossible for them to tell people that the Federation, in fact, is also not so free!

This place had already become a paradise for capital and the federal government to harvest. The more prosperous it was, the faster the scythe.

Mr. Edward, as the best ”scythe-wielder” in the Federation, had taken the initiative to talk to Lance about some of the inside stories of the financial industry.

Of course, these inside stories were not enough to be used as any leverage or evidence to harm him or to harm the Doerr Group. They were all things that had already been disclosed by other companies.

The simplest way to establish that you are an ”industry elite” in front of a stranger is to let them know some of the so-called high-level inside stories of the industry.

This is like... if you just say in pale words that you are very powerful, others may not believe it.

But if you can say some of the things about the president that the outside world does not know, for example, scandals, secrets, and the like, then your credibility will be greatly increased.

At least until others have completely figured it out, not to say that they will maintain respect, but at the very least, they will maintain a respectful attitude.

”You have to first find a ’scapegoat.’ It’s best if this person can be well-controlled, because after something goes wrong, he may need to endure some suffering!”

President Edward, when he had spoken of these matters, had appeared very casual. ”This person will represent your interests in the company. In fact, we are all the same. We will also arrange for a scapegoat to enter the board of directors, to become a shareholder.”

”Their job is to take the blame for us. In this aspect, you definitely know better than me!”

He had made a small joke. Of course, it was also a fact, because the number of times a gang had used a scapegoat was definitely much more than those who were in finance.

Lance had also used it many times. There would always be people who were willing to give up their freedom in exchange for wealth, or something else.

”After I go back tomorrow, I will arrange for a special team. At that time, they will go to Rapa with you.”

”You just need to cooperate with them to make a little move on the Rapa side. The rest, just leave it to us.”

His tone was filled with an indubitable confidence. ”You just need to give us an account, and then wait to collect the money.”

Lance pursed his lips and clinked his wine glass with him. The two had taken a sip of their wine, and had, on this issue, reached an agreement.

Then Lance had asked a question, ”I don’t know much about finance, and you know much more than me. I have a question.”

President Edward, as much as possible, had tried not to show that kind of a sense of superiority, but he still would unnaturally show it. After all, the financial industry, to talk about it, was very simple.

As long as you opened an account at an exchange, you were in the industry. But the real financial industry and what the public saw were completely different.

He nodded with a reserved look. ”You are not wrong at all,” he first acknowledged Lance’s affirmation of him, and then he had asked, ”Maybe I can clear up some of your doubts.”

Lance took another sip of his wine. ”The speed of harvesting retail investors is not as fast as harvesting capital. Maybe we can consider putting our target on those capitals?”

”Of course, I am just analyzing this matter as a layman. If there is anything I have said wrong, I hope you can forgive my shallow understanding of finance.”

President Edward looked at him with a beaming smile. ”To be honest, Lance, when I talk to you, I don’t feel any of the things they told me. They said you are a terrible gangster boss, but to hell with it!”

”Look at our exchange. This is an exchange between two civilized gentlemen!”

He might have had some wine, and his thoughts, his emotions, had all become active. ”You have raised a good question. If it were possible, we would actually prefer to harvest capital.”

”The benefits of harvesting capital will be much greater than harvesting retail investors, but the risks, and the troubles we have to bear, will also be much greater.”

”Unless...” his gaze had passed over Lance’s shoulder and had looked at the mainstream circle, at Senator Cleveland and his group, ”...so this matter, for the time being, can only be like this.”

”In addition, I like this word you used.”

”Harvest!”

It wasn’t that Lance had any moral cleanliness. An ordinary person and an ”investor” are two different types of people. In the Federation, as long as a person has decided to listen to the stockbroker and has entered this market, then they are meat on a chopping block.

Who is cutting if not someone?

Lance wouldn’t have any sense of guilt either. It was just that he felt that compared to cutting ordinary investors, to cut the capitalists, the capital groups, was clearly more satisfying.

The social event in the evening had been relatively pleasant. In the later time, people had mainly centered their discussion around Slad, Dantra, and the war.

Yalan, for the time being, was far from being a core issue in the federal government.

The next day, he had left New Golden City early, because Diego’s government army was already approaching Saige City.

President Diego could clearly feel that the situation in Rapa was rushing in the direction of being out of control. Including this ”encirclement and suppression” of Pedro, it was also after he had, again and again, carefully considered, that he had made the final decision.

The constant emergence of the anti-government armed forces had sounded an alarm for him. It was said that now the Presidential Palace had been cleaned up, and twenty or thirty people who had been planted had already been ferreted out and had been executed.

These people were definitely not from the anti-government armed forces. They did not have the foresight to be able to plant people in the Presidential Palace a few years ago, or even longer. They couldn’t do it.

These people were all from the other ruling groups of Rapa, including the privileged class.

This penguin president had already begun to be not so at ease with the ruling group.

This was a good thing, for Lance, for the Federation.

The convoy that was escorting Lance back was a light warship of the federal navy. In the evening, it had arrived at the Zhuolan port.

When the federal warship had docked at the Zhuolan port, it had also made President Diego nervous for a while.

He stood by the window of his office. From here, he could see the scenery of the port.

Behind the faint lights, he could vaguely see a shadowy, black shadow, lying between the dock and the sea.

His expression was very serious, and his thoughts were also a little chaotic. The matters related to the Federation were constantly rising in his mind.

”These damn federal people.”

Of course Diego knew that behind all this were the federal people, including Pedro and Ross, these two currently ”strongest” anti-government armed forces.

Rapa did not prohibit guns, because the ordinary people of Rapa simply had no chance to get in touch with guns, so the ruling group simply did not need to consider the problem of gun prohibition.

Although there would be some weapons that were smuggled in from the border, that was only a very small number, and most of them were homemade hunting rifles.

The news he had heard was that these anti-government armed forces were all using standard-issue weapons, bolt-action rifles.

The only ones who could provide them with so many weapons in a short period of time were the federal people.

Lance, and also the federal visiting delegation.

In his heart, an idea had gradually formed, and he couldn’t help but say it out loud, ”If we are to expel the federal people...”

In the office, there were also many military officers. They were all the iron-clad supporters of the Ravila family, and also the foundation of the Ravila family’s rule of Rapa.

Their gazes had also fallen on that black shadow, but in these officers’ hearts, there were not so many thoughts. They only had a fear of the federal military strength.

They, more than Diego, had been paying attention to the war that was happening on the Tanfit continent. They were very concerned about the direction of every battle.

So they knew very well what the consequences of expelling the federal people might be.

A group of military officers were all silent. After about a dozen or so minutes, Diego’s face had turned a little red!

He felt that he, this president, had no status and power at all in front of the federal people, but soon he had let out a heavy sigh, and a limited, somewhat helpless.

Because in front of the Federation, he indeed did not have much weight.

”The battle on the Saige City side... when will it start?” he turned his body to look at these military officers.

He had no way to deal with the federal people, but to deal with a small character like Pedro, he could still do it.

He had made sufficient arrangements for this battle, and had arranged for 3,000 soldiers. This was the largest-scale military operation in Rapa in the past twenty years!

Rapa, because of its special domestic environment, the number of its army was not large, only 40,000 to 50,000 in total.

70% of these 40,000 to 50,000 were all supported by the Ravila family, even if each soldier only needed six Federal Sols a month.

About 30,000 people would also need 160,000 Federal Sols a month, not including their food and drink.

To take out almost one-tenth of the army at once to suppress Pedro’s rebellion was indeed a large-scale military operation.

For this question, the military officers could answer.

”Your Excellency President, the battle will start around tomorrow morning. I believe our children will, within twenty-four hours, to end the battle, and to bring Pedro’s corpse in front of you!”

A major general officer had taken a step forward and had said so.

Diego was very satisfied after hearing this. ”Now Rapa is facing the harassment of the Federation. I have also been thinking about this problem these few days.”

He walked to the side of his chair and sat down, his hands naturally placed on the armrests. ”Last time you mentioned the expansion of the army, and also the new military equipment plan. I have approved it.”

At this, all the military officers’ faces showed a look of pleasant surprise. They had previously proposed to increase their own part, not including the army controlled by the other ruling groups, just the 30,000 or so men they had, to 60,000.

That is, to double the number of people.

At the same time, they had also proposed the idea of adding some new military equipment.

The last large-scale military purchase had still happened more than ten years ago. They had bought a large number of 1010 bolt-action rifles from the Federation.

At that time, as the weapon with the most advanced performance and technology in the world, they had bought about 10,000 to arm their army.

And the remaining part was still using the equipment from thirty or forty years ago.

This equipment was too old!

They had heard that the Federation now also had semi-automatic rifles and automatic rifles that did not need to be pulled, and also all kinds of new military equipment.

The learning cost of these weapons would be reduced, and at the same time, the killing effect on the enemy would also be significantly enhanced.

If they could be equipped with this new equipment, it would definitely have a positive help for stabilizing the domestic situation.

Diego was just a little worried.

In the past, he had been worried that the heavy cost of expanding the army would make him breathless, and now, he was worried that the Federation would not export this new equipment to him. On the contrary, it might aid the anti-government armed forces.

”Mr. President, I promise that within two weeks, I will completely stabilize the domestic situation.”

”We will use the bodies of the rebels to warn everyone!”

Diego closed his eyes and nodded.

As for the federal people?

Let them be!

At a little after three in the morning, which was just a few hours later, Pedro had woken up from his deep sleep.

Ever since he had become the leader of an anti-government armed force, he had found that his sleep quality had improved a lot.

He could fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, and he would sleep very soundly.

Even if he only slept for three or four, four or five hours a day, he could still maintain his energy.

He had seen this as a natural reaction after he had reached his prime, but in fact, his body had, without him even knowing, undergone some adjustments.

”How is it?” he asked his colleague as soon as he got up. ”Have they already gotten close?”

His colleague nodded. ”Yes, they are just five kilometers outside the city.”

He, while washing his face, had asked, ”Are they carrying any artillery or other military equipment?”

His colleague shook his head. ”We haven’t found any for the time being, but there’s no guarantee they don’t have any.”

”But I don’t think the possibility of them shelling the city is high. A person like President Diego, who loves his face so much, is not likely to do so.”

Pedro had given a different view. ”That’s in normal times!”

”Now this battle is related to the future destiny of Rapa. He will be very cautious.”

He paused for a moment as he spoke. ”Have the brothers all woken up?”

His colleague, who was by his side, had nodded again in confirmation. ”Yes...” he had said with some hesitation, ”do we really have to take the initiative to attack?”

Pedro had wiped his face clean. ”We haven’t participated in any war, nor have we participated in any battle, and we haven’t even had much shooting training.”

”Although I also look down on those government troops, I also have to admit that in terms of training, psychological preparation, and all aspects, they are much stronger than us.”

”If we were to line up and fight with them in the city, we might not be their match.”

”So we need to create an environment that is advantageous to us, and then, in a situation where we are at an advantage, to solve this big trouble!”

”When a person is woken up in his sleep, he will definitely be in a panic, and the sky is so dark...”

In fact, there were still some words he had not said. Because even if he had said them, these people might not have understood.

Only by taking the initiative to attack and achieving a great victory, could they severely strike the morale and authority of the government army, and at the same time, to raise their own reputation.

He had already heard that Ross’s side had also begun to, through armed means, to resist the Rapa regime.

There could only be one president in the future, and there was a high probability that he would be born among them.

To be one step ahead of others is to be many steps ahead!

At a little after 4:10, he, with some of the local mountain runners he had later recruited, had set off from the city.

Five kilometers was not considered far for them. Whether it was the refugees who had been running for so long, or the mountain runners, they had already gotten used to moving as fast as possible in a short period of time.

Five kilometers was only thirty or forty minutes.

By the time they had arrived at the predetermined location, it was only four o’clock.

The 3,000-man military camp was very quiet. A small number of the soldiers who were on sentry duty at the sentry posts were, at this time, all holding their weapons and leaning against something, and had fallen into a deep sleep.

No one could detect that danger was approaching.