Empire of Shadows

In the Federation, there is a very ”ancient” proverb—

If you meet a person on a log bridge who is unwilling to give way, and it just so happens that you are also unwilling to give way, courage is the key for you to pass.

Now, there was no turning back for the Rapa government army and these anti-government armed forces. The battle resumed after a two or three-hour lull during the day.

News from the ”front line” continuously returned to Zhuolan. All the residents of Zhuolan appeared somewhat anxious and uneasy.

In fact, these people, those who live in Zhuolan, whether the people in the city center, the rich district, or the slums, in a sense, they are one of the beneficiaries of the few stable regions in this country.

They are a tight-knit vested interest group. Even the poor people in the slums are a part of it.

Because in Zhuolan, the only problem they have to face is poverty.

But in other cities, even the poor people living in the slums, the problems they have to face are not just poverty, but many other issues.

This is perhaps the reason why people all long to live in big cities. It is not just because there are more opportunities here, but also because it is more stable here.

Now, this tranquility, this stability, is about to be broken. Everyone felt uneasy.Juan stood near the door, a little nervous. He had grown taller during this period and had also become much sturdier.

Since he was promoted to police chief, his whole being had undergone a huge change.

The him now was different from the him in the past. He had become more confident, and an aura of authority had even begun to emerge on him, something that only people in a superior position have.

And all of this was because of that coincidence. His accidental placement among the first people to register their personal information had given him this opportunity.

Power is a huge dyeing vat. Juan, who had just become the police chief, still treated his new job and new life with caution.

But as he began to adapt to his current life, he also seemed to be integrating into a new, emerging class.

He would accept some black money.

This kind of situation exists in any civilization, any society.

The New Federation Center Concession does not allow casual street vendors, but the people who live here, even those at the bottom of society, are richer than the ordinary people in other places.

There will always be some people who long to set up a stall here to earn a little money to support themselves. If they want to stably set up a stall here, they must make the police officers turn a blind eye to their actions.

And what about those girls or women who sell pleasure? They gather in groups of three or five, flaunting their bodies in the street. Logically speaking, the police should drive them away, but what if they pay a sum of money and do not stand so brazenly in the street, but in an alley instead?

Facts prove that as long as the social form is developing, is progressing, and people are becoming rich, the current Federation is the ultimate goal of these developing societies at this stage.

A free market, capital, accompanied by corruption and things that many people consider to be foul, breed together.

At first, Juan didn’t dare to take black money, but soon everyone did. Or rather, everyone looked at him, waiting for him to make a decision. Under the effect of this collective will, he also chose to take black money.

From being apprehensive to being at ease, it actually took a very short time.

At this moment, he was on standby in Lance’s office. Lance had his back to him, looking down at the entire concession area through the huge floor-to-ceiling glass window.

If the most prosperous place in Rapa before was the city center of Zhuolan, then the most prosperous place now was the New Federation Center.

It was like the most brilliant gem, inlaid on the barren land of Rapa, radiating a splendor that did not belong here.

Lance watched for a while, then turned to look at Juan. Just one look made Juan feel a sensation like when he was a child and faced the heat wave of the boiler!

The scorching heat wave had made him hold his breath to protect his organs. Although at that time he didn’t know why he was doing this, whether it was the body’s instinct or some other reason, he just did it.

Now, he had this feeling again. Although there was no boiler here, and no heat wave, he still held his breath.

The aura that had formed behind Lance, like a tsunami, made him involuntarily lower his head.

Lance sat down in his chair. He didn’t ask Juan to sit down, but looked at him. ”I hear that several robberies have occurred in our New Federation Center these past few days?”

Juan was now a police chief. He was responsible for the public security issues in a certain area here. Two of the robberies had occurred in his jurisdiction.

There were also a few others that had occurred in the jurisdiction of other police chiefs.

He didn’t know why Lance had specifically called him to his office, but he was very clear that what he needed to do now was not to shirk responsibility, but to bear it.

Lance smiled and did not criticize him for his inefficiency. ”This is a special time, Juan.”

”People don’t know who will make it to the end in this civil war, the Ravila family, or those anti-government armed forces.”

”But no matter who makes it to the end, it represents a huge turmoil.”

”The more it is at a time like this, the more we have to ensure that our territory does not fall into chaos. Robbery, theft, no matter what kind of vicious criminal behavior, is not allowed to happen easily.”

”You are a police officer, a police chief, and you have an even greater obligation to protect the safety of the residents who live here, and the interests of the merchants.”

”To crack down on criminal behavior severely and heavily, to make all those who have a devil hidden in their hearts dare not release it, is your next job.”

He paused for a moment as he spoke. ”In addition, there is one more thing you need to help me investigate.”

”I hear that some people believe that the ’Zhuolan Treaty’ signed between Diego and us is invalid. Find these people and the people behind them, and give me a list.”

”You can use any means you think can solve the problem. I will support you.”

”After you have finished both of these jobs, you will become the Police Chief of the New Federation Center.”

Juan’s heart began to race uncontrollably. Because he had been poor, had suffered, and had been tired, he cherished his current life even more, and also longed for a better life.

This was like those who were born and grew up in the sun. They would never understand the longing for light of the people in the bottomless, pitch-black abyss.

They had been exposed to it for too long, so long that they regarded light as something that happens naturally, not something they needed to crave.

Juan had been in the worst possible situation, so he was also clearer than others about the beauty of power and status.

He nodded. ”I will, Mr. Lance.”

Lance smiled at him. ”You don’t need to put on a straight face all day. Do a good job. I won’t say those flowery words to demand how you should do it.”

”I just hope that you won’t let yourself down, and won’t let your family’s expectations of you down.”

”I await your good news...”

After a few simple words, Juan left Lance’s office. As he left, he saw a few federal people, and at a glance, they looked like they had a very high status.

He proactively stood against the wall, and slightly bowed. Although there was no particularly obvious fawning expression on his face, he was also not pulling a long face.

He secretly glanced at the long-haired man who was walking at the very front, and tried to connect him with some of the names in his memory. In the end, he locked onto the name of the person he thought was the correct answer.

Then he turned to leave. He felt that one day, he could also be like these people.

Back in the police station, the other police chiefs asked him what he had gone to Lance’s side for.

These past few days, it wasn’t just some people in society who were agitated. Even within the police station, there was some agitation.

Everyone was discussing that what if those anti-government armed forces—they now called these people the rebel army—what if these rebel armies fought their way to Zhuolan, and fought their way to the New Federation Center, would something bad happen?

They were very worried about these things happening. Now many people believed that the ”Zhuolan Treaty” signed by a treasonous president like Diego was a false treaty that violated the will and wishes of the Rapa people, and had no actual binding force.

One saying was that once the rebel army fought their way here, they would abolish the ”Zhuolan Treaty,” or renegotiate with Lance, and the Federation.

This had also made the concession a little unstable now, and people were afraid of sudden changes, which was why some criminal acts had occurred.

Everyone knew that Lance had summoned Juan, so they were very curious about what Lance had instructed him.

Juan took everyone to his office. He was still very young, but under his youth, there was already a sense of calmness.

”Mr. Lance said that we must, as much as possible, eradicate the occurrence of crimes.”

One of the police chiefs couldn’t help but say, ”I’m afraid that’s impossible. It’s very difficult for us to eradicate the occurrence of crimes. Even in the Federation, they can’t stop crimes from happening.”

In the face of this almost instinctive rebuttal from the police chief, Juan did not argue with him, but just continued, ”Mr. Lance means that no matter what kind of criminal we catch, we must handle it with a ’severe and heavy’ punishment.”

”A thief reaches out his hand, and you stab him in the back of the hand. He might hold a grudge against you.”

”But if you cut off his hand, he will feel fear. And others who want to reach out to you will also feel fear.”

He paused for a moment. ”Alright, that’s basically it. We must maintain the public security now. If a crime occurs, as I just relayed, handle it severely and heavily.”

After these police chiefs had left, Juan stood at the door of the office and looked at the few desks closest to him.

He tapped the office door with his hand. The attention of the few people immediately focused. After he had made a ”come in” gesture, he had returned to the office first.

Soon, the people he had called had all entered the office.

The opportunity in life is really an interesting thing. Two of these police officers were middle school teachers, just like Pedro.

The only difference was that one of them was serving the federal people, and the other regarded the federal people as enemies.

”I need you to help me write a... draft that is like a statement...”

He had generally recounted the content. The two middle school teachers exchanged a glance. One of them asked in a negotiating tone, ”Wouldn’t doing so... be too harsh?”

”They just robbed a shop and a passerby. To sentence them to death now, wouldn’t that be too serious?”

For the few people here, this kind of a judgment seemed a little unreasonable, but Juan did not think so.

”Serious?”

”I don’t think it is serious. You have to know that it is precisely because the cost of crime is not high enough that people choose to commit crimes.”

”If, no matter what the crime is, as long as you are caught, the only outcome is death. Will people still easily commit crimes?”

”No, they won’t easily commit crimes, because they can’t bear such serious consequences.”

”If they are just arrested, given a whipping, and then thrown into jail for a period of time, this will not have any deterrent effect at all.”

”Only by making them completely afraid can we, to the greatest extent, eradicate the occurrence of such incidents.”

The few people in the room, hearing this, did not say anything more. It was clear that this was not something Juan himself wanted to do, but what the person behind him wanted to do.

Regarding Juan, some people in the police department had also talked about him. He was the youngest police chief here, which made people have to wonder about his relationship with Lance.

Now that he had suddenly proposed a severe and heavy punishment, it was very likely that it was Lance who had proposed it. The others naturally would not object.

Soon, Juan had publicly announced a notice. The notice mentioned that crimes were occurring frequently, and in order to better curb the occurrence of criminal acts, they had decided to severely and heavily punish all criminals.

And it mentioned that they would publicly execute the captured criminals.

The first batch would be in two days.

This time, they had caught more than ten people. Originally, these people had also thought that this was just a small matter, and that they would at most be sentenced to one or two years in prison.

To be in prison at a time like this was, in a sense, much safer than being outside. Many had also voluntarily entered prison to serve their sentences, to reduce the risk brought by the war.

But they had not expected that, at a time like this, the New Federation Center had actually promulgated a new law, to severely and heavily punish criminals in all vicious crime cases.

They didn’t know what ”setting an example” meant, but they knew that they were about to die.

On the day of the execution, perhaps in the gaze of thousands of onlookers, a total of over twenty people, ranging in age from seventeen to thirty, knelt on the ground.

Under the gaze of the people and their own pleas, their lives were ended.

The entire execution ground was silent. Only the sound of the gunshots echoed in the sky!