Empire of Shadows

At eight o’clock, the butler walked into the dining room of Mr. Potter’s estate and began folding the newspapers.

Folding the newspapers was a highly skilled task. The butler would stack the morning papers, selecting the most important pages, and folding them so the key headline was face up.

He would then arrange them in order of importance, allowing Mr. Potter to read the news he desired during breakfast.

The butler had served Mr. Potter for many years, so he knew exactly what kind of news his ”master” preferred. It was truly a technical skill.

Mr. Potter descended the stairs, carrying the coat he planned to wear that day. After finishing breakfast, he would leave the estate in his new attire.

Even in the morning, the estate was busy. Mr. Potter sat down in the dining room, starting his delicious breakfast while glancing at the stacked newspapers.

Over a dozen newspapers were piled up, all neatly folded.

The first one he picked up, placed on top, was The Federal Post. The front page featured Mr. Potter himself.

He was standing on a podium, waving his fist, with excited listeners below, making him look exceptionally imposing.

”Well shot!” Mr. Potter commented, smiling. He loved pictures taken from a low angle, as it made him look very tall, which was beneficial for the election.”Write down this reporter’s name. We might be able to use him later!”

As the top contender for the Presidency, he was already adopting the persona and duties of the office.

Every President had reporters and photographers with whom they maintained a close relationship. After all, the President represented the face of the country, requiring professional services that met their personal tastes.

This reporter was clearly lucky, or perhaps he successfully flattered Mr. Potter with his photographic angle.

Opportunities were always present, but few saw them, and even fewer seized them.

The butler noted the reporter’s name. Mr. Potter continued reading the newspaper while eating breakfast. The report detailed his campaign promises.

The article was written exactly to his liking. Reading it through, he felt as though he were reading about a savior committed to rescuing the increasingly troubled nation.

Satisfied, he moved the paper aside. The butler knew his habits: if a paper contained multiple sections he needed to read, it would be refolded.

Since this one wasn’t, it meant he didn’t need to read any other content.

He then picked up the second newspaper—a piece that contained a public opinion poll and the agency’s prediction. It stated Mr. Potter’s chance of winning exceeded 70%.

This was a very high figure. The previous President, who won by a comfortable margin, had only been polled at nearly 70% before the election.

Next was the third newspaper. His expression finally changed, as the headline was serious: The Scourge of Society.

The article discussed the recent gang attacks in the New Golden City, offering the author’s analysis of the entire event.

The author was a journalist who often wrote similar articles and was very familiar with the gangs, the underworld, names, and influential figures involved.

In the report, he detailed the background of the conflict.

On one side was the Perez family, one of the Federal Five Families, a criminal organization led by Fran.

On the other side was Lance, the suspected leader of the Federal criminal organization, the Lance family.

Why was he referred to as ”suspected”?

The article provided a detailed explanation: no law enforcement or judicial body had yet obtained concrete evidence of the Lance family’s criminal activities.

They didn’t collect protection money and didn’t use violence against ordinary people or the lower classes to extort wealth.

In Golden Port City, nearly everyone spoke positively of Lance and the Lance family, rarely speaking ill of them.

This made the nature and status of the Lance family somewhat ambiguous.

The reporter used the term ”violent organization” instead of ”gang” to describe them, acknowledging that they sometimes used violent means to resolve issues, though whether those actions constituted crimes required specific analysis.

In the report, the journalist dissected the conflict from an observer’s perspective, starting with the Perez family’s brazen attack in the important New Golden City.

The article then explored the potential consequences of this conflict, possibly driven by revenge, on Federal society and international image.

Some of the reporter’s assertions resonated with Mr. Potter, particularly the parts that highlighted the negative social impact of gangs.

Finally, the reporter brought the topic back to Mr. Potter’s campaign, stressing the necessity of his ”de-gangsterization” platform for Federal development.

While the report rarely mentioned Mr. Potter or his campaign directly, it clearly conveyed the message between the lines.

Gang activities destroyed social order, economic productivity, and judicial integrity!

These problems meant gangs could no longer be integrated into the rapidly developing Federal society. They had shifted from a necessary historical evil to a social malignancy that had to be excised.

The closing paragraph, focusing on Mr. Potter’s de-gangsterization policy, elevated the article’s message, making the entire concept more tangible and real for the public.

Mr. Potter put the newspaper down and thought for a moment. He turned to his team. ”The Perez family attack in the New Golden City... has there been any follow-up?”

Aside from the butler, Mr. Potter’s campaign team was present. Someone was tracking the incident because it aligned with Mr. Potter’s campaign promises.

The relevant aide immediately stood up. ”There is new development. Senator Cleveland and the Ministry of Defense have decided to move against them and resolve the gang problem.”

”They proposed some terms for negotiation. If you are interested, you can discuss this in your office.”

Mr. Potter looked at the aide, reading his meaning. It was clear that he was the one best suited to conclude this matter.

But since he wasn’t the President yet, he would have to pay a price to claim the credit.

”Remind me to address that when I get to the office.”

He then looked at the fourth newspaper.

The butler stood quietly on the side, as if nothing unusual had happened.

No one knew that the butler’s act of folding the newspaper this way meant a sum of money had just been deposited into his private account—a significant amount that caught his attention.

As the Potter family’s butler, his loyalty to the family was unquestionable. If the request involved betraying the family, he would never have complied.

But this was merely about subtly informing Mr. Potter about something.

After finishing all the newspapers, Mr. Potter finished his breakfast. As he prepared to leave for his office, his son arrived.

The father and son looked at each other. The son got into the car.

”What’s wrong?”

As Mr. Potter’s son and the second generation of the Potter family, the middle-aged man wielded considerable power and influence. They usually had their own work and rarely met casually.

A shared car ride was even rarer.

”What happened?” After breakfast, while the taste of milk still lingered, Mr. Potter lit a cigar.

Sitting in the car, Mr. Potter leaned against the seat, holding a cigar worth dozens of dollars, looking more like a capitalist than a politician.

”It’s about my son.”

Mr. Potter frowned. He knew the family’s third generation had some minor issues. This wasn’t unique to the Potter family; many powerful families faced this.

They were born at the finish line, surpassing 99% of the population without effort. Life, work, and the world were merely a stale game to them.

So, seeking minor thrills in this monotonous, unmotivated world wasn’t unforgivable.

Mr. Potter was lenient about this. He, too, was dissolute in his youth, indulging in promiscuity and mischief.

But what did it matter now?

He was about to become the Federal President. For people like them, youthful indiscretions wouldn’t prevent them from becoming Governors, Senators, or even the President!

He looked slightly unconcerned, assuming his grandson’s misbehavior was nothing more than violating some girl’s wishes.

A little money would fix it, or he could hire fixers to handle the cleanup. There were always people willing to do the dirty work for him.

The middle-aged man remained silent, which made Mr. Potter’s casual expression turn serious. ”Is the situation serious?”

The middle-aged man nodded. ”He was high that night. He slept with an adult girl, and then, while still incoherent, he murdered her.”

”Shit!” Mr. Potter’s brow furrowed. ”How did he manage that?”

”How could you let it happen?”

”Don’t you know I’m running for election?”

He glared fiercely at his son. It had been years since he had used such a stern tone with him.

He was genuinely angry.

The middle-aged man remained silent. Facing his father’s anger, all he could do was keep quiet.

After seven or eight seconds, Mr. Potter asked, ”Is the cleanup complete?”

The middle-aged man nodded. ”I handled it personally. The body and all evidence have been completely cleaned up. But there is still one problem.”

”First, I couldn’t find the murder weapon. It might have been taken by his friends, but subsequent searches were fruitless. I didn’t dare expand the search.”

”Second, the victim’s family filed a police report. I managed to suppress the investigation, but they are still digging, and they’ve found a lead.”

He quickly summarized the events of the past few days. The couple and a reporter were pursuing the case. They got a lead from the girl’s agent—the phone number of the person who hired the models for the party.

That person was young Potter’s friend.

Young Potter’s friends were certainly not ordinary people. They had to come from privileged, well-connected families to be in his circle.

Since they weren’t ordinary people, resolving the situation was tricky. He needed to consult Mr. Potter on how to proceed.

Mr. Potter took a puff of his cigar. He loved this expensive cigar, but now, it only amplified his frustration.

”I’m running for election, and you’re causing this trouble!”

He was truly angry. If a felony like this—murder—were to be exposed, even with his current high poll numbers, he would lose the election.

Federal voters, when selecting a candidate—Governor, Senator, Mayor, or President—often had unrealistic moral standards.

They demanded that the candidate and their family at least appear to be a normal family.

Young Potter’s murder and his private life, if exposed, would severely damage Mr. Potter’s image. Voters would feel they were electing an inappropriate President.

Mr. Potter was furious. He glared at his son, taking two more drags of his cigar. ”Find a way to suppress these people. Make them cooperate. If they refuse to cooperate...”

Mr. Potter didn’t finish the threat. He didn’t need to. The law, in protecting these powerful figures, required rigorous proof and procedural perfection.

The middle-aged man nodded. ”I know what to do.”

The motorcade quickly pulled over. Mr. Potter looked at his son. ”You can go now.”

The middle-aged man offered a wry smile. He opened the door, ready to leave, but Mr. Potter offered one last piece of advice. ”Go home and beat that bastard severely. Make him understand that his life isn’t earned by his hard work.”

”He doesn’t have to help us, but he must not hurt us, understood?”

This was a clear warning. The middle-aged man nodded. ”I will teach him a good lesson.”

The motorcade started again. A day that began well was now ruined.

Mr. Potter sat silently in the car the rest of the way. Once in his office, his expression finally changed.

He couldn’t work with such a terrible mood. He had to show his positive, active side.

After dealing with urgent work, the butler reminded him of his appointment. He took two minutes to compose himself, then called Senator Cleveland.

The call was answered quickly. Such important figures were usually in their offices in the morning.

”This is Cleveland.”

Since it was a private number, Senator Cleveland didn’t use his title.

”It’s me, Potter.”

”Mr. Potter, why the call?” The Senator’s voice was soft and casual, not stiff despite the differing political affiliations.

Mr. Potter smiled. ”Well, I heard Lance White and an official from the Ministry of Defense were attacked in the New Golden City a few days ago.”

”The impact of this incident is terrible. Such a heinous crime should not happen in a global hub.”

”I wanted to know if Mr. Lance White has recovered and if you need any assistance.”

”I am willing to offer my help in the de-gangsterization process.”

This was a subtle opening. Senator Cleveland didn’t say he was waiting for the call, but it was part of his plan.

”We do have some plans, but they are a bit disjointed. If you could offer some suggestions, that would be greatly appreciated...”

Sometimes, transactions were this simple. A few words determined the fate of a gang family.

A little later, Senator Cleveland called Lance. ”Potter just contacted me. We discussed the incident. He has an idea.”

”He plans to use Roland to handle this, having the FBI eliminate the Perez family as law enforcers.”

”Of course, if you are willing, you can assist them.”

”In your capacity as a police officer in Old City.”

Lance offered no objection. He agreed to the suggestion and promised to cooperate with the FBI in combating these criminal forces.

The decision was made at the top, and implementation would quickly follow at the lower levels. Lance himself traveled to Old City and met Director Roland.

”I never thought we would meet under these circumstances, Lance,” Director Roland said. He didn’t exhibit his prejudiced, almost maniacal sense of justice to Lance.

He looked like a normal person and offered Lance a cigarette.

”Thank you, but I prefer my own brand,” Lance refused the cigarette, taking one from his own case.

This refusal subtly changed Director Roland’s expression, but he quickly smiled. ”These cheap cigarettes are actually quite good, if you can get used to them.”

Lance glanced at the cigarette pack in Roland’s hand. ”I don’t care about the price of the cigarette.”

In other words, he had an issue with the person offering the cigarette.