Shadow Empire

Chapter 1251 Walking Too Fast and Wrestling

Throughout late June and early July, public opinion in the federal government focused on the alleged job-related crimes committed by the president and vice president of the South Yaan State Construction Workers Union.

Despite the combined efforts of trade unions and labor federations across various industries to suppress the news, they have not been very effective.

Messages travel very quickly among workers. They might just be sitting together while waiting for a bus, and after confirming each other's identities, two strangers can chat for a bit.

Whether or not there is a problem with labor unions has become the core issue being discussed by the working class.

Interestingly, the trade union, which has always represented the interests of the working class, has also encountered a "siege" from some workers who demanded that the union be "transparent" and show some of its accounts to everyone.

Lance only dealt with two people, but he sparked a wave of reflection among the entire working class, and they did indeed find some problems in the matter.

It's no secret that labor unions exploit the working class for their own profit—at least for those in high society.

The workings of this society, and indeed the entire world, are actually quite simple: everything revolves around interests.

Some people have said that there is no love without a reason in this world. If someone "loves" you so much, thinks of you in everything, and will take the initiative to help you solve your problems when you encounter them, without asking for anything in return.

So it's not necessarily that he doesn't ask for anything in return; it's also possible that he has already gotten everything he wanted from other places, while you only received a small favor from someone who had already satisfied their own desires.

Perhaps the benefits they receive do not come from you, but from the working class itself.

However, this kind of gain often makes the working class feel that it is taken from them. As Lance said, he directly distributed the meat subsidies promised by the capitalists to each worker in cash. Then the behavior of the chairman and vice chairman immediately rose to the level of embezzlement, corruption and theft!
He is stealing the fruits of victory that belong to the working class, which they won through their struggle against the capitalists. Why should they be put into the pocket of the trade union?
Previously, it was only the labor unions that organized workers to strike, demonstrate, and protest against the capitalists. But this time, the roles have been completely reversed, and it is now their turn to suffer.

The Socialist Party was also secretly pushing things forward, using its own methods to expose more inside information about the unions.

Some companies that cooperate with unions, such as insurance companies, have also stepped forward and exposed some industry secrets that workers were unaware of.

For example, unions will absorb the high-paying jobs, and the jobs that actually enter the labor market are generally not very good.

They then resell these high-paying jobs or hand them over to people they have good relationships with.

From an individual perspective, it may seem like a small matter, but when it comes to intense emotions, it can be magnified to the point that even the union can hardly bear it!

There were also leaked conversations from within the union, including allegations of union leaders sexually harassing women. These frequent revelations have put a lot of pressure on the union and caused it a lot of trouble.

Workers in some places have even started strikes!

Of course, this time their "strike" does not mean abandoning their work, leaving their posts and refusing to go back to work, but rather "stopping their dependence on the union," meaning they no longer trust the union.

This is a heavy blow to the overall credibility and authority of the union!

The Federation of Labour also issued a statement calling on unions across industries to rebuild trust as soon as possible.

The federal government has also begun to intervene, as there is a high probability that the unrest will escalate into more social unrest if left unchecked.

Even President Porter made a brief statement, saying he would set up a special investigation team to investigate all cases related to union corruption.

The entire incident caused a huge uproar throughout the Federation, but in Sher City, it was surprisingly quiet.

Workers' Home rose up by stepping over the "corpse" of the construction workers' union, which silenced the other unions.

It wasn't that they didn't want to stop Lance from doing this and allowing the Workers' Home to grow bigger and stronger; it was simply that they had dirty hands.

They didn't know that if they confronted Wanli Group head-on, they might be the next ones to be stripped bare, so they could only choose to remain silent.

They also believed that the trade union and the labor federation could not do nothing.

In mid-to-late July, the new city project officially started, with a large number of workers clearing land all over the mountains and fields, all of which was faithfully recorded by reporters with their cameras.

The Federal Post published an article with the headline "We Have Power!" on its front page.

During this period, people were filled with longing and respect for "conquering nature." They used human power to change the landscape of nature, demonstrating a spirit that although humans are insignificant, they can overcome everything.

The Post gave Wanli Group a very high evaluation, and they also gave a special mention to Lance, which sounds rather... peculiar.

In their report, The Federal Post used Lance's publicly stated story: that he was abducted as a child and forced to work in an illegal factory, then escaped and found his way home.

Starting as a bakery apprentice and rising to become a prominent "tycoon," his story is full of inspiration and legend.

This may seem like a formal introduction to the character of Lance White, but in reality, it was orchestrated by Senator Cleveland.

He needed an official media outlet to confirm Lance's identity in an official tone. He thought he had forgotten that absurd dream from that night, but it kept reappearing in his mind unexpectedly, like a sudden flash of inspiration.

It might have been just a fleeting moment, when he was tired from work and rubbing his wrist.

It could also be the moment when, during a social gathering, you raise your glass, take a sip of wine, and put the glass down, your mind goes blank.

Having an authoritative newspaper like the Federal Post address this issue is tantamount to telling the public that this is the final answer!
Simple and effective.

The federalists are stupid.

Everyone in the world is stupid.

Because once enough authority is established in their minds, they will believe it even if you say that the whole world is a piece of land floating in the universe, and that the whole universe revolves around the flat earth beneath their feet! Blind obedience is irrational and not calm enough, so people will believe what the Post says, that Lance is a perfect "protagonist of the era".

“A clown,” Mr. Porter said, tossing the Federal Post out the car window.

He looked at the driver in front, "How much more time do we need?"

The driver glanced at the clock on the dashboard. "About half an hour left."

Over the past two weeks, Mr. Zhong Potter... now we should call him Director Zhong Potter, has used the Potter family's connections to find a gang willing to cooperate with them.

Furthermore, the state where this gang is located is north of Licale.

In recent years, Lion Lime has not only become popular in Licarle, but also has a large market in the South due to its high quality. Some gangs buy large quantities of Lion Lime and then smuggle it to northern states to sell at higher prices.

On the one hand, Lance himself didn't ask them for much money, and on the other hand, it was a matter of quality. Even if they didn't make much money reselling, as long as the quantity was large enough, it would still be a huge profit.

The Lance family did not expand northward, but Golden Lion Liquor did gain a certain market share in the three states north of it.

The gangster that Director Bot found was just such a guy; he knew about Lance's Golden Lion liquor and had even bought it from smugglers.

When he heard that some important figures needed his help, he agreed almost without hesitation.

The broker who found him was a very famous local guy who had a lot of influence among the leaders of various industries and was often seen with people like the governor, secretary of state, and speaker of the state legislature.

Despite being a powerful figure, the gang leader did not dare to underestimate him simply because he was a gangster.

He knew very well that these were no longer the golden years. With the implementation and promotion of de-gangsterization laws, the space for gangs to survive was beginning to be squeezed.

"Laundering," a term previously disapproved of and even despised by gangsters, is beginning to gain popularity within them.

Bandi (the head of the Kodak family, one of the five major families in Golden Harbor City) was once very keen on whitewashing. He was once called "the least gangster-like gangster". He was clearly engaged in gangster business, but wanted to get rid of the gangster traces and become a lackey of those officials.

Despite their wealth, power, status, and influence, it doesn't stop some gangs from looking down on them.

If it weren't for the Kodak family's immense power and political backing, they might not have been able to hold out until Lance arrived in the Federation; they would have been killed by those who looked down on them.

Perhaps this is the cognitive bias caused by being "a step ahead". Bandi can be said to be a smart man. He could foresee that the role of gangs in the overall social system would become increasingly awkward, and he thought of a solution early on.

Unfortunately, he made the wrong choice regarding Lance.

Otherwise, he might become a kind of "gangster role model"!

Laundering money has become one of the top priorities for many gang leaders. If they can get in touch with some big shots in the state, it would be a great opportunity for these gangs to transform and launder their money, and they wouldn't let it pass them by.

President Porter instructed him to handle this matter carefully, as he needed to oversee it personally. This operation would determine a crucial contest between them and the Socialists, and a series of other events.

The transfer of power between political parties is not a harmonious process. Over the years, the Socialist Party has integrated its influence into all aspects of the federal government.

Separating these influences from the current government system will absolutely not be painless; it will inevitably cause pain, and it will be intense and persistent.

There is a way to alleviate this pain: a contest.

If people see that the Socialist Party's "momentum" is gone, then some fence-sitters will take the initiative to come to its side. Then the pain caused by the loss of the Socialist Party's influence will be lessened and become acceptable, and everything will change!
Making Lance White the central figure in this contest is a good choice; he's neither a major political figure nor a true socialite, and he also has some dark history.

Most importantly, he is important to the Socialist Party, enough to deliver a heavy blow to them!
This job is very important, and Mr. Porter is well aware of it. The president entrusted this task to him in the best sense because he hoped that Mr. Porter could establish his prestige within the party.

He did something that was beneficial to the party and not so easy, which will greatly help him in the future, whether he takes over President Porter's network of connections and power, or in his own personal development within the party.

The car soon arrived at the entrance of a club. Mr. Porter did not get out of the car; he remained inside.

The two men talking at the door were about to shoo the car away when they saw it approaching, but one of them quickly threw away his cigarette, stopped the man next to him, and bent down as he walked over. "Are you... 'Mr. Black'?"

"Mr. Black" was a shortened name that Mr. Potter had given them; he couldn't very well tell such a nobody that he was an important member of the Potter family and that the current president was his father.

So he named himself Blake, a name he came up with as soon as he had the idea of ​​choosing a name.

Mr. Porter's appearance was not exposed in the newspapers. Even the Post and Daily News simply stated the matter in words: "The President has nominated so-and-so to be the first Director of the National Security Agency."

Mr. Porter nodded. The young man who was bending over had a slightly flushed face, partly due to the change in his emotions, and partly because bending over meant that more blood was flowing to his head, causing his face to turn red.

"Boss has been waiting for you. Would you like to get off the bus?"

Mr. Porter shook his head and glanced at the young man, a social outcast he would normally not even give a second glance to.

The young man seemed completely oblivious to the disdain shown to him by the people in the car. He straightened up, bowed again, and then jogged back into the club. A short while later, the gang leader strode out of the door.

“Mr. Black…”

Mr. Porter looked at him and said, “I don’t know what they told you, but this matter is important, and you don’t need to know what its significance is.”

"I've heard about your conditions from them, and they're perfectly fine, as long as you can handle this!"

(End of this chapter)