Shadow Empire

Chapter 1260 The Importance of Choice

Onlookers, who are merely watching the spectacle, cannot grasp the psychological state of those involved; they only find the spectacle entertaining.

However, once these onlookers are affected, they will be even more terrified than the weaker party involved.

It's like... two people on the street got into an argument for some reason, which escalated into a conflict, and one of them pulled out a dagger and started stabbing the other.

Passersby watching the spectacle on the roadside would look on with amusement, and some might even shout something from the sidelines.

Phrases like "stab him in the butt" or "you snatch his dagger back" took the spectacle to the extreme.

But if the person with the dagger suddenly turns towards the crowd, those onlookers will flee in even greater terror than the injured person among the two.

Because they are always observing, they can use their brains more rationally to think about the possible consequences of these events.

Injury is certain, and death is even possible.

It is precisely because they see things clearly from an outsider's perspective and understand the unfolding of events that they are more afraid than those directly involved.

Under the influence of adrenaline, the person involved may not even realize what "fear" is at that moment, but the bystanders are already infected by fear and are left only to be ignited.

The same situation exists now with the Likalai Federal Revenue Service; as onlookers, they are well aware of the destructive power the Lance family wields in this area.

They can even see the underlying logic of some things—

Someone messed with the Lance family, and then they were finished!
Simple, clear, and direct.

It was precisely these constantly confirmed results that made them all very clear about what offending the Lance family in Licale meant.

The entire family mysteriously disappeared or died, and will never be found by anyone!

When watching others make a scene, they would comment on the stupidity of those people. They would think, "Why would such a foolish person go looking for trouble with the Lance family?" and "If it were me, I wouldn't do that."

So when a letter from the federal government appeared in front of them at this moment, everyone felt a little annoyed.

The supervisor who received the document glanced at it and tossed it to someone next to him as if it were a pile of dog shit. "I don't know what these federal government bureaucrats are thinking."

“They should really be allowed to work at the grassroots level for a while. They’re always giving orders in Jinzhou, and they always think these things can be easily solved.”

The supervisor looked indignant as the letter mentioned a report alleging that the Wanli Group was evading taxes and requested the Licarle State Federal Tax Service to investigate their tax situation.

The investigation is required by this document and includes, but is not limited to, the company itself, board members, shareholders, including Lance himself.

His supervisor only glanced at it casually before intending to pass it on, but the people behind him waved their hands, not wanting to look.

The second supervisor handed the letter to the bureau chief.

"Tell me your thoughts," he said, picking up a cigarette from the box on the table, lighting one, and then looking at the deputy director.

Clearly, he hoped the deputy director would say something at this point.

The deputy director sat there looking at him for about seven or eight seconds, then leaned back in his chair, one hand on the back of the chair and the other raised, as if to prepare for what he was about to say.

He opened his mouth, then lowered his hand again. "I have nothing to say."

The somewhat serious atmosphere in the room instantly turned cheerful, and everyone couldn't help but laugh out loud.

The bureau chief laughed too. He tried to be serious, but couldn't manage it. "Haven't you considered trying to investigate?"

The deputy director shrugged. "No, I've never considered it, but if you want to investigate, I'll support you."

“After all, according to the rules in the work manual, if you go missing, then I am the director.”

Everyone else was laughing; it was clearly a joke.

The deputy director chuckled twice, "I'm telling the truth, there's nothing to investigate. This is a very thorny issue."

“If we don’t find out what these bureaucrats want, they certainly won’t stop here. They might ask us to continue digging deeper into the Wanli Group and the Lance family.”

"Until we dug out the material they wanted from over there."

"But the problem is, if those materials, evidence, and clues are actually unearthed, who would dare to investigate?"

He looked at the others, who all shook their heads. He then adjusted his posture slightly, crossing his right leg over his left. “The Lance family is different from those small gangs. Those small gangs can investigate whenever they want.”

“Just like that last time…” He named a small gang, one within the state of Likale, that ruled the underworld of a city of 500,000 people.

Someone reported that the gang leader was evading taxes, and the amount was huge. The IRS launched an investigation into him, quickly found enough clues and evidence, and then brought him to court.

The entire gang was completely dismantled due to the intervention of the FBI.

At the time, many people said that the IRS was doing a better job than the federal police in fighting crime, at least they could actually do it, unlike the police who were just messing around.

They have extensive experience in cracking down on gangs!

“The Lance family is unlike any of the gangs we’ve ever dealt with before, gentlemen.”

“First of all, they have a lot of influence locally. If we really want to investigate them, we will face pressure from all sides.”

“Governor Terry’s side, the state legislature, mayors from all over the country.”

“If we can overcome these internal state problems, then the next step will be pressure from the federal government.”

“The Socialist Party, the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Department of Defense, the military, and possibly some other sources of immense pressure will come down all at once.”

"Even if those bureaucrats in Jinzhou can withstand so much pressure and continue to push us forward with this matter, gentlemen, do you think we can withstand the pressure from the Lance family?"

He picked up the chief's cigarette case, took out a cigarette, and lit it. "They'll kill us and then find someone to take the blame."

"Just like they always have."

“We are tax agents. If we die here, the local judicial and law enforcement agencies will be in charge of investigating this case. In other words, they are all Lance’s people.”

“He can just find someone to take the blame, who can spend some time in prison and then get out, and extricate himself from the whole thing completely.”

“He will suffer no loss, but we will die, our families will die, and given the Lance family’s behavior over the years, you should be able to imagine it!”

Everyone else, including the bureau chief, nodded in agreement; they had clearly seen the spectacle all along.

The Lance family members are always ruthless towards those who provoke them, even if they are relatives of their own members, such as Mr. Bolton's former son.

Because he made a mistake, the Lance family said they would kill him, and they wouldn't let him go just because he was a family member.

It is precisely this almost strict adherence to rules that makes everyone realize that the Lance family will not compromise on these issues.

If an investigation into the Lance family's tax issues is absolutely necessary, they should be prepared to leave this world at any time.

The deputy director curled his lip. "In short, my suggestion is to stall for time and only look for a solution when there's really no other way."

"As for now?" He shook his head. "Just do what you need to do and don't think too much."

"Of course, if anyone wants to try to get the attention of those bureaucrats through this, that's fine too. Anyone of you, including your subordinates, can do it, but don't drag me into it!"

"I just bought a new boat and haven't even had a chance to take it for a spin on the lake yet, so you'd better not count me in. I'd like to thank you the hell!"

The atmosphere in the room was neither serious nor lively; the problems of the Lance family weighed heavily on everyone's minds like a mountain.

The director flicked his cigarette ash. "I've heard that Wanli Group has always paid all its taxes perfectly, and they haven't used any tax avoidance measures."

"Perhaps we can contact Lance White first?"

Everyone else looked somewhat surprised, while the deputy director's expression held a hint of amusement.

“I think it’s fine.” After a while, the deputy director nodded. “With the power and strength of the Lance family, as long as we investigate him, it’s impossible for them not to know about this.”

"If we could communicate beforehand, we might be able to resolve some issues, maintain our current situation, and also get the job done for our superiors."

The other supervisors all nodded in agreement; in truth, they didn't want to investigate the Lance family either.

The Lance family has killed too many people over the years. Lance's methods are sometimes extremely ruthless, giving people no chance to resist.

It would be best to resolve this peacefully.
The director immediately made the decision, "Since no one has any objections, I will contact Lance White later to discuss this matter."

"Aside from some work that is nearing completion, everything else has been put on hold for now, and we'll wait for the specific results of this matter."

After the meeting, the deputy director stayed behind. Once the door was closed, he asked, "What are your thoughts?"

The bureau chief looked at him, and the two stared at each other for a moment. "I don't have many thoughts, I just don't want to die."

The deputy director nodded. Neither of them spoke, but at that moment they both thought of roughly the same thing. In the afternoon, the accountant had re-examined the company's tax returns and payment situation for the past two years, and it basically met Lance's requirements: full payment of taxes, no tax avoidance, and no tax evasion.

Many people in the company had mentioned tax avoidance to Lance before.

However, Lance was unwilling to avoid taxes. It wasn't that he was old-fashioned; he actually knew that legal tax avoidance could reduce the company's business tax significantly.

Tax avoidance, to put it bluntly, is about exploiting legal loopholes. If the federal government doesn't bother you, that's fine, but once they decide to, they'll always find a way to make these legal things illegal.

They look the same, but there are still some differences.

"The materials from the previous years are being sorted out. The company's tax records have always been kept very well and will be clarified soon."

"Your personal and other husbands' financial and tax situations may take some time to process. Some income and expenditure details are not yet complete. We need to make more detailed comparisons and calculations before we can get the results."

Lance nodded slightly. "Very good. Get these things sorted out as soon as possible. Whether it's money or people, it's not a problem."

As they were discussing this, the phone on the desk rang. The accountant immediately got up to leave, and Lance nodded, allowing him to go.

He picked up the phone after the accountant left. The call was transferred from the company secretary. "The State Taxation Administration Commissioner wants to speak with you, sir."

Lance frowned. "Bring him in."

The receiver picked up some audio of a line change, followed by an unfamiliar voice: "Mr. White, hello. This is the director of the Licarle State Federal Revenue Service. I apologize for calling you without an appointment. I hope this hasn't caused you any inconvenience."

Lance's expression remained unchanged, but his tone revealed a hint of enthusiasm; he was quite adept at acting. "No, there's no problem at all. I'm just curious, is there anything I can do for you?"

The FBI director chuckled twice. "Thank you for your understanding. There are some things that are not convenient to say over the phone. I wonder if I would have the honor of visiting you? It would be more convenient for us to communicate face-to-face."

He didn't ask Lance to come to the tax office, as that would have seemed too harsh, aggressive, and easily misunderstood.

However, if he were to visit Lance on his own initiative, it would seem less targeted.

Lance didn't hesitate for long. "I'm available these next few days."

The tax bureau chief's voice was filled with joy, "I should arrive at Golden Harbor City tomorrow, so shall we meet then?"

"Okay, come directly to my company. You should know where it is."

"Yes."

"Then we'll see you later."

"See you later."

After hanging up the phone, Lance looked at the receiver with amusement. He had just received news from Chairman Thomason that the IRS was going to investigate him, and now the head of the state IRS was coming to visit him.

This is an interesting sign. Hopefully, the bureau chief will do as he thinks and not act recklessly.

Just after 10 a.m. the next day, the secretary told Lance that the director of the tax bureau had arrived, and Lance had someone invite him in.

This was their first meeting, so Lance maintained a certain level of politeness. When the office door opened and the tax bureau chief walked in, Lance then came out from behind his desk, stood by the desk, and extended his hand to shake hands with the tax bureau chief.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. White!" The tax commissioner looked to be in his forties, not very tall, and a little overweight. He didn't seem dangerous at all.

Lance smiled and replied, "Me too." He then released his hand, gesturing for the other person to sit down. He then walked back to his own chair and sat down, and had his secretary bring over two cups of coffee.

“I thought you might be a little later,” he said, opening the cigarette case on the table and gesturing for the tax bureau chief to take one.

The latter did not refuse, picked one at random, and lit it for himself. "After I finished work last night, I had the driver take me here overnight. Actually, I arrived at around eight o'clock this morning."

"I ate something outside, then booked a hotel to rest and recuperate before coming here."

Lance nodded noncommittally. "A very clever itinerary. Can I know what we can't discuss over the phone?"

The tax bureau chief had been observing Lance for a while, then took out a file folder from his pocket and handed it over, saying, "You can take a look first."

At that moment, the secretary pushed the cart in, carrying coffee and some snacks.

After she finished getting everything done and left, Lance told him to have some coffee and snacks while he started looking at the contents of the file folder.

It can be described as a formal request for assistance in an investigation, which mentions the content of the report received by the IRS headquarters and the entities they are asked to investigate.

The names of Wanli Group and Lance himself are listed at the very beginning.

He quickly read through the contents and put it back in the file folder. "Very interesting content."

"Do you need my cooperation with your investigation?" he asked.

The tax commissioner was sipping coffee—top-quality coffee, costing hundreds of dollars a pound, the finest in the federal government.

There may be even more expensive options, but the quality of those higher-priced ones may not be much better than this one that costs hundreds of dollars per pound. These higher prices are often premiums for other added values ​​and do not reflect their true value.

After marveling at the aroma of the coffee, the tax bureau chief put down his cup. "How should I put it?"

He sighed. "If I could, I wouldn't accept this job offer because I know it's not a good job."

"So I came here, Mr. White, and I'm trying to find a balance through our communication."

“I’m a native of Likalai, and I don’t want to get into trouble.”

This was a very straightforward expression. Lance smiled and nodded. "That's a good choice!"

He paused for a moment, then said, "Since someone has reported this and asked you to investigate, then investigate properly. I will send the company's accounting team to assist you in your investigation."

"If there is a problem, it must be thoroughly investigated; otherwise, the problem will persist and remain a concern for some people."

“There’s nothing about the company that’s not open to investigation, and the same goes for me personally. I’ve always had the habit of paying taxes in full, and I will have the company’s accountant cooperate with your investigation.”

"Now that we have doubts, we must find out the truth!"

The tax bureau chief was somewhat surprised. He thought Lance would say something else, but he didn't expect him to be so open about letting the tax bureau investigate, which meant that at least most of the issues were resolved.

As for those details?

If we delve into the details, there are no innocent people in the federal government; everyone is guilty.

Moreover, they will negotiate to resolve and make amends.

This was beyond his expectations; he had managed to resolve the work requirements in Golden State without offending Lance. The tax commissioner finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you for your understanding. I will arrange the follow-up work as soon as possible and demonstrate to the public the support that Wanli Group and you personally have for the federal government in terms of taxation!"

Lance was very satisfied with his attitude. "Communication is the most effective way to solve problems. You see, after just a few simple conversations, we have no more misunderstandings."

"So, please keep in touch with me about anything to avoid misunderstandings."

The tax bureau chief nodded repeatedly, "Yes, that's why I'm here."

Now that the business was over, Lance definitely wanted to discuss some personal matters. "You just said you're a native of Licarle?"

The tax commissioner did not deny it, "Yes, I was born in Mantegnon. My father was a civil servant in the city hall. After graduating from Likas State University, I smoothly entered the government sector."

"The first year after I graduated, the federal tax law was adjusted, and the IRS expanded its workforce for the first time. My father thought it was a good opportunity, so I joined the IRS and have been working there for more than 20 years."

He spoke of these things with a touch of melancholy. In fact, before the war led to the passage of the tax law amendments, the situation for the tax authorities was not so easy.

Prior to the new amendments, during the Liberal Party's last period in power, they virtually eliminated a range of taxes, including personal income tax, which meant that the tax authorities could only tax large capitalists.

Taxing big capitalists is not easy; they control more than half of the resources in society and are more or less connected to the political arena.

For decades, capital has been the most powerful force in the Federation, with major monopoly groups having virtually manipulated the entire federal society.

So before that, it was a very troublesome thing for the tax authorities to collect taxes, and it could even be said that the tax authorities were not an attractive department.

Entering the tax bureau means you'll offend people and won't be able to complete your work.

If it weren't for the unprecedented strengthening of the IRS by the federal government during this war, their lives would still be far from comfortable.

"No one could have imagined that the tax bureau would also receive such a huge boost, in terms of privileges, power, and all aspects."

"I'm so lucky!"

Lance agreed with him, saying, "I've heard the saying that choice is more important than effort, and your experience proves that right."

"Whether it was in choosing a job or now, you made the right choice."

(End of this chapter)