Shadow Empire

Chapter 1263 Giving a Helping Hand and Making a Change
Lance's actions would not cause any financial loss to Lance himself; on the contrary, they would indirectly gain the support of millions of Sumuli immigrants from the Federation.

Immigrants are also voters. As long as they meet the federal requirements for voters, have stable jobs, and own a house, they have a legal vote.

The federal government is entering an era of campaign capitalism. In order to gain more attention and votes, politicians will compromise with capitalists to a greater extent. This is an inevitable process and an inevitable result!

If they don't compromise, they won't be elected president, so candidates have no choice but to make the only option.

The deeper capital penetrates politics, the more important votes become.

Perhaps the votes of the Sumuri people alone cannot change anything, but what if the votes of the imperial immigrants are added?
What about the votes of those Slavic immigrants?
There are also votes from immigrants from other countries, which Lance can win over.

In an era on the verge of madness, the votes in federal society are like... a kind of "merit," capable of forging a "golden body"!
Lance offered Francisco an alternative path: "to end all gang business, except for the liquor business."

"The sale of alcohol is not a serious crime, and no one will die if you are caught, but the money is real and the most lucrative."

"The rest is to use your power to launder the dirty money and become someone who is passionate about helping the Sumuli people, just like Paul did before."

"Become a remarkable and respected gentleman in their eyes, a beacon and role model for them."

"Times have changed, and people's definition of power has also changed."

Francisco agreed almost without hesitation, "I will do as you say."

This young man has a great advantage: he listens to advice and is obedient.

"Call me if there's anything you can't handle. I'll always be your most trusted friend!" Lance said before hanging up the phone.

He then called Roger over and talked to him about it.

"The Imperial Chamber of Commerce cannot be limited to Likalai State. We must continue to expand and develop, so that more people in the Empire will know about us and join us."

After listening, Roger agreed with the idea. "Imperial immigrants from outside the state have already inquired about this. Now it seems we can establish organizations nationwide, and I believe they will be very happy to join the Imperial Chamber of Commerce."

The cornerstone of the Imperial Chamber of Commerce is Lance himself. With such a "big shot" as a backer, people will know which choice is the right one.

Don't underestimate the "pragmatism" of the people of the Federation. Whether they are immigrants or non-immigrants, as long as they are not tortured to death or driven mad in the unseen cannibalistic society of the Federation, they can more or less master some survival skills.

Roger nodded and said, "Boss, I'm thinking about something."

"You just mentioned expanding the influence of the Imperial Chamber of Commerce, so why don't we form a capital organization similar to the 'Imperial Consortium' like the local tycoons?"

"The Federation also has many financial groups, and they do not have a fixed sphere of influence in any particular region. They are very active, cohesive, and destructive, especially in the financial sector."

"If we can form a conglomerate, it will be easier for subsequent development."

"After all, for many people, a chamber of commerce is different from a conglomerate or conglomerate; they would be more inclined to join the latter than the former."

Lance considered for a moment, "Okay, but if you do that, you'll have to withdraw from the Golden Harbor Consortium."

"Otherwise, some minor issues might be exploited and escalated into difficult-to-resolve contradictions and conflicts."

Roger's face was full of surprise and joy. He wasn't too sure that Lance would agree to his idea.

How could he not be happy now that Lance had agreed to his request?

He immediately replied, "I will take out the portion of the profits from the Golden Harbor Consortium and hand it over to the board of directors for processing, ensuring a clean divestment in one go!"

He had little attachment to the Golden Harbor Consortium, only the delight of the new consortium, a consortium purely centered on imperial capital!

The Golden Harbor Consortium, also known as the Likalai State Consortium, is a Likalai state capital group with Lance as its core.

Lance is the core of this consortium and wields considerable influence; however, the participation of Imperials and the Imperial Chamber of Commerce, as well as their overall influence within the consortium, are insufficient.

The current consortium is mainly composed of Governor Terry, the Lawrence family, and some large capitalist families in Mantegnon. In other words, "locals" are the core of this consortium, rather than outsiders like the Imperial Chamber of Commerce.

This is obvious, because this is a federation, and the power of the "locals" is too great. Many problems can only be solved by relying on the locals, while imperial capital just happens not to fall under the category of the locals.

When dividing the interests of a conglomerate, it becomes difficult to obtain a large share of the profits.

The Imperial Chamber of Commerce does not have much influence within the Golden Harbor Consortium. In terms of power structure, specifically voting rights, they probably only have about three or four percent of the voting rights, which is completely ineffective in the group's affairs.

Those conglomerate members won't plunder their wealth internally, out of respect for Lance.

However, they will not be allowed to increase their voting rights easily, which is tantamount to restricting their power.

Unless Lance actively requests an increase in the Imperial Chamber of Commerce's power on the board of directors and at shareholders' meetings.

However, doing so would clearly disrupt the already stable framework of the Jin Gang Consortium, which is obviously inappropriate.

A conglomerate is like a sophisticated and massive machine. Once it starts running, even the machine's designer cannot stop it immediately. Other opportunities are needed to restart the machine.

For example, the fuel ran out, or some catastrophic malfunction caused the machine to stop unexpectedly.

Many conglomerates only have the opportunity to restructure when they experience continuous losses, the bankruptcy of some members, or when the conglomerate suffers a major setback due to attacks.

The Jin Gang Consortium is still in its growth phase, so it's fair to avoid making any changes to the distribution of profits.

Roger was originally just a small merchant in the Imperial District of Golden Harbor City. If it weren't for the appearance of Lance and the Lance family, he would most likely still be running one or a few shops in the Imperial District.

Driven by Lance, he reached a height he could never have achieved on his own in his lifetime, and now he clearly hopes to reach an even higher position before he becomes completely unable to work.

It wasn't for wealth or power; it was purely for a belief, an ideal, and a desire to see the scenery from higher places!

The moment people begin to climb a mountain, they have only one goal, and only one goal—to reach the summit!
That's how Roger is now. He doesn't have many years left to live, and he hopes that before he loses everything, he can stand on the mountaintop and see the view from there.

After considering for a moment, Lance nodded slightly. "I will support you in doing this. Go and explain these circumstances to the board of directors, and then begin the work of forming the consortium."

"Perfect timing. Our new city project in South Yaan State has just begun. There are so many profits to be made here. I can share them with others, or I can share them with ourselves."

“I will entrust some of these projects to you, so that this new conglomerate can develop faster and better.”

Roger's face was full of surprise. "That's for the best."

Lance shook his head slightly. "Don't think of things so simply. The confrontation between the local conglomerates and the South Yaan State will be quite intense. If you want to make the concept of the 'Imperial Conglomerate' work, that's fine."

"But you will face many challenges from all sides."

“You know that the Commonwealth people are essentially a very xenophobic group. Even though they themselves are outsiders, they take it for granted that they are the masters of this land, and they will not easily accept your concept.”

"You need to put in more effort to get what you want, and you also need to spend more time and effort to persevere and protect it."

"What I can offer you is a level playing field, ensuring that no one will use underhanded tactics to steal your victory."

"The rest is up to you."

Roger took a deep breath, holding it in his chest, and straightened his back. "No problem, I will overcome all difficulties!"

Lance didn't continue to emphasize the difficulty of doing this, believing that Roger was mentally prepared. The current federal society wasn't very inclusive; they didn't even allow for genders other than two, let alone tolerate a non-domestic conglomerate.

This conglomerate may survive for a while due to its enormous financial resources, but it will certainly be besieged from all sides.

Lance fulfilled his obligation to remind Roger and will ensure the fairness of the competition; that's all he can do for Roger.

If it were the "Imperial Chamber of Commerce," a platform that provides a space for capitalists from the Empire to exchange ideas, then Lance would take the lead in doing so.

Doing this kind of thing poses no threat to federal "local" corporations and big capital; it's just a bunch of small guys absorbing some resources internally.

However, if one tries to pool imperial capital to form a powerful and aggressive conglomerate, one will inevitably be viewed with suspicion, isolated, and attacked.

Therefore, Lance will not get involved in the Imperial Consortium matter. He has used many methods to make it seem as if he has already blended into the Federation community, and there is no need for him to separate himself from the group again at this time and be tainted.

This doesn't mean that it's impossible to do, but it's very difficult to succeed, and the hostility and suspicion you'll receive after success will outweigh the glory!

Roger came happily and left happily; he seems to be full of energy and enthusiasm now.

Whether he succeeds or not, at least in this moment, he is content and happy.

Roger acted quickly; the very next day, Governor Terry called him to inquire about the matter.

"I heard the Imperial Chamber of Commerce is going to withdraw from the board of directors?" he asked cautiously, using an uncertain tone, more like a probe.

Lance has his own power and position on the board of directors and is not part of the Imperial Chamber of Commerce, but Governor Terry obviously knows some inside information.

Lance publicly claimed that he took such good care of the Imperials because many Imperial laborers had been looking after him in the black factory, and he was repaying their kindness.

Governor Tri knew that Lance was very likely an Imperial citizen who had obtained local citizenship through some means.

He has no evidence to prove this, just like many important figures who cannot prove it. So even if they knew, they couldn't bring themselves to say it.

Lance did not deny it, "Rogerf plans to focus on the new city project in South Yaan State. He has taken on a lot of projects from me, which will make it difficult for them to take care of their business in Likale State for a short period of time."

"Moreover, you know, this old guy feels younger because he had another son, and he wants to try again to establish a merchant group with imperial capital as its mainstay."

Lance didn't use "corporation" directly, but instead used the next level "merchant group," but Terry immediately understood his subtext.

“I will explain this situation to the board and then allocate the power they are relinquishing based on our existing structure and composition.”

Lance hummed in agreement. "I have no objections. Let's do it your way."

Governor Terry breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought something else had happened that made me a little uneasy."

"This guy is really... I don't even know how to describe him."

Governor Terry was somewhat moved, but that was all; and those feelings quickly faded away.

He paused for a moment, then said, "Lance, the election is next year..."

It's gubernatorial election year again. Governor Terry has already served one term, and he's very satisfied with everything he has now and wants to continue serving.

To continue serving as governor of Likale, one must obtain Lance's consent; otherwise, given the "public opinion" Lance currently controls, he could easily defeat any gubernatorial candidate.

“You still have something to say,” Lance caught the hint in his words. “We don’t need to be so careful between us.”

Governor Terry chuckled twice, a little embarrassed. "I was just asking Mayor Williams if there would be any changes."

People always change, whether it's someone you love, someone who loves you, or even a more fickle politician.

Mayor Williams previously stated that he would not run for governor, and in exchange for James running for governor in the future.

However, verbal promises are not always 100% true and valid. Lying and breaking promises are as frequent and normal in politics as the sun rising in the east every day.

If Mayor Williams develops the same idea as Roger, whose life and political career are coming to an end, and who wants to make a final push to run for governor after leaving the political stage, then Governor Terry will be in a very difficult position.

It's not a question of whether he's afraid or not, but rather that Lance can directly decide who becomes governor and who can't, so he has to figure out Lance's attitude and whether that's even possible.

Roger's actions made him somewhat worried. What if Mayor Williams was the same kind of person?
Hearing Governor Terry's question, Lance chuckled twice. "Don't worry, Williams is too old, and he's not really willing to change anything."

"James will be the next mayor of Golden Harbor City. You can come over and participate in his inauguration celebration. It's a way of showing your support and making things a little easier for the old man."

"As for the governor, they won't be interested for now, but you can do it two or three more times."

It will likely take James some time to develop into a qualified governor, and it's not something that can be done easily.

If he can't even be a good mayor, how can he possibly be a governor who is at least not so bad?
Hearing this, Governor Terry finally felt relieved. "When will he take office as mayor?"

"I will bring my family to his celebration!"

Lance replied, "Maybe next year or the year after."

"Are you relieved now?"

Governor Terry laughed loudly, "I'm much better now, Lance, better than ever!"

"Then... I'll leave next year's election to you!"

After ending the call, Lance shook his head. In a way, Governor Terry seemed too cautious, but this also reflected his power and status here.

This is what people desperately seek: power, money, and everything that can determine the fate of others.

There's a reason why people are obsessed with these things!

The Imperial Chamber of Commerce's withdrawal from the Golden Harbor Consortium did not cause much of a stir. For ordinary people, this news was too distant, and due to limited access, they were unaware that such an event had occurred.

They didn't even know that the Imperial Chamber of Commerce was a member of the Golden Harbor Consortium!

Those who were able to know about this didn't have many thoughts about it; their departure actually made people feel happier and more joyful.

This means that some capital forces that have been lingering outside the Jin Gang Consortium may be able to take advantage of this opportunity to squeeze into the consortium.

In the Federation, everyone plays the roles of diners and ingredients, constantly changing and exchanging roles.

If you don't want to be served up, you must become stronger!

Under Roger's leadership, the Imperial Chamber of Commerce quickly began to expand its influence. They contacted more imperial capitalists, and those who had a little reputation in the Federation were invited by Roger to Golden Harbor City.

Many people are paying attention to what's happening here. After all, a large group of capable immigrants gathering together will always bring some unease to the insecure people of the Commonwealth.

Roger was unaware that the Imperial Consortium had already been placed on some people's lists even before it was officially established.

It could be the list of people they're monitoring, or it could be the list of ingredients...

(End of this chapter)