Shadow Empire

Chapter 526: The Confrontation between the Upper Class and the Cliques
"…Dantela's crazy prime minister and their crazy soldiers are destroying the order of the entire world. They are heading towards the abyss of destruction!"

"We should stop them together before they go completely crazy. This is not only our problem, but also related to the safety of the whole world!"

"Although we have a certain advantage in the war situation now, that is because we gained the first-mover advantage by not declaring war first, and now these advantages are disappearing."

"And as their allies begin to join the battlefield, the continent of Tanfit will soon be in a state of anxiety."

"We need some outside forces to help us destroy the evil Dantra Alliance!"

In the room, a gentleman who looked a little different from the federal people in terms of temperament and dress was sitting on the sofa and talking about his views and thoughts on some international issues.

This sounds a bit ridiculous, like a topic that old men in their sixties and seventies on the street often talk about.

If it is not the development of cutting-edge science and technology, or the belonging of world peace, they will give people the image of "lonely politicians hidden in the streets", but in fact they are just ordinary people who are bored.

There were several gentlemen in the room, and one of them thought for a moment before answering, "The Federation has no intention of participating in this war. We are a peace-loving country."

If the natives whose scalps were cut off heard these words, they would be moved to tears and shout that the federals were liars and devils.

Just as the gentleman sitting opposite them was about to say something else, Tom stood outside the door and knocked.

Senator Cleveland, who was sitting on the sofa with his chin supported by one hand, glanced at it, smiled and apologized, "I'll take care of it, you guys talk first."

The man sitting opposite them was a diplomatic ambassador sent by a country that was at war with the Dantra Republic. They had quickly gained an advantage in the early stages of the war using cavalry and mobile forces, but were being caught up little by little by the Dantra people who had reacted quickly.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Dhantra delivered a public speech entitled "To Dhantra" at the beginning of this month, in which he mentioned a series of historical issues raised by geopolitical issues.

They also talked about the reasons for the poor development of the Dantra Republic in recent years, and mentioned that if they want to break the impasse, they must break the siege of the surrounding countries.

Be brave to resist and be brave to sacrifice!

The crazy prime minister started a crazy war with a group of crazy soldiers who shouted "wash away the historical shame and avenge our ancestors". They even executed several batches of prisoners of war, which caused great dissatisfaction and panic among the countries involved in the war.

Moreover, the Republic of Dantra won over two other countries to form the Iron Triangle and began to wage wars more actively.

From the federal people's perspective, their war was not about right or wrong. It was just a manifestation of the conflict between two groups. You wanted to kill me and take my wealth, and I just happened to want to kill you and take your land.

Just fight. No one is just or evil. War is actually very simple and pure.

Each side believed that it was the righteous side, and the diplomatic ambassadors were unable to convince the Federation to join.

It is irrational to rashly join the war.

Senator Cleveland buttoned up his shirt and then emerged from the half-open door.

Others could hear them talking here, so they went to another small room.

Senator Cleveland walked to a mirror and adjusted his clothes in front of it. Tom, who was standing nearby, said, "It's Lance calling."

Senator Cleveland looked at Tom in the mirror and asked, "Can't you answer his question?"

Tom nodded. "There are some questions I can't answer for him."

Senator Cleveland nodded, walked to the sofa and sat down, crossed his legs, and then picked up the receiver. "What's the problem?"

Without any pleasantries, he went straight to the point. He had other things to do. Although this lobbying would hardly convince them in Congress to support the proposal to join the war, they would still be able to gain considerable benefits from it.

Some precious metals, gems, wealth, some antiques and the like.

In the highest political arena of the Federal Congress, if you cannot win over others to your side, then you must at least prevent them from standing against you.

Because of interests involved, the Cleveland Senators won't give Lance too much time.

Of course, he was also very clear about another point: if Lance's question was not so important, Tom would not have disturbed him to answer the call.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Senator. I'm planning to take action against the Kodak family. I heard that they have some influence in Congress. Is there anything I need to be careful about?"

Senator Cleveland glanced at Tom and realized that this was indeed an important question.

Every year, the Kodak family can send tens of millions of dollars to Congress. Everyone who sees this money is jealous. Everyone who cannot get their share of this money is asking themselves this question:

“Why isn’t there a share for me?”

And
"How can I get a copy?"

Now, the opportunity is before him.

With this money, even if it is only one-tenth of it, he will be able to gain support from more people faster and better, making their small group larger.

Moreover, the funds can not only be used to fill personal appetites, but can also be used to actually solve many problems, such as being used to "bribe" voters.

He did not directly answer Lance's question, but instead asked, "How do you plan to attack the Kodak family?"

Before Lance could elaborate on his plan, Senator Cleveland interrupted him, "As long as you have a plan, why now?"

The international situation is turbulent now, and this is actually not a good time for anyone.

Lance also expressed his concerns, "You said before that there would be a garrison in Jingang City, and now the newspapers have mentioned that there might be a result in July or August."

"If a large-scale outbreak occurs in the city after the garrison arrives... you know, it may cause some troubles that we cannot foresee."

Could the Kodak family be colluding with the military?
The military is actually not honest at all.

Will the military make other excessive demands on the grounds that local security is unreliable?
For example, taking over the public security work of a part of the city?
It’s not impossible!

Congress is well aware of the importance of the military to a country, and knowing this, they are always trying to make the military more pure!

Lance considered the problem very comprehensively. After thinking for a while, Senator Cleveland said, "I can help you stop the trouble from Congress, but you have to be quick. Do you understand?"

"You know, I won't put things off for too long."

The faster things are resolved, the less opportunity and time Congress will have to respond.

If Lance could only deal with the Kodak family in one day, the senators behind them would not have time to respond before the matter was over. Together with Senator Cleveland and his small group, those people would have no choice but to accept it.

It's not worthwhile to compete with a political group on the rise just because of a family that has already gone bankrupt.

He didn't fully believe this and asked directly, "When can it be resolved?"

Lance calculated, "Before summer vacation."

Summer vacation was a very unfamiliar word to Senator Cleveland. It took him two or three seconds to remember that summer vacation should refer to the period before July.

Three months is not a fast time to destroy a large family, but it is certainly not slow.

He thought about it seriously and said, "Okay, but as soon as possible!"

"If you have any questions, please communicate directly with Tom."

He handed the receiver to Tom, "You talk to him. This is very important."

As he said this, he walked outside. He had something to deal with in another room.

This is the bad thing about being a senator. From morning to night, your time belongs to others and you don't have much time of your own.

Tom picked up the phone again. "The senator has just said what needs to be said. Do you have any questions?"

"Are you familiar with the Attorney General of Likalai State?" Lance asked.

They had actually met once last time, because after Senator Cleveland and Lance had a private chat for a while, they all came over and got to know each other with Lance.

Just knowing each other doesn't mean they will do anything for Lance. This is just the most basic social interaction. They just know each other and have not established interpersonal relationships yet.

Now Lance wants to take Charlie down, and the easiest way is to give him a bullet.

No one can withstand a bullet shot into the head, if you can, then take another one. But doing so will undoubtedly break the rules, people may not say anything at first, but it will leave a knot in their hearts.

People who make rules never like people who break the rules, even if that person serves them.

Senator Cleveland would also have some opinions about Lance. After all, shooting politicians is too cruel for a ruler!
How long does it take for a politician to reach the highest political stage in the federation?

But how long would it take to produce a bullet that could take everything from them?
Unless there is absolutely no other choice, Lance will never kill a politician easily, unless he intends to become a public enemy in the political arena.

So to deal with Charlie, you need to use your brain a little.

Tom's mind flashed with the image of the Attorney General of Likalai State. He hesitated a little, "I know him, but I'm not particularly familiar with him. What happened to him?"

"I need some help from him."

Tom thought about it, and many images reappeared and disappeared in his mind. After about ten seconds, he said, "Call him tomorrow morning."

"Is there anything else?"

Although he is not familiar with the Attorney General of Likalai State, someone is familiar with him!
This is the connection, the invisible "network". Maybe there is no direct connection between these two joints, but they can be connected through the third, fourth, and more joints!
Lance had no further questions and then hung up the phone.

After lunch, Lance invited Alberto and Francisco to come over for a chat, and neither of them refused Lance's invitation.

The relationship between Alberto and Lance can no longer be measured simply by interests. They help each other and complement each other. It is no longer just an ordinary friendship.

Francisco also relied on some of Lance's power to stabilize his current position. Although the favor was owed by Alberto, he actually owed Lance a big favor as well.

In Lance's office, Lance had drinks and pastries brought in and then closed the door.

In addition to the three of them, there are also several of Lance's confidants here.

"How are you guys doing lately?" Lance found a very common topic as a starting point.

Alberto seemed relaxed. He leaned back on the sofa and tilted his head. “Not very good.”

"You know our main business..."

Lance nodded and said, "Drugs and smuggling."

"Yes, medicines and smuggling. The prices of those special medicines are rising very fast now. In addition, Paul passed away very suddenly, and the relationship with the medical group has been cut off. They don't need us to help them solve the problem of overcapacity now."

"As for smuggling, the risks are getting bigger and bigger because of the mad dogs of the Dantra Republic who intercept merchant ships at sea, but the profits haven't increased much."

"Now our main income is completely dependent on those bars. The situation in the family is not good. Some people are becoming restless again."

These are the facts, Alberto did not hide anything, and it is inevitable that people are unsettled.

Gangs, even if they are family and religious gangs among the Sumuli people, still need to eat and live.

Family can only bring people closer together, and religion only makes the classes more strict. But how do people eat, how do they consume, and how do family members live?
Money and interests are still the core of the core.

If the family's criminal business fails to make money, the lower-level members will feel that the family is on the decline, and they will consider whether to change their ways.

Opening more bars is a good idea, but the Hazardous Materials Administration is very strict. Two bars have been closed down and a lot of people have been arrested.

So far the person has not been rescued.

Alberto knew that Paul had a confidential financial account, but his death was so sudden that the account was never passed on to Francisco, and they didn't have any better solution now.

Lance was relieved to hear that they were not having a hard time.

This is definitely not gloating, it's just that this will make them stand more firmly on their side.

"I've recently been planning to take full action against the Kodak family," Lance said.

He observed the changes in Alberto and Francisco's expressions. After listening, Alberto just raised his eyebrows, while Francisco lowered his eyelids and showed no expression.

After a few seconds, Alberto asked, "The Kodak family has a considerable network of connections in the state and the Golden State..."

He was reminding Lance that killing is easy, but the problems one has to face after killing are the real trouble.

Lance shook his head, "I'll take care of these."

Alberto looked at him curiously, "So what do you need us to do?"

Lance expressed some of his thoughts, "I don't know the specific situation of the Kodak family. I don't know how many industries they have or where they are located."

"I don't know how many cadres there are in their family, what their names are, and what they are responsible for. I know almost nothing about them!"

"I don't know anything else except where a few of their casinos are."

"I don't have enough time to investigate their family in such detail, so I need your help so that you can get to know them better."

Lance was not wrong about this. If there were anyone who knew the Kodak family best, it would be the five major families themselves.

Before the status of the five major families was determined, they had been in opposition and fought against each other.

Even though the five major families had ceased fighting, they did not give up their continued infiltration and intelligence gathering on each other, just in case one day they went to war again, they would not be clueless.

Seeing the two of them lost in thought, Lance also offered the benefits he could provide.

"After you take care of the Koda family, their entire liquor business will be handed over to you."

If Alberto's willingness to help Lance was due to the friendship between him and Lance, then now with such huge profits, there is no possibility for him to refuse.

He glanced at Francisco, who nodded, and the two reached a consensus.

Alberto smiled and asked, "What do you want to know?"

what do you know?
Of course, all of them!

Just as Lance begins to expand his knowledge of the Kodak family, Bandy is on the phone with Charlie.

When Charlie told him that Hunter was finished, Bandy looked incredulous!

"He's the chief of police, how could he ..."

Charlie's tone was very gloomy, revealing a suffocating heaviness, "He was fooled by Lance. There are quite a few of Lance's people in the police station now, and he was tricked out."

"Originally... we were so close to success, but this idiot, I told him not to go out, but he insisted on going out!"

After listening to Charlie's general explanation of the situation, Bandy was speechless.

Neither of them wanted to talk for a moment, and the only sound in the receiver was Charlie's heavy breathing.

After a while, Bandy asked, "So what are you going to do now?"

"Now that Hunter is dead, who can take over his job?"

The police station is a very important law enforcement department. In the absence of other powerful law enforcement departments, whoever controls the police station has partial power to make rules.

Charlie mentioned a few candidates. These were the few options he could choose from. These people had no personal abilities, but they all had one thing in common: they were obedient.

What Charlie wants now is not a capable director, what he wants is a puppet.

It turns out that after he left, that position is only suitable for puppets and not for others!
"After the new chief takes office, he will definitely not be able to control the situation in the police station like Hunter did in a short period of time, and there are still many traitors inside the police station."

"So I need you to keep putting pressure on Lance and prevent him from pulling his hands away to deal with my side."

"Wait until I'm done with this, and then we'll deal with him together..."

(End of this chapter)