Shadow Empire

Chapter 1016 Men's Topics and Requests for Help

When Diego directly pointed out that he was helping Geed fight against the Federation's invasion, and Geed still refused to provide him with any financial assistance, he knew that although some things were not over yet, the outcome was already clear.

He could only call Lance because he didn't want to die.

Not wanting to die has become his most pressing desire at this stage.

Little did he know that Lance was attending Arthur's wedding and was unaware that he was calling.

The two were able to speak after Lance had attended Arthur's dinner party.

Mayor Williams bought him a new villa in New Gold City for approximately $55,000.

He also complained to Lance that more than two years ago, a villa in the same community cost only around 30,000 yuan, and if the location or layout was not so good, it could be bought for more than 20,000 yuan.

But just over two years later, the comprehensive economic recovery brought about by the war economy brought these houses back to where they should have been.

However, this amount of money was not much to Mayor Williams; he was merely complaining about the huge fluctuations in the federal real estate industry.

Paying more money to buy the house made him feel like he'd been ripped off, a feeling he didn't like.

Dinner was prepared by Arthur's mother and his wife's mother, and in principle, Lance, an outsider, should not have been present at the dinner tonight.

However, neither side minded Lance being there, and they warmly invited him to join them. Lance could only reluctantly sit on the sofa and chat with the gentlemen about politics, military affairs, and things happening around the world.

“I recently heard a very interesting story,” said Farman, the father of Arthur’s wife, Farman Edwards.

He didn't act like a typical mid-level Socialist Party politician at all. For example, he wasn't cold at all; in fact, he was very enthusiastic and talkative, which was completely different from the cold and aloof portrayals of mid-level politicians in the news.

Their best side is never shown to those below them; those people don't deserve it.

This is perhaps why people at higher levels often feel that the world is full of beauty, because they are like a sun hanging in the sky, radiating boundless power.

Those below him are like sunflowers, always showing him their best side.

Both Lance and Mayor Williams listened attentively, which made Farman slightly smug.

They go around inquiring about all sorts of messy news in the political arena, just so that they can use it at this moment, when they need him to come up with some topics to prove certain things.
"They say the Federation's current economic recovery depends entirely on the world being in chaos, with war, destruction, people losing their homes, food, and everything else."

"The more suffering the world endures, the happier the Federation will be!"

Upon hearing this, both Lance and Mayor Williams were visibly taken aback, then fell into deep thought.

This is a short phrase that at first glance seems to have no significant meaning, but upon closer examination, one can discern the hidden meaning behind it.

The Federation is like a terrible vampire, sucking blood from the wounds of this world. The current economic recovery, overall productivity improvement, and unprecedented easing of social employment problems in the Federation are not because the federal government and the people of the Federation have worked hard enough.

Simply because the world is suffering, and the more severe their suffering, the more wealth and benefits the Federation gains from it, and the happier the people will naturally be.

"The Federation is like a malignant tumor, affecting the world!" Lance summarized Mr. Farman's words.

Mayor Williams listened, nodding repeatedly. "Very apt. We are endangering the entire world!"

Mr. Farman was very pleased that his topic resonated with the two men, saying, "So these big shots don't really want to stop this war."

"Look, once the war stops, it means that those military-industrial complexes that are turning into monsters will not have as many orders, many newly opened production lines will stop production, and the number of unemployed people will increase again."

"The reduction in international orders will lead to the closure of numerous factories. Even if the federal economy does not decline, it will enter a period of stagnation, neither progressing nor regressing. But for a constantly progressing world, not progressing is regressing!"

This view is very popular among mainstream pro-war politicians because the changes brought about by war are tangible and visible; otherwise, why would people support war?

The federal government simply stated... that we want to maintain world peace?
So people supported sending their children to the battlefield to fight a war where life and death were uncertain.

Do not!
The people of the Union are not that great. The reason they support the war is that the economy is recovering rapidly and factories are operating at full capacity but still cannot fulfill all orders.

The federal government, which hadn't raised wages in the past three years, has seen its revenue increase by nearly 50 percent in the last two years—a huge increase!

Behind this tremendous growth are countless orders and higher profit margins.

All of this is because of war.

They are unwilling to let the war stop, simply to better exploit the countries affected by the war.

“Wars always end,” Lance said softly. “No matter what benefits they may bring us, wars will eventually come to an end.”

"I believe that our President and our members of Congress have good enough solutions to address the problems and pain points we will face in the post-war economy."

"The slowdown in economic growth, and the changes in international relations."

Mayor Williams's thinking on such grander issues was not as sophisticated as Lance's; he merely echoed Lance's views, while Mr. Farman had some of his own insights.

"Actually, if we have to say what other direction is a good option, I think we can consider going to war with the Empire."

Mayor Williams glanced at him with some surprise, then turned to look at Lance.

For most people, Lance is a native of the Federation and has a legendary and adventurous childhood.

Trafficked, forced into illegal labor, rescued, and from then on, reached the pinnacle of life.

Everything he has experienced in his short twenty-odd years could not be covered in a single movie, it would take several, which is one of the reasons why the general public regards him as an idol.

This is perhaps the most primitive form of "fantasy"—the idea that someone from a more miserable background can rise to a higher level through their own efforts. Immersing oneself in this world is like a mental painkiller, allowing some people to sleep more soundly at night.

But Mayor Williams knew that Lance was an Imperial, and he felt that the topic Mr. Farman brought up was a little sensitive.

Lance didn't actually have such thoughts. Although he was of Imperial blood, he was on the ship when he "woke up," and everything that happened in the Empire was only in his memory.

Whenever he recalls those events, it's like watching a movie or having a dream—it doesn't feel real.

He didn't have a clear sense of belonging to the empire, otherwise he wouldn't have supported the young count's rebellion while in the empire.

He would support going to war with the empire as long as it was beneficial to him.

After thinking about it seriously for a while, he said, "This is a good direction, but if we go to war with the Empire, the intensity of the war may not be as high as the current war."

"It's either a full-scale war."

"A clash between two powerful nations can shake the very foundations of the world's political landscape. It can indeed bring about war-driven economic growth like we are seeing now, but it can also bring uncertainty."

"For example, destruction."

After listening, Mr. Farman nodded. "You have a point. This idea still seems too naive."

He accepted Lance's point of view, and Lance continued with a smile, "Besides, there is no actual conflict between us and the Empire right now, so starting a war is not an easy thing."

"Moreover, even if we wanted to start this war, the emperor of the empire might not accept it, as many crises within their country have not yet been resolved!"

Men always like to talk about these things, whether it's the president and his staff, the senators sitting together, or even the homeless sitting together on the street.

Their discussions often revolve around politics and things related to politics.

People love to talk about these things!

The four men sat in the living room chatting about completely unrelated topics. Just moments before, they had been discussing some of the positive effects of the war on the Federation, but then they started talking about politicians' private lives and scandals.

These are all topics that attract a lot of discussion and exploration, not just among the homeless, but also among the shrewish women on the street, and even among the local politicians. Dinner was very lavish; after the three women and Arthur worked together in the kitchen, their cook prepared a sumptuous meal.

Of course, they also kept a small portion of the food they made themselves, just a small portion, as a... garnish or decoration.

For them, making dinner, especially a lavish meal, is too difficult.

Because this house belonged to Arthur, they left on their own after dinner, as they were all going home.

When Lance returned to the villa, it was already past 10 p.m., while Lapa time was still not late, at 8 p.m.

They told Lance that after Diego made a call, Lance immediately called back.

Diego was already half asleep, he had been particularly sleepy lately, especially after lunch or dinner, he would inevitably doze off.

When he's really too tired, he'll lie down on the bed and take a nap.

Sleep wasn't a problem for him, so he didn't see a doctor, and he figured that his recent weight loss must be due to lack of rest.

In addition, sleeping is indeed a very comfortable thing, so he doesn't mind taking a nap after eating.

He was about to fall asleep when the butler woke him up, and naturally, he felt a bit annoyed and angry.

As the president and ruler of this country, it has been a long time since anyone has disturbed his rest like this.

“If you can’t give me a reasonable explanation, you know me!” he said, rubbing his cheek and glancing sideways at the butler.

The butler bowed gracefully. "Sir, it's a phone call from Mr. Lance White."

Diego paused for a moment, then quickly stood up. "Transfer the call to the study."

He soon arrived at the study, which was not far from his bedroom, only about a minute's walk away.

He only answered the phone after he had settled down and drunk a glass of chilled juice.

The stimulation from drinking iced juice at this moment had dispelled much of his drowsiness. He put the microphone to his ear and asked, "Lance?"

"It's me. I was out on business and just got back."

"what happened?"

President Diego breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing Lance's voice, which meant he would at least live to see the new year.

But at the same time, he felt a sense of resentment. If it weren't for these people, his life wouldn't be so unbearable.

The emergence of anti-government forces, those who call themselves insurgents, and their current strategic and tactical advantages, are rapidly creating a storm, an ideological storm!

In the past, the Lapa people believed that the rulers were sacred and inviolable, and that their ability to become rulers was entirely due to the will of the gods!
Although the divine right of Lapa had long since fallen, people's thinking had not changed much because they were born with the power to rule over the people, so they were the rulers.

The people themselves are born with the destiny of being ruled, so they are the people. They do not resist or struggle because everything is already predetermined.

Some people may have resisted before, but ultimately it proved that resistance was futile.

For many years, the Lapa people had firmly believed this, until this time, when a large number of rebels rose up with the support of the Federation, were able to confront the government forces head-on and began to gain the upper hand.

This creates a huge ideological contrast for people, who begin to wonder if the power of rulers is truly innate.

Is it truly inviolable?
What if these rebel armies advance further?

If they actually reach Zoran, capture Diego, put a noose around his almost invisible neck, and then activate the mechanism, will he die?
Will his rule, the rule of the Lavila family, come to a complete end?
They might have thought before that no one could do it, but now they are thinking about what they will do when that day comes.

This ideological storm caused the ruling class to lose its awe, and people looked at the rulers with suspicion, confusion, and greed!

These were all terrible changes, and Diego had a feeling that even if he survived this crisis, he would die in the next one.

The arrival of the Federalists changed everything.

But now he has to rely on the Commonwealth to solve his immediate problems, and the Commonwealth's help is like bowls of water that are highly poisonous.

You will die of thirst if you don't drink water, but you will still die if you drink water.

"We recently suffered a heavy defeat in battle, and they are closing in on Zoran."

"I need help."

"Weapons, ammunition, medicine, money, everything."

He even said in a pleading tone, "I can use the money in my own account..."

Sometimes he would feel extremely frustrated and regretful, regretting why he had let everything fall apart because of a moment of greed.

If he hadn't been tempted by the Commonwealth to sell all his food, such a terrible famine wouldn't have happened.

Without famine, people can still endure everything they have experienced for generations. There will be no rebels; they will not march on Zhuolan with weapons, and he will still be the ruler of this country.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing.

Lance chuckled twice after hearing this. "What money of yours?"

"Those accounts involved some legal and ethical risks and have been temporarily suspended."

"Asking me about when it will be available is pointless; you should ask the Federal Reserve or the President."

Diego remained silent. He knew that no matter what he said, he wouldn't get what he wanted, but he couldn't help but speak up anyway.

“I need money, Lance, and weapons and ammunition, everything to deal with the impending crisis.”

Back to the initial topic, Lance didn't continue talking about things unrelated to this matter, and asked directly, "How many do you want?"

"I need at least 200,000 weapons, enough bullets for them, and preferably some other equipment, medicine, and food."

"The total budget is around 100 million."

He felt he hadn't asked for enough last time, so this time he asked for more.

Anyway, he's already paid the bill.

Lance neither immediately agreed nor refused. "I need to report this to Congress. After all, I can't come up with a hundred million all at once."

He could actually do it, but obviously he wouldn't be the one to pay for it; it would have to come from federal funding.

After hearing this, Diego couldn't help but urge, "Then you have to hurry, I don't know how much longer I can hold on."

After hanging up the phone, Lance rubbed his temples. He had drunk a little alcohol that evening and was now slightly tipsy, but since it had already happened, he couldn't pretend he didn't know.

He dialed Senator Cleveland's phone number; Senator Cleveland was not yet home.

More than an hour later, when he tried to contact Senator Cleveland again, he finally got through.

After recounting Diego's demands, he also mentioned some of his own ideas, and Senator Cleveland said he would bring it up in Congress as soon as possible.

After all, it involves a government allocation of 100 million yuan, so there has to be a process and a formality to follow.

(End of this chapter)