Shadow Empire

Chapter 1048 Broadcast
There were many reporters on both sides of the long staircase leading to the Presidential Palace. These reporters were mainly from the Federal Republic and the Czech Republic. The constantly flashing camera flashes made everyone walking on this long staircase look particularly serious.

They stared blankly at the lintel of the presidential palace high above, their faces seemingly bearing a peculiar and sacred expression.

Pedro walked in the very middle of the crowd, neither ahead of nor behind anyone else.

But most people's attention still fell on him.

Over this period of time, people have come to know enough about these groups that call themselves "rebels" that Pedro is one of the most powerful among them and currently serves as the main commander.

Many outside observers speculate that once they overthrow the Lavila family's rule, Pedro may become the new president.

Whether they will continue with their previous hereditary system or move closer to civilized society by using an electoral system is not so easy to guess.

Regardless of their choice, Pedro will inevitably occupy an important position.

When he reached the top of the steps, he almost instinctively turned and looked back.

Below the long staircase stood rows of soldiers, and others looked up at him.

At this moment, his emotions had reached their peak, but he did not show it. He simply turned around and continued walking towards the presidential palace.

This feeling... he didn't know how to describe it, like the feeling of a mountaineer who has gone through hardships and difficulties and finally reached the summit.

The strange rocks and forests in front of us disappeared, and our view opened up to blue sky, white clouds, and an endless world!

That feeling was a joy that came from within!
He nodded to those who had waited for him for two or three seconds, and then entered the presidential palace with them.

Diego stood in the hall of the presidential palace, wearing his magnificent yet somewhat comical presidential uniform. He looked listless, his face showing dejection, numbness, and an expression that was difficult for others to decipher.

He stood there, staring blankly as these people walked in from outside. Then his body began to tremble slightly. He realized that the game was over.

This also means that his life has come to an end.

He licked his lips. As the owner of the building, he wanted to speak first, but Pedro didn't give him the chance.

“President Diego, this should be the first time we have met so closely, face to face,” Pedro said, stepping out from the crowd and walking up to Diego.

"Actually, I wanted to meet you a long time ago, but at that time, I didn't have the right to."

"So I had no choice but to meet you in this way today."

He was taller than Diego, so he looked down at Diego from a superior position.

Diego has lost a lot of weight recently; in just two months, he looks like he's lost at least 40 or 50 pounds.

Actually, losing weight isn't as difficult as someone imagines, just like quitting smoking or anything else.

The inability to do so is merely a form of self-indulgence deep within one's heart.

They always emphasize the difficulties and their inability to do it, but in reality, these things are not that difficult at all.

Diego looked a bit comical after losing weight. His clothes were obviously more than one size too big, and the butler couldn't find any suitable clothes for him in a short time, so he just picked out some clothes that weren't too bad for him.

Diego looked up at Pedro, his lips pursed, a hint of mockery on his face. "You think you've won?"

He could sense the excitement hidden in Pedro's tone; a tiny insect that had crawled to the top of a tree thought it owned the entire grassland.

This world is far more complex than he imagined!
Pedro frowned. Surrounded by reporters and flashing cameras, he couldn't show an overly "complex" expression at this moment.

He said softly, "Do you have any other tricks up your sleeve?"

"Your soldiers, your family, those you relied on, have all fled with your property and soldiers. You have lost all chance and ability to turn things around."

Diego shook his head slightly, then reached out and shook hands with Pedro, the "dragon slayer." "We are all just pawns on the chessboard. As long as you haven't jumped off the chessboard, you will never escape the fate of being manipulated, Pedro."

“I really have no way to do anything to you or to you anymore, but someone else can.”

"From the very beginning, everything was designed."

He seems to have become more rational, calmer, and smarter now.

As death approached, he discarded the things that had been hindering his thinking, leaving only a simpler version of himself and a simpler capacity for thought.

Pedro knew what he meant, and a slight gloom settled in his heart. The exhilaration he felt from "reaching the summit" was rapidly fading. "On such a joyous day, you've said these unpleasant things. You're a real bastard, Diego."

Diego's face remained expressionless. "None of that matters anymore, actually."

Pedro seemed to agree with his point of view, "That's certainly true."

As he spoke, he released his grip, took a step back, and then raised his hand again. Eight soldiers came from behind and surrounded Diego. "It's all over for you."

"Next comes your trial, Diego."

Diego looked at him, a smile appearing on his face for the first time, and said in a very soft voice, "No one can judge me, and neither can you."

Pedro shook his head and ordered him to be taken into custody, while he, along with other rebel leaders, began to tour the presidential palace.

This building holds so much meaning and symbolism for them. As the lowest class, who weren't even allowed into hotels, they endured the worst of everything in the country and grew up in the worst possible environment.

When they finally reached the summit, they had a unique feeling; everything was so fresh, so bright, and so welcoming.

Finally, they arrived at Diego's office, the president's office.

Pedro's heart pounded. He walked over to Diego's huge chair and patted the back of it.

The feel of the thick leather gave him the impression that the chair was worth a lot of money just from touching it.

He had an urge to sit down; the position was incredibly tempting to him at that moment! Just as he was in a daze, Ross walked over and placed his hand on the thick leather back of the chair.

Pedro's eyes flickered slightly, and he smiled as he left that place, which had been so alluring to him.

In truth, didn't he also want to be the president himself?

He was very clear about one thing: he didn't have that ability, and neither did anyone else in the room.

Rule is based on power.

The Lavila family, or other princely families of Lapa, all possess this power.

No matter who it is, any minister, they are qualified to sit here because they hold power and the truth.

But... what about Pedro?
He had no illustrious background, no powerful connections, and even the money to support his soldiers came from federal aid.

If he were in that position, how would he balance these forces and continue to support the massive army to maintain his authority?
The Lavila family, along with other ministers, own a large territory and wealth accumulated over generations.

Supporting the army was an easy task for them, and these troops were loyal to them, not to anyone else.

Pedro has many pressing problems that need to be addressed. He is not capable of becoming president. If he insists on doing so, he may be overthrown again in just three months or six months.

So, even though this position was incredibly tempting to him, and he was qualified to sit there in people's eyes, the reason he didn't do it is precisely this.

However, he can wait. He can wait for a while, a few years, or even a decade or more. By then, he will only be in his fifties or sixties. By then, his power and strength will have been fully developed, and he will be able to ascend to this position.

But for now, he needs to remain patient for a while.

Ross lingered near the president's chair for a while, even making a move to sit down, but he ultimately refrained from doing so.

Everyone else couldn't resist coming over to pat and touch it, but no one suggested sitting on it or even sitting on it themselves.

Finally, they took a photo together in the presidential office, with everyone standing in front of the president's desk, wearing confident and sunny smiles.

Next came the takeover proceedings, including Pedro, on behalf of the entire insurgents, broadcasting via radio and telegraph to the whole of Lapa and even the entire map of Alam that their just cause had triumphed!
"...After a long and arduous battle, we finally overthrew the rule of the tyrannical dictator Diego. Next, we will establish a provisional government in Zhuolan and welcome people from all walks of life with ideas to gather in Zhuolan so that we can discuss the new national structure together."

"The Republic of Rapa does not belong to any one person or any force; it belongs to all the people of Rapa. Therefore, I hope everyone will actively participate in the discussion to create a country and government that belongs to us and to the people!"

"Over the next few days, we will be holding a public trial for Diego and the members of the Lavila family..."

Lance listened quietly to the radio broadcast until it finally ended.

He turned off the radio, walked to the window, and looked towards the city center.

With Pedro's army entering the city, the routed soldiers were almost gone; they had all fled, and the city's security was restored.

However, they have deployed a considerable number of troops around the concession, but both sides are currently exercising restraint and there are no signs of friction.

"How long until your people arrive at the designated location?" Lance turned to look at the others in the office.

The Foreign Minister has now become the de facto spokesperson for this group. After a moment's thought, he said, "We should be able to reach the outskirts of Zhuolan in the next few days, and within five days at most, we will be able to encircle Zhuolan."

“Five days!” Lance repeated the time, then lowered his head and thought for a moment. “Let them in first, but try not to expose themselves.”

"We also need to use them to get rid of Diego during this period."

"Although we could also take down Diego, I still hope that they can complete this most important step."

In fact, most, if not the vast majority, of Lapa people have no direct feelings about the president. Whether Diego is a tyrant or a dictator has no impact on them.

On the contrary, some Lapa people foolishly believe that the president is the legitimate ruler and that whoever kills the president is a rebel, which has nothing to do with liberation or freedom.

Furthermore, Lance did not want to bear the stigma of murdering a country's president, a stigma that was not only unpleasant but could also trigger a series of clashes between the federal government and the local population.

Therefore, the best way is to use people like Pedro to solve these problems.

The other ministers in the room nodded in agreement. They were also reluctant to kill Pedro themselves, since they had previously been on the same side. It wasn't that they couldn't do it themselves, but it would make them feel uncomfortable.

It would be best if someone could do it for me now.

The Foreign Minister asked, "So... what are we going to do next?"

Lance shook his head. "You don't need to do anything. Just be careful and watch them put on this show."

Later that evening, Senator Cleveland called Lance.

"I heard that the anti-government forces have captured Zoran and Diego has fallen into their hands?"

Pedro's "victory broadcast" also reached the federal government. Senator Cleveland was quite concerned about the matter. Lance told him that the plan was 80 to 90 percent complete, and he wanted to know if everything was still under control.

"Yes, they met with Diego this morning and will soon begin Diego's trial."

"There is a high probability that they will execute Diego either at the trial or immediately after it ends."

"If Diego doesn't die, the Lavila family, and some of their die-hard followers, could potentially start another war."

“We have now cut off all aid to them. More than anyone else, they want to stabilize as soon as possible, so everything is going according to plan!”

The senator was very satisfied with the progress of the entire plan, and he also raised another idea: "If needed, I can send a few warships over, whether to threaten or deter them."

Lance thought for a moment and asked, "Would it be appropriate for me to contact Admiral Wells (the new commander of the Goldenport Naval District) directly?"

"Okay, you can contact him directly. I'll give him a call in a bit..."

(End of this chapter)