Shadow Empire

Chapter 1096 Inappropriate Attacks and Rumors

That evening, many of the family's leaders gathered at Lance's manor in New Gold City. Lance sat at the head of the table, holding onto the edges of the table on either side, looking at the people gathered there with a smile on his face.

“I know some of you may have some questions about why we haven’t given a timely and necessary response to the Perez family’s provocations.”

"It's because I think we can't resolve this conflict in the same way we used to, because our opponents are different from those in the past."

“In the past, our opponents were all minor figures, at most like the five major families of Golden Harbor City. To be honest, we didn’t need to use any special methods to wipe them out.”

“But the Perez family is different. They are more powerful and have stronger backing. They will even seek peace when they find themselves at a disadvantage.”

“That’s what they did before, and it’s hard for us to refuse.”

Lance loosened his hands and leaned back in his chair, saying in a slightly teasing and sarcastic tone, "After all, with a senator-level figure coming out to mediate, we have to give them face."

The officials sitting on both sides of the table all nodded in agreement. In the last conflict, the Perez family once again found a mediator to mediate, and the conflict between the two sides came to an end.

From the perspective of the Lance family, this outcome may not have been in line with their interests, but from Senator Cleveland's perspective, he may have reached some agreement with the opposing senator, and the dispute was ultimately brought to an end.

Of course, it is also related to the ban.

If Fran finds himself or the Perez family under serious threat, will he sacrifice some important interests in exchange for a deal with Congress to end the conflict once again?

It's possible, and quite likely.

There is a view that Lance thinks is quite correct.

That is, no matter what industry you're in, the higher you go, the less different those at the top of the pyramid are from politicians.

The gang leader no longer acts like a leader.

Therefore, this time, Lance needs to catch them off guard and prevent them from holding back too much of their strength.

Even if they try to reconcile again, Lance will find a way to get those behind him to join him in swallowing up the entire Perez family.

Even if they were unwilling to do it, Senator Cleveland would be willing, since self-interest is the only constant, and everything else is meaningless.

"What should we do?" Hailam blew on her side-swept bangs and tossed her hair as she did so.

After the previous "first-generation Hyram" and "second-generation Hyram", we now have the third generation, which, to be honest, is a bit annoying.

He not only had to toss his hair but also blow-dry it. Lance glared at him. "First, clean up their businesses in New Gold City and tell them we're on a mission. At the same time, move some of our best people to the old city."

Lance looked at Mador, whose men were the gang’s best gunmen. These men were originally professional soldiers who had come to the Federation in search of a new life after growing tired of the Imperial Civil War’s constant betrayals.

Lance took them in and helped them bring their families over, so they are now completely under Lance's control.

They would usually help Lance train the gang members, giving them a workout every now and then, which was very helpful in maintaining their fighting strength.

Given the current state of the Lance family's business, if they are not forced to train, they will soon become lazy people.

Without a sense of crisis and without regular training, ordinary people and people in ordinary industries may not have any problems.

But gangsters, absolutely not.

Besides training these family members, there is another thing these people need to do: constantly improve their professional skills—shooting.

Bolt-action rifles, from a distance, almost invisible to the naked eye, and then a single shot hits—that's what Lance has always made them do.

They don't need to fight with other gangs in the streets, nor do they need to risk their lives to do anything; all they need to do is hone their marksmanship.

Their income is relatively high within the family, with each person earning four or five hundred dollars a month, which allows them and their families to live very comfortably in the Federation.

Furthermore, their family members also have jobs and decent incomes, so all they need to do is practice their marksmanship.

"Bring over a few snipers and send them to the old city as well."

Lance gripped the edge of the table again, leaning forward slightly, exuding an aggressive aura. "This time, I'm going to let everyone know that you can't talk to me about the five great families of the Federation, or about how powerful this or that is."

"In the Federation, anyone who offends us will only have one fate!"

In that instant, many people came to mind: the president, some presidential candidates, FBI Director Roland, and many others.

Whether this statement included them or not, others might not know, but Lance certainly did.

"Just do as I say and get moving!"

A few hours later, several properties belonging to the Perez family in New Gold City were attacked, but the method of attack was different from other attacks.

New Gold City is home to many celebrities and political figures, and Senator Cleveland has repeatedly advised Lance to avoid using weapons there, as it would alarm many people.

He heeded this advice, so he didn't use firearms this time either.

Fran learned of the attack immediately. When he heard his men talking about the Lance family's attack methods, he was briefly taken aback, then smiled and shook his head, giving Lance the evaluation of "naive child".

Meanwhile, at the FBI, Director Roland was holding information about the Lance family's attack on the Perez family's businesses, and he rubbed his temples with a headache.

Clearly, what Fran considered "a childish and ridiculous little trick" made him feel powerless.

Why did he actively create conflict between the Lance and Perez families, and facilitate their infighting to some extent?

Ultimately, it's all about finding more evidence linking them to us.

The Perez family attacked Lance's transport convoy, so if Lance retaliates, they will have evidence of that retaliation.

He could arrest those who carried out the revenge. He didn't believe everyone in the Lance family was tough; someone would eventually succumb to torture and reveal who he was interested in. If he couldn't find the person he wanted among ten people, he would look among a hundred, or even a thousand.

Director Roland had dealt with many criminals, and before becoming the director of the FBI, he had also worked in law enforcement.

He understood the true weakness behind these seemingly stubborn criminals. You might be facing ten people who were unwilling to speak, but as soon as one of them opened his mouth, the psychological defenses of the others would immediately collapse.

He firmly believed that human nature is inherently selfish, and that people would face greater and heavier consequences if they did not speak out.

When those who speak up not only avoid these problems but also gain some benefits in a certain sense, their mindset undergoes a significant change and becomes unbalanced.

These were all part of his plan, and they were very well-thought-out, but first, he needed to capture these people.

But look at what Lance has done.
He ordered his drivers to attack the Perez family's properties with trucks loaded with garbage and even sewage. When these trains crashed into their legitimate business premises, the fragile sewage-holding devices in the carriages would break due to inertia.

Large amounts of sewage flowed out of the truck, making a mess of restaurants, shops, jewelry stores, and everywhere else!

Even after rinsing with water, the stench lingers, as if it has seeped into the ground and everything it touches!

Most of these drivers were drunk, and they and their transportation company were willing to take responsibility for the charges. Although it was a newly established company, they were willing to bear all the consequences, so what could you do?
There is no "dangerous driving" crime in the current federal government, and driving under the influence of alcohol is not entirely illegal. Only in some states are people restricted from driving cars or carriages after drinking alcohol.

Golden State doesn't have this rule because there are too many politicians and celebrities there, most of whom drive home after attending a social event with drinks.

If they are prohibited from doing so, then whoever submits the proposal will become everyone's common enemy.

"Roland, are you listening?"

The police chief's voice came through the receiver on the table. Chief Roland answered the phone and held it to his ear, "I'm here."

Should we take action against these drivers?

The driver has been apprehended. Now the question at the police station is whether to handle the case according to normal procedures or to send them to the FBI for interrogation and torture.

Director Roland was also undecided at this point. "Do you think these drivers are gang members?"

After a brief silence, the police chief said, "I don't think... they're gang members, but I can't be sure."

Director Roland was now at a loss for what to do. What if this was also a trap? Would it put them in a passive position as well?

For example, someone might be watching them and eventually turn around and sue them for torturing ordinary people, forcing them to admit to things they didn't do.
Gangsters aren't fools, and you have to be extra careful when fighting them, especially against someone as capable as Lance.

He thought for a long time, and finally let out a sigh of relief, "Forget it, ignore them, let's just go through the motions."

"Okay, I understand," the police chief said, hanging up the phone, leaving only the dial tone.

Director Roland placed the receiver back on its base, and he slowly frowned.

This attack on the Perez family business was crazy and very much in Lance's style, but it gave him a feeling that was not very "harmonious".

Based on his interpretations of Lance's recent actions, he believes that Lance should retaliate in a more insane and bloody way, rather than in the way he is doing now, which is like a child's prank.

They rammed trucks filled with sewage into those industries, bringing them to a standstill.

This didn't actually have any real impact on the Perez family. None of them died in the attack, so how could it quell the flames of hatred in Lance's heart?

This led him to some other thoughts: Did Lance know that someone was watching him because he suddenly changed his style?
That's how people are; once the seed of doubt begins to sprout, it's hard to give up that idea.

Of course, his suspicions were not directed at the senior detectives, but rather at the lower-ranking officers.

If they can infiltrate gangs, why can't someone like Lance, who has access to far more resources, infiltrate them?

With this idea in mind, he planned to establish an internal affairs department to try to find the undercover agents hidden in the FBI.

As for Lance's attack?
He needed to wait a little longer, until Lance revealed more weaknesses and launched a more bloody and insane revenge, before he could make his move to capture those people.

For several days in a row, almost all of the Perez family’s properties in New Gold City were attacked. Although they were publicly claimed to be car accidents, everyone knew that it was Lance who did it.

The celebrities and politicians simply laughed off the child's outburst and did not take it too seriously.

They were also satisfied with Lance's attitude, which was not to resort to violence in this city full of powerful people. They liked people who followed the rules, because they were the ones who made the rules.

Meanwhile, the first group of people had moved into the old city and, with the help of the bearded chief, identified several core members of the Perez family.

"We have found more than a dozen core members so far, but we still can't find Fran's whereabouts. He has been staying at his estate and rarely shows up."

"What should we do next?"

Helam's voice betrayed a hint of frustration. The defenses at Perez Manor were very effective, partly due to the recent conflict between them and the Lance family.

It could be said that every three to five steps, there would be someone patrolling with weapons on their backs, and once someone broke in, it would quickly trigger a large-scale attack.

This is the Perez family's stronghold. They can gather a large number of people anytime, anywhere. Once you're trapped here, it's almost impossible to leave.

After a brief moment of thought, Lance said, "Keep an eye on those people for now and don't make any moves. I'll have Hel assign you new jobs, and we'll take action once we figure out Fran's patterns."

He then called the bearded bureau chief to inquire about the matter.

Upon hearing that Lance had indeed set his sights directly on Fran, the bearded chief pondered briefly before saying, "I've heard a rumor that when Fran is in a good mood, he sunbathes on the terrace outside his study. Perhaps this information will be of some use to you..."

　ε=(ο｀*)))Alas

　　
　
(End of this chapter)