Shadow Empire

Chapter 1115 Voluntary
The factory was engulfed in flames, and some uncollected corpses remained on the ground. The expressions on the faces of the people standing outside the warehouse were ashen, as if someone in their family had died.

The young man standing at the front, his face stained red by the firelight, kicked a stone hard. The stone flew out, leaving a white dot on the wall and making a sound before rolling to the side of the road.

"let's go."

The group arrived quickly and left just as quickly. Half an hour later, Bob pinched the bridge of his nose; his head was buzzing.

It was like... someone hit him hard on the head with a baseball bat, and the whole world started spinning.

The loss of millions of dollars worth of goods was already painful enough, not to mention that the factory was also raided.

Many of the machines in the factory are custom-made, and they are very expensive to manufacture. The capitalists in the federal government have pushed the limits of making money.

The cost of those machines may only be a few thousand dollars, but once they are transformed from raw materials into machines, they are worth tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars per unit.

The only saving grace was that the mechanical blueprints and some recipes were in the manor's vault.

“This matter…” Bob released his grip and looked at the few family members in the room. After controlling and enjoying the wonderful things that power brought, he finally felt the backlash of power.

responsibility.

He's having a bit of a headache right now; he's finding that the harder he tries, the further he gets from his goal.

If he wants to become the next head of the family, or to gain more power, he needs to demonstrate that he has the ability to shut everyone up.

However, the harder he tried, the worse his family's situation became. The Lance family's attacks were relentless, and he received no help from the federal government or the police department. Instead, he became a target of their attacks.

To be fair, such a large mafia family should have considerable power and shouldn't be allowed to be so passive here by an outsider like the Lance family.

Bob had thought so before. He believed that taking down the Lance family would be a simple matter, just a gang shootout. He thought he had more gunmen and more weapons than the Lance family, and that he was the one who should win.

But that's not how it turned out.

The reason is actually quite simple: he hasn't truly come into contact with, seen, or understood the real operating model of this society, gangs, and government.

He simply believed, like many other family members, that their strength stemmed from their inherent power.

It's like a boxer being obsessed with his own fists and believing he's guaranteed to win the championship—it's too naive.

Of course, if we only consider the strength of the two boxers, how heavy their punches are, and how resilient they are, these simple numbers may indeed be the key to determining the outcome.

But this is not a simple numbers game. For gangs to unleash their power, there is one prerequisite—protection.

The protective umbrella is like the referee in a boxing match. When a referee is biased towards a boxer, no matter how inappropriate or illegal the boxer's actions are, they will turn a blind eye.

But even if his opponent throws a normal punch without any mistakes or bias, he will be stopped immediately.

Now, not only is their protective umbrella losing its effectiveness, but the local law enforcement agencies responsible for enforcement have also sided with the Lance family.

That's why Bob felt restricted.

The more he did, the more mistakes he made, the deeper he sank into the mire, and the fiercer the attacks from the Lance family became!

He didn't quite understand this principle before. He always felt that the reason they were able to become the rightful emperors here was because of themselves.

But now he understands.

"There is a traitor in the family."

"Moreover, I have been thinking about this issue for the past few days. The current situation is not friendly to us, and we need to have a viable solution that can change things."

He looked at the people in the room. There weren't many, but they were all his trusted confidants and reliable subordinates. "The reason we are in a passive position now is that we are losing control of this city."

"The core issue is something we've been overlooking: we've always thought that the police station and the police chief are just minor figures."

"I never even gave that son of a bitch Hel a second glance before, but now, he's the one who's the one who bites the hardest."

His face was terribly gloomy; perhaps only he and they could feel this pain, and the deeper suffering that lay beyond that pain.

It's hard to describe the hatred and anger you feel when your own dog bites you so viciously.

Of course, it's also possible that Bob, Fran, and others never really considered the bearded chief as a person.

Back then, they wielded immense power in the city. They knew senators and even higher-ups. With just one phone call, the bearded bureau chief would lose his job and slink back to the countryside with his tail between his legs.

But things are different now. Their bigwigs can't just replace the police chief anytime, anywhere. This dog, whom they wouldn't have cared about in the past, has started to turn on them.

And it's very difficult to solve.

The police are the most basic and largest law enforcement agency in the federal government. Even the Perez family cannot openly confront the police.

They are unlikely to attack the police or engage in a shootout with them; if they did, the militia would quickly enter the city and eliminate them all.

That's how the game works; when they can't change the rules, they can only follow them.

It is precisely these rules and the current situation that have completely blocked all their methods and ways out.

Bob's eyes flashed with a ruthless glint as his gaze swept across the faces of the men. "I need someone to help us get rid of Hull, to kill him."

“This is dangerous because that son of a bitch is hiding in the police station and won’t come out, so one of you needs to go to the police station and kill him.”

"To put it more bluntly, regardless of whether it succeeds or not, this person is doomed."

"He succeeded and will be sent to the electric chair. Without a doubt, this is the biggest provocation to the law enforcement system. The judiciary will not give this person any way out."

"It failed. With that son of a bitch's personality, I believe that even if the person who did it manages to get into prison alive, they won't be able to get out alive."

"I'm not asking you to do it yourself. See if you can find some suicide squad members. Money is not a problem. As long as they can do it, I can agree to any conditions as long as they are not excessive."

"We'll temporarily slow down our actions against the Lance family. Unless we deal with that son of a bitch, Hel, we'll remain in a passive position."

After he finished speaking, he let out a heavy sigh. Perhaps none of them, including Fran, had imagined that dealing with a gang from a remote area would be so passive and difficult.

He no longer cared about whether doing so would bring any uncontrollable risks.

He then looked at one of the people in the group and said, "The rest of you should go back first."

"Think about whether you have such people on your side, and ask them if they are willing to contribute to the family."

"Lyman, you stay here. I have some questions for you."

Lyman was Bob's cousin, and they had a good relationship since childhood. At that time, Bob's father was also a core member of the family, but Lyman's father was not, which made Lyman's childhood and adolescence quite difficult.

His father was always busy with various tasks and missions assigned by the family. That period could be described as the Perez family's period of frenzied expansion, barbaric and unreasonable.

While reaping huge rewards, one must also face enormous risks.

Bob seemed more mature than his peers at the time. He had money and knew how to spend it to gain more support and friendship. Lyman was one of those people who followed him around that time.

Over the years, of the original twenty-odd people, only a few remain.

Some people died accidentally while working within the family, while others, for various reasons, ended their work within the family and returned to the lives of ordinary people.

It can be said that Lyman was someone Bob trusted very much, even more than he trusted his own son.

After everyone in the room had left, Lyman closed the door, then walked back to the table and sat down. "Bob?"

Bob snapped out of his reverie, lit a cigarette, and asked, "Did you get everything I asked you to do last time?"

He gave Lyman a list and instructed him to kidnap everyone on the list. Normally, this wouldn't have required too much of their effort. In the past, they would have simply made a phone call to the bearded chief, sent him the list, and he would have provided the information.

But now that the bearded chief has fallen out with them, things have become a little tricky. Although they still have some useful people within the police station, it's not easy for these scattered and disorganized individuals to get information on everyone on the list in a short period of time.

It's important to understand that the federal government doesn't have a household registration policy, and Social Security card numbers aren't managed by the police department. Even if they could, finding someone's current residence information from a vast number of files wouldn't be a simple task.

Many people's registration information does not match their current situation. For example, in Valley City, Likale State, many people's registration information is still stuck in Valley City.

However, they are currently working in Golden Harbor City. If we only use this information to search for them in Valley City, we might not find out where they went even if we search for a hundred years.

Only by mobilizing the entire law enforcement agency can we quickly locate them.

But this force is unusable now, so they have to do it themselves.

Lyman nodded. "Some have been found, but the whereabouts of others are still unknown."

He hesitated for a moment, then asked softly after a few seconds, "What's wrong with these people?"

Bob frowned. "Tomorrow, take these people under control, lock them up somewhere, and then follow my instructions."

"As for these people..." Bob was also thinking. After considering it for a while, he decided to tell him the truth, since he was someone he trusted. "Fran's health condition is very bad. The doctor said that they need to cut out someone else's lung and put it into his body. That's roughly what it means."

"So these are the people they selected, the ones who fit the criteria to provide organs for Fran. Don't go around spreading this around."

When he heard this answer, which was completely different from what he had imagined, Lyman's eyes widened. "Wang Defa?"

"Their...organs can still be used on Fran?"

Does this mean that people will soon be able to live indefinitely?

This news is indeed somewhat world-shaking for ordinary people in this era. "If he puts his brain into someone else's body, does that mean he can stay young and healthy forever?"

"Fuck, even God would weep!"

Bob wasn't aware of the situation either; after all, he was just a mobster executive. If he had, he would already be working in a lab.

"Don't overthink it. If it really can be like this, it will only be a good thing for us, not a bad thing. Just focus on doing your own thing well."

"Don't be surprised like a farmer in the countryside; times are always changing."

Lyman pursed his lips; the news still had a devastating impact on him, and also left room for fantasy.

“The family is in a bad situation right now, and we need Fran.”

After their conversation ended, the two went their separate ways. Although the Perez family didn't make a public announcement, the story still spread throughout the old city the following day.

Their warehouses and factories were raided by the Lance family, resulting in heavy losses!

The Perez family's reputation in the old city plummeted. Not long ago, many people thought the Lance family was an arrogant bunch who dared to challenge an invincible opponent.

But now, they feel that the Perez family may actually be in some danger.

In the morning, Bob came to the hospital again. Fran was still half-dead, lying on the hospital bed with an oxygen tube, and the TV was muted.

“I’ve heard some rumors outside, and although I’m lying here, my hearing is fine.”

Fran looked at Bob. "To be honest, I didn't expect you to be in such a sorry state. You're usually very smart."

Bob felt a little embarrassed. He didn't know if Fran was being sarcastic or if he was being honest: "Someone has betrayed the family."

Fran shook his head slightly. "Then find him and kill him."

"Don't tell me you came here today just to say these few words to me."

His eyes were filled with anticipation; only lying here did he realize how important a healthy body was!

He longed for the feeling of being able to breathe in fresh air, instead of what he was experiencing now.

As soon as the oxygen tube is removed, he quickly feels like he can't breathe and feels like he's going to suffocate.

He's willing to pay any price to get back to that state of being!
Bob didn't dampen his spirits. "We've faced a lot of challenges lately. The mayor can't offer us any help, and Hull has betrayed us. It's been tough for us."

“We have no way to use official resources to find those people, but I have found several, and I hope they can be of help to you.”

Fran was already a little angry, but when he heard the next sentence, his anger disappeared.

He had a slight smile on his face. "Remember not to say things like that next time, or you might get beaten up."

He smiled after saying that, "Contact my doctor later, and he will tell you what to do."

Bob nodded. "I will," he said, pausing for a moment. "I plan to kill Hull, in the police station."

"He has caused us too much damage. It's not that we are no match for the Lance family, but that he is always helping the Lance family to deal with us."

"If we don't take him down, we'll always be in a passive position."

Fran glanced at him sideways. "So you killed his family first."

Although he was lying in a hospital bed, as the head of the family, it was impossible for him to be completely unaware of anything. Someone would always pass on messages to him, letting him know what had happened.

This statement carries a hint of reproach; if Bob hadn't been so hasty, the bearded chief might not have completely sided with Lance.

With a little skill and a few tricks, we can keep the bearded man neutral.

After dealing with the Lance family, we can deal with these fence-sitters later, however we want.

Bob himself regretted it. He was too hasty after he did it, too eager to show his abilities to his family.

Fran knew exactly why he was anxious; after all, he wasn't really dead, he was just lying there, and as the doctor said, he still had a chance to go back.

Therefore, Bob needs to demonstrate his abilities and how the family can achieve a major victory under his leadership before he is fully recovered!

Fran knows everything, but he doesn't show his emotions, which is the biggest difference between him and Bob.

He could wait until he recovered to deal with these people slowly, instead of showing it off immediately, making his stance clear while leaving himself no way out.

Bob didn't respond to Fran's words, but continued talking about his plan, "After Hull is taken out, we're going to put someone from our side in power."

Fran didn't pursue the matter further; he nodded and said, "I'll speak to the mayor."

"He's been pretending to be blind, deaf, and mute for so long, it's time he did something."

Bob clenched his fist. "Then I'll go get to work."

Fran blinked, and then the silent television came back to life.

After leaving the ward, Bob went to see the doctor, who was very familiar with their methods. So the doctor emphasized, "You have to make sure these people are willing before we can send them to the operating room."

Bob was getting agitated. He forced back his churning emotions and asked, "How can I prove they were there voluntarily?"

The doctor took a document out of the drawer and handed it over, saying, "Have them sign this and put their fingerprints on it."

Bob glanced at the document in his hand—

Voluntary Organ Donation Commitment Form

(End of this chapter)