Shadow Empire

Chapter 1128 Those Who Stayed, Those Who Fleed, and Those on the Brink of Despair
The Perez family had never encountered anything like this before. In the past, they had faced challenges and always emerged victorious, but this time…

This was not a problem that could be easily solved, and making a choice was a difficult thing, so Bob gave them two days.

"Go back and think it over carefully. If there's a result, be prepared and pack your valuables."

"Two years from now, we will first go to Bruce Town, and then sail to Slade."

After he said that, most of the people in the room left, and the rest were Bob's staunch supporters.

When most of the people had left, the person standing by the door closed it again. He watched as the eyes that had turned back to look into the room were cut off by the slowly closing door.

After confirming that the door was locked, he turned around and remained standing against the wall.

"What are you planning to do?" asked someone who was very close to Bob.

Bob sat there, leaning back in his chair, his fingertips pressed together in front of him—a typical state of mind; he was thinking.

After about ten seconds, he came to his senses and said, "I don't plan to leave."

Everyone in the room was stunned for a moment, then some of them showed expressions of surprise, "Is this not so serious after all?"

The others immediately realized something as well.

If Fran left but Bob didn't, then Bob would obviously be the supreme ruler of the Perez family. Is this a way for him to gain power?
Although they didn't know how Bob had convinced Fran, it was clearly a good thing. The Perez family's size of tens of thousands of members, their enormous economic power, and their status as one of the five major families in the Federation all meant that the glory that originally belonged to all members of the family would be pocketed by Bob and them.

Seeing the surprised smiles on their faces, Bob knew what they were thinking. He shook his head. "No, that's not it. The situation is very serious, and there's nothing wrong with what I've described."

"It might even be worse than I've described!"

"I stayed because I wanted to take a chance."

He stood up and walked to the window. On the ground outside, some people who had just left the room were getting into cars or walking to other buildings; they might be going to Fran for answers.

Bob lit a cigarette, his gaze shifting from outside to the group. "I'm not asking you all to stay. Like I said, it's your choice."

"This is an opportunity, a challenge, but it could also be a ticket to death."

"I hope you are mentally prepared before making your choice, because if the situation we face is worse than I imagine, we will not even have a chance to regret it."

He then gave a more detailed account of the current dire situation.

The attack on Lance had extremely serious consequences, which they had never anticipated. If Bob had another chance, he would never do it again.

They couldn't afford the consequences, but it was too late to say anything now; he just wanted to take a gamble.

Perhaps the federal government's leniency over the years has gradually eroded their sense of awe, with some family members even feeling that attacking federal government officials is nothing unusual.

At that moment, Bob realized that he was just as arrogant and ignorant as these people.

Only then did I realize that the gang's rampant expansion and arrogance were not due to their strength, but rather to the indulgence of others.

Even at this moment, Bob was still gambling. He was betting that the Perez family might not be wiped out, after all, they were one of the five great families of the Federation!

Bob's choice prompted others to make choices as well.

Some people decide to leave, and if things are really that bad, then leaving is the right choice.

Moreover, they have money that allows them to live well overseas, in Slade or elsewhere.

Recently, a term has been circulating in the media called "Federal Influence Circle," which refers to the extent of the Federation's international influence after this war and the changes it has brought to the world.

Within the "Federal Influence Circle," the influence and social weight of federal citizens are significantly higher than that of locals; in other words, they can live very comfortably in these areas.

Interestingly, the Commonwealth's life weight index in Dantra is lower than that in Slade. Being a conquered territory is actually detrimental to the Commonwealth's life, possibly due to national and personal grievances.

However, the situation is much better in Slade, which is why Fran's friends recommended that they go to Slade.

"Has it really come to the point where we have to leave?" someone asked.

Bob nodded. "To be honest, I don't even know if my decision to stay is the right one. I can't promise you any results, so I won't ask you to stay or leave. It's up to you to decide."

"Of course, you will have to bear the consequences yourselves."

These words seem very rational and neutral, but it is precisely this rationality and neutrality that highlights a sense of despair, which Bob himself may not even realize.

People quickly dispersed, and they also had to consider whether they wanted to stay and gamble with Bob, or leave for safety.

The entire core of the Perez family suddenly fell silent, and the energetic figures of those core members could no longer be seen in the family business.

Two quiet days.

Two days later, Fran returned to his family in a wheelchair, and everyone's emotions had changed upon seeing him again.

Perhaps it was a kind of joy amidst pessimism, as they took the initiative to surround Fran, greeting him and offering their regards.

Fran's mood improved. "Did Bob tell you about it?"

People nodded in agreement. Fran was still having some difficulty speaking, so Bob walked over and handed him the writing board. "Let's write something."

Fran nodded. "What's your choice (to write)?"

People began to voice their decisions; some wanted to stay, believing that the Perez family, having stood strong in the Federation for so many years, could not be brought down by a single accident.

But some people chose to leave, believing Fran's judgment that the Federation was no longer a fertile ground for them to live in.

Fran remained silent upon seeing these people's choices, and finally, his gaze fell on Bob beside him.

Bob knew Fran was asking him a question, but he wasn't saying it aloud; he was asking it with his eyes.

"I... plan to stay."

Fran didn't seem too surprised. He just stared at Bob for a few seconds, then nodded slightly. "Then I'll leave the people and everything here to you."

Bob breathed a sigh of relief. He was actually a little worried that Fran would refuse or say something else. What Fran said now was exactly what Bob wanted to see. It was almost as if Fran had entrusted the family to him.

In other words, he is already the de facto ruler of the Federal Perez family!

This was his long-cherished wish.

“I will take good care of the family. If there is an opportunity, I will do my best to fight for it. When we are able to rebuild, you can come back.”

Fran had a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his face. Even if Bob was telling the truth, and he could do it, Fran wouldn't come back.

He left as the head of the family, but when he returns, he will no longer be.

He felt he might not have the chance to come back.

He patted Bob's hand. "Everything will be alright!"

Next, they arranged for everyone to leave. They specially arranged for some vehicles reinforced with steel plates and used solid tires to prevent the Lance family from intercepting them on the way.

They left with a large amount of cash and valuables that they could carry with them. They only used a portion of the money in the bank, leaving a considerable amount behind for Bob, and... the hunters.

Eliminating the Perez family was not just a "laborious task," nor should it be. Those people should gain something from the downfall of a major family; that aligns with his understanding of these people.

These things happened very quickly, with notices and preparations made two days in advance. Soon, a large convoy left the Perez family compound, carrying their core members and key assets.

Fran sat in the middle of the vehicle, a converted van reinforced with more steel plates to ensure that bullets could not penetrate it from the outside.

His son sat beside him, looking somewhat confused. "Do we have to leave?"

Fran merely glanced at him, which made the middle-aged man realize he had asked a stupid question. He quickly explained, "I'm just worried about Bob."

Fran shook his head. "You're worried that Bob can successfully protect the family business, and that he'll gain real power (in writing)!"

This embarrassed his son, who had lived in his shadow for years, and Fran didn't trust the children.

He preferred to give Bob or others access to family power rather than to them, because he knew very well that these people were not directly related to him by blood. Their power was based on his permission.

In other words, if he wanted to take back their power, all he needed to do was make a phone call, or say at a family meeting that he no longer trusted these people, or that they had other jobs.

Then the power in their hands will return to them.

But his children are different; they are his direct bloodline, his own sons, and his future heirs. Once he gains control of the family, he will truly take away his power.

Some family members may side with his child prematurely, leading to an awkward situation.

Therefore, he never gave his children any rights beyond what they were entitled to; he was a "stingy" father.

The middle-aged man, whose thoughts had been seen through, did not refute, but simply kept quiet.

Fran shook his head again. "He's dead, there's no need to worry about that, so there's actually no one to compete with you for power (writing)."

"What belongs to you will eventually belong to you (writing)."

“This trip to Slade might indeed be an opportunity. It’s a developing country with social chaos and incomplete systems. More importantly, we are federal citizens, and we have more privileges.”

"Without solid evidence, no one can judge us; this is a diplomatic incident!"

In Fran's description, a picture gradually unfolds before the middle-aged man, full of hope and the future, and he seems to gain some confidence.

The convoy sped along the road, with many eyes watching what was happening.

"Just let them leave like that?" The bearded bureau chief stared at the distant sky with reddened eyes. It seemed that he wasn't looking at the sky or the clouds, but at Fran's old face!

Lance, who was on the phone with him, chuckled twice. "Decent, my friend, do you even know what decent is?"

"Dignity means that you take care of my feelings, and I take care of yours."

"Fran had two senators behind him. Although they did not defend Fran, they did express their opinions."

"Eliminate the Perez family, but spare Fran."

"It's easy to do it now. Just stop them and take them out."

"But this would offend those important figures who have already made their choices."

"But, my friend, you can rest assured."

“As soon as they leave the territory of the Federation, I guarantee they will receive the punishment they deserve.”

Hearing this, the bearded bureau chief let out a sigh of relief. "I'm just a little unwilling to accept it."

“I want to avenge my family, Fran, and Bob.”

Lance considered for a moment, "Fran might not be someone you can handle. You know he's crucial. If you contact him, you'll have to bear some consequences. You understand what I mean."

"But Bob is yours to do with as you please."

Perhaps this is the best outcome. The bearded man is also well aware that Fran may know some important people's secrets. If it wasn't Lance who directly contacted him, but someone like the bearded director, some people might think that he had access to secrets and that there was a possibility of leaks.

Such cover-ups happen frequently in the federal government. Sometimes they don't need any evidence; just a suspicion is enough to silence someone forever.

Although he was somewhat unwilling, he was still quite satisfied that Bob, the mastermind behind the whole thing, had fallen into his hands. He felt he could do right by his deceased wife and children.

When are you coming?

Eliminating the Perez family definitely requires Lance's personal presence, as it involves coordinating many interests. Moreover, without Lance's presence, the bearded director felt that some unexpected things might happen.

Lance seemed to be turning over something, and after a while said, "Three days later."

The bearded bureau chief sighed slowly. The domineering Perez family only had three days left.

In New Gold City, Lance put down the phone, with Major General Bruni sitting next to him. The entire conversation took place in front of Major General Bruni.

Lance turned to look at him. "Fran has left the old city. They are going to take the sea to Slade."

Major General Bruni looked at him, somewhat puzzled. "So, what does this have to do with me?"

Lance said softly, "Compensation, my friend!"

“They took at least several million in assets with them, maybe more. Don’t you want some compensation?”

"You're just going to let this go after being frightened and attacked?"

Major General Bruni, suddenly realizing what Lance was talking about, began to breathe heavily. If it were just a few tens of thousands of dollars, he could have said "never mind" and acted as if nothing had happened.

But it's a fortune of several million, and... as long as these people are eliminated, it's all his!

How could he not be moved?
But he hesitated, "But they said they had to leave."

Lance moved closer to him. "They didn't leave?"

"Everyone watched them board the ship. Are we supposed to personally escort them to Slard and settle them in before they're considered to have left?"

"Come on, please!"

"This is just a statement, an attitude. We've shown our attitude, and they won't care about the rest."

Major General Bruni's breathing became slightly heavy. "Then... what do we do?"

Lance's face broke into a smile. "First, we need a gunboat..."

After two days of rough seas, Fran finally arrived on the ship.

They chartered a small cruise ship, loaded a large amount of supplies onto it, and reportedly even cash calculated by the "cubic meter".

These are the assets that enabled the Perez family to make a comeback in Slade.

Fran was pushed in a wheelchair by his son at the edge of the deck. He looked at the small town in the distance, which, although not bustling, felt very welcoming. This might be the last time he would ever see these sights of the Federation.

He observed carefully, wanting to memorize everything.

"It's a real pity. It would have been even better if we could have gone to New Gold City to go out to sea. I have a passion for that city that others can't understand."

His son didn't speak; he was also observing the city, just watching from a distance.

For a middle-aged person, having to start all over again is indeed a difficult thing to accept, but fortunately they have a solid foundation.

Millions of assets were transferred, and there are even more hidden assets.

He had it himself, and he believed Fran, and all those who left with them, had it too.

The Federal Bank has not implemented a real-name system or information hierarchy system. Anyone can open an account at the Federal Bank by simply providing a false name, or even open an anonymous account with only a string of numbers and letters.

They would deposit some money into these accounts to ensure their safety.

Fran's son had millions of dollars in his own account, which he hadn't told anyone.

He didn't know how much was in Fran's various private accounts.

Once things have calmed down, he can find a way to get the money out, or they can use it when they return to the Federation.

As the ship's horn suddenly sounded, a hint of regret flashed in Fran's eyes. He turned to look at his son and said, "Send me back. I'm not used to this kind of scene."

Back in his room, Fran felt a mixture of despair and relief.

Thankfully, they were able to leave alive.

(End of this chapter)