Shadow Empire

Chapter 1207 I am a vulgar person

Four young people.

They were wearing old-fashioned clothes that were out of date and not fashionable enough, and they wore baseball caps with their faces red from the cold.

But everyone was in a very good mental state, so good that it could be described as "excited".

From the moment they got off the train, they kept observing the surrounding streets and shops, and pointed out unfamiliar things to each other.

The driver in the car in front glanced at them through the rearview mirror and thought, "A bunch of poor country bumpkins."

Only a poor country bumpkin would show such an expression in a big city.

The chattering of these people annoyed the driver, but fortunately the journey wasn't long, and he soon delivered the four country bumpkins to Christopher.

Perhaps it was the luxurious manor that made the young people feel some pressure, or perhaps they remembered the mission they had come here to fulfill, and they became much more serious.

After waiting for seven or eight minutes, they finally saw Christopher, who smelled of perfume, come downstairs.

The four young men, who were already somewhat restless, immediately stood up. They took off their baseball caps and held them in their hands, but forgot to tidy their somewhat messy hair.

Christopher's gaze swept across the faces of these young people, and a smile seemed to appear on his own face. "Don't be so reserved, sit down and talk."

He turned to the butler and said, "Have someone bring some food and drinks, wine and meat."

The butler bowed slightly and immediately left to prepare the food, while Christopher sat on the sofa opposite them.

"Who's the leader?"

One of the four had silver-gray hair. This wasn't premature graying; it was just his natural hair color. It was said that his ancestors had some kind of minority bloodline, and many members of his family had gray hair.

The gray-haired man raised his hand shyly, "It's me..."

He suddenly didn't know how to address Christopher. Calling him by his first name would be impolite and not polite enough, but he wasn't sure how to address him by his surname.

Christopher uses the Bianchi family name here, which is Bianchi, but he is actually a member of the Pasreto family and also has the Pasreto name.

"Call me Christopher," he subconsciously avoided the question.

Although he used the Bianchi family name, he did not want others to actually regard him as a member of the Bianchi family.

At the same time, he didn't like being called by his real surname, as it always reminded him of Paul and those unforgettable, infuriating, and frustrating past events.

A name is the best form of address.

The gray-haired man nodded. "Mr. Christopher, Mr. Leonardo sent me here. I will do whatever you say."

"Let me introduce you..." he began to introduce the three people beside him, all of whom sounded like ordinary young men from Sumuli.

Christopher introduced himself to them and then said with some curiosity, “I thought Leon would send some older people. I’m not saying you’re not good enough. After all, the work ahead is very important and dangerous, and I hope you have enough experience to handle any trouble.”

The gray-haired man still had that shy look, although the people behind him looked somewhat unconvinced. He held his baseball cap with both hands and said, "Mr. Christopher, we are Mr. Leonardo's best gunmen!"

"Before we followed him, we had already proven ourselves on the battlefield!"

Hearing this, Christopher became interested. "You participated in this war?"

How many enemies did you kill?

The gray-haired man's smile became more confident. "The army reported twenty-seven people to me, but I actually believe my correct kill count should be over one hundred."

"Their situation was similar to mine; some of their merits were withheld, so we left the army directly and joined the Bianchi family."

The commanders of the troops dispatched by Su Muli to the front lines, including some officers, were members of the four major families and other powerful families. In order to gain more power and influence, they took the blame for some of the deaths of others.

Even right after the war ended, a ridiculous news story broke out—

Sharpshooter: Bullets are God's way of forgiving his enemies!

This is the front-page headline of Sumuli's largest newspaper, which recounts how an army colonel killed a thousand enemies during the war by sniping!

But in reality, this guy never actually went to the front lines, and he never even fired a shot to kill an enemy who could run, jump, and move freely on the battlefield!
His family needed him to gain these honors and influence, and he was awarded the rank of major general a few days after the report was published.

The people naturally knew they had been fooled, but that's how it was on Sumuli Island; the four major families and politicians were in cahoots and controlled the island, and they had no way to deal with it except by protesting.

This period coincided with the rapid expansion of the Bianchi family, which gained significant influence in both politics and among the general public.

Many outstanding veterans joined them because they could afford higher salaries.

The gray-haired group was attracted by the high salaries offered by the Bianchi family.

While in the army, they only earned 22 federal sols a month, but after joining the Bianchi family and proving themselves through activities like target shooting and hunting, their income more than tripled.

There's no need for risk in the Bianchi family, no one takes credit for their work, and they enjoy more freedom and higher income, so it's not hard to imagine the enthusiasm people have for joining the Bianchi family.

This time, Leonardo really didn't hold back, sending his four best gunmen in the hopes of successfully taking down Lance.

Christopher simply described to him the wonderful scene after Lance was killed!
They can acquire vast territories and sales markets in Indenor State and the wealthiest state of Likale, increasing their income tenfold or twentyfold!

If Leonardo DiCaprio hadn't been incapable of doing this himself, he might have simply carried a gun and rushed over from Sumuli Island.

He didn't hold back at all this time!

As Christopher listened to them talk about these things, his smile became much more genuine.

“That’s good. I’m not doubting your abilities; I just want to confirm whether you can handle this job, because we only have one chance.”

He paused for a moment, then said, "You've just arrived, so take a few days to rest and relax before getting back to work."

"All expenses will be on my tab!"

The gray-haired man acknowledged his goodwill, saying, "Mr. Christopher, Mr. Leonardo sent us here to resolve our family's troubles. We can enjoy ourselves later, after we've finished our work."

"Now, I hope you can let us choose the weapons we need for our work, and then send us near the target. We'll handle the rest ourselves."

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something, "Oh right, you also need to give us some funding for our activities."

Christopher wasn't upset by their refusal; the fact that they were thinking of getting rid of Lance first was a good thing, not a bad thing, for him.

“I’ll have someone arrange it right away, but…” He looked at the two chefs pushing food carts over next to the butler and said with a smile, “Shouldn’t we fill our stomachs before we start working?”

The aroma from the food cart wafted over, and all four of them began to salivate uncontrollably; they certainly hadn't been able to eat anything delicious in bed.

It wasn't that they couldn't afford it or didn't have the money; it was just that the food on the ship wasn't very good.

Since they were indeed hungry, the group exchanged glances and decided not to refuse Christopher's offer.

Right there in the living room, they gathered around the coffee table and began to enjoy the fine wines and food.

The meal lasted for more than half an hour, during which Christopher learned about some of the situations back in his hometown.

Because the participation of the four major families and politicians in this war on Sumuli Island was insisted upon, the people were essentially opposed to the war, and the conscription was all from these families at the bottom of society, which also caused a large number of casualties.

The war profits that followed the war did not extend to ordinary people; they were mostly divided up by the upper class, with only a very small number ending up in the hands of ordinary citizens. This has caused great discontent among the lower classes. Currently, some anti-government demonstrations have broken out on Sumuli Island. They are hesitant to provoke the four major families, but they dare to openly criticize the government.

The contradictions and conflicts between classes did not disappear or shift because of the victory in the war; on the contrary, they intensified.

Even though Christopher wasn't particularly sensitive to these things, he still thought these bastards were real bastards, and he was somewhat worried that there might be a riot on Sumuli Island.

But then he thought again that any riots or disturbances would have nothing to do with him.

Unbeknownst to him, deep down, he harbored other ambitions.

After all, he's still a member of the Bianchi family and under Leonardo's control. If Leonardo dies and he happens to escape, or...

Will everything become better after becoming the head of the Bianchi family?

This wasn't the first time he'd tried to overthrow his superiors, and surprisingly, he felt no discomfort when these thoughts popped into his head; instead, he felt a restless excitement.

Of course, now is not the time to deal with these things. He needs to deal with Lance first, and then consider some of the things involved.

After finishing his meal, he had someone lead the four men to choose weapons. Fortunately, these men were not picky, and they selected four rifles in just two or three hours.

These rifles also underwent minor modifications with the help of craftsmen to suit their usage habits.

This delayed things until the next day.

The next morning, Christopher did not try to stop them, and had someone drive them to Indenau State.

Watching the figures of him and the others leave, the smile on his face gradually faded.

The Bianchi family amassed a fortune through their aggressive liquor sales here, which enabled them to achieve even greater success.

But Leonardo never said any of this to him, and he remained excluded from the family's inner circle, which was a terrible experience.

Furthermore, Leonardo and his team recruited many veterans, making them even stronger, which is not a good thing.

He planned to use this opportunity to find a way to keep these four people working for him, so that he could hire more gunmen and veterans to strengthen his forces and one day be able to confront Leonardo DiCaprio head-on!

The vast wealth not only gave Christopher more ideas, but also provided him with the possibility, opportunity, and platform to realize his dreams!

He turned and walked toward his luxurious mansion, feeling an indescribable sense of openness and expansiveness.

It was as if the world had become larger at that moment, and Lance, who made him most uneasy, would soon be blown away by the wind and disappear from this world.

When that moment comes, he will personally return to Golden Harbor City, go to his "good younger brother," and see his incompetent and angry appearance!

He won't kill Francisco; he'll keep him as a pet, like a dog.

He will make him understand that the Pasreto family will not flourish under Paolo or Francisco, but under him!

He will prove that everything they went through in the past was for the best moment for the family!
So... Lance, please just die already!
Lance was unaware that Christopher was viciously cursing him and had even sent a gunman to kill him; he was still busy sorting out the entire Indenau market.

Some mayors are willing to work with Lance because they know very well that their life's work is limited to being a mayor.

It's practically impossible for them to climb any higher, and they only became mayors because their family was considered a prominent clan in the area.

Once you leave the local area, you're nothing on a larger stage.

These people and their families are very pragmatic; keeping the benefits firmly in their hands is the most important thing.

However, some people were unwilling to cooperate with Lance's work. They did not want to be complicit with Lance, perhaps because they still had some strength in their hearts, or perhaps because they had their own principles.

They oppose “publicizing crime,” one of the mayors said to Lance’s face, calling it an insult and desecration of federal justice and the national system.

That guy berated Lance and then left, which made Lance and the remaining mayors seem... a bit like petty people.

Lance is actually not a good person to deal with.

He not only confronted Lance directly, making Lance lose face, but also made others who were willing to cooperate with Lance lose face.

He thought he had overcome his desires and was a remarkable person, but what he didn't know was that he had pushed himself to the edge of a cliff and tied the safety rope around his neck.

After this "uncooperative" person left, several other mayors, perhaps feeling guilty or finding it too awkward to remain seated, also left.

Lance respected the choices these people made regarding their departure.

Making choices is something only you can do; no one can do it for you. Once you've made a choice, you have to bear the consequences.

"It's a bit awkward!" He stood in the conference room. Only a dozen or so people had come today, and now a third of them had left, making the room feel much emptier.

The somewhat awkward atmosphere eased because of his words, and the remaining people couldn't help but laugh.

After all, they are mayors, the absolute power holders of the lower-level administrative units. Even if they haven't seen much of the big scenes, they can still manage basic self-regulation.

Lance curled his lip. "I once met an ascetic. I don't know if you know anything about ascetics."

These people all said they knew about ascetics and had some general knowledge about them.

This is a group of devout and fanatical believers who believe that by tempering their bodies and wills, they can get closer to God!

In the heart, in the soul!
They did not indulge in pleasures, but devoted their lives to spiritual practice, ultimately dying quietly and unnoticed. They can be described as a very special group of believers.

There are many legends about ascetics in the Federation, so it's not surprising that people know about them.

“I have great respect for their faith and beliefs. The ascetic I met had never slept with a woman, never eaten meat, and never drank alcohol in his life.”

“His life was very monotonous: prayer, travel, and he would carry some sour food that I didn’t know what it was made of.”

"The water we drink is from the wild, and it might not be very clean."

“He has pure faith and unwavering conviction. Sometimes I envy people like him because he is as pure as crystal, and you can see right through him.”

“But!” Lance’s tone changed slightly. “I don’t want to become that kind of person.”

"If we cannot embrace women, cannot eat meat, cannot drink alcohol, and cannot enjoy everything that our wealth brings us because we are rich!"

"Gentlemen, then why must we become one person?"

“I respect all the wonderful qualities he has, but I will not become like him.”

"Because I am a very vulgar person, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that."

The remaining mayors all smiled, and some even applauded Lance's words.

He defused the awkward situation and even... elevated some ordinary things, contrasting the vulgar with the elegant, the ideal with the reality.

Perhaps some people underestimated Lance before, thinking he was just a lucky mob boss, but at this moment, they finally realized that it was no coincidence for anyone to get to this point!
Naturally, they were more interested in the cooperation, after all, they were also ordinary people, they also wanted young bodies and endless money!
As for those "ascetics," let Lance deal with them!

　I'm recommending a friend's book; it's great, I love it, and I'll read it a lot!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)