Shadow Empire

Chapter 151 Visits with different purposes and the bottom line

Temporarily taking refuge with the Pasletto family is the best option Lance can imagine at the moment.

At any time and in any society, people are actually talking about value and expressing value.

Maybe it may be different due to different social culture, historical background or something else, but their essence is the same.

Sometimes in some areas, value is considered to be money, but in some places, value represents status or loyalty.

You have to make people feel that you are useful and worth keeping, only then will you be kept.

Now Lance lacks any power he can offer. If he doesn't want to escape, the best way is to follow the rules of the game, join one of the parties, and become a "valuable person."

In fact, almost everyone has come this far!
The President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Spokesperson of the Senate Majority Party, various ministers, big capitalists, and even family heads.

They all came this way, but the path they took may be somewhat different from that taken by ordinary people.

Big people often drive, while small people can only run.

There are many advantages to driving. It is easy, convenient, and you can enjoy the scenery along the way. You can hold the steering wheel with one hand, and you can go further on the road of "achievement and glory."

After all, the car was out of gas, and they were finally able to get out and walk a few steps.

But for those who were running or walking, all their attention was focused on their constantly depleted physical energy and those... competitors.

They couldn't walk far before they were defeated by fatigue and hunger, and then they were caught up by those who came later, and finally they chose to lie down.

The distance from their starting point to where they stop is called "family accumulation".

Those who are luckier and unwilling to admit defeat may muster up the courage and strength to run for a while, but they will eventually fall down.

The smart ones will try to get on a passing car. Maybe you are not sitting in the driver's seat, but maybe you are sitting in the back seat, on the roof, or even hiding under the car.

But at least you can go farther and with less effort than those who run with their own legs.

Although sometimes when the car has problems, you have to get out and push the car, or your hands get dirty from repairing the car, but compared to those who have to run behind with their legs, these costs are completely acceptable!

As long as the car can still be driven and the driver does not ask you to get off, the cost of the journey is worth it.

If one day you suddenly find that you have the qualifications and money to buy a car, then this means that a new life is about to begin.

Of course, it is also possible that you can never afford a car, or you are not eligible to buy a car, and can only buy someone else's car.

If you are lucky, you can make it all the way to the terminal, although the probability is not high.

Because there will always be someone on the road who can push a cart better than you, someone who can repair a cart better than you, and someone who is more naughty than you.

Being kicked off halfway is the norm.

But this is also cumulative because your children will have more advantages than those who have never hitchhiked.

Everyone has to go through this process. No one is born as a federal president. The current federal president also started out as an assistant to the mayor.

He has some added value from his background and status, but he also worked his way up from the "bottom" level.

If Lance wants to go higher, he must have a "car".

After hanging up the phone, everyone in the room looked at him and no one spoke, although some of them didn't understand why he should join the Pasletto family.

However, because of their trust in Lance, they did not ask.

Lance patted his knees and stood up, "You can go home now."

"Driving back?"

"Are you going to go back?"

A group of young people finally showed some long-lost smiles on their faces, returned to the backyard, drove their cars, and set out on the journey home in broad daylight.

Several police cars passed them on the road, but no one stopped them to check whether these people had alarmed those in the police system.

That's the interesting thing about being protected by rules, you'll find that many law enforcement agencies have become deaf and blind.

On the way, Erwin asked, "Are we going to work for the Pasletto family?"

Lance leaned half of his body against the open car window. The wind outside was a little chilly, just blowing away the heat in his heart. "We are not working for others. This is a deal."

"We followed the rules and gave him money and some loyalty to protect us."

"When we have strong power, he will take the initiative to let us leave."

Erwin was controlling the car while saying, "I'm worried that he'll ask us to do something dangerous..."

Lance wasn't too worried. "He won't do that until I help him set up a money laundering company that's faster, safer and more cost-effective."

Most criminal groups are troubled by the problem of money laundering. On the one hand, money laundering is very risky. The tax bureau will not calculate with you by "how much tax you stole this time". They will calculate how much money you owe them by saying "I heard that your grandfather started this business".

On the other hand, the high cost of money laundering is also a problem, with the Kodak family's 55 to 45 percent fees being a typical example.

You work hard to get one million, but in the end, only five hundred thousand or even four hundred and fifty thousand are left. Who can bear this?
So when Lance proposed a more stable, secure and low-loss method of money laundering, Mr. Pasletto was somewhat tempted.

But it hasn't reached the point where it has to be implemented, because every year there are always some people who say nice things and try to get something from him or someone else.

"As long as you know what's going on."

The convoy returned to the new house, and they put the submachine guns and pistols into sacks and hid them in a basement that Lance had dug separately.

Even though there is a high probability that the police station will not cause him much trouble, you still need to be vigilant. Just because they don't cause you trouble today doesn't mean they won't cause you trouble in the future.

He slept until dawn and had never slept so comfortably. However, at around seven in the morning, he was awakened by Alberto's voice.

Alberto came over, to get the gun was one thing, to make a new appointment with Lance to go to Yalan was another thing, and at the same time he also wanted to meet his "new brother".

"I knew it, Lance, I knew it, from the moment I saw you, I knew that we would become good brothers in the future!" When Alberto heard that Lance had officially joined the gang, he couldn't help but run over to chat with him.

From the perspective of the federal people and even other people, the Sumurians are very united. However, within the Sumurians, there are some dirty things between the four major families on Sumurian Island and the Sumurians on the federal side.

Just like all ancient forces whose ancestors were once powerful but have begun to decline, they always cling to orthodoxy, because only in this way can they continue to bask in the glory of their ancestors!
No matter how well the Sumul people who left Sumul Island develop outside, even if they become the president of a country, when they return to Sumul Island, they should still be grandsons.

Their old-fashioned and inflexible approach has caused some rifts between the four local families and the people on the federal side. Maybe it is not too obvious yet, but it will erupt sooner or later.

The Sumurians who immigrated to the Federation are not completely united. The Federation's developed capitalist society and clear values ​​have impacted the concepts of many Sumurians.

They no longer adhere to some traditional concepts and become more like federal people.

Of course, this is not to say that all traditions are good, but at least in terms of "family and religious organizations", they believe that traditions should be respected, but some people think this is outdated.

In short, there are struggles among them too.

If something really goes wrong one day, the person with the most power will definitely be able to live more comfortably.

Alberto hopes that Lance can be a good helper for him and make his investment get a good return.

After hugging each other, the two men sat on the sofa. Alberto was very interested in some of the things that happened last night. After Lance roughly narrated the whole process, he could no longer sit still and paced back and forth.

"It's so exciting, Lance, you should have called me at the last moment..." He actually knew that this was bullshit, but this way of expression could enhance his sense of involvement.

"And your joke is funny, how did you come up with it?" He was referring to the incident where Heller had been diving next to him for half an hour. Mr. Pasletto mentioned this on the phone, and he kindly commented on Lance's sense of humor and thought he could get better opportunities for growth.

The Federation is a very strange society. On the one hand, they refuse "newbies" to join high-level circles, but on the other hand, they spare no effort to help those they like to improve.

In social situations, sense of humor and self-deprecation are always the best ways to attract people's attention. Every successful person has these characteristics.

Even if they don't, they have to pretend that they do.

There was once a politician who had no sense of humor. In order to make himself appear humorous, he found some people who specialized in writing jokes to help him write a lot of humorous things, which enabled him to achieve a certain degree of success.

He spoke of this when he shared this insight, “What if you have no sense of humor?” during his retirement.

Lance shrugged, "Maybe it's natural."

Alberto smiled for a while, "Now that your problems are almost solved, can we set off for Yalan?"

Lance apologized for the sudden delay. "I didn't expect the problems to explode and the situation to develop so quickly."

Alberto didn't care at all, "We didn't want it to turn out like this, but fortunately you solved it perfectly."

"If nothing goes wrong, there will be good news when you come back."

Lance looked into Alberto's eyes, and before he could dodge, he roughly understood the meaning of what he had just said.

He didn't point it out. "So, this is also a trip, right?"

Alberto nodded, "Yalan has many unique things, you will like it!" He blinked. Beautiful women, good wine, and warm beaches. It is indeed a pleasure to go to Yalan when the weather starts to cool down.

Especially when you have money!
Police cars in Jingang City were honking around all day long, and many people didn't know what was going on. But according to rumors, the evidence collection work surrounding the Camilla Gang criminal group, arranged by the mayor and organized by Chief Charlie of the Municipal Police Department, has come to an end.

They are arresting the core members of the Camilla Gang and will send them all to jail.

The police department disclosed some information that the public did not know much about, such as reports that they were involved in at least 47 homicides.

Moreover, most of the victims are new immigrant groups and women. Director Charlie said that the federal government will do its best to protect the rights of anyone who comes to the federal government through legal channels.

This is respect for the most basic human rights of federal citizens and immigrants.

In order to clear up the public security problems in Jingang City and to ensure that the perpetrators receive a fair outcome, the mayor specifically instructed Chief Charlie of the City Police Department to control, arrest and try the Camilla Gang.

For several days, a large number of police cars were running back and forth every day. It was said that the police also had a fierce gun battle with some people from the Camilla Gang and successfully killed some leaders of the Camilla Gang.

Most of the remaining people have been arrested, but some are still at large. The police have issued a reward warrant and I believe there will be a result soon.

It was during this time that Mr. Jobaf contacted Lance and arranged a meeting.

Perhaps considering some things that happened in the past few days, Mr. Jobaf asked Lance to choose a place, and Lance must have chosen the firm.

Mr. Jobaf took off his coat and hat as he entered the room. When he faced Lance standing behind the desk, he felt an indescribable emotion surging in his heart.

He spent more than 20 years going around in circles, and only after he listened to Lance's advice and decided to start as a "bitch" did he finally see some progress.

But Lance only took more than half a year to complete the journey that took him twenty years to complete.

The two exchanged a few simple greetings and sat down. He asked curiously, "How did you do it?"

Lance opened the cigarette box and indicated to Mr. Jobaff that he could smoke, but Mr. Jobaff refused.

He lit one himself, "What to do?"

"If you do it, you will become a..." He searched in his mind for a while before finding a word that he was a little jealous of and didn't want to admit, but it definitely fits the context and current situation, "upstart."

"Upstart?" Lance laughed. "Not really an upstart. I haven't really joined the Pasletto family. I just provide them with some services."

"Everyone wants to serve the big guys, Lance, and so do I." This is not fake, it is his true feeling.

Ever since he spent a lot of money on the mayor, he became known as "the mayor's lackey."

He immediately felt that the city had become just as the federals had advertised it to be, full of inclusiveness!
All the malice directed at him disappeared, at least on the surface, and everyone around him became good people.

When they saw him, they no longer glanced at him and pretended not to see him, but took off their hats very politely and greeted him, "Mr. Jobaf."

Every day is a happy day, except when I see the account book that is like a black hole.

"I used to think that I was so familiar with everything here, but now I find that I am so unfamiliar with it," he said with emotion.

Lance flicked the ash off his cigarette. "Every great progress comes at a price, Mr. Jobaf."

"You only lost some money, but I lost the lives of several good brothers."

"I would rather use money to get them back."

“You can earn money again if you lose it, but if you lose a person, it’s gone forever.”

Mr. Jobaf knew that Lance could hear some "jealousy" in his tone, so he lowered his voice and said, "Sorry..."

He paused and said, "I came to see you for two things this time." After his mood warmed up a little, he began to talk about the main purpose of looking for Lance this time.

"First of all, the Empire District cannot be in chaos. It's right next to the port area. It will be terrible if it gets in chaos."

"After Camilla's people disappeared from the streets, there was a lack of control on the streets, so some problems should have arisen."

"The eyes of the world are on us, let's not make it bad and let's not make the mayor look bad."

"The safety rate is an important indicator of whether an area is suitable for living. Don't screw it up."

After listening to this, Lance nodded and said, "I will get this done as soon as possible." This actually represents the official recognition of Lance's "value."

He is better than Camilla, and is cooperative and obedient, and can come up with at least 20,000 votes, which is very valuable to the "bigwigs" in City Hall.

So, as one of Lance's friends, Mr. Jobaf was asked by the mayor to come and have a chat with Lance.

"The second thing..." Mr. Jobaf himself felt it was a bit ridiculous. He didn't quite understand why before, but after seeing Lance and talking about it now, he suddenly understood.

"The Camilla Gang's businesses will be handed over to you, but this is only in name only. Some people are not convenient to manage them, so you have to help manage them."

"Every month, you get 30% of it."

"Don't let anything happen to them!"

Lance was not surprised after hearing this, after all, Heller left behind a lot of things.

Not to mention the manors, houses, and cars that were smashed into sieves, just the Empire Nightclub, other clubs, bars, underground bars, and other business venues bring in huge profits every month.

In the past, they were reluctant to intervene as they had to consider their face, but now, they have the opportunity.

These industries will be auctioned at extremely low prices, and then a commissioned management agreement will be signed with Lance, transferring all management and legal responsibilities to Lance.

It’s not a question of whether he answers it or not, but he must answer it!

Lance didn't agree immediately both times. After a while, he put out his cigarette in the ashtray and said, "I don't want to do the red high-heeled business."

(End of this chapter)