Empire of Shadows

It was a little after nine in the evening when the phone in Lance's room suddenly rang.

"This is Lance White."

He had barely finished speaking when Tom's voice came through the receiver, "The Senator wants to speak with you!"

After that, he could hear the sounds of the receiver being picked up and put down, as well as footsteps and the sounds of someone settling into a sofa, the friction of clothes against the fabric.

About ten seconds later, Senator Cleveland's voice came through the receiver.

"I hear you refused mediation?"

Without any pleasantries, he went straight to the point.

Lance nodded in agreement. "They kidnapped Mayor Williams' youngest son, Arthur, and plan to remove him from office."

"The conflict between the two sides has no room for compromise, so mediation is impossible."

"Mayor Williams and I have a good relationship. I also have a lot of friction with the Bay Area. If Mayor Williams steps down and they push a new mayor into power, it will be very detrimental to me."

Lance explained in one breath the role and position he played in this matter, then left the thinking to Senator Cleveland.

The latter was very quick to accept and analyze information; after all, that was his profession. "Do you have any new plans?"

"After the failure of mediation, Congress cannot accept your long-term opposition like this. Goldport is at the forefront of the war; it must be stable!"

"Do you have any plans right now?"

Lance didn't hide his thoughts and spoke truthfully, "I have some evidence of their crimes. I've already used some of it, but it may involve quite a few people, and I'm not sure if I should do it."

"What evidence?"

"Evidence of their soliciting prostitutes, with witnesses and physical evidence."

Senator Cleveland couldn't help but chuckle twice. "Then have them arrested."

"Federal law is above everything. No one should be able to commit a crime and not be punished when evidence is held against them. What are your concerns?"

Lance said, "Some people are easy to deal with, but others have political backgrounds. I'm worried that the state government and the party might cause some waves, some unnecessary trouble."

Senator Cleveland pondered for a moment. "You don't have to worry about this matter; I'll take care of it."

Not all of the evidence in Lance's hands is valuable. Unless they are professional politicians, it won't have much effect on others.

Soliciting prostitutes can be solved with a little money, and the public won't be so resentful of these rich people's escapades.

"What about after you've dealt with these matters?"

"What are you planning to do?"

Senator Cleveland continued to ask, wanting to know Lance's follow-up methods to see if there were any suggestions he could offer to avoid continued instability.

Lance didn't hide his thoughts, "I'm contacting another group of capitalists, those investors from the Sidney era, to bring them to Goldport and have them compete with the local capitalists, so I can balance their relationships."

"Not letting any one of them become powerful enough to affect the balance, nor letting any one of them weaken to the point of losing competitiveness."

Senator Cleveland thought for a moment, "A very good idea. How much time do you need?"

"At most two to three weeks, Senator."

There was silence on the receiver for a while, about twenty or thirty seconds. Lance wasn't sure if Senator Cleveland wasn't speaking or if he had covered the microphone to prevent the sounds from the other side from coming through.

Twenty or thirty seconds later, there was sound again on the receiver, "I'll talk to the state government. You have two weeks to solve the problem, but don't cause bigger trouble. You know what I'm talking about."

"After you've solved these matters, come to Gold State. I heard General Miles say you have some small plans over there?"

He took the bait!

No, it can't be said that he took the bait. It should be said that Lance's sincerity moved Senator Cleveland's political group, and this wasn't just a small matter.

If a naval base can provide Congress with potential contributions of at least one hundred million, how many military bases does the Federation have?

How many troops will rush to the front lines?

At least three million soldiers will be actually involved in this war, or even more!

After this expansion, the Federation's total number of troops will be maintained at over four million!

Assuming that three million of the four million soldiers will be on the front lines, and each person consumes two hundred dollars worth of liquor each month, then that number is six hundred million, every month!

Seventy-two billion a year!

This is military supply, going through military spending, and like those canned tomato beans and canned luncheon meat, it is standard equipment for soldiers!

Whether they drink it themselves or not, there will be such a small bottle of liquor on the "menu."

The key is that there is no need to worry about military spending, because starting this month, the federal tax law has been reformed. Even ordinary people with an income of less than one hundred dollars will face taxation.

Furthermore, Congress has passed some supplementary bills, such as increasing some extra surtaxes during wartime, where half of their income will be used for taxes.

However, Congress has also given them a choice: purchasing war bonds can exempt them from this part of the extra surtax, which can effectively get the public to go to banks to buy war bonds.

Putting the money of ordinary grassroots people into their own pockets, this is simply irresistible to congressmen, top politicians, and rulers!

After all, power has a shelf life. If you don't use power within its shelf life, no one will praise you; they will only say that it's what you should do.

But if you use it, you will gain wealth, status, greater power, more people's respect, and a more solid family force.

Who wouldn't be tempted?

In reality, Lance is not qualified to join this plan. He is just an initiator. Why should he sit with senators, senior defense officials, generals, marshals, and even the president to divide the money?

But because he provided this idea and even operated this method to allow the officials to profit from it, then he can be the supplier of these military supplies.

Just like those super military industrial groups, they provide weapons and ammunition to the Federal army, while Lance provides "placebos" to the Federal army.

The things they provide are different in appearance, but there is no difference in essence.

Defense supplier!

A high-sounding name and countless benefits!

The "permission" that Senator Cleveland promised to Lance is also because of the huge profits involved.

Miles only knows that Lance will do something like this, but he doesn't know what the specific plan is or how to operate it.

He is not very convenient to ask others. At this time when he himself is not clear, he only communicated with very key people, and then the news reached Senator Cleveland's ears.

After all, based on everyone's current understanding of Goldport, Mayor Williams and Lance are both his people. He is also very curious about this plan and the huge amount of funds!

He is even considering whether, if he could take a portion of this huge fund, they could also consider competing for the next presidency?

He may still lack some qualifications, but there are qualified veterans in his circle. What they lack is only tens of millions of campaign funds for the next presidential election.

With this money, coupled with the continued support of the capitalists, they still have a chance of winning.

If Lance didn't have some matters to resolve now, he would have Lance come over now.

Lance was sincerely grateful for the "help" provided by Senator Cleveland. "I will take care of things here as soon as possible and then go to Gold State."

"Very good, Lance, you are a smart guy. Don't do anything disappointing, and don't mess these things up."

He paused, "I won't disturb you. Resolve your troubles as quickly as possible. I await your good news."

"Remember, two weeks."

"I understand."

Soon, the phone emitted a busy signal after being hung up. Lance held the receiver for a while before putting it back.

The call from Senator Cleveland was simple, but behind it, there must be many complex political compromises and deals that he couldn't see.

Behind the people in the Bay Area was also a complex network of vested interests.

The profits that Mr. Charles and his people obtained from Goldport City every year were not all pocketed by them.

They also had to transfer benefits to the state government, the State Socialist Party, and the Liberal Party.

It was even possible that some of them had to transfer benefits to Congress.

However, the benefits they could transfer were not on the same level as the benefits Lance could transfer.

Therefore, this behind-the-scenes "battle" ended with Lance's victory!

Perhaps Senator Cleveland gave up some benefits, or perhaps he just forcefully pressured others to compromise, but in any case, Lance had won.

He wasn't necessarily indispensable; it wasn't that things couldn't be done without him, but he certainly had value to be needed!

After putting down the phone, he also had a different feeling.

For these groups that could truly determine the fate of the country and individuals, they were the real "Gods," Gods walking among men!

He also wanted to become such a person!

Not long after he hung up, Attorney General Terry called.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you," he said very politely, because just now, someone from Congress had called him, asking him to cooperate with Lance's actions as much as possible.

They didn't offer any reasons. For officials like Terry who had already reached the upper echelons, there was no need to give him any reasons.

Lance chuckled and replied, "Of course not. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Attorney General Terry's voice was light and cheerful, "Nonono, it's not you doing something for me; it's me doing something for you, Lance."

"I can give you the phone number of the Mantonon Police Chief. He will assist you with anything."

"If you need it."

"Or if you need me to cooperate with you on other matters, I heard you have some evidence of criminals committing crimes?"

"Do you need me to cooperate with you on something?"

Lance didn't answer immediately but fell into thought.

If Attorney General Terry intervened directly, the effect would certainly be good, after all, he was one of the top figures in the state, but having him take action also posed a problem.

This was Mantonon, the capital of Licarley State, and Lance couldn't control every aspect of it.

What was here?

There was the Socialist Party Committee, the Liberal Party Committee, the Federal Party Committee, various political institutions of all sizes, and even subordinate branches of certain congressional committees.

Lance wasn't sure how many allies Mr. Charles and his people had here. He only knew that Mr. Charles had been successful in Goldport City for a long time.

Once he was willing to go all out, for example, by contributing all his assets in exchange for a way out, it would be difficult for Lance to control him.

Perhaps these people would disappear without warning, which would be very detrimental to him.

On the other hand, although Goldport City might seem to be of a lower level, Goldport City was all his own people. As long as Attorney General Terry could provide him with enough support at any time, Lance could crush them in Goldport City.

So, he quickly gave a positive, but not completely affirmative, answer, "I plan to follow procedures in Goldport City. After all, the situation here is very complicated, and I can't control everything."

"But there will definitely be times when I need your help, such as during appeals or when applying for bail. I hope you can help block it."

Attorney General Terry immediately replied with a smile, "No problem, these are small matters. Count on me! Call me anytime!"

Although Lance indicated that he wouldn't take action in Mantonon, Attorney General Terry still gave Lance the phone number of the local police chief, saying that it might be useful at some point.

The night after the New Year was very peaceful, but behind the peaceful city, many people were frantically contacting each other by phone.

One instruction after another, one compromise after another, one behind-the-scenes exchange of benefits after another…

Some people were abandoned by society and the times before they even opened their eyes.

While some people had already stood on the crest of the wave of the times.

The next morning, Mayor Williams went to meet his friends. He also had some friends here. Being nominated as a mayoral candidate by the Socialist Party Committee and the Party Congress was definitely not just because he was "one of the few choices who could win."

Around one o'clock in the afternoon, he came back from outside, rested for a while, and then came to Lance's room.

He had agreed with Lance to meet some friends in the afternoon, and Lance also talked to him about some things that happened last night.

"No wonder they were so enthusiastic today, pulling me aside to talk about so many things!" He looked at Lance with a look of… gratitude.

Because the biggest beneficiary of this matter in the end was him, not Lance!

Goldport City would be branded with an indelible mark of the Williams family. Perhaps Lance also gained a lot of profits from it, but that was only temporary.

For him and his family, it would last a very long time.

As long as their descendants didn't do anything stupid, they could rely on these to eat for a very, very long time.

A little after two o'clock, someone knocked on the door. Alvin opened the door, and then the person outside walked in.

At first, Mayor Williams didn't react, but when the person standing in the front took off his hat and coat, he realized.

"Owen?"

Lance stood up, holding the armrest of the sofa. Owen was very enthusiastic. He took the initiative to walk up to Lance, shook hands with Lance, and then with Mayor Williams.

Then, he began to introduce the gentlemen who had come here with him to the two.

These people were basically investors in the New Port District. Mayor Sidney had persuaded them to invest in Goldport City as a way to counter local capital.

From a macro perspective, Mayor Sidney's choice was correct.

Many of the previous mayors of Goldport City had chosen to cooperate with local capitalists, but in the end, they did not get the results they wanted, or rather, if he didn't have any great ambitions, then it was no problem for him to cooperate with local capitalists and become a wealthy puppet.

But he had ideas, goals, and ambitions, so he had to resist.

With the support of these capitalists brought in from other places, no matter what ideas he had, he had the funds to support him and didn't need to look at the faces of local capitalists.

Whether a ruler can accomplish something depends on whether he has money in his hands.

At first, he did succeed, but what he didn't know was that it was the local capitalists deliberately showing weakness.

In the end, they still lost in this struggle, and a large amount of funds were trapped in the New Port District and the New Port Wharf.

Not to mention the expected huge profits were gone, but also so much money was tied up until now and couldn't be recovered. Some people even went bankrupt because of this!

If there was anyone who hated the capitalists in the Bay Area the most, it would definitely be these people.

Introducing them to form a competitive and confrontational situation with the Bay Area would be the best thing.

After the two sides finished introducing themselves, they quickly sat down and began to engage in subsequent discussions.

Mayor Williams and Lance were willing to restart the construction of the New Port District and the New Port Wharf, but the condition was that they needed to give up a portion of the benefits, as well as subsequent support for Mayor Williams' development of the city.

In terms of funds, in terms of connections, in all aspects.