Empire of Shadows

Chapter 143: What are the Rules [Reward 333+2 Last Month's Rewards have been Added]

The flames illuminated Lance's profile, as if a demon was hidden within the fire, desperately trying to escape through the back door to harm the people in the alley!

Flames were spewing from the second-floor window, reaching half a meter out, and intensifying.

Lance looked at the empty back alley, finding it hard to believe they had simply left.

Won?

No, from the very beginning, he had lost. The outcome of this battle couldn't be determined by victory or defeat, but only by how miserably he lost.

How miserable was the loss?

A burning house, the bills inside, various loan documents, things worth seventy to eighty thousand gone up in smoke, was that miserable?

Looking at the brothers around him who had been shot, watching them lying on the ground, barely alive, was that miserable?

Although in the end he, a portion of them, had survived, Lance felt no joy at this moment, only a bellyful of anger!

He took several deep breaths, his throat burning with each swallow.

The flames scorched the air, making it dry, and breathing caused the throat to quickly lose moisture. Even saliva made his throat uncomfortable.

"Who… was shot? I heard someone say."

He walked to the side of a man lying on the ground, looking at him.

A usually unremarkable character, but one who had been by his side from the beginning.

The young man lay on the ground, clutching his chest and abdomen, blood spreading around him. He swallowed a mouthful of blood, opened his mouth to say something, but only his mouth moved, and he couldn't utter a word.

Bloody foam slowly overflowed from his mouth. He reached out his hand, and Lance grabbed it. His eyes seemed to brighten for a moment.

Lance couldn't feel what he wanted to express in his eyes. Finally, he showed a smile, making Lance feel that the weight in his hand was constantly increasing.

He died.

Lance squatted down, placed his hand by his side, and stroked his eyes shut.

The mood here suddenly became somber.

"There's someone here too…"

Lance quickly walked over, another ordinary, unremarkable young man, but one who had always been by his side.

"I'm going to die."

A nineteen-year-old life had just begun, but at this moment, it came to an end.

He clearly realized that his life had reached its end, and God had opened his arms to him.

"Lance, listen… cough, I don't regret it. You gave me respect and restored my dignity."

He suddenly made a swallowing motion, and after a while, after swallowing what seemed to be surging up, he continued, "Fighting for you was my will, it's just that I didn't have good luck."

He laughed twice, seemingly mocking his own bad luck, "Thank you… Lance, thank you…"

"I should go…"

"Don't tell my mom and dad, just say I'm doing well…"

The girl who had been hiding in the corner had already started crying. Lance punched the car, "Your parents are my parents, I swear!"

A look of reluctance appeared on the young man's face, but God favored him and still took him away.

Several others had also died.

Six people were left here, and several others were injured. This was a heavy blow to Lance's team!

Lance stood by the flames, looking at those who were still alive, "I promise, they won't die in vain!"

Melo walked over, "We should leave this place first…"

As they left, Lance saw the police. The police didn't seem to care about their departure.

Fire trucks were putting out the fire on Main Street, and a dozen "gang members" were being held to the ground. The media's flashes put their "humility" and the "tallness" of the police next to them in the same frame.

The dilapidated vehicles quickly left, and the events that happened here were rapidly spreading throughout King's Harbor City.

Thirty minutes of fighting, it is said that about a hundred people were held off by about thirty people. If the fire hadn't started spreading around, it might have caused even greater fires and losses. It's hard to say what the consequences would have been.

But at least, now "Lance" and his "Lance Family" have entered the sights of some people.

Lance drove their dilapidated car back home quickly and immediately called the doctor.

The doctor's tone was a little unpleasant after being woken up by the phone in the middle of the night, "It's…"

He glanced at the clock, "Not even four o'clock."

"God, does something have to be done this late?"

But soon, Lance's voice came from the receiver, "My brother is seriously injured and needs your help."

"Now?"

He glanced at the time again. Don't these people sleep at night?

Lance was in no mood to talk nonsense with him, "Sorry, I just had six brothers die on my side, and others are injured. I'm not in the mood to joke with you."

"Still the same choice, you name a price, or I'll give you a price."

Although the words weren't threatening, the doctor heard the threatening tone in them. He became a little more awake, "I don't want to cause trouble, Mr. Lance."

"You don't have to worry about causing trouble. Everyone knows about this, and no one will bother you because of it."

"If there is, give me his name, and I guarantee he will never bother you again."

The doctor smiled coldly, "No need, Mr. Lance…"

But he also heard Lance's determination, "Where are you?"

"I need to prepare some surgical instruments and medicines. How many of you are injured?"

"More than a dozen. Some just need simple stitches, but some may need surgery. The location is…"

The doctor went to a friend's clinic, took various medical instruments and medicines, and then went to find a nurse who often partnered with him, and together they went to the place Lance said.

When he arrived, he found that everyone was very depressed. A person was lying on the coffee table in the hall, and from his motionless chest, it could be seen that the person was already dead.

The doctor felt a little tricky, "Sorry, I'm late."

Lance looked back at him, his eyes making the doctor a little scared, but soon, his eyes softened a little, "There are still some people who need your help. They're inside."

The nurse was a little scared. Lance looked at her, squeezed out a smile, "I guarantee that no one will hurt you, no matter the outcome."

The doctor pulled the nurse in, and neither of them talked about money.

"Seven now."

Lance leaned back on the sofa, lit a cigarette, and looked very tired.

"Remember their names, the family situation on the Empire side, send their parents… fifty dollars a month, and help them write a letter."

Lance looked at Melo. Melo was lucky enough to only suffer some abrasions when he fell.

He nodded, "I will record it."

Lance looked at the ceiling and exhaled a puff of smoke.

Alberto arrived at about four o'clock, with a look of surprise on his face. He gave Lance a big hug as soon as he came up, "I knew your life must be tough!"

Lance forced a smile, "They took seven of my brothers."

Alberto didn't think it was too much, "Although this is sad news, but Lance, from the perspective of an outsider, this number is not much."

"Instead, they had thirty or so deaths and injuries, several times more than your casualties. Now everyone is watching Heller's jokes."

"You're famous!"

Lance had a different view, "If fame is based on the premise that someone has to die for me, I don't want such fame."

Seeing his tired face, Alberto's expression became serious, "This is the price, Lance."

"If you want others to respect you, to fear you, you must have something that makes them respect and fear you."

"Whether it's your status or the weapons in your hands, otherwise they will bother you again and again like today."

"This country always touts its civilization, advancement, and beauty. All of this is just for us to see."

"Now you see it?"

"Everything you think is impossible, as long as it doesn't touch their bottom line, there is nothing they can't compromise on."

Lance nodded, "I have a question now."

Alberto signaled him to speak.

"If I avenge Heller tomorrow, will anyone stop me?"

Alberto shook his head, "You said you understand, but you don't actually understand, Lance."

"Empire people fighting Empire people, no matter how you fight, the Federation people will ultimately benefit!"

"If you kill Heller, you can't take over his industries, but the Federation people can. They don't care what you do, as long as you don't touch their bottom line and don't make the city look dangerous."

"Then even if you kill Heller with a weapon in the city center in broad daylight, they will still pretend they didn't see it!"

"The Federation people set the rules, and we abide by the rules, but first, you have to understand what the rules are!"

"And how far you can go!"

"Mr. Pasreto asked me to tell you that this city, this country is far more complicated than you think."

"If you don't plan to continue doing some…"

He rotated his wrist a few times, "technical adjustments."

"Then this matter ends here, and Heller will no longer bother you."

"But if you want to avenge your brothers, then slap him to death all at once, and no one will stop you."

"Because here, order is needed."

"The order of politicians, the order of the police, and… our order!"

“Someone has to be responsible for these tasks, Lance. When we are still weak, we must follow the rules.”

“But when we have the strength to break the rules, or even make them, then we can consider the things that come after.”

“Now, what you need is a good night's sleep, and then figure out how to make those big shots stop ignoring you!”

Alberto left quickly, and the doctor also finished the other surgeries.

Several people were seriously injured, and the rest were just simple sutures that a nurse could complete.

When Lance asked him how much money he wanted, he only asked Lance for twenty thousand.

And a favor.