Empire of Shadows

"They think... that with Charlie dead, we no longer pose a threat to them."

Sitting behind his desk, Councilor Williams spoke, holding a cigarette in his hand.

He knew why those people had initially agreed to attend the gathering tonight; it was because everyone knew that Charlie had been caught.

Charlie had been doing the dirty work for the Bay Area for nearly forty years, and he held too many secrets related to the Bay Area in his hands.

The old men in the Bay Area hadn't moved against him before purely because this old dog was too useful, and they couldn't find anyone to replace him in the short term.

Hunter might be a candidate, but Hunter was still not as good as Charlie. When Charlie's interests were highly aligned with theirs, they allowed Charlie to exist for so long.

He was even just a little bit away from having the opportunity to truly, in a meaningful sense, squeeze into their circle as an individual, even if it was just on the periphery.

But it was just that little bit that he lacked, and ultimately he failed, so he had to die.

Even if those two trucks couldn't stop him, they had other backup plans.

They had people within the highway patrol who would do everything they could to ensure Charlie's demise.

Of course, if Charlie didn't die and fell into Lance's hands, it would be the same as falling into Councilor Williams' hands.

So when Councilor Williams invited them to the gathering, almost everyone happily agreed.

Then, naturally, what followed was Charlie's death on the roadside. Those secrets were no longer known to anyone, or at least, ostensibly, no one knew them.

Councilor Williams no longer held their weaknesses, and they no longer needed to feel fear and threat, so they held a party themselves.

Councilor Williams knew the reason, so he stated it directly, which meant that the rift between him and the Bay Area had widened.

Lance nodded and said, "Dealing with them doesn't necessarily require Charlie."

Councilor Williams laughed heartily, "You're absolutely right. Dealing with them doesn't necessarily require Charlie. Even without holding their weaknesses, we have ways to deal with them."

"It's just that with Charlie, some things become easier."

He paused, "What are you planning to do about the Coda family?"

Lance also held a cigarette in his hand, lighting one up after eating and drinking his fill, as happy as a god!

The satisfaction brought by the appetite combined with nicotine, that's double the happiness!

"Charlie is finished, and the cleanup in the police department will be completed soon."

"As soon as it's done, I'll move against the Coda family."

Councilor Williams nodded repeatedly after hearing this, "Yes, the more it is at this time, the more you need to be calm and cautious."

"So, the Coda family can't hold on for much longer?"

Lance said with a smile, "Their life countdown has already begun."

Councilor Williams closed his eyes and pondered for a while, "What are your thoughts on those licenses they hold?"

The reason the Coda family was being dealt with last was because of the licenses they held.

These licenses represented huge benefits, and people in the state government and Congress were watching these benefits. They could be replaced, but the flow of benefits they provided couldn't stop.

Taking care of the Coda family wasn't too complicated, but how to continue maintaining the entire benefits delivery process was a more troublesome matter.

As an old Goldport resident and an old Licalai state resident, Councilor Williams understood the political ecology here far better than Lance.

Lance knew that he was saying these things to offer some help, because he would need more of Lance's help later.

This was, in fact, a kind of transaction.

Why do they say that only when classes are the same can normal social relationships be established?

Like Lance at this time, he and Senator Cleland were not people of the same class at all. Problems that were very thorny for him could be solved with a single phone call from Senator Cleland.

Conversely, if Senator Cleland encountered certain problems, even if he ran his legs off, he wouldn't be able to provide any help.

Even if he could provide help, it would require a huge price.

In this case, the efforts and gains of both parties were not equal, so they could not have an equal relationship.

But Lance and Councilor Williams had now reached the same class.

He controlled the city's police force, and also controlled the largest gang, and controlled the workers on the docks.

He already had the ability to arm-wrestle with anyone in this city, at least.

If you wanted to get his help, then there would definitely be a price to pay, and Councilor Williams' price was those complex relationships behind him.

Now, he needed to know how Lance was thinking, and then give advice.

Lance pondered for a while, "The total benefits delivered to Congress will remain unchanged, but there will be some changes in the direction of delivery."

He glanced at Councilor Williams, "Tom's people will be responsible for the subsequent benefits delivery issues."

Senator Cleland was still someone he introduced Lance to, and now he seemed to have a closer relationship with that side. Councilor Williams would definitely have some strange uncomfortable feelings to some extent.

Because they bypassed him to interact, but he couldn't say anything. This was Lance's ability. He could bypass him, this stepping stone, to contact Congress. That was Lance's skill, and he couldn't stop Lance.

He could only nod slightly, "What about those in the state?"

Lance didn't hide anything, "We need to reorganize them. Those who are valuable to us can continue to be our friends."

"Those who are not valuable to us, then kick them out."

A few more smiles appeared on Councilor Williams' face, "I can help you reorganize them."

Lance nodded, "Then I'll have to trouble you."

He waved his hand, "Helping each other."

The reorganization here didn't mean telling Lance who could continue to benefit from these licenses and who couldn't.

Although he would indeed give Lance a list, he would also introduce Lance to these people at the same time.

This was the sharing of connections, and it wasn't easy to do this.

Bundy had been doing this for so many years, and his connections in the state government and in Congress were only maintained by the benefits he delivered.

Once these benefits were cut off, the higher the status of these people, the faster they would sever ties with him, such as those in Congress.

Perhaps the moment Senator Cleveland intervened, they would wish they had never met Bundy and hoped someone could make Bundy shut up forever.

Relationships that rely solely on the most superficial connections of interest will never last long.

What Councilor Williams had to do was not only allow Lance to deliver the benefits, but also to establish a more stable relationship with these people.

Lance looked at him. He knew that these were definitely not free lunches, and the value of these connections was far greater than what he had done for Councilor Williams. He was waiting.

Besides the two of them, James and Arthur were also in the room.

He was so begged by his wife—

Sometimes, dealing with these elderly people, especially elderly men, younger wives are often more advantageous.

She only needed to put on pretty lingerie and then show a demanding look, and Councilor Williams would surrender.

He was so old, he couldn't hold on anymore, and it wasn't just a matter of not being able to hold on. He needed to put more energy into maintaining his health. He needed more time.

So Arthur could now follow him and James, but one thing wouldn't change, and that was that he wouldn't let Arthur join the family's political work.

Arthur's starting point was too late. He was completely unqualified to inherit these things. If he had talent, he could completely use the family's advantages to create his own future in the future.

Councilor Williams looked at James and said, "My original plan was to serve as mayor for four years."

Lance nodded. That was indeed his plan. He had said it more than once.

"But now, I've changed my mind."

Williams flicked the cigarette in his hand and said in James' surprised gaze, "I plan to run for re-election."

The federal government has no hard age requirements for officials. Even if you're pooping in your pants, as long as you think you can do it, and others think you can do it, then you can continue to serve the people.

So even if he was almost seventy years old eight years later, it wouldn't be a problem.

"I want to lay the most solid foundation for the Williams family!"

James almost subconsciously stood up, and Arthur, who was in a daze, also quickly stood up with his star brother, although he didn't know why.

"Father..."

James' expression was a little excited and a little touched. He knew very well why his old man said this.

Eight years later, he would be in his forties, just at his prime.

With these eight years of laying the foundation, he could completely follow in Councilor Williams' footsteps and directly connect!

At that time, the entire city would be under their family's feet, and they would be the kings of this city!

With such a foundation, the Williams family's influence and social status would also be greatly improved.

Maybe there would be a chance for a governor to appear in the family in the future!

That's a governor...

Just thinking about how Councilor Wade was only promised to be nominated as a candidate for governor to participate in the gubernatorial election, and he directly gave up everything here.

At this moment, he also had that ambition!

Once a governor appears, plus they have the base of Goldport, after one or two generations of accumulation, they can also become a true "political family."

No one can refuse such a beautiful future, and Councilor Williams can't either.

James was equally aware that this wouldn't be easy. His father would use all his remaining strength to pave the way for him. Besides gratitude, he had no other thoughts.

Oh, right, there was one more thought: to make the Williams family even more glorious and great!

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He wanted to be re-elected, and Lance's support would definitely be essential.

Because while Lance controlled enormous funds, he would gradually control the entire city's underworld.

If his goal was to become the "ruler under the sun," then Lance was on the path to becoming the "emperor of the underworld."

Everyone was advancing vigorously. When that time came, he would need Lance's help even more than Lance needed him.

So, some things needed to be clarified from the beginning, to avoid misunderstandings later due to a lack of information.

Lance nodded slightly, "I will help you."

Councilman Williams laughed heartily, "It's a pity I wasn't blessed with a daughter in this life, otherwise I would definitely have her give you one."

He suddenly looked at James, who was taken aback. He said with a smile, "I'll do my best."

James didn't have any children yet. If he hadn't run for councilman, he probably wouldn't even be married yet.

Arthur, on the other hand, was promiscuous everywhere.

Actually, at this moment, a strange thought flashed through James's mind, but he quickly suppressed it, because there was actually a suitable candidate in the family, but thinking that way was too offensive.

The harmonious atmosphere made the mood very relaxed. Councilman Williams didn't ask Lance how he would deal with the remaining forces of the other five families.

Because he was very clear about one thing: as long as Lance took care of the Koda family, the rest wouldn't be a match for him at all.

In this model of gangsters plus police, who could stop them?

No one!

When Lance was about to leave, Councilman Williams spoke to him alone for a few words. He raised a question.

"Do you think... could Charlie also have something like a notebook?"

Lance stared at him for a while. The old man smiled and shifted his gaze. He seemed to have said something, but also seemed to have said nothing at all.

Back at the villa, Lance called Ennio over, "Check it out, find out where Charlie's family went."

Seeing Ennio's bewildered look, he explained, "Charlie's son and daughter have their own careers, they have their families. This time they left very cleverly, it's impossible that they didn't leave any clues."

"Go inquire at the community service companies in their residential areas, ask the postmen, ask if there have been any deliveries of train tickets or boat tickets recently."

"Also, send some people to keep an eye on their relatives, especially the wives of his son and the husbands of his daughter. They left so cleverly, those people will definitely try to contact them."

"In short, do everything possible to find these people."

Ennio listened very carefully, nodding constantly, "After finding them, is it directly... or bring them back?"

Lance thought for a moment, "Bring them and their things back."

Ennio nodded in agreement.

He was the "steward" of the Lance family, specializing in dealing with outside gangs. Although he was unwilling to admit it, he did inherit some of his father's "sales" ability.

He knew how to deal with those strangers. Now, the Imperial gangs in various regions of Licari State had good relations with him.

It would be a little more convenient for him to find Charlie's family than for others.

Afterward, Lance had Elvin send some people to search Charlie's house to see if there were any safes or secret rooms, including Charlie's old house and office.

However, this time the people Elvin sent out quickly returned. They brought back a message that Charlie's office and house had already been ransacked. They went and searched again, but nothing of value was left behind.

Without a doubt, it was done by the people from the Bay Area. Maybe they were also tracking down the whereabouts of Charlie's family.

Perhaps Charlie knew from the beginning what his future would be like. When he first faced his "future self," he may have understood the arrangement of fate.

It's just that people standing in that kind of position sometimes don't understand that their choices may not be good, it's just that they have no other options!

The next day, Charlie returned to Goldport City, in the form of a corpse.

He was placed in a body bag. The highway police didn't perform an autopsy on him, but left this task to their forensic colleagues in Goldport City.

However, they took away a bullet to make a ballistic record, just in case.

In case the killer who killed Charlie used that gun again to commit a crime on the highway, and they happened to catch him, they would be able to indict the other party.

This situation seemed like an impossibility among impossibilities, but what if?

When Chief Blue saw Charlie again, he was somewhat saddened, and there was also a bizarre quality after being played by fate.

Charlie's face was very pale. He was bled at the first moment to avoid the body accelerating decay, and to prevent blood vessels from rupturing and contaminating the body after the body decayed, and accelerating the body's decay.

So when the body was sent to the forensic doctor, even if he didn't plan to dissect it, he would immediately drain the blood.

This also led to Charlie's face being unnaturally pale at this time.

Chief Blue had seen corpses, he wasn't afraid of this. After looking at him with a complicated expression for a while, he sighed and zipped up the zipper again.

After dealing with Charlie's matter, he looked at a police officer standing by the car.

This guy was wearing a highway police uniform, wearing sunglasses, and was a little restrained.

Chief Blue walked over and took the initiative to extend his hand, "Blue, police chief."

The man also quickly extended his hand and shook his, "Walker, Walker Kingston."

"I saw your reply, so I... when do I start working?"

This police officer was the officer who escorted Charlie back to the highway police station and was attacked that day. He regarded this as a disgrace in his life.

This time, applying to be transferred to Goldport City was to find out who wanted to silence Charlie and then bring these people to court.

Chief Blue found his righteous idea a bit ridiculous, but he supported him.

He hoped that this guy could create a miracle, although it was unlikely.

"You don't have a place to live yet, do you?"

"Go find a place to settle down first, then take a walk around the city, rest for two days, and then I'll send you to start your job."

Walker quickly said, "I can start working immediately."

Chief Blue shook his head, "No, not yet, because we..."

He pursed his lips, "are having a big cleanup!"

Every day, police officers were being arrested and taken somewhere to make them confess their problems.

This also made the police force somewhat panicked. People didn't know whether this huge purge would affect them, and they could only brace themselves to face the "storm" from above.