Empire of Shadows

Chapter 563: Being Too Selfless is Not Good [666+19]

Some people have nowhere to retreat, while others are unstoppable.

Lance spent an entire day answering and making phone calls.

The intensity of the infighting these past few days has been too fierce, indicating that Bundy and his people weren't doing nothing, for example…

Attorney General Terry called Lance.

“I heard it's been quite lively over there these past two days?”

He spoke subtly, not immediately saying, “You've done several big things these past few days,” as he hoped to use Lance as a stepping stone to leap into higher political circles.

If it weren't for Senator Cleveland behind Lance, the Attorney General would never have called Lance, let alone cooperated with him to purge the police force in Goldport City.

Currently, at least over a hundred police officers are under investigation, and dozens of senior officers have already been detained.

Such a large-scale measure, capable of shaking the management of a city's police force, is not something the Attorney General would do.

Even if he wanted to, he would likely inform the mayor first and let the mayor handle it himself, because, in a sense, the prosecutor's intervention implies that the situation is spiraling out of control.

Otherwise, politics emphasizes gradual progress; higher levels of power shouldn't interfere before the previous level has even stepped in.

For politicians, power is stratified but not differentiated by size.

It might sound strange, but it's actually easy to understand.

Stratification refers to different classes, the classes of politicians.

Some are city councilors, some are mayors, some are governors, some are presidents; this is stratification, different classes.

Size refers to the actual “power” brought about by true rule, which isn't easily explained but can be illustrated well.

A city councilor can easily ruin an ordinary family, and so can a mayor, a governor, and a president.

They can wield maximum power within their respective class ranges.

These powers are equal; they are not differentiated by size because they are already at their limit.

If everyone has the same power, why would you overstep and interfere in matters that others can handle just as well?

Therefore, exerting influence layer by layer is a crucial factor in maintaining the stability of the ruling class; the president doesn't interfere in the governor's affairs, and the governor doesn't interfere in the mayor's affairs.

So, naturally, unless Charlie and the other corrupt cops had affected the state government level and caused extremely destructive social impact,

Attorney General Terry shouldn't have purged the police force on such a large scale.

It was wrong.

But who the hell told Lance to have an even bigger giant standing behind him?

So, he called Lance and hinted that he should stop before going too far, as the phone calls had already reached the state government level.

Bundy couldn't hold on any longer and sent a distress signal to Manton.

“It's just a small problem; it will be over soon,” Lance replied.

“Soon?”

Attorney General Terry asked in a relaxed tone, “How soon?”

Lance glanced at the watch on his wrist, which had a flipping calendar, a large calendar; this was a newly adopted patented technology, and the presence of a calendar on the watch meant it was expensive.

Even if it didn't look valuable, it would have a staggering price.

Capitalists know how to make money; they first make money from the rich, then from the middle class, and finally from the lower class; it's generally the same.

“In a few days, a week at most.”

Attorney General Terry thought for a moment, “As soon as possible; I'll help you temporarily suppress the pressure, but you must resolve your troubles quickly.”

“You understand what I mean; this matter isn't easy.”

He lied; a mature politician always lets people know, regardless of whether he helped, whether someone asked him to help, or whether he offered to help.

He always makes the person benefiting from the help understand that the help wasn't easy to provide.

Lance didn't expose his little lie; wasn't this a way to deepen their connection?

The governor might not be very enthusiastic about Senator Cleveland, after all, he himself was a “big shot,” whether he continued to serve as governor, entered Congress, or simply ran for president, he didn't need to curry favor with a senator.

He could be friends with senators, but he wouldn't fawn over them.

On the contrary, the Secretary of State was more enthusiastic about Senator Cleveland; he had more room for advancement, and while the lieutenant governor was also enthusiastic, he wouldn't actively offend a senator.

Bundy's dissatisfaction, complaints, and distress signals had become meaningless when his backer in Congress began to decline.

The rest had no effect.

Offending a senator in Congress for a “small role”?

These were “golden years”; the senator's power was disturbingly great!

So, he was lying.

Lance smiled and said, “I guarantee it will be over soon, and it will look very legal and compliant, without embarrassing any of you.”

The Attorney General's expression changed slightly, but Lance couldn't see it; he smiled and said, “I look forward to it very much.”

After ending the call, Lance shook his head and went to see Stone.

Stone's freedom was restricted; he was confined to a small room. When he saw Lance, he only glanced at him before quickly lowering his head.

“Bundy has actually called.”

Stone raised his head again, his eyes filled with longing for freedom and home. He didn't speak, but his eyes were eloquent, asking Lance how the negotiations were going.

Staring into Stone's eyes, filled with eager anticipation, Lance gave him the answer he least wanted to hear.

“I made them an offer, but they rejected my bid.”

Stone looked incredulous and lowered his head again. Lance's voice didn't stop and continued to ring in his ears.

“Bundy told me that he only wants your corpse back.”

Upon hearing this, Stone clenched his fists tightly, “That's impossible!”

His voice was loud, echoing in the room, even making his eardrums feel slightly uncomfortable.

The door was opened, and several young men walked in. A trace of unease flashed in Stone's eyes, but he endured it.

He toughened himself up to look like a tough guy, and he had already done well enough.

How many people in this situation could stand tough instead of kneeling on the ground begging for forgiveness?

They gagged Stone, and then Lance had someone bring a phone to him and pressed the speakerphone button.

He dialed Bundy's phone number, and the call was quickly connected, “This is Lance.”

“Lance… what do you want?”

Lance glanced at Stone, lit a cigarette, “Have you considered the conditions I offered last time?”

“That's impossible!” Bundy's attitude was firm. His voice hadn't finished when someone interrupted, “Give up, Lance!”

“He's already dead; don't think about using these tricks to fool us.”

Lance asked, “Do you want to talk to him?”

The earpiece fell into dead silence for a moment.

Any father at this moment would find it difficult to refuse such an opportunity; it might be his last call with his son, but…

No sound came from the earpiece, only heavy breathing, the sound of a lighter, and the sound of a glass being placed on a stone table and ice colliding with the glass.

After about two or three minutes, accompanied by a “hiss” of smoking, Gaoli's voice sounded in the earpiece.

“I don't know if he's alive or if he's even near you, but if he is, I love you, Stone, I love you more than anything.”

“You are a brave child; you know what you have to face, and you have the courage to face it.”

He spoke almost through clenched teeth, as if the words were squeezed out from between his teeth, “We… are proud of you!”

After speaking, he hung up the phone directly without waiting for Lance to say anything more.

Lance looked at Stone, whose eyes were already red, and he pouted, shook his head, and spread his hands, “You see, you've been abandoned.”

He had someone take the phone away and signaled the others to release him. Lance looked at him, “They're going to sacrifice you to preserve the family.”

Stone sat on a chair, leaning forward, covering his face with his hands; he was crying.

He was already an adult, in his thirties, and hadn't cried for many years, but now he was crying.

He felt Gaoli's love for him and his loyalty to the family.

He didn't blame Gaoli.

From a rational point of view, the family was clearly greater than the individual.

The family didn't represent one person; the family represented all the Kodas, his brothers and sisters, his relatives. If sacrificing these relatives was the price for his salvation, rationally speaking, he didn't think it was right.

He could only cry; crying was a good way to vent emotions.

Lance continued to look at him, "You still have a chance to save yourself. Want to hear it?"

Suddenly, Stone raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, with tears in his eye sockets and on his cheeks.

He wiped the tears from his face, looked at Lance, and said, "Kill me!"

He hysterically tried to stand up suddenly, but was quickly punched in the face, sending him crashing back down. He leaned forward, gripping the arms of the chair, his forehead and neck bulging with veins and tendons—

"Kill me, you bastard!"