[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-empire-of-shadows":3,"chapter-empire-of-shadows-empire-of-shadows-chapter-97":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Empire of Shadows",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1432226,1884,"Chapter 104: Do It Now","empire-of-shadows-chapter-97",97,"\u003Cp>Our Discord Server: .gg\u002FPazjBDkTmW\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Jobav had a premonition that Lance would act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he really had the guts to overturn the table and quit playing, he wouldn’t have been extorted of hundreds of thousands by people back and forth without doing anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He always wanted to avoid being involved in these troubles, then sneak into high society, and afterward think about reclaiming what he lost during his rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he ignored one thing: the federal high society will always belong only to federals, not outsiders, not immigrants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how they talk, you can see from how many first- or second-generation immigrants there are in the Senate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And think about how many immigrants have become federal presidents, and you’ll understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They always loudly shout “everyone is equal,” but they practice inequality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s actually like fishing: if you don’t bait the spot, how can you attract fish?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The federal high society is the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more Mr. Jobav tried to act dignified, the less dignified he ended up being. But that has nothing to do with Lance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He already gave the best solutions: violent table overturning, and gentle table overturning. But Mr. Jobav chose to lie down and daydream about “one day”—let him be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You can never wake a person who pretends to be asleep, even if you stab him until he bleeds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the tens of thousands in debt claims in his hands—some easier to collect, some harder—he first organized them, then, in order, put that money into his own pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While he was looking through these documents, Ethan suddenly rushed in, pushing the office door open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tilted his head, looking at Lance, as if asking, “Why didn’t you knock?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elvin got beaten up at the dock. Heard he’s unconscious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan was the closest to Elvin. His eyes were red, not from crying but pure anger—right now, he only wanted to kill someone!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lance was stunned for a moment, then stood and went to the safe. He opened it, put the documents inside, and took out a handgun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get some people together. Let’s go check it out…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When some people heard Elvin got beaten, many wanted to come. Lance picked some of them, and four cars drove for about ten minutes to the dock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By then, Elvin had woken up but looked terrible, curled up on the roadside, grimacing in pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those around him were startled to see so many cars arrive, but then relaxed when they saw Lance’s group in the sunset’s glow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where does it hurt?” Lance walked over and checked. His cheek was swollen, and he had a wound on his face—probably a penetrating injury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elvin was clutching his stomach, making Lance’s expression serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My stomach…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lance looked at Ethan. “Carry him to the car, we’re going to the hospital.” Then he looked around. “Anyone who knows what happened, come with us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some people stepped back, afraid of trouble, but several others were eager to join.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lance pointed casually, “You come with us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man smiled a little but quickly realized it wasn’t a time for laughing. He nodded seriously and got in the car.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hospital wasn’t far from the dock but not a well-known one. The medical groups knew dock workers had no money—no profits to squeeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Jinggang City, the best medical resources were concentrated in the Bay Area, filled with villas and rich people who were willing to pay endless sums for their health.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the hospital, Ethan carried Elvin straight to the emergency room. The doctor checked carefully, looking serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who can take responsibility here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crowd gathered, making the doctor nervous. “Send someone responsible to talk to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lance made the crowd step back a bit, stood next to the doctor, and handed over twenty bucks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is my friend now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The doctor hesitated, unsure what to do. Lance slipped the money into the doctor’s chest pocket, and the doctor snapped out of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have good news and… one bad news.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The twenty bucks improved the mood. The doctor planned a little joke of “good news and bad news,” but seeing Lance’s murderous glare, he gave up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your friend’s intestines might have some problems.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to say that surviving for over ten minutes meant the internal injury wasn’t too severe, but seeing these people’s expressions, he decided to be straightforward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, surgery is needed?” Lance asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The doctor nodded. “We can do it here, but the surgery fee isn’t cheap. Does your friend have insurance?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lance shook his head. Elvin was still undocumented; how could he have insurance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“About how much?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The doctor pursed his lips. “If our own doctor does it, around a thousand to twelve hundred bucks. If you want a famous doctor from the Bay Area’s big hospitals, about four thousand five hundred.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone behind Lance gasped. Even just a thousand bucks for surgery shocked them into silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention that famous doctors charged four thousand five hundred. So, that meant those well-known doctors made a profit of about three thousand five hundred?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually, these weren’t truly famous doctors—just somewhat known, skilled surgeons who were willing to take extra jobs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truly famous surgeons didn’t need this money and wouldn’t work outside their hospitals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the outrageous surgical quality of this era, Lance told the doctor to schedule the so-called famous doctors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he told Ethan to return to the company and bring five thousand bucks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The doctor almost laughed hearing this!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the big cut went to outside doctors, it was still several hundred more than if they did it themselves!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem, sir. I’ll arrange it right away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t ask if this person was an illegal immigrant or anything—money was money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lance finally had time and looked at the young man who followed them in, shocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s your name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Allen, Mr. Lance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay, Allen, tell me what happened.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man briefly explained. When he mentioned that a guy named Hammer had punched Elvin and kicked him again, Lance couldn’t help but punch the hospital wall hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The loud thud drew everyone’s attention, but they quickly looked away under some scary gazes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good kid. You can go now,” Lance said, pulling a twenty-dollar bill out and slipping it into Allen’s pocket, but the guy didn’t leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anything else?” Lance asked, now a bit irritated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Allen swallowed. “Mr. Lance, I want to join your family.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lance was stunned, then laughed and grabbed the back of Allen’s neck, squeezing it a bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now you’re family. Go get some rest. Come to the office tomorrow morning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Allen’s eyes almost lit up with joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Lance…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Call me Lance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lance, I want to stay here. I can help you with anything, whatever it is!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lance didn’t dampen his enthusiasm and let him stay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon doctors came with two nurses. From this perspective, the four thousand five hundred bucks… was still expensive!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luckily, Lance recently had a large income and could afford it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The doctor briefly assessed the situation, confirming it was the same as the other doctor said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it were a ruptured spleen or other organs, he wouldn’t have made it here. Most likely, his intestines got twisted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is the operating room ready?” After a yes, the doctor put the money in his bag and shook Lance’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll do my best.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he entered the operating room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whole surgery lasted about forty minutes. When the doctor came out smiling, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He removed his mask. “His intestines were twisted several turns due to external force. I opened his abdomen, straightened out the intestines, and put them back. He’ll wake up soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This kind of case doesn’t need special care. I told the doctors here the precautions; they will follow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He can walk or do simple things soon, but full recovery may take two or three months.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lance smiled and shook hands with the doctor again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you for your help. Can I have a business card?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If needed, you can contact me directly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The doctor hesitated but, looking closely at Lance and his people, decided to leave a card, saying, “If it’s a medical issue, come find me. But don’t bring me trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lance shook his hand firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I promise!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two hours later, Elvin woke from anesthesia. Looking at Lance by the bed and the angry Ethan, he smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry, I messed up this time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lance shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rest well. Tell me who did this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hammer!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd left, leaving Allen and another person to care for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the hospital, Lance lit a cigarette.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know the rational thing is to wait for him at the dock tomorrow morning. He can’t run away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But personally, emotionally, I don’t want to wait until tomorrow to settle this grudge!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than twenty people stood quietly, looking at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lance met each of their eyes, nodded slightly with the cigarette between his fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Send out our people, find out where he lives and where he is now. I want to see him before dawn!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spend whatever it takes. I don’t care how many people you disturb or how much money you spend. I only care about seeing him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, do it!”\u003C\u002Fp>",1533,"2026-06-06T01:02:09.488Z",1,"novelbin.me","919a7ef0f3ababa2bbd34a4e7ee82a151b69147d4b000a89e8945ff8260014a6","empire-of-shadows-chapter-98","empire-of-shadows-chapter-96",646,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fempire-of-shadows-cover.jpg"]