[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-shadow-empire":3,"chapter-the-shadow-empire-the-shadow-empire-chapter-126":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Shadow Empire",{"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},2267746,4428,"Chapter 126: No Evidence","the-shadow-empire-chapter-126",126,"\u003Cp>This was not the first time Lans or the others had seen Jincheng at four in the morning; they had seen it before, even when they first arrived in the Federation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, everyone’s mood was completely different from when they first arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they first came, they were lost and helpless, unsure what to do or how to survive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, they had found their direction, and a happy life was just ahead, waving to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some smoked cigarettes while letting the wind blow on their faces; others still relived everything that had just happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wind blowing in from the sea carried a chilling, deadly edge; Lans had parked all the cars at the gate of Lezhu Company’s courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After waiting a few minutes, three cars approached with headlights on and stopped not far from them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fordis was the first to step out; under the streetlamp, Lans saw the pistol in his hand and called out, “I’m here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fordis’s wariness had not fully faded. “I can’t see you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans led the others under the streetlamp, finally easing Fordis’s suspicion—but not entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others got out of the cars; two went to open the courtyard gate, while the rest circled the area to confirm no one was nearby, after which Alberto stepped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He acted as if he had never doubted anything, smiling as he embraced Lans; the close contact let him catch the strong smell of gunpowder on Lans’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t tell me all those police cars earlier were caused by you,” he said, incredulous yet convinced, since Lans had just taken a lot of weapons from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans chuckled twice. “Maybe. If no other gang had a shootout tonight, then it was almost certainly me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alberto punched him on the shoulder. “Did you rob a bank or assassinate the president? I was just falling asleep when a string of calls woke me up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My boss, the big shots, the police department—they all called asking if I knew what happened!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fordis walked over and embraced Lans too. “So?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I killed Wil of the Calami Gang on the road.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alberto whistled. “You picked a good time—spend some money and it’ll be buried.” He glanced at the five cars parked by the roadside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many windows were shattered, bodies pockmarked with bullet holes; he realized why Lans had called him and ordered Fordis and the others to bring out a few more cars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These cars needed thorough processing before they could be used again—not just repairing the bullet holes, but also retrieving every bullet inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the police deemed Lans the prime suspect, they could apply for a search warrant and seize these vehicles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they found even one bullet fired from a weapon used at the shootout, they’d have direct, irrefutable evidence to arrest them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were plenty of bastards in the Federation Police, but you had to admit some actually did their jobs—and they were damn good at solving cases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why Officer Lu Ka rushed to find Lans—he didn’t believe Lans’s convoy had escaped unscathed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If hit, there had to be bullets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some bullets might be obvious—like on the floorboards—but others weren’t: they might have lodged in the door, hit a hard component, and stopped short, stuck somewhere inside the paneling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These bullets couldn’t be removed without dismantling the car; you had to take the whole thing apart and find every one to be safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some specialized repair shops would disassemble the entire vehicle, match each bullet hole to a bullet, then reassemble it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they only did that if the cars were extremely valuable, held sentimental meaning, or couldn’t be replaced—like if everyone in the world knew it was your car, and swapping it would raise new suspicions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why, after a shootout, many wealthy gangs always destroyed their cars, no matter if they still ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They refused to—and couldn’t—give police direct evidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alberto’s men drove Lans’s cars into the garage and brought out five more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I took care of your cars,” he said. “Two or three hundred bucks each—no point repairing them.” The cars would be sent to the scrapyard tomorrow morning, crushed into blocks, and dumped into Angel Lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Okay, another piece of the secret behind Angel Lake’s rising water level was solved—but only known to a very few.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans took the keys and nodded. “Thanks. I’ll send someone with the money tomorrow—I probably won’t come myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alberto nodded. “Need any other help?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A lawyer? Someone capable? Or something else?” He knew Lans didn’t lack money—he’d just taken over forty thousand from him, plus Lans had his own business.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans wouldn’t lack money, but he certainly lacked other things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lans, I’ve always believed you’d become someone important. Give me a chance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans thought for a moment. “A few of my people are injured. And introduce me to a suitable lawyer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alberto glanced at the men standing farther away, counted them. “Fine. Let them ride with my cars.” He returned to his car, fiddled for a while, then came back with a business card.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Specializes in defending gangs. Extensive experience. You’ll need him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans glanced at the card, slipped it into his pocket, and embraced Alberto again. “See you later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See you later!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans had the others get in the cars and drove back to the house in the west suburbs. Once inside, they stripped off their clothes, doused them in gasoline, and burned them to ash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They went to their rooms, showered, and changed into fresh clothes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few minutes later, three police cars screeched to a halt outside the house; Officer Lu Ka stormed into the courtyard. He was about to bang on the door when he noticed a pile of smoldering ashes in the side yard, still curling with smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dawn was breaking; he walked over. The flames were mostly out, but a gust of wind stirred faint embers within the ashes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He poked at them with a stick—nothing remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shit!” He paced around, hands on his hips, now 100% certain Wil had been killed by Lans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He returned to the front door and pounded on it. “Open up! Police!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After twenty to thirty seconds, Lans opened the door. “Officer Lu Ka. We meet again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officer Lu Ka, who had been furious moments before, instantly calmed the moment he saw Lans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even smiled slightly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He extended his hand. “Yes, we meet again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans glanced at his hand, and out of courtesy, shook it—but he hadn’t expected Lu Ka to suddenly pull his hand to his nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The motion was fast, sudden, and unexpected—especially since many were watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the faint scent of soap was a distinct residue of gunpowder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ka’s gaze turned peculiar, but he said nothing—only stared at Lans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans pulled his hand free as Lu Ka loosened his grip. “You’ve got a strange hobby. Some kind of fetish?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ka wasn’t fazed. He stared at Lans with a half-smile. “May I come inside?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans shook his head. “I’d love to cooperate—but do you have a search warrant?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ka blinked. “Who told you you need that to enter your house?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans leaned against the doorframe. “The Constitution.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He watched Lu Ka’s expression shift. “The Constitution grants me even more rights. Want to hear them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bullshit!” Lu Ka looked past Lans, scanning the people emerging from rooms into the living room—fewer than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I remember you had a big guy. Where is he?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans glanced back. “Asleep.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can you wake him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.” Lans shook his head. “Unless you have a search warrant—or a court order compelling me to cooperate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ka realized this man was nothing like the criminals he’d dealt with before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was calmer, understood more social rules, and knew how to use them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, most people back then didn’t even know the Fourth Amendment protected them from illegal searches and arrests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, to search or arrest someone, you either caught them at the scene with strong suspicion, or you had a warrant issued by the judiciary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But most didn’t know this—or how to resist—and simply let police lead them around by the nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans knew these rules, used them to protect himself, and remained utterly calm. Lu Ka found himself intrigued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like… a fisherman encountering a cunning fish—a game of strategy, a silent contest, had just begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ka stepped back. “Can you tell me where you were tonight?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans asked, “Will this be recorded in your police report—or used elsewhere?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If so, I need my lawyer present before I answer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ka smiled. “What if I say it won’t appear in any documents or court proceedings?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans gave the same expression. “I was sleeping at home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They locked eyes. Lu Ka tried to pressure Lans—but Lans showed no reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ka stepped back again. “Sorry for disturbing your rest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans extended his hand again. “Sounds like you’re leaving.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They shook hands once more. Lu Ka said, “We’ll meet again soon!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After letting go, he walked straight to a roadside phone booth and called the assistant director.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The director wouldn’t wake for a late-night shootout—it wasn’t important enough, and the impact was too minor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I saw Lans. His hands smelled of gunpowder. It’s him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assistant director asked, “Then why not bring him in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He got back to his house before we found him, changed clothes, and demanded a search warrant. If I try to take him, he’ll demand an arrest warrant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assistant director showed no strong reaction. “You’ll need to wait until morning to get the legal documents from the Judicial Bureau.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So I’ll wait here until dawn. Get the documents to me as early as possible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assistant director agreed. “Fine. I’ll arrange it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked about the scene. “How many dead?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Over thirty. Wil, a senior Calami Gang member, is dead—burned to ashes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No useful clues left. Lans cleaned up fast. A few of his men are missing—probably injured.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we find the bullets they removed and the doctor who treated them, we can take them straight to court.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assistant director considered. “Go ahead. I’ll back you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hanging up, he called other officers in the homicide unit, asking them to quickly determine whether any major hospitals had admitted gunshot victims last night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, try to recover the bullet fragments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he stepped out of the phone booth and began circling Lans’s house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an ordinary house, with just one garage containing a single car.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four other cars were parked on the street, so Officer Lu Ka’s first thought was to inspect those vehicles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he had no search warrant, he could still peer through the windows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he was quickly disappointed—these cars were clearly brand new, meaning he was now utterly certain this case was almost certainly Lans’s doing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had no evidence, and that was the most frustrating part of being a cop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You know a man is a criminal, yet because you lack direct, actionable evidence to charge him, you can only watch him walk free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a cursory glance at the cars, he was about to give up when he suddenly remembered something, pulled out a pen, and wrote down all the license plates, then made another call.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Check who these cars are registered to,” he recited the plates, but the operator said results wouldn’t be ready until morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This finally made him slam his fist against the phone booth, making the whole structure rattle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as if the entire world were helping Lans, and Officer Lu Ka hated this feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stepped out of the booth and unexpectedly saw Lans watching him from the second-floor window; the two stared across the street at each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officer Lu Ka lit a cigarette, made a shooting gesture toward Lans, but Lans simply kept smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An annoying smile!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dawn gradually broke; the crackling gunfire from last night was nothing new to the residents of Jingang City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why the police treated midnight shootouts this way: don’t let citizens feel fear, and don’t shoot it out on the streets during daylight—then their tolerance stays high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the day, few even talked about it; no one knew who had fought whom last night, how many had died, or who they were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These things were too distant for ordinary people; they couldn’t reach such far-off places.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than caring about that, they cared about today’s weather, and their daily lives and work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At 7:25 a.m., the assistant director’s people delivered the search warrant; the first thing he did upon receiving it was to block Lans’s front door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans was having breakfast, holding a ham-and-egg sandwich as he looked at the warrant in Officer Lu Ka’s hand, gesturing for him to enter. “Want some?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I’ve got no appetite!” He’d been up all night, barely dozed off around five, and now he felt awful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans reminded them, “You’d better wear gloves, and don’t make a mess of my home—or I’ll call and file a complaint.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officer Lu Ka didn’t take it seriously; they began ransacking the house, searching for weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many intact bullet fragments had been left at the scene; these were among the best pieces of evidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they could match one of the guns to the bullets from the scene, they could apply for an arrest warrant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your weapon was involved in a gang shootout in another location last night, killing people—and you claim you had nothing to do with it, knew nothing about it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do you think a judge will believe you!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But sadly, they searched the entire house and found no weapons at all—it was as clean as if it had been specially cleaned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No weapons, no bullets, no dangerous items—Officer Lu Ka didn’t know what to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the weapons, they were surely handed over to Alberto; didn’t Hu Zi say so?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixty percent buyback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A weapon worth 2,200 yuan at sixty percent is 1,320 yuan—and it gets rid of the trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, Officer Lu Ka, did you find what you were looking for?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officer Lu Ka turned to look at Lans; they stared at each other for a long moment. He stepped up to Lans, staring at him. “I’ll find what I’m looking for—one day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans was completely unaffected by his threatening tone. “I don’t know if you’ll find it, but you’ll definitely get a complaint today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officer Lu Ka gave him one final look, then turned toward the door. “Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching them leave, Lans spread his hands to his brothers, wearing a helpless smile. “Federal police!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two seconds later, the house erupted in continuous, lingering laughter…\u003C\u002Fp>",2431,"2026-06-19T21:10:27.799Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","8f1f991f422eb9a09c224f9bb5f32d5b9dfa482e8ae537cd07329b5a4923ca2b","the-shadow-empire-chapter-127","the-shadow-empire-chapter-125",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-shadow-empire-cover.jpg"]