[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-shadow-empire":3,"chapter-the-shadow-empire-the-shadow-empire-chapter-46":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},2267666,4428,"Chapter 46","the-shadow-empire-chapter-46",46,"\u003Cp>Small-scale capital turnover businesses are thriving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Federals have no habit of saving, or rather, in the past few years of rapid economic growth, people have gradually adapted to a lifestyle of not saving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, Federals did save, but in recent years as the economy improved, experts constantly warned people that if money sat in banks, it would depreciate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five years ago, when people earned only twenty dollars a month, a bicycle cost fifteen dollars; now, a bicycle costs more than twenty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five dollars lost value in this process—the more money you saved, the harder it was depreciated, while timely spending helped preserve wealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bicycle bought for fifteen dollars five years ago still sells for seven or eight dollars on the secondhand market—equivalent to riding it for a year at a cost of just over one dollar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You can’t say the experts are wrong, because these are real cases: the better the economy, the more places money is needed, so the Federation prints more currency to meet market demand, and prices change accordingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to say they’re right isn’t entirely true either, because in terms of purchasing power, three-quarters of a monthly income versus half of it means the actual value of the bicycle has dropped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But people don’t care—they only know the bicycle got more expensive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This instant gratification, along with the endless proliferation of financial companies offering installment plans and loans, has pushed people to spend money as soon as they get it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This consumption habit has also driven rapid economic growth: factory products never lack buyers; experts believe this economic boom will last another ten years, or longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything seems perfect—except when sudden expenses arise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many workers at the port are also instant gratifiers: they go to bars daily for a drink, then watch strippers who work out of passion, giving them a few cents or dimes to applaud their optimism and energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of each month, they have almost no money left; when they suddenly need cash, it becomes a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t expect to borrow from coworkers—they have no money to lend, because they’re all moonlighters too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Borrow from the company?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The company doesn’t offer that service, and it easily leads to disputes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Financial companies are a good option, but if the borrower has no real estate, no valuable assets, and earns only about thirty dollars a month, they won’t lend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Add in exorbitant interest rates, and borrowers aren’t eager to take loans either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So in the port district, within just a few days, “Wanli Financial Consulting Services” became a frequently mentioned topic among low-income workers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For amounts under one hundred dollars, full payment is made the same day—cash or check accepted—and interest is not high, and they support installments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone borrowed a hundred dollars and only had to repay one hundred ninety over six months—just thirty-eight dollars per installment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This interest rate is far lower than ordinary financial companies; most importantly, they actually lend, and they aren’t worried about repayment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Work cards are rising in price—now commonly eighteen to twenty dollars; if they take on extra jobs and rent out their work cards, even without working themselves, their monthly income is enough to repay the loan; if they work full-time, their income is even higher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many people do this—they anticipate their future life before making a decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Will this cause my life to become difficult? Will I be unable to repay?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now it won’t, because even if they truly can’t repay, the company says they’ll simply seize their work card for a while—when they can’t pay, the company hires someone else to work and pay for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What possible worries are left?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even some who aren’t short on money, but just have none in their pockets, went to borrow twenty or thirty dollars just to try it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially when some heard they could borrow money just by having a work card, even those unwilling to work went to borrow—compared to dealing with illegal immigrants, this seemed far better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all… the impact of the movement hasn’t faded; some typical “old Federals” believe renting work cards to illegal immigrants harms the nation and their own interests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if a work card is seized by the company due to unpaid debt, it has nothing to do with them—it’s becoming a solution for some.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this process, Lans also considered starting a second company—a labor agency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just a few days, the company issued over two hundred loans—some for a hundred dollars, others as little as twenty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were all loans ignored by financial companies, too burdensome for people to bear their exorbitant interest—ultimately all benefited Lans, totaling over thirteen thousand dollars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If calculated over three months, this thirteen-thousand-dollar loan pool could generate nearly nine thousand dollars in profit for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the thirteen-thousand-dollar loans and documents enabled him to borrow sixteen thousand from the bank—the more money he lent out, the more cash he held; perhaps this is why people say “the rich get richer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes life is this fantastical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether you make money doesn’t depend on how hardworking you are, nor on whether you possess noble qualities—it’s perhaps the greatest irony of striving to live!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the weekend, Lans arranged to go out with Patricia; the girl was shy, quite different from the “heretic girl” others imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this era, most normal Federals still valued “chastity”; conservative women still dominated the female population.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even holding hands made them blush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans booked their date at Jincheng Amusement Park, where giant rides filled the place with laughter from youths and children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While imperial outcasts still struggled to survive, Federals were already riding roller coasters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in a way, everyone was really the same—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearts pounding wildly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Too thrilling!” Patricia clutched her chest and leaned on Lans, “My legs are weak—I swear I’ll never ride this again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, she was terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually, the roller coaster at Jincheng Angel Park wasn’t especially intense, yet it still brought joy—and shadows—to many.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The signs reading “Please Do Not Vomit Here” showed that those who disliked it were probably as numerous as those who loved it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Patricia’s upper body leaned heavily on Lans; her legs trembled constantly. Though separated by clothing, he could still feel her scorching warmth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought you’d like it—you see, most visitors here are young,” he helped her sit on a nearby bench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Patricia’s heartbeat finally slowed a little. “I… this is my first time on a roller coaster, Lans. When I was a girl, I told my father.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He said it wasn’t something a lady should do. You don’t know him—he’s as rigid as a stone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So…” she pouted, took a deep breath, “even though I was terrified, you made my life complete.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it were up to me, I’d never have dared to ride this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Lans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans smiled. “You’re my angel; I’m your genie in a bottle, able to fulfill all your wishes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then my angel, what’s your next wish?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Patricia burst into laughter—her radiant smile dimmed even summer’s brilliance. “So sweet, Lans—I sometimes wonder if this is a hallucination!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans gazed into her eyes, slowly leaning closer; their distance shrank. Patricia’s face flushed hot, her gaze flickering away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she felt his breath, a dizzying sensation overwhelmed her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too fast!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her inner voice warned her: she wasn’t some slut who’d sleep with a man on first meeting; her upbringing kept her tied to traditional values.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your collar’s messy—I’ll fix it,” Lans adjusted her hair and collar. She exhaled in relief, yet felt a strange emptiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as she opened her mouth to say “thank you,” Lans suddenly kissed her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mind went utterly blank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Patricia had always attended church-run girls’ schools—where only female teachers and nuns existed—with strict rules: they told every girl this was only permitted after marriage!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps precisely because of this repression of natural urges, the women’s rights movement surged across the Federation; they organized nationwide campaigns for voting rights, gaining massive momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for Patricia, this kiss contradicted everything she’d been taught—she didn’t know how to react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Lans’s kiss was brief, no tongue—just a simple touch. What stirred her most was the warmth of his skin pressed against hers, the subtle tremor it sent through her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The feeling was like yesterday’s weather—damp, sticky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I couldn’t help myself—forgive me,” Lans stepped back. “So I’ll grant you one extra wish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Patricia cupped her burning face, half-resentful. “I didn’t agree to let you kiss me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans scratched his head. “You’re too beautiful. How about you kiss me back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl, still pouting, couldn’t help laughing. “You’re the most brazen man I’ve ever met!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans felt no embarrassment or shame. “If you see a beautiful girl you like and dare not express your feelings, that’s the real shame.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl rolled her eyes—she had to admit, every word Lans spoke made her feel like she’d swallowed honey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How many girls have you fooled?” she asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An easy question. “You’re the first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t believe you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this kind of softball question, Lans never held back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I never treated girls like this before—but since I met you,” he suddenly opened his fists in a gesture of explosion or blooming, “God opened a window for me—I have endless sweet words to say to you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gave her no chance to reply, grabbing her hand. “Shall we ride the carousel?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t refuse—it was every girl’s favorite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for wrapping arms around the waist?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s the move of a virgin!\u003C\u002Fp>",1581,"2026-06-19T21:10:27.799Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d95431081bf20cb380295c90e86ce7afa4e978ad98333dad751f13b699ba0a57","the-shadow-empire-chapter-47","the-shadow-empire-chapter-45",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-shadow-empire-cover.jpg"]