[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-shadow-empire":3,"chapter-the-shadow-empire-the-shadow-empire-chapter-59":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},2267679,4428,"Chapter 59","the-shadow-empire-chapter-59",59,"\u003Cp>After returning to the company, Lans had everyone try out the handguns; they went to a remote cliff on the west side of the harbor, where few people came and it was very quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the sound of waves crashing against the shore rocks would mask the gunfire; Lans made a few simple targets and let everyone take a shot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the Federation, a free Federation, so there was no such nonsense as “avoid using firearms in gang fights”; he’d even heard that in another city, major gangs fought with armored vehicles—firing a few shots with a pistol shouldn’t be a big deal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as men loved luxury cars, they loved weapons—even the two girls gave them a try.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Same Magre revolvers, small-caliber defensive weapons, even police said they were good… boring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans suspected these were stolen from police arsenals; blunt-minded Federals didn’t use small-caliber weapons—they preferred offensive and hunting guns—but it didn’t concern him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weapons were all new, likely used only a few times; Big Beard had said the gun lines had been reworked to ensure no one got into trouble using them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, a Daomeidan  bought a gun from a black-market dealer to rob someone, only to find out the gun had been used in a mass murder case in another state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fool fired two shots into the air at the scene, didn’t even hurt anyone, but still managed to steal a few bucks—and ended up on the electric chair for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The authorities needed to give the public a message, not another murderer!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So buying weapons of unknown origin on the black market wasn’t a smart choice; many killers dumped their guns there, and some fool might even take the blame for you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>New things always drew attention; while everyone was testing the guns, Elvin pulled Lans into a corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do we really need… to use these weapons?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans gave Elvin a cigarette but didn’t answer directly; instead he asked, “How much money have we made this week?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually, this was the third week, but it wasn’t over yet—three days remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elvin whispered, “Four thousand four hundred sixty-one dollars.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew the number precisely and had it locked in his mind, because twenty percent of that money belonged to them—nearly nine hundred dollars; if the pace held for the next two days, each of them would earn at least forty to fifty dollars this week alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was unimaginable in the past!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans praised him: “I’m surprised you remembered that number, Elvin—you’ve more talent in this than I thought.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he shifted tone: “But do you know how many people out there would go mad for four thousand four hundred sixty-one dollars?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’ll rob with guns for a few bucks—if someone found out a group of illegal immigrants from the Empire now earn thousands a month, what do you think… they’d do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elvin’s pupils shrank slightly; having earned big money so quickly, he’d begun thinking like most ordinary people—not stupid, but certainly not smart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I just need to live my life fine; I don’t want any trouble with others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this is the Federation—a nation full of rebirth and ruin, where miracles and collapses happen every day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having money without the power to protect it in the Federation is a death sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know Mr. Chobaf?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elvin took a deep drag; he felt his worldview and values shifting: “I know him—a famous Empire immigrant, supposedly runs a bank.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I spoke with him last week—he’s in trouble. Someone’s extorted him maybe hundreds of thousands, but he only dared try recovering a tiny fraction, and wouldn’t even go after it himself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Think about it—if even Mr. Chobaf gets extorted and robbed, what about us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If someone told you right now to hand over all your money and get out of the Federation, what would you do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Elvin could answer, Lans said: “If it were me, I’d put a bullet in his head and send him to his damn God.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He laughed, then pulled Elvin’s shoulder close: “Be a wolf that frightens others, not a dog that gets kicked.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’d rather all of you spend your lives in prison for murder than be beaten to death and dumped in a sewer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they returned to the company, everyone had new energy—having earned big money and fired guns, they now had guts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lans, Enio just called.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans nodded, took a number, and went to his office to call back: “This is Lans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They moved. Haven’t come out since. Location’s…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans grabbed a pen and wrote down the address: “Are you safe now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enio paused, then a warmth he hadn’t noticed flowed through his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Safe. They haven’t found us. What do we do next?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait for me to come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hung up and gathered his partners: “There’s something dangerous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A guy named Kent stole fifteen hundred from me. I’m going to settle the score—might shoot, might get hurt. Anyone want to come with me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn’t demand anyone go; he’d once been small himself, clawed up from the bottom—he knew some simply lacked the courage, weren’t cut out for this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forcing someone without courage to fight only ruins everything—you end up worrying about them instead of the mission. Better not to bring them at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Put the right people in the right places—that’s healthy growth. Lans always believed that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elvin and Ethan immediately raised their hands; Merro considered a moment, then said he’d stay behind to hold the fort—but would come if Lans needed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans didn’t mind Merro’s choice; if Merro had wanted to go, Lans would’ve made him stay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of this group, only Merro was truly mature—he was oldest, had seen more, and when Lans wasn’t around, he could steady the others during crises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most others chose to come; Lans agreed to all of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Close the door for now. Wait for me back. If we don’t return, find Mr. Cotty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After brief instructions, over a dozen young men crammed into three cars and headed toward the Empire District.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kent had just woken up; he’d slept late last night. Though he was the boss, he still had to work when it came time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The croupiers were partners, not his subordinates, and wouldn’t do heavy labor for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only he and the big enforcer did it—setting up, cleaning, tidying up—barely finished by one in the morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This damn weather was stifling and hot; he finally fell asleep past two, surrounded by stink of sweat and foot odor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d been sleeping soundly, but grew hotter and hotter—half-asleep, half-awake, Kent couldn’t lie still anymore. He sat up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was drenched in sweat!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This damn weather—I heard some places use something called air conditioning to cool rooms. Maybe someone knows how much that costs?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He walked bare-chested into a small room, turned on the faucet, and took a shower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His whole body was covered in curly body hair—like a gorilla!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some said he and his brother weren’t real siblings; his brother looked normal, didn’t have so much body hair. But Kent not only had darker skin—he had more hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first person to say that had vanished into the mystery of the rising waters of Angel Lake, but his words didn’t die with him—they spread even wider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After rinsing off with cold water and feeling better, he returned to the main room: “Turn on the ventilation. And what are we eating for lunch?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Any good restaurants nearby? Who’s going to get us some food?”\u003C\u002Fp>",1246,"2026-06-19T21:10:27.799Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","946364598557643a51129afa27f96a58075b618f80bee3f0828c3cb0d835ad5c","the-shadow-empire-chapter-60","the-shadow-empire-chapter-58",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-shadow-empire-cover.jpg"]