[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-shadow-empire":3,"chapter-the-shadow-empire-the-shadow-empire-chapter-76":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},2267696,4428,"Chapter 76","the-shadow-empire-chapter-76",76,"\u003Cp>Mr. Chobaf, I’m Lake. I’ve arrived at the warehouse, but here…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rain made his voice unclear, like a radio with static, accompanied by a hissing sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Chobaf was older, his hearing not so good: “Speak up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Chobaf, there are only one or two thousand bottles of wine here—not the tens of thousands you mentioned.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, Mr. Chobaf froze in place, the receiver slipping unnoticed from his hand and hitting the desk with a loud “dong!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crash startled those outside: “Master, shall I come in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the crash jolted Mr. Chobaf back to his senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly regained composure, picked up the phone: “No, don’t come in.” Then he pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lit one. The person on the other end hadn’t hung up—they were still waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After about twenty seconds, the faint warmth from the cigarette couldn’t warm his icy heart. He flicked ash, not noticing it had landed on his favorite camel-hair rug.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you certain you didn’t go to the wrong place?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, Mr. Chobaf. When we arrived, the warehouse door was open. The floor was soaked with water and had tire tracks—they must’ve been moved out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But we didn’t see any vehicles leaving when we came in. Maybe they transported them away long ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He snapped back to focus: “Immediately seal off the warehouse. No one leaves—not even you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do this right. No mistakes. Tell them I’ll pay them double… no, triple their wages. No one leaves. No contact with the outside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lake’s voice came through the phone: “Understood, Mr. Chobaf. I’ll make sure none of them leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hanging up, he pressed the bell. His assistant quickly knocked: “Sir?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come in!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the assistant entered, Mr. Chobaf slumped weakly onto the bed and gestured for him to close the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The warehouse has been emptied.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assistant also froze, then turned pale: “Did Arthur and the others move the wine?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Chobaf’s face held a trace of hatred, but not a strong one: “Not certain yet. Lake said there were still some bottles left, and the floor was wet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment idea, it doesn’t seem premeditated—but then again, who knows if he suddenly thought of it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assistant’s mind began turning: “Should we call the police?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Call the police?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, we can’t call the police!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not only can’t we call them—you must immediately order a batch of Gold Label whiskey crates. If this was all Arthur’s doing, he’ll soon come forward to repay early.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those wines were worth three hundred sixty thousand. Even if he truly agrees to pay me some interest as per contract, I’ll still lose one hundred thousand!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he didn’t do it, we can’t let this leak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he did it, no matter what we do, it’s meaningless—he’ll have his response ready.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Mr. Chobaf’s thinking: if Arthur stole the wine, he would soon contact me directly to discuss early repayment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All loans have clauses for early repayment. As the defaulting party, Arthur must pay me three months’ interest as compensation. But I, in turn, must return to Arthur the wine he pledged—worth over three hundred thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He can’t produce those wines. Then there’ll be endless grounds for dispute!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A string of commercial persecutions already formed in Mr. Chobaf’s mind: after prohibition is enacted, I demand repayment and return of the original goods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, the entire state will ban transportation, production, and sale of alcoholic beverages. Even if I have money, I won’t be able to bring wine in!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Arthur might demand double the cash compensation—not just three hundred thousand, but seven or eight hundred thousand, maybe more!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are too many legal business tactics that could ruin him completely. Thinking of it sent a chill down his spine. So right now, only two things matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, conceal this news as much as possible. Second, align myself with the mayor immediately—only the mayor can shield me from the storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for lawsuits?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Councilman Williams, the most prominent local figure, would lose any lawsuit here. Even taking it to the state court wouldn’t guarantee much chance of winning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What a vicious little bastard!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assistant understood instantly and turned to leave: “I’ll make the calls right away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, in Lans’s rented warehouse, Lans gave the Howard brothers six hundred dollars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry I can’t give you the wine—it’s still too sensitive. Don’t think I’m being stingy by giving you only six hundred.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Howard brothers quickly insisted Alberto had sent them to help, and Lans had already paid them extra—this was more than enough gratitude; no more was needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You might need to come again in a couple days. We’ll need you to make another trip.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After assuring him it was no problem, they drove off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans told Hyram and the others to wipe down the wine bottles—some outer packaging had gotten wet from rain, but the water hadn’t soaked in yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although damp packaging slightly lowers wine value, the drop won’t be significant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the warehouse, Elvin couldn’t stop pacing, excited—over three hundred thousand in wine!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t we need to move them?” Elvin was flushed with excitement and nervousness; the other youths wore uncontainable smiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans sat in a chair, watching the towering stacks of wine, and shook his head: “No need. There’s no safer place than here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Too many warehouses on this dock store wine. None of these bottles bear signatures or seals. No one can prove they’re the stolen batch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, no one will allow them to mess around here. This dock doesn’t just store wine!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Contraband of all kinds here is countless. As the largest port in the Northern Hemisphere with its sprawling temporary warehouses, who the hell dares open any warehouse and rummage through it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if they find something belonging to a powerful figure? Who bears the blame?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one’s a fool. Without concrete evidence, they won’t randomly search every warehouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially not Chobaf—a mere imperialist, rich but utterly powerless!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go get some food,” Lans said, counting out several two-dollar bills and handing them to Mo Lisi. “I heard the ground beef shop at the port entrance serves great food. Buy some back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mo Lisi dashed out in his raincoat and returned about twenty minutes later, carrying several large paper bags.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside were boiled ground beef. Federal cuisine didn’t include “braising,” but they knew how to simmer food with sauce and seasonings until tender—effectively a federal-style “braise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the bags were opened, the aroma of meat filled the air. Hyram and the others’ stomachs growled instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d been working nonstop without proper meals. The smell of meat overwhelmed their self-control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans called them over: “Eat first, then work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young men crowded around. Lans set up a large table piled high with meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were no knives or forks—everyone ate with their hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was uncouth, but it stimulated the appetite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they ate, Lans suddenly asked: “Hyram, introduce your friends. We succeeded in moving this wine only because of their help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hyram began introducing them. Lans actively requested details about their residences in the Empire, saying he wanted everyone to understand each other better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elvin frowned thoughtfully—he sensed it wasn’t that simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When introductions were done, Lans clapped his hands: “After what we’ve done together, we’re brothers. You know—when a case this valuable leaks and someone gets caught, you could end up on the electric chair.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So I’ll say the unpleasant truth upfront: if any of you blab to others and I find out, you’ll suffer—and so will your families.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if you keep quiet, you might not know my style—sticking with me means you’ll get rich.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, if any of you want to keep living an ordinary life, I’ll arrange a decent job for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know some of you might think I’m… a bit harsh. But these are just unpleasant words.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, I’ll say something pleasant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to my rules, fifty percent of this income goes to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thirty percent goes into the company’s account—you’ll all see it. I guarantee full transparency: every expense will be visible, and you’ll know exactly where it went.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The remaining twenty percent will be split equally among all participants.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We have six people here. You have eight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Based on the wine’s value—roughly three hundred thousand—twenty percent is sixty thousand. Divided among fourteen of you, each gets over four thousand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone’s breathing quickened—greed, longing, but also fear, because this sum was simply too much!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elvin suddenly spoke up: “Lans, I have a suggestion…”\u003C\u002Fp>",1422,"2026-06-19T21:10:27.799Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","eff557af9582dea2c40b6169106514db3252f2a19515809ea8f830d5c1ca668f","the-shadow-empire-chapter-77","the-shadow-empire-chapter-75",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-shadow-empire-cover.jpg"]