[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-shadow-empire":3,"chapter-the-shadow-empire-the-shadow-empire-chapter-82":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},2267702,4428,"Chapter 82: Tailor, Union, and Three Questions","the-shadow-empire-chapter-82",82,"\u003Cp>“Mr. Lans, your figure is perfectly proportioned—I guarantee the clothes I make will look stunning!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An elderly tailor from the Empire was measuring Lans, and with more money in hand this time, he planned to make two sets of clothes for everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weather was about to turn cold; after every rain, there was always one day when the chilling essence of autumn could be felt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, uniform attire greatly promoted the development of “corporate culture”—capitalists had already proven that brainwashing didn’t require formal lessons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tailor was also an Imperial citizen; his neighbor had previously immigrated to the Federation, reportedly earning over a hundred credits per month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he returned to the Empire, he told people in exaggerated tones that in the Federation, you could pick up money just by looking down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a land where opportunities and wealth lay everywhere—even a fool could achieve the Federation Dream if willing to sell a little labor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some believed him half-heartedly, others fully; the tailor was among those who believed completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had known his neighbor for over thirty years and didn’t think he’d lie; with the Empire’s situation deteriorating sharply, he sold everything and brought his family to the Federation despite fierce opposition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he saw the place his neighbor described as paved with gold and money—and found himself struggling to afford a single meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The neighbor who claimed to earn over a hundred credits monthly was actually washing dishes at a restaurant, making only twenty-two credits a month with one free lunch—take it or leave it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tailor, now completely cut off from the Empire, lived with his daughter, son-in-law, and young grandson crammed into a dilapidated little house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only saving grace was his tailoring skill—he exchanged clothing repairs for survival, charging very little, but still had some customers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, Elwin had suggested hiring a Federation tailor, but Lans refused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Federation tailors made clothes that were…unbearably awful; they infused their designs with the Federation’s signature laziness and casualness, resulting in loose, sloppy fits that looked unrefined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial tailors, by contrast, captured their most disciplined side—tight-fitting, tailored, exuding sharpness and intensity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard you once made clothes for nobles in the Empire?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tailor, standing on a low stool with reading glasses, paused mid-measurement, then smiled, “Yes, a minor noble. You’ve heard of that too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard rumors. I’m curious—why don’t you open your own shop?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though Federation people look down on us, they still envy noble attire.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you can advertise that you worked for royalty or nobility, the upper class will flock to you immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His son-in-law helped him down from the stool, jotting down Lans’s shoulder measurement as he spoke: “No matter what you want to do, you need money first. I’ve been here a while—life here is truly terrible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You and your friends have kept us fed this month, but next month we’ll be back to struggling. I can’t even leave the Imperial district—how can I tell anyone I once served nobles?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans nodded slightly. “If your craftsmanship is truly good, I plan to fund you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tailor froze, a glimmer of hope flashing in his cloudy eyes. “You… you’re serious?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ll support me in opening a tailoring shop?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans put on his original clothes again. “In the city center!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course, your work must be excellent—this isn’t a small sum.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tailor and his son-in-law were overwhelmed with gratitude, thanking Lans profusely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had once been middle-class in the Empire; they never imagined that here, they wouldn’t just fail to find gold and money—they could barely afford food!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would hire an unknown tailor from the Empire to make expensive garments?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only custom work could truly bring in big money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The poor mostly bought cheap secondhand clothes—though ill-fitting, at least they were affordable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those needing custom garments were rare; his monthly income was barely ten or so credits. These past two months, clashes between natives and illegal immigrants had left his son-in-law unemployed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans’s order saved them—in every possible way!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he was offering to fund a shop—the tailor’s eyes welled up. “You’re a kind, good man, Mr. Lans—the Lord will bless you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I hope He doesn’t get sick from blessing me,\" Lans laughed, shaking the tailor’s hand as the man and his son-in-law stared in stunned silence. \"Anyway—thirty-seven people, two suits and two trench coats each, all with sword-style collars—make them as good as you can. We’ll have many more opportunities together!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to the eager crowd, gesturing for them to line up properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Getting new clothes was a joy for both Federation and Imperial people alike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since there were only two of them, measurements would be slow—but since they’d been invited to the company, their speed didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans and Elwin sat down nearby; Elwin brought up something unprompted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard something—might be troublesome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans looked at him. “What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Union is unhappy about our large-scale use of other people’s work cards—they claim we’re disrupting the labor market.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Union was no ordinary thing in the Federation—even if it wasn’t really a “thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many workers registered with local Unions for strong protection against exploitation and oppression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time, Unions were powerful and healthy—still free of arrogance, pride, and corruption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The slogan “Workers of the World Unite!” originated in the Federation!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Union deemed us disruptive, it would be a devastating blow to our thriving agency business.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans thought for a moment. “How many work cards do we have now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The agency’s manager, Sean, rushed over. “Mr. Lans, as of today, we’ve registered 3,132 work cards.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sean was a brilliant young Imperial student who’d passed university entrance exams but couldn’t afford to attend, so he returned home to become a schoolteacher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the war broke out; to keep him from being sent to the front, his family sent him to the Federation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t the type to hurt others—he’d spent his life studying—so Lans had him temporarily manage the agency, with future plans in mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a huge number!” Lans affirmed his work, then told Elwin, “Find out who’s upset with us. Arrange a meeting—I’ll handle it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to Sean. “Sean, our growth will accelerate—we need a reliable lawyer. I’m sending you back to university—to study law.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sean was startled, then overjoyed; being a lawyer was deeply respected in both the Federation and the Empire, carrying high social status.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It also gave him a sense of purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lately he’d been wondering—everyone else was contributing meaningfully, but he felt he’d done nothing substantial; his current job could be done by anyone who’d finished primary school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sudden opportunity gave him direction—but also confusion. “Lans, I haven’t studied in a long time—I don’t know if I can keep up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans checked his watch. “I’ll hire private tutors—they’ll handle your academic and personal challenges.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lans, I don’t know how to thank you—I’ll become a great lawyer!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans patted his arm. “But don’t quit your current job yet—I need to find a replacement first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Hiram pushed open the back door and knocked lightly. Lans stood up. “Get back to work,” he told Sean, then glanced at Elwin, who followed him out the back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a small courtyard—typical of Federation buildings, where gaps between structures were sometimes enclosed by developers as “backyards” for marketing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But some developers ignored these spaces—no fences, no features at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This one was about two hundred square meters; a car sat in the center, Laun leaned against it smoking, the warehouse door open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans nodded to him, then stepped inside the warehouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Light shifted from bright to dim—after a few seconds, he saw Jason hanging upside down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face was bloody; Hiram had punched him hard in the mouth, knocking out several teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Lans, Jason began pleading again. “Mr. Lans, I’m sorry! I’ll give you all the money—I’ll vanish from Jincheng and never return!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans pulled out a cigarette; Hiram instantly lit it with a match—leaving Elwin, who’d just reached for his own matchbox, momentarily stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans grinned and punched Hiram lightly on the arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans scratched his eyebrow. “You still don’t understand your mistake, Jason. Your distress isn’t about what you did—it’s regret you got caught.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you truly knew you were wrong, you wouldn’t waste my time with meaningless promises.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now—three questions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First: where is the rest of the money hidden?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second: how many people know you suddenly have money?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Third: have you told anyone how you got it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Answer these first. Then we’ll consider your problems.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have no saved drafts—all written fresh—and the other side still needs a bit, so here’s the third update today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for extra updates [doge]\u003C\u002Fp>",1441,"2026-06-19T21:10:27.799Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","026a0b9167234df6f17e3e730e1490f43fb4ed7c8f025d4342e5053faac60655","the-shadow-empire-chapter-83","the-shadow-empire-chapter-81",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-shadow-empire-cover.jpg"]