[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-shadow-empire":3,"chapter-the-shadow-empire-the-shadow-empire-chapter-90":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},2267710,4428,"Chapter 90","the-shadow-empire-chapter-90",90,"\u003Cp>Johnny left with the money soon—he didn’t want to stay here any longer. After he was gone, Aierwen  curiously asked, “You really lent him the money?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans nodded. “He can’t pay it back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I worked in his bakery for over a month—I know exactly how much he earns each month.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if his daughter didn’t steal from his cash box, after all expenses, he still has about two hundred dollars left each month.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aierwen  couldn’t help exclaiming, “That much?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans agreed. “Yes, it’s a lot—but you must understand, those two hundred include wages for three people. If they worked outside, as federals, they could easily earn thirty-five dollars each month without slacking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They still need to eat and drink.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So his bakery actually brings him only a hundred dollars in net income each month.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if he didn’t pay anyone else, he still couldn’t repay the loan. Six months—even if he saved three hundred dollars each month—he still couldn’t pay it back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aierwen  didn’t understand. “Then why lend him money?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans casually placed the file folder into the safe. “I want him to be unable to pay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he could pay, how would I get his storefront?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing this,  Aierwen  felt as if he’d undergone a spiritual awakening. “So from the start, you never intended to let him off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans shook his head. “There’s no letting off or not letting off—I already got back eighteen dollars. The rest is business.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, pulled out two contracts signed with Johnny, and placed them on the table. “For any loan over a hundred dollars, use these two contracts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aierwen  stared for a while, his head aching. Lans explained: “This section is the loan agreement; this part is financial consulting. They’re not the same thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All interest above the Usury Law is added to the consulting fee. Understood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aierwen ’s mind was sharp, and the matter wasn’t complicated—he understood immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That way, if someone doesn’t repay, we sue them directly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even though we do illegal business, when we can legally earn money, we do it legally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the afternoon, Lans had an appointment with union members.  Aierwen  arranged it for him: Vaughn, vice-chairman of the Dockworkers’ Union.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Federation, “union” is a general term; actual unions are “industry-specific,” formed by workers in particular trades—for example, shipbuilders have a Shipbuilders’ Union.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steelworkers have a Steelworkers’ Union; naturally, dockloaders have a Dockworkers’ Union.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vaughn looked about fifty, but didn’t seem like a typical working-class vice-chairman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They met at a café outside the docks, in a secluded corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Lans, your Wanli Office has severely disrupted our dock operations. Many workers have complained to me—you’ve turned the whole dock into chaos!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With thousands of worker cards in hand, seven or eight thousand illegal immigrants found jobs through Lans at the docks—this inevitably caused massive disruption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the anti-immigration backlash hadn’t fully subsided, the docks couldn’t halt operations waiting for it to pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some companies had already suffered huge losses from merely pausing for a few days—they couldn’t afford to stop longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So large numbers of illegal immigrants returned to the docks, sparking furious complaints from workers who’d been brainwashed by the anti-immigration movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our homeland is being invaded by illegal immigrants” became their slogan. The union received many complaints; as a labor organization that shouted “Workers’ Solidarity,” it had to stand up for legal workers’ interests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting with Lans became inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before they sought him out, Lans came to them first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing Vaughn’s complaints, Lans kept smiling. “Mr. Vaughn…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No ‘Mr.’—call me Vaughn. Adding titles or honorifics is what capitalists do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he didn’t look like a working-class man, he still kept the working class’s sharp instincts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans changed his address. “Vaughn, I believe what we’re doing isn’t an offense to traditional local workers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know what jobs they do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ship cleaners, sewer pumpers, chimney sweepers, underwater labor…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know how filthy, exhausting, and dangerous these jobs are?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vaughn had to nod. “True—but…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans cut him off. “But now, all the dangerous, grueling work is done by… illegal immigrants.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They take on every task no one else wants, keeping our federal workers away from danger. This isn’t invasion or chaos!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Getting them to leave is easy—but can you find enough people to do these jobs?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Risking their lives for twenty or thirty dollars a month—I believe federal workers’ lives shouldn’t be worth so little!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vaughn fell silent. The core reason illegal immigrants found work was precisely because no one else wanted these jobs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether summer or winter, they scrubbed damp decks or ship sides with cloth that could salt itself in minutes—working all day for barely a dollar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many ship cleaners earned less than thirty dollars a month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many got sunburned until their skin peeled, or froze stiff—but someone had to do it. Federals refused, so illegal immigrants were the only option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Vaughn’s attitude shift, Lans proposed his idea: “I understand some workers think these immigrants are chaotic or have bad habits—but you mentioned it, and now we’ve noticed it too. I’ll strengthen management of these workers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m a federal too—I stand with federal workers. Everything I do is just to keep the docks running smoothly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans licked his lips, sipped coffee. “I plan to donate some money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vaughn, lost in thought, didn’t react at first. “What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From my company’s profits, I’ll set aside three hundred dollars monthly to help workers’ families in need—those temporarily unemployed, sick, or injured with no money for treatment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re all workers—all at the bottom of society. We should unite!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vaughn snapped back. “Yes, yes—workers must unite to fight capitalist exploitation and oppression!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought a moment. “Your idea is good, Lans. And you’re not entirely wrong. I’ll explain it to them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for your donation…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans took over. “I don’t know all the dockworkers—I can’t tell who truly needs help and who doesn’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So I’ll just donate the money. How it’s used—you decide.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three hundred dollars a month sounded small—but it was far from insignificant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans went further: “I’ll say I’m donating three hundred, but I’ll actually give four hundred. You work hard too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not just laboring, but handling union affairs—I’m moved by your noble spirit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So this money… you can buy beef or something else. One saying I find true: the body is capital. Only when we’re strong can we do more for workers!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vaughn’s wrinkles seemed to smooth out. “Sounds good?” But he hesitated. “Wouldn’t this cause problems?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans widened his eyes. “What problems?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is there any law banning me from donating to the union to help families and workers in need?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has the Federation’s judiciary stripped us of the right to help each other?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vaughn was deeply moved. “You’re right, Lans. People may misunderstand you—I’ll clarify it for them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, you mentioned standardization?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes!” Lans said, voice dry from talking. He sipped coffee and offered Vaughn a cigarette. “I plan to give these illegal laborers uniform uniforms and regulate their behavior on the docks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell me your ideas too—anything reasonable, I’ll include.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First, it’ll make clear who’s causing disruption, helping people better monitor illegal immigrants’ work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second, it’s a form of pressure and supervision—making them aware their every action is watched, so they’ll think twice before acting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vaughn felt something was off, but couldn’t say what. After careful thought, he decided it was indeed a good idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was illegal, who wasn’t—clear at a glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was a warning too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A brilliant plan!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vaughn even imagined—if dockworkers themselves wore uniforms, they’d look even more powerful!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d discuss this with the dock union leadership later. It probably wouldn’t be approved—but he should at least try.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Talking with you gave me many new ideas, Lans. You’re an interesting man. We should stay in touch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans placed a four-hundred-dollar check on the table, pinning it with his index and middle fingers, and pushed it over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting Lans’s sincere gaze, Vaughn felt refusing would betray Lans’s genuine heart.\u003C\u002Fp>",1323,"2026-06-19T21:10:27.799Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","33c2e316f8378ba06d6058c7b270ba583b3f147c27ef4b381cc25f58489d5e70","the-shadow-empire-chapter-91","the-shadow-empire-chapter-89",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-shadow-empire-cover.jpg"]