[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-shadow-empire":3,"chapter-the-shadow-empire-the-shadow-empire-chapter-917":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},2268537,4428,"Chapter 917: Strike and Conflict","the-shadow-empire-chapter-917",917,"\u003Cp>In the following days, coordination among the worker groups became more frequent; many factory workers who had no prior contact began spontaneously linking up to expand the strike’s scale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Labor Union’s method of persuasion was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Lans’s target industry isn’t yours, but that doesn’t mean your employer won’t reach out to him next time for cheaper labor and abandon you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the fourteenth, small factories across Jincheng had begun striking, and a flood of reporters had started working.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could fully feel the tension in Jincheng; everyone was filled with anticipation and excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Production in many factories had already halted; tomorrow was the big strike, and many workers could no longer focus on their tasks, constantly messing up procedures or damaging the products in their hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Factory owners had no choice but to shut down their assembly lines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only factories still operating normally were those that had signed labor supply contracts with Lans; they were completely unaffected by the strike, and the union couldn’t even get inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans didn’t just provide workers—he also provided “security” services; those guards with rubber batons weren’t just for show—they would truly drive away anyone trying to enter the premises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Karl was also ready; he seemed excited, for tomorrow was his chance to prove his worth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before him, over twenty of his subordinate foremen gathered, listening intently as he laid out his plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood while they sat; he waved his steel pipe, instructing them how to deal with striking troublemakers and unemployed agitators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face alternated between ruthless expressions and reckless grins, as if some mysterious force were eroding the hearts of the young men before him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Making them ruthless, reckless, dangerous!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To these young men, Karl was the living embodiment of the Lianbang Dream realized—they’d never go wrong following him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans was discussing tomorrow’s arrangements with Director Bu Lu and Deputy Director Du Ke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When the protest begins, you must deploy your personnel to cover all key areas completely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t keep too many officers at the police station—I’ll send reinforcements to support your enforcement. Don’t worry about that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once the protest starts, don’t act first—not even if they provoke you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are many reporters filming; if you strike first, the massive public pressure will come down, and even Mayor Williams might not withstand it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have officers wear helmets and shields, form human walls, and never face the protesters alone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then wait—wait for Karl’s men to surge out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Bu Lu and Deputy Director Du Ke knew Karl; after he pledged loyalty to Lans, he’d earned their trust. They’d briefly interacted with him, knew of his existence, and understood what he was doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his actions might disgust those with moral purity who have enough to eat and wear, Karl’s reputation among refugees remained strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t done anything truly evil—he’d actually helped some people get food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When people are trapped in a hostile society, even if they’re desperate enough to strip naked to earn money, they often won’t find a place to do it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Karl gave many people a chance at life; he recruited some himself and helped Lans recruit manageable workers, so his reputation was actually quite good—not at all like what outsiders imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those unfamiliar with the refugee population assumed refugees hated Karl, but in truth, they held him in decent regard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After ensuring the two understood, Lans continued, “Once they clash with the protest crowd, you move in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ignore Karl’s men—go after the ringleaders of the strike. Don’t worry about public opinion or the reporters—just swing your batons straight at their heads.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Knock them down, cuff them, haul them away, toss them aside, then keep pushing through the protest line.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t arrest Karl’s men—let them keep causing chaos; only then can you shut down the entire demonstration. Understood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans took a drag on his cigarette and exhaled slowly, “There are many media outlets here. After this is over, it’ll be all over the newspapers—public opinion will inevitably stir.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pick two or three bureau directors to take responsibility. Tell them not to panic—my company will take them in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Any injuries or other accidents during this operation—every expense will be covered by me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Legal issues are my responsibility. You only need to follow my plan. Understood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both directors nodded vigorously, “Understood!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Bu Lu added, “Mr. Lans, could I come work for you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans gave him a half-smile, pointing at him with his cigarette, “Nonsense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He laughed, and both Director Bu Lu and Deputy Director Du Ke laughed too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything was arranged—even the fire brigade was ready.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the crowd got out of control, they’d use water cannons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All day, the city passed in an unusual state of anticipation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning, Lans woke up over ten minutes earlier than usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He usually slept well—he’d inherited the sleep ability from another world; as soon as he lay down, he’d fall asleep within five minutes, and when he opened his eyes again, it was already the next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sleep was high-quality and consistent, but waking up early today meant he was still paying attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At 7:40, he arrived at the dining room; several people were already inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone’s expression was serious. Lans called it a minor matter, but they all knew it wasn’t “minor” at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was, in effect, a “challenge” to the Lans family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Past challenges had all been the same—coming from the underworld. They’d defeated those challengers, or the gatekeepers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, the challenge and difficulty came not from the underworld, but from the official, the public sphere—circumstances would be far more complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans walked to the sofa; someone made room for him, and he sat down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll face many similar situations in the future. Our enemies will shift from gangs to capitalists, even to politicians.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Some things we used to do, the methods we used, will be suppressed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Like this time!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone brought him a cigarette and matches; he took them, lit up, and exhaled through narrowed eyes, “In the past, we’d just send people to beat them down—or if that didn’t work, tie weights to them and dump them in the sea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One wasn’t enough? Kill two. Whoever leads, eliminate them—we could always hit the stop button.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But not this time. Too many people are watching us. If we move, public opinion will drown us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Lianbangzheng Prefecture may tolerate gangs, but it doesn’t mean they’ll let us trample the law under everyone’s gaze—we simply have no chance to act.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There will be many more situations like this. Prepare yourselves mentally—we won’t always win, but in the end, we will.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He patted the shoulder of the man beside him, “Alright, have breakfast.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Later, we’ll pick a good spot and watch how this performance unfolds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, the protest march had already begun assembling; large numbers of workers in their uniforms carried signs onto the streets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crowds of reporters along the roadside frantically snapped photos; magnesium flashes erupted continuously with loud pops, bursting into bursts of light!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These flashes of magnesium light were like a battle horn—striking workers began marching along their planned route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had two key destinations: one was outside City Hall, where they’d pressure the mayor with their numbers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their final destination: the entrance of Lans’s labor company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides the protesters, many ordinary citizens had gathered to watch. Lianbang citizens loved spectacle—and spectacle was human nature—making the protest’s momentum even greater!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A reporter from the Lianbang Post, cigarette dangling from his lips, searched for the right angle to photograph.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t alone; the Lianbang Post had sent a six-member reporting team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d document the massive march from different angles and positions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This reporter, besides himself and his colleagues, had two apprentices beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Making a name for oneself as a reporter wasn’t easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every year, countless reporters enter the field—how many actually win the “Golden Newspaper Award”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This reporter had won the Golden Newspaper Award once—he was qualified to take on apprentices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This protest has real momentum—the Labor Union is definitely skilled at this!” the reporter said, scanning for the perfect shot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the two apprentices, backpacks and supplies on their backs, couldn’t help asking, “You don’t like these people?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reporter glanced back at the two apprentices, then turned his gaze back to the protesters, “Do you like them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s there to like?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, the cigarette in his mouth trembled, dropping ash that was still warm—it landed on his hand, and he flinched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A magnesium flash blazed—his curse escaped involuntarily as he reloaded more magnesium powder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tilted his head to check the sky; rain had fallen last night, the ground was wet, and he wondered if it would clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky was still overcast—if it didn’t clear, they’d need magnesium flashes all day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He focused again on finding the right moment to shoot, saying, “There’s nothing worth liking about these people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look—they’ve disrupted production, interfered with normal life, and used the wrong method to voice their demands.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If this protest succeeds, they’ll rely on this method more—next time they’re unsatisfied, they’ll strike, march, protest again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If everyone learns from them, what will society become?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One apprentice fell into thought, but the other countered, “But they’re the working class—they represent the interests of the broad lower classes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Supporting them is supporting ourselves!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reporter turned again to look at the speaker, “Every year, the Lianbang has countless protests—has your salary risen? Has your welfare improved?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shook his head, “We’ve never been them. They don’t represent us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young apprentice still resented it, “But if people don’t pay attention to them today, don’t support them, won’t they also ignore us when we face trouble in the future?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reporter was speechless, “I used to support strikes, but now they’ve become tools for the Labor Union to seize power.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You should be among them, not here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re reporters—we must view issues more impartially!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young apprentice still wasn’t convinced, but the reporter didn’t bother arguing further—he’d decided: after this, find some trivial task for him, and when he failed, kick him out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reporter’s meals were paid for by capitalists, not these poor people—the poor were merely tools to expand their influence, not their patrons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, reporters shared traits with politicians: their jobs required them to please the masses, yet their wealth came from the very enemies of those masses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was absurd—but utterly true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another apprentice asked, “Do you think this protest will achieve what they want?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reporter thought for a moment. “I don’t know. Their target this time isn’t easy to deal with.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another apprentice firmly clenched his fist. “They’ll definitely win!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At just after eleven in the morning, a large group of striking workers had already been gathered outside City Hall for a while, waving their fists and chanting unified slogans: expel illegal immigrants and refugees, demand their legal rights be protected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mayor Williams stood calmly in his office, watching everything unfold, yet had no intention of stepping out to say anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time something like this happens, whatever the mayor says is wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you speak words to soothe them, you alienate the capitalists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you tell them to calm down and resolve things through dialogue, you offend these protesters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it’s better not to show up at all, say nothing, and wait for them to disperse on their own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After holding out for half an hour outside City Hall, trucks appeared on the street—also arranged by the Labor Union. Each truck carried food boxes filled with their lunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone also received a bottle of soda. From the advertisements on the trucks, it was clear the soda provider had not only donated many bottles but also paid extra.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Post reporter immediately photographed this scene. He felt this picture had strong visual language.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Between labor and capital, there was not only conflict, but also moments of harmony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strikers ate rice with chicken nuggets, drank soda, and chatted about today’s demonstration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was exhilarated. They had once again proven by action that the united strength of the working people was invincible!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reporters also gathered to eat, but it was clear they were no longer as fired up as they had been in the morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wasn’t there supposed to be a clash?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why is everyone so restrained?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another Post reporter, along with his colleagues and the two apprentice reporters, frowned as he swallowed his dry bread smeared with butter, mumbling, “Maybe it’ll wait until this afternoon—or tomorrow, or the day after?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I learned from City Hall that the strike will continue until the Wanli Group meets their demands.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The longer the strike lasts, the greater the pressure on Wanli Group. Within a few days at most, a clash is certain—only the timing remains unknown.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other reporters agreed. One exclaimed, “Wanli Group is truly… reckless. They’re directly confronting the Labor Union. I don’t even know what to say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once the Workers’ Party is established and gains political standing, Wanli Group’s days will be hard!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When a political group targets a capital group with relentless hostility, it’s obvious the capital group will suffer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wanli Group isn’t yet a true capital group. Its ability to withstand risk is even lower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reporters all voiced their opinions, but their enthusiasm was generally lower than in the morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At noon, everyone hastily ate and rested for half an hour. Then the protest resumed. Large crowds moved from the Imperial District toward the Port District, chanting slogans nonstop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At just after two in the afternoon, the group finally arrived at the street where the Labor Exchange was located.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The street still had many people—job seekers gathered at the company gates, now noticing the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reporters finally perked up. Seeing the refugees and illegal immigrants gathered for work, they vaguely realized: perhaps the clash would erupt here!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leaders at the front of the protest began shoving the refugees and illegal immigrants. Tension between the two sides began to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the moment one refugee worker was shoved to the ground, a crowd of men wielding clubs suddenly surged out from nowhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They wore dirty clothes and had slightly darker skin, appearing as if long malnourished—anyone could instantly recognize them as refugees!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These refugees swung wooden sticks and steel pipes, launching a furious attack on the protest march. Reporters and onlookers instantly grew excited. The flashbulbs, silent for hours, blazed once more!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2396,"2026-06-19T21:10:31.886Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","8b23c1a5b1d80331e1feb3403e813b1501dd254002a06e603e6fb8930c50310f","the-shadow-empire-chapter-918","the-shadow-empire-chapter-916",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-shadow-empire-cover.jpg"]