[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-shadow-empire":3,"chapter-the-shadow-empire-the-shadow-empire-chapter-954":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},2268574,4428,"Chapter 954: Public Opinion, Lawsuits, Expectations, and the Second Sincerity","the-shadow-empire-chapter-954",954,"\u003Cp>The reporters at the Post wrote three drafts, driven by multiple motivations, they gave one hundred and twenty percent effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of the three drafts, one was more radical, raising questions about “whether organizers should bear responsibility” and “the statute of limitations on accountability.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If organizers must bear responsibility, shouldn’t those injured in past protests and demonstrations be compensated?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just because the law against murder was only enacted today doesn’t mean those who killed yesterday are innocent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire piece emphasized that the Labor Union is a cold, heartless political organization, and all its slogans—including the stirring “Workers of the World Unite”—are merely political tools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their core aim is to turn the working class into their tools, not their brothers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second draft was very conservative, interpreting the case through current laws; he also consulted a lawyer, who stated there was no legal basis requiring organizers to bear primary responsibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, this conflict wasn’t an accident like a natural disaster—it was a deliberate attack—so organizers shouldn’t bear too much responsibility, but perhaps some.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third draft was moderate, neither sharp nor conservative; he believed this version would likely be used.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he never expected that the Federal Post, which had always maintained a neutral stance, chose his more radical draft.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made him realize a much larger hand—bigger than he imagined—had been pushing this matter forward rapidly from behind the scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, the Federal Post published the article, and as expected, the entire Federation erupted in outrage!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, debate surged over whether the Labor Union, as organizer, had an obligation to ensure the safety of those it mobilized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many people in society were discussing it; normally, such discussions would remain just discussions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time was different: massive reporting, photographs, and especially the image of Auger lying on the ground with his eyes bulging out—turned the Federation’s lower classes into water on the verge of boiling over!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said that within just one day, people across the country emerged claiming they had been injured or disabled during past Labor Union-organized strikes and demonstrations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, some were genuine, others merely sought to take advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Federation had plenty of such people—far more than foreigners imagined when they thought every Federation citizen was kind, polite, and benevolent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“People are causing trouble everywhere. We’re on the defensive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Labor Union’s headquarters conference room, the chairman—who rarely appeared in person—was present, the newspaper lying beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone around the table remained silent, unsure what to say, afraid to speak rashly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, even the chairman hadn’t anticipated that what he saw as a simple matter had spiraled into this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walter bears great responsibility!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Walter was still detained; he turned to another acting vice-chairman. “What do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other acting vice-chairman shook his head. “I’m still stunned, and I believe we’re ill-equipped to handle this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s hard to distinguish who among them was genuinely injured or disabled for our cause. If we can’t identify them, more people will keep causing trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know how annoying those mud-sucking bureaucrats are.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chairman showed no expression. “So?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s your idea?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The acting vice-chairman’s gaze fell on the newspaper, on the photos of angry, standing injured people, then he covered them with his hand. “Find a way to suppress the public opinion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment’s thought, the chairman shook his head. “If Walter had recognized the severity of the issue from the start, things wouldn’t have reached this point.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Back then, the matter hadn’t fermented, public opinion hadn’t heated up—there were still ways to fix it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now the public attention is so high—if we don’t pay or handle this properly, will it affect our Workers’ Party’s founding?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I also worry—we may not be dealing with workers genuinely injured because of us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If every disabled person, every injured person claims they were hurt for us, how much money can we possibly spend on them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can’t ignore them, but we can’t meet all their demands—we must reach a decision.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at his wrist. “Ten hours remain until quitting time. Until we reach a decision, everyone stays here. I’ll have food and water brought in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several senior officials exchanged glances, all wearing helpless expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Undoubtedly, this was far from an easy problem to solve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there were ten thousand injured or disabled people, and each demanded three hundred—half the standard compensation for workplace accidents—wouldn’t that be reasonable?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s three million.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what if there are more than ten thousand?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if they demand more than three hundred each?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That could mean hundreds of millions—or even over a billion—in expenditures!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So their initial refusal to accept responsibility wasn’t without reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this matter unfolded beyond everyone’s expectations—including their own, and those of the lawmakers in Congress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Senator Cleveland also saw the newspaper; after reading it, he laughed and tossed it aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a congressional day, and there were no meetings or hearings; he sat with friends in his estate’s garden, enjoying nature and chatting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To give the place more elegance, Senator Cleveland kept deer and small animals in his garden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were like spirits of the estate, giving first-time visitors a dreamlike impression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though to the senator himself, they were now commonplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deer weren’t afraid of people, yet maintained basic caution; they wandered nearby, occasionally turning their heads to glance at the men laughing loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That Lans guy…” the senator paused, choosing his words carefully, “...is truly a likable fellow!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He always finds the invisible seam on an egg—and smashes it open!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Labor Union is in trouble now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others nodded in agreement; they had long resented the Labor Union for threatening them with nationwide strikes at every turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Congress’s original plan was to have them form a Workers’ Party—two separate organizations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They wanted the Workers’ Party to gain public support, but relying solely on the poor wouldn’t work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They needed capital funding to advance further on the political path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Congress intended to lull them into complacency, make them alienate themselves from the working class, then deliver a crushing blow to crush them, and finally put chains on the unions and the working class to fully control them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they never expected Lans to catch them off guard so quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they fail to handle this well, their influence among the working class will plummet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very least, when they next demand a major strike, workers will hesitate before agreeing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lose your job, get crippled, receive no compensation—what’s the point?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just to sacrifice for someone else’s greatness?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This angle is fresh, and crucially, it’s happening right now—people focus more on what’s unfolding in real time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Speaker of the House sat in a wicker chair, legs crossed; honestly, he found the chair uncomfortable—it was woven from reeds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Supposedly, young, growing reeds were shaped and forced to grow into the form of a chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After harvesting and drying them, they were coated with tung oil and lacquer to become what they are now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh, and the most important point: these were produced by the natives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each bizarrely shaped wicker chair cost over twenty dollars; there were more than a dozen scattered around the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he shifted his weight to speak, he felt a sharp, unpleasant ache and had to change posture. “What do you think they’ll do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re on the fire now—no way out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone casually speculated how they might survive the crisis, and soon the conversation turned back to Lans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This young man is fascinating—some of his tactics have genuinely impressed me. Have you considered bringing him in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Senator Cleveland nodded, then shook his head. “He can’t join. His background and personal record make it impossible to reach this level.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Speaker raised an eyebrow. “That’s too bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But useful is fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard you’re sending him to Lapah?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have confidence in him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “Yalan Strategy” is one of the next priorities; last year, when Lans revealed that “if the Federation could take Yalan, it would bring these benefits,” Congress began studying it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They sent many people to Yalan for field investigations—under various pretexts: commercial, scientific, investment—there was always a way to gather vital geographic intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yalan indeed has rich mineral resources and oil, decent climate, and a sizable population—it’s a “battery” that can power the Federation’s greatness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now they have a battery—even if it’s not very good—it exists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So everyone has different views on how to “conquer” Yalan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some believe… just treat the Yalans like their ancestors treated Federation natives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who obey will be granted the privilege of working for Federation families for generations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who resist? There are plenty of tropical rainforests—somewhere among them is their resting place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others think such methods are too brutal; they advocate softer approaches to fully integrate Yalan into the Federation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Congress isn’t one monolithic interest group—it’s full of competing factions, each wanting more from Yalan than the others, so each must prove its strength and ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoever solves this big problem fastest will gain the most benefits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Senator Cleveland chose Lans and his chief aide; he would send two people, but publicly, only Lans would be visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This won’t be easy—even Senator Cleveland himself wouldn’t claim certainty in overthrowing a nation’s government and making its people favor the Federation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it’s merely an experiment; the benefit is certain, at most just more or less.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Senator Cleveland smiled and shook his head. “Who knows?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe he’ll give me a huge surprise!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Will there be a surprise?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The senator tilted his head slightly, squinted into the sunlight—yes, there will be!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans didn’t know the senator held such high expectations for him, but even if he did, he wouldn’t be surprised—that’s exactly the image he wanted to cultivate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He, capable of anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the following days, the Labor Union issued several announcements in succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They publicly disclosed everything regarding their handling of the Jincheng strike, including providing legal aid and necessary assistance to the victims—though the results were poor, they had not done nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, under Debbie’s leadership, these victims of Jincheng have banded together to sue the Labor Union, pushing the matter to the peak of public opinion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Labor Union stated they were willing to accept all legal consequences imposed upon them and would not appeal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever amount the court ruled they must pay, they would pay it—this statement reduced some of the negative public sentiment and even sparked a partial reversal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Submitting to the court’s ruling” was the result of two days of deliberation—it offended no one and demonstrated their respect for the law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It also raised the cost for those seeking to exploit them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Want compensation from the Labor Union for this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine—sue the Labor Union in your local court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bring your lawyer and evidence proving your injury occurred during the strike due to participation in protests or demonstrations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the evidence is sufficient, the court awards what it awards, and they will pay it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precisely because this decision appeared so fair, many abandoned the idea of seeking medical reimbursement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some might have spent only a few dozen yuan on medicine, but suing the Labor Union could cost one or two hundred yuan in litigation fees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except for those with severe injuries or disabilities, most others would not sue the Labor Union.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They only said they would submit to the ruling—they never said they wouldn’t hire lawyers to defend themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from those with truly severe injuries who couldn’t afford to live, most with minor injuries chose to give up seeking medical compensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the Labor Union successfully halted the demands, their standing among the working class had declined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Labor Union’s legal team did not request a trial elsewhere, since the incident occurred in Jincheng, it naturally belonged in Jincheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One controversial point in this case was that the attackers had already served their sentences, meaning a primary responsible party existed; thus, the Labor Union’s lawyers argued they should pay, but the proportion could be reduced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they could lower it below fifty percent, even if others later sought to hold them accountable, the higher cost and lower reward would more effectively deter old claims.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trial day drew intense attention; many media outlets showed up, including major papers like the Lianbang Daily and the Lianbang Post—some had begun to realize the verdict might become the standard for enacting new legislation!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This would become an important “historic moment”!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t a case that could end with one trial, but from the start, tensions ran high, sparks flew immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Labor Union’s legal team consistently defended themselves as “not liable,” though they knew the final outcome would inevitably be against them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Jincheng— from the rat in the courtroom corner to the judge seated high above, all were Lans’s people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Labor Union could not win here, could not win in Licaizhou, could not win in the Supreme Court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they would still fight hard!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The public attention on these news stories once suppressed awareness of the war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>War was too distant from ordinary people, especially those living along the original coastal regions, who might have learned about war only from newspapers their entire lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, compared to cases closer to their daily lives, attention to the war naturally diminished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, as time moved toward mid-to-late July, the end of the month arrived—the time for splitting the money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans called General Diaz, saying he wished to pay a personal visit; after more than half a month of silence, General Diaz did not refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He invited Lans to his office for a meeting, not his villa—they were friends, but not that close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans chose to visit at five in the afternoon; Diaz understood Lans’s intent—he realized Lans was, in some ways, quite aggressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Visiting at this hour meant Lans was certain General Diaz would invite him to dinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This puzzled Diaz—on what grounds was he so sure Diaz would keep him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this question in mind, he waited until 4:55 p.m., when his aide knocked and informed him Lans had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is he alone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, he brought two others—each carrying a large suitcase.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Diaz frowned, then relaxed—he didn’t believe Lans would harm him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew ambitious, capable men often followed rules more faithfully than fools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let him in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2376,"2026-06-19T21:10:31.886Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","f50944224e4a4fc462447205d66feaeeba455637e7da6968b829cb59dc5fd0ce","the-shadow-empire-chapter-955","the-shadow-empire-chapter-953",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-shadow-empire-cover.jpg"]