[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-shadow-empire":3,"chapter-the-shadow-empire-the-shadow-empire-chapter-977":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},2268597,4428,"Chapter 977: What Cannot Be Seen Does Not Exist","the-shadow-empire-chapter-977",977,"\u003Cp>Before this team arrived, Congress had already assigned them tasks; their work ran parallel to Lans’s but was subject to his control, with Lans remaining the primary authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the current situation, Lans had no need for them to do anything, so after a brief mutual introduction and receiving their operational details, he ended the meeting himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He set the documents he held onto a nearby low table, “Though not far from the Federation, it still takes most of a day to get here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The constant rocking makes you feel awful!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at his watch, “Go rest for a while. Congress has lunch arranged—I’ll introduce you to my colleagues then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Albert immediately stood up, and the others followed suit, rising to take their leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans had Ma Duoer see them off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were currently staying at the Lamen Grand Hotel, where Lans himself still resided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His “castle” in the suburbs wasn’t finished yet, so moving there would take more time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Albert opened the door and prepared to close it, Andy unexpectedly stood outside and stopped him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Albert looked at Andy in surprise, “Something wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Andy nodded, “I want to talk with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Albert studied him for a moment, then opened the door wider and invited him in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their room was also a high-standard standard room: one bed, one living area—but certainly nowhere near as luxurious as Lans’s penthouse suite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Albert closed the door, the two sat on the sofa. Andy spoke with a tone tinged with reproach, “You shouldn’t have handed over our operational plan to him so easily.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Albert’s hand froze mid-motion as he reached for a cigarette, staring at Andy for two or three seconds without reacting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After two or three seconds, he continued, pulling out the cigarette pack and lighting one for himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Federation didn’t have a habit of sharing cigarettes; people usually smoked their own. Of course, if someone offered one, others would accept—but only among close friends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lans has always handled operations here. Before I came, they told me the mission here was under Lans’s command.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled out a lighter, lit his cigarette, and added an explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Andy shook his head, “I looked into Lans’s background. I don’t think he’s capable of handling this job well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s a gang leader with no higher education and no relevant work experience.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we rely on him too heavily, problems will arise—and our work must remain confidential.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Albert frowned, “You think he can’t do it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Andy didn’t deny it. “I’m just worried he’ll mess up our mission.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at Andy, who met his gaze without flinching. After a moment of locked eyes, Albert broke the stare, using the act of smoking to look away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint, barely noticeable smile touched his face. “Did you two know each other before?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you have against him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Andy shook his head. “I have no prejudice against him. I don’t even know him. I just believe the right person should do the right job.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You handle your work. I handle mine. He handles his.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Albert didn’t press further or elaborate. He understood Andy’s thoughts—even his emotions. “I get it. I’ll keep that in mind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Andy’s expression softened, having gotten what he wanted. “I’m not blaming you. We all need to take responsibility for our own work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Albert offered no rebuttal, no argument—only a smile. “Yes. You’re absolutely right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words satisfied Andy. “Alright, I just wanted to remind you—nothing more. After all, you’re the team leader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood up. “I’m going back to rest. This damn ship’s rocking has turned my brain into mush!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rubbed his temples, a gesture that made Albert chuckle. Albert walked Andy to the door. “Same here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See you at lunch?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See you at lunch!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the door closed, Albert’s smile vanished. He shook his head, walked to the sofa, and slumped onto it with no dignity, his whole body relaxing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He, too, harbored doubts about Lans’s competence—but upon arriving, he’d been surprised by how skillfully Lans had provoked the outbreak of conflict, and how well-chosen the entry point was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he’d tried to intensify tensions between the people and the government through other angles—like income inequality or social issues—he might not have drawn everyone in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You say incomes are low, but someone always earns more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You mention other social problems, but not everyone faces them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Albert’s own planned approach, there was no single entry point capable of sweeping across all classes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d been thinking of a bottom-up movement that would engulf every class except the ruling elite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To achieve that, he might have needed several coordinated actions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lans simply made one simple move: hunger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The food shortage is even spiraling toward famine. Once famine sets in, masses will starve, and their hatred toward the Lamen government and ruling elites will peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, with the lightest push, the opposition will crystallize.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he believed Lans was capable—highly capable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Andy’s resentment, he could guess why: it was a matter of identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know what department Andy had worked for before, but a government official suddenly “fired” and forced into a non-official organization, likely bearing heavy responsibilities, was clearly a demotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This also meant Andy had no one behind him—no one had told him who the real “boss” was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d be at a disadvantage, because Lans wasn’t a pushover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So far, no conflict had erupted, no open tension existed—they could still coexist peacefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was certain that if Andy kept doing foolish things, Lans would make him look foolish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn’t warn Andy. Warning wouldn’t help. He’d seen people like this before: warn them, and they’d think you looked down on them. Better to say nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He finished his cigarette with a smile, took a shower, and threw himself onto the bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lunch was held in a private hotel restaurant. Lans summoned Roger and the others—all of them were introduced to one another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, they’d be working together for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lunch wasn’t lavish—it was just lunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After lunch, Roger walked with Lans. “That Mr. Andy seems a bit… I feel he’s distant from us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans had noticed too. He shook his head. “Don’t care about him. Just a minor player.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused. “Are things getting chaotic farther out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roger nodded. “Everything’s falling apart. Just as you said: a few hoard the food meant for the many. Food circulation is shrinking. A major famine is brewing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, Roger might have felt uneasy, but after working this long, he’d grown used to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he spoke of it with calm detachment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lans gave a slight nod, studying Roger. “I heard you’ve been enjoying yourself lately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roger’s face flushed slightly—he was over sixty, and the women sent to him had initially been seventeen to nineteen. He’d refused them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, they sent women in their thirties—right in his sweet spot. His life was excellent now!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like he’d been young again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his embarrassment, Lans laughed twice, clapping his arm. “Just don’t let it interfere with your work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Especially now—watch your safety…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several more days passed. Finally, refugees began arriving in Zhuolan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Lunar New Year approaching, temperatures kept dropping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhuolan’s temperature remained stubbornly high—it was closer to the equator, so even in December, it stayed at 14 to 15 degrees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hunger, and a touch of cold, forced people to make choices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People living in cities near Zhuolan had heard Zhuolan’s situation was better, so they came with their families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More people flooding into Zhuolan should’ve been a good thing—the city grew lively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But once they arrived, they began buying food in bulk, gradually alarming Zhuolan’s locals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Locals started hoarding food too. Supplies quickly ran low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Diego heard this, he grew furious. To him, these “hungry people” felt like a slap across the face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d just completed a food deal with the Federation—less than a month ago—and now Lamen was facing food shortages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What would the Federation think? Would they mock him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What would leaders of other Alliance nations think? Would they laugh at him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made him furious!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he was the president of a nation, a leader. To face famine right after buying food? He couldn’t save face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he made a decision—he would bar anyone outside Zhuolan from entering the region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If refugees couldn’t get in, his reputation wouldn’t be damaged. No refugees in Zhuolan meant no refugees in Lamen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He called his subordinates, mayors of other regions, ordering them to fix this quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s just hunger—not death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are so many resources in the wild. Why not use them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Food is everywhere. How could anyone starve to death?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such insolent peasants!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1451,"2026-06-19T21:10:31.886Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","634744919c12897cfd5e2748fa0e4f9f6e9fd923b7e5251dc179b7028496cbe3","the-shadow-empire-chapter-978","the-shadow-empire-chapter-976",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-shadow-empire-cover.jpg"]