[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-shadow-empire":3,"chapter-the-shadow-empire-the-shadow-empire-chapter-991":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},2268611,4428,"Chapter 991: Grain, Hard to Get and Hard to Eat, and the Showdown","the-shadow-empire-chapter-991",991,"\u003Cp>It takes only three days to traverse from the Jiede Republic to the territory of Lapa, north to south.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In recent years, the Jiede Republic has been building railways—not only within its own borders, but also actively extending its network into other countries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as a country does not strongly oppose, they incorporate it into their railway system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some say they have ulterior motives: once the railways are operational, their army can reach any point on the continent in a very short time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But others don’t care much, especially the poorest nations, who have little left to lose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, they hope the Jiede Republic will invade them—so they can surrender from top to bottom, and perhaps live better than they do now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fewer people refuse to let them build railways; anyone who stands up to oppose seems to stand against everyone, so the railway networks of eleven nations are now linked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The source is the Jiede Republic’s “Central Station,” a massive terminus even larger than some stations in the Federation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This enormous project used surprisingly little money, because human life here is extremely cheap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The core, the foundation of “value,” is human beings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With many people and low cost, construction expenses are naturally low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is why every project that seems massive to Federation citizens can be completed here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as food and lodging are provided, plus a small monthly payment—five Federation Sol’s worth of local currency—people line up to work, and some even work for free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire Yalan region has hundreds of millions of people; everything is scarce here, except people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some refuse to work, but others fight to take the jobs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Railways, and related jobs, became one of the most respectable occupations in the Yalan region for a time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether section chief or ordinary railway worker, once they put on their uniforms—even the coarse, dull-blue cotton uniforms of laborers—they radiated a different aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention the train conductor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After washing and grooming, the conductor entered the cab, where the operator was already waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good morning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All operators in the cab bowed deeply. “Good morning, sir.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are the boys ready?” The conductor took his seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steam locomotives require no real driving skill—they’re not like cars or horse-drawn carts, which need steering and some finesse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The train driver’s only real task is to control speed: make it go faster, or stop it entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Occasionally blowing the whistle is also part of the job, but it’s optional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All operators confirmed readiness; the conductor pulled the whistle. The sound was loud, yet he could tell it wasn’t truly “penetrating.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boiler hadn’t fully heated; pressure was still insufficient—but enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the whistle’s blast, the train began to move slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, very slowly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slower than a pedestrian’s walk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as more air channels opened in the boiler and the fire intensified, speed increased—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huuuuuuuuuuuuuch”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huuuuuch”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huch”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huch-huch-huch”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huch-huch-huch-huch-huch”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speed kept rising; wind rushed through the window. The conductor left only a narrow slit, then pulled out a novel from his pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was enough space; he glanced at the map, then focused on the book.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reading novels was his favorite activity during train rides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It killed time, gave him useless knowledge, and filled the day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In recent years, the Jiede Republic has developed at breakneck speed—it is now the strongest, wealthiest nation in the entire Yalan region, without exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of this stems directly from a series of policies enacted by the president’s cabinet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Markets have become more open and free; private capital has sprouted, filling the Jiede Republic with vibrant energy!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like spring bursting with life just before summer arrives!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every Jiede citizen knows they stand at the forefront of their age, moving firmly toward something great!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This daily improvement in life has utterly captivated them, making them addicted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They feel honored—honored to be part of the backdrop to a great era, even if only as background!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Public sentiment and morale within the Jiede Republic are pure and unified; perhaps this is why they’ve created miracles on this land of both wealth and poverty!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The train clattered steadily along the rails, now entering Lapa’s territory; the conductor slowed slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had once encountered locals who stole railway tracks to sell for money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, under the president’s orders, they executed wave after wave of them—finally stopping the trend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is actually typical of Yalan: “basic human rights” simply don’t exist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether the track thief, the fence, or the buyer of finished steel ingots—all their families vanish together, returning to God’s embrace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several brutal crackdowns, the trend stopped instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though bloody and cruel, it worked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From skepticism to understanding to acceptance—this requires neither long time nor many events.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now they had left the desolate areas and entered Lapa’s heartland; people lived nearby. The conductor had been here before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some who had never seen a train chased after it, making him smile, yet also feel uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To warn them not to stand on the tracks, he diligently pulled the whistle several times—alerting unseen people nearby that a train was coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pedro had arrived at the designated spot with his group and waited over an hour, yet still saw no “aid” from Mr. Andy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could endure it, but some of those who came with him were growing impatient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After over an hour with no sign, they suspected they’d been tricked by the Federation man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Pedro hadn’t held some authority, they’d have left already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as some were about to voice complaints to test Pedro’s patience, a whistle echoed from the jungle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone’s attention snapped toward the sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the conductor knew well, not everyone here had seen a train—or heard a whistle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People instinctively feared the unknown; some leapt to their feet, turned toward the whistle, and retreated rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others retreated while asking, “What’s making that noise?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A monster?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pedro had seen trains—he’d seen them in the Jiede Republic, and even the “Miracle Station.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t panic. It’s a train.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying this, he froze, then realized what Mr. Andy meant by “food aid.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These Federation people are more cunning and ruthless than he imagined!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they took this food, they could never again stand with the Lapa government.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because this food was Jiede’s aid to Lapa—in a sense, it belonged to the Lapa government itself!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They stole the Lapa government’s food and still expect to remain aligned with it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Diego found out, he’d send troops to crush them immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not take it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So many starving people in the camp are waiting for food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s easy to refuse—but what happens to them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Remember, hunger isn’t just an empty stomach!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prolonged hunger leads to organ failure—they won’t live long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those elderly who eat daily yet keep dying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those young people who eat every day but grow dizzy and heart-raced from the slightest exertion—this is hunger’s doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without this food, they’ll slowly, painfully die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While others still gawked at the train, Pedro’s face showed only resignation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two minutes later, the “huch-huch” of the train grew louder, approaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Pedro pondered when Andy’s men would strike, an explosion shattered his thoughts—then gunfire erupted across the jungle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The jungle buzzed briefly—then fell quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most edible animals had already been hunted out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The firefight lasted less than ten minutes; then he heard vehicles leaving, followed by a loudspeaker’s announcement—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Food is on the train. Whoever grabs it first, owns it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pedro froze, then surged forward, snatching a large cloth sack and sprinting toward the train.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That announcement meant others were waiting to harvest too—not just his group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Pedro move, the others followed. They’d adapted to jungle life; running and leaping posed no problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And having barely eaten enough to stay half-full, they had little fat—each one was lean and agile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from heavy breathing, they could pass as athletes!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After crossing the jungle ahead, they saw the raised railbed, the derailed locomotive, and the first two carriages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pedro glanced at the exploded railway tracks; he vaguely understood how the Federals had done it, and he also spotted another group of people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the leader of that group—he knew him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had been classmates at Lans’s seminar; when they met again after one or two months, both Pedro and the man across from him felt complex emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It proved they were not alone on this path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What humans fear most is loneliness; once alone, they descend into self-consumption, begin doubting themselves, doubting everything, and ultimately head toward destruction or utter silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not being alone matters greatly to humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they felt joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after joy came caution, vigilance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a path destined to be lonely; by walking it without hesitation, they accepted greater pain and torment than others would endure!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They also had to face many things they might have considered—or hadn’t considered at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such as conspiracies, deception, betrayal… all manner of terrible things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Human relationships would grow complicated; many couldn’t even trust their own blood relatives, let alone strangers who had merely spent seven days together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The initial smiles on their faces faded quickly; they exchanged two glances, then sprinted toward the nearest carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, they realized they weren’t the only ones—more people were around them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pedro and his group shoved open a train car door; a torrent of grain spilled out, burying several people standing below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pedro froze for a moment, then quickly organized people to dig out the unlucky few.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces showed no fear or displeasure—only astonishment!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s wheat berries!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We have food!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pedro nodded, unslung his sack from his waist, and began frantically filling it; others did the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some grabbed handfuls of wheat berries and shoved them into their mouths, chewing slowly, their faces lit with smiles and tears of happiness!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These wheat berries had not been hulled; this was, in fact, a “yang strategy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is it food or not?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is it enough to count as rations?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pedro’s large sack filled quickly; he looked up at the grain pile, barely diminished, and a faint joy stirred in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this much food, everything would improve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had made plans and estimates beforehand, expecting only modest supplies—but they hadn’t imagined so much!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was silently filling their sacks; the conflict Pedro feared never occurred—no one wasted time fighting over loot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at the long train and realized that with just their group, they could never carry away all this grain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Few had yet realized the origin of this grain; Pedro said nothing. He noticed his colleague might have figured it out too, but the man said nothing either, and asked no questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Discussing this now would only slow their grain collection; better to wait until everything settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As more carriage doors were opened, even more grain spilled onto the ground…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can make another trip!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His colleague, the high school teacher, wore uncontainable joy on his face: “There’s too much grain! I noticed some people brought wheelbarrows—we need to get some too!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pedro glanced at the train and nodded. “Let’s go back together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His colleague hesitated, glancing back at the mountain of grain piled near the train. “What about all this grain…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pedro slung his load onto his back, testing its weight. “This grain won’t be carried off by sacks alone. We go back now—and mobilize everyone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He met his colleague’s gaze; they had worked together for over a decade, and in an instant, they understood each other’s thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a silent understanding. His colleague didn’t object further—he supported it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group hurried off, carrying grain, unleashing strength none of them had imagined possible—this should have been exhausting labor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pedro carried at least seventy or eighty pounds on his back, yet at that moment, he felt no weight at all!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their camp was a distance away; without load, it took over an hour to walk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With heavy burdens, it took three hours to return to camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When people saw them return with so much grain, their faces lit up with astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, Pedro stood in the center of camp and told them: more grain awaited them—he demanded everyone take tools and bring back even more!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone who could walk—elderly, women, children—go!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it really necessary to rush?” his colleague asked, catching his breath as he walked over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pedro drank some water; the cold water cooled his overheated body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at his colleague. “Don’t tell me you don’t know where this grain came from.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced around, confirmed no one was nearby, then added: “Don’t treat me like a fool. I read the newspapers—this food came from the Jide Republic’s aid.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pedro nodded. “So you think Diego and his men will pretend not to notice this train suddenly going silent?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know what deals they’ve made, but I know this trainload of grain is worth a fortune. By dinnertime—if it hasn’t reached Zhuolan—Diego will send men to search along the route!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This much grain looks like a lot, but if we don’t give everything we’ve got, there won’t be much left for us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Each round trip takes at least five hours. How many trips can we make?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He watched as people were already mobilized, patted his colleague’s back, and went to guide them on how to make tools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes—transport tools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elderly people, women, children couldn’t possibly carry seventy-pound loads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if the tools were well-made, they could easily push seventy, even hundreds of pounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the greatest difference between humans and animals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Humans didn’t just use tools—they made them themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he encountered a small problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several parents of students objected to him dismantling tents they’d spent long hours building, just to make transport tools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d worked so hard to set them up—now tearing them down meant all that effort was wasted, didn’t it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing their fierce opposition, Pedro hesitated, then decided to reveal the truth…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2306,"2026-06-19T21:10:31.886Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b66e34ed1157330ece147f2d19bae17930df0c0fd32ba00ed9e1a7a931bc28f0","the-shadow-empire-chapter-992","the-shadow-empire-chapter-990",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-shadow-empire-cover.jpg"]