Empire of Shadows

Remember the first website domain name 𝕥 𝕨 𝕜 𝕒 𝕟 . 𝕔 𝕠 𝕞

Mr. Wade and Polly's acquaintance stemmed from Polly's most famous fight.

At that time, Polly was still a street urchin looking for work at the station. The street gangs of King's Harbor City were just a general term; in reality, they were divided into several groups.

For example, there were dock area gangs and industrial area gangs, and each area had many gangs, not just one, which is still the case today.

At the station and the docks, you can still see many teenagers wearing peaked caps and carrying coarse cloth bags, scrambling for work everywhere.

According to current federal law, children aged ten and above can be employed in non-hazardous industries, which is one of the main ways capitalists reduce labor costs.

The wages for hiring one adult are enough for them to hire two children, and federal law also stipulates that as long as the working hours do not exceed ten hours, it is reasonable and legal.

But some children are not so obedient, such as the children in welfare homes and orphanages. They are unwilling to become tools for the directors of welfare homes and orphanages to make profits, so they run out early and enter society.

Society is a very cruel and realistic place. These children face competitive pressure from adults, and they have to band together to keep warm, which is the origin of street gangs.

During a scramble for a porter job, Polly and his group clashed with several adults, as everyone hoped to get the job.

The adults relied on their status as adults to push, shove, insult, and drive away these teenagers.

Some conflicts occurred between the two sides, but the person in charge of assigning the work turned a blind eye. That's how it was at the station: whoever was stronger got the job.

Whoever was weaker had no job.

Regardless of who won, they would eventually have to serve them, and they also hoped that a stronger group would work for them, which would also reduce some trouble.

During the conflict, Polly seized the opportunity and stabbed one of them, taking the person down directly.

Mr. Wade witnessed everything at the time. He admired Polly's decisiveness and ruthlessness and felt that this child would become a famous figure in the future.

So he made a call to the director of the industrial district police station, and Polly was eventually released without even going to jail.

The reason was that in the chaos, no one knew who did it, and the workers who testified against Polly, as parties involved, their accusations did not have legal effect.

Because of his words, Polly was spared imprisonment—in the Federation, minors who commit crimes are also punished; being a minor is not a shield for them to do evil.

Polly was very grateful to Mr. Wade after learning about this, but they did not meet at the time.

However, because of this, some rumors spread about Polly and Mr. Wade, and along with these rumors, Polly was quickly favored by the then-weak Brothers Gang.

Mr. Wade is one of the municipal councilors and belongs to one part of the "power triangle" of King's Harbor City, representing the stubborn local political forces, similar to Councilor Williams and his ilk.

Their families have lived here for generations and have an identity that is very much recognized by the people of the Federation—plantation owners.

As the importance of King's Harbor City's geographical location gradually became prominent, the Wade family began to develop from the traditional landlord class to a political family.

They own large tracts of land here. If King's Harbor City wants to develop, it cannot bypass the local landlord class, which has become the secret to their rapid entry into the upper circles.

Land transactions brought them social status and a lot of money, while the workers on the plantation became citizens here.

In name, they were citizens, but these people still worked for the Wade family at the time, and this was the early manifestation of political power.

After many generations of reproduction and inheritance, the Wade family, like the Williams family, became one of the local prominent families.

After Polly became the leader of the Brothers Gang, he also handled some matters for Mr. Wade.

The current situation is so dangerous. If there is anyone who can help him, it must be Mr. Wade.

So he kept making this call, and after waiting for two days, he finally got through.

"Polly, did you plant the bomb?"

"I need to hear the truth. Only telling the truth can save you at this time."

Polly was silent for a while, "I didn't plant the first bomb; I planted the second one."

"I can assure you, sir, I'm not stupid enough to actively bomb them."

"But I don't know why someone would bomb them, nor do I know why they insist that I did it, so I... was controlled by anger."

After a few seconds, Mr. Wade continued to ask, "What were you thinking? Why did you plant the second bomb?"

"Did anyone tell you to do this?"

Polly's expression was a little awkward, "I... Mr. Wade, I just wanted to threaten Dale, to let him know that this is your King's Harbor City, and he, an outsider, has to abide by the rules here..."

Mr. Wade continued his words, "So you detonated the second bomb, killed several people, and let Congress and the President know your name."

"Polly, what should I say?"

"You actually used a bomb to attack a federal law enforcement department, and it's a department that Congress and the President are highly concerned about. Do you know how much trouble you've caused?"

He sighed. This case was no longer something that a "small" King's Harbor City municipal councilor could suppress. When senators in Congress and even the President were paying attention to this matter, Polly was destined to have only one path to take.

Of course, before that, he had to arrange some things properly.

"You can't stay in the Federation now. You have to thank us for being a coastal city. I'll arrange a boat to send you to Yalan. As for when you can come back, it depends on fate."

"After my people arrive, you leave with them first, and then I'll find a way to transfer your funds out to ensure you won't be too embarrassed over there."

"I hope this incident can teach you a lesson, Polly. All multiple-choice questions have options other than 'tough.' You don't always have to choose that one!"

Polly listened with his back almost bent and his head lowered, but what can I say about these words?

He didn't listen to a word, but he knew that this Mr. Wade was willing to lend a helping hand to save him, which made him feel much more comfortable.

The feeling of being closely pursued by death finally left his side, and he could take deep breaths of fresh air without feeling suffocated again!

This made him want to cry!

"Mr. Wade...", his voice was a little choked. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he could only say, "I'm sorry."

"Where are you now? I'll arrange for someone to pick you up."

Polly was just about to say his location when suddenly, like a flash of inspiration, he reported the wrong house number.

The building was still the same building, but he reported the house number next door.

It wasn't that he didn't believe him; it was just that he had experienced so much during this period that he had become a little more mature.

"Very good, wait for me there. My people will be there soon."

After Polly hung up the phone, he ate something and kept staring at the situation outside. Although he didn't think it was likely that Mr. Wade would harm him, he still made some reservations.

To survive, his brain was working faster than ever before.

More than ten minutes later, two cars suddenly stopped downstairs. Polly saw several people wearing soft呢hats and trench coats get out of the car.

There were eight people in total, with three people downstairs and five people entering the building. These people didn't seem to be here to pick him up and leave King's Harbor City.

His expression changed a bit, and he cursed a few swear words, but he still retained the last bit of trust in Mr. Wade.

Maybe so many people came just to protect him?

He checked his weapon and stood quietly at the door.

As the sound of a reed trembling with a "ding" rang in the corridor, the elevator door was pushed open, and Polly knew from not far away that Mr. Wade's people were here.

He was very nervous, trying to slow down his breathing, which also allowed him to clearly hear his heartbeat.

These people didn't seem to make any sound when they walked. They seemed to deliberately lighten their footsteps so as not to disturb anyone.

The lights in the room were turned off, and only the corridor had some light.

The light shone on these people, causing the shadows they cast to connect to the walls and the ground. When black shadows kept interlacing in the gap under the door, his heart was about to jump out.

Before long, there was a knock on the door next door, "Polly, are you inside?"

"The sir asked me to come and take you away."

The knocking continued for more than ten seconds. Suddenly, the sound of a door opening rang next door. The swear words in the mouth of a young woman stopped before she could finish them.

Immediately afterward, the sound of these people's footsteps came. They entered the room next door, and a vein had already popped out on Polly's forehead.

Without a doubt, these people were not here to pick him up; they were here to send him off!

That's not the same thing!

He cursed countless swear words in his heart, some cursing Mr. Wade, some cursing Director Dale, and some cursing... anyway, he cursed many people, including the mayor, who was not in his eyes at this time.

After about a minute or so, the sound of footsteps rang in the corridor again. He suppressed the curses in his heart and continued to listen carefully.

"He's not here, but he has the house number here. If he's not in this building, he's in another apartment nearby."

"Call people over, we can't let him get away..."

"Hold the place where we left. You two go to the rooftop, the others surround the building..."

"F*ck!" Polly opened his mouth and cursed silently.

How could these people be so smart?

Polly suddenly felt that he really couldn't escape.

He returned to the window, watching the three people smoking on the street outside. There was no way to escape from here.

Damn it, he shouldn't have trusted these politicians!

Of course, he knew why Mr. Wade wanted to silence him. After all, he had done some dirty work for the other party, and... as the "protagonist" who created the shocking bombing, if people found out that he and Mr. Wade still had some connection, there was no doubt that this big shot in the upper class would also fall!

In the end, people can only rely on themselves!

He walked to the telephone, picked it up, and wanted to call Director Dale.

A living Polly is obviously more valuable to Director Dale, who urgently needs to produce strong evidence that he is not useless, than a dead Polly.

But he didn't know the phone number of the Hazardous Materials Administration.

Nor did he know the phone number of the telegraph office. It seemed he was trapped in a dead loop...

However, under the threat of death, people can always create limits and break through limits!

Seven or eight minutes later, a young man came to the lobby on the first floor of the Hazardous Materials Administration. He looked at the receptionist behind the counter and said loudly, "I know where Polly is..."

In an instant, almost everyone stood up. In fact, both the Hazardous Materials Administration and the Federal Police had posted new bounty notices.

A living Polly was worth 30,000, while a dead Polly was only worth 10,000.

Of course, this was not to encourage people to kill a bomber, but to ensure that when the wanted criminal fought back, the hunters could still get the bounty after killing the wanted criminal in self-defense.

Polly, who created two shocking bombings, was indeed worth the money. It could even be said that this little money did not correspond to what he had done!

But... Director Dale could only apply for so much bounty. However, with just so much money, people's enthusiasm had already been mobilized.

Even some ordinary citizens were discussing Polly. If they found him, wouldn't they achieve financial freedom all at once?

It's just that none of them thought that as soon as the bounty came out, someone would know Polly's location. It can only be said that the power of money is still infinite!

Soon, news spread that Polly had been found, and the entire Goldport City seemed to be shaken by it.

"...Charlie, I don't know what to say, but anyway, I will remember your help this time."

"You're welcome, Mr. Wade. After all, I am also a member of Goldport City!"

"Let's find some time to swing a few clubs together after spring."

"Okay, definitely..."

Mr. Wade sat in his chair, thinking. The development of the matter exceeded his imagination. Polly, this idiot, actually knew how to play tricks at this last moment. He was really a damn guy.

If he had known how to play tricks earlier, things wouldn't have deteriorated to this point!

Now his biggest worry is that Polly knows that he arranged for someone to kill him. If that's the case, then he will definitely reveal some things that are very unfavorable to him.

Although every time he arranged everything properly, without any substantive evidence to accuse him of remotely controlling Polly to kill or do anything else.

But for those rule makers, evidence and evidence are not important. What is important is a reason, an excuse.

It's like when you decide to reward yourself with a handicraft, the reason you do it is definitely not because of the naked girls in those magazines, just because you want to do it.

Then you will go to find a magazine or something else, and finally complete this goal.

It's not because you saw the magazine first, and then made this decision.

Moreover, this matter is not as simple as being known by people. It involves more aspects of political influence and game.

Once he is at a disadvantage in this game, he may be eliminated.

He can't remember how many people have been eliminated in Goldport City over the years. He doesn't want to be the next one.

After thinking about it again and again, he dialed a number that he almost never took the initiative to dial.

"Pasleito, I need you to return a favor..."

He didn't want to use this favor, but now he had to.

At this time, Mr. Pasleito was washing his face. He was lying in a barber shop, the hot towel had just been taken off his face, Tony the barber was standing in the corner, and Mr. Pasleito's men were standing outside the door.

He was absolutely safe here in the Sumerly District.

"Rare, Wade, your call is definitely the best gift I've received this year. So, how do you want me to return this favor?"

As a "local", the relationship between politicians and these families and gangs is very complicated. Sometimes they are opposed to each other, but sometimes they stand together.

Mr. Wade had helped him once before, so he owed a favor until today.

He had mentioned this matter many times. He didn't like owing people favors, but Mr. Wade never mentioned repaying the favor.

As long as the favor is not repaid one day, he will be uncomfortable for one day. Who knows what the other party will ask him to do?

So even now, although his tone is light, his expression does not show any lightness.

"Polly may have surrendered to Dale. He knows some bad things, and I don't want these things to be made public."

"I arranged for someone to solve this matter, but he dodged it. Now Dale may have found him, and I need your help."

Mr. Pasleito thought for a while, "You've given me a problem, Wade."

"You know this matter has nothing to do with me, but if I rashly join in, it's hard to say whether it's a good thing or a bad thing for me and the family."

"I owe you a favor!"

Mr. Pasleito was silent for a while, "Remember your promise!" he said, hung up the phone, called the men outside the door over, whispered for a moment, and then lay back in the chair.

Then he turned to look at Tony the barber, "What are you waiting for?"

Tony the barber immediately began to re-apply a hot towel to his face, and swung the ancestral razor back and forth on the strop.

A dozen minutes later, under the personal supervision of Director Dale, they found Polly with his hands raised in a building.

He was handcuffed and sent downstairs. Director Dale didn't have too much excitement on his face. He carefully looked at Polly.

It was this person who had put himself in a passive position twice, but it was also this person who would become his stepping stone.

Suddenly, he felt that he should thank Polly, because his stupid and reckless actions had given Dale and the National Hazardous Materials Administration more power!

Now everyone knows that this is a dangerous job. If they are not given more privileges, it will be difficult for them to carry out their work.

"Since you called me, I have been thinking about you, Polly."

However, what answered him was a blown head. He stood there blankly, watching the blood splash all over himself...