Empire of Shadows

Chapter 608: A Difficult Task [666+30]

A person's joy cannot be hidden.

Smiling at the thought of something happy, that's just human nature.

Boni's been doing well lately. He and his family have moved out of the shacks they built themselves in the New Port District and rented a house in the area bordering the Port District and the New Port District.

It's not that he can't afford a better house; he simply doesn't want his family to be too far away.

Although, in the eyes of many, the New Port District, occupied by refugees, has become a huge stain on the city, and the dirtiest place.

But there, he has his brothers who can protect his family's safety.

A clean house, food to fill their bellies, life is on the right track, and the future looks bright.

He's even started considering finding places for his younger siblings to go to school, something he never dared to think about in the past.

The person who made all this possible for him is right in front of him.

He is a grateful young man. Everyone likes grateful people. Paul is like that, Alberto is like that, and Lance is like that.

Of course, this doesn't mean that being grateful, and liking grateful people, necessarily means becoming a dead ghost or about to become a dead ghost.

"Thanks to your care, Mr. Lance, I'm living very well now."

Lance scrutinized him, "You look much more energetic than last time."

"I heard that there have been quite a few groups forming among the refugees recently, and some of them are even making a living by robbing others of their food or wealth, is that right?"

Boni was somewhat indignant, "Yes, sir."

"I know there are several small gangs like that, and the police don't care…"

How could the police possibly care about the refugees? They aren't even citizens of the Federation!

Like those illegal immigrants, as long as they don't actively create conflicts with legal citizens of the Federation, the police basically won't actively intervene.

Internal problems among the refugees, as long as no one is killed, they won't send out the police casually.

This isn't a lack of morality, but a very realistic problem: police force also has a cost.

If the police force is used on these non-citizens, some rather selfish groups will jump out and accuse the Federal Police of wasting taxpayers' money.

Although most people don't have to pay taxes yet, they still pose as taxpayers.

However, it won't be long. With the implementation of the "Security Law", tax reform will soon be implemented, and then we will enter the stage where even earning a penny requires paying taxes.

Lance listened to Boni describing the situation in the New Port District, he reminded, "You can play a bigger role, you can stop crime, and even punish them."

"I'm giving you the opportunity because I think you're a good kid and should take on more responsibility, rather than just becoming a…"

Lance shook his head slightly, "…something like a work contractor."

"Think about this carefully. In this situation, using violence is undoubtedly a good solution."

"At least, it's better for you to use violence against others than for others to use violence against you."

Boni was silent after listening. In the end, he is just a somewhat spirited young man. To suddenly turn him into the leader of a violent group might still require some changes.

He agreed, "I will seriously consider what to do."

Lance just smiled. Everyone's awakening takes time. He is optimistic about Boni, but that doesn't mean Boni will definitely become the brightest star.

Anyone has a chance, he has it, and others have it too.

Changing the subject, he asked again, "Do you know anything about some refugees going to the Port District to participate in some kind of gathering?"

Boni nodded, "I know a little. I heard they are going to call on people to care about the refugees'…human…"

Seeing that he couldn't come up with the word, Lance prompted, "Human rights?"

Boni immediately showed an approving expression, "Yes, Mr. Lance, it's human rights."

"They said they want to make more people pay attention to the situation of the refugees, maybe some big shots will help us."

"The situation there is really too difficult now."

As he spoke, Boni became somewhat silent. He is also a member of the refugees. Now he has pulled his legs out of the mire, but there are still more people trapped in the mire.

He doesn't know what to do to change all this. When someone wants to try to do something for them, he sincerely feels that this is a good idea, and that person is a good person.

At least people shouldn't die of hunger or freeze to death in winter.

Lance has actually solved the survival problems of many refugees, found them jobs, and distributed some supplies in the winter, but compared to the increasingly large refugee population, these individual relief efforts are helpless.

He also believes that to change the status quo, more powerful figures need to stand up, such as…the mayor, the governor, or even the Federal President or something.

He didn't say that he supported these people's actions, but he didn't show obvious resistance or opposition either.

"Do you know who it is?" Lance asked.

Boni was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head, "I don't know, sir."

He already had some vague doubts in his heart, and the doubts quickly became reality, "Help me find this person."

Boni seemed a little nervous, "Can I ask, why?"

Lance curled his lips, reached out and straightened some small things on the table that weren't so neat. His words, like his actions, were trivial matters, "He used the wrong methods."

No ruler would like this method of coercing more people to achieve their goals, although sometimes it is indeed useful, it is also indeed annoying.

Boni nodded, "I understand."

Lance nodded slightly, "Relax, complete the task I give you, the good days are still ahead!"

After Boni came out of Lance's company, the seven or eight seventeen- or eighteen-year-old teenagers squatting across the road all stood up.

They were wearing the cheapest suits in the Port District, fifty cents, two-piece sets, all second-hand or even third- or fourth-hand clothes, and not necessarily matching, but the key is that they are cheap.

Then a cheap strap. These teenagers knew at a glance that they were not rich.

They crossed the road and came to Boni's side, surrounding him.

They all knew that Boni knew a big boss, otherwise he wouldn't have money to solve some problems, and it wouldn't be possible to get some job opportunities.

Everyone followed him also hoping to change their lives through his changes.

"Is there anything you need us to do?" Boni's good friend asked proactively.

This good friend was his neighbor, and the situation quickly reversed after the outbreak of the war.

A few days ago, people were still discussing how long it would take to retreat back to the capital of the Danterra Republic. A few days later, they began to discuss the fact that the front-line troops were being encircled and annihilated.

Then the war burned from within the Danterra Republic to within the Slader Republic.

Those of them living on the border had to roll up their bedding and run away.

The war in this era is about competing in population, numbers, and the determination to not be afraid of death.

The first batch of retreating residents were quickly requisitioned to become troops and returned to the front line, and then quickly became a pile of corpses.

The two sides launched a fierce tug-of-war around the easternmost province of Slader, with many people dying on the battlefield every day, and many more being sent to the front line.

Boni's father had already been sent to the front line, and his mother and relatives brought them together to the Federation.

His neighbor also fled over with them.

If there was anyone besides his family that he could trust unconditionally,

Then this neighbor and good brother was one of them.

He definitely had to answer his good brother's question, but he hesitated a little, after all, he knew what Lance wanted to find this person for.

Under the watchful eyes of the other friends, he finally had to say, "Mr. Lance wants to know who organized today's gathering."

They were all too young, all teenagers, and now they seemed to be dressed well and not hungry, not in the selection of those people.

But they all knew about this.

Someone immediately asked with a question, "Does Mr. Lance want to help him?"

His good brother sneered, "You're thinking too simply. It must be that this person's method is annoying. He offended someone, and then someone wants to know who offended them, just like that."

Their eyes all eventually fell on Boni, and Boni could only nod, "Yes, he's right, this method is too unfriendly."

For many refugees, the person who organized the gathering is a hero of the refugees!

He really intends to change the current situation of the refugees through some means, and he really did it, that's a hero!

They don't care whether his methods are appropriate or friendly, they only care that he can do it.

Letting them betray a hero might be a little easier for adults, but for these teenagers, it's a bit…not so easy to do.

Someone immediately said with some resistance, "Mr. Lance wants us to betray this person who is working for us!"

"Shh!" Someone covered his mouth, "You're crazy, this isn't a refugee camp, be careful."

The person speaking looked belatedly at those obviously not easy to mess with, fortunately they didn't intend to cause him trouble, mainly because they didn't hear him.

The roadside was noisy with the sounds of tires, horns, and people talking.

Boni said grimly, "Let's talk about this back at base."

No one objected. This was not the place to talk, and they quickly jogged towards the New Port District.

It was normal for them, as refugees themselves, to identify with and empathize with other refugees; there was nothing to discuss about that.

It was just that this mission had become a little tricky.