Empire of Shadows

The situation on Sumuli Island is a bit complicated right now because it is adjacent to the Tanfite continent and can be considered a member of the Tanfite continent.

Currently, the military friction between several countries on the Tanfite continent is constantly escalating, and the clouds of war have begun to spread to the surrounding areas.

In fact, rationally looking at the development of the situation, Sumuli Island is very likely to be affected by the war, which has also led to disagreements among the four major families on the island regarding this matter.

Two families believe that they should more actively join the war to take the initiative, so that they can decide how to fight and what the outcome will be.

However, some people object, believing that war has no real relationship with their four major families, and they can completely stay out of it. There is no need to send relatives to the battlefield and watch them die.

Even if they win the war, it will only be a victory for the politicians, not for the four major families. They will not get any substantial benefits from it, but many people will die.

In addition to the staunch war faction and the anti-war faction, there are also some small factions, such as the fence-sitters who appear most often. As long as there are benefits, they don't care about war or peace.

“…Some people hope to take advantage of this war to transform from an ‘ordinary’ family into a political family.”

“They have a deep influence in Sumuli, but lack higher-level power. If they can enter the central government and sit in the prime minister's position, it would definitely be a huge boost for them.”

“This opposition has also led the four major families to start wooing others for their own views…” Alberto paused. He didn't know how to describe what was happening. He couldn't find the word.

Lance helped him, “Unify their position.”

Alberto pointed at him, “Yes, unify their position, wanting to gain the upper hand.”

“Paul has a headache, I have a headache, everyone has a headache. Why is this damn war happening at this time!”

He complained about many things and was very dissatisfied with the autocracy of the four major families on Sumuli Island, believing that the four major families were the leaders of the Sumuli people towards hell.

Fortunately, his family members have all come to the Federation to live. Even if the four major families issue the most severe orders, he will not return to Sumuli Island to participate in any damn war!

He complained about many things until he finished his meal.

“I'm sorry I spent the whole lunch complaining, but I really don't know who to talk to about these things.”

“You know, I can't talk to Paul, and I can't talk to that bastard outside. It just so happens that you're here.”

“Don't leave tonight, I'll take you to have some fun!”

Speaking of this, he winked. The entertainment options in Starlight District are top-notch throughout Goldenport City.

How to describe this difference?

It's like fast food and a full meal. The port side is all roadside stalls, all fast food. Although you spend less money, you don't get any good enjoyment or experience.

After all, roadside stalls need to control costs. They can't let you spend two dollars to eat something worth tens of dollars.

But in Starlight District, where starlight gathers, everything is a full meal, with more enjoyment, making many wealthy people linger here.

Every night, Starlight District and the port area are the most lively.

“Thanks, but I'm not interested in that,” Lance refused.

He knew what Alberto meant. If he agreed, he would definitely have a full meal tonight.

But… not only have you eaten those full meals, but others have also eaten them, and you never know how others have eaten them!

This can't be considered cleanliness; it's just a kind of unsuitability!

Alberto laughed heartily, but also looked slightly regretful, “When there's a good opportunity in the future, I'll take you to see it.”

When Lance left, Fordis happened to be returning from outside. After a brief conversation, he watched Lance leave and went to Alberto's office.

As soon as the door closed, Alberto's expression became fierce, “Check those recently recruited people.”

“Find out who among them has been to bars, check their relationships on the island. I want to find out all their information!”

Fordis immediately realized what Alberto meant, “Are you saying someone betrayed us?”

Alberto nodded, “It's very possible. Lance just came to tell me that the people from the Dangerous Goods Administration have already planted a few spies on his side and are also passing information out, but he discovered it.”

“Perhaps someone has betrayed the glory of Sumuli. Fordis, find him and let him know the consequences of doing so!”

“Also, I remember… the young one from the family is with Luigi over there?”

“Yes, we've met.”

“Contact him and tell him that his dear brother has a new job for him!”

“Golden Star Glass” is a glass-making factory in Goldenport City, but business is not particularly good.

In fact, many people have a misunderstanding: they mistakenly believe that finding small factories to produce goods will result in lower costs, but this is wrong.

In reality, finding large factories is more conducive to controlling production costs.

Small factories' cost control is slightly chaotic for various reasons. Only those orders that large factories don't want, such as those that are too small in quantity, will be left for small factories to compete for.

Golden Star Glass has also had more than ten years of history in Goldenport City, and they once had glorious moments.

The manager at the time did not seize the opportunity to develop and expand the company but chose to maintain its scale and wait and see the industry's development.

The development of an enterprise is like a race. As long as it is not improving, it must be regressing, even if it stays in place.

Soon, some glass processing factories rose rapidly, leaving Golden Star Glass behind. Even if they wanted to start moving again, it was already too late.

At this time, Golden Star Glass was already on the verge of a difficult decision, not too far from closing down.

Watching a few workers sitting on stools chatting idly, the manager looked at the phone that he hadn't thought about for a long time and sighed heavily.

If there were no more orders, the factory would really not be able to operate.

Just when he thought today would be another fruitless day, someone suddenly ran upstairs, “Manager, someone's here!”

“Great!” The manager stood up at once. He quickly tidied himself up, then hurriedly pushed the door open, ran downstairs, and saw Lance, who was looking around.

“Sir, is there anything I can do for you?” The manager nodded and bowed, looking like a jester playing the villain in an opera.

He wanted to walk over, but Ethan stopped him and could only stand at a distance from Lance.

If he wasn't too embarrassed, he would want to kneel down and polish Lance's leather shoes. As long as he could get orders, he didn't feel any pressure to do so.

A dozen or so workers in the factory also stood up and looked over.

They also knew that the factory was about to go bankrupt, but if they had a choice, they would prefer the factory to continue to operate.

Finding a job is not an easy thing. The manager here is very easy to get along with, and they don't want to change places.

It can be said that this is a kind of selfishness, because other factories are very competitive, but it is also an instinct. Everyone wants to live a more comfortable life.

Lance looked at the piles of broken glass in the corner of the factory, as well as some broken glass products. Finally, his eyes fell on the manager's face.

“Are you the operator here?” he asked.

The middle-aged man nodded repeatedly, “Yes, I am the operator. What's your name?”

“White, call me Mr. White.” Lance only gave his nominal surname in the Federal archives. He didn't intend to let these people know who he was yet.

“Mr. White, don't look at our place… not very good, but in fact, we have been in Goldenport City for more than ten years.”

“If our craftsmanship was not good, we would have been eliminated by the market long ago, and I would not have the honor of meeting you here today…”

Lance looked at the manager again and said with a smile, “You are very good at talking.”

“Can you have your workers make a sample for me to see?”

The manager was overjoyed, his hands trembling slightly, “Of course, it is our honor. What would you like us to make?”

“Do you have design drawings or molds?”

Lance casually pointed to the half-empty wine bottle in the corner of the yard and said, “Make a wine bottle and let me see, using the best materials.”

The manager vaguely realized something. He became a little nervous, but thinking about the current situation of the factory, he returned to the workshop, briefly explained it, and the workers immediately started working.

The chimney puffed out a puff of smoke, and you could feel that the temperature in the workshop had obviously increased. The workers cooperated to fill the materials into the furnace, waiting for the materials to soften and melt.

They have special molds. The worker who makes the glass connects a blob of glass to the blow rod, then puts it in the mold, clamps it, blows air into it, and a wine bottle is made.

When the mold is opened, the wine bottle still has a faint red light and high temperature, but it quickly cools down completely.

In fact, there is not much core technology in making glass. From the production process, there are only a few kinds.

The difference between small workshops and large factories is that large factories have already begun to use mechanized production.

Three to five workers can operate a machine, producing these small-mouthed bottles faster.

But Golden Star Glass is still using relatively traditional hand-made methods.

If Lance needed better, more uniform glass bottles, then without a doubt, a large factory would be his choice, but what he needed now were wine bottles that could be easily burned, then the inferior wine bottles in small workshops were the best choice.

Before long, a glass bottle appeared in Lance's hand. The manager was a little embarrassed because the glass bottle had some rough edges.

"The mold is a bit old. If you choose our factory, we will remake the mold and make subsequent corrections to ensure there isn't much difference compared to those big factories."

Lance handed the glass bottle back to the manager. "Let's talk in your office."

The manager's face immediately lit up with a surprised smile. He looked at the worker beside him, took out five dollars from his pocket, and stuffed it into the worker's hand. "Go get two cups of coffee!"

After speaking, he bent over and ran in front of Lance, leading him upstairs.

As soon as they sat down, Lance said, "What's the cost of this kind of bottle?"

The manager said cautiously, "About three and a half to five cents, depending on the materials and quantity you need."

Lance thought for a moment. "Five thousand, ordinary materials will do."

The manager was a little disappointed when he heard this number, but he didn't dare lose this order. He hesitated for a moment and quoted a price of eight cents per bottle.

This price could only be considered the market price, neither high nor low.

Five thousand bottles would only bring in a revenue of four hundred dollars. After deducting the cost of raw materials and workers' wages, he wouldn't actually earn much money.

He still wanted to work harder. "Mr. White, if you can order ten thousand, I can lower the price to seven cents."

"If you want twenty thousand, I think six and a half cents is a reasonable price. For thirty thousand, six cents is very suitable."

"If you can order more than fifty thousand, including fifty thousand, I can lower the price to six cents."

He looked at Lance with some anticipation, but Lance gave him another option. "If I want to acquire your glass factory, how much money would it take?"

The manager didn't quite react. He couldn't quite keep up with Lance's rhythm. "You said... acquire our factory?"

His expression was strange, with joy, acceptance, and loss.

The best part of his life had been spent in this factory, but in the end, he was facing the problems that many startup entrepreneurs face.

When their business philosophy couldn't keep up with the pace of social development and they had to face bankruptcy, the gap and spiritual void would make them feel uncomfortable, even painful!

Lance nodded. "I will continue to have a demand for making bottles, but I'm not comfortable with this link being in the hands of outsiders."

"So I'm acquiring your factory and your employees. You continue to work here. The only change is that you are no longer the boss."

The manager's expression was complicated, as if he had a lot to say. Just then, the worker knocked on the door and walked in with two cups of coffee.

He thought one of the cups was for the manager, but the manager told him to give that cup to Ethan.

Seeing that the manager was having difficulty making a decision, Lance didn't urge him. "You can consider it. The production plan for these five thousand bottles won't change. How much deposit do I need to pay?"

The manager quickly focused his attention. "What specifications do you want? Is there a design for the shape..."

After confirming that Mr. White only wanted to produce five thousand... trash, the manager was also a little confused, but he also knew that the customer is God!

After Lance paid one hundred and fifty dollars, the workers all smiled. This meant they could continue to hold on for another month!

Compared to the excited workers, the manager was caught in a struggle.

Lance didn't care whether the manager sold or not. If he didn't sell, someone who couldn't keep going would sell.

People are like this. Someone always has to bow their head to reality. If you don't bow your head, someone else will.

The wine produced by Nick's side was temporarily packaged in wooden barrels, but as smuggled wine couldn't come in, Lance had to consider the issue of "shipping."

At that time, he could not only sell wine in his own bar, but also sell these wines to other places.

Fidess's Gallio's idea of buying a batch of wine made him realize that there was actually a faster and more reasonable way to make money.

Harvesting leeks is good, but you still have to bend down, but if you go to harvest those who harvest leeks, you don't have to bend down!

Five thousand bottles wouldn't take a few days. In the past few days, all kinds of rumors have been circulating in Jincheng City's underworld, such as Alberto executing two traitors.

For example, several bars were discovered by the Hazardous Materials Administration and investigated.

Reporters have obtained fresh news materials, and those who support the alcohol ban clearly feel that they are one step closer to successfully banning alcohol!

A few days later, after a large number of bottles were made and placed in the location specified by Lance, Ponda received a call he had been waiting for for a long time.

Lance hadn't had any news for the past few days, and he felt like there were several cats living in his heart, scratching him so that he couldn't concentrate on his work.

When Lance's call came to his desk, this time, he didn't have such a big reaction, and a smile appeared on his face.

"I'll give you an address, on the dock. I don't know who this batch of wine belongs to, but it's worth at least hundreds of thousands, at the current market price."

Ponda's palms were sweaty, and the hand holding the receiver was also trembling slightly. "I'm listening."

Lance quickly gave him the warehouse number and hung up the phone. Ponda stood up, supporting the table. His legs were also a little shaky now.

After taking several deep breaths, he came to the door of Director Dale's office and knocked on the door.

Director Dale's voice came from inside, "Come in."

He pushed the door open and walked in, standing by the door and closing it.

Director Dale glanced at him. "Ponda, what's the matter?"

This was a little transparent person who didn't have any particularly outstanding performance in the Hazardous Materials Administration, nor did he have any special resume or background, just a lucky guy.

No one thought that the Congress valued the Hazardous Materials Administration so much and would give them so many, so much privilege.

So at the beginning, when selecting candidates, they were all selected casually.

Ponda nodded. "Director Dale, just now one of my informants told me that he found wine worth hundreds of thousands..."

Director Dale stood up abruptly, his eyes glowing!

He strode around the desk and came to Ponda's side, grabbing his arm. "You said... how much is it worth?"

"Hundreds of thousands!" Ponda took a deep breath and confirmed the number again.

The expression on Director Dale's face suddenly became vivid. "Ha!"

"Haha, good, good, Ponda, I knew you would definitely give us all a surprise. The first time I saw you, I knew you were different from others!"

He walked back and forth a few steps. "How many people know about this?"

Ponda himself couldn't remember what the situation was when they first met, but he wouldn't refute Director Dale. Only a fool would do that.

"Only my informant, me, and you."

"Very good!" Director Dale reached out and patted him on the shoulder. "Where is this location?"

"The dock!"