Empire of Shadows

Admiral Miles stood at the ship's railing, enjoying the breeze and looking at the bustling Goldport City, the liveliest port he had ever been stationed at since joining the navy.

The children must be very happy!

In the distance, lively music played from the loudspeakers on the pier, and someone was speaking.

He was a little far away, and the sea breeze scattered the voices, making it difficult to hear everything clearly, but it must all be good words.

The surging crowd also made him very happy; this would be a good start.

He was looking forward to the activities Lance had arranged for him.

Thinking of this, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, even though he was a general, an admiral.

He, too, had his own joys, sorrows, and passions.

Unlike those political families, the lives of military families were not so easy, sometimes even tight.

Many people believed this was an important opportunity, a chance for the military to rise; they could use this war to gain more power, higher status, and a better life in the future.

His liaison officer walked over from a distance, first saluted, and then spoke about the upcoming itinerary.

In fact, according to the Ministry of Defense, they would dock the warships at New Port Pier, and then the navy soldiers would go to the military camp, and that would be the end of it.

When the time came, Admiral Miles would find two officers to attend some public social activities to appease the emotions of the people and capitalists of Goldport City, and then they would be free to act.

But Lance had made a small suggestion; he proposed that he organize a welcoming ceremony.

The purpose of the welcoming ceremony was, on the one hand, to let the soldiers know that the people of Goldport City were full of affection for them and would not resent their arrival.

On the other hand, it was also for the people of Goldport City to see, to make them understand that the army was not as bad as some people imagined.

After thinking about this proposal, Admiral Miles agreed.

The other warships and soldiers would follow the previous plan, but the warship he was on would dock at Berth No. 1.

That place was closer to the shore, so even if some people could not appear on the pier, they could see what was happening from the periphery.

Listening to the liaison officer's arrangements, he nodded continuously, then stood up and straightened his attire.

It was almost time to dock.

When the huge warship docked, it was like a small mountain colliding.

Many of the invited guests from all walks of life felt a sense of oppression when facing the giant ship; they held their breath, watching the shadow gradually cover them, and dared not make a sound.

As the warship slowly came to a stop, people finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"I almost thought it would drive onto the pier!" someone exaggeratedly expressed their feelings just now.

Others echoed.

For people living in peacetime, who could see a warship so close?

Or such a big warship?

At this time, the host on the pier's loudspeaker began to introduce the warship, as well as the soldiers on it and the most important person, Admiral Miles.

The host seemed to know a lot about these things; his boasts made the soldiers on the deck blush a little, and they didn't know what to say, embarrassed and at a loss.

It was too outrageous, like saying "it can hit a target the size of a washbasin from twenty kilometers away"; the navy soldiers were curious about how this person had the nerve to say such a thing?

But undeniably, these boasts made them feel light and airy, as if they were stepping on clouds.

Moreover, the onlookers below really didn't understand anything; they kept exclaiming along with the exaggerated introductions in the loudspeaker, which also satisfied the vanity of many soldiers.

After all, they were all young people; who wouldn't have a little vanity?

When the introduction was almost over, the loudspeaker broadcast, "Let us welcome our warriors…", the officers told them to start moving towards the gangway.

As the gangway was lowered, some navy soldiers in neat uniforms came down from the ship; they didn't really know what was going to happen, they were just asked to come this way.

There were many reporters on the scene, as well as many people from all walks of life; when the first pair of soldiers set foot on the ground, the flashes went off instantly.

Accompanied by majestic and exciting music, this scene at this moment had important historical value.

At the same time, two young girls in long skirts, holding bouquets of flowers, each took the arm of the first two soldiers to come down, guiding them forward.

The soldiers' faces were full of surprise; being able to get so close to these girls who might not be very beautiful, but definitely smelled good, was definitely something they were ten thousand percent willing to do!

Then came the second team of soldiers and their girls; people voluntarily made way for an open space, and the soldiers, with smiles on their faces, stood with the girls beside them in the open space, lined up, waiting for the next step.

When the soldiers and officers had all come to the ground, Admiral Miles appeared on the gangway.

With Lance nodding slightly, the host began to boast about Admiral Miles' past achievements again, such as arduous struggles, determination to reform the navy, thwarting pirate conspiracies…

Even though Admiral Miles felt that his old face was thick enough, at this moment, it was still a little hot.

"That bastard!" he smiled and scolded, then raised his head and asked the liaison officer to straighten his collar.

When the loudspeaker broadcast, "Let us welcome our hero, Admiral Miles, with warm applause…", he walked from the deck to the ship's railing, stood there for a while, and walked down the gangway amidst the thunderous applause.

This was a clearly different arrangement, because those soldiers were just warriors, but he was a hero.

He liked this wording and had a reserved smile on his face; he was very satisfied with this arrangement.

The music, the broadcast, the surrounding crowd, the respectful gazes of the people, everything made him feel respected.

When he walked to the bottom of the gangway, already prepared for a girl to come over, suddenly a cute little girl, holding a beautiful garland, ran over from a distance.

"Grandpa Miles, Goldport welcomes you!"

The little girl held up the garland high, but could only touch his waist; with just that brief moment of surprise, Admiral Miles bent down, reached out and picked up the little girl, letting the little girl put the garland on him.

The little girl also kissed him on the face; he couldn't help but show a very obvious smile, and he originally intended to put the little girl down, but because of this kiss, he held her for a while longer.

This warm scene was faithfully recorded by many cameras and would appear on the front page of tomorrow's newspapers.

They would probably come up with a title like "Tenderhearted Iron Man" to make the arrival of the navy seem less scary.

It wasn't until a woman stood not far away that the little girl hugged Admiral Miles again, "Mommy is there…"

Admiral Miles immediately put the little girl down, and then the reporters surrounded him.

They did not offend Admiral Miles, did not ask some potentially embarrassing questions in a chaotic manner; everyone was very clear.

Once the war really broke out, it was hard to say who would have the final say in this city.

They didn't want to offend a possible future ruler just because they wanted to get some unique news material.

Those local celebrities who were invited to participate also gathered around.

Next was a "political show"; he stood in the crowd with a microphone, saying that he and the soldiers were willing to give everything to protect the federal homeland security, people's safety, and property security!

A grand, lively, and successful welcoming party!

It took less than twenty minutes to travel from New Port Pier to the naval base by car, all the way smoothly, and Mayor Williams had temporarily adjusted so that ordinary vehicles were not allowed to enter this road; it was specially prepared for the military.

Sitting in the car, Admiral Miles took off the garland, did not discard it casually, but handed it to his adjutant, indicating that the other party should keep it safe.

He planned to hang this garland in his office, and also asked Lance for a photo of the little girl presenting him with the garland.

"Your style of doing things is very special, but undeniably likable, Lance," Admiral Miles praised Lance sincerely; this was the most interesting welcome event he had ever seen.

But it must be said that he thought the effect was very good, especially when that pretty little girl presented him with the garland; he felt that he had been sublimated!

The soldiers were also very happy; although they stood in the open space for a while, the charming fragrance emanating from the girls beside them made them willing to stand a little longer.

The warship and the neat soldiers proclaimed the power of the navy, while his contact with the little girl told people that the navy's fists were only for outsiders.

This was not just a simple welcoming ceremony, but also a kind of propaganda.

Lance smiled and said modestly, "We hope Goldport City is good, we hope the Federation is good; this is our common wish and goal, so we can get along very well."

Miles affirmed his statement, "Yes, our ultimate goals are consistent."

Soon the military vehicle drove into the base, and the soldiers got a short opportunity for free movement; they were full of curiosity about this new base.

Before, they were stationed in a small port in the north, and the matching city was just that small; whether it was summer or winter, it was difficult for them to find fun in the city.

Some people say that being a soldier is like being in prison, not only losing freedom but also often participating in various military training.

Being able to come to Goldport City this time made every soldier seem very excited.

On the way, they had already witnessed the uniqueness of this big city, but the specifics of that uniqueness were something they needed to explore themselves.

In any case, they were very satisfied with the current changes, or at least, they didn't dislike them.

The welcoming ceremony was held in the late morning, close to noon, which was perfect for lunchtime. When General Miles arrived, lunch officially began.

The soldiers' food was very good, and the officers had their own separate dining area.

Of course, they could also eat in the soldiers' mess hall, and there was no difference.

General Miles ordered a regular soldier's lunch to try it out. The ingredients were very fresh, and they didn't use vegetables that couldn't be sold on the market just to leave enough room for profit.

Even the beef sausage was very delicious. Moreover, making it into sausage added a special flavor that wasn't unpleasant.

After he inspected the base, he returned to his headquarters office, and everything quieted down.

Neither of them spoke, both pondering the events of the morning and processing them internally.

After a while, Lance said, "We haven't known each other for very long, so you may not really understand me yet."

"I'm someone who likes to make friends and isn't that stingy. I believe you'll discover this as we spend more time together."

Lance took a check from his pocket, placed it on the table, and pushed it over. "As a new friend, I know you may have many expenses recently, so I'm settling your first month's fee."

He gestured for General Miles to take a look. The latter hesitated for a few seconds, then picked up the check.

His pupils dilated slightly, and then he nodded, his smile becoming natural and genuine. "I can see that!"

One million, a transfer check. He could directly exchange the check for a cashier's check at a designated bank and then cash it from a bank in another city, or of course, he could leave it in one of his accounts.

When an official or officer's rank reaches a certain level, whether or not that person has committed a crime, or how serious the crime is, doesn't depend on what they actually did.

What determines all of this is actually whether they won or lost in the internal struggle.

A defeated official might even lose their job for taking an expensive pair of scissors worth one dollar from the office, but a victorious official, even if their account is filled with a huge amount of cash of unknown origin, is still an excellent official with no problems!

So Lance gave General Miles this one million in the form of a transfer check so generously.

General Miles was also very satisfied with the amount. He was indeed in a time when he needed to spend money.

"I can already tell from these few things that you are reliable in your work."

"In the future, if you have any problems, you can directly contact my adjutant. If he can't solve it, then come to me."

"Similarly, if I have any needs, I will also look for you."

This was an affirmation of Lance. Lance nodded, raised the coffee cup in his hand, "To the everlasting friendship!"

This sentence was a little strange, but General Miles didn't do anything. He just smiled, raised his coffee cup, and clinked it with Lance's.

The following things were much simpler. The area around the naval base was cleared and designated as a military base. Further away, things began to liven up.

Many people were actually very clear that one hundred thousand high-income people couldn't possibly not spend money in such a decadent city, so some peddlers had already begun to hawk the goods they brought on the roadside.

Of course, there were also some girls dressed gaudily standing on the roadside waiting for customers.

The arrival of the navy was a big deal. The next day, the 'Golden Port Today' reported these news, and naturally, it also published a photo of General Miles holding a little girl and being kissed on the cheek by the little girl.

Perhaps it was because some publicity work was done very well, or perhaps it was people's unease and fear of war, the arrival of the army did not trigger some marches, demonstrations, and protests as some people imagined.

Everything transitioned very smoothly, whether it was the power in the city hall or the soldiers in the military base.

Seeing that Golden Port City was also starting to cool down, Lance and Patricia's wedding was put on the agenda, and at the same time, Saint Farm Festival was also approaching.

The Federation people still have a lot of feelings for the Saint Farm Festival. Although there are still a few days left, many celebration items with the theme of Saint Farm Festival have already appeared on the streets.

After the Saint Farm Festival, it will be Lance and Patricia's wedding. If the time is pushed back further, the weather will completely cool down, and getting married will not be so convenient.

So the third day after the Saint Farm Festival, which is December 28th, is the day of the two people's wedding.

They will first hold a wedding with their families at Lawrence Farm, and then hold a wedding in the city to which other people are invited.

One wedding is held twice.

On the one hand, the elders of the Lawrence family are already old, and long journeys are not easy for them.

On the other hand, if you count Patricia's relatives, there will be too many people, and some people may not be able to come to Golden Port City.

It's better to take advantage of their gathering during the Saint Farm Festival and get things done directly.

This is Lance's second time coming to Lawrence Farm, and the three old people also like him very much.

It's not because they think Lance is so handsome, or because of Patricia.

Although Patricia grew up on the farm, for this kind of landlord class, there are too many children, so many that they often move things that happen to other people to another person.

The reason they like Lance is that he made a lot of money for the farm.

Money is the most core reason why Lance is popular.

Of course, even if he didn't have money, he would be popular, but he certainly wouldn't be this popular.

"We have already greeted the surrounding farms, and they will transport those materials directly to us."

"Then we will turn it into liquid gold and transport it to you."

"Lance, your appearance has changed a lot!"

The three old people took him to visit the huge winery inside the farm, which was several huge factory buildings connected together.

It's not underground or in a valley, it's in the very center of the farm.

But it is very safe.

From the outside to here is at least ten kilometers away. Along this road, cowboys carrying shotguns can be seen everywhere. They are all members of the family or cowboys who live around and have worked for the Lawrence family for generations.

Whenever necessary, they can pull the trigger without hesitation.

Regardless of whether their guns are pointed at robbers or prohibition agents from the Dangerous Goods Administration.

This is also one of the reasons why the federal government has weak control over local forces. There are such huge family forces everywhere. The reason why they allow various states to be autonomous is not that the gentlemen of Congress are really so enlightened.

It's just because they really can't control the situation below!