The social environment in the Federation is very interesting.
The upper-class people can be stupid—politicians can be unable to do two-digit multiplication, can be unable to do three-digit addition and subtraction, can have an IQ that is below the minimum standard of ordinary people, or even be intellectually disabled. But these will not make them lose their power.
They can be bad—they can go against their conscience to do some bad things, help the capitalists to plunder wealth more and faster, and can also promote some policies and regulations that make people’s lives difficult. This will also not make them lose their power.
They can be full of lies, can do many things that are very excessive in people’s eyes, but none of these will make them lose their power.
There is only one exception: scandal.
From a municipal councilman to the federal president, senators, a single scandal can make them put down their power without dignity and then get out of politics.
This is very incredible.
Because the seriousness of a politician killing a person is not as high as that of a scandal. This is too wrong, but also too right.
The politics and politicians of the Federation seem to have shown people, through their own actions, what is meant by “power comes from the people.”
The people, through elections, turn an “ordinary person” into a politician. If he completely disappoints the voters, then he can only lose his power. It seems to be like this, and of course, it is.
Just because someone had a lipstick mark on their face that shouldn’t have been there, they lost their job. There was also someone who had to face the whole nation because their zipper was not done up properly.
No one is clear about how much damage a scandal can do, but the people who hold these scandals know.
Or rather, the people who really push them to lose their power know.
Just like Councilman Williams at this moment, he had never been so shocked and surprised.
He knew how perverted the rich people in the Bay Area were, because from the current situation, he could also be considered a member of the Bay Area.
So he knew even better how these scandals would be treated if they were exposed.
Those people, in an instant, would be ruined.
The power they used to control this city would become the tool for their successors to trample them into the mud, not giving them the slightest chance.
It’s not just politicians who are like this; capitalists are also like this.
They can also kill people, and then use money, social status, hire the best lawyers, bribe the jury members to get themselves acquitted.
They can even write an autobiography to tell people how they trampled on the justice of the law, and how they got away with it.
But they cannot encounter a scandal. A scandal will reduce their value to zero. The board of directors and the shareholders will immediately abandon them.
So in the Federation, you can do many things, ugly, stupid, bad, but you must never let these things become a scandal.
Councilman Williams’s agape mouth gradually closed with his gradually calming heartbeat. He held his forehead with one hand. “I thought there was only one copy.”
He was talking about the copy that Councilman Wade had taken and destroyed in public.
Everyone was very curious about what was recorded inside, but no one dared to open it, including Councilman Wade.
He had destroyed it directly after getting it in public. In the end, even the ashes were flushed down the sewer.
No one had ever thought that the Red High Heels would actually have another copy.
Councilman Williams’s expression was a little strange. He patted his forehead. “I have to think if I have done anything similar. This is terrible.”
But he quickly said with a smile, “It seems not.”
Lance nodded and said, “I also believe this.”
Councilman Williams didn’t need to find Red High Heels or other call services, because his current wife was much younger than him. She had been with Councilman Williams since she was sixteen. He had put all his energy into this “girl.”
For him, she was indeed a girl.
He might have some occasions where he had to put on a show. When they were socializing together, they had called some topless hostesses, but to specifically find a call girl to solve his physical and psychological needs, he didn’t need to.
He had one at home, and it was very safe.
“How do you plan to use these things?” Councilman Williams asked, “Give them to the newspapers, or to their enemies?”
Lance said with a laugh, “This matter cannot erupt all at once. I will break it down, select some people from it, some who can be controlled by us, who will join us.”
“And those who cannot be controlled by us, and are unwilling to join us, then let them be exposed.”
“As for who will do this, is there a more suitable candidate than Mr. Mayor?”
After listening, Councilman Williams nodded in considerable agreement. The look in his eyes when he looked at Lance was also full of appreciation. “Although it seems that you did this very impulsively, your explanation now lets me know that you have a plan. This is not an impulse.”
“Then is there anything I need to cooperate with you on?”
Solving the forces of the Bay Area was actually also Council. Williams’s demand. If the Bay Area was not solved, his situation after taking office would actually be similar to the mayor’s now.
If he interfered too much, the Bay Area would deal with him.
And if he gave up these powers, then how could he make the Williams family greater?
Lance shook his head. “You just have to tell me who are ‘our people’.”
“As for Charlie, Hunter, and the Kodak family, I will solve them.”
Although Lance did not say it in detail, Councilman Williams had already guessed that Lance must be going to see the mayor.
The mayor had been directly knocked down by the Bay Area, including him, and his future was almost over.
The Social-Democratic Party’s internal circle had found him a job with no real power, but it didn’t seem so insignificant. If there were no accidents, he would soon retire.
As a loser in this battle, he would definitely be willing, in the last period of his political life, to take good revenge on this group that had directly cut off his future.
He would be like a man-eating crocodile, hiding under the water, and then give these people a fatal blow.
Councilman Williams, who already had a complete idea in his mind, couldn’t help but let out a laugh. “You are an interesting person, Lance. Do you want to invite your wife and her family to come over together?”
Lance considered for a moment, then called William. This “Councilman William” was only a few letters short of “Councilman Williams,” but in terms of power and status, there was a very big difference.
This was a signal of goodwill from Councilman Williams. William could, in this newly born interest group, get a stable, and not-so-low position.
William agreed to Lance’s invitation very quickly. Before dinner, he met William and Emily, and also Patricia.
The two families plus Lance, everyone was intentionally getting closer, so naturally, the entire dining process was exceptionally pleasant.
When Councilman Williams learned that Emily was pregnant, he even took the initiative to mention that he could be the child’s godfather. This was a great thing.
Even if Councilman Williams might not be able to last until this child grew up, James was still there, Arthur was still there. They, as “older brothers,” would also take care of him.
Everyone was happy.
On the way back at night, William’s expression became serious again.
“I hear you are going to war with the Bay Area?”
Patricia was driving the car. Emily was sitting in the passenger seat. William and Lance were sitting in the back.
Actually, there were still cars escorting them in front and behind, it was just that at a time like this, it was obviously not appropriate to find an outsider to be the driver.
Lance had drunk some wine. After drinking, he liked to smoke. The weather in Golden Port was no longer so cold. The wind that blew was not as bone-chilling as in winter.
Nature is magical.
In autumn, when the temperature was still in the teens, the wind that blew was like it was hiding tiny, dense needles, which could pierce through clothes, through skin, and into the bones.
At this time, although the temperature was only a few degrees, the wind that blew was also very cold, but it didn’t have that bone-chilling cold, because spring was coming.
William seemed a little worried. The two ladies in front also paid attention to the conversation between the two in the back.
“It’s not a war, just cleaning up a group of people before the troops arrive.”
Lance flicked the ash. Some of the ash fell on his sleeve. He blew it away casually. “Our time is tight now. The military might be coming to Golden Port in the second half of the year.”
“Originally, our plan was to wait until Councilman Williams took office, and then make a move to clear out these people who are not on our side.”
“It’s just that the plan has been moved up now.”
“You just do your own thing. You don’t have to worry too much about the rest.”
He turned his head to look at William. “Soon, everything will be calm again.”
Lance had a complete set of plans. William did not ask any more questions. Sometimes, the more you know, the not necessarily the better.
The group returned to William’s mansion, this high-end villa located in the Empire District.
After getting this house, William had not redecorated it, just renovated some parts.
Although Mr. Jobav had some problems sometimes, he was still very qualified in terms of aesthetics and decoration.
The whole house looked very grand, and the layout was also very comfortable.
After the two couples said goodbye in the living room, they each returned to their own rooms.
After taking a shower, Lance lay on the bed. Patricia, wearing a silk nightgown, straddled him.
Silk is a very magical fabric. Although there is a layer of silk, it gives people a feeling that there is nothing between them.
“Will it be very dangerous?” Patricia asked.
Lance shook his head. “I am the Boss. If I need to make a move personally, it will only be at the moment of my final victory that I will personally take action.”
“Other times, I just sit in my office, answer the phone, or go out to socialize.”
As he spoke, he put his arm around Patricia. “Don’t worry, everything is under control.”
A few days passed. Bandy finally made up his mind to solve the Lance Family for the peace-loving citizens of Golden Port.
Everyone could prove that they were absolutely not doing it for themselves, but for the peace and tranquility of this city.
Of course, the Bay Area also played a big role in pushing this. In these few days, Bandy had been in the Bay Area.
Many celebrities and political figures in the Bay Area had given him some guarantees, for example, that they would help him expand his political influence faster, and help Fleming run for municipal councilman, and even nominate Fleming as a mayoral candidate in the future.
Once Fleming could become a municipal councilman or a mayoral candidate, or even become mayor, then the little hardship now would be nothing.
At that time, they would directly cut off Fleming’s connection with the family, and he would be a clean Federation politician.
The Federation people really buy this set—the father is the father, the son is the son.
The father’s sin has nothing to do with the son. As for the father using criminal money to support his son and give his son a better environment and foundation, this has no direct connection.
You can’t think that a father doing what he should do is wrong, nor can you think that a son enjoying what he should enjoy is wrong. It’s as if in all the problems, the only ones who are wrong are the victims.
Doing this looks simple, but in fact, it requires a lot of effort.
But for the promises of these people, it was worth it.
While the two were discussing where to make a move, Fleming and Stone came in from outside.
“We got a piece of news from the Pasoretto family.”
Bandy and Gory stopped their conversation. They looked at the two children who had come in. Bandy was a little helpless. “You should be involved. Although no one saw, who knows, maybe in the future someone will use these things to attack you.”
“My idea is that you should go to Golden State now, whether it’s to study or to do something, stay away from the war here.”
Fleming shook his head. “I am a member of the family, a very important one. Anyone can leave, but I can’t.”
“You don’t have to worry so much. There won’t be any problems.”
He added with some emphasis, “If I have to watch you guys fight Lance and his crew here, while I have to hide in Golden State and drink and have fun all day, I can’t do it.”
Bandy sighed, but his eyes were filled with relief. This was his son. He had not shirked his responsibility, although he should not have to bear these things.
“Alright, tell us your news.”
Fleming said, “I know some people from the Pasoretto family. Before… you know, we used to hang out together often.”
“I heard that the trigger for Dover’s betrayal of the family was that his bar was taken by Lance.”
“I haven’t been to his bar, but I found someone who knows where it is.”
“Lance and his crew have invested a lot of money in this bar. If we need to let people know that ‘we’re here,’ then I think the best thing to do is to take out this bar first.”
“It can continuously bring Lance a lot of funds, and it also has a very important symbolic meaning. It’s the beginning of the Lance Family’s interference in the rich area.”
“We can not only restrict his funds, but also seriously damage their morale. I think this position is suitable for us to fire the first shot.”
Fleming slowly stated the reasons why he thought this was the most appropriate thing to do. Bandy listened very seriously, and Gory kept nodding.
“A good idea. And our strength in the Starlight District is very strong. It’s easy to deal with them.”
“If we leave this nail, it’s not a good thing for us either.”
“My suggestion is to pull it out.”
With Gory’s statement, the gazes of the others were all focused on Bandy. He picked up his cigar and took a puff. “Let’s do as you say.”
Stone let out a heavy sigh of relief. He was afraid that this uncle of his would give up this opportunity for the sake of his whitewashing ideas.
He immediately stood up. “I’ll go and arrange for the manpower.”
Gory nodded slightly. He was very confident with his son making the arrangements.
Bandy added, “Since the decision has been made, then execute it in these one or two days. The longer it drags on, the more likely there will be problems.”
The “action” that had been absent for many years made the blood in Gory’s bones, which had already cooled, boil again. He had already begun to recall those passionate years.
However, the only difference was that before, they would rush to the front, but now, they no longer had such an opportunity.
Time is really too fast. In the blink of an eye, their children are as big as they were then…
It was not like the small gangs for the Bandy family to prepare manpower, where they had to call around to transfer people, and might not even be able to gather enough.
They only needed one phone call, and they could quickly gather enough people, and also have the corresponding weapons, vehicles, and some people for the aftermath.
They had scheduled the attack plan for the next afternoon, before the bar started business.
The reason for not choosing to pull out this nail during the bar’s business hours was to avoid accidentally injuring ordinary people in the firefight.
The people who consumed in the bars in the Starlight District were at least middle class. If they were injured, it was very likely to cause the situation to develop in an uncontrollable direction—
Every middle-class family had a very broad network of connections. They could influence many people’s perception and opinion of a certain matter.
Everything was spent in quiet waiting.
Bandy didn’t do anything all night, just sat in his gym and cleared his mind.
Gory sat in his gun room, oiling the old but long-accompanying weapons.
Fleming, under the spotlight, laughed and talked with the young people of the Bay Area, vaguely chatting about the possible changes in Golden Port in the future.
Stone arranged the gunmen and formulated the action plan and route.
At a little after three, four in the afternoon the next day, four small cars and two panel vans drove out from a hidden stronghold of the Kodak family and headed for Lance’s only bar in the Starlight District.
The people in the car were both a little apprehensive and very excited.
They were apprehensive because they had heard that the Lance Family was the most powerful and resilient group in Golden Port in the last ten years.
And they were excited because this rapidly rising legend would be extinguished by the icy water of the Kodak family.
The six cars quickly arrived outside the bar. From the outside, the bar was just an ordinary two-story building.
But they knew that this was the bar.
The guy at the very front with a shotgun fired several shots at the area near the wooden door lock. The part of the wooden door with the lock was almost completely detached from the door panel.
He took a step forward, raised his foot, and kicked hard. The wooden door crashed inwards with a bang.
They had brought thirty people this time, just to completely destroy this bar.
The first few people rushed in with their guns raised, and the others followed closely behind.
What they didn’t notice was that when they entered the bar, a group of people suddenly rushed out from around the bar…
(End of chapter)
The novel has already been fully translated up to the last updated chapter. You can access it on my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/caleredhair