Empire of Shadows

Chapter 21: Begin Your Performance

In the morning, Lance bought himself a new set of clothes for ten bucks.

Instead of having a tailor custom-make something for him, he picked up off-the-rack attire from a street vendor. It didn’t fit perfectly, but to him, it was already great.

He then headed to the Kodak Family's casino in the Bay Area of Jingang City to exchange some chips for cash.

Unlike those hidden, underground casinos tucked away from prying eyes, the Kodak Family’s Bay Area casino was the complete opposite.

Perched dramatically on the cliffs behind Golden Sand Beach stood a magnificent and dazzling building.

Every day, sunlight would hit its reflective walls, causing it to gleam blindingly. At any time the sun was out, the beachgoers below couldn’t help but notice the building’s mirror-like brilliance.

Countless complaints had been filed with the city hall about how the structure disturbed visitors on the beach. But for every fine the Kodak Family was supposed to pay, they handed over the exact amount—not a penny less.

However, as for demands to change the exterior, not even a little was ever altered.

Under Jingang City’s local laws, after paying the fine, they had up to 100 days to rectify the issue.

This essentially allowed them to maintain the status quo by simply paying three fines annually.

Over time, everyone grudgingly got used to it.

At night, the building transformed into a stunning spectacle, with its lights making it one of Golden Sand Beach’s must-see attractions. Many young people visiting the area made a point to stop by, take a photo, and prove they had been there.

Accessing the casino required taking a route from the other side. The entire cliffside area was the private property of the Kodak Family. Lance presented his chips and mentioned Fordis’ name. After a body search to ensure he wasn’t carrying weapons or cameras, he was granted entry.

Security in the casino was incredibly tight, with two to three armed guards patrolling every ten to twenty meters.

These weren’t static guards; they moved around, significantly enhancing the overall security.

When Lance reached the main building, he realized it was far larger and more dazzling up close than it appeared from below the cliffs—truly splendid.

As soon as he entered the hall, he was greeted by a long counter—the chip exchange desk.

Before he could take more than two steps, a bunny girl dressed rather provocatively ran up to him.

“Are you here alone, sir?” she asked.

The bunny girl couldn’t have been older than twenty, and her figure was stunning. As she jogged over, the bounce alone was enough to spark imagination.

Lance smiled and explained, “Sorry, I’m just here to cash in some chips.”

The bunny girl looked a little disappointed. As part of the casino’s entertainment staff, her earnings depended on players gambling.

All she had to do was accompany Lance to gamble, and no matter whether he won or lost, she’d earn a 1% commission from his settlement.

This was how all the casino entertainers made their money.

On good nights, they could rake in hundreds of bucks.

But on unlucky ones, they might only walk away with a few.

Despite her disappointment, the bunny girl politely led Lance to the counter and explained his purpose to the staff there.

The girl behind the counter placed a velvet-covered cushion on the desk. “Please place your chips here, sir.”

From top to bottom, everything in the casino gave Lance the impression of being incredibly legitimate. The decor, the service, the attitudes—it all screamed professionalism.

Although Lance hadn’t looked around the main hall yet, he could already imagine how grand and luxurious it must be.

“Altogether, it’s $150, sir. How would you like your cash denominations?”

The chips had their own anti-counterfeiting measures, and within Jingang City—and even the entire eastern region of the Federation—no one dared to openly forge them.

Producing a small number of fake chips wouldn’t cover the manufacturing costs, and producing them in bulk would inevitably leave traces behind.

While the Kodak Family seemed like just a legitimate business running casinos and paying taxes, they were also highly respected in the Federation’s underground circles.

This respect wasn’t simply due to their wealth.

“Do you have $5 bills?” Lance asked.

“Yes, sir. Please wait a moment.”

About two minutes later, the counter girl counted the $150 in $5 bills three times, placed them on the velvet cushion, and weighed them down with what appeared to be a gold token—though it was likely brass or an alloy. She then presented the tray to Lance with both hands.

“Here’s your money, sir. Please count it.”

Top-notch service always enhances customer satisfaction. Even though Lance hadn’t intended to gamble, he made a mental note to bring someone here someday to experience the “opulence” firsthand.

After leaving the casino, Lance drove to pick up Elvin, and the two headed straight for Mr. Anderson’s restaurant in the Bay Area.

It was lunchtime, and the restaurant was bustling. Seventeen or eighteen tables were fully occupied.

The manager guided Lance and Elvin to a small table, and soon a waiter arrived with the menu.

The moment Elvin opened the menu, he gasped.

He flipped through several pages, struggling to decide.

“It’s too expensive!” he finally exclaimed.

“A six-month-old Green Calf Rib costs $7.98. Add a dinner roll, and that’s another dollar. If we add anything else, this meal for the two of us could easily cost… thirty or forty bucks!”

“D*mn it! Thirty or forty bucks could buy me a feast at the Braised Beef Stall by the Port!”

A woman at the neighboring table couldn’t help but chuckle but quickly apologized with an embarrassed expression.

The Port was home to many manual laborers, and their demand for meat far exceeded that of the general population.

As a result, small stalls and restaurants catering to laborers sprang up around the Port, offering quick and affordable meals.

Calling them restaurants was a stretch—they were more like fast-food joints.

Their main offerings were braised beef stew and bone-stripped beef, all cut into small pieces.

This meat was cheap—one dollar could buy three pounds.

The vendors would cook it in large pots with plenty of soy sauce and a handful of spices, resulting in an aromatic, hearty stew.

No matter who walked in, they’d get a big bowl for 60 cents.

For 70 cents, they could have unlimited bread to go with it.

Of course, the bread wasn’t particularly good—just filling.

Most laborers treated themselves to a meal like this every two or three days, enjoying the satisfaction of eating their fill of meat.

Breaking the hard bread into small chunks, soaking it in the rich broth, and devouring it with the meat was an unforgettable pleasure for many.

These humble eateries did booming business, packed to the brim every lunchtime.

Low prices were their ultimate weapon.

Even Elvin had gone a few times and declared it the best food in the world—bar none!

Of course, the mention of those meals now was purely out of heartache for the money.

Lance ordered two servings of soup, salad, steak with grilled sausages, dinner rolls, and dessert.

He didn’t order alcohol since he would be driving later, and both of them were under twenty.

The total came to nearly $40, and Elvin’s expression twisted in anguish.

Lance, on the other hand, was unfazed. “Someone will cover this bill for us. Just eat.”

“If anyone’s going to worry about money, it won’t be you.”

Perhaps Lance’s reassurance helped, as Elvin seemed less distressed.

The restaurant was doing excellent business. By 12:30, all the tables were full, and some guests had to leave due to a lack of seating.

The entire place exuded vibrant energy.

As long as there was money to be made—even if it wasn’t going directly to the servers or chefs—it was still enough to boost morale.

Earning money for the bosses and feeling happy about it was a universal experience across all social classes and ideologies.

Not that such shared sentiment held any real meaning.

It had to be said that a steak worth nearly $10 was indeed leagues ahead of those braised beef scraps. The carefully crafted sauces elevated the steak into a truly delightful experience.

Even Elvin couldn’t bring himself to claim that the steak wasn’t better than the stew—it was just too delicious.

When they were almost done eating, Lance pulled a cockroach out of his pocket—a big one—and handed it to Elvin.

“Bite it in half,” he instructed.

Elvin stared at the thumb-sized cockroach in disbelief. “What did you just say?”

“I said, bite it in half.”

Elvin looked at the still-wriggling cockroach in his hand, and suddenly the steak didn’t taste so good anymore. “So, this is your plan?”

Lance nodded. “I need your genuine reaction. Don’t worry—I bought this from a pet store. It’s healthy, clean, and perfectly hygienic.”

After a long moment of mental preparation, Elvin cursed under his breath, “F,” then closed his eyes, stuffed half the cockroach into his mouth, and bit down hard.

The woman at the next table was utterly shocked!

Next, Lance instructed the gagging Elvin to place half of it in his soup spoon, letting it blend subtly into the thick broth, while the other half was spit onto the table.

He then turned to the pale-faced Elvin. “Feel like throwing up?”

Elvin was honest. “Yeah.”

“Then what are you waiting for?”

“Blegh…”

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