Chapter 601

“Damn it!”

At a little after nine in the morning, Director Dale, sitting behind his desk, couldn’t help but curse as he picked up the newspaper.

The headline of today’s Golden Port Today was “The Grand Construction of the Naval Base,” accompanied by a photo that was likely taken from a slightly higher place with a bird’s-eye view.

The entire wilderness was densely packed with people, as numerous as an overturned anthill. Everywhere, you could see those refugees clearing away everything above ground.

Including the roots of those trees, they would also be dug out and then thrown away.

They would dig up everything they could see, and then throw it far away, to ensure that there wouldn’t be too much debris, wood, or rocks.

After the leveling was over, they would start to compact the ground. After compaction, the formal construction would begin.

If the newspaper had only reported on these things, then Director Dale wouldn’t have been so angry as to curse dirty words while reading the newspaper in his office.

What really made him feel angry was the picture on the second page. Lance, dressed in a decent suit, was being interviewed by a reporter under the sun.

He behaved like… an outstanding person, exuding a brilliance that could compete with the sun!

So dazzling, it made Director Dale feel a little resentful.

He had heard that Lance had also made some progress on the congressional side. He had even attended a senator’s small gathering!

Shit, Director Dale himself had only attended a few gatherings. On what basis could Lance attend so easily?

He couldn’t understand. Wasn’t this fucking just a gang leader?

In the report, Lance spoke eloquently. He talked about the reason for hiring so many refugee workers—

He actually said that he didn’t want anyone in Golden Port City to starve to death because they couldn’t afford to eat. Although he also knew that he couldn’t do this, he would always work hard in this direction.

So this time, almost all the workers came from the refugee community.

At least 20,000 families had been taken care of by him. At least 60,000 people would no longer be held hostage by hunger. He, the leader of such a gangster criminal organization, had actually become a “great philanthropist.” This was the funniest fucking joke Director Dale had heard all year.

But behind the absurdity, there was a kind of depression that he couldn’t put into words.

This was actually the “script” he had once imagined, his own “script.”

The current Lance was like sitting on a high-speed train, advancing rapidly along the upward channel, because he had gained the attention and importance of the higher-ups. He had gotten the opportunity.

Before Director Dale came to Golden Port City, he had also thought so.

He would, through his own efforts, gain the appreciation of the gentlemen, then be promoted to the State Prohibition Committee, and then, because of his outstanding performance, return to Golden State.

It was just that he had misjudged the problems of Golden Port City, and he also had to admit that he had overestimated his own ability, so much so that not only did he not get a chance to rise, but he was struggling on the line between life and death.

Compared to Lance, who had already established himself, he was more like a good-for-nothing.

Once he had established himself, it would be very difficult to make a move on Lance. And he now had some connection with the Department of Defense.

Of course, Director Dale knew that the construction of the naval base was a project of the Department of Defense. The fact that Lance was doing the preliminary work here meant that he must have a connection with the Department of Defense, and a direct one at that.

Otherwise, he would not have had the opportunity to do this work at all.

The leader of the largest local gang, with a network that had reached Congress and the Department of Defense, was also an ally of the mayor, and was also the fiancé of a local large landowner.

He had almost maxed out all the attributes he could, as an illegal immigrant.

So much so that now Director Dale didn’t even know if he could touch him!

What if something he did affected Lance’s work for the gentlemen, and the gentlemen became a little dissatisfied with him? That would be a catastrophe.

He had already experienced several catastrophes. The fact that he could withstand them was also a testament to his ability. But he couldn’t find a remedy every time. There would be one time when he couldn’t hold on, and then he might be crushed and become the nourishment for others to develop.

But the problem was, Lance had already become the largest smuggler of liquor in Golden Port City and the surrounding areas.

A large amount of liquor flowed into the market from his hands. If he just chased the ball, then he might not be able to truly catch up to the ball in his lifetime.

As long as the person kicking the ball was still there, the more he did, the more meaningless it would be.

If he had been enforcing Prohibition for ten years and could still frequently find smuggled liquor, this couldn’t be said to be that his work in the past ten years was outstanding and effective. It could only be said that he had not threatened these criminal organizations, so that they could still ship goods so rampantly.

Doing it was not right, and not doing it was also not right. This was the most difficult problem Director Dale had ever encountered in his life, and he was not doing a good job.

After cursing a few times, he did not cheer up because of it, but instead became even more listless.

He leaned back in his chair, his whole person looking a little dejected, with not a trace of energy in him.

He wasn’t really afraid of Lance. Before Lance had been able to get to this point, he had investigated everything he should have, and had also arrested many of those he should have. He hadn’t given Lance any face at all.

But now, he really couldn’t do it anymore.

He really wanted to ask God, what the hell should he do?

Just as he was feeling dejected, there was a knock on the office door. He immediately changed his sitting posture, tidied up his appearance, and then said in a deep voice, “Come in.”

At this moment, he sat up straight behind his desk. Ponda walked in with a file in his hand. Director Dale nodded slightly in acknowledgment, and had the other party sit opposite him. “What is it?”

Ponda sat down and handed over the file in his hand. “This is some news provided by an informant recently. He saw someone unloading goods in the Triangle District at night.”

“He went over to take a closer look and smelled a strong smell of liquor. That place might be a warehouse.”

Director Dale casually flipped through the report and found what Ponda had said. He quickly scanned it and then asked, “What do you plan to do?”

Ponda immediately became full of passion and courage. He said loudly, “We’re going to raid this warehouse. It should belong to the Lance Family. Only they have warehouses all over the city.”

Director Dale opened his mouth, really wanting to say, “Don’t fucking cause trouble for me,” but he couldn’t say this no matter what.

After a considerable period of hesitation, he finally asked, “How can you be sure it belongs to the Lance Family, and not some other small gang?”

Now there were still many bars opened by small gangs in the city. The forces at the level of the Five Families, except for the Pasoretto family, had all been finished.

But the mid- and low-level gangs below them had all survived.

It was just that they were constrained by the fierce aura of the Lance Family, and they didn’t dare to act recklessly and break the relationship. That group of Lance’s was not to be trifled with.

They didn’t dare to compete with the Lance Family for territory, but when it came to selling liquor, there were no taboos.

Lance hadn’t said that he forbade others from selling liquor in Golden Port City, so this was clearly not a violation of the rules.

Unknowingly, Lance’s words had also become the rules of Golden Port City. The people who abided by the rules strived for the upper reaches and finally became the rule-makers.

Director Dale didn’t know what to say to dispel this thought of Ponda’s. He was too hardworking.

In the past, or in the future, working hard would definitely not be a bad thing. But working hard now could only be said to be as bad as it could get.

If it were in the past, Director Dale would definitely have supported him unconditionally. But this time, he clearly felt Director Dale’s hesitation, indecision, and uncertainty.

This situation rarely occurred in the past.

Ponda did not disturb Director Dale, but just waited quietly, waiting for him to make a decision.

“This case… let’s put it aside for now,” he placed the file Ponda had handed him under the “to-do” file basket.

Not at the bottom of the file basket, but under the entire file basket. This was a file that would not be dealt with for the time being.

Ponda was a little surprised, but he still expressed his respect for Director Dale’s opinion. “I see.”

He paused for a moment. “Can I know why?”

Director Dale still trusted Ponda very much, because Ponda had always been playing the role of a Prohibition vanguard and had been at odds with Lance.

In the past, there had been some rumors that Ponda could always find Lance’s warehouses or bars. Was there some kind of deal between them?

After all, the value of those bars and warehouses was not particularly large, but not small either. It was quite strange.

However, these rumors did not last long, mainly because there was no market for them.

Director Dale didn’t believe this either. Compared to rumors, he trusted his capable general more.

So he was not willing to hide anything from Ponda. “Because Lance has gotten involved with the Department of Defense.”

As he spoke, he looked a little depressed. Whether it was a military port or a military base, it was all related to the subsequent national-level strategy of the federal government.

If he interfered randomly at this time, maybe Lance would take the opportunity to get rid of him. He could only put it aside for now.

Although he knew very well that this one “put aside” would be for many years.

In the end, the Bureau of Hazardous Materials was still serving the gentlemen of Congress, and Lance was also serving the gentlemen.

And Lance’s level was even higher than his. Besides being depressed, he had nothing else he could do.

Hearing Director Dale say so, Ponda’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe how Lance had gotten involved with the Department of Defense.

But Director Dale did not intend to explain this matter. He directly gave the order to leave. “Anyway, that’s it.”

Ponda was unwilling, but he had to stand up. “Okay, I’ll come back if there are any new developments.”

Director Dale nodded, signaling that he could leave.

After returning to his own independent office, Ponda thought for a while, but still couldn’t help but make a call to Lance. He really wanted to chat with Lance about how he had gotten involved with the Department of Defense!

By the way, he also wanted to know if he had a chance to go one step further!

(End of a Chapter)