Darkstone Code

Chapter 1331: Chapter 1330: The Opportunity Has Been Given to You

"We need more public opinion support!"

In the President’s Office, the President’s voice was slightly louder than usual as he repeatedly emphasized the need to strengthen the power of public opinion.

"I don’t want anyone throwing shit at my window anymore!"

There was a reason why the President got angry; he is a good-natured person, at least he appears to be.

He is smiling every day, even if you make him angry, he won’t say or do anything excessive, he would only regard your behavior as one of your immature displays.

But this time, he was really angry.

He has a habit.

Most people have some habits that they may not even be aware of themselves, like wanting to go to the bathroom after waking up, even if they don’t actually need to.

Or liking to drink a glass of cold or hot water after meals, no one knows what their reason is, but it’s just a habit.

The formation of a habit requires a very long process until you are so accustomed to it that you don’t feel like you’re doing anything, that’s a true habit.

The President also has his little habit; he likes to look at the scenery outside his window after waking up in the morning.

He grew up in a manor castle in the suburbs, living in a bedroom with the best view near Bupen.

Every morning, waking up from a muddled state, opening the window—

It’s hard to imagine such a comfort for ordinary people!

When the window is pushed open, the fresh air of nature mixed with some mist makes it feel like being in a secret realm.

Those moistures slowly linger on the face, it feels as though the whole person is sublimated at that moment!

This also developed his habit of opening the window first thing upon waking up, and he has consistently done so.

Until...

A couple of mornings ago, the President awoke from his dreams showing satisfaction from a high quality of sleep, dressed in pajamas, he walked to the window and customarily opened it.

The windows at the President’s Mansion are very imposing, after all, this is where the Federation’s President resides, not a clown.

The entire floor height is over three meters, the huge floor-to-ceiling glass windows are the same.

However, these glass windows use very advanced technology, and opening or closing them is not difficult.

The President opened the glass window, and then...

It was said that a dark mass fell onto the ground before him, a staff member who was fired yesterday privately claimed it fell on his face, but everyone knew that was nonsense.

It was a lump of feces, the perpetrator had been caught, he used a kind of small catapult-like contraption to fling a large lump of feces towards the President’s Mansion.

And this lump of feces happened to land on the window.

When he opened the window, the feces fell down.

Lately, as Peng Jieao began conscripting, the Federation also entered a state of war preparation.

Once preparations for war are required, society as a whole should fully concentrate on serving the war, such as adjusting tax ratios.

The Federation Government plans to lower the tax threshold to about sixty percent of the previous level, raising the tax rate to seventy-five percent of the previous one.

That means a worker living in Bupen who used to earn four hundred and twenty dollars a month, about one hundred and twenty to one hundred and seventy dollars of this salary was used to pay various taxes.

Now, they need to pay about two hundred and forty to three hundred dollars in taxes.

More than half of their salary has to be paid as tax, which for many is unbearable.

Life already isn’t satisfactory, now if the money is paid, life becomes difficult to sustain.

People naturally became furious, they went on strike, protested, demonstrated, even thrown feces at the President’s Mansion, but this did not change the President’s stance.

He knocked on the table forcefully, his gaze became stern, unlike the usual affable demeanor.

"We are facing a war that will change the world order, we must make our citizens realize that if we cannot unite on this issue, then once war breaks out, we will be destroyed."

"And we must let them know, Peng Jieao is already in a war state, all salaries beyond necessary living expenses are turned over to the national treasury!"

"And Gafura, their tax rate is higher than ours, yet their people haven’t complained, instead, they cooperated positively!"

"We need this money, the country needs this money, the cause of world peace needs this money too."

Someone also offered some other opinions, "President sir, if we levy excessively high taxes, what about the people’s livelihoods?"

"And what about their emotions?"

"After all, they have given us so much money, many people are... unable to accept this."

The speaker was a Cabinet member, the President has been in office for three and a half years, having passed the initially unfavored period, and having just suffered some blows, he was now full of rage.

"I let you sit in this position to tell me ’Everything is ready, Mr. President,’ and not for you to tell me ’I can’t do it, Mr. President.’"

"If you feel aggrieved or find it difficult, you can submit your resignation letter."

Quite unfriendly words, in fact, the President’s anger this time wasn’t entirely due to the feces that nearly fell on him.

But... over the years, whenever he wanted to do something he wanted, someone would jump out to make it difficult for him, to block him.

This irritated him greatly, he is not a heartless person, feeling deeply affronted when thwarted in the face of capital.

But he is the President, and the most important trait of a President is patience, some more patience... and everything will be fine!

This official represented certain capitalist interests, he said some stern words, and the anger in his heart dissipated quite a bit all of a sudden.

Now he understood why people want to be tyrants, dictators, because... that feeling is exhilarating.

He didn’t actually worry about this official submitting a resignation letter, because he is a spokesman for a certain Consortium, he isn’t representing himself here, he represents the Consortium.

If he dared to submit a resignation letter today, tomorrow he might end up having a nervous breakdown and being admitted to a mental institution and quietly disappearing.

Scolded by the President, the official flushed red, head bowed, very embarrassed, ultimately unable to do anything, he could only say "I understand, Mr. President."

The President tidied up his clothes, then looked towards the people from the Ministry of Finance and Financial Supervisory Commission, "I discussed with some people earlier, this time our strategy will change a bit."

He glanced at Mr. Truman, who immediately began speaking to take over the topic from the President.

"Simply raising the tax rate can indeed be a bit hard for people to accept, we’ve studied Gafura’s and Peng Jieao’s practices and now propose three options."

From one choice to three options, it is actually a kind of compromise, but at least not so ugly.

The people began to listen seriously, while Mr. Truman continued to speak.

"Firstly, the tax rate won’t change, this increase compared to other countries’ increases is already extremely low."

"Like Peng Jieao and his allies, during wartime they practically don’t give any salaries to the people."

"And we not only distribute salaries, they aren’t actually too little."

"Then the first option, subscription to war bonds, if an individual subscribes to war bonds over ten thousand at once, they will be taxed at a non-war time rate."

"Second option, sending at least two soldiers from the household to enlist for training, the tax rate can be reduced partially, leaving them about forty percent."

"Third option, joining wartime work squads."

"From now until after the war ends, we will arrange unified accommodation, unified work, unified meals, undergo militarized management, and engage in efficient production."

"After the war ends, all money will be returned to these people’s accounts, not a penny less..."

The three choices, the first is paying protection money, subscribing war bonds of ten thousand at once to be exempt from the temporarily increased tax.

Note, this is per individual, not representing the whole family.

However, for the current social system of the Federation, it roughly represents the whole family, since most families have only one working person.

Although buying bonds doesn’t mean making profits, at least it won’t result in much loss, but taking out ten thousand at once is too much, most families can’t bear it.

The second option... sending family members to join the army, fewer would choose this.

This isn’t joining the army in peacetime; it’s during wartime when war could break out unexpectedly!

Once war breaks out, all soldiers would be sent to the frontlines.

World War I seems just yesterday, and people can see in documentaries and war movies, that human life is worth very little in war!

Humans are insignificant, not heroes, unable to even save themselves!

Sending the men in the family to the battlefield is akin to sending them to their deaths, people wouldn’t choose this.

As for the third option, militarized management, it would drive freedom-loving individuals insane, they wouldn’t choose this either.

So it seems, leaving only the honest payment of taxes.

After Mr. Truman finished, all the gentlemen in the room understood that this was pushing people to pay taxes!

Look, you’re unwilling to pay taxes, fine, now we give you choices, and immediately three of them.

If you don’t choose any and won’t pay taxes, then it’s not the Federation Government’s problem.

Surely Mr. Truman added, "If anyone is still dissatisfied with these new terms, let the Tax Bureau go and talk to them..."

"I share the same stance as the President, all media, whether they belong to us, the Conservative Party, the Socialist Party, or some capitalists, must stand on our side, must align with our stance in times like this!"

"This is no joke!"