The weather had cooled slightly, which meant winter was about to arrive.
Once October came, the temperature dropped rapidly. The global deep freeze had continued for several years, and there was still no sign of relief.
The experts on television sat on sofas, discussing the arrival of the Ice Age. They spoke about the future of humanity and other living creatures with worried faces and smiles.
The end of the world seemed to be right before their eyes, but people had long since become numb to these frightening concepts.
At first, people had still been very worried, and the number of churchgoers had multiplied several times over.
Now, people were numb. They no longer went to church for comfort, but instead worked hard so they could use more heating when the weather turned cold.
It was the weekend, and another gathering was being held. The central figures were Lin Qi, the Speaker of the Federal Congress's Senate, and his confidants.
If wealth was water and people were channels, then politics was the controller connecting those channels and deciding who could pass through.
The transfer of benefits had never been simple. Behind the Speaker stood many other capitalists supporting him.
Through the Speaker's influence over Congress, they had obtained a great deal of help, most of which was more important than wealth! For example, last year Congress had passed an amendment to the pollution-level regulations, giving much clearer distinctions to the previously undefined assessment of "pollution levels."
On the surface, this seemed like a good thing. At the very least, trace, light, moderate, and severe pollution now had clear distinctions and corresponding measures.
In reality, however, major capital had pushed it from behind, and its purpose was not to create trouble for itself.
Instead, by dividing pollution according to emissions, factories