At that moment, another conversation was taking place in the director's office of the Sabine City Revenue Service.
On one side was the owner of the office, the local Revenue Service director. On the other was the highest-ranking official of the State Office.
The structure of the Bayer Federation Revenue Service was fairly simple. The highest authority was the Federal Taxation Bureau, headed by its Director. Below it, apart from the various offices of the central bureau, were the federal tax administration offices of the individual states.
These state-level administrative offices did not handle any services related to taxation. They were simply management agencies. Although, in some respects, their authority was not as great as that of the grassroots federal Revenue Services in each region, they controlled administrative matters such as evaluating local tax officials. Their invisible power was actually somewhat greater.
Only a day had passed since the incident, but that single day had already alarmed the Director of the Federal Taxation Bureau, who had ordered his subordinates to resolve the matter as quickly as possible and prevent a public outcry.
In another world, there was a saying: "The one who tied the bell must untie it." This world had a similar idea. Perhaps the language and expression were different, but human thoughts and ways of thinking were much the same.
"Michael's work can be put on hold. Have him disappear from the public eye for the time being. Also, I heard that he suspects there might be something wrong with this Lin Qi?"
There was a trace of coldness in the State Office commissioner's voice, making the director's heart pound with fear. He was already over fifty. Even if he was unwilling to give up his seat to someone else, he would not be able to stay in it for much longer.
Especially if his successor was promoted from below. At most, he could work here for another two or three years. After all, his successor would also need time to familiarize himself with the work before serving the Federal Government more effectively.
That left him with a small problem to solve. During the period before his retirement, should he enjoy the leisurely life of preparing for retirement, or struggle through exhausting, thankless work?
They were all "promotions." Some positions were very relaxed, such as the advisory group under the State Office. They did not even need to remain at their workplace; they only had to show up and say a few words when needed.
Such places were prepared for management-level officials who were nearing retirement. The work was easy, the salary was high, and the benefits were even better. After laboring for the Federation their entire lives, they could at least enjoy a comfortable old age.
But some positions were far less pleasant. For example, the state-level archives and evidence management office. All kinds of archives and evidence from across the state ultimately gathered there, and not a single mistake could be tolerated. Just thinking about it was frightening. It was truly a position that could work someone to death.
Where he would be promoted next, and where he would be transferred afterward, were all decided by the State Office. At that moment, he wiped the sweat from his face and nodded repeatedly. "Yes..."
"Investigate Lin Qi, then. Investigate him thoroughly and diligently. If you can prove that Lin Qi really is a criminal, perhaps it can cool down the public outcry."
"Also, your conduct in Sabine City has drawn some opinions from above. I know you'll be retiring soon, but that is no excuse for doing nothing. We're a Federal Government department, not some private company. If you really give people a suitable reason, it isn't impossible for them to remove you during this final stretch of your career."
The director's asshole clenched abruptly. The retirement age in the Bayer Federation was fifty-six for women and sixty for men. After retirement, pensions were paid according to the amount of Social Insurance contributed.
There were three main tiers, and each tier provided a different pension.
If the director could remain in the Revenue Service until he turned sixty, he would receive the Federation's highest pension after retirement—at least around 750 dollars a month.
That amount might not seem particularly impressive to people in many major cities, but in Sabine City, it was already a fortune for retirees. After all, workers currently earned an average of only around 200 dollars. His pension alone would equal the income of three workers.
But if he fell just short of completing thirty-five years of Social Insurance contributions, the Social Security Bureau would refund all the fees he had previously paid in a lump sum. There was currently no policy allowing him to make up the missing contributions.
Although the pension system was harsh, it had always been widely praised. Even more surprising was that the system had not been pushed through by the Federal Government, but by various rising and established capitalist conglomerates.
Some said it was a conspiracy, because the vast majority of people were unlikely to complete thirty-five years of insurance payments. Unexpected events were bound to occur in life, such as changing jobs or becoming unemployed.
As long as the interruption lasted slightly too long, their payments would immediately lapse, and they would never again enjoy those benefits. This allowed capitalists to exploit their employees without worrying about extreme reactions. If people wanted a less miserable old age, they had no choice but to obediently accept oppression.
Once a person lost the ability to work and their source of income, their value in society dropped to zero. A person without value could not survive in this society.
Not only would ordinary people grit their teeth and accept every unfair treatment, exploitation, and oppression for the sake of their pensions, but when questioned, they would even put on an expression that said, "What does sacrificing my personal interests for the company matter? I'm damn well willing to do it."
The director had the same anxiety, so he had to save his life after retirement.
The other end of the phone was silent for a moment before saying, "Make me—and the people above—see that you aren't doing nothing. Get moving. Understood?"
The director nodded vigorously. Whether for his own dignity or his future pension, he had to defend everything he had to the death. "Understood!"
Over the next few days, the news and public opinion continued to intensify. Some well-known upper-class figures also gradually began discussing their concerns about the unchecked law-enforcement powers of the many enforcement agencies. They felt that what had happened to Lin Qi or anyone else might just as easily happen to them.
These people's statements received approval from many of society's lower classes. What those people would never discover, however, was that the ones voicing these positions were all spokespersons for the Federal Dream who had risen rapidly over the past few years or decades. They were precisely the people who needed power—and feared it.
But all of this was still too far removed from Lin Qi. After resting in the hospital for three days, he returned to work. Richard and the others had accumulated quite a bit of money, exchanged it all at once, and then got busy again.
Vera also returned to the office. She and her husband were locked in a cold war and had been sleeping in separate rooms for several days.
The worse the situation became, the stronger the sense of crisis in her heart grew. If she could not achieve financial independence, then once something happened to her family, she would have nothing.
"Boss, here's five thousand dollars..." Richard once again proved his value with astonishing speed.
He had finally been able to hold his head high in front of his family. His daily income, ranging from a few dozen to one or two hundred dollars, had left his family so shocked that they could not speak. It had also allowed him to see a radiant future.
Lin Qi nodded. He had him pour the loose change into the small cart. After writing a check and having Vera give him a receipt, Lin Qi pushed the cart into the small room behind the warehouse.
The instant he switched on the ultraviolet lamp, the shimmering green light blazed with such dazzling intensity that it hurt the eyes!
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