"Secretary-General Gu, you can't put it that way."
Jin Mian had anticipated an argument with Gu Weiyang and had prepared for it well in advance.
"This time, we're increasing stability maintenance spending across the board. Not only will the contributions apportioned to each state, city, and district rise slightly, but those apportioned to the territories under each faction will increase accordingly. You could say we're treating everyone equally..."
"Treating everyone equally?" Gu Weiyang laughed. "So you're finally admitting that you weren't treating everyone equally before, that you were picking on the easiest targets?"
Jin Mian had not expected Gu Weiyang to refuse to follow his line of argument and instead reject, at its very foundation, this proposal for fairness and impartiality that represented "some improvement."
Jin Mian's gaze darkened. "Don't nitpick my wording, Secretary-General Gu. That's not what I meant."
"Isn't that exactly what you meant? Every faction holds power, so you basically don't dare openly levy fees on them. Instead, you interfere in their everyday affairs to take a percentage of their earnings. Put simply, you force them to give you a cut."
"But you have no such reservations when it comes to the states, cities, and districts under the United Government. You overturn the order we agreed upon whenever you please. In the mere ten years since the apocalypse began, how many times has Zone 1 led the charge in raising these levies?! Now the regions beyond State No. 10 are almost drained dry, and huge numbers of people in State No. 14 are starving and freezing. Yet you still want to keep sucking their blood?!"
Jin Mian said, "Secretary-General Gu, I've told you, the situation demands it! The World-Destroying Church and the Reincarnation Church are growing stronger by the day. If Zone 1 wants to keep the