Bai Xiaodu silently made a mental note of the worker's face and his badge.
If he dared to curse the Lord today, he would dare to rebel and march on the Tiannan Star System tomorrow!
Overtime must be arranged for him!
As soon as he stepped through the main gates, a clamor of voices reached his ears.
Bai Xiaodu looked up and saw Xin Hai'an's assistant, Liya, holding a stack of bills and negotiating with a stern, old-fashioned, middle-aged female tax inspector.
The inspector's tone was hostile and aggressive.
Liya spoke earnestly, trying her best to compromise.
“Have you calculated the environmental equipment patent fees and environmental pollution fees I mentioned earlier? Why haven't you paid them yet?”
“Madam Inspector, before we purchased this equipment, we had never heard of having to pay such a tax.”
The inspector snorted coldly.
“Well, you have now!”
“If you don't want to pay, that's fine. Dismantle your factory's current environmental equipment and buy the ones produced in the Tiannan Star System. There are discounts, and they're tax-exempt.”
Liya fell silent for a moment, doing her best to suppress the flicker of anger on her face.
“But this new batch we bought was recommended by your own people.”
The inspector cut her off, snapping,
“Stop talking nonsense. Who recommended it? How come I didn't know about it?”
“I'm offering you a good channel and you're not even grateful, instead of wasting my time with these excuses.”
“Bring out your recent expenditures and transaction records for me to inspect. You outsiders are the shiftiest of all. Who knows if you've been keeping double books to deliberately evade taxes?”
“Furthermore, since your environmental equipment is non-compliant, there are probably major issues with your production line as well. Suspend operations for half a month for rectification!”
The economic cycle of the Tiannan Star System revolved around Secret Realms. Most people worked in industries related to these Secret Realms; for instance, most lizardmen worked as miners.
Liya had gone to immense trouble to recruit these workers, offering them excellent benefits and high wages.
But if the factory shut down, the workers wouldn't be able to work or get paid, and another batch of them would surely leave!
Liya's chest heaved with rage, leaving her speechless for a long moment.
These people came back time and time again, using all kinds of bizarre and endless excuses. There was simply no way to guard against them.
Paying them was like throwing meat buns at a dog—a complete waste!
She even started to question her own race.
Just who is the real vampire here?!
Liya thought resentfully, and the image of a smiling fox suddenly popped into her mind.
She couldn't help but miss him.
If only Bai Xiaodu were here!
Although that guy was incredibly treacherous and shameless, and his methods were underhanded to the extreme...
...if he was on your side, it was a completely different story!
When it came to dirty tricks, Liya believed no one could outplay him!
Liya couldn't help but rub her eyes.
Oh dear, I must be so angry that I'm hallucinating. Why does it look like Bai Xiaodu is jogging over from the front gates...
And indeed, Bai Xiaodu jogged all the way in under the astonished gazes of the onlookers.
The inspector was clearly taken aback. Quickly recovering her composure, her expression softened slightly as she stepped forward to greet him.
“Mr. Bai, what brings you here?”
“Are you here to inspect the place as well? Haha, then you're a bit late.”
Although the inspector did not report to him, Bai Xiaodu was still the nominal Lord, so she had to show him some basic courtesy.
Bai Xiaodu glanced at her.
“Do I look like someone who has a habit of arriving early?”
The inspector choked on her words, realizing he had not come with good intentions.
She quickly withdrew her polite facade, returning to her previous stern and cold demeanor, and spoke solemnly.
“Lord Bai, as an inspector, I am currently exercising the lawful authority of the Federal Bureau of Taxation. What is your purpose in coming here?”
Although she didn't know his intentions, she was clear about one thing.
At the end of the day, Bai Xiaodu was also subject to evaluation by the inspectors.
They respected each other on the surface, but if they truly fell out, she wasn't particularly afraid of him.
In fact, if Bai Xiaodu lost his temper and did something out of line, it would play right into her hands.
The Bureau of Taxation would surely fine him heavily.
Bai Xiaodu, however, wore an entirely indifferent expression.
“Naturally, I'm here to see if the factory under my jurisdiction is operating normally.”
“Whether it operates normally or not, taxes must be paid, Lord Bai. Please do not make things difficult for us.”
“Make things difficult for you? It seems to me you're making things difficult for me!”
The inspector frowned.
“Lord Bai, what is the meaning of this? Even if this factory belongs to you, we cannot bend the law for your sake.”
“Are you planning to oppose the Federal Bureau of Taxation?!”
They had done their research before coming here to extract benefits.
Not only was the factory owner an outsider, but the Lord was one as well.
Neither had any background, making them incredibly easy targets.
That was why they dared to come wave after wave to milk them dry, a tactic that had never failed.
Bai Xiaodu sneered.
Damn it, usually I'm the one framing others, and today someone actually dared to try it on me!
Instead of replying immediately, Bai Xiaodu slowly pulled a voice recorder from his waist and shook it.
The inspector's expression visibly changed, but she quickly regained her composure.
Having worked in this profession for so long, how could she lack basic vigilance?
Ever since she saw Bai Xiaodu arrive, she had only spoken strictly within the bounds of the law.
With this in mind, she said with a touch of sarcasm,
“Lord Bai, what is the meaning of this? Are you trying to threaten me?”
“Then I am terribly sorry, because what I am currently exercising is the lawful authority of the Federal Bureau of Taxation.”
“Whether it's the environmental equipment or auditing the books, you can find the exact clauses in the laws established by the Federation.”
“We might be a bit strict, but everything we do is for the rightful interest of the Federation. As inspectors, we will never bow to evil!”
Having delivered such a righteous speech, the inspector couldn't help but stand even straighter.
She looked at Bai Xiaodu with absolute confidence.
Dumbfounded, aren't you? At the end of the day, he's just a kid. How could he have ever dealt with something like this!
Yet, when Bai Xiaodu spoke, his voice was like a devil's whisper.
“Is that so? Did you know that the phrase ‘taking things out of context’ is often taken out of context itself?”
With that, he pressed play on the recorder.
“If you don't want to buy it, that's fine. Dismantle your factory's current environmental equipment. I'll give you a channel, and you can get a tax exemption.”
The inspector: “...”
She stared at Bai Xiaodu in utter shock and disbelief. Only after a long silence did she grit her teeth and hiss,
“Hmph, what a shameless scoundrel! But your edited audio is clearly synthesized. Even if you submit it, the Bureau of Taxation will never accept it!”
Bai Xiaodu shook his head.
“Madam Inspector, you misunderstand. I have no intention of reporting you to the Bureau of Taxation.”
“I'd have to be insane to fight you on your own home turf.”
The inspector snorted.
“Then why even bother with this stunt?”
Bai Xiaodu smiled.
“But what if I hand this recording over to my club and classmates? Who do you think they will believe is on the side of justice?”
The inspector's pupils shrank. She finally realized the danger.
Yes, the recording was fake, synthesized.
But humans were naturally inclined toward moral outrage and conspiracy theories.
As long as this audio was shared among Bai Xiaodu's circle of classmates, once it spread, the truth wouldn't matter at all.
No matter how she tried to explain, the narrative would inevitably become a corrupt inspector maliciously oppressing a civilian Lord!
Once public outrage was ignited, she would have mud on her face that she could never wash off, completely unable to clear her name!
Although many Lords obeyed the inspectors on the surface, many had long been deeply dissatisfied with this system in private.
If this group of transcendents used this opportunity to cause a scene, the consequences would be unimaginable!
At this thought, cold sweat drenched the inspector. She stared at Bai Xiaodu, who was still smiling gently in front of her.
This guy's scheme is absolutely venomous!
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