Era of Magic and Martial Arts

Chapter 404 - 388: Gray People

Gray People, they sound more advanced than Blank People, after all, they’ve got the upgrade of being eligible to purchase cemetery plots, haven’t they?

Being buried after death, now that’s a high-level privilege only animals evolving into humans can have.

Inside the conference room, there was a dead silence, under the halo of the crystal chandelier, the faces of the Members of Parliament were ashen, as if they had suddenly lost their parents.

"The Upper City Council is truly benevolent, registering all Blank People, this policy is really like ancestral graves belching smoke for countless Blank People in Lower City, a great merit indeed."

Zhang Deming gritted his teeth and praised, then suppressed his anger and asked the key question:

"Wouldn’t the Executive Government’s finances become even tighter then?"

The Chief Member’s face was unruffled, and he calmly said:

"That’s right, so the Zone 9 Executive Government also needs to streamline efficiency, cut redundant staffing, and eliminate some unimportant departments or project proposals."

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the conference room turned even more bleak, all Members of Parliament seemed to feel a sword hanging over their heads, ready to cut their flesh.

Cutting unimportant departments is just cutting them, after all, most departments are not their "territory".

But proposals, isn’t each one either introduced or pushed by the Members present, this cut would be even harder to accept than cutting their vital parts.

If vital parts were cut, at least they could be replaced with mechanical ones, maybe even more "advanced", but once proposals are cut, a Member’s political life could suffer a critical hit, even die a sudden death.

Zhang Deming’s face grew even darker, his fingers unconsciously tapped lightly on the table, making a low "thud thud" sound, like a silent protest, or like suppressing some emotion on the verge of explosion.

The air grew increasingly cold, as if even breathing could turn into frost.

In the silence, a Member eventually couldn’t help but clear his throat, trying to break this suffocating deadlock:

"Chief Member, the so-called ’unimportant’ project proposals...what exactly will be the criteria for elimination?"

The Chief Member still wore a composed demeanor, as if discussing what to eat for dinner rather than decisions affecting countless people’s destinies.

He gently rubbed the power ring on the pinky of his left hand, the ring inlaid with an Upper City exclusive black gemstone glimmering coldly in the light:

"Specific criteria are still under discussion, but it can be assured that all decisions will prioritize efficiency, with the interests of Zone 9 as the center."

The atmosphere grew even more deathly silent, no one cared anymore about the affairs of the Second Prison.

A mere prison, whoever wants it can take it, keeping it would only meaninglessly drain the Executive Government’s soon-to-be shrinking wallet.

The holographic projection clock on the wall silently ticked numbers, each second like a countdown to some people’s political lives.

At this moment, Wang Xinfa suddenly laughed and said:

"Let me explain Chief Member’s words to everyone again, simply put, a proposal that can bring in money is a good proposal, whereas those that continue to lose money naturally need to be eliminated."

He took a timely pause, looked at the Chief Member with a smile, his eyes flashing with a kind of dangerous signal:

"Chief Member, did I get it right?"

The Chief Member squinted slightly, gave Wang Xinfa a meaningful glance, then nodded slowly:

"More or less correct."

As he uttered this, Wang Xinfa’s smile deepened a few notches.

He reached into his document bag next to him and pulled out a document, slapped it on the table with a snap.

The Members craned their necks, their gazes uniformly falling on the center of the document.

At the top of the document, a handwritten title stood out on the page, the ink dark and deep, piercing through the paper and striking each person’s eyes — "Octagonal Cage Beast Fighting"!

Wang Xinfa added a note:

"Now everyone, take a look at this proposal, could it possibly help our Executive Government offset the shortfall caused by the Air Tax in the future?"

Zhang Deming frowned and said:

"We’re now discussing the Air Tax issue, what’s the point of bringing a new proposal, even if you want to jump the gun, this isn’t the right way to do it, is it?"

Though Zhang Deming’s words were unkind, his hands moved quickly, directly grabbing for the document on the table.

Some of the younger Members were a beat slower with their actions, by the time they reacted, the document had already landed in Zhang Deming’s hands.

Zhang Deming coldly flipped open the document, coldly flipped through the pages, coldly closed it again.

He was coldly smiling the whole time, as if disdainful of this proposal, yet after a long while, he didn’t toss the document back on the table, but grandly pressed it under his own elbow.

The assembly of Members glared at Zhang Deming with predatory eyes.

Zhang Deming seemed oblivious, only then coolly speaking:

"This proposal is utterly ridiculous, I’ve reviewed it for everyone, we won’t soil everyone’s eyes with it."

No sooner had he spoken, than Wang Xinfa pulled out another document from his bosom.

He casually tossed the document back on the table, this time nobody’s actions were slower than another, each grabbed a corner of the document, refusing to let go, yet also afraid of tearing the document to pieces.

The scene was like vultures fighting over carrion, or like stray dogs scuffling over food by a trash bin.

The Chief Member snorted coldly: "Is there any order here, what does this look like?"

The assembly of Members smiled sheepishly, a quarter-hour later, the document was finished being passed around, each face showed a thoughtful expression, silently looking at Wang Xinfa, their expressions varied.

Wang Xinfa didn’t care what they thought, or to what stage they had thought.

[Octagonal Cage Beast Fighting Plan], oh no, now it should be called [Octagonal Cage Beast Fighting Proposal], beyond money issues, it concerns the stability and prosperity of Zone 9 indeed.

He turned the topic back to the beginning as if talking to himself, darkly stated:

"I think the Second Prison needs to quickly give the public an answer, since the prison system has provided the truth, our Executive Government ought to respect the prison system’s investigation findings, what do you all think?"

Wang Xinfa had actually prepared two sets of rhetoric in his mind, one to respect the prison system, the other not to.

Unexpectedly, the prison system was quite sensible this time.

The conference room went silent for three seconds.

The assembly of Members exchanged glances, then one by one raised their right hands, all displaying the most agreeable and kind smile toward Wang Xinfa.

"Agreed!"

"Agreed!"

"Agreed!"

"...."

After unanimous consent, Zhang Deming slowly stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.

The glaring "sunlight" flooded into the conference room, illuminating the smoke particles floating in the room completely clearly.

The cries of the prison guards’ families across the street also entered the room, causing the assembly of Members to collectively furrow their brows.

Zhang Deming asked gravely, "I’m afraid this resolution might not be convincing to them, might it?"

Wang Xinfa remained expressionless, having already calculated in his heart, he said lightly:

"Compensate them more, add some Merit Points, finally send a few martyr medals as well, if they still make trouble, that would mean their family bonds are too deep, truly hard to sever, we as the Executive Government have a duty to help the martyr’s family reunite too."

.....