Chapter 264
Chapter 264
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 264
Chapter Title: 59. Diligent Taxpayer (1)
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National Tax Service.
The "national" here refers to the character for country (國).
In other words, it’s the organization that manages the country’s taxes.
So, if the person who came to Shandong Province really held the position of National Tax Service employee...
‘Does that mean there are nations even in space? Doesn’t that sound a bit off?’
Of course, there had to be some entity collecting taxes somewhere, with official documents in place, and a world where forging them could land you in prison. Nothing strange about that.
But this place—Earth—was a territory of some nation in space? That didn’t sit right.
As far as Yeongwoo knew, Earth had existed as a fully independent planet up until now.
‘Is it all messed up because of that damn reset? Why does stuff from out there keep coming in?’
To pinpoint the opponent’s location, Yeongwoo pulled out "Frightened Cat" and checked.
But the cat lay there peacefully with its eyes closed, not pointing anywhere.
Meaning no threatening presence nearby.
“Where are they? That National Tax Service guy.”
So Yeongwoo asked directly, and Jang Jaham took the lead, clearing the way.
“This way. We’ve got him waiting in the government office for now.”
“Let’s hurry. I need to sort this out quick and head back.”
Deep down, he wanted to ignore this cosmic bureaucrat or whatever and just go home to rest.
But this was taxes, of all things.
If you valued your life, paying taxes was the one thing in this universe you couldn’t put off.
‘These crazy bastards come all the way here while I’m swamped? Why not just send a bill?’
Grumbling inwardly, Yeongwoo followed Jang Jaham toward Yantai City Hall.
Along the way, he told Woo Cheongjin, who was trailing behind, to go fetch the money.
“Ten million karma.”
“...Pardon?”
“I got the money. We agreed on twenty million from Shandong, right? So I’ll return the remaining ten.”
“Pardon?”
Woo Cheongjin’s jaw dropped at Yeongwoo’s words.
Then.
Thud!
As always, he dropped to his knees on the ground and clasped his hands in respect.
“Great hero...!”
Yeongwoo quickly grabbed Jang Jaham, who was about to kneel too.
“We’re really short on time, so just show us the way.”
Then he had the golden goblin pull out the money bag with ten million karma.
“Take it to him. Make sure it’s exactly ten million.”
-Kikkit!
The golden goblin began opening its subspace pouch at Yeongwoo’s command.
Meanwhile, Yeongwoo headed with Jang Jaham to the front of the city hall building in downtown Yantai.
“In there?”
“Yes. There’s a private room prepared on the first floor of the government office. He should be waiting there.”
Even in this situation, Jang Jaham couldn’t gauge whether the National Tax Service employee or Jeong Yeongwoo held more authority, leaving him flustered.
Truth be told, Yeongwoo felt the same.
‘I haven’t dodged taxes or anything... What do I have to worry about?’
In this universe, the Dogo chairman who beat a high-ranking official to death could walk around freely.
So Yeongwoo figured there was no need to bow and scrape just because the guy was a civil servant.
A bit of courtesy, as long as it didn’t interfere with official duties, should suffice, right?
“Here it is.”
Soon, Jang Jaham stopped in front of a large door framed in gold.
“Alright. Let’s meet him.”
Yeongwoo checked that Ssaeng-a was properly sheathed at his waist, then forcefully pushed open the private room door.
Whoosh!
First to appear was the wall adorned with a red five-pointed star, and in front of it, three large leather sofas arranged in a U-shape around a massive desk.
And the National Tax Service employee in question...
-Hmm.
...sat on the sofa facing the door, examining a teacup.
Using somewhat eerily long fingers, that is.
‘...An alien.’
As expected, the self-proclaimed National Tax Service employee who came to meet Jeong Yeongwoo07 was not human.
His height was around two meters, similar to Yeongwoo’s, but each arm looked at least 1.5 meters long.
His arms were so long that, to pick up what was probably the teacup provided by Shandong locals, he had to bend his elbows excessively.
This made his already awkward posture even stranger, emphasizing his alien nature.
-You’ve arrived. I haven’t been waiting long.
The alien spoke quite human-like.
Not just the speech, but his face somewhat resembled a person’s too.
A long, pale face from top to bottom, with eyes, nose, and mouth in familiar positions.
Just that his nose was flat skin without bone, only two nostrils punched through, and his eyes lacked whites, filled entirely with pitch-black pupils.
His legs, wrapped in something like a black cloth, were so thin you wondered if they had any muscle, and his arms were the same—except for the torso, which was a thick inverted triangle.
Of course, that too was concealed by what resembled a black suit, so who knew what lay beneath.
He looked more like a grim reaper than a tax collector, but on second thought, in this universe, the difference wasn’t that great.
“I heard you were looking for me?”
Yeongwoo said this as he crossed the room’s threshold.
Swish.
Meanwhile, Jang Jaham couldn’t bring himself to step inside, lingering by the door.
Still, curious about the meeting between these two, he left the door open and just blinked.
And finally.
Thud.
Yeongwoo plopped down on the sofa.
At that, "Public Morality" draped over his shoulder let out a loud metallic clank, asserting its presence.
Clang!
「Public Morality」 - ◇ Dogo Phasing Entity
【20% increased damage to civil servants.】
【20% ability resistance】
【Dogo】
Public Morality.
One of the new products from the universe-spanning weapon brand Dogo, and itself a kind of status symbol phasing entity.
‘Oh, right. This is our new product.’
Yeongwoo belatedly realized Public Morality was slung over his shoulder.
Unintentional, but here he was, about to meet a National Tax Service employee equipped with gear specifically for assaulting officials.
‘...It’s straight-up advertising now.’
As Yeongwoo slyly glanced at the private room’s ceiling—beyond to the heavens—the civil servant timely set his teacup down on the table.
Clink.
Then he slipped two long fingers into his pocket and pulled out a black metal card the size of a business card.
“Let me say this upfront: I’m not here today for anything unpleasant.”
The alien bureaucrat laid down insurance first.
He seemed well aware of Public Morality’s notoriety.
After all, this cloak was a phasing entity in itself, deeply imprinted with the Dogo weapon company’s signature.
Anyone could tell the Earthling before him was Dogo-affiliated.
“Ah... So what brings you here? I pay my taxes on time.”
Just dozens of hours ago, he’d sweated bullets gathering acquisition tax for Ssaeng-a. He almost wanted to draw the sword right then.
Shouldn’t he feel the perks of paying that massive tax?
But...
-Uh, well...
Seeing the fearsome-looking official shrink before Public Morality melted Yeongwoo’s irritation away.
Field workers were usually innocent, after all.
Thud.
Soon, the official placed his black business card in front of Yeongwoo.
-I am Jiajol, an 86th-grade civil servant in charge of registration at the Provisional National Tax Service.
“...Pardon? What?”
Yeongwoo’s surprise wasn’t for other reasons—it was because this pitiful official was a whopping 86th grade.
What kind of bureaucratic system did the universe have to have an 86th grade?
-Details are on this.
Jiajol pointed to his business card with a finger, drawing Yeongwoo’s gaze there.
The card itself was blank, but upon seeing it, a series of meanings unfolded automatically in Yeongwoo’s mind.
Flash!
[Jiajol1182] - 86th Grade
|Provisional Territory 060II42
|National Tax Service Registration Officer
“Thank you for your valuable taxes. We are always grateful.”
*Verbal abuse or assault of civil servants will result in immediate filing. Please refrain as much as possible.
“...Uh, this.”
Yeongwoo realized at once from the card that the guy was a real official.
It contained transcendent text serving as public institution certification inside that black metal.
Moreover, the "national" in the National Tax Service Jiajol belonged to wasn’t the character for country (國), but for bureau (局).
Like "police bureau," the term used in large organizations for specific departments.
‘Taxes don’t go straight to the central government—there’s an intermediary agency?’
Up to now, the ones collecting Earth’s taxes weren’t the central government, but some subordinate agency.
‘My god.’
Yeongwoo couldn’t help but marvel at the unimaginable scale of this public institution.
And a question arose simultaneously.
According to Jiajol’s card, his National Tax Service belonged to Provisional Territory 060II42, a department temporarily managing provisional administrative zones.
In simple terms, Earth’s affiliation hadn’t been decided yet.
‘Then when does the affiliation get set? Can’t we decide where it belongs?’
The card offered no answer to this, so after scanning the meanings, Yeongwoo had to ask Jiajol.
“What’s all this? You’re collecting taxes from a planet without even an affiliation. What have you done for us?”
Jiajol’s already huge eyes widened further, and he spread his spider-leg-like long fingers in a calming gesture.
-V-Verbal abuse or assault of civil servants...!
“Fuck, I’m not hitting you!”
Perhaps because the Earthling wore Dogo’s latest phasing entity, Jiajol misunderstood.
“No! Reset alone is headache enough—why keep collecting taxes and shit! We’re still in civil war!”
Whoosh!
Yeongwoo unwittingly shot to his feet, barking at Jiajol.
Jang Jaham, peeking from the threshold, frantically waved his hands.
“Gr-Great hero! Please stay calm!”
He didn’t want Shandong to be the site of the first alien official murder.
And 86th-grade official Jiajol didn’t want to die in this backwater either, so he shouted with all his might.
-The reason I came here!
“...!”
It was nearly a scream, making even the momentarily riled Yeongwoo step back, while Jang Jaham’s heart pounded in anticipation of the alien official’s next line.
Then.
Smooth.
Jiajol straightened his attire and spoke in a suddenly solemn tone.
-On behalf of the head of the Provisional Territory 060II42 National Tax Service, I convey this.
-You, ‘49523’ Jeong Yeongwoo07, are as of now obligated to diligent tax payment.
“...What?”
Not just a diligent taxpayer, but obligated to diligent tax payment—what did that mean?
Fortunately, this question was answered immediately.
-This means you have become a primary audit target of the National Tax Service due to recent excessive income growth, and your cumulative paid tax ranking within your affiliated planet is exceptionally high.
‘Obviously, with the Ssaeng-a and codex acquisition taxes.’
As Yeongwoo nodded to himself, Jiajol glanced at him and continued.
-We conducted a focused audit of your recent income sources and detected numerous non-standard, non-universal income sources.
This likely referred to the tribute from China.
So that’s why Jiajol waited in Shandong instead of going to Seoul.
“...And?”
Yeongwoo began to catch on.
The National Tax Service head had sent Jiajol as a proxy to protect his own neck.
Verbal abuse or assault of officials led to immediate filing, but if you had the ability, it wasn’t impossible.
Just like the chairman before.
‘Cowardly bastard.’
While Yeongwoo cursed the unseen Tax Service head, pitiful Jiajol finished relaying the message.
-Accordingly, the head office will classify your non-standard income as business income and impose additional taxes per regulations.
In short, since you’re making a ton of money even on Earth, pay more taxes.
‘How high up is the Tax Service head? Probably not top-tier, just a frontier agency chief.’
Yeongwoo glared at the private room ceiling with a different intent now.
And in the meantime, Jiajol read the final notice.
-Your affiliated planet is currently unaffiliated and unclassified neutral status, and future planetary shares will be determined by cumulative paid taxes.
“What?”
It was the kind of thing that made eyes and ears perk up.
Even Jang Jaham outside the threshold jumped in shock, doubting his ears.
“J-Jeong, great hero? Did you hear that?”
“I did! Hold on. Mr. Jiajol, what exactly did you say? Planetary shares go to whoever pays the most taxes?”
When Yeongwoo asked for confirmation, Jiajol politely clasped his hands.
-Yes. However, there are internal criteria, so currently, diligent tax payment obligees are candidates for share rights holders.
“Aha.”
Yeongwoo’s mind raced.
That’s why the Tax Service head went so far as to send a proxy—to ensure proper tax payment.
To precisely identify who would become this planet’s future share rights holders, no evasion, full honest declaration and payment.
“Then how many diligent tax payment obligees are there now? Share rights candidates, I mean.”
When Yeongwoo asked, Jiajol gently closed his eyes.
-Per regulations, I cannot disclose.
Meaning, no way to know how many would end up sharing Earth’s rights.
So Yeongwoo tweaked the question.
“What if only one diligent tax payment obligee remains when shares are distributed? Does that person take all the shares?”
Jiajol, grasping the intent, gaped.
-Theoretically, yes.