Chapter 791
Chapter 791 - 777: Minor Obstacle
1,754 words
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9 min read
The return journey felt like life on a cruise ship - after the initial excitement, there was always something to do.
Lu Ping’an quickly realized that this homecoming was different from the last time in the Silent Mountain Range.
Last time, most of the teams were busy with their own affairs, and if they had any spare time, they would chat with their own people and only go out for trading.
But this time, there was less distance between teams and individuals, and the old stagers were much friendlier....
"Been through the artillery together, carried guns together...."
That’s the truth; after being in the same trench, a new recruit may have seen an old stager rolling around desperately trying to survive. There’s no need to put on airs.
They were all comrades, and when they were bored, it was natural to communicate and chat.
For the old stagers, it was a chance to share experiences, but for the new recruits and low-level professionals, it was a rare opportunity for exchange.
They had the opportunity to witness duels between powerful decree experts and analyze and review battles, gaining insights into the world and combat mindset of high-level professionals.
They could also glean a lot of professional experience and combat history from the old stagers’ interactions and conversations.
The battlefield was probably the best "bonding" place for warriors.
In some sense, the Four City Officials’ goal to "encourage cooperation and unity among the semi-official forces of each city" was achieved... even though the cost was clearly higher than expected.
Of course, it’s also because most of them have their own official background, making communication possible... at least they know their "close friends" won’t become enemies.
With old and new interacting, it’s the newcomers who stand to gain more, but the exchange between experienced members isn’t necessarily a loss either.
Most professionals are self-disciplined because the less disciplined ones have already been eliminated. Lu Ping’an’s team members naturally integrated into the group.
On the stress-free journey back, most of them had a calm attitude when engaging with others. Many people exchanged contact information and even became friends... but on the way there, even though everyone was equally idle, they were still trapped in their own familiar environment.
Almost everyone, at least the majority, felt they had gained something substantial.
However, even the longest journey eventually comes to an end, and when the familiar planet re-appears before them, humans finally remember their yearning...
"We’re home..."
"Tsk, we have to go through security checks and report taxes before going home. Is this some kind of hellish joke?"
It was still a familiar environment, with the silvery tower and the hall.
However, this time, it wasn’t at the State, but at their departure point, Xiao’an City.
It was evident that the tower was built to resemble the State, and it seemed to have been constructed recently.
"A warm welcome to the Four City exploration team, returning home full of treasures... What the hell is this?"
From the windows of the tower, they could see the welcoming banners and buses and large trucks.
Lu Ping’an saw a minibus with a special license plate, suggesting that many municipal government personnel and officials had come.
It made sense since it was the first major joint operation of the Four Cities, and they had returned at least half a month later than expected. It was natural for them to be welcomed.
However, judging from the frantic "staff" coming down from their side and the arguing below, the officials were also caught off guard by the sudden events.
"Just wait, there’s no hurry..."
Having had the experience of returning "in quarantine," the group wasn’t in a rush.
As for Lu Ping’an, who was now the de facto head of the special service team, he would rather avoid any more trouble and didn’t want to actively look for it.
Right now, the officials were probably scrambling to understand the situation. They were likely still waiting for the results of the "Divine Beast hunt."
"Pfft, look at that sign: ’Warmly celebrating the return of the Four City Hunters,’ ’Divine Beasts? Just bigger prey’...."
"They must not have expected it..."
Chaos naturally ensued, and the leaders who came to pick them up and give speeches were dumbfounded after learning about the "war."
Lu Ping’an wasn’t in a hurry, just doing what needed to be done; after all, he had already submitted his team’s tax reduction petition to Director Fang. It was now up to the officials to decide how to handle it.
He wanted to slouch off, but it was clear that as the "center of attention" in this event, he couldn’t avoid it.
Soon enough, he got caught up in it, along with Wang Xier and others, being questioned by several mayors and directors.
They were well-prepared, with video and audio materials ready. During the month-long journey, they could’ve even produced a documentary.
Through words and gestures, Director Fang demonstrated his ability and expressed the predicament at the time...
"In fact, we were already desperate back then, it was all..."
In short, he mainly showed the desperation of the scene at the time, the madness of the Aus people, and the struggle of our heroes.
This sudden development left those decision-makers stunned, as they probably never expected that a normal exploration could turn into a star-zone war.
Seeing that the overall situation was acceptable, and no fools jumped out to question, Lu Ping’an stood up.
He had no interest in wasting time at a meeting, but before leaving, he dropped a sentence.
"I’ve got something to attend with my team, so I’ll leave first... Oh, and remember the tax refund issue."
He deliberately amplified the last words, making them quite obvious.
That instantly caught Director Fang off-guard, who hadn’t mentioned it yet.
"Tax refund? What tax refund?"
"How can a tax be refunded? Who agreed to that?"
Amidst the confusion behind him, Lu Ping’an didn’t bother to deal with it... He knew that once he got caught up in the bureaucratic rhythm, he’d be stuck dealing with endless inquiries and suspicions for days. It’s better to step back and wait for the outcome.
After all, with his "ability" on display, he would have everything he was entitled to.
The development of the situation was exactly as Lu Ping’an anticipated and even more favorable than he had expected.
"Young man, it’s commendable to have ambition! I’ve heard that you’ve gained quite a lot this time. Spare some time to interact with the young people in our city, or perhaps work at our place for a while?"
High-ranking officials from other cities approached him directly and expressed their friendliness while trying to poach him.
"Well done, I’ll award you a medal." Even the director of Ancient City’s Bureau of Anomaly Management took the initiative to give Lu Ping’an a "verbal commendation."
Meanwhile, Wang Xier kept updating him on the situation during the "meeting" as well.
In fact, it was simple: all the higher-ups were frightened by the unexpected events this time. Under the restoration of data and information provided by Director Fang and others, the desperate scene was laid out before them.
"This time, it’s practically the entire fortune of the Four City. If we had failed in the Exotic Realm, we wouldn’t stand a chance of catching up with the State, let alone maintaining the average level of our territory. Everyone would just give up together after that..."
Fear, relief, and a sense of having escaped disaster filled their hearts, making them much more amicable.
As for the tax refund and exemption mentioned by Lu Ping’an? It was still under discussion, a matter that they couldn’t decide on their own and required specialized departments and procedures to negotiate and deal with (following the process).
"It should work..."
But from the signs revealed by Wang Xier, it seemed there wouldn’t be any major problems.
This, too, was within Lu Ping’an’s expectations.
After all, for bureaucrats, their main concern is their political achievements. The ability to secure the Green Planet would be a major political accomplishment shared by all participants.
However, if everyone had died on the Green Planet...they would all likely end up being blamed for the disaster and become negative examples of "recklessness" leading to enormous losses.
Now, they have not only averted the worst-case scenario but also carved out a future. For decision-makers, it’s a great fortune already.
As for the loss caused by tax exemption? In reality, it isn’t particularly important to local officials. Taxes are a long-term and systematic issue. A few missed revenues do not make an impact, as long as they comply with procedural requirements.
For local governments, as long as the fiscal situation doesn’t collapse, it doesn’t really matter... um, even a deficit is manageable, as long as they can borrow.
On the other hand, if they can’t produce outstanding achievements every year, that’s a significant issue affecting the future and (personal) development.
They can truly afford to squander money, but they can’t squander opportunities or time.
"Heh, it’s expected. There isn’t much financial gain, anyway. Better to make a favor by going with the flow and boost morale."
However, Lu Ping’an also estimated that, as the "proposer," he must have become a thorn in the side of many people...
"That shouldn’t be the case... Someone at the meeting said you are too young and inexperienced. They think that you must have been pushed forward to be a scapegoat. They can’t let the little hero who saved the day be disheartened..."
Uh, Lu Ping’an was momentarily taken aback, as this was truly beyond his expectations.
Of course, he doesn’t think those people are clueless about the situation, believing that someone is truly behind him and that he is just a naive young man who has been deceived... The spies from each city should have sent complete reports about him to their respective leaders, and his situation must have been completely exposed by now.
"Calling black white... Is this the price of being a fourth-tier professional under 20?"
Reality went beyond his expectations, making Lu Ping’an feel even more bizarre.
Was he being courted?
— End of Chapter 791 —