Chapter 11: Weakness and Poverty are Not Equivalent to Goodness

  Hua Erpul bought a newspaper from a newsboy, turned around and squatted on the side of the road to read it. Malong finally got some more extensive information from the news published in the newspaper.

  Let's not talk about the game between the three victorious countries of World War III for now, because Marlon can't control this kind of thing and it doesn't affect his personal interests for the time being.

  What caught Ma Long's attention was internal news from the Republic of Luo Ling —

  Originally Loring Republic, it wasn't really that no one could see the problem of millions of wounded soldiers and nearly a million veterans having no place to live after the end of World War.

  For example, the "National Minimum Living Guarantee Program" is clearly centered around military personnel and war widows in its formulation.

  Unfortunately, the finances of the Republic of Lohringen seem to be in a state of great crisis, so this "National Minimum Living Guarantee Scheme" has caused huge divisions among the members of the National Assembly and cannot be passed.

  The economic development faction, military hegemony faction, social stability faction... those congressional members were divided into various factions, each with their own thoughts.

  But no matter which faction wants to show off their skills, the primary basic requirement is to let national finance and decision-making tilt towards them.

  Unfortunately, the Loraine Republic is not the United States of Earth, it does not have the geographical conditions to watch the fire from across the shore. The "Axis of Evil" co-hegemon, the Helvian Empire, however, developed large-scale lethal weapons that can cover one-third of the territory of the Loraine Republic in the sixth year after the war began.

  So this world war has evolved into a super game where major powers compete to burn money, compete in the number of artillery shells, and compete in the speed of climbing the military technology tree.

  In the end, the Lorring Empire took the lead and was the first to climb the military technology tree to the height of the superweapon "Delayed Incantation Missile".

  Then, the economy of the Hallef Empire, which had been on the brink of collapse, was left with no choice but to surrender unconditionally.

  Although it was a victorious country, the world war that lasted for more than ten years still left the Republic of Loraine scarred by the flames of war. The national economic level after the war would not be much stronger than the already collapsed Empire of Helva.

  So, before the final division of the spoils of war with the other two great victorious powers is reached, the wrangling in the National Assembly of the Lorraine Republic over the main policies will not cease.

  After reading the commentary article on the newspaper, written by a commentator named "Aierfa-Suonadijia", which analyzed the root cause of why the National People's Congress failed to pass the "National Minimum Living Guarantee" in the context of international and domestic situations as well as the macroeconomic environment, Ma Long felt that he finally had a preliminary awakening to this world.

  "Wow, it's been over 20 days since we set out, and we've really had a rough time."

  Ma Long put down the newspaper and couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile on his face.

  But then he thought, if it weren't for the more than 20 days of intense writing in front of him, how would he have come up with the one thousand yuan "giant sum" that he had been carrying around.

  Rubbing his slightly sore neck, he slowly stood up.

  Ma Long saw the police officer, who was wearing a thick protective suit and had his head covered with a large metal helmet, and his body was equipped with various strange devices. He was holding a fist-sized, cone-shaped grenade launcher that did not emit a blood-red glow, and he had already walked far away in the direction of the ruins of the Soles Bank.

  That huge bucket-like metal helmet had been thrown somewhere, so Malong could see the two fiery red fluffy... fox ears with just one glance from behind.

  "Huh? It's actually that old fox spirit?"

  This familiar fox ear finally made Malong recognize the other's identity - Bernhard Yeberle.

  Strange, this fox spirit uncle, how did he suddenly transform into a demolition officer?

  Thinking again of the uniform of the 3rd Steam Armored Cavalry Brigade, Ma Long's curiosity about this fox spirit Uncle Bernard-Yeberle grew even more.

  Unfortunately, Barnard-Yeberle quickly jumped onto a police vehicle and Malone couldn't catch up.

  Moreover, the young Ox-Headed man, Ayster, was also loudly beckoning Marlon to hurry up and leave, finally able to safely drive away his steam-powered motorcycle after waiting anxiously for half a day.

  Forget it, even if this fox spirit uncle has a wide network of connections, that doesn't have much to do with me.

  With this in mind, Ma Long finally left this place of right and wrong under the escort of the young Ox-headed man Aisite.

  He had found a restaurant and spent four shillings and seven pence on a sumptuous meat meal, after which he thanked the young Ostler sincerely and finally returned to the slum.

  The man was still the same, and his clothes were still the same, but what was different was that there was almost a thousand lant in Marlon's pocket.

  No matter what social form, as long as material goods have not yet become abundant enough to make exchange unnecessary, money will always have great significance - whether it is used to satisfy one's own needs, or taken to do evil, or taken to do good.

  Malong already knew this point when he was studying politics in junior high school.

  But now, as he walked back to his attic through the dark and narrow streets, Malong saw again those crippled soldiers sitting blankly by the roadside, their eyes devoid of hope, and the war orphans rummaging through trash cans for edible plants in groups of three or five, but he didn't take out the money he had just received.

  Because this is a slum where crimes occur frequently, if Ma Long dares to take out that 1,000 Lant's "huge sum", unless he spends all the money, otherwise he will never see tomorrow's sun again.

  Weakness and poverty do not necessarily mean goodness...

  So, Ma Long still spent three pul in the bread store on the street corner as usual and bought a loaf of bread that was difficult to swallow because it contained bran but was enough for him to eat for a day at the cheapest price.

  However, when going upstairs, Ma Long was still blocked by a short and stout man with a rough appearance.

  "Ma Long, you scoundrel... Where did you run off to today?" The stout man blocking Ma Long's path was drunk and reeking of alcohol: "Money! Lend me some money! Quick!"

  This man is Marlon's uncle, named Lev Ivanovich, nicknamed Red-Nosed Ivan because of his large red nose.

  Well, more accurately speaking, he should be the uncle of Ma Long's body.

  "Where I go is none of your business."

  Frowning, Ma Long took a slight step back and responded in a tone that was clearly laced with disgust.

  As for this cheap uncle, Ma Long had no good feelings towards him - drunkard, wife-beater, bully of the weak and coward to the strong. If it weren't for his poverty, he would probably also be a frequenter of brothels and casinos.

  Ma Long, looking down on such a person from the bottom of his heart, how could he still have a good face?

  If it weren't for his aunt, Winnie Lister standing in the middle trying her best to maintain order, who knows what kind of conflict would have erupted between Marlon and Red Nose Ian.

  "I'm not qualified to interfere? Fine, very well! You ungrateful son of a dead father and mother, you've been looking down on me more and more these days! Today, I'll let you taste what it means to be powerful!"

  Drunk Ian Wan, showing his cowardly and bullying nature, staggered forward with a swinging fist, eager to grab the frail Marlon and give him a good thrashing: "Today! No one can protect you now, that stupid woman isn't here!"

  Then Ma Long, who had originally planned to let go, changed his next move without hesitation after hearing the last sentence of Red Nose Ian Wan.

  "Is aunt not at home? Good——"

  Taking a big step back, Marlon easily dodged Ian's pounce and, with a look of disgust on his face, seized the opportunity to kick out at Ian's... crotch.