Chapter 37: The Mayor's Dilemma

  Under the personal supervision of Mayor Mr., the one-week-long security rectification campaign "Baisha Fury" finally achieved fruitful results.

  Captured over a dozen suspected Hellfire Club sleeper agents, captured over thirty devil worshipers, discovered the false god Barto worshipped by the Durell slaves, stirring up trouble on the night of the riot...

  Then came the comprehensive launch of the emergency "Rebuilding Baisha" project led by the Baisha Municipal Government, utilizing cheap surplus military materials.

  This was enough to gradually calm down the raging anger of the Baisha citizens.

  Now that people's anger has subsided, life will continue as usual. In fact, most ordinary citizens of Baisha City privately think that the Doreil slave uprising is a good thing, because after the Doreil slaves were swept away, a large number of vacant jobs appeared waiting for them!

  Ordinary citizens are not unpaid slaves of Durell, and when they get paid, they naturally consume.

  Having received their wages, the citizens will go to purchase various necessities and non-necessities of life, and thus the entire White Sand City's commerce naturally became prosperous — this principle is very simple.

  This surging demand for goods immediately made the eyes of those factory owners who suffered heavy losses in the riot red, they dared to squeeze the slaves of Durell to death for profit, and finally triggered the slave uprising!

  According to the temporary provisions issued by the Baisha City Government, before thoroughly investigating the entire situation of the big riot, no one in Baisha City is allowed to sell slaves from Duliel temporarily. As a result, these factory owners can only reluctantly release various recruitment advertisements, and the objects of recruitment are ordinary citizens of Baisha City.

  Thus a more prosperous business cycle was formed.

  This naturally led to a further increase in the employment rate of Baisha citizens, and then the capital and businessmen from outside discovered the great business opportunities hidden in Baisha City and were quickly attracted.

  Immediately afterwards, Baisha City suddenly introduced investment promotion terms, offering various preferential treatments and tax reductions to businessmen investing in the construction of factories, and as a result, investors came even more fiercely...

  In this way, only taking out surplus military supplies worth no more than 150,000 lanters for the reconstruction work of Baisha City Government, it was soon discovered that the post-disaster tax revenue had already exceeded that before the Durei slave uprising after various exemptions!

  "Ah——, our mayor is simply a genius!"

  Many people have already privately evaluated the originally destined-to-be-ousted Mayor of Khaki as such.

  No one knew that the genius mayor Katsuragi, who was called a prodigy by everyone, would say those words after receiving the financial report for the first month after the disaster.

  "Ah——, our little Ma Long is indeed a genius! Slavery systems are really the most detestable thing, they can severely hinder the prosperity of commerce!"

  Mr. Khaki, the mayor, was well aware that those so-called post-disaster reconstruction plans he personally formulated were actually more than half from the suggestions of the genius young writer Marlon Lister.

  He put down the financial report and picked up a copy of the Morning Chronicle, reading with interest the continuing story of "The Orphan of White Sands", what new misfortune would befall poor Oliver Twist today?

  Unfortunately, before he could finish reading the current installment of "The Orphan of Taeshin", a knock at the door interrupted him.

  "Come in."

  The mayor put down the newspaper.

  The door opened and Deputy Mayor Dekkar walked in, carrying a small wooden box wrapped in exquisite packaging paper: "Mr. Mayor, the Jade Pattern Chapter Publishing House just sent someone to deliver this."

  "What is this?"

  The mayor looked curious.

  "Today, it seems that the Jade Pattern Chapter Publishing House has officially released for sale the seven fairy tales and two diaries of the genius young author Ma Long-Li Si Te. This small wooden box contains what is said to be a specially crafted collector's edition of the complete works. Mayor, please take a look..." The mayor's assistant, Di Ka, replied clearly as he placed the exquisitely packaged small wooden box on the mayor's office desk and continued pointing to the seal next to the box's lid: "Look here, this is the number of the wooden box, it's... 010. That means, Mayor, that you should have the tenth set of specially crafted collector's edition complete works."

  "The tenth set?" The mayor frowned: "Why isn't it numbered 001?"

  At least at this time, Mr. Khaki, the mayor of the city, felt that there would still be bigger figures in this white sandy city than him.

  "Oh, that's it." The mayor's assistant officer lowered his voice and said: "I heard the old man who sent things say that nine sets were sent to Feniko, the capital, and Secretary of State Newten will receive one set."

  "Alright, after listening to the assistant's hushed words, Mayor Khaki remained silent for a while before speaking in a serious tone to his assistant: "Descartes, if anyone asks, just say I'm deeply honored to receive this gift filled with noble cultural spirit, got it?"

  "Yes." The mayor's assistant nodded without any hesitation: "I will also tell them that the Mayor likes all the stories in this collection very much."

  As a deputy mayor, Descartes would certainly know some things that others did not.

  "Alright!" The expression of the mayor of Khaki relaxed, his gaze swept back and forth on his desk before he unhesitatingly tossed a stack of files that had been placed in the most conspicuous position onto the chair beside him, and put the "Wooden Box Collection", with the main title "The Little Prince's Adult Fairy Tale" and subtitle "Malong - The Wanderer's Deluxe Special Edition Collection of Tales", numbered 010, there instead.

  The mayor thought for a moment, then decisively broke the seal on the wooden box and opened it to reveal an exquisitely crafted wooden case. From inside the case, he pulled out a book made with the finest printing paper.

  The mayor saw the title of "The Little Prince" and the little prince wearing a lovely prince costume, with a long flowing scarf around his neck, a cute red fox and a beautiful rose.

  Very beautiful.

  Although he had read a great many books, the Mayor could not help but admit that this edition of The Little Prince was indeed beautifully printed, with cover illustrations full of childlike wonder yet still retaining an air of elegance that people would love.

  The only problem is that the price printed on the wax seal is a bit expensive... 99 rand per set!

  "It's really beautiful."

  The deputy mayor, Dekal, was also staring intently at the cover of "The Little Prince".

  However, the mayor did not open "The Little Prince", but only stroked the exquisite cover with his hand and put it in front of him.

  "Descartes, you just said that today Emerald Pattern Press officially released our genius young author Marlon Lister's seven fairy tales and two diaries?"

  "Yes, Mr. Mayor, the old man who came to deliver the book indeed said so."

  "So, our Little Dragon Horse, shouldn't it also be at that Emerald Pattern Publishing House now?"

  "Following publishing conventions, he should be there when the new book is first publicly sold; publishers usually arrange for authors to sign books at such events."

  "What's holding us back?! Let's go and join the book signing event too!"

  "But according to today's schedule, there will be a meeting about reconstruction work later."

  "Tell them the meeting is postponed! No, let the vice mayor preside over the meeting! Descartes, you still don't understand what can increase my influence faster..."