The Foreigner on the Periphery

The respected Founding Father in America, Benjamin Franklin, said: ‘Only two things are certain in life. Taxes and death.'  

As a nobleman who was born and died before Minjun came to Earth, he didn't have a chance to meet him, but he thought he wanted to applaud in front of that great man's grave. This was because it was a statement that he could empathize with so desperately.  

Considering the position, he had no choice but to do so. This was because he was a prisoner who had to pay taxes in return for living, and if he didn’t pay that tax, he would die. The committee only collected taxes in the form of talents, so Minjun, like all prisoners, was very sensitive to the matter.  

Such sensitivity was expressed through sharp eyes and tone of voice. "So, the bottom line is this, right? Do you want me to cut it off and postpone it?"  

Beyond the magic screen, the dragon had an unusually atrophied expression. It was a change that an ordinary human or elf would not have noticed, but Minjun was different.  

= Ah, that’s it. So…=

While he hesitated, Minjun found a blood stain on the dragon’s mouth that had not been completely erased. He didn’t want to change the subject, but he had no choice but to point it out.  

"What, you said you stopped eating meat?"  

=?! =  

The dragon, noticing what he was saying, immediately set off a spark and wiped the blood from his lips and chin. For hundreds of years away from protein, Jenkins didn’t become a vegan dragon, of course, and he followed his doctor’s recommendations to maintain a diet that was only available to significant, special races.  

For a long time, he absorbed the pure mana of the atmosphere and used it as an energy source. However, it was very shameful to say that.  

That was, even if the other person was an old friend.  

"Isn't it possible that you ate a subordinate?"  

= No way. =  

There was an elephant ranch jointly run by dragons on the African continent. Instead of confessing that the livestock was causing mass hysteria as he went there two or three times a day these days, Jenkinson quickly turned the horseback.  

=Anyway, I’m looking for a loan these days…=  

After resolving Princess Vermi’s case, Minjun sent Jenkinson a proof of the contents. The time had come to cash out the blank check that he had kept in his arms. The amount he offered was 300,000 talents.

The commission received 200,000 talents in exchange for the killing of the property vandal Theo Christiansen and preventing the terrorist attacks on strategic facilities, so it was calculated that Jenkinson could ask for more.  

As a result, Goryong’s loss of face was inevitable, but it was all thanks to Minjun that he managed to escape from an irreversible level forever. Without him, it would not have been possible to safely hand over Jang Tae-joon’s belongings to the committee.  

"Isn't there any money I got from handing over things to the committee?"  

= Even so, you can’t make 3 million talents. Don’t you know? =  

This time, the special gift tax is borne by the dragon, so one would have to deposit 3 million to put 300,000 talents in Minjun’s account. This tax, which the Commission imposed on prisoners, soon became nonsense as the amount increased. If one were to think about it, it was a system that was created to prevent people from doing that in the first place.  

These were threats not to provide any form of financial support to prisoners.  

=I’m talking with the bank, but I don’t think I can borrow 3 million talents even with my credit.=  

The bank the dragon was talking about was definitely not from Earth. A foreign bank ran directly by the committee. Minjun thought, ‘Well, I expected it.'  

The committee collected infrastructure usage fees, dividends, and various taxes only in talents.

A typical example was a terminal. Since the Korean terminal was owned by Jenkinson and the committee, both sides shared the talents collected in the name of usage fee. At first glance, this seemed to be a fair distribution of profits.  

However, behind the scenes, Jenkinson had to pay a huge amount of royalties to them because the committee owned the dimensional leap technology patent. There were countless types of contracts and transactions like this one. So, if the government or dragons needed huge talents, how would they procure them?  

There were ways to obtain it by trade with other dimensions, who were in a similar position, or to exchange money legally at the committee affiliated bank, prepared for the rubbish exchange rate. However, the larger the amount, the less preferred.  

When they raised large sums of money, a phenomenon similar to the way central banks issue money occurred. It was to ‘debt’ to a foreign bank. In conclusion, the committee collected talents from the earth in the name of various royalties, while also lending the funds to pay the money, and receiving interest as well.  

They did not occupy another dimension with guns and swords. This was because there was no need for that.  

=So, I’ve been thinking a little.=  

The dragon then spoke as if persuading Minjun.  

= No matter how you think about it, paying a huge sum of 2.7 million talents to the committee is crazy! Aren’t you embarrassed? What did they do to me! That’s something I can’t do with my sane mind!=  

Minjun furrowed his eyebrows. ‘What did the committee do?  

It turned out that that was not who the dragon was talking about.

"Are you going to do tax evasion now? I can hear the special forces of the Tax Collection Command coming over there. I can hear the screams of dragon hair flying away."  

=Talserani!=  

The Red Dragon was terribly surprised.  

= In any case, let’s find a way to reduce taxes in a legal way!=  

Minjun then asked with a stern look, “how?”  

At this, the dragon spoke of his plan. In a broad sense, it was not different from Dell’s proposal.  

"After all, this is it. The only way to avoid the gift tax is to get compensation directly from the committee, so you’re not going to help with that?”  

Talent was for dragons, and money was for criminals to eat. Since he had already gotten a similar offer from an opponent with a much better shot, Minjun had a sullen expression on his face.  

"Okay, give me the money."  

= Minjun! Between us….=

Their quarrel continued for a long time after that.  

***  

After talking with the dragon, Minjun fell into thoughts for a moment. His prisoner’s account balance was unprecedentedly plentiful, he had money coming in, and there were people willing to help him create more beautiful numbers.  

If one were to go at this pace, it wouldn't be impossible to get your freedom before you get an order to move. Nevertheless, Minjun couldn’t just be happy, even though he was looking into his growing balance.  

That was because that number includes Bradley’s fit.  

Beep! Minjun turned on the old computer. As he fiddled with the monitor and keyboard integrated with the main body, white letters were lined up on the black screen. He connected the communication network through the spirit world and checked the message sent to him.  

The day Bradley died, he informed the inmates he had worked within the previous dimension. This was because he knew well that the committee wouldn't cover up the news, but it wouldn't make it public.  

In this case, the prisoner who was the first to know about it took on the role of messenger. It was impossible with the speed and form of thought, such as when reporting a summary report to the immediate prison official.  

He sent them a message that could be called a note or a letter, and then a few replies came in.  

– From: Asif-26,188,280  

– Message: Thank you for your contact. How are you? Frankly, I was surprised. and I’m sorry I’ve been out of work all day today. As I was distracted, I even broke the head of a wanted criminal who was supposed to be captured. You lost 300 talents.  · · · · · · · · · · · · ·Oh, I think I may be temporarily dispatched or transferred to that dimension. Someone’s going to have to fill Bradley’s place. Whatever the outcome, we can neither welcome nor cry, people like us. It’s sad.  

Surprisingly, the calm reply came from a colleague who had not yet worn out his mind.  

‘It looks like he's still alive.' He had no doubt that he would be able to achieve freedom if he worked hard, and he hadn't even given up yet.  

Minjun then read the following message.  

– From: Asif-5,523,694  

– Message: You are alive. I was surprised when I checked the sender. Because he’s a person who doesn’t communicate well. But I never dreamed that this would be news. I’m not blaming you. It’s just that my heart hurts so much. I cried all day today. I couldn’t do anything but think of that poor man. If I keep doing this, I don’t think I’ll be able to meet the deadline for paying the living tax… What horrendous sin have we committed to get us into this condition? Perhaps you too… (Laughs)  

After that, 125,000 letters, which were equivalent to a book rather than a note or letter, continued, but Minjun gave up reading them all.  

‘This gentleman has already begun to lose his mind little by little.'

Sadly, there was no way he could help. something one would have to overcome by himself. It was noticeably shorter than the previous message.  

– From: Asif-100,970  

– Message: What, were you alive? That’s weird. I’ve definitely heard that Dell has been discharged.  

This one line was the end. ‘Is this bastard?'  

He didn't express any sadness over the death of his colleague. He only wondered why Minjun was alive, and he spits it out without hiding anything. Contrary to expectations (?), he did not want to reply by explaining that Dell had given up on the murder plan.  

While erasing the message, Minjun thought about his ex for a moment. He said he was busy and had to return quickly.  

Dell eventually stayed on Earth for one more day and then returned. It was because she learned of Bradley’s death belatedly through the commission. Although Minjun deliberately avoided comment on the spot, Endelion was able to receive news that was not delivered to the prisoners.  

A few hours after breaking up on the spot, she came back to Minjun with her messed up face and wept so much that she couldn’t contain her body. In addition to this, she returned the next day, with a certain determination written on her face.  

Before opening the contents of ‘Um, is there anything else?', he checked the sender first.

‘What’s wrong with this gentleman?’  

-   From: Asif-1,892  

He was hardly anyone. That world had far more habitable planets than Earth, and the number of prisoners dispatched was enormous, so it was possible.  

Still, he seemed to know Bradley, so he sent him a message, but he didn’t expect a reply. Minjun confirmed the contents. only one line. – Message: Be careful.  

‘What?'  

This network was, of course, being monitored by the committee. Taken lightly, that phrase could mean to always be careful not to end up like Bradley.  

However, in the current situation, somehow… After hesitating for a moment to send a reply,  

‘I think there is something.' He noticed that another message had been received.  

‘Committee?!’

Since the sender was a committee account, he stopped what he was trying to do and checked the message first. In addition to this, the moment when the full name of the sender and the content of the message was captured at the same time.  

"!"  

Minjun’s pupils suddenly contracted.  

Juruk! A chill then ran down his back and a drop of sweat began to run down his back.  

‘Why, at this point in time?'

He read the message quickly, reminding himself that he had done something. However, no matter how he thought about it, it never happened. Not yet.  

‘What are you aiming for?’  

The contents were as follows:

– Message: Advance notice of irregular tax audit.  

1. Before conducting a tax audit on you (ASIF-666), we would like to inform you as follows.  

1. Items subject to investigation: All items that are obligated to report and pay in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations related to prisoners.  

2. Tax period subject to investigation: No limit.

3. Investigation period: From X/X/20XX, the time of dispatch to the end date deemed appropriate by the commander of the unit.  

4. Please note that the postponement of the tax audit cannot be accepted for any reason, and if the convict’s faithful cooperation is not followed, it may be immediately disposed of. Ngoi Senheli, head of offshore tax evasion tracking at the Tax Collection Command. Omission of customs.