In Cave No. 96, two hundred members of the enforcement team clad in exoskeleton armor and armed with firearms had already occupied the cave, sealing off all surrounding mine passages.
At the center of the cave, several City Tax Bureau employees holding terminals were conducting tax confirmations on everyone in the cave.
Account Balance: 369 credit points
After deducting the thirty years’ advance collection of the Spiritual Energy tax, you owe the City Tax Bureau 143,631 credit points. According to the law, you will be sent to work at the Heaven Computation Center for twenty years."
Account Balance: 1145 credit points
After deducting the thirty years’ advance collection of the Spiritual Energy tax..."
One by one, the tattered and numb cave residents were registered and then divided into two groups based on whether they had paid their taxes.
On the left were those who legally paid taxes according to the decree, remaining free citizens.
On the right were those who owed taxes and needed to be sent to the Heaven Computation Center to work off their debt.
However, from the start of registration till now, not a single one among over three thousand cave residents was able to pay the thirty years’ advance collection of the Spiritual Energy tax. The crowd on the right had already filled the registration site.
Some showed anger, others were unwilling, but more were dazed and numb.
Account Balance: 135,812,406 credit points"
After announcing this figure, even the City Tax Bureau staff doing the registration were stunned. Over a hundred million credit points was a huge sum anywhere, let alone in the impoverished Lower City District.
Instinctively, he looked up at the bald man in front of him, only to hear the other speak loudly:
"I’ll pay their Spiritual Energy tax!"
With these words, a glimmer of light appeared in the eyes of many numb cave residents.
However, the City Tax Bureau staff looked grim, stammering in response:
"This...this is not in accordance with the rules!"
"Whose rules?" Shaq questioned in a deep voice.
"The advance collection of the Spiritual Energy tax does not allow others to pay on behalf; this is a regulation just issued by the City Tax Bureau!"
As soon as the staff member finished speaking, Shaq smashed the desk in front of him with one slap.
"I see you just want to send us Cave People to the Heaven Computation Center, which is why you made up this advance tax collection.
You’re not in it for the money; you just want to kill us!"
The commotion immediately drew the attention of the enforcement team guards, and a series of Spiritual Firearms instantly aimed at Shaq.
"Destroying a taxation site must result in being sent to the Heaven Computation Center!"
One shout after another echoed, drawing everyone’s attention there.
Hearing this, Shaq erupted in anger, loudly shouting:
"Brothers, these guys from the Central City District and Upper City District weave so-called taxes, doing everything to take our souls, and they don’t let us resist. How is that different from demons?
We might as well take this opportunity and rebel against them!
Is corporate capital something inherent?"
Shaq’s exaggerated performance was a complete joke in the eyes of the enforcement team and City Tax Bureau.
They had long figured out the habits of the Cave People: no money, only the lowest Spiritual Tattoos on their bodies, not even strong enough to beat a kid from the Central City District; how could such trash rebel?
But the result completely defied their expectations, as a wave of agreement suddenly erupted from the crowd.
"Rebel against them!"
"These mainland lackeys all deserve to die!"
Shouts and curses rang out, and suddenly hundreds of figures emerged from the crowd, rushing at the enforcement team members.
Their speed was astonishing, and they could easily tear apart exoskeleton armor with bare hands. The armed enforcement team members were as fragile as children before them.
"It’s the Spiritual Ability Users!"
Immediately, an enforcement team member opened fire in response, causing chaos on the scene. Simultaneously, sounds of battle cries echoed in the already sealed cave passages.
A large number of Spiritual Ability Users rushed out from various corners, easily overwhelming the two hundred enforcement team members.
Most of the enforcement team members were killed in the first clash, while the survivors were stripped of their armor and weapons.
Then, the Spiritual Ability Users threw the naked enforcement team members and City Tax Bureau employees into the crowd of cave residents, swiftly leaving Cave No. 96.
The severely injured enforcement team and City Tax Bureau employees were initially terrified, but seeing only timid ordinary people around, their courage surged.
"Whoever sends us back to the surface, I can pay him 1000 credit points!"
Undoubtedly, most cave residents couldn’t earn 1000 credit points in a month; a few days ago, such an offer would have caused a stampede among them.
But now, all the cave residents were in massive debt due to the advance tax decree, so what good is getting 1000 credit points? They would still have to go to the Heaven Computation Center.
The numb expressions of the cave residents infuriated the members of the enforcement team and City Tax Bureau, as their wealth was only barely enough to pay the Spiritual Energy tax decree; offering 1000 points was already pushing the limit.
But the cave residents simply weren’t interested, prompting them to threaten:
"Send us back to the surface, and we can forgive you.
If you persist in ignorance, you are aiding the attacking rebels, and when the main enforcement unit arrives, you will be punished!"
Upon hearing the name of the enforcement team, the cave residents finally reacted, causing some commotion in the crowd.
The severely injured enforcement team members brightened at the sight, continuing to speak loudly:
"This is your last chance. Once the main enforcement unit arrives, they won’t be as forgiving as I am.
You might be directly executed, not even having the chance to go to the Heaven Computation Center!"
As the words fell, the crowd grew more restless, and suddenly a voice rang out:
"If we save them, we’ll be sent to the Heaven Computation Center; if we don’t save them, we’ll be executed by the enforcement team.
If death is inevitable, why help those who oppress us?"
With those words, a ragged cave resident picked up a large stone from the ground and hurled it at the severely injured enforcement team member.
The stone shattered the enforcement team member’s skull, and with blood flowing, the member roared in anger:
"You damned peasant, I’ll tear you to pieces!"
However, his threats had no effect. More cave residents began imitating, picking up stones from the ground and throwing them.
One, two, three... countless stones fell like rain, venting the cave people’s anger.
Half an hour later, the enforcement team members were buried under a pile of rubble, their faces full of blood retaining the terror before their death.
Using the enforcement team members as a precedent, the cave residents’ anger was finally ignited. They surrounded the City Tax Bureau members who hadn’t escaped, beating them to death with stones and sticks.
In the distant mine passage, Shaq nodded with satisfaction, then moved on to the next cave.
Similar events occurred in all caves where taxes were being collected, and on the very first day of the thirty-year Spiritual Energy tax collection, an unprecedented fierce rebellion erupted beneath the cave.