I have a city in another world

The business had barely opened when troubles began to follow.

Several people came into the shop, claiming to be from a mutual aid chamber of commerce, and said they could help merchants solve various problems and protect their vital interests.

They speak in a grand and righteous manner, always thinking of the needs of businesses, and claim to be an excellent public welfare organization.

However, these benefits are only verbal promises, and whether they can be fulfilled is another matter.

However, a fee must be paid beforehand.

It may not seem like much at first glance, but it increases month by month, and the longer you work there, the more you need to pay.

Of course, the other party also has its own sales pitch, saying that although the fees will increase, the benefits will also improve accordingly.

In short, joining the mutual aid chamber of commerce will definitely not be a loss.

When Tang Zhen said he didn't need it, the other person's smile remained unchanged, but his words carried a hint of threat.

They subtly told Tang Zhen that if he didn't join the mutual aid chamber of commerce, he would encounter a lot of trouble.

At that point, if no one helps or supports you, your situation will become very bad.

How could they not understand that this was clearly a disguised form of protection money collection, only made to appear respectable on the surface and sound better to outsiders?

In reality, it's just a different guise; the core principle remains the same: the strong bully the weak and extort money from ordinary people.

Similar acts of bullying are commonplace in all the worlds; their existence is not surprising, but their absence would be truly astonishing.

Tang Zhen originally thought that this mountain city was different from other places, but now it seems that it was too early to say so.

This isn't a big deal; it's just a little disappointing, but it won't have a significant impact on Tang Zhen.

Pay a fee, escort the other party to the door, and watch them leave with a smile.

Neighbors who witnessed the incident remained silent, clearly indicating that they too had suffered greatly.

Tang Zhen remained silent and returned to the shop, seemingly unaffected.

That evening, when the curfew was lifted.

On the city streets, cameras and various security devices were activated one after another, and occasionally drones flew overhead.

The weapons and equipment from the old era, collected and used by the survivors, are the most effective deterrent to the citizens.

In reality, these technological devices are far from being able to function at their full potential; many are merely for show.

The reason is very simple: the application of many technological devices requires a strong supporting infrastructure.

That disaster devastated the world, destroying the infrastructure that had been built and deployed over many years.

It is virtually impossible to build a new infrastructure from scratch.

If, someday in the future, the mountain city settlement develops to a certain extent, it might be worthwhile to try to do some things.

But what is needed now is stability and deterrence to ensure the normal operation of the mountain city settlement.

Therefore, some surveillance equipment is unable to capture certain figures in the night, or can only capture blurry images.

If you were to actually use it, it wouldn't be of much use at all.

At that moment, a figure arrived at the location of the Mutual Aid Chamber of Commerce and silently infiltrated it.

Not long afterward, the sounds of drinking and laughter inside abruptly ceased.

The neighbors living nearby are usually disturbed by the unusual noise from the members of the mutual aid chamber of commerce.

However, no one dared to offend them, because the other party had a powerful background. If they were to report them and it became known, they would definitely face all sorts of retaliation and harassment.

Tonight, however, it was unusually quiet, which felt very abnormal.

As dawn broke, a sudden cry of alarm rang out, followed by a chaotic commotion.

Not long after, police officers from the outer city cordoned off the compound.

Passersby gathered to watch as one corpse after another was carried out.

The nearby merchants, upon seeing that the dead were all members of the mutual aid chamber of commerce, immediately showed expressions of relief.

They suffered greatly, subjected to long-term extortion and blackmail, yet powerless to resist.

Seeing a group of villains wiped out so easily naturally brings me joy.

At the Mutual Aid Chamber of Commerce headquarters, the outer city police chief looked at the corpses scattered all over the ground, his face so gloomy it seemed to drip water.

"Whoever did this, if I find out, I'll make sure they die a horrible death!" the police chief roared inwardly. Destroying the mutual aid chamber was tantamount to cutting off one of his sources of income.

While we can continue to support it and allow other organizations to replace the mutual aid chamber of commerce, it will ultimately take some time to operate.

After venting his anger, he immediately summoned his men to secretly investigate the matter.

Once the culprit is found, revenge will follow, and the other party will definitely pay the price.

The killing of dozens of people was a major event that alarmed the entire outer city.

However, everyone applauded this, believing that the members of the Mutual Aid Chamber of Commerce deserved to die.

Meanwhile, another rumor circulated in secret: that a powerful figure was behind the Mutual Aid Chamber of Commerce and that a reward had been offered for information.

The bounty is extremely generous, making it incredibly tempting.

Many people want to make this money, but unfortunately they don't know any specific details, which means they are destined to miss out on this fortune.

In the marketplace, all sorts of rumors spread freely, each one seemingly detailed and convincing, making it impossible to distinguish truth from falsehood.

For ordinary people, this is just something to talk about over tea, and they'll forget about it after a few days.

A bunch of thugs and hooligans, acting recklessly because they have powerful backers. It would be better if all these bastards died.

Tang Zhen's neighbors also talked about this when they chatted, and said that Tang Zhen was lucky, as he only paid one month's membership fee.

Unlike those other companies, which paid for up to three years but didn't receive any benefits at all.

Of course, everyone knows that the benefits are just a lie, and if you really want them, you'll just be seen as a fool.

However, some people lamented that without the mutual aid chamber of commerce, other organizations would inevitably emerge.

The exploitation and extortion of merchants will absolutely not stop because of this; it's just that a pack of dogs has been replaced by a pack of wolves.

Perhaps the later players will be even more ruthless and greedy, thus charging even higher fees.

Don't even think about reporting it to the authorities; it's completely useless. They'll investigate and then nothing happens.

Before the next evening, the information will be leaked, and the whistleblower will face retaliatory attacks.

After suffering losses several times, the merchants realized that it was nothing more than a trick by officials and bandits colluding.

Those guys who take the money are nothing but lackeys of the officials.

Although I understand this, there's nothing I can do but take it one step at a time and hope things will get better.

Tang Zhen simply smiled and occasionally exchanged a few words with him, showing no unusual behavior.

After everyone dispersed, Tang Zhen returned to the room and gently tapped the counter with his fingers.

His gaze swept over the money box in the corner, where a stack of blood-stained banknotes lay, taken by members of the mutual aid chamber of commerce yesterday, and now returned in many times their original value.

The interest wasn't just that; there were also dozens of filthy souls involved.

I thought that once I got rid of the mutual aid chamber of commerce, no one would bother me anymore, but I didn't expect the powerful backer behind me to jump out so quickly.

Since that's the case, let's go through the trouble of seeing him off one last time.

After the curfew was lifted, flames suddenly rose from the home of the police chief in the outer city.

By the time the patrolling guards arrived, the director's courtyard was engulfed in flames, and the house collapsed shortly afterward.

When the fire was extinguished and the scene was examined, it was discovered that no one had survived.

The news caused an uproar.

The chief of the Outer City Police Department is a powerful figure in both the underworld and legitimate society. He is arrogant and his family members are even more so.

His wife was a veritable tigress, reportedly the daughter of a high-ranking official in the inner city. She was vicious and jealous, and had killed several women who had affairs with the deputy team leader.

He was extremely greedy, accepting countless gifts on a daily basis and abusing his power as if it were his own property.

The police commissioner's two sons committed numerous atrocities, including bullying men and women, and causing the deaths and ruin of multiple families.

However, with his father's protection, he never went to prison and became increasingly arrogant.

But this time, he was burned to ashes along with his father.

Most importantly, this police chief has another identity: he is the true backer of the Mutual Aid Chamber of Commerce. (End of Chapter)