American Strategic Deception Bureau

　But the problem is that buying a mink coat can only avoid personal income tax, but not heavy property and inheritance taxes. Moreover, in order to fill the fiscal black hole caused by the Vietnam War, the Civil War and the Middle East War, the Nixon administration has significantly increased tax rates and eliminated many exemptions.

　As a result, after listening to Ferry's analysis, Marilyn Monroe took out a pencil and notebook from her bag, calculated on paper the inheritance tax she would have to pay for inheriting her husband's various inheritances, and soon came up with a number that made her despair.

　——The IRS will charge her an inflated estate tax rate, which may even be more than the estate is actually worth!

　Moreover, if Monroe refused to accept her late husband's inheritance, she would immediately end up on the streets:

　Because the villa she lives in now in the town of Eden is also the joint property of the couple.

　In other words, half of the villa belongs to her late husband DiMaggio.

　According to the law, the widow Monroe needed to pay an inheritance tax equivalent to 40% of the value of half the house immediately after the funeral in order to continue living in the house.

　Moreover, after paying the inheritance tax, Monroe still had to continue paying property tax and property fees, otherwise the house would still be sealed.

　Marilyn Monroe obviously couldn't come up with such a large sum of money in a short period of time, and she couldn't even sell the other half of her house!

　The IRS and the courts will soon pounce on her like sharks smelling blood, seal up her villa, and drive her and her children onto the streets!

　What to do next? Marilyn Monroe had no reliable relatives to turn to, and her mother was in a mental hospital!

　- That is to say, even though she was penniless, she still had to continue paying for her mother's treatment and living expenses in the mental hospital.

　Then, Marilyn Monroe, wearing only a black bikini, immediately raised her head and looked at Fili with tears in her eyes, her expression speechless and choked, which made Fili's heart skip a beat... Damn, I was so cute by this old woman!

　He seemed to see the blonde, blue-eyed, and fiery red-lipped Marilyn Monroe, crawling into a cardboard box on the street corner, wearing a cat or rabbit ear hairpin, holding a sign that read "Seeking support, can warm the bed", and looking at him pitifully... Presumably, even if the widow Monroe was already old and beautiful at this time, there would still be countless men in Los Angeles who would rather spend all their money to pick her up and have a taste of her beauty, right?

　Apart from anything else, if Philippe Clifton called Playboy owner Hugh Hefner right now, he would definitely drive his flashy purple sports car from Chicago across half of the United States to Los Angeles to pick up Monroe and her daughters and raise them in his own "rabbit nest".

　Of course, Marilyn Monroe would likely become the "oldest Playboy cover girl ever," appearing on the cover of Playboy in a bikini or even nude more than a decade after her first appearance in the inaugural issue, and then publishing a few sympathetic articles...

　Well, I believe it will definitely attract the attention of many greasy middle-aged men and tempt them to take out their wallets, right?

　After all, there are still many people in this world who are enamored with nostalgia. Especially as the United States, amidst a series of chaos, turmoil, and war, has fallen from the peak of its golden age to the abyss of today, those middle-aged people who are disappointed with reality and filled with resentment towards the world probably want to see Marilyn Monroe, the golden goddess of the 1950s, again, and find a moment of peace of mind by reminiscing about the good old days.

　Although this consumption tragedy seems a bit unkind to Marilyn Monroe, but...

　Hugh Hefner is not only a die-hard fan of goddess Marilyn Monroe, but also a shrewd businessman who is obsessed with money and greed.

　He should have given a helping hand to the troubled Monroe, but that did not prevent him from squeezing out every last bit of value from Marilyn Monroe.

　So, I'll help her out and at least save her from being kicked out of the house! That way, Marita will be happy too.

　But it's best if I don't personally pay for it. Otherwise, it'll be very troublesome if I get involved, and the paparazzi will easily create a bunch of scandals...

　Looking at the big, watery eyes of goddess Monroe that seemed to be flashing with sparks, Ferry hesitated for a moment and finally made a decision.

　"Mrs. DiMaggio, no, I'll call you Ms. Monroe! In my opinion, no matter what the reason, it is extremely inhumane to drive a woman who has just lost her husband and two girls who have just lost their father from their familiar home."

　He ran a hand through his hair and offered a suggestion to Marilyn Monroe.

　"So, have you ever considered converting directly to the Dark Sun Order and, at least in name, donating your house in Eden Town to the order as religious property? That way, you and your children can continue to live in this villa, and you won't even have to pay property taxes. The order will also pay for utilities and property fees.

　Ah, don't worry, they will never covet your house. The Archbishop of the Dark Sun Order in Los Angeles is an old acquaintance of yours..."

　Seeing Monroe's surprised and slightly wary look, Ferry turned and left for a few minutes, pulling over the excited fortune teller Zoe.

　"You're all old acquaintances. You've known each other longer than I have, and you've run a spa together for several years. I don't need to introduce you!"

　Fili brought Zoe, who was wearing a luxurious purple gown with silver edges and a purple skull crown, to Monroe and said with a smile, "Ms. Monroe, you have already sold the house on Malibu Beach to her. I believe this shows your full trust in her.

　Now, if you give her the San Fernando Valley property, there shouldn't be any problem, right?"

　"Yes, ma'am. I've always kept your and your husband's bedrooms, as well as the children's room for these two little cuties, in your Malibu Beach estate. You're welcome to come back with the children for a few days to change things up and accept my hospitality! You can stay as long as you want!"

　As long as you entrust your affairs to us, whether it is inheritance tax, property tax, or anything else, we will handle it for you properly! "

　Zoe, the witch, rubbed her hands together with excitement, looking at Monroe, her mother, and her daughter. She said enthusiastically, "She knew only too well how powerful Monroe's appeal was. If they could develop this golden goddess of the 1950s into the Dark Sun Cult's top courtesan, that would be fantastic!"

　Chapter 580: Marilyn Monroe personally auctions her underwear, buy now if you want!

　Marilyn Monroe, with her left-leaning ideology, was initially averse to joining any non-mainstream new religious organization. However, when she discovered that the leader of the Dark Sun Order, who had come to the San Fernando Valley to purchase land, was her long-time acquaintance, Zoe, her attitude wavered.

　After all, she and Zoe have been working together for such a long time and they have a good relationship with each other. Monroe believes that the other party should not harm her.

　However, Marilyn Monroe still felt a little resistant to the fact that the witch Zoe was growing hemp and gathering people to take drugs.

　It's not the same deep-seated hatred of drugs that the Chinese have. After all, when Monroe was at the height of her fame in the 1950s, she was also a long-term drug addict, and judging by her own personal experience and life history, it doesn't seem to have caused any irreversible, tragic consequences.

　However, after retiring from the entertainment industry, she came into contact with many people who became decadent due to drug addiction, and gradually began to realize the harm of anesthetics.

　This made Marilyn Monroe vaguely feel in the past two years that the "special spa" she had opened on a whim on Malibu Beach, where people were pumping drugs into their buttocks, was not a very good health business, but a place of decadence similar to a tavern or even an opium den...

　——Although the US government in this dimension has not yet introduced any decent anti-drug regulations, hemp and magic mushrooms are legal.

　However, at the social level, the moral calls against all kinds of "degenerate enjoyment" have never stopped.

　What's more, in the 1960s, those cynical and crazy American hippies were the pioneers in promoting narcotics and hallucinogens.

　Whether in San Francisco or Los Angeles, Marilyn Monroe was harassed by hippies during her retirement life after marriage.

　This naturally made her somewhat resentful of the people in her family, and she became increasingly disgusted with those who took drugs and smoked weed all day long, as well as those who grew and sold weed.

　——Just like a housewife who is unfortunately married to a violent alcoholic husband will instinctively feel aversion to taverns and liquor vendors.

　That's why she chose to end her business partnership with Zoe more than a year ago, reduce her social activities, and concentrate on being a housewife.

　Now that she has suddenly fallen on hard times overnight, she has to turn back to the fortune teller Zoe for help, begging this old acquaintance who seems to be working in a not-so-good industry to protect her... It is absolutely impossible to say that Marilyn Monroe has no psychological barriers in her mind.

　After all, Marilyn Monroe was far from desperate at the moment; she might just be kicked out of her current house.

　But if she is willing to reveal her name and cry miserably, the dogs in the world who are willing to give her money will definitely line up from Beverly Hills to Santa Monica Beach!

　However, after receiving the money, the subsequent repayment of favors, or even "sexual compensation", may not be easy to arrange...

　Moreover, these fanatical bootlickers may not be very gentlemanly. Ms. Monroe does not want to be locked up in a small dark room underground at all.

　(According to historical records, just before Monroe's death, the foolish son of a South American warlord had just bought a large diamond and wanted to propose to her.)

　However, because she had so many options for emergency relief, Ms. Monroe remained somewhat reserved.

　For this reason, the fortune teller Zoe immediately showed off her eloquence to defend her medicine-selling behavior.

　"Ma'am, I know you think that hemp cigarettes, magic mushrooms, hallucinogenic cacti, and other things that allow people to enjoy beautiful dreams may wear down people's will and make them decadent. But just like cigarettes and fine wine, they are also enjoyments that people cannot do without.

　At this

　In this tragic era of decline and turmoil, real life is hard enough, and everyone has the right to enjoy a moment of sweet dream.

　Otherwise, no matter how strong your iron will is, you will not be able to withstand the repeated torture of fatigue and depression day after day.

　God's teachings can certainly help us see through the fog of illusion and recognize the reality of the world. But after witnessing the cruelty of reality, we also need something to soothe our fragile bodies and minds. Even without hemp and magic mushrooms, mortals would still be addicted to a bottle of wine.

　So why not let them smoke something and do something good to soothe their souls? Is that worse than dying drunk in a bar?

　Zoe, the witch, looked at Marilyn Monroe sincerely and said confidently, "Don't worry, ma'am, we have always been a legal religious group and have never been involved in illegal drug business. If one day, the parliament passes a law prohibiting us from using those herbs..."

　She looked back at Fili and saw him nod. Then she said confidently, "We will definitely remove all the herbs in the nursery!"

　Fili had already laid it all out to her, telling her to stick to the "legal" policy. If the government banned any anesthetic, she could simply switch to a new addiction. If hemp cigarettes were banned, she could switch to mushroom wine. If wine was also banned, she could create a topical hallucinogenic ointment that would be absorbed through the skin... Fili was fully confident that, guided by the power of Cyric, the Prince of Lies, the Dark Sun Cult would be able to create new psychedelic plants, magical fungi, and corresponding methods of consumption faster than the government could pass a special law to ban them!

　After all, using illusions to deceive oneself and others is the strength and specialty of Prince of Lies Xirik!

　For the Dark Sun Cult, who worship the mad god Cyric, everything is addictive!

　Unless the federal government really bans all "narcotic and hallucinogenic recreational drugs," including cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, there is nothing we can do.

　But if even alcohol is banned, what will be the cost?

　——The price is that the entire United States returns to the Prohibition era, making the already highly divided and chaotic American society even more chaotic!

　By then, the Dark Sun Cult will create a superpowered gangster who can handle both black and white as the Black Glove, and the witch Zoe will transform into a female version of Al Capone...

　If you think about it carefully, it seems quite interesting, doesn’t it?

　Ahem, back to the topic, after being fooled by the fortune teller Zoe, Marilyn Monroe was obviously shaken.

　So, Fili coughed dryly, secretly used a spell to confuse the mind, and started to join in the sophistry.

　"Ms. Monroe, for many people, the most tormenting thing is not accepting the current situation, but facing an uncertain future, having to continue waiting, waiting for fate's final judgment. And fate always gives you hope time and time again, but also ruthlessly destroys it time and time again.

　In the face of the ruthless ravages of fate, not everyone has the heroic and indomitable will. We cannot blame every mortal and scold them for why they still need entertainment and relaxation - although the Puritan spirit is worth praising, it is impossible to require everyone to do so.

　What if we forced everyone to live like a Puritan, working from morning till night, not smoking, drinking, playing cards or games, and having no leisure and entertainment, even tea, cocoa, coffee and music would be banned, and they would live a hard life like prisoners in Nazi concentration camps?

　Then, after a period of time, many people will either become lifeless zombies or go crazy.

　Therefore, when people feel great mental stress, the appropriate use of hallucinogenic drugs is also a necessary means of healing..."

　-

　In short, after getting the promise from Zoe that she would be "free to come and go and never be troubled", Marilyn Monroe agreed to convert to the Dark Sun Order with the attitude of "giving it a try", donated her house as church property, took off the cross on her chest, and hung a purple skull badge.

　Then, as a deal, the Dark Sun Order would have to help Marilyn Monroe deal with inheritance tax, property tax, and living expenses.

　Zoe, the witch, said with great experience that although the cult did have enough funds to help Monroe pay the inheritance tax, it would be best to find a way to go through official channels and directly apply for tax exemptions, at least to exempt the inheritance tax on the villa where Monroe lived.

　Next, in order to apply for tax exemption reasonably, Marilyn Monroe had to first cry poor and act miserable.

　When it comes to crying poor and playing the victim, it's not enough to just say it, you have to take actual actions to show that you really have no money.

　More than half a century later, during the Los Angeles wildfires, a Hollywood actress launched a crowdfunding campaign on her personal website for a relative whose house had burned down. She only raised a few hundred dollars, but was met with a mountain of criticism: "You're a multi-millionaire, but you're not willing to donate to help your poor relatives? Why are you outsourcing the responsibility to your fans?" What kind of abstinent feminism is this?

　After all, although fans and moviegoers covet and are obsessed with the beauty of their idols, they also have a vague hatred of the rich towards these idols.

　Once a Hollywood star behaves like a miser, he will definitely be ridiculed by the public and even cause public outrage.

　Not to mention, the people are most hurt by those unscrupulous rich men who are so rich but refuse to pay taxes.

　Hated.

　So, Zoe suggested to Marilyn Monroe that she should quickly take out all the clothes and belongings left by her husband DiMaggio, her own fancy clothes, bags, jewelry, shoes and hats, as well as some extra furniture and daily necessities, and hold a flea market auction, which would be hosted by Monroe herself.

　The Dark Sun Cult will mobilize its connections to help spread the word throughout Los Angeles, and then hire reporters to interview people, so that the entire Los Angeles and even the entire country will know that Monroe, the recently widowed widow, is so poor that she has to pawn her clothes to support her family.

　Her real purpose was not to raise money, but to show that her life had really fallen into hardship after her husband's death.

　——Of course, if you are very lucky, you can meet a wealthy man who is nostalgic and comes to support Monroe, spending a lot of money to win her smile...

　Then, Marilyn Monroe's financial crisis might be easily solved by relying on this flea market auction alone.

　"Madam, you are now a 'Tantric Master'. To avoid breaking your vows and losing your supernatural powers, you must go shirtless and barefoot. You definitely can't wear those evening gowns and high heels you used to wear. In that case, why don't you sell them?"

　Do you still want to have your shoes and clothes piled up in boxes for fifteen years until your kids go to high school?

　With all due respect, this isn't a sign of loving your child. It's no longer fashionable to have three generations wear the same dress..."

　Zoe persuaded Monroe with such patience and patience, and she finally accepted her advice and agreed to let a group of women from the Dark Sun Cult enter her villa and rummage through the drawers, just like adventurers harassing (robbing) NPC villagers. They took out things that were considered unnecessary and packed them into boxes for auction.

　Phili leaned over to take a look and found DiMaggio's suit, shirt, jeans, baseball jacket and watch, Monroe's evening gown and high heels, as well as earrings and bracelets... But what made him a little uneasy was that there was also a large bag of pantyhose and garters that were also going to be sold?

　Well, as a "Tantric Master", Monroe really couldn't wear any socks anymore. Her stockings, suspenders and pantyhose really couldn't be preserved for more than ten years and left for her daughters to wear when they grew up... But although this is reasonable, isn't it too unethical to do it?

　Should the advertising slogan be: "Now auctioning off Marilyn Monroe's original underwear, personally delivered by Marilyn Monroe herself, so hurry to buy"?

　Author's Note: PS: The Sino-US reconciliation continues, and I've discovered a hilarious new meme about America's aging infrastructure: America's chickens are getting old, too! This has caused egg prices to soar!

　What's going on? The hens on a chicken farm have a lifespan. If they're not replaced after that, the eggs they lay will have thin shells and are easily damaged or spoiled during transportation.

　But due to a series of complex factors, American chicken farms now use old chickens, resulting in extremely poor egg production and a surge in damage rates during transportation.

　Supermarkets push the costs onto consumers, resulting in the current price of eggs being six times what it was in 21 years, making it a luxury.

　Then, the price of bread is twice what it was in 21 years ago, and mortgages have floating interest rates, and banks can adjust interest rates at any time!

　Even used car prices have increased by 25%. It's amazing how cars get more expensive the older they are.

　But it's still better than the UK, where a meal of fish and chips with coffee, including tips and mandatory charity donations, costs £32.

　Chapter 581: Marilyn Monroe sells perfume and shoes

　"I'm auctioning a gray flannel casual suit that my husband left behind. It's 80% new and measures... No obvious stains or damage, just slightly faded. It comes with a red plaid tie and a gold-plated tie clip. The starting price is $80. Anyone interested?"

　"$90." "$100." "$110." "Just for Marilyn Monroe's sake, give me $130!"

　"One hundred and thirty dollars for once! Two hundred and thirty dollars for twice! Any more bids? Three hundred and thirty dollars for once! Boom! This flannel suit belongs to this kind gentleman. Please come up and take it away, and put the money in this box..."

　In an auditorium on the campus of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, a lively flea market sale is being held under the spotlight.

　Although the items being auctioned were very ordinary, such as old clothes, shoes and daily necessities, the atmosphere on the scene was very lively.

　Not only did students and teachers from the University of Southern California come to support the event, but many entertainment news reporters also rushed over after hearing the news, setting up their cameras and focusing on filming.

　Pairs of eyes filled with curiosity, surprise, fascination, jealousy and greed were all staring at the blonde bikini girl on the stage.

　"Oh my God, is she really forty-five? Look at her breasts, her waist, her skin! There's not a single drop of fat!

　I bet that even if you said this flirtatious widow was only twenty-five, someone would believe it!"