Even though just one Galil can buy a large barrel of clean water from the water cart, many people here don't have any money, not even one Galil.

According to the current exchange rate between Galil and Federation Sol, one Galil is roughly equivalent to one cent of Federation Sol, actually even less than a cent.

But they actually don't even have a cent!

This caused the Provincial Governor to feel an inexplicable shock and an even greater fear.

"Why... do they have no money? I know these people are living hard lives, but no one has ever mentioned this." Drag, the Provincial Governor, couldn't control the twitching of his eyelid. He rubbed it to no avail.

Perhaps the uncontrollable twitching in his eyelid filled him with a fear of losing control over his body, prompting him to become increasingly urgent, "It's just one Galil!"

His voice caught the attention of Lano. After some time, he finally had a name of his own, marking the highlight of his life.

But he didn't pay much heed to this fleeting moment, believing his future would be even more brilliant. After all, he was bound to take the scepter of power from Provincial Governor Drag and become the most powerful man in the province.

So, he was also curious about his father's question, considering that everyday expenses like food for the family alone cost tens of thousands of Galils. He didn't think one Galil was a lot, and he wouldn't even bend down to pick it up if he found it.

The butler thought it wasn't a good idea for the Provincial Governor to come out, yet he had to explain.

Those old people cannot represent the entire lower class of society; they are the lowest of the low, abandoned by family or left without family for various reasons, unable to find work that pays in cash, and they can only scavenge some food to fill their bellies. Hence, they simply can't come up with one Galil to buy a barrel of water.

Even if they had one Galil, they wouldn't use it that way. They would rather fill their stomachs than use it on water for cooling off.

This explanation slightly eased the Provincial Governor's emotions, especially when the butler mentioned that ordinary families still had an income of several thousand Galils a month. The Provincial Governor wasn't as tense as before.

He asked another question, "What's the deal with those wild dogs? Are these people keeping them?"

This question changed the expression on the butler's face. Originally just a casual question, the Provincial Governor's thoughts were likely similar to "Although they seem quite bad, they can still afford to keep dogs, which means things aren't too terrible."

He was seeking an answer that would deceive himself, but the change in the butler's expression immediately made him think of something else. He snorted coldly and didn't let the butler continue answering but instead issued an order, "Starting tomorrow, have our police find some work, like capturing and killing wild dogs."

The Provincial Governor walked forward with a dark face, while Lano held the butler back, "What's really going on?" His life experience wasn't enough to help him comprehend certain brutal truths.

The butler whispered something in his ear, and his face turned gloomy.

This was destined to be an unpleasant incognito visit.

The farther they walked, the more a multidimensional ordinary society appeared before Provincial Governor Drag, but he became even more puzzled as a result.

Why would such a barren and backward place attract so many capitalists from the Federation?

If this place were filled with gems and gold, he could understand since those are things he too desires; but here, there is nothing. Why do those people still want to come here?

"I don't know, Father. There's nothing here except people!" Lano complained, finding the question truly difficult.

But this sentence gave Provincial Governor Drag a vague enlightenment.

He looked at the dense crowd around them, people moving like the walking dead, and a terrifying thought emerged in his mind.

What if one day these people all "came back to life"?

What would the scenario be like then?

Perhaps this is what those capitalists are interested in?!

He had this thought, though he wasn't sure.

As Drag began to seriously think about his power, status, and the country as a true ruler for the first time since taking the scepter from his father, a cruise ship docked on a distant shore (it was already several days later).

Lynch had just stepped out of the car when the Senior Soldier, along with the former young men, came to meet him.

Besides Lynch, more soldiers had been sent over after brief training on this trip.

In fact, they didn't require much training. They were soldiers recently discharged from the army during downsizing, not yet fully aware that they had said goodbye to their past identities. They were fully capable of engaging in combat tasks at any given moment.

As for the issue of loyalty, it wasn't much of a concern. As long as they understood who was paying their salaries, who was feeding them and their families, and who was bringing them honor, they would know to whom they should pledge their loyalty.

It must be said, money is truly a damn good thing!

"While I was away, did anything special happen?" Lynch took off his sunglasses, looking at the Senior Soldier in front of him who was saluting, and also returned a seemingly standard salute.

Interacting with soldiers required a military method, just as Lynch had ways to deal with bankers when interacting with them. He didn't force these people to shake hands with him, allowing them to use salutes as a substitute, which was in itself a respect that earned goodwill.

"No, boss, everything here is very peaceful, and there's actually a bit of leisure..."

A group of foreigners wielding guns, even those troublemakers wouldn't rashly approach them.

While discussing, the Senior Soldier's gaze was drawn to the things being unloaded by the soldiers behind Lynch, boxes painted with waterproof gray matte paint. Just one glance and the Senior Soldier knew what was inside.

Lynch glanced back and chuckled, "Recently, many people are going abroad to seek opportunities. The President is glad to see such thoughts and actions from people, but considering the potential threats to the lives and property of Federation citizens overseas, the President issued a special order allowing the purchase of all kinds of weapons."

"All kinds?" A surprised expression appeared on the Senior Soldier's face.

Though the Federation doesn't ban guns, not everything is available for sale; automatic weapons, explosives with enormous destructive power, and various large-caliber weapons that meet or exceed 'cannon' level are prohibited from individual sales.

But this time, the Federation opened a gap, allowing people to purchase these weapons and carry them when leaving the country, though they are not allowed upon re-entry.

Lynch bought some new and standard weapons to replace the ones that weren't too handy on their side.

The Senior Soldier was excited, as were the other young men, who quickly bonded with the new guys. They all hailed from the army, all were the unfortunate ones discharged, all from the same place, and now served in the same company for the same boss.

These similarities easily dissolved whatever barriers there might have been, and they quickly became one. The Senior Soldier had them load the cargo onto the truck, taking it to the base first, while Lynch and the others went to meet the Provincial Governor.

Soon, his company was set to recruit here, and it definitely required a courtesy call with the Provincial Governor. Besides, he also wanted to see if Drag's current attitude matched with what he experienced in the Federation.

Lynch's car entered the Provincial Governor Drag's estate without any difficulty, and the governor greeted him early at the gate. The two seemed warmly greeted each other (?), then entered the governor's study.

"This is my third son, Lano. After I'm done, he'll take over as the Provincial Governor here." Drag introduced his child first and then had Lano leave.

To Lano, Drag seemed to value and adore him, though what he didn't know was that the child Drag truly adored was already on his way to the Federation.

"Before we discuss what we should talk about next, may I ask a question?" Drag, the Provincial Governor, continued pondering his questions. Now that Lynch was here, he was eager to know the answers.

Lynch nodded slightly, "Please go ahead."

Staring into Lynch's eyes, Drag, the Provincial Governor, asked very standardly in common language, word by word, "What exactly is here that attracts you and others?"

"I seem to have speculated a bit. It's likely related to people, but I just can't think of what those people can do!"

"If you don't want to answer, you can refuse. I would understand."

After asking, Drag, the Provincial Governor, sighed and then looked at Lynch with anticipation.

Without much thought, Lynch replied, "People aren't valuable, Provincial Governor. A natural human... do you understand this term?"

"It means humans born through natural childbirth..." Drag understood this term, comprehending it correctly.

Lynch nodded and continued, "Yes, people themselves aren't valuable, not even as valuable as some useful cattle. If a cow dies, its beef can be eaten. When people die, we have to spend money disposing of their bodies."

"However, Provincial Governor, labor has value, or rather, productivity has value."

"An iron ore might be worth only a few cents, but labor transforms it into a small iron ingot worth about fifteen cents."

"The small iron ingot worth fifteen cents, when processed, becomes hundreds or thousands of needles, let's say a thousand. At five cents per needle, that's fifty dollars."

"Subtracting the material cost from it is less than a third of the finished product's value, so the remainder, minus the profit, is the value of labor."

"People themselves aren't valuable, but the labor force, the productivity of people, is valuable."

"When these people produce, labor, and realize their value, earning a reward, they once again qualify for exploitation."

"In your eyes, this is merely barren land. In my eyes, wealth is stacked mountain-high here!"

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