Please don't question multi-week players

Chapter 211. Ten Years Ago

Have you seen the new news?

When Jiang Jianxin found Yin Ju, he was standing in front of the flood control office's canvas tent, staring intently ahead.

A team of uniformed transport workers were moving between the camps, carrying something.

She hurried past the group of people and held her phone up to Yin Ju. The screen displayed real-time news updates about the riots.

Yin Ju's Adam's apple bobbed, his voice hoarse:

"I saw it."

He raised his hand and rubbed his temples:

"Who would have thought that the last straw that broke the camel's back was the toll for the Rose Transportation?"

Indeed, under the shadow of the raging epidemic, if it weren't for the sudden imposition of tariffs that completely blocked the people's escape route, this long-accumulated public resentment might have been able to barely maintain a superficial calm.

But Rose Transportation's exorbitant toll fees were like a spark thrown into a powder keg, instantly igniting the anger of the entire lower class.

Jiang Jianxin frowned and said:

"I thought the price of Rose Transportation at 3000 gold was too high before, but I didn't expect it to have risen to 10,000 gold now."

Unlike top-tier war giants like Jiang Jianxin, who can easily amass numerous zeros in their accounts with just a few sword strikes, ordinary low-level talents cannot kill high-level polluted species, and the gold converted from low-level polluted species is minimal.

3000 gold is roughly the amount of money a low-level talent would accumulate in one to two years.

It's only enough to get on the highway—not even enough to get off, because some highway exits charge tolls.

When the pollution first broke out, many ordinary people in society failed to realize their potential and, upon learning that it would cost so much to get on the highway, they angrily accused Rose Transportation of profiting from the national crisis.

—Because before the pollution arrived, it charged 1000 gold to talented individuals in ordinary society.

Rose Group ignores the criticism from the outside world. It is a large corporation that started by monopolizing transportation routes and will not be bothered by the online criticism.

Despite their complaints, once they were on the highway and the Rose Traffic Armed Forces pointed their guns at them, they still had to obediently pay up.

However, since then, Rose Transportation's reputation has declined significantly, which is true.

Jiang Jianxin had read the online opinions and even paid 3000 gold coins to take the highway. Rose Transportation's tariffs were pure capitalist exploitation.

Unexpectedly, it has now increased the price to 10000 gold coins, and wants to further deepen the exploitation.

"Actually... Rose Transportation's tariffs weren't this high before."

After listening to Jiang Jianxin's words, Yin Ju slowly said.

"What do you mean?"

Jiang Jianxin asked.

"When I was very young, the highway toll for Rose was 100 gold coins. Although it wasn't cheap, it was at least affordable for everyone."

Yin Ju said.

"The Rose Group monopolizes nearly 95% of the main traffic routes, and there are many toll booths on these routes. Even with only 100 gold coins, the huge daily flow of people can guarantee the group's funds."

Jiang Jianxin stroked his chin, puzzled, and asked:

"Then why has it become like this today?"

Yin Ju lifted the lid of the thermos, took a sip of the tea inside, and sighed:

"This goes back to ten years ago."

He looked into the distance, as if recalling a story from a very distant time.

"Ten years ago, there was a large-scale pollution outbreak, similar to the pollution in Tianma City today, but not as widespread." Yin Ju squeezed water from the air to draw the character "井" (well).

"During that pollution, numerous contaminated areas expanded, engulfing neighborhoods and devouring cities, just like the center of this 'well' shape, completely expanding its territory. Only the armed group of Rose Transportation held the main transportation lines, using the major transportation arteries in all directions to cut through the contaminated areas and prevent multiple contaminated areas from merging."

Jiang Jianxin stared at the "well" character in the air for a long time, then asked:
"These four gestures refer to the key transportation routes that Rose is fiercely defending?"

"Yes."

Yin Ju explained:
"The situation was critical at the time, with many cities falling, including those in ordinary society. The war forces and the chaotic forces were reluctant to intervene, and the forces of light were unwilling to take action. Instead, the Rose Transportation conglomerate was at the forefront."

"At that time, the Crown Princess of the Rose Group dispatched almost all of her mercenaries and armed groups to guard key routes and establish an isolation barrier to prevent the contaminated area from truly infiltrating the lives of ordinary people."

Jiang Jian's heart stirred, and he pressed for an answer:
"What happens after that?"

Yin Ju took a sip of tea and continued:

"After that... because I was too young, I had no idea how the pollution started or how it ended."

"All I know is that Rose Transportation held on to the very end, but after the pollution receded, it was also severely weakened. Its desperate efforts to save the world at any cost depleted a large amount of its capital accumulation."

"Although it still holds the monopoly on transportation, it needs to recover its strength in the short term due to the threat from another conglomerate, Black Eye Pharmaceuticals."

At this point, Jiang Jianxin frowned, already knowing what would happen next:
"So the Rose Group made Rose Transportation increase its taxes, from 100 gold to 1000 gold, and even later to 3000 gold?"

Yin Ju nodded and said:

"That's right, but I estimate that even a tariff of 3000 gold won't be enough to recover the capital it initially poured into saving the world."

He raised his hand and made a tilting gesture: "Those private armies that keep pouring in, those batches of high-level pollution tools that are scrapped—if it were any other force, they would have been drained of their lifeblood long ago."

"Only giants like the Rose Group can achieve this."

Yin Ju slammed the steaming cup lid shut:
"Only after a massive investment, can they rely on high taxes over a few short years to barely keep up with Black Eye Pharmaceuticals and compete with them."

Jiang Jianxin remained silent for a moment, because the reversal of events always came unexpectedly.

If what Yin Ju said is true—then the current situation is a bit ridiculous.

During the massive pollution incident ten years ago, the Rose Group, which was the only one in ordinary society to fight to the end, suffered heavy losses and then raised toll fees. However, ten years later, ordinary people criticized them for "profiteering from national disaster."

The current sky-high taxes have directly triggered an uprising.

It is hard to imagine a power that can simultaneously exploit and oppress while also saving the world and helping people.

But the Rose Group did it.

"Did Rose Transportation set up isolation barriers and restricted contaminated areas before, and didn't they generate much revenue?"

Jiang Jian thought for a moment and then asked.

"Just think about it and you'll know there's no income. This isn't Rose Group's responsibility. Actually, it wouldn't be a big deal if they stopped doing it, but they just kept doing it for many years."

Yin Ju frowned and said:

"The only thing I don't understand is why Rose Transportation has to raise the tax to 10000 gold this time. Wouldn't it be better to just block it? Why do they have to discriminate, letting some strong people go through while blocking those at the bottom?"

Jiang Jianxin couldn't understand Rose Transportation's actions either. She took a deep breath, about to say something, when a vague thought surged through her nerves like an electric current.

The fragments of clues she had previously pieced together were now slowly piecing themselves together in her mind.

—The Rose is connected to transportation and the Predictor.

—Could this be related to Rose Traffic's unusual behavior?

　Note that the previous chapter was revised but blocked by the review committee, so I changed what the blind master did to Feng Shiman to the current version. I filled in the gap regarding the explanation of the note in the forest contaminated area, but I couldn't find it when I checked again today. It feels like something is missing, possibly deleted by the review committee. Because the girl on the note was notified by Rose Traffic that she needed to fake her death at the Fool's Club, so she disguised herself as Zisha and went there. I wrote down her entire background at the time, but I can't find it now, so I'm not sure if it was deleted (╥_╥). That part is now locked and can't be revised anymore, so I'm explaining it here (╥_╥).
　　The next chapter will analyze the relationship, and I guess some of you clever readers will already know what's going on.

　　(End of this chapter)