Extraordinary Voyage

2021-06-02

Chapter 850 Undercurrents

Source continent North, a medium-sized city of Uppsala in the east of Atlan, Iceland .

wu wu wu .

Even though the rest of the continent has come to the last month of spring, this land still seems to be in winter, with the cold wind rolling over the eaves and the treetops not melting The Canxue that went away made people’s faces hurt.

“Stop it! Stop it! The king’s, the church’s, the lord’s, my three window taxes and fireplace taxes have all been paid. You can’t take away my treasured china!”

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An old man wrapped in a shabby sheepskin jacket screamed miserably, but he couldn’t stop the wolf-like soldiers and the thin tax officer who was leading the way with a faint smell of sulphur.

The neighbors on this street poked their heads cautiously, all with expressions of indifference, but even a few youngsters were outraged and dared not act at all.

Because of this encounter with the elderly, none of them can avoid it!

The natural environment of the Kingdom of Atlan is harsh. About 30% of the northern part of the kingdom is located in the polar circle, and most of the remaining areas are also cold all year round, and agriculture and animal husbandry are not developed.

Not to mention that they didn’t catch the steam industry at all, and the characteristic stripes produced by the handicraft workshops were also severely impacted by the tulip industry.

Although it was once a major maritime country that followed the Cyrus Empire to start its foreign exploration, it has actually declined a bit for various reasons in recent years.

Especially, with the passing of those older “kingdom guardians” one after another, Atlan’s national fortune is no longer there.

Can support their bloody shadow shrouded continental offshore for four centuries of peak martial power, and thus disappeared.

Now there is only one title Knight “Bloodthirsty Hunter” left to support alone.

If it weren’t for the surviving ferocity and a struggling navy, the country would have almost dropped out of the continent’s powerhouse ranks.

Additionally.

Goddess Skadi, the “Breath of Frost” believed by the Atlan people, the holy residence on earth is at the end of the northernmost world of the kingdom, and is also the deepest part of the eternal white land, the country of ice and snow, the northern hemisphere. The source of all cold waves.

As a natural Spiritual God, this Goddess is as indifferent as his [divine ministry], like a north wind staring coldly at the world, rarely interfering with the progress of the world.

Only the “Church of the Breath of Frost”, under the banner of Goddess, stands up to its secular rulers.

These characteristics have caused this Icelandic kingdom to have a sturdy folk customs, and at the same time, the kingdom’s “feudal” remnants are also extremely heavy, and there are still many feudal lords and their private armed forces.

In other words, kings have taxes, churches have taxes, and lords have taxes!

For example, the “window tax” and “fireplace tax” currently being collected by local lords.

“Window Tax”: All houses have a base fee of 20 copper fuer (converted), and if the number of windows reaches 10 or more, it will be 40 copper fure.

“Fireplace tax”: 10 copper fuer per fireplace, levied every six months, that is to say, a normal Chang Family with only one fireplace must pay at least 20 copper fuer every year.

There are many more exotic taxes than these two taxes. For example, the “fat corpse tax” stipulates that the width of the coffin used by the deceased is 58 cm, and if the width of the coffin is 58 cm, the tax will be 50 copper vels if it exceeds 1 cm.

A variety of extortionate taxes cover all aspects of people’s lives.

What’s even worse is that the same tax has to be paid three times to three people respectively, and the citizens are all complaining.

And because the “fireplace tax” had to go into residents’ houses to be counted, tax collectors and soldiers had to go door-to-door to collect the tax.

In the process, the “taxes” belong to the lords, but the extra gains belong to them.

Like Alwin and Liwena, the ruling class that has the ability to self-restrain and knows how to implement “wealth redistribution” to ease social conflicts is, after all, a minority.

Most royal families are more adept at using violence than profit to govern their citizens.

It can be said that many times everyone is worse than anyone else.

The king’s autocratic rule, rigid political system, disregard of human rights, government corruption, economic recession, high unemployment rate, people’s hardships.

The ruling class has been in power for a long time without thinking Reforms, opaque political and economic distribution, etc., have become stubborn diseases not only in this country.

Especially now with the “Tulip Alliance” ruling the sea, the clipper ships are also rapidly launched, and even the life of the pirates is gradually becoming difficult.

There is no way to loot externally, but to strengthen internal exploitation, and Atlan gradually falls into a vicious circle.

Looking at these soldiers unscrupulously robbing residents’ property in the middle of tax collection, it really looks like the end of the dynasty, the collapse of order, and the precarious wind and rain.

Creak! creak!

In this depressing and numbing atmosphere.

A burly and tall young man with the features of Atlan and Koyak walked into this indescribable city, stepping on the uncleaned snow on the ground.

The youth wore clean and decent hunting attire, with shiny leather boots and a long sword hanging from his waist. Although he didn’t wear any noble coat of arms, he seemed to be in two categories with the commoners who were bitter.

The city gate officer, who is used to watching people cook, doesn’t even charge his city entrance tax.

“It’s really unexpected here. It sucks.”

Alwin’s fifth disciple, Bach, set foot on his father’s hometown – Atlanta for the first time in his life. , this country with pirate genes.

However.

Since he set foot on this land as a teacher, Bach was really disappointed in this so-called motherland that he had never been to.

Although it is much stronger than the Koyak people who also live in the polar circle of the new continent.

But not to mention the rich civilization of Garriott dukedom, even compared to the former colony of Cyrus.

Bach, who came to the source continent for the first time, could not help but feel a little bit of anticipation and disillusionment.

“en?”

Under the guidance of the [spirit net network] dispatched in advance, after walking through several streets, his ears suddenly moved.

But in a sheltered place on the corner of the street next to him, a desolate minstrel whose clothes were shabby and shampooed was singing poetry.

There is nothing wrong with the poet himself, but it is the poet’s singing that makes him stop and listen.

The general idea is:

“All the suffering of the people is due to the dictatorship of the monarchy and the tyranny of the nobles.

The people of the “Lower Republics” in the south already have Qualified to choose their own leaders, the leaders of the country must serve the people, not lie on the people and suck blood.

The people can not only eat and clothe themselves, but also enjoy the loans and subsidies given by the government , so that they have the opportunity to become superiors.

If an elected leader is unqualified, the people have the right to change. Only when we are united can we have our own happy life”

and so on The words are mixed in the story.

In the end, even if there is no reward at all, he face doesn’t change.

He took off his hat and bowed to every eager audience, saying, “Blessings from the Office of the Atlan Democracy and Freedom Process!”

There seems to be something in the tone of voice With some kind of [bewitching] power, people can’t help but believe what he said.

The crowd dispersed again, and only Bach stood there thoughtfully:

“This is the [Democracy Fighter] in the [Faceless] intelligence? Have you been on Atlas?

This place is really a dance of demons.

Forget it, none of this has anything to do with me, it’s more important to complete the teacher’s mission first.”

The “world currency” plan in the mortal world does not affect Alwin’s two medium-term goals:

Explore the unknown behind the “end of the world” door, and where it may be hidden The [Ring of Mobius]; explore the space tightly sealed by the “Purger”, and the [Ring of Catrio] that may be hidden there.

If you want to go to the world behind the door and get the “ultimate secret” of this world, if you don’t pass through the gate guarded by the “Golden Country”, you will most likely be completely lost in the storm belt.

So.

Since the last time he returned from the “Muria Civilization” exploration, Gerros has set off to find the remaining [Golden Compass].

Only when the thirteen golden compasses converge, can the gate to the endless ocean “Folcus” be opened.

When the last letter was sent, including the original ones, Jayros had collected a total of seven, including one in Alwin’s hand and one in Olivia’s hand.

Now that they have nine compasses in their hands, they are not too far away from collecting them all.

There is another one that clearly knows the clues.

Thoughts are surging, Bach has been guided by the [spirit net network], and came to a somewhat jumpy Outside the street, I saw the team of soldiers and tax officers who were going from house to house to collect taxes.

Just a glance can’t help but deeply frowned.

Although Bach’s main career path is the physics side, he also received the corresponding knowledge of witchcraft from Alwin.

Standing downwind, his keen sense of smell has automatically captured the aura of the skinny tax officer:

“Brimstone? A demon from the lower realm?”

Right now.

Ah—!

A slightly immature girl screamed across the street.

Immediately afterwards, he heard the soldiers who were “collecting taxes” in a certain family’s house shouting excitedly:

“Hahaha, head, look! The poor ghost actually keeps a compass, it seems to be pure gold!”

“Shut up, what is the poor ghost’s collection? This is obviously stolen goods! Take it away with me!”

Jingle cluck

“Yeah! Let me go!”

The half-blooded youth’s eyes narrowed dangerously slowly.

(End of this chapter)