Paying taxes is illegal!!!
Federal Tax Bureau officer Feijesen felt as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke imaginable.
After all, there was a popular saying in the United States: in this world, only death and taxes are inevitable.
And now someone was actually claiming that paying taxes was illegal.
If word of this got out, the tax system the Federal Tax Bureau had spent so many years building would become a colossal joke.
"Impossible! The Crown Territory must pay taxes. Not one cent less."
"We're not paying. The terms explicitly state that the Crown Territory is not liable for any taxes."
"The Federal Tax Bureau didn't even exist when this agreement was made."
"So what? The Federal Tax Bureau didn't exist, but did that mean the United States didn't exist?"
"The IRS has top-priority enforcement authority. Believe it or not, I can send an enforcement team to surround the Crown Territory."
"Be my guest. If a single snowflake is out of place in the Crown Territory, you'll receive a bill for damages so high I could sue you until you can't even afford an urn for your ashes."
The two men shot to their feet, leaning over the conference table and yelling at each other. Everyone else leaned back in their chairs simultaneously, dodging the spit flying through the air.
Feng Shan's eyes were wide with amazement. He couldn't believe Frank was brazenly shouting down a government official. 'That would be impossible back home.'
In the end, Frank played his trump card, threatening to release the agreement to the public. Only then did the state government's side compromise.
The Crown Territory would remain the property of Mr. Feng as per the agreement, but the government would not provide it with any infrastructure subsidies or personal public welfare benefits.
To the outside world, it would continue to be designated as an Indigenous Reserve.
Regarding taxes, the Crown Territory would be granted tax-exempt status. However, outside the Crown Territory, all of Feng's investments and purchases would be subject to United States tax laws.
Frank agreed to this condition.
Alaska's tax rates were practically nonexistent anyway. The state has no sales tax, and while some municipalities levy a local sales tax, the rates are low and often adjusted seasonally.
Furthermore, Alaska has no personal income tax, nor does it have land, inheritance, or property taxes, among others.
Most importantly, the Crown Territory was a self-governing dominion. Its 2,000 square kilometers were nothing but barren, snow-capped mountains and frozen tundra, with no valuable mineral resources. The possibility of generating sales tax was zero.
Of course, with gains come losses. The state government's agreement was conditional on Feng giving up Alaska's generous welfare subsidies.
Alaska has a Permanent Fund Dividend program, which distributes dividends from a fund built on the state's oil revenues to all residents at the end of each year. In 2016, for example, every resident received a dividend of 1,022 US Dollars.
Feng had no intention of taking that money anyway. He knew that accepting handouts came with strings attached.
Finally, with both sides as witnesses, they each signed their names on the document.
"Mr. Feng, I hope you won't disclose the contents of this document to the public. As far as anyone else is concerned, the Crown Territory will continue to exist as an Indigenous Reserve, as we agreed," Lady Kelly said, picking up her pen and looking at Feng.
Feng nodded with a smile. "Of course. I'd prefer it that way."
The moment the final signature was on the page, the conference room filled with applause, instantly dispelling the tense atmosphere.
Lady Kelly shot Frank a look. "You're still as aggressive as ever. Does our friendship mean nothing to you?"
"Oh, my lady, to mend your wounded heart, allow me to invite you to the Rose Bar for a drink tonight. We can get to know each other... thoroughly. And maybe have breakfast together," Frank said with a sly grin.
Lady Kelly rejected his invitation. "Sorry, my husband's home tonight."
"What a shame!" Frank feigned a look of disappointment, then turned to the other three men. "Lowell, Hogan, Jason, you guys want to hit the club? I hear they've got some new 'female riders' from Texas. How about we go... test our horsemanship?"
Lowell glared at Frank.
"The last time you invited us to a club, it was to see the 'New Jersey Sardine Cans' or whatever, and I ended up paying for everything! Fack, while I was drunk, you stuffed a stripper's underwear in my pocket. When I got home, Selena nearly shot me with her hunting rifle, mistaking me for a reindeer!"
"I'm not going either. I have a family dinner tonight."
"Count me out. Nothing good ever happens when I'm with you."
Feng couldn't make sense of this friendly scene. 'One minute they were at each other's throats, and the next they're as friendly as brothers.'
"Fine, forget it. I'll take Feng out to see the world myself. The only females in the Crown Territory are reindeer and brown bears. The poor kid!" Frank scoffed, leading a bewildered Feng out of City Hall amidst the group's cheerful laughter.
Back in the car, Frank let out a sigh of relief and loosened his tie. He glanced over at Feng's expression and adopted the air of a seasoned mentor.
"Buddy, it's all just business. What did you think, that I was going to pull out a gun and shoot them?"
"You have a proverb in your country, right? Something like, 'We serve our own masters at work, but we dance together after hours'."
'What the hell kind of proverb is that?'
Feng gave him a weary look.
"Just take me to get a phone plan and buy a new phone."
"Yes, sir!" Frank snapped a mock military salute, then wrenched the steering wheel hard. The car shot into the next lane, startling the driver behind them, who rolled down their window and started yelling obscenities.
Frank stuck his hand out the window and gave them the finger before turning sharply onto the next street, just as the other driver's rage boiled over.
...
"This is a supermarket. Shouldn't we go to a carrier's store to get a phone plan?"
Feng got out of the car and looked at a large white building in the distance. A conspicuous sign on it read: Walmart.
"Buddy, Walmart might be a supermarket for the masses, but you can buy just about anything you want here."
Frank said boastfully as he locked the car.
"Including guns?" Feng asked, unconvinced.
'It's one thing for a supermarket to sell food, drinks, and daily necessities, but there's no way they sell guns, right?'
Frank gave him a knowing smile.
The moment they passed through the heavy glass doors, a sense of immense space washed over Feng.
The supermarket was enormous, so vast it seemed to stretch on endlessly.
The high ceilings made the space feel exceptionally open, not the least bit oppressive. Bright lights flooded down, illuminating every corner so clearly that there were no shadows to be found.
Shelves were neatly arranged along the wide aisles, overflowing with a dazzling array of products. Hanging signs indicated sections for everything from daily necessities and food to electronics and home decor. It had everything.
'It's huge!!'
Seeing Feng's stunned reaction, Frank grinned in satisfaction and grabbed a shopping cart. "Buddy, the mobile carrier counters are over here."
After putting Prince and Coca-Cola in the shopping cart, Feng followed Frank to a row of counters. Looking at the various kiosks, he saw it wasn't just one carrier.
"There are four major carriers in Alaska: AT&T, Dowton, Cricket, and T-Mobile. A SIM card from any of them will work just fine here, so you can just pick whichever one you like."
"I don't know much about the specific plans, though. I'm on an individual plan myself. Let's ask a sales rep."
After his brief introduction, Frank walked up to one of the counters and spoke in a deep, dramatic tone to a pretty saleswoman with an impressive figure.
"Hi, excuse me, do you have a map?"
"Because I'm getting lost in your eyes."
'!!!' Feng, standing beside him, was completely dumbfounded. 'He doesn't even know her and he's hitting on her? Isn't he afraid of getting punched?'
To his surprise, the saleswoman didn't get angry at all. Instead, she leaned over the counter and playfully hooked a finger under Frank's chin.
"Frank, have you already forgotten about us at the Wedgewood Hotel last year? You called me your sexy little wildcat, but honestly, your performance was a real disappointment."
Ah!!
Frank's face instantly looked as if he'd been struck by lightning, a whirlwind of colors flashing across it.
He'd run into an old flame.
...