Chapter 473: Overseer Nieusel
Residents of the Underground Federation would never call the Underground Federation by its full na.
The public did not recognize the na “Twin Goddess Republican Federation” when the two deitydesses were not residents in the country.
They were grateful to the two deitydesses for giving them the ability to live underground.
Gratitude, however, did not an reverence.
The underground folks would not pay tribute to anything.
They paid no reverence to the monarch, their parents, and their deities.
They did not even have the concept of a country, a territory, or a nation. That was because they were still developing their “land”. Also, the dwellers were a collection of many “losers” at the beginning, and their population was still increasing.
Compared with the narrow world above the ground, the underground world, with almost infinite space and rich resources, allowed the citizens of the Underground Federation to live quite comfortably.
The underground folks even had a sense of superiority over those living above ground.
They would even get together often to mock the worries of the above-ground people.
Because there were always people above ground worried that the underground folks would attack them through the subway. Newspapers and speeches reiterated the underground threat, emphasizing the dangers of the subways.
But the truth was that they did not pay the slightest attention to the world above them.
These underground dwellers did not have to worry about food and clothing and had access to light sources. They had individual living spaces that were sold at extrely low prices. Plus, it was easy for them to buy specialties from various countries; They had no obligations to be enlisted in war by their country. There were no city lords, kings, or nobles. The only exception was that they had to pay taxes to the Wise Council and must abide by the local laws proposed by the Wise Council.
The entire underground world was governed by the dual parliantary model of the “Digger Council” and “Wise Council”.
However, this did not an that the status of the legislative mbers was superior.
The cities in the underground world did not have a so-called “mayor”. Instead, almost all mbers of the Wise Council were in charge of the jurisdiction. They did not have any specific positions, and they took charge of their respective responsibilities.
The reason being the Underground Federation had been expanding outward while their population was small. The federation did not have special affairs to attend to. At the sa ti, the federation did not need to report to any country, king, or local nobles.
Even in different underground cities of the urban layer, the laws varied. Housing prices were low, and there were no immigration restrictions. When local laws in a region were unwelco, the residents would move to other cities independently.
It was a distinctive place from the world above ground.
“That’s why there are so few people here…” Suuankou looked around and whispered, “Is it because the living environnt here is poor?”
He dared not speak loudly.
Those unfamiliar with the new place might easily step into danger unknowingly.
“Oh, that’s not the case.”
It was not Jiu Er or Lin Yiyi who spoke.
It was a man with ashen skin. He wore a long-sleeved, ruffled leather jacket.
“Sothing major happened, giving birth to a troubleso nightmare. This place used to be called the Black Mushroom Mill instead of Sporeggar Mill. After the nightmare, many people thought it was troubleso, so they moved out temporarily. I’m only going to co back after the nightmare is over.”
As the man said, he reached out his hand to Suuankou and smiled at Lin Yiyi and Jiu Er, “Let introduce myself. I’m the supervisor of Sporeggar Mill. My na is Nieusel.
“Where do you co from? Since you ca to Sporeggar Mill at this ti, are you the friends who want to resolve the nightmare here?”
He had natural brown curly hair, and his eyes shone in a strange green light. Those eyes glowed on their own. They were characterized by unusually pale or dark plaster statue or obsidian-like skin. At the sa ti, those were the main characteristics of underground people.
Niusel exuded a faint sll of alcohol and tobacco.
…Is he an Overseer?
Lin Yiyi beca vigilant imdiately.
Similar to the world above the ground, the underground world also had positions like “policeman”, “judge,” and “lawyer”.
The underground people refer to the police as “Overseers” and the judges were mbers of the Wise Council. They were also the lawmakers. Lawyers were called “Debaters”, and they were despised and belittled professions in the underground world.
Cities had their laws discussed and determined by the mbers of the local Wise Council. On the other hand, mbers of the local Digger Council jointly paid for the fee to hire Overseers. Sotis, the Digger Council’s mbers would directly stand in as an Overseer.
Of course, they were more affluent than citizens.
But it was not because being a mber would make you rich. On the contrary, only those who could beco rich were eligible to beco a mber.
The founders of the Underground Federation ford the original dual councils.
—The so-called “Wise” and the “Diggers”.
The pinnacle of “wisdom” and “hard work”.
The Wise Council was all Mysterious Lady’s believers and a small number of Father Flint’s believers. They were outstanding inventors, engineers, and botanists. These “Wise” created the splendid civilization of the underground world bit by bit. Only the genius could beco mbers of the Wise Council.
The subway that used the Gray Mists as energy and the seafloor tunnels were their masterpiece—not a gift from the deities.
As for the Digger Council…
Among them, the believers of the Silent Lady and the believers of Bone Burying Grandma accounted for half of the council each.
Everyone who volunteered to beco a “Digger” and discover a new soil for the Underground Federation would receive a set of equipnt and a ration. They would be sent to dive into the exploration layer, and the rest were up to their fate.
Not every place had a “well” that would allow them to return to the ground.
In the exploration layer, the Diggers had no map and could not replenish their supplies. It was common to lose light sources, food, and water there. At the sa ti, they were vulnerable to the attacks of the underground monsters or even other Diggers.
Those who died in the exploration layer could not even send the ssage “I’m dead” out.
The victim would only be labeled as “missing”.
The ownership of valuable areas discovered by the Diggers would automatically belong to the Digger Council, and the discoverers would be granted the status as mbers of the Digger Council. But before the discoverer died, anyone who rented and used the land through the Digger Council would have 30% of expenses paid to the discoverer; this figure would be reduced to 10% ten years after the Digger died and would continue to be given to his family.
But under this generous remuneration, there was a 70% “disappearance” rate in the first month of “Diggers”.
This was why the “Diggers” believed in Bone Burying Grandma.
When they went on an expedition, many people had already ntally prepared to “die in the soil”.
—It was said that the “Wise” relied on their wisdom and brains to earn wealth and make citizens respect them and be happy. On the other hand, the “Diggers” won their wealth by relying on “hard work in digging”, “courage to endure great danger”, and “luck in returning successfully”.
Conversely, the “Overseers” would only need to be directly responsible to the Diggers.
What they arrested was not necessarily the person who broke the law but the person the Diggers wanted to arrest.
If the Overseer himself was the “Digger”…
Lin Yiyi glanced at Nieusel.
Her silly brother and Jiu Er were young and unreliable.
Annan went to the Austere-Winter Dukedom, and now she had to attend to the matters on her own.
The underground world was not a rightful place.
Weak people would only be bullied here. However, they would be unwelco if they stirred up too much trouble.
I have to make him wary of us but not too intimidating…
So Lin Yiyi pondered for a while and had an idea in her mind.
She said in a deep voice, “My na is ‘Yiyi’.
“We are the scribes of the [Secret Eye].”
Reviews
All reviews (0)