< 44. Between tax evasion and tax avoidance (1) >
Benjamin Franklin, America’s revered founding father, once said:
‘Only two things are certain in life: taxes and death.’
Minjun had never had the chance to meet the great man, who was born and died before he came to Earth, but he wanted to at least applaud in front of the great man’s grave. It was a passage that resonated with him so deeply.
Considering his position, he had no choice. He was a prisoner who had to pay taxes in exchange for his life, and if he failed to pay those taxes, he would face death.
Since the Foreign Affairs Council only collects taxes in the form of talents, Minjun, like all prisoners, was very sensitive about that issue.
Such sensitivity was expressed in sharp eyes and speech.
“So, to cut to the chase, here’s the main point: You want me to cut it short and postpone it?”
The dragon beyond the magic screen had an unusually timid expression. It was a change that ordinary humans or elves would not notice, but Minjun was different.
=Ah··· I, that. So···.=
While he hesitated, Minjun noticed a bloodstain that he hadn’t been able to completely erase from the corner of Dragon’s mouth. He didn’t want to change the subject, but he had to point it out.
“What, you said you quit eating meat?”
=?!=
The dragon, who noticed what was being said, immediately created a flame and wiped away the blood on his lips and chin.
It’s not like Jenkinson became a vegan dragon after hundreds of years of avoiding protein, but rather, he was on a diet that was only allowed for his special species, as advised by his doctor. For a long time, he had been absorbing the pure mana of the atmosphere as his energy source, but these days, he surprisingly suffered from stress-induced binge eating. But it was too embarrassing to confess this fact, even to an old friend.
“You didn’t eat my subordinate, did you?”
=That can’t be.=
Instead of confessing that the dragons have a joint elephant ranch in Africa and that he visits there two or three times a day to the point where the animals are starting to have mass hysteria, Jenkinson quickly changes the subject.
=Anyway, I’m looking into loans these days···.=
After solving the Princess Vermi case, Minjun sent a certified letter to Jenkinson. It was time to cash the blank check he had been keeping in his bosom.
The amount he offered was 300,000 talents.
Since he had received 200,000 talents from the committee in return for killing property damage criminal Theo Christiansen and preventing a terrorist attack on a strategic facility, he figured he could ask for more from Jenkinson.
As a result, it was inevitable that Goryong’s reputation would fall, but it was thanks to Minjun that he was able to avoid a level that would never be restored. Without him, Jang Taejun’s remains would not have been safely handed over to the committee.
“You must have received money for handing over the items to the committee, right?”
=No matter what, you can’t make 3 million talents. You know that, right?=
This time, the special gift tax is borne by Dragon, so in order to put 300,000 talents in Minjun’s account, he must deposit 3 million won.
The more the commission imposed on prisoners, the more absurd the taxes became.
If you think about it, it was a system that was created to prevent such things from happening in the first place. It was a threat to not provide financial support to prisoners in any form.
=I’m talking to the bank, but I don’t think I can borrow 3 million talents even with my credit.=
The bank that the dragon speaks of is, of course, not one of Earth’s. It is an otherworldly bank directly operated by the committee.
Minjun thought.
‘Well, I expected that.’
The committee collects infrastructure usage fees, dividends, and various taxes exclusively in talent.
A typical example is the terminal. The Korean terminal is owned by Jenkinson and the committee in equal shares, so the talent collected as a usage fee is shared between the two parties. At first glance, this seems like a fair distribution of profits.
But on the other hand, Jenkinson had to pay them a huge amount of royalties separately because the patent for the dimensional leap technology was held by the committee. There are countless contracts and transaction forms like this if you look for them.
So, how do governments or dragons procure massive talents when they need them?
There are ways to get them by trading with other dimensions who are in a similar situation, or by exchanging them legally at a crappy exchange rate at a committee-affiliated bank, but this is not preferred for larger amounts. When they raise large amounts, a phenomenon similar to the way central banks issue currency appears.
It’s like ‘owing debt’ to a foreign bank.
In conclusion, the committee collects talents from the Earth under the name of various usage fees, and also lends the money to pay it, collecting interest.
They didn’t conquer other dimensions with guns and swords. There was no need to.
=So, I thought about it a bit.=
The dragon spoke as if trying to persuade Minjun.
=No matter how much I think about it, paying 2.7 million talents as taxes to the committee is crazy! Isn’t it unfair? What did those guys do to me! It’s something that no one in their right mind could do!=
Minjun frowned.
‘What did the committee do? I would say so, but it’s not something a dragon should be saying. Moreover···.’
He sneered.
“Are you trying to evade taxes now? I can hear the special forces of the Tax Collection Command rushing in. I can also hear the screams of dragons flying away.”
=Tax evasion!=
The red dragon was startled.
=The point is, let’s find a way to reduce taxes within legal limits!=
Minjun asks with a crooked look.
“how?”
Then the dragon told him his plan. In broad terms, it was no different from Dell’s proposal.
“That’s it. The only way to avoid gift tax is to receive compensation directly from the committee, so aren’t you going to help with that?”
The dragon has the talent and the criminals get the money.
Minjun had a blank expression on his face, having already received a similar offer from a much better opponent.
“Okay, just give me the money quickly.”
=Minjun! Between us···.=
Their bickering continued for a long time after that.
***
After finishing his conversation with the dragon, Minjun was lost in thought for a moment.
His prison account balance was unusually generous, there was more money coming in, and there were people willing to help him create more beautiful numbers.
If I continue at this pace, it might not be impossible to gain my freedom before I receive a transfer order.
Nevertheless, Minjun couldn’t just be happy. Even though he was looking at his growing balance.
Because that number includes Bradley’s blood value.
Beep!
Minjun turns on the old computer. He fiddles with the keyboard that is integrated with the monitor and main body, and white letters appear on the black screen. He accesses the communication network via the spirit world and checks the messages he received.
On the day Bradley died, he told the prisoners he had worked with in the previous dimension, knowing full well that the Commission would not conceal the news, but would not necessarily publicize it either. In such cases, the prisoner who heard the news first would act as the messenger.
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It was impossible to do it with the speed and format of thought that I had when I made a brief report to the direct correctional officer. I sent them a message that could be called a note or a letter, and several replies had arrived in the meantime.
– From: Asif-26,188,280
– Message: Thanks for the call. How are you? Honestly, I’m surprised. And sad. I couldn’t focus on work all day. I was distracted, and I ended up smashing the head of a wanted criminal I had to capture. I lost 300 talents. ······Oh, right, I think I might be temporarily transferred to that level. Someone has to fill Bradley’s spot. No matter what the outcome, we can’t celebrate or cry, people like us. It’s bitter.
The surprisingly calm reply came from a colleague whose mind had not yet fully worn down.
‘I guess this kid still has some life left in him.’
I still have no doubt that if I work hard, I will be able to achieve freedom, and I haven’t given up yet.
Minjun read the following message.
– From: Asif-5,523,694
– Message: You’re alive. I was surprised when I checked the sender. You’re someone who doesn’t usually contact people. But I never dreamed that this would be the news. I don’t blame you. It’s just that my heart aches so much. I cried all day today. I couldn’t do anything but think about that poor person. If this keeps up, I won’t be able to pay my survival tax… I also wonder what’s the point. What terrible sin did we commit to deserve this? Maybe you too… (continued)
After that, a series of texts, totaling 125,000 characters, more like a book than a note or letter, followed, but Minjun gave up reading them all.
‘This gentleman is already starting to lose his mind little by little.’
Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to help her. She had to overcome it on her own.
Moving on to the next one. It was noticeably shorter than the previous message.
– From: Asif-100,970
– Message: What, you’re still alive? That’s strange. I clearly heard that Dell was discharged.
This one line was the end.
‘This kid?’
He doesn’t show any sadness over his colleague’s death. He just wonders why Minjun is alive, and he blurts it out without hiding it.
Contrary to expectations(?), he didn’t feel like replying by explaining that Del had given up on his murder plan. While deleting the message, Minjun thinks about his ex-wife for a moment.
Although he said he was busy and had to go back quickly, Del ended up staying on Earth for one more day before returning. This was because he had learned of Bradley’s death belatedly through the committee. Although Minjun had intentionally avoided mentioning it on the spot, Endellion was able to receive news that was not relayed to the prisoners.
She broke up with Minjun on the spot and a few hours later, she came back to see him with a messed up face and cried so much that she couldn’t control her body.
And the next day, he returned with a certain determination etched on his face.
‘Oh, there’s more?’
Check the sender before opening the contents.
‘What’s going on with this guy?’
– From: Asif-1,892
Del, he was a prisoner who had been sent to the dimension where Bradley worked, but they had little to do with each other. That world had many more habitable planets than Earth, and the number of prisoners sent there was enormous, so it was understandable.
Still, I thought I knew Bradley, so I sent him a message, but I didn’t expect a reply.
Minjun checked the contents.
Just one line.
– Message: Be careful.
‘what?’
This network is, of course, under the watchful eye of the committee. That statement could be taken lightly to mean that we should always be careful not to end up like Bradley.
But, in the current situation, somehow…
‘I think there’s something.’
Minjun hesitated for a moment to reply, but then saw another message being received.
‘committee?!’
Since the sender was a committee account, I stopped what I was doing and checked the message first.
And the moment when I saw the sender’s full name and the content of the message at the same time.
“!”
Minjun’s pupils suddenly constricted.
Gulp.
A chill runs down my back and a drop of sweat falls.
‘······Why, why now of all times?’
Read the message carefully and think about whether you have done anything wrong.
But, no matter how much I thought about it, that never happened.
Not yet.
‘What are you aiming at?’
The contents of the letter, which had his eyes fixed and unable to move, were as follows:
– Message: Advance notice of irregular tax audit.
0. Before conducting a tax investigation on you (Asif-666), we would like to inform you as follows.
1. Details subject to investigation: All items subject to reporting and payment obligations according to laws related to prisoners.
2. Tax period subject to investigation: No limitation.
3. Investigation period: From the date of dispatch on X/X/20XX to the end date deemed appropriate by the unit commander.
4. Please note that tax investigation postponement cannot be accepted for any reason and that if the inmate does not cooperate sincerely, he or she may be immediately punished. Ngoi Senheli, Chief of the Overseas Tax Evasion Investigation Team of the Tax Collection Command. Official seal omitted.
< 44. Between Tax Evasion and Tax Saving (1) > End
