Empire of Shadows

Some institutions have compiled statistics that the savings rate of household income in the Federation is about 5% to 8%.

In other words, if a worker earns forty dollars a month, then only two to three dollars will be deposited in the bank, and the rest of the money will be used to pay various bills and for use.

Of course, they will also keep a portion of cash in their hands, but it does not account for too much of their overall income.

The income savings rate of a middle-class family is also only 10% to 15%, which is actually not a high number at all.

Auge was a person who knew how to live. Every month, he would deposit a little over three to four dollars in the bank. In a year, he could only save about fifty dollars.

In ten years, he could save five hundred, and in twenty years, a thousand. This was still based on his current salary and income level.

If you consider the loans and repayment parts he actually had to bear, his money was actually not that easy to use!

There were many kinds of real estate loans in the Federation. For example, the one where the repayment date was agreed upon, and the principal and interest were returned in a lump sum.

There was also the one where the date was agreed upon, and the interest was paid every month, and then the principal was returned after the expiration.

And also the one with installment payments.But no matter which one, the requirements for the cash in hand were very strict.

Auge had never thought that just by having his leg broken, the medical expenses would actually be as much as half a house. He looked at his wife in disbelief, but soon he relaxed again.

”We don’t have to pay this money at all. The people who attacked us will pay this money for us!”

His wife, seeing him so certain, did not talk about this issue anymore.

Auge was the economic pillar of the family, and he worked outside. The things he had seen and heard were definitely much more than a housewife. She believed her husband.

The next morning, the doctor found him again and asked about this issue. The doctor on duty last night was not clear about the specific situation of the payment of the expenses.

Auge, who was lying in his hospital bed, said very cautiously, ”This money should be paid by the people who hurt me. You shouldn’t be staring at me!”

The doctor, however, had a different view. ”Mr. Auge, this is a matter between you and the people who hurt you. This is not a matter between us and him.”

”What you need to do is to pay us back the money you owe the hospital as soon as possible, so that we can arrange for the follow-up treatment.”

”If you owe us money and can’t pay us, we can only pursue this fee from you through legal procedures!”

This was clearly an administrative doctor. His job was not entirely about medical treatment and healing patients, but also about pushing patients into the abyss.

”Nine hundred and thirty-four dollars and seventy-five cents.”

Auge’s eyes widened, but the doctor didn’t care about his expression. ”You have three days to raise this money. Otherwise, we can only send you back and then sue you.”

After saying that, the doctor politely said his goodbyes to him, and also to his wife, and then left the ward.

The originally lively ward suddenly became much quieter.

The people who lived here, in fact, most of them had spent a lot of money to solve their own medical problems.

Medical treatment was definitely the thing that ordinary people in this era hated and feared the most.

In fact, it wasn’t just this era, but also in the future, and even more so!

The patient in the bed next to his coughed. ”You’d better pray that you have medical insurance, or commercial insurance.”

Auge’s mind was buzzing. He had inexplicably been burdened with a bill of over nine hundred. He simply couldn’t afford this fee!

He glanced at the person in the bed next to him. ”I... don’t know.”

The man sighed and did not continue to speak. Auge quickly looked at his own wife. ”Can you call the police, or find some police from the vicinity?”

His wife seemed to have thought of something. ”When I came, it seemed that some police officers were taking a statement outside.”

A hint of hope appeared in Auge’s eyes. ”Get them here!”

His wife ran and left. After about a dozen minutes, two police officers entered the ward.

They found Auge’s position and walked over.

Auge quickly recounted the problem he had encountered. ”My leg was broken, but the hospital wants me to pay for the medical expenses. I can’t afford this fee.”

”I want the person who hurt me to pay for this medical expense!”

The two police officers looked at each other. They had been dealing with these matters all day. One of the police officers said with a beaming smile, ”Mr. Auge, the people who attacked you are all refugees. I hear that the richest of them only has thirty-something cents on him.”

”These people have no money at all. They have no assets, no wealth in the Federation, so this fee can only be borne by you first.”

”As for what will happen later...” the police officer sighed, ”I can only say that if you plan to get this money back from them, you basically have no hope.”

”After these people are imprisoned, there is a high probability that they will be repatriated to their original place of origin. In other words, they can’t provide you with a single cent.”

Looking at Auge’s already stiff expression, the two police officers were still quite pleased in their hearts. They smiled, and very politely expressed their apology for not being able to help him, and then left the room.

Auge’s whole person began to sweat. The effect of his painkillers seemed to have ended, and that piercing pain had begun to torment him again.

He was groaning, his mind completely filled with despair!

But soon, he thought of a solution again!

”Go and find the people from the union. It was them who had us go on the parade. They have to bear these responsibilities. I was injured for them...”

Yesterday’s incident had indeed caused a big stir. The union’s side had already begun to consider whether to continue to carry out the strike, and at the same time, they had also arranged for some representatives to come to the hospital to visit these workers who had been injured in the parade and demonstration.

Because Auge couldn’t move, he had not been notified.

In fact, the union was in a room downstairs at this time, talking to these injured workers about this matter.

He was silent for a moment as he spoke. ”In addition, you go and find a doctor and tell them to give me another shot. I’m starting to feel the pain again!”

His wife was a little worried about him. She was just about to mention what the doctor had said about the fact that if he continued to be injected, he would be dependent on these drugs, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she was scolded by her husband.

”Go quickly. Do you want to see me die of pain here?”

His wife could only run to the medical station. As for the doctor, who was he injecting if not for someone?

One more shot, and he could make a little more money!

Just as Auge was lying on his bed and enjoying the satisfaction after his eyeballs trembled, in a room downstairs, a dialogue had already begun.

The union, and these injured workers.

This time, besides the people from the union, there were also people from the Labor Federation.

The scene was exceptionally noisy. Everyone was asking about the things they were interested in, or stating their own demands.

After they had made a fuss for a long while, they finally quieted down.

The representative of the Labor Federation first thanked them for their role in this parade and demonstration, and affirmed their deterrence against the Wanli Group. Then he also mentioned that he would give them some more ”prizes.”

”A ten-dollar food stamp, and a pair of semi-automatic scissors sponsored by... company.”

To say it was semi-automatic scissors, it was actually just that a spring was installed between the handles of the scissors. After you cut, it would automatically spring back.

Then there were also some small foods and the like. In short, they were all worthless things. For each person, it was about worth thirteen or fourteen dollars.

Among them, the most valuable was the ten-dollar denomination food stamp.

Seeing these people say a whole bunch of useless things, and the workers who had the same problem as Auge and were facing the same situation, they began to ask about the matter of the medical expenses.

The representative of the Labor Federation, after listening to them say so much, raised his hands and pressed down, asking them to be quiet.

”I understand, and I sympathize with the experience of every worker brother.”

”Yesterday, the high-level of the Labor Federation had already held an emergency discussion. Regarding the matters you have mentioned, a decision has already been made, and it is definitely a decision that is beneficial to you!”

When he had said this sentence, the emotions of the workers were stable, and even soothed, positive.

They did not think that they would be abandoned by the union and the Labor Federation. Some people even had a smile on their faces as they interrupted and asked, ”How are they going to help us pay this medical bill?”

”My arm was broken. They used more than 800 to fix it, and there are still more than 200 in follow-up treatment costs. I can’t take out any money at all. You have to negotiate with the hospital!”

With the first person saying so, the others also began to ”show off” their own bills.

The most tragic one was the family member who had come on his behalf. A total of more than 2,000 in medical expenses, including some rescue expenses, and also several hundred in follow-up expenses.

This unlucky family member seemed to be talking about a very glorious thing. It was very glorious to be able to get a few thousand worth of injuries treated without spending any money.

Listening to these workers say so, the representative of the Labor Federation quickly interrupted them. ”You’ve misunderstood!”

”The mastermind of this matter is the Wanli Group, and the refugee group that suddenly rushed out and attacked you. It is not us, or anyone else.”

”The high-level of the Labor Federation has already decided to send the most professional legal team to fight the lawsuit for everyone for free, and to strive to get the medical expenses and all kinds of expenses and compensation from the Wanli Group and the refugees.”

Everyone’s eyes widened, as if they hadn’t understood what they had just said. The worker whose arm had been broken couldn’t help but ask, ”But they have asked us to pay the medical expenses we owe within three days, otherwise they will sue us!”

The representative of the Labor Federation was a little embarrassed. ”We will help you to fight for a little more time with the hospital.”

The worker whose arm had been broken’s voice suddenly became much louder. ”Just like that?”

”Just fucking like that?”

”Do we still have to pay for the medical expenses ourselves?”

”Fuck!”

The room was in chaos again. The representative of the Labor Federation could only continue to appease their emotions. ”Brothers, worker brothers, calm down!”

”You pay this money first. When we have helped you to get this money back, along with the compensation, from the Wanli Group and the people who attacked you, through a lawsuit, the matter will be solved.”

”We can also arrange for a team to negotiate with the bank and the court to appropriately relax the execution time.”

The Labor Federation’s side had not not considered helping to pay this money, if the money was not so much.

But now they had calculated that about three hundred or so workers had been seriously injured. The most serious ones were not in this hospital.

This was an orthopedic specialist hospital, which specialized in treating fractures and other problems.

The most serious ones had been sent to the neurology hospital. Some of the medical expenses had already reached seven or eight thousand, or even tens of thousands.

It might seem that for three hundred people, how much money would it take?

In fact, they had compiled the statistics overnight. If all these people were to fully recover, including the minor injuries, the Labor Federation’s side would need to prepare about three to five million in funds, and it might even be more!

Especially those with serious brain injuries, the medical expenses were simply outrageous!

The last presidential election campaign funds had only been a little over ten million. Now they just wanted to take care of their worker brothers, and they actually had to pay such a large sum of several million?

And they judged that even if they really did pay, it would not have much of a good effect, because this was a failed strike, and there had been such a large number of casualties. People would question the ability of the Labor Federation in strikes and parades!

On the contrary, it was better to ”let those capitalists pay the price,” and to play the card they were best at.

And the doctors had privately told them that a portion of the patients with particularly serious injuries would generate several hundred in medical expenses every day. This was definitely a bottomless pit.

Such a large number, the Labor Federation could take it out, but no one was willing to bear this responsibility!

No one wanted to sign the document, to say that they had agreed to the appropriation. What if it was investigated in the future, and their signature was here, they would definitely not be able to completely shirk the responsibility.

So the high-level had discussed it and had simply arranged for a professional team of lawyers to help them to claim for the medical expenses and compensation.

This was also the most common thing that the Labor Federation had always done, to provide necessary legal aid for the working-class brothers who needed help!

But at this moment, what the worker brothers in the room wanted was not legal aid. What they wanted was real money, what they wanted was to have their medical expenses paid in advance!

Some of these people had already fallen to the ground, at a loss. Some were chattering and arguing, demanding that they be responsible. The scene was in a mess.

Almost everyone here could not afford the medical expenses, which also meant that their houses, their other assets, might be legally auctioned off to repay the medical expenses they owed the hospital!

They had once laughed at a certain fool who was unwilling to pay a seventy-dollar bill, which had led to his detached house worth five or six thousand being auctioned off for a high price of five hundred—

According to the requirements of a part of the middle-class community, even in the winter, you have to ensure that the lawn outside your house is green.

But the lawn in the winter basically has to be replaced once a month, and the price is not cheap.

The places with a higher grade in the community often have stricter requirements. An ordinary community might be fine with ten cents a square, but when it comes to a better community, a square costs twenty or thirty, or even fifty cents.

Some will require the whole yard to be paved, and some only require the side facing the community road to be uniformly paved. Overall, a not-so-small fee has to be paid every month.

If someone is not willing to do so, the community will, according to the signed contract, fine the resident.

A household, because they were not willing to pave their lawn in the winter, thinking that it was not cost-effective to have to replace it a month after it was paved, had not paved it all along, and had refused to pay the seventy-dollar fine, and in the end, had been sued.

The court had directly sold their house worth five or six thousand for five hundred, and then, after deducting the litigation fees and the seventy dollars, had returned the remaining three hundred or so to them.

In the past, when they had faced such news, or similar news, they would have laughed heartily. But now, they could no longer laugh, because it would soon be their turn.

Seeing that it was getting noisier and noisier, the representative of the Labor Federation slammed the table and said loudly, ”I have two suggestions for you!”

The room became quiet again. He held up a finger and said, ”First, go and get a loan. Mortgage whatever you have, your credit is also fine. In short, get a loan to settle your medical expenses.”

”You can also borrow money from others, friends, family, colleagues, including your colleagues!”

”Second, go and talk to the factory you work for. Try to get them to give you some money. We will provide legal aid, and try to get your injuries classified as work injuries...”

Although this was not a good solution, for the people who had no other way, this was already the last resort.

Auge had only learned of this matter later. When he had heard this, his mind had exploded!

His mortgage was not even paid off yet. He still owed three hundred.

In other words, even if his house were to be mortgaged, there was a high probability that he would not be able to get 900!

The thought of this filled his heart with grief!

The next morning, just as Ryder had parked his car, he saw two guys in wheelchairs at the entrance of the factory.

A mocking look appeared on his face, and then he strode over. ”What’s wrong?”

Auge’s expression was a little embarrassed. ”Manager Ryder, we want to apply for work injury compensation.”

Ryder looked at them and shook his head. ”You were not injured at your work post. This has nothing to do with the company.”

”If you want to extort me and the company, I will call the police and sue you.”

”In addition, because you have left your work post without the company’s permission, you are fired.”

He turned and walked towards the office building without looking back. Auge followed closely behind. ”You have no right to fire me. I’m going to sue you and the company!”

His face was flushed. It was now working hours, and many workers had gathered towards this side.

Ryder stopped, turned and looked at him, and pursed his lips. ”You’d better go and sue now!”

After saying that, he left straight away. No matter how much Auge shouted, he did not stop again.

The surrounding workers were looking at them with a look of schadenfreude on their faces. Soon, more of the striking workers had returned here.

The parade and demonstration had clearly been stopped. They now wanted to go back to work again, but when they were about to change their clothes and go to their posts, they were notified that they had been fired!

They had tried to rush into the factory, but were soon driven away by the security guards. These security guards were from the Lance Family. They had swung their rubber batons and had hit them, without any mercy.

Soon these people were dispersed. Auge was also pushed away from the company’s yard by his wife, his face bruised and swollen.

Just as they had completely fallen into despair, a reporter walked over.