Chapter 44

Even a fool would know that this was not the right moment to start swinging. After shooting William a vicious glare, Michael turned and left at once.

A few minutes later, Mr. Fox came in from outside, wearing a puzzled expression. He shut the door, noticed the gifts, and said with a smile, “I just passed Michael on the way in. He looked angry.”

William nodded once, gestured toward the things Michael had brought, and said casually, “He came to ask for my forgiveness. I didn’t give it.”

Mr. Fox let out a sigh, walked over to the round chair at the side, sat down, and casually bit into a piece of fruit. It was quite juicy.

The shops and stalls inside the hospital were all hospital-owned businesses. A great many people made their living from them, so naturally they did not dare slack off. That was one of the hidden advantages brought by capitalization, or commercialization, competition.

Anyone without competitive strength, whether a person, a business, or even an entire trade, would quickly be swept away in the great tide of capital. And in order to ensure they were not the ones eliminated, such people would only work harder to make themselves competitive enough.

Mr. Fox swallowed the fruit in his mouth. He hesitated slightly, but still said what he wanted to say. “Honestly, if this can be settled, then it’s better to settle it. If Michael is really driven out, the IRS may not go on pretending to be blind and deaf.”

In Mr. Fox’s eyes, William had already gotten the result he wanted. He had beaten Michael, and Michael had even come here to beg forgiveness. If the two sides each made some concessions and settled the matter, neither would end up looking too bad.

That was the way men like Mr. Fox always thought and always acted. At times they might pressure law enforcement agencies that threatened them, but they would never truly ram the knife in.

To put it plainly, they all had filth on their own backsides. If today they managed to bring one man down, tomorrow someone new would come after them. So they were careful to stop at the right point. Better for everyone, in the end.

What William was doing, in Mr. Fox’s view, really was going too far, too aggressive. He said meaningfully, “If you make the IRS lose face, they’ll keep their eyes on you forever.”

That statement was neither wrong nor right.

William turned his head and looked at him, then asked a question. “Mr. Fox, even if I stop now, do you really think that once this matter has blown up until the whole Federation knows of it, some petty Sabine City IRS Director can just say stop, and it stops?”