2026-03-31 20:18:55
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Chapter 157
JOHN'S POVI wake before dawn, the meeting with Dr. Vance sitting heavy in my chest like a stone I can't dislodge.The pre-dawn darkness feels oppressive as I lie there staring at the ceiling, watching the shadows gradually lighten as morning approaches. Sleep never really came last night, just restless half-consciousness filled with anxious speculation about what Dr. Vance wants.I go through my morning routine without really going through it, each action performed on autopilot while my mind stays locked on eight AM. Shower. Dress. Check the message again to confirm the time and room, even though I've memorized both.Conference Room A. Eight o'clock.Breakfast passes in a blur of food I don't taste and conversation I barely register. My team talks around me but I contribute almost nothing, just nod occasionally when it seems appropriate.I notice Rachel across the dining hall, surrounded as always by people from prominent families. She's listening to someone talk but her attention se
Chapter 156
The Space BetweenJOHN'S POVThe moment with Divo stretches longer than it should, the silence between us growing heavier with each passing second.Neither of us moves first, both holding our ground in the narrow corridor like stepping aside would be admitting something neither wants to concede. Something close to defeat. Finally, I break the standoff. "What are you doing here?"Divo's response comes immediately, his voice cold and controlled. "I could ask you the same thing.""I was just passing through," I say. "Heading back to my room.""Interesting route," he says, his tone making it clear he doesn't believe me. "I was just passing through too."We both know it's a lie. Both of us were near the restricted wing for a reason, drawn to that partially open door like moths to flame. But neither of us acknowledges it directly, the truth sitting between us unspoken but understood."Right," I say after a beat. "Well. I should get going.""Yeah," Divo agrees. "Me too."But neither of us
Chapter 155
Afterward, the collective trial firing of the percussion cap guns by the police school instructors began.After trying out the new guns, everyone appeared incredibly excited. They knew what it meant to have the shooting speed increased by three to four seconds.Joseph himself also fired a few shots and just felt a huge recoil; the butt of the gun made his shoulder sore. Moreover, in terms of loading speed, even Louis XVI was streets ahead of him.Well, as for the Crown Prince, his strength lay in his intellect; firing guns was a task best left to Kesode.Soon, Principal Frient discovered another advantage of the percussion cap gun, "I feel that this gun has greater firepower than the 1776 model."Joseph nodded inwardly, as no leaking from the ignition chamber meant more of the explosive force of the gunpowder was acting on the bullet, definitely increasing the firepower.An instructor standing by nodded, "I feel it too. Moreover, this gun doesn't spray gunpowder smoke in your face whe
Chapter 154
The father and son shared a knowing smile and promptly set out.Upon leaving the workshop, Joseph headed towards the Marble Courtyard, only to see Louis XVI turn towards the tea room.He quickly followed and asked in surprise, "Father, aren't we going to the shooting range?""Indeed," Louis XVI nodded. "While they prepare the carriage, we can have a cup of tea, some pastries, and change our clothes in the meantime."It then occurred to Joseph about Louis XVI's super luxury carriage weighing 1.5 tons; with all his travel necessities, it would take no less than 40 minutes to prepare.He eagerly caught up to Louis XVI, "Dear father, you're going as a master gunsmith to inspect your work, there's no need for such ceremony. Why not take my carriage instead?"Louis XVI blinked, hmm, a master gunsmith, huh? That does sound interesting, very stylish.He heeded the advice and after a quick change of clothes, he left the Palace of Versailles and climbed into his son's grey-black carriage.The K
Chapter 153
The current situation in France is such that it should thank Providence simply for being able to pay the interest on its debts, as for repaying the principal? Ha, one doesn't even dare to dream of it in one's sleep.Joseph's face tightened as he shook his head, thinking to himself that it would be great if all those banks that lent to the government could just go bankrupt...Besides debt interest, another major "bleeding point" of France's finances is taxation.The French Government now entrusts most of its tax collection to "Tax Farmers." Every year, Tax Farmers pay a lump sum to the government, after which they are free to collect taxes.Estimates by later historians suggest that the actual amount of taxes collected by Tax Farmers each year exceeds the fee they pay to the government by more than one-eighth.Based on last year's tax revenue in France which totaled 500 million livres, one-eighth amounts to forty million. This money goes straight into the pockets of the Tax Farmers.In
Chapter 152
General MacArthur, a renowned five-star critic from the United States, once said, "The sky is high, the earth is wide, but Daddy is the biggest." A summons from Daddy must certainly be the highest priority.Joseph, feeling helpless, looked towards the carriage and gestured to Eman, "Let's head to the Palace of Versailles first, and then look at them in detail on the carriage.""Yes, Your Highness."Before long, several carriages drove out from the Industrial Planning Bureau.Inside the carriage, Joseph opened the envelopes one by one.The letters were from the three "white gloves" who had been tasked with purchasing grain overseas for him; for secrecy, they used coded language.Joseph then took the codebook from Eman and began to read with effort.In the letters, the "white gloves" first reported on the situation of the grain procurement, which was generally optimistic. The first two batches totaled nearly 70,000 setiers of grain from places like England, North Africa, Eastern Europe,
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