In this world, the anti-racism slogan proposed by the Snow Queen was not without basis. Before she completed her unification, the major kingdoms had all engaged in the slave trade. Many residents of African descent had been enslaved, forced to work on nobles' plantations or as servants in their mansions. After unifying the land, the Snow Queen immediately abolished slavery. She tearfully demanded that the current residents of the kingdom bear the consequences of slavery imposed by their ancestors—who were, in fact, only one or two generations removed—and seek redemption from the residents of African descent. As a result, the residents of African descent experienced a dramatic rise in status overnight, becoming honored guests in the major kingdoms. They no longer had to toil in plantations all day; instead, they could live comfortably on generous subsidies.

The mayor of Hamelin Town, unable to attract enough residents of African descent, had a stroke of genius. He contacted a merchant ship—which, a decade or so prior, had been a slave ship—that sailed between Africa and the coasts of the major kingdoms. After paying the captain and local authorities, he raised the banner of "importing talent." He then directly purchased a group of completely illiterate residents of African descent from tribal chieftains in Africa and transported them to Hamelin Town.

At first, the townspeople enthusiastically welcomed these new residents of African descent, donating large sums of money and goods. The public's enthusiasm nearly overwhelmed these individuals, who had suffered from hunger and cold in their homeland.

Once well-fed and clothed, and experiencing the joy of being treated as human beings, these residents of African descent, who were housed in hotels on Opera House Street, began looking for things to do. After all, they couldn't just be gawked at like monkeys all day. They needed something to occupy their time. So, they took to the streets, singing and dancing by day and continuing to do so by torchlight at night.

Initially, the townspeople greatly welcomed this. "Seeing this dance, so full of wild African charm, brought tears to my eyes," one might say.

However, as time passed, the presence of the new residents significantly impacted the normal work lives and routines of Hamelin Town's inhabitants. During the day, people couldn't pass through their congregational dances (as disturbing the African residents' dances could easily be interpreted as discrimination). At night, people could no longer visit the opera house or bars to relax.

What was worse, some energetic young men of African descent—described by some as being "akin to chimpanzees"—liked to go to bars, drink without paying, vandalize the establishments, assault passersby, and harass attractive women in groups.

Although the residents of Hamelin Town appreciated the cultural diversity brought by people of African descent, dissatisfaction began to grow when the problems hit too close to home. Everyone started to miss the "good old days" before their arrival.

Of course, such thoughts could only be entertained silently; they certainly couldn't be spoken aloud. Anyone who dared to oppose the new residents or call for their expulsion would undoubtedly be attacked by the masses and might even end up in jail. The charges would be "damaging racial unity," "hindering cultural diversity," and a serious accusation of "racism."

Angry but daring not to speak out, the people could only vent their frustration on the mayor, who had initially proposed the plan.

At this moment, the bald-headed mayor, surrounded on all sides by the townspeople, was in quite a bind. He couldn't possibly expel the residents of African descent. This would not only be a complete repudiation of his prior work but also meant he would likely become a negative example within the Rune Kingdom's bureaucratic system, facing a recall to the Rune Kingdom Capital for questioning and investigation.

"The Snow Queen's principles of racial equality and solidarity are unbreakable!" Enduring all kinds of curses and insults, the mayor finally couldn't bear it any longer. He waved his hand, silencing everyone's shouts. "Alright, alright! My townspeople! I know you all have many grievances," he continued, "but these must be addressed in adherence with the laws of the Rune Kingdom."

The mayor first issued a thinly veiled threat before continuing, "Previously, the 'African talent program' was agreed upon by everyone. I can produce the petition you all signed and sealed right now."

The throng of townspeople first showed flashes of embarrassment, then immediately erupted into a cacophony of discussion, clearly having selectively forgotten how they had tearfully begged for residents of African descent to be brought in.

"Regarding this, as the democratically elected mayor of Hamelin Town, I have a responsibility to resolve the inconveniences and troubles that have arisen during this process of achieving racial harmony," he said slowly, then quickly added, "Of course, I assure you all that this will be done without affecting the normal lives and work of our respected and beloved residents of African descent."

In truth, the residents of African descent in Hamelin Town, and indeed throughout the entire Rune Kingdom, could hardly be said to be "producing" anything; their existence was closer to just "living." No factory owner dared to employ African workers. They preferred to pay substantial "support stipends" rather than allow them into their factories.

Hearing the mayor's statement, the townspeople's faces lit up with excitement. The gentleman who had spoken first (and one of the strong candidates for the next mayoral election) challenged, "Mr. Mayor, what measures do you plan to take to manage... ahem, I mean, resolve this issue?"

"Well..." The mayor flashed a somewhat mysterious smile. "Everyone, follow me."

With that, the mayor jumped off the platform and led the crowd of townspeople toward the other side of town.

Frederick and a few other players exchanged glances before hurriedly following.

Mingling within the crowd, Li Ang stroked his chin. It seems I've already guessed what's happening in this town, he thought.

His small action caught the attention of John Joyce, the former CIA agent, who leaned in and whispered, "Brother Dao, what do you think is going on here...?"

"The Flowery Piper," Li Ang answered succinctly. Understanding dawned immediately on John Joyce's face.

"The Flowery Piper" is an ancient fairy tale widely known across Europe. According to legend, the town of Hamelin in Prussia was struck by a severe rat plague, leaving its residents helpless. Then, a Piper with special powers arrived, claiming he could eradicate the rats in exchange for the town's wealth. When the Piper played his flute, the rats in the town followed the tune, lining up to jump into the river. After he succeeded, the townsfolk of Hamelin tried to renege on the deal. This angered the Flowery Piper, who then played his flute again, leading all the children of the town away.

This fairy tale is well-known. However, in the context of current events in Hamelin Town, it carried a distinct tone of dark humor.

Hmm... Is he likening the residents of African descent to rats? John Joyce thought, a wry smile mixed with contempt playing on his lips.

Meanwhile, the expression on the face of Bob, an elderly Black man, was comparable to constipation. He deeply felt the world's malice.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.