Placed in front of Mr. Fox were several personal documents with photos attached, containing some proof of loans taken from Mr. Fox's financial company, as well as bank transfers or check stubs as evidence that they had already repaid Mr. Fox.

Watching Mr. Fox remain silent, the Blue-Faced Man wasn't overly concerned with his confrontational attitude.

From the establishment of the Armed Taxation Team to the Federal Tax Bureau and to this very moment, many challengers have stood before them. History has shown everyone that in the end, they survived, while those who attempted to challenge the Federal Tax Bureau have been completely erased from the annals of history.

Mr. Fox was not the first, nor would he be the last. They have abundant experience and methods to deal with these people.

"According to the charter, every citizen of the Federation must pay taxes. Mr. Fox, have you paid your taxes?"

If he were asked this now, Mr. Fox would naturally nod and say he had paid. Fox Film Corporation has no tax issues whatsoever since it's a legitimate business.

Moreover, since he started interacting with Lynch, he noticed Lynch's terrifying obsession with invoices. Even for a small amount of money, he would keep various receipts or signatures.

This initially led Fox Film Corporation, which hadn't planned to pay the full amount of taxes, to start paying on time. However, they hired an accountant to slightly evade some avoidable and unnecessary taxes.

But before that, when he was doing underground lending, he did not pay taxes.

This was an inherently illegal business, unable to prove legitimate income, incapable of registering a company, and unable to obtain a tax number. Even if he wanted to pay taxes, he couldn't.

It's like a bank robber turning around and voluntarily reporting to the tax authorities the income from the robbery—it's both incredible and abnormal. This is exactly why he found himself here today.

Mr. Fox lowered his head, ran a hand through his hair, then rubbed his face vigorously, still saying nothing.

The Blue-Faced Man's face showed a gleeful smile. Sometimes people like it when the person being interrogated talks, and sometimes they prefer them to keep silent.

"We've collected a batch of evidence like this…," he said as he gathered the files back into an envelope on the table, "if you had read the Federal charter, you'd understand that no matter what you do, legal or illegal, as long as your actions generate income that surpasses our taxable threshold, you must pay taxes."

"It doesn't matter if your money is from robbery, fraud, theft, or... usury, you need to pay taxes."

"Paying taxes is a duty every citizen should perform, just as apprehending criminals is the job of the police."

"I don't know why the police haven't arrested you, or why the investigation bureau hasn't either, but you must pay taxes. Do you admit to tax evasion?"

"Mr. Fox?"

Mr. Fox still said nothing. According to some movie scripts, he should probably be asking for a lawyer by now, but he hadn't, because even if a lawyer were to come, it would be useless.

Lawyers prefer not to offend the tax department. Once targeted by this department, it's pretty miserable. At most, the lawyer could earn him some sympathy during sentencing, and nothing else would change.

Once tax evasion is established, it's a serious crime in the Federation!

His continued silence elicited some displeasure from the Blue-Faced Man. At this moment, he should be answering, not continuing to remain silent.

The Blue-Faced Man's lips curled, and the smile on his face almost disappeared entirely, replaced by a stern, rigid countenance. "Don't attempt to fight us with silence. Let me put it this way: the evidence we have now is enough to keep you locked up for life."

"Simultaneously, you will also face massive fines. Perhaps the police or investigation bureau will also start looking into your past criminal activities, and maybe even your son will be implicated."

Mr. Fox suddenly raised his head and looked at the Blue-Faced Man in front of him, as if searching for something.

After about ten seconds, he suddenly spoke up, asking a question, "Do you want me to do something?"

The Blue-Faced Man nodded slightly, crossing his legs, taking out an exquisite cigarette case and a Langsheng lighter from his pocket. With a melodious "ding," a faint smoke aroma filled the room.

"You're very astute, Mr. Fox. We do indeed need your cooperation on some matters."

Mr. Fox could sense this because the Blue-Faced Man in front of him kept intimidating him, using his tax evasion and sentence as leverage.

If the Tax Bureau's real target was him, the man would not have bothered saying all this and would have directly sent him to court and then prison.

The reason for all this talk came down to the word "cooperation," making him realize that he very likely wasn't their target.

The Blue-Faced Man pursed his lips, "We need you to testify against Lynch."

"We've previously noticed Lynch helped you turn some illegal income into legal income, which enabled smooth tax payments. All you need to do is testify in court about what Lynch did and tell the judge how much illegal income you laundered through Lynch."

"We'll help you turn into a key witness, seek leniency for your fines, and downplay all your previous criminal activities."

"One possibility is never getting out, and the other is three to five years. A normal person should know what to choose, don't you think?"

Though Mr. Fox felt surprised inside, he didn't show it on his face. He shook his head, "I don't know what you're talking about. Mr. Lynch and I haven't done those things you mentioned."

The man with the green-skinned face smiled as he stood up. He held a file and walked over to the door, "What you have is time, Mr. Fox. You can take your time thinking about it, but I still advise you to abandon some unrealistic ideas since they won't help our case."

"See you later!"

As soon as he left the interrogation room, another imposing fellow came up to him, "What did he say?"

The man speaking was the Assistant Director of the State Tax Bureau. According to the Tax Bureau's hierarchy, he was considered half a Director. His status was higher than that of the Deputy Director. Sometimes, when the Director was not around, he would be responsible for handling tasks that required only a Director's authority.

Of course, this was only possible after he had communicated with the Director. It was a procedural matter.

The man with the green-skinned face nodded, "Our evidence is solid. Fox can't escape. It's just that I think it's unlikely he'll confess about Lynch, this crucial figure."

As they conversed, they walked toward the bungalow opposite the parking lot.

"Not confess about Lynch?" The Assistant Director frowned, "That complicates things."

The investigation against Lynch didn't actually start here. Previously, when Sabin City's Tax Bureau was investigating Fox and Lynch's money laundering case, they had already noticed these people.

Their techniques for money laundering were somewhat surprising, not involving any high-tech or sophisticated methods, but simple and effective, spreading throughout the state and even nationwide.

Moreover, since Sabin City's Tax Bureau was losing face, the State Office and the Investigation Bureau conducted inquiries into the relevant individuals. However, a series of coincidental events led to many occurrences that forced the investigation to halt—mainly because Lynch managed to extricate himself and gave the Tax Bureau a way out.

The case had a significant impact on society at the time. Protests and complaints against the Tax Bureau's violent enforcement were numerous every year. If they triggered a nationwide demonstration, York State's tax officials would fall by the hundreds.

To stop this trend from spreading, both sides used Michael's imprisonment as an opportunity for reconciliation to end the confrontation.

The confrontation ended, but it didn't mean the investigation had to stop. They continued gathering evidence, ready to deal with Lynch elsewhere.

However, later on, Lynch's connections with the President and other top figures, along with his rapid rise to wealth, dashed the Tax Bureau's hopes of quietly resolving the Lynch situation. They shelved the files until a few days ago.

A few days ago, a very influential figure reached out to the York State Tax Bureau Director through certain channels, hoping he could investigate Lynch. It would be even better if Lynch could be brought down.

Big shots have big energy, and so does Lynch. The ultimate result was the Director going to the head office to "study," leaving the Assistant Director fully in charge of the upcoming investigation.

Before leaving, the Director gave the Assistant Director sufficient power. Combined with those previous events, where Lynch had tarnished the Tax Bureau's reputation, along with other factors, ultimately brought this situation about.

Standing outside the office door, the Assistant Director patted the arm of the man with the green-skinned face, "This time, if we don't act, we'll let it go. But since we are, make sure it's a bullseye. Do you understand what I mean?"

The man with the green-skinned face nodded forcefully, "I know what to do."

At noon, either because people forgot or for some other reason, no one brought Mr. Fox any food, only some water. He was hungry for a long time, and his energy was slowly diminishing.

In the afternoon, he slept for a while. Sleeping could slow down the consumption of energy and also make him feel less hungry.

In a daze, he had a slight bitter smile on his face. This might have been the first time he had been this hungry since becoming an adult...

Indeed, just like when he was a child, it's unforgettable.

...

He didn't know how long he had slept when suddenly the sound of the door opening startled Mr. Fox awake. He opened his eyes and looked around at his surroundings. After a brief moment of disorientation, his gaze quickly settled on the person entering.

It was the man with the green-skinned face. He had a tray in his hand with some food on it, exuding an appetizing aroma.

"Sorry, I was too busy at noon, and I forgot to remind those people to bring you lunch. It's not too late now, is it?" he said with a cheerful smile as he placed the tray on the table.

There were some potato strips, a small bowl of vegetable puree, some boiled chicken, and a sausage. The vibrant colors and aroma made Mr. Fox swallow.

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.