New Gods of North America

"Wayne, I know that many smart people think that free competition is wasteful and that monopoly is efficient. So their goal often ends up being to pursue an effective monopoly.

“It’s not a wrong idea. But every decision people make has a price attached to it.

"Some things are actually not about right or wrong, and they don't distinguish between people. It's just that someone has to do it."

Bishop Corleone seemed to be talking to Wayne casually while walking leisurely with Wayne in the cathedral.

But what Bishop Corleone said was either difficult to understand or difficult to follow.

So Wayne could only walk along like a well-behaved woodpecker, nodding his head from time to time.

As the two walked deeper and deeper into the corridor, Wayne felt more and more oppressive and repulsive.

He couldn't smell any spicy flavor, but his skin could already feel a faint burning sensation. Wayne felt like a poisoned character in a game, with "-1, -1, -1..." constantly popping up above his head.

I walked all the way to a staircase going up.

Bishop Corleone waved his hand slightly, and a man who had been following the two of them came closer.

"Tom, take Wayne with you and see what kind of reward he can get based on his contribution this time."

Wayne was a little worried that the reward given by Bishop Corleone would be "too hot to handle".

However, if he wanted to stay safely in Virginia in the next few years, he might need the protection of the church, so Wayne could only try to refuse.

I don't want to continue to increase the stakes, in fact, it's good to maintain the status quo:

"Your Excellency the Bishop, these are what our detective agency should do. We do not need any additional rewards from the church."

"Oh, that won't do. As I said just now, 'Every decision people make is often accompanied by a price.' People who make the right choice should be rewarded, otherwise it will cause misunderstandings to others."

Bishop Corleone had already walked up the stairs, leaving only his back to Wayne. "But don't worry, I won't ask for more. As a bystander, I am just adding and subtracting chips on both ends of the scale, hoping that it will balance."

Hmm...

Wayne thought for a moment.

The man next to him had already made a "please" gesture to him, indicating Wayne to continue walking to the other side of the corridor.

Wayne thought about it, then turned and walked away with him.

…

"My name is Tom Hagen, and I'm the treasurer of the cathedral. You can just call me Tom."

The man introduced himself to Wayne on the road, and Wayne responded by telling his name and background.

If we only look at the literal meaning of the position of "treasurer" or "chief treasurer", it means "the person who manages the warehouse."

Compared to the countries in the Old World, in today's America, the authority and importance of this position are more prominent, and it can be commonly understood as "Chief Financial Officer."

Even though the federal government still has a "Secretary of Finance" who is a member of the cabinet, the status of the treasurer is still not low. In the modern world that Wayne traveled to, the so-called "dollar" needs to be printed with the signatures of both the Minister of Finance and the Treasurer to be considered legal currency.

If you go to the state government level or below, the treasurer is basically the local financial officer. Most state treasurers are not directly appointed by the governors of the states, and the governors don't even have the right to nominate them. They also need to be elected. Therefore, you can occasionally see news in the newspapers about state treasurers and governors fighting against each other.

The management structure of the Church of the Holy Spirit is relatively more centralized. The bishop has absolute authority within the diocese, so the treasurer in the cathedral is almost equivalent to the "church steward" of the archdiocese - of course, the direct management part is mainly within the cathedral.

So although the other party looks polite, he is actually a big shot.

Wayne took the opportunity to ask the other party, "Tom, before I came to Virginia, I heard that the management of the 'fallen' here is very strict. But from what the bishop said tonight, it seems that he does not reject the development of small organizations like our detective agency?"

When the opponent's rank reaches a certain level, it is no longer necessary to be clever to trick him.

But Tom Hagen seemed to know what he should say and was willing to show his friendliness to Wayne.

So he chatted with Wayne for a while:

"I heard that there are some organizations in Kanx City that can be called the 'Law-abiding Fallen Mutual Aid Association'. Under the premise of respecting the authority of the church and helping to maintain public order, I think the bishop does not mind the development of such organizations in Fugenia. At least it is better than allowing hidden organizations to develop.

"In addition to your detective agency, the bishop has also recently granted charters to several small organizations, so you don't need to worry too much."

So the bishop has been raising poisonous insects for fun recently?

But it’s better this way. If the detective agency is not the only exception, then there is no need to worry too much about being used as a sacrifice.

Wayne nodded, then changed the subject. "I just heard from the Bishop that this time the reward can be 'exchanged' according to our contribution. So can I 'choose'?"

"Of course. But the results of the interrogation haven't come out yet. I can only give you a preliminary estimate of contribution points based on the result of arresting four members of the hidden organization. I hope you don't mind. Of course, for members outside the church, we will give slightly more contribution points."

Wayne thought for a moment and said, "I have a friend who was 'bound' by the church and is currently assigned to work in the Exorcist Association. In a situation like hers, can she also be freed from the 'bound' by exchanging it?"

Tom Hagen glanced at Wayne and said, "Are you referring to Miss Inessa Winslet? I heard that she came to Virginia with you. Theoretically, of course, she can, but she needs to accumulate the corresponding contribution by completing the tasks of the Exorcist Association."

Tom Hagen said this and leaned closer to Wayne's ear:

"Although Miss Inessa has no evil deeds, she was once a high-ranking member of the Hunter Association from the Kingdom of Windsor, and the harm she could cause is not small. And her background is well documented, and she is from the orphanage of the Windsor Church. Wayne, it should not be difficult for you to understand the delicate relationship between the American Federation and the Kingdom of Windsor.

“There are some things we only say to friends and reliable local believers - ‘Freedom is priceless’, which is usually not on the exchange list. Rather than accumulating corresponding contributions, what Miss Inessa needs to prove to the church is perhaps which side she stands on.”

Hmm...

Wayne understood that the orphanage where Inissa and Lina had stayed together seemed to have a complicated history.

But why is the food still so bad? Inesa still loves to eat carrots.

The two walked deeper and deeper, and finally Tom Hagen pushed open a seemingly ordinary wooden door. It seemed quiet inside, but Wayne felt as if a hot wind was blowing out from inside:

"Wayne, you have a good eye, right? Come and see what you want to exchange."