Playboy Cultivator in the Apocalypse

[A/N: If you don't want a simplistic, direct explanation of the brutal economic and political systems in Immortal Skye, skip this chapter. You'll pick it up naturally, but this explanation is interesting for anyone that enjoys the mass manipulation aspect of PlayCult. These are real political and economic systems that have freakish implications. It's my kind of chapter.]

—

After Kaze left Daniel and the military personnel, he made his way to the amphitheater.

It was an important day that would rock the lives of every faction member.

At 9:00 am sharp, the emperor walked onto the stage with a mysterious smile. He had a list with him that contained the names of 2,187 members and their work duties.

Thunderous applause instantly met Kaze's entrance, confusing him.

"You're always telling us to clap, so we're taking the initiative!" A woman yelled.

Everyone burst into laughter; even the emperor looked at them in amusement.

"I see your leadership skills are strong enough to be used for the frivolous, Amy." Kaze smiled, causing the brunette to blush.

Her blush was highly visible because she wore a bright white t-shirt and had sickly pale skin, so countless people laughed.

She couldn't believe he knew her name, nor could anyone else. Many had envy burning in their eyes, highlighting the petty emotions afflicting humanity.

Kaze gazed at his students with a slight smile, scanning the area to ensure everyone was paying attention. "Today, I'll post everyone's jobs after explaining how jobs work here."

Everyone gulped, getting pulled back into the present.

"Job duties are created on a practical need basis. There are necessary tasks that need to be done and a fixed number of people." The emperor explained.

"Therefore, the roles will never disappear, no matter how strong people get.

You may end up at the top of the Earth Realm next month and still wash dishes."

The faction members gasped in shock, and he returned a false surprised face. Everyone calmed down under his pressured, mocking gaze.

"However, you can rejoice in knowing that positions aren't fixed at any time." Kaze declared with a sinister grin.

"Except for upper management roles and skilled trades, you can [buy] any job you want with reputation points, earned by showcasing talent and value.

For essential roles, if you have more reputation points than the person doing any particular job, you can bid for the position and take it from them.

Those with talent and resolve will never remain a dishwasher at Immortal Skye!"

Many cheered because they knew their performance that week didn't seal their fates.

"Essential roles will shift monthly in accordance to talent and work ethic." Kaze smiled.

"It's an arbitrary system that incentives people to work hard for every lesson and task they undertake.

Naturally, they cannot buy their way into a skilled trade, and those in them cannot leave without training someone else.

However, people can train each other, and those in skilled trades have job security. It balances out."

Mixed emotions spread through the crowd. Some were excited, while others were nervous, but everyone was ignorant of how horrifying the system was.

The system chained everyone to lives without job security, enslaved to training after work to prevent losing their decent jobs. It required constant work around the clock to exist.

"Let's talk money. we have a currency known as Skye Bills that you will get for working, doing serious tasks, or completing special missions." Kaze continued.

"Food, housing, and essentials cost 100 Skye every week. Everyone will make at least that much if they show up to work, so it's not a concern."

Most people shrugged it off as if it was second nature. However, they'd soon find that it was a primary concern and not working would result in [near] starvation.

"You'll get extra Skye by performing well daily or doing extra tasks.

Faction members can use them to buy clothing, extra food, and luxuries in the [Luxe], a mansion filled with the most decadent and depraved supply of items in the faction.

The Luxe has over one million clothing items, musical instruments, and video games. So there's plenty to look forward to."

The women gasped in excitement, and their hearts started beating. Video game junkies exploded in cheers hearing that they wouldn't go without games during the [retreat]. Music lovers were stoked.

However, almost everyone glazed over the term depraved, which referred to the ability to buy sex toys, pornography, and everything else imaginable.

He wanted to ensure that men, in particular, didn't become sexually aggressive from frustration or fear during the apocalypse. So he gave everyone an outlet.

"The bottom floor is known as the Underground Bizarre." Kace grinned, "It's a marketplace where people can sell any service or item for reputation points or Skye Bills."

The faction members' eyes widened in bewilderment, and they turned to their neighbors to confirm what they heard.

"With few regulations, prostitution, gambling, and other criminalized actions are legal so long as they're consensual, non-exploitative, and don't result in organized crime." The emperor announced.

"We're here to teach, lead, and promote prosperity through hard work. Unless it harms others, what you do in your off time is none of our business."

Whispers rippled through the amphitheater. It was a vibrant flurry of emotions; some were positive, and others were concerned or judgemental.

The emperor clapped to get everyone's attention. "Let's sum this up simply."

Everyone snapped back to attention and listened attentively.

"Learn, work hard, and showcase leadership and you can buy just about anything." Kaze reiterated, "Luxuries, better housing, resources, lessons, and jobs."

Faction members gulped, understanding how vital talent in cultivation was.

"By working, offering goods and services, or doing missions, you will get Skye Bills." He continued.

"After paying for your essential bills, you can shop to your heart's delight or pay for any service offered by faction members.

So long as your actions don't harm our faction members or result in crime, you can do want with them. That's all."

Members looked at each other for confirmation before clapping to conclude the explanations.

The rules translated to the following.

If people didn't work, they didn't eat.

If people didn't perform jobs well, they'd be forced into lower roles.

Those who performed well would live in luxury.

Those that didn't perform well would live in poverty.

Members could get coveted jobs if they worked hard.

Members would lose their prized jobs if they slacked off.

He encouraged prostitution to prevent stressed-out men and women from assaulting people.

He discouraged people from meddling in other people's affairs.

The economy incentivized members to solve their own problems.

The economy disincentivized negative behavior.

All work was mandatory; talent didn't bypass the need for it.

All work was transient and replaceable if one worked for it.

Rebellion takes time; since starving people could change their situation arbitrarily in as little as a day, rebelling was suicide.

Rebellion is most commonly triggered by unjust inequality, but the system was arbitrary and favoritism free.

He made working hard have endless benefits.

He made rebellion foolish and nearly impossible.

The emperor wasn't creating a faction—he was setting up an entire government, city, and eventually an empire.

It was a profoundly simple yet effective system that would prevent issues quickly as soon as the apocalypse news broke and people suffered for the first time.

"Now that you understand the system, you are free to leave for the training grounds." Kaze announced, "Today, we're practicing prioritization.

You have a free day to cultivate however you wish. You'll be tested tomorrow with unknown criteria, so think about what's truly important. You may begin!"

—

[A/N: Kaze uses (laissez-faire economics) to force people to work and trade and uses extreme (libertarianism), to let people do what they want so long as it doesn't harm anyone else. He's letting them govern themselves socially and economically with arbitrary systems.

However, the reputation point system connects to every aspect of people's lives, and he controls the reputation points. It's a horrifying totalitarian control lever that allows Kaze to control people's very existence behind the scenes. He isn't playing around, folks.

You'll find these systems are absolutely brutal. They allow people to punish themselves for rising against him and prevent rebellion by forcing people into economic dependency.

Don't forget this is a party faction novel! Kaze isn't a dictator and doesn't want his subjects to suffer. However, he demands absolute obedience to his rule and laws. Watch how quickly and smoothly he attains it, swiftly ushering in a golden era of partying goodness.]