The Endgame Chronicles (by Hugh White) novel Chapter 100

“All residents who join my base will use a points system,” Hayley announced. “Points can be exchanged for food, water, daily supplies, and all sorts of tools.”

She pulled out the list she had given Anthony earlier and told him to post it on the bulletin board in the villa area.

The list detailed exactly how many points each item was worth. One pound of pasta was one point, a bag of salt one point, a single egg one point, a pound of pork ten points, a live chicken fifty points…

There was also a list showing how to earn points and the exchange rates for handing in items.

“You can exchange your crops and harvests for points. On top of that, killing zombies and collecting crystal cores will earn you rewards!”

Hayley held up a crystal core for everyone to see.

“Julian, I had you record the number of cores your group collected earlier. Each one counts as one point to give you a head start. From now on, any crystal cores you hunt yourselves will be worth ten points each!”

Julian and the others immediately understood.

In Hayley’s base, points were currency. Each person had just turned in 50 to 80 crystal cores, which became their starting points.

Exchanging those points for food alone would net each person at least 500 pounds of supplies.

“Additionally, all of you must pay ten points every day as a resident tax,” Hayley explained, setting the framework for the base.

100%

“This tax is for using the land and buildings within my territory. If you’re late by a day, there’s a 10% penalty. Ten days behind, and you’ll lose resident privileges, have all your property confiscated, and be expelled. I expect you

all to monitor each other and report to me if there are any tax evaders. Half the property of those tax evaders goes to the person who reports them!”

Everyone tensed at this.

“But in return, every resident in my territory will be under my protection. I’ll provide the safest environment

sible. You can produce freely and live as safely as before the apocalypse. I’ll even give you benefits from time

to time.”

Throughout history, ruling over people has always involved five strategies: keeping them ignorant, weak, tired, humiliated, and poor.

Ignorance means unifying the population under one central authority. 1

Hayley wanted her residents to think the same way she did. Everyone in her territory had to agree with her vision, work together to develop the base, and follow her lead.

This was keeping people “ignorant” in the classical sense.

Keeping the people weak means making the base strong while keeping individual residents powerless, ensuring no one can challenge authority.

For example, Miles and his crew that Hayley ran into yesterday.

They stuck together under Miles, each with their own agenda. Hayley would never accept a group like that- bringing in a bunch of troublemakers would only destabilize her base.

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