Page 305 of Light Leech

“Selling health insurance, huh? Am I wrong to assume that you’re pro-neo-capitalocracy?”

He scoffed. “Of course I am. Without the Pharma party at the top, my job is worthless.”

“How do you feel when protesters tell you you’re ruining their nation by exploiting lower color districts.”

“They’re idiots.”

“What about when they tell you the party you work for brought war and created an unnecessary hatred for Arabasians?”

“It’s not like that–”

“I know it’s not your fault, but they still believe it and scream it, don’t they?”

Zhu whispered. “His wife left him for taking the job.”

I tried not to smile at the revealed advantage.

“Well–”

“Did you lose anyone close to you when you took your position?”

His jaw tightened. He nodded after a brief pause.

“All because you chose to hate Arabasians. Before you reject that, I know it’s not true. They still say it, don’t they?”

He nodded.

“And what do your efforts bring? Huh? Arguments? Hatred for political choices that they push on you for living a certain way. I get you. People like you have no hatred towards Arabasia, do you?”

I prayed he wasn’t a racist.

He nodded.

“But they’ll push that on you. Hatred will keep those divisions present when a compromise can’t be reached. Hatred is peace. You see? That is what they want us to understand. That is the point of this game. As scholars, the world will reject us and spit on us for the truth we pursue because it does not align with their ideal reality. Compromises are dead. The world is a market in which we can be the victors or the exploited. So would you rather lose by listening to their idiocy or leave them behind by simple hatred?”

“I… I guess hatred?”

“Hatred is peace.”

The battle he fought behind his eyes no longer mattered. His gaze went dead and his blissful smile was that of a fool understanding yet another soothing lie.

I cocked my head. “Go do your work, sir.”

I held a prideful smile until he instigated a conversation with two women in the middle of an argument. It was a perfect catalyst for his message. I could only hope that he was as convincing as he had been gullible.

I let go of my salesman’s demeanor and let out a breath. I ran my fingers through my hair, then pulled to see if I could feel the slight pain of tension.

“Convincing yourself now, are you, bakuh?”

I’m doing what I have to.

“Why not hate those who supported the eradication of ‘dangerous immigrants’ like you?”

Because they’re programmed shacs. Hating the victims of propaganda will only pull them deeper into their convictions.

“But they detest you.”

Let them. It won’t bring them anything.