One piece : A Lotus

The project is free for building infrastructure, but... water needs to be purchased with money.

Previously, obtaining water required a lot of money. Sometimes a person could spend the money but not get water. Now, you just need to pay a small fee for water to receive it 24 hours a day. For the residents of Alabasta, there's nothing better.

Fortunately, with mobile news and the Forum, it was easy to gather a group of scientists and inventors. Although they can't compare to Vegapunk, at least this group of scientists engaged in mechanical and other research. Those who were initially underestimated were grateful to work for Ezekiel.

Thus, a modest Royal Academy of Sciences was established.

The first thing invented at the King's request was a special water meter, adapted to Alabasta's needs.

This meter was carefully developed over a long period, and a large number of factories were created for its production.

Use as much water as you need, and the special meter in your home will calculate the payment. Collecting water bills also became simple. Generally speaking, a family's monthly water bill is about a thousand Berries.

This amount of money is beyond imagination. The officials of Alabasta never thought that the "River of Life" project could generate money!

Nami thought the same. They all believed that the "River of Life" was simply the King's benevolent love for his people.

But everyone knows that at the state level, no action is purely benevolent, and any project has significant interests and goals. However, this kind of interest is sometimes not a direct interest in wealth. And, of course, the "River of Life" is no exception.

"A bill for water?!" Nami expressed shock, then dryly asked, "Approximately how much is it?"

"If you calculate per capita, the water bill per person per month is about 500 Berries," Ezekiel smiled.

It's really not that much, so little that almost everyone can easily afford it.

After all, a newspaper costs 100 Berries.

This is a desert country!

Nami calculated, "Alabasta has a population of 220 million people. In reality, counting them is impossible. There could be more if you conduct a census. Even if we take 200 million people, what does that make it for a year?" Nami pondered. "Somewhere around 110 billion Berries per month..."

"Actually, right now it's not so much, but as a necessity for survival, I think that number will increase in the future."

"110 billion Berries per month?! That's 1,320 billion a year!!!

In just one year???"

The "River of Life" project cost only a little over 100 billion Berries.

In just one year, the kingdom can recoup the cost of ten "River of Life" projects!

Fujitora, who was listening to the conversation between these two people, couldn't help but be excited.

"You," Nami looked at Will with some horror and for the first time realized just how calculating this King, who seemed like a simple, charming fool, truly was.

He is calculating!

He is greedy!

That doesn't even do him justice; he is manipulating the world!

What is 1,320 billion Berries? Does the World Government have that much money?

The answer is yes, probably even more.

But that is the accumulation of the World Government over eight hundred years, while Ezekiel's wealth lies in the fact that as long as the country doesn't collapse, he will receive that amount every year!

In this world, including the World Government, no one has ever engaged in building infrastructure for ordinary people, and no one has profited from building infrastructure. Usually, they give a person a piece of land for free activity and then collect taxes regularly. Those who cannot afford to pay taxes become slaves or are expelled from the city. Like, for example, in the Kingdom of Goa in East Blue, where, in reality, only a few people live in the city. How much tax can be collected there?

Speaking of the world governed by the World Government, each country still has its own army.

However, since the Celestial Dragons charge a huge tax annually in exchange for the protection of the World Government, the armed forces of many countries can only be described as pitiful.

The reason Alabasta can maintain an army of 600,000 is actually inseparable from the welfare influence of not having to pay the celestial tribute.

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