So, in New Zealand, the two most important cards are your driver’s license and your tax card. The driver’s license serves as your ID, and the tax card is issued by the Inland Revenue Department, commonly known as the IRD card. On it, there’s an eight- or nine-digit tax number, which will be Robert Walker’s tax number from now on.

“Be sure to keep your IRD card safe, and never evade taxes. Trust me, brother, the most formidable force in New Zealand isn’t any military, it’s the tax department. You really don’t want to mess with them!” Charles reminded him.

Robert Walker nodded and said, “I understand. There are two things in life you can’t avoid: death and taxes, right?”

Charles gave a wry smile and said, “That’s right!”

Next, the middle-aged woman took Robert Walker to an office and handed him a sheet of paper with some terms translated in both Chinese and English, then had him recite them facing the New Zealand flag and the British royal flag.

Robert Walker knew this was an essential step for immigrants to British Commonwealth countries. According to British law, every immigrant must swear allegiance to the Queen of England when acquiring citizenship. Although the oath itself is a religious act and New Zealand calls itself the “land of freedom,” guaranteeing freedom of belief, there is no freedom to not take the oath.

But now it’s just a formality. The judge overseeing the process was an elderly man with graying hair, who seemed half-asleep and inattentive.

In front of Robert Walker, a white man was taking the oath. He stood at attention, right hand solemnly placed over his left chest, left palm raised forward, and in an extremely dignified voice, he earnestly declared:

“I solemnly swear here that I swear to completely renounce all citizenship and allegiance to any foreign prince, monarch, country, or sovereignty to which I have previously belonged. I will be loyal and sincere to New Zealand and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her heirs... I freely take this oath here, with no mental reservation, excuse, or evasion. So help me God, as a citizen of New Zealand!”

When it was Robert Walker’s turn, he imitated the white man’s posture, standing at attention, left hand over his heart, right hand pointing forward. After a moment’s thought, he said:

“Great mother of the Chinese nation, your child is in the enemy camp but loyal to Han at heart. Please believe me, I’ve infiltrated the bourgeoisie to better serve the proletariat! And please bless me, bless my small town to grow and prosper here. I vow to build my town into a paradise for the descendants of China. Lastly, the Chinese nation, with civil and military achievements, will rule for thousands of years, unifying the world...”

The drowsy judge looked at him with a strange expression after hearing his words. Robert Walker deliberately explained in halting English, “S-sorry, my English, English not good, I can only take the oath in Chinese.”

The judge nodded, made the sign of the cross over his chest, and said, “May your motherland, the Chinese nation, bless you to learn English soon.”

“...” Old Walker slunk away, realizing that there were more people in New Zealand who understood Chinese than he had expected.

Not long after receiving his green card and tax card, Charles came to find him again, saying that the application for the town had been approved by the national parliament, and asked him to sign a ballot and an appointment letter, making him the first mayor of Sunset Town.

Robert Walker was dumbfounded: “The town application got approved this fast? Is the New Zealand civil service system really this efficient?”

“It’s a special case,” Charles said with a beaming smile, looking very pleased, as if he had accomplished something great.

Robert Walker looked at the ballot and appointment letter. His English was so-so, so he could only understand the general meaning, but Charles was very patient and translated for him whenever he didn’t understand something.

This ballot was very important and would be filed in the town’s records. In New Zealand, mayors are elected by vote. Sunset Town had only Robert Walker as a resident, so whoever’s name he wrote down would be the mayor.

Signing his own name again, Robert Walker said with a wry smile, “I guess I’m the only mayor in the world with no subordinates, huh?”

Charles cheerfully put away the ballot and appointment letter, then, like performing a magic trick, spun his finger and produced a green ballot, wrote Robert Walker’s name on it, and winked: “Now you have one resident.”

Robert Walker said happily, “You’re joining my town?”

“You have to make me an honorary resident,” Charles said proudly.

Robert Walker gave a thumbs up and praised, “Charles, my brother, you’re so loyal. Not only will I make you an honorary resident, I can even give you a job. Tell me, which department do you want to work in?”

Charles shrugged and said, “Forget it, man, I think my current job is just fine. Come on, don’t just stand around in the room. Let’s go out and have a big meal to celebrate—you’re a mayor now, brother, a mayor!”

Robert Walker was excited too, so he followed Charles out. To be honest, since arriving in New Zealand, he hadn’t really had a chance to look around. These past two days, with the haunted castle incident, he’d been busy with documents and the internet.

Charles was very familiar with Omarama. Somehow, he’d gotten hold of a Toyota Prado and drove Robert Walker straight to a place called “Strawfield.”

The small town seemed to be holding some kind of event these days. Many streets were decorated, and people from nearby towns and cities had come, filling the usually spacious roads to the brim. The Toyota Prado moved very slowly.