Chapter 133: The Hearing of the Fallen Woman (3)

"I feel deeply saddened, so I wish to make a contribution in this way. Because I am infertile, I will not break up any families... We pay our taxes normally and contribute to the frontline soldiers’ efforts to eliminate the zombies..."

There is definitely an expert behind this, Li Fengyi thought to himself while sitting in the hearing gallery. "Damn, even a sex worker has a higher level of awareness than I do."

The hearing had previously arranged for a doctor to testify. The doctor examined the medical certificates of the sex workers, verified their authenticity, and stated, "Before the apocalypse, the infertility rate reached 15%, with women accounting for 50% of those cases. They cannot become mothers. In the current circumstances of the apocalypse, beyond their regular work, this method can effectively alleviate men's physiological stress. If men remain in a state of sexual anxiety for too long, it lowers work efficiency, increases the rate of workplace accidents, and leads to an increase in violent crimes, as sexual frustration is often vented through violence."

Li Fengyi thought, "Damn it, they caught over 20 sex workers this time; finding a few who are infertile is certainly possible. It seems the People's Congress is inclined toward this method of resolving male stress. It really is a 'benefit to the people'—I have to give them credit for daring to think and act on it."

A masked housewife also spoke. Heavily pregnant, she said, "I originally came to represent the women to condemn these 'vixens.' I also know that men work very hard every day, and it is even harder to endure during their wives' pregnancies. However, if this can alleviate men's stress without breaking up families... as a woman who cannot conceive and has lost the chance to be a mother, I feel very sad... I do not approve of organized sex work, but I do not oppose its existence under these circumstances..."

She sat down quietly. Her words were met with a round of applause.

A masked man also requested to speak. He said, "I am a man, and my wife is pregnant. Although it is difficult to endure, I try to solve this problem by working day and night. But hormonal issues cannot be overcome by willpower alone. When I find myself experiencing nocturnal emissions several times a night, I bought an electric doll..."

"Haha!" The venue erupted in laughter.

He continued, "Through total dedication to my work, I can hold out. But I have looked into it, and now the rape rate is rising. Even if rape is punishable by death, if men have no outlet for such strong needs, I am very worried about my wife's safety..."

His words were also met with applause.

***

The women's rights department, seeing that they could no longer oppose it, simply shifted their angle and demanded, in the name of gender equality, that the work of male sex workers also be increased. They argued that men are busy working all day and often travel for long periods, leaving women—who have physiological needs of their own beyond raising children—neglected. Furthermore, men also have that same 15% infertility rate and could contribute as well.

The hearing erupted into uproarious laughter.

This proposal, intended purely to disgust those who opened the door for male-oriented rights, was discussed by the People's Congress and eventually approved. The thought of who the primary client base for these male sex workers would be made everyone nervous, and as a result, the rate of husbands and wives caring for one another increased significantly.

In the days that followed, those who proposed the women's rights initiative were exhausted by their own husbands, and several rebellious ladies became the first clients of the male sex workers.

Many survivor bases also participated in the discussion, leading to a period of disorder that Wu Tianxiong ended without hesitation by banging his gavel, forcibly restoring order to the hearing.

Based on the results of the hearing, the People's Congress issued the "Sex Worker Law," requiring those engaged in such work to undergo strict medical examinations. Only those who were infertile or suffered from hypersexuality were permitted to engage in this work.

The "Planned Marriage and Childbearing Law" was also slightly adjusted by the People's Congress: a spouse visiting a sex worker's place of business could no longer be used as grounds for divorce. The men found this quite frustrating.

The term "hypersexuality" led Li Fengyi to consult several medical dictionaries. He specifically asked Minister of Health Ou Fuchun, who was busy at the Old River Bend Zombie Observation Base. Subsequently, he reviewed the files of the first group of sex workers caught and found that, aside from the three infertile women, the others were primarily girls with hypersexuality. He could not help but click his tongue—this condition was truly something men could not handle, and sex work was indeed a very good outlet.

If left untreated, these cases of hypersexuality would eventually lead to infertility.

The "Sex Worker Law" also required harsh punishment for situations leading to the breakup of families; the parties involved would be sent directly to labor reform brigades. The definition of sex work was strictly limited to the relief of domestic physiological stress, and the trafficking of women for such work was severely cracked down upon, with forced trafficking punishable by death.

Li Fengyi, as the highest leader of the Special Committee, signed the "Sex Worker Law," and the legislation took effect.

***

Because it was officially recognized by law, and as society became more open-minded about the issue, a sex worker who had resolved the psychological and physiological stresses of many citizens in the Special Committee’s region was eventually honored for their high efficiency and excellent results in the "Human Heroes of the Apocalypse" series hosted by Xu Zibin. When the segment aired, at their request, their gender and name were not disclosed.

At the end of the program, Xu Zibin offered a comment that everyone agreed with: "Never has so little been done for so many by so few."

Regarding human trafficking, almost everyone wondered why, despite the entire nation opposing it, the sentences had remained so light. It was almost as if it were encouraging the practice.

When asked about the historical reasons for the light sentencing of human traffickers, the outspoken Commander Liu seemed to have some unspeakable secrets. Everyone was left in contemplation—it seemed it was a product of the need for national political stability during a specific historical period.

Although the issue of human trafficking had not yet resurfaced, some members of the People's Congress were already preparing to take aim at this law, which the entire human race felt was too lenient—seemingly aimed at fighting trafficking, but in reality, encouraging it.

They were eager to make their mark in the history of Chinese legislation and leave behind a legacy they could boast about to their descendants during their brief five-year terms.

The "Anti-Corruption Law," based on the one issued in the Cangzhou survivor region, which treated corruption as equivalent to treason and robbery, caused a strong reaction. Even within the Special Committee, there was constant controversy. Many with long-term vision felt it was not conducive to stabilizing the national situation quickly, while the grassroots populace, fueled by years of resentment, felt it was not harsh enough.

Originally, when the Special Committee announced that leaders of various survivor bases who were unwilling to serve could choose to join the People's Congress or the Political Consultative Conference, many survivor bases took the initiative to contact them and align with them. After the "Anti-Corruption Law" was issued, the wind shifted significantly.