Sūxing City

Between the Yangtze river in the north and the Wu Jiang and Yuan Jiang in the south, lies the great urban sprawl of Sūxing City. The greatest city, or at least the largest city, in the known world. Within this jungle of tenements, slums, suburbs and infrastructure live over five million people, all trying to make their way in the world, and more arriving by the day.

Life can be hard in the city, but where is it not? And at least in the city you're more or less free to live life how you see fit -within reason. Running this great metropolis is the Mayor, Zhu Xiang, in his fourth consecutive five year term and supported heavily by the diesel and media magnates. Below him are the governors, each with purview over their subdivision within the city. On the ground are the S.C.P.D. of course, keeping it all together by putting away the worst, or at least keeping them from getting too cocky. While out in the borders you can find the outsourced military, keeping any would be raiders at bay, while letting the movement of goods and people flow.

Once you've had your corporate education you're free to enter the big wide world and make it for yourself, unless you have the brains for a degree that is and want to head to university. Something you may want if you ever want to make your voice heard in the elections, though Zhu Xiang seems like a shoe-in anyway. Otherwise you'll likely end up in one of the steelyards, foundries and factories, churning out products and commodities, or perhaps in transportation, traversing the great highways, skyways, and railways that crisscross over and under the city, making sure we all get our food, and our trading partners get their shit, all so hopefully you can retire and not die of pollution induced lung cancer too soon.

## History

1945: Republic of China begins to breakdown as mass flooding leads to huge loss of life in coastal regions and flood of refugees westward. Epic famine time.

1949: Facing massive cashflow issues, the KMT officials privatize much of the arsenals, shipyards, and factories in Enshi City, Zhangjiajie, Tongren, Huaihua.

1952: Growing dissatisfaction with the KMT leads to a demand for democratic elections across Zhangjiajie. Protests are violently suppresses, but protests spread to Enshi City, and soon to be recognized Niuchangde. KMT compromise and allow limited-voting mayoral elections in the cities, and the easing of border and travel restrictions. Voting is restricted to the wealthy, government employees, and specific professions. The new influx of refugees is exploited by businessmen, who use the refugees to keep workers rights, and pay, to a minimum.

1954: A populist uprising in response to low wages and poor conditions topples the KMT government, which was already weakened after effectively being cut off from rest of the KMT. In the wake of this no real solid leadership emerges. City police eventually reestablish order after the Mayors of Zhangjiajie and Enshi City declare independence. They codify the 'Educated Voter' system, which restricts voting rights to those who meet certain criteria, usually based on occupation.

1954-1964: Unburdened by financing the on-going KMT war effort, the cities flourish as city investment massively invest into local infrastructure. Several large businesses rise to prominence in each city, most receiving large contracts from the cities, and in turn supporting (or opposing) the campaigns of incumbents. This corruption is public knowledge, but the stability and prosperity provided keeps public discontent in check.

1965: Competition between Zhangjiajie and Enshi City grows as the boundaries of the cities expand. This manifests into a series of riots along the border regions, resulting in fires that destroy several large industrial districts. The governments of each city, prompted by prominent businesses, hold a plebiscite on merging the two cities.

Students, utilising the political tension, protest the cost of education, alongside issues of poor living conditions and the growing political power of the businesses. A number of businesses agree to purchase and abolish fees for schooling, in return for government subsidies to do so. The so called Corporate Schooling System emerges. The plebiscite passes, and a new election is held for the first Mayoralty of Sūxǐng City.

1966: Niuchangde votes to join Sūxǐng City

1970: The twin-cities of Tongren-Huaihua vote to join Sūxǐng City

1988: The City Expansion Act is signed into law, allowing companies to operate in land outside current city limits tax free in return for investments. Much of the land between the Wu Jiang and Yuan Jiang is integrated into the city through this act.

1995: Present day.