Free Web NovelChapter 920: Chapter 659: Little Yang, you don’t want to see everyone in a difficult situation either_2
"Director, I think we haven’t reached that point yet; we can still struggle a bit more." Yang Xiao was almost crying, thinking about the photo he once saw, the distorted limbs gave him goosebumps. If such a body could revert, is that still a human?
"Little Yang, based on the current situation analysis, I am certain that this woman using the alias Chi Dan has the highest probability of winning the election. If you agree to contact her privately, we can hold off suppressing Fu Qingzhu for now."
"I know you have a good private relationship with Fu Qingzhu; you’re brothers. You also understand how damaging this scandal could be for him. I can clearly tell you that if this material falls into the hands of someone malicious, it could very well cost him his life." Nolan Shuo, ever the smooth operator, spoke persuasively without forcing, yet he left him no way out as well.
On one hand, his own brother and the expectations of Nolan Shuo, the director he respected the most; on the other hand, Chi Dan, a person so eerie. Yang Xiao resigned himself; he knew he had no choice, as Nolan Shuo never compromises on principles.
"Director, I’m willing to exert effort for the organization." Yang Xiao stood upright, his expression resolute, showing a readiness to sacrifice.
"I knew I didn’t misjudge you." Nolan Shuo felt relief and nodded.
"But Director, I have a request. Can we postpone the plan? Let’s try our best to prepare for the first vote, and if... if it really doesn’t work out, I’ll then meet with this woman to probe her intentions."
Faced with Yang Xiao’s proposal, Nolan Shuo couldn’t refuse. He nodded in agreement, then stood up, "Let’s settle on this for now. Get ready and come with me; there’s a dinner tonight. I’ve invited a few old-timers with voting power for a casual meal, you’ll accompany them. These guys are influential figures in Rongcheng, each more cunning than a monkey. Remember to be smart around the dining table."
"Understood, I’ll go change my clothes." Yang Xiao immediately stood up, realizing that although it was Nolan Shuo’s gathering, tonight he was the main focus of the banquet.
But the networking demands far exceeded his expectations, these old-timers were incredibly difficult to deal with, all unwilling to commit without seeing benefits, plenty of blandishments, yet nothing substantive.
Over the past few days, Yang Xiao had met a lot of new faces. Fortunately, the Rongcheng Patrol Division supported his work greatly, not only did Nolan Shuo and Huang Guozhao, two Chief Level Chiefs, campaign for him, even the remaining five Deputy-Chief level officers came forward to lobby, each showing their unique capabilities.
This was a battle without smoke. When Yang Xiao walked out of the hotel late at night and looked up at the bright moon, he couldn’t help but sigh. Dealing with human relationships was indeed far more difficult than fighting, especially in a relatively small city like Rongcheng.
A small temple with strong winds, shallow waters have many big frogs, just so.
However, the efforts of Yang Xiao and his colleagues were quite fruitful. Out of the previously undecided 30 people, already 7 had explicitly expressed their support for the Patrol Defense Office and for Yang Xiao, while the number of those inclined towards the Patrol Defense Office was also increasing among the rest.
Now, out of 72 people, 24 have clearly shown support, there is still a gap to the target of 36, they need to rally quickly.
According to intelligence, the Apostles Union and the Chamber of Commerce were also busy, using various means to support their own representatives, in recent times in Rongcheng, false rumors were flying around, mostly about three people: Yang Xiao, Fu Qingzhu, and Chi Dan.
Even more exaggerated were the rumors that Yang Xiao and Chi Dan had an affair, and that they had a boy who was now fostered in another city. He had his father’s temperament and his mother’s looks, was a good student who liked reading horror novels and watching anime; the rumor was so detailed, almost believable, that had it not been him, he might have believed it himself.
"This is a rumor, they are slandering me! Slandering me!!" Yang Xiao slammed an unsigned tabloid on the table, such tactics were too despicable, he thought; it must be the public opinion war staged by the Apostles Union.
But his anger did not earn the understanding of others, led by Beibei, his brothers just looked at Yang Xiao with very subtle expressions.
"No, you guys don’t actually believe that, do you?" Yang Xiao suddenly realized something was wrong and panicked immediately.
"Of course not, our great-nephew definitely wouldn’t have been born to someone from the Chamber of Commerce. It must be someone from your childhood sweetheart past, Director. These rumor-mongers are despicable, what would sister-in-law think if she saw this?!" Xi Menxiu was indignant, banging on the table, "If I find out who started this rumor, I’ll flay him alive!"
Yang Xiao didn’t know how to explain the situation right now, and he highly suspected that Xi Menxiu was behind this rumor.
"Dong dong dong..."
Someone was running outside the door. Da Xiong held a paper in his hand and hurriedly walked into the office, speaking urgently: "Captain, we’ve found it!"
"Who? Who’s spreading rumors about me?" Yang Xiao snatched the paper from Da Xiong’s hand and asked. He had already sent someone to investigate the background of this tabloid.
But when Yang Xiao looked at the investigation report in his hand, he was stunned. The financial backer behind this tabloid turned out to be the Chamber of Commerce, funded by the Rongcheng Chamber of Commerce.
"What’s going on?" Beibei was also baffled, exchanging puzzled looks with everyone, "Why would the Chamber of Commerce spend money to smear itself and incidentally drag our Patrol Division into this? What... what are they plotting?" ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
This news, whether true or false, was extremely detrimental to the Patrol Division led by Yang Xiao and the Chamber of Commerce backed by Chi Dan. After all, the majority of powers in Rongcheng did not want to see a union trend between any two of the three major forces, as such a coalition would inevitably change the power structure within Rongcheng. Any change to the status quo would make life difficult for many.
These medium and small forces thrive by navigating through the three major forces, seizing opportunities to gain benefits. They would never sit back and watch two forces join and grow larger. This rumor hit the Patrol Division and the Chamber of Commerce hard, and Yang Xiao couldn’t fathom why the Chamber of Commerce would do such a thing.
"Could it be that the Chamber of Commerce, realizing they are slipping, secretly teamed up with the Apostles Union, trying to execute such a plan to drag us down as well?" Beibei was very perceptive. In the investigation team, she was one of the few with a political nose, "Think about it, if we have to choose between the Chamber of Commerce and the Apostles Union for a new role in our Patrol Division, the Chamber of Commerce would definitely favor the Apostles Union over us."
"That makes sense, but..." Based on the intelligence Yang Xiao had received recently, the most likely candidate among the three to clinch this role was actually the Chamber of Commerce. They covertly controlled many medium and small forces within Rongcheng, with considerable influence.
Moreover, there was something Beibei and others didn’t know - the woman using the alias Chi Dan was Mo Daidai’s sister. Her background was extremely complex, with direct connections to the General Chamber of Commerce, which no force in Rongcheng could touch, not even Nalan Shuo.
Yang Xiao picked up the tabloid, asking Da Xiong, "What’s the Chamber of Commerce’s reaction to this news?"
Da Xiong scratched his head, also confused, "It’s strange, they haven’t reacted at all, as if they don’t know about it."
"It’s weird, they’ve been slandered yet they don’t clarify, what game are they playing?" Yang Xiao leaned back in his chair, his mind a mess. He vaguely sensed that there was a big play at hand, but what exactly it was, he couldn’t figure out.
He took his questions to Director Nalan, but even with Nalan Shuo’s insight, he couldn’t make out the other party’s intentions. It was a complete lose-great-to-hurt-little idiotic tactic that benefitted no one but the Apostles Union, with no advantageous aspect for the Chamber of Commerce in Nalan Shuo’s view.
"What are these people really up to?" Putting down the tabloid, Nalan Shuo was also perplexed until he turned his gaze towards Yang Xiao.
