Huang Zhengliang understood very well that pulling this off did not hinge on them or their opponents, but rather on the advisory group—on those above.
The stance of the higher-ups was the true crux.
What he wanted to ask was whether Chen Chuan had already communicated with them about this.
Chen Chuan said, "President Huang, the parameters set for us by the upper tier are actually quite broad. They only steer the general direction. Apart from notable figures and matters that draw their personal attention, they pay little heed to the rest.
"We can handle this matter ourselves.
"This organization lurks within our nation's borders and has clearly colluded with entities from the opposite world, causing immense damage to us. Before the Great Impact arrives, we must launch a purge against it. Even if we cannot eradicate it entirely, we must find a way to eliminate a portion.
"If anyone tries to obstruct us, no matter who it is, they must not be let off lightly—even if a steep price must be paid.
"None of you need to worry about the advisory group, either." He added calmly, "If anyone disagrees, I will personally see to persuading them."
Huang Zhengliang and Vice Chairman Zhu both felt their hearts skip a beat. As members of the Purist Faction, they knew all too well what that so-called "persuasion" meant.
It seemed this Advisor Chen possessed quite an aggressive way of doing things.
Yet on second thought, had the advisors of their Purist Faction not always been like that?
Huang Zhengliang declared his stance on the spot: "Advisor Chen, the faction supports your course of action. We also believe this move is both appropriate and necessary.
"In the past, we focused on external threats and overlooked the sabotage committed by certain elements within. Now that you have pointed it out, Advisor Chen, how could we turn a blind eye? We will cooperate with you fully."
Vice Chairman Zhu added, "Once we return, we will compile dossiers on the personnel and resources the faction can commit to this matter and deliver them to you, Advisor Chen, so you have a clear reference."
Chen Chuan nodded. "Good. I will await your reply, then."
With that, what both sides sought had been settled, and the atmosphere relaxed considerably.
Taking advantage of the moment while everyone sipped tea, Vice Chairman Zhu said, "Advisor Chen, judging from the current situation, since the Skyline Project was officially launched, the Jibei Dao branch has developed the fastest. It serves as a benchmark for every other branch.
"Therefore, before coming here, we held a meeting and decided to allocate a certain amount of support to the Jibei Dao branch so it can flourish even further. Moreover, we hope you, Advisor Chen, will continue to offer your guidance regularly."
The Jibei Dao branch had been rebuilt almost single-handedly by Chen Chuan. Although the faction had subsequently replenished it with funds and personnel, any amount of investment would have been futile without Chen Chuan establishing a firm foothold there.
Consequently, the faction had tacitly regarded it as Chen Chuan's personal sphere of influence, allowing it to develop independently and refraining from interfering as much as possible. Now, that understanding was merely being formalized through an official faction resolution.
Of course, as an advisor, Chen Chuan no longer seemed to need such backing. Yet just because he did not care did not mean they could afford to ignore it. Furthermore, having so many of his former subordinates stationed below would only deepen his sense of belonging to the faction.
Chen Chuan saw through their intentions and took no offense. Jibei Dao was where he had risen, so if the faction was willing to provide more support, that was naturally a good thing. He nodded and said, "Very well, let us proceed with that."
***
While they were conversing, several delegates representing the Conservative Faction were holding a meeting of their own inside the headquarters of the Convergence faction.
By comparison, the atmosphere here was far more somber. The Purist Faction having gained another advisor not only increased their say, but also signified that the power of the Enterprising Faction had expanded once again.
As one side rose, the other fell, and the ones suffering losses were them.
Originally, through deft political maneuvers, they had managed to keep him down, only for the higher-ups to intervene and upend their careful arrangements below.
The Convergence faction had also anticipated that the Purist Faction would subsequently fight for favorable resource allocations, so they were working on countermeasures.
Yet beyond that, numerous other unfavorable circumstances were currently stacked against them.
First of all, with this war concluded, a massive number of Enterprising Faction members in the military had received promotions, and these people would serve as the backbone during the period of confronting the Great Impact.
The military had many factions. Although a few members leaning toward their side had managed to pick up military merits, those achievements paled in comparison. The top-tier combatants who had rendered great contributions this time were essentially all people from the Enterprising Faction.
The Enterprising Faction had fully accomplished its strategic objectives within the military.
On the other hand, riding the momentum of their resounding victory, the calls to promote Skyline surged higher and higher, to the point where the conservatives felt hard-pressed to hold out.
A delegate representing local corporations spoke up: "May I ask everyone, has the Administration Council made up its mind?"
A delegate from the Refined Practice School answered, "Nothing has been finalized yet."
Someone shook their head. "What does it matter if it hasn't been finalized? Zhongjing has already effectively integrated with Skyline. Right now, the municipal councils of various center cities are under immense pressure and hope we can devise a solution."
"At present, stopping it seems impossible, but we can find ways to delay it. Drag it out for a few months, drag it out for a year, until the Great Impact arrives—then everything will be easier to manage."
This was the exact plan the crowd harbored. While the grand trend was undeniably irresistible, dragging things out for half a year or so was perfectly achievable. As long as they preserved the overarching board, little could change from below.
Because the Convergence faction hosted the meeting, their committee members were the most numerous in attendance. One of them suggested:
"During these six months, the Enterprising Faction's movements will never cease. We ought to give them something to occupy themselves with so they cannot keep their eyes fixed solely on us.
"I propose activating the 'Heart-Devouring Insect Project' ahead of schedule."
The crowd felt a jolt of shock. The Refined Practice School's representative frowned. "Isn't launching it now too early?"
The committee member replied, "Skyline is covering more and more center cities. The moment a single flaw appears anywhere, the problem will be uncovered. Rather than pinning our hopes on luck, we might as well launch it early. Besides, it will also help us stall the Skyline Project."
Many delegates had felt hesitant at first, but the moment that final sentence was spoken, they immediately shifted their attitudes.
Although launching it early diverged from the original plan, so long as it served their present needs and helped them weather the crisis, that was enough.
Someone promptly voiced, "I agree."
"Agreed."
"Agreed."
With the vast majority of delegates expressing concurrence, the formal decision to launch the project ahead of schedule was finalized. However, the precise timing could not be settled immediately, because even if everything proceeded smoothly, the earliest it could be activated would be next month.
***
Over on Chen Chuan's side, after settling the arrangements, Huang Zhengliang and the others took their leave.
He could tell that they still harbored doubts regarding the forthcoming plan, likely finding it overly abrupt and radical.
Yet as the saying went, time waited for no one.
Playing slow political games would never defeat those people; past events were proof enough. Therefore, he had to play to his strengths and deny the enemy sufficient time to react.
The Purist Faction moved swiftly. Within just half a day of returning, they had compiled the dossiers and sent them over to him.
After reviewing them, Chen Chuan immediately had Kaiyang integrate the data to refine the entire plan.
Once the draft was complete, he went over it and found it highly feasible. The plan did not emphasize intricate, interlocking details; rather, it relied on exploiting information and timing gaps to strike with total surprise.
He pondered for a moment, then reached out to Fan Zhentong and laid out the plan. Upon hearing it, Fan Zhentong readily declared, "Advisor Chen, this plan is excellent. I'll handle things on this end. Await my word."
Chen Chuan voiced his agreement. After concluding the call, he checked the day's intelligence briefs, and seeing nothing worthy of particular note for the time being, he stepped into the opposite fissure to carry out his daily cultivation.
When dawn broke the next morning, Kaiyang alerted him to an incoming communication. Looking at it, he saw a message from Fan Zhentong:
"Arrangements made. It can be launched anytime before the end of the month. Which day should the operation be set for?"
Chen Chuan gave it brief thought, then looked up and said, "Today!"
***
Ministry of National Security, 3:00 PM.
Administrative Commissioner Huang Quji was sitting in his office reading the morning news releases from the Administration Council, which mainly concerned the gradual opening of investment by major international corporations into the convergence zone.
Due to the recent war against the former imperial household, Dongxuan View martial artists like him had been required to remain on duty in Zhongjing and could not go anywhere.
Now, although the war had concluded, the operational command center had not been fully dissolved, and the wartime curfew remained in effect. Thus, he was still restricted to Zhongjing each day.
Right at this moment, he suddenly received a notification requesting cooperation from the military department.
The contents stated that following a meeting, the command center planned to dispatch him to the southern front to organize retaliatory strikes against recent provocations by the Chirgata Federation.
He was not the only martial artist within the Ministry of National Security, but each held their own portfolios, and international affairs happened to be his purview.
He reviewed the details. The operation called for disrupting and countering Chirgata while strictly confining actions within a defined scope so as not to escalate into an outright military conflict between the two nations. This demanded a directing officer with a firm grasp over operational boundaries, which was why someone had recommended him during the meeting.
It seemed entirely normal, yet he sensed something was off. In the past, missions he undertook were almost always routed through the ministry, whereas this one had been forwarded straight to his desk. While not entirely unprecedented, it was exceptionally rare.
After a moment's contemplation, he rose and left his office, making his way toward He Shugang's quarters. Upon arriving at the office area, however, he was informed that the minister had departed shortly before, and even his personal secretary was gone.
Locating one of He Shugang's confidential secretaries, he inquired, "Where did the minister go?"
The secretary replied, "The minister stepped out just a moment ago. It's the Administration Council's routine meeting for this month; all ministerial-level officials are required to attend."
Huang Quji frowned. "Isn't that usually held at the end of the month?"
The secretary hesitated before whispering, "Commissioner, word is that the Administration Council is discussing postwar personnel reassignments. Rumors say that because of this war of annihilation, the handover for the post of Chief Administrator might be brought forward, and the minister's seat might be shifted as well."
Chapter 1486