Huang Quji's first instinct was that it was impossible. As the Minister of the Department of Security Affairs, He Shugang was an official who wielded real executive power.
Unless it was confirmed that he was being transferred to the Administration Council to serve as a core member of the next executive administration, he would never be casually reassigned.
Yet even if that were the case, Huang Quji did not believe He Shugang would voluntarily surrender his current position. Holding that post was not a matter he alone could decide; it represented the interests of many people backing him.
Then again, during transitions between administrations, people were always rising and falling. It was entirely possible that the Enterprising Faction had applied pressure, seizing this opportunity to push He Shugang out of his seat.
He fell into thought. This year was extraordinary. With the Great Impact imminent, the struggle between the two factions was bound to be fiercer than ever before, and Zhongjing was a massive vortex. Perhaps heading to the southern front was not a bad thing for him after all—it offered an ideal chance to steer clear of the storm.
Especially now that that particular individual had risen to become an advisor in the advisory group. While Huang Quji could not say they were outright enemies, their relationship was hardly friendly, and he suspected that if given the chance, the man might very well make trouble for him.
Granted, at his current level, he had no fear of ordinary trouble. Yet he knew full well that many complicated matters were tied to his own past, and as an advisor, the man had countless ways to bring him down.
With that in mind, he decided to leave as quickly as possible.
By the time he returned, the dust in Zhongjing would likely have settled. So he refrained from probing any further, left the room at once, returned to his office, filed a report with the department, and then coordinated with the military.
A reply arrived swiftly: an airship had already been arranged, and it could take off within an hour at the earliest.
He pondered for a moment. The military seemed somewhat impatient, but military emergencies were always treated like fires; since it concerned an operational deployment, their urgency was understandable.
After brief preparations, he left the Department of Security Affairs ten minutes later, accompanied by his orderly and security detail.
Since he had resolved to avoid Zhongjing's vortex of trouble, he naturally would not leave a power avatar behind. Doing so would be the same as never leaving at all.
***
Meanwhile, Chen Chuan stood inside a lakeside pavilion, casually tossing out a handful of feed. Beneath the surface, carp swarmed and fought for the morsels.
Kaiyang spoke: "Advisor Chen, Commissioner Huang Quji has accepted the military's commission and departed the Department of Security Affairs. He is currently heading toward the military's No. 3 mooring tower and is expected to leave Zhongjing in one hour."
Under Chen Chuan's instructions, Kaiyang had been keeping watch over the Department of Security Affairs around the clock. Learning that Huang Quji had departed without leaving even an avatar behind, Chen Chuan gave a slight nod. With that man gone, the upcoming operational plan would be much easier to execute.
He said, "Keep a close eye on Huang Quji's whereabouts. Notify me immediately if there are any developments."
"Understood, Advisor Chen. However, I can only track him as far as Shannan Dao. Once he leaves Shannan Dao and passes beyond the reach of Skyline's field coverage, information can no longer be transmitted in time."
Chen Chuan said, "That is enough."
Just then, a small boat appeared upon the lake, bearing a lone passenger across the water.
Moments later, the skiff reached the shore. The passenger stepped onto the bank, climbed the stone stairs to the upper pavilion, and bowed respectfully to Chen Chuan. "Mingchengzi greets Xuanji."
Chen Chuan inclined his head in greeting. "Gaogong Mingcheng, are your affairs settled?"
Mingchengzi answered respectfully, "Everything has been properly concluded. From this day forth, I have no lingering ties."
Chen Chuan said, "Kaiyang, are Gaogong Mingcheng's credentials ready?"
Kaiyang answered, "All identity documentation procedures have been completed."
A ripple ran through the field, and a metallic card materialized before Mingchengzi.
Chen Chuan said, "Gaogong Mingcheng, this is your credential within Great Shun. I will be relying on your assistance at my side hereafter."
Mingchengzi looked at the credential card, his expression perking up. Reaching out, he took it, examined it for several moments, and solemnly stowed it away before bowing deeply. "I shall dedicate myself entirely to assisting Xuanji."
Chen Chuan nodded.
Every advisor could assemble their own team, whose members answered directly to them. Some advisors drew their retinue from factional supporters, while others cultivated their own trusted confidants.
Under ordinary circumstances, a newly elevated advisor like Chen Chuan would need to rely heavily on their martial arts school, as close ties with the school provided a stronger foundation. His advantage, however, was that he had previously served as a departmental chief in government and possessed his own network of contacts. Even without the backing of his school, he could find suitable hands.
Had he not still been so young, with peers of his generation not yet fully matured into prominence, there would have been even more personnel available for him to employ.
In fact, he had considered from the very beginning that if the school proved uncooperative or failed to offer sufficient backing, he would not force the issue; he would simply marshal his own people to carry out the operation.
He did not need an army—Mingchengzi alone was enough.
Had Huang Quji left an avatar behind, Chen Chuan would have dispatched Mingchengzi to suppress and pin it down.
Even with the Purist Faction's cooperation secured, he still intended to build a retinue dedicated solely to him. He planned to transfer the members of his original armed squad to Zhongjing one by one, using the resources here to nurture their growth.
At the same time, he also planned to recall those two ancient martial artists who had pledged their service to him. Previously, resources had been so scarce that cultivating alone was a strain, making it impossible to support two additional martial artists. Now, he no longer had such concerns.
Beckoning to Mingchengzi, Chen Chuan said, "It will still be a while before the operation begins. Why doesn't Gaogong Mingcheng play a game of Ying Continent chess with me first?"
Mingchengzi gladly accepted.
Chen Chuan gave an order to Kaiyang, who immediately projected a field-simulated version of the pinball game.
Mingchengzi had no aversion to this foreign board game. On the contrary, he marveled at how deeply field simulation technology had been integrated.
On his journey to Great Shun, he had seen countless marvels. What struck him most was that these new technologies were not restricted to the upper classes, but were widespread even among the common folk. Great Shun held an all-around advantage over the former imperial household—how could the former imperial household not have fallen?
Sitting down across from Chen Chuan, he played a match and found the Ying Continent game remarkably engaging. Though its rules appeared simple, it allowed for delicate, intricate tactics while preserving the intense thrill of head-to-head combat.
One could tell, however, that in the past, this contest had required specialized equipment and venues, which prevented it from spreading widely. Now, with simulation technology, the two complemented each other perfectly.
Many things were not inherently flawed; their time had simply not yet come, keeping their brilliance hidden.
This thought led his mind further. The world no longer had an emperor, and though his Fulong Faction had no monarch to support, who was to say a dragon had to be a ruler on a throne? With heaven and earth undergoing monumental transformation and two skies in pursuit of each other, this dragon could just as well be an extraordinary hero of the mortal realm.
He looked across at Chen Chuan and gave an inward nod of conviction.
After they had played for two hours, Kaiyang's voice reached Chen Chuan: "Advisor Chen, the target has emerged."
Chen Chuan said, "Understood. Maintain surveillance."
A moment later, a message arrived from Fan Zhentong: "Preparations are complete."
Chen Chuan nodded to Mingchengzi, who bowed to him in salute before dispersing from his seat and vanishing.
***
He Shugang walked down the steps of the Tianyuantang Administration Court. Escorted by a martial artist and two rows of armed guards, he crossed the plaza and entered his dedicated vehicle. The motorcade then pulled out slowly, turning back toward the Department of Security Affairs.
Just then, a prompt warned that traffic was congested along a certain section ahead, recommending a detour.
Traffic jams were common in Zhongjing, and near the Administration Council, they usually meant the vehicles of high-ranking officials had bumped into one another.
Following the instructions provided by the field data, the driver took a detour down a side road. Traffic there would be cleared to let them through. Though it would add five minutes to their travel time, it would not delay them for long.
He Shugang was currently reflecting on what had transpired during the meeting. A confidential secretary from the Administration Council had approached him just earlier, asking for his thoughts on the council and whether he had any suggestions.
That fell completely outside his jurisdiction and was never something that should have been asked of him. Rumors had circulated before his arrival suggesting he might be reassigned to the Administration Council; it now appeared someone above truly intended to shift him.
Yet it was equally possible that there were signs Ren Xinshan was being considered for a reassignment, prompting this indirect warning to He Shugang.
He knew all along that this matter would not be straightforward; certain people within the faction were growing overly impatient.
While he was lost in thought, a notification arrived from a secretary at the department.
It informed him that Huang Quji had accepted an invitation from the military and been dispatched to the southern front to handle an international affair.
He asked, "When did Commissioner Huang leave?"
The secretary replied, "Three hours ago, not long after your meeting began, Minister. He departed by airship."
He Shugang turned the thought over. If he had left by airship, he would already have exited Zhongjing by now and entered Shannan Dao.
The military?
And at a time like this…
A sudden intuition told him something was wrong. Was this aimed at Huang Quji, or…
In a deep voice, he ordered, "Turn around. Back to the Administration Council."
The driver was taken aback, but asked no questions, executing a turn at once under his command. The rest of the motorcade immediately followed suit.
Yet no sooner had they turned around than another notification came through, warning that the route ahead had just been rerouted and advising against doubling back, as it would increase the risk of severe congestion.
He Shugang said impassively, "Ignore it. Go that way."
With his orders received, the driver led the motorcade back. But they had barely traveled several dozen meters when the entire motorcade's field communications cut out completely. Not only did their navigation screens go dark, but the internal vehicle communications were severed as well—a clear sign of deliberate interference.
The security personnel inside the vehicles stiffened, expressions turning grim.
They were not far from the Administration Council, the very heart of power in Great Shun, covered by Zhongjing's premier security field. For signals to be jammed and severed here was something they had never encountered.
In unison, their hands moved toward their weapons.
Just as the vehicles completed their turn and began accelerating, several sedans suddenly surged out from both sides of the street, screeching to a halt to block the road ahead. At the same time, two more cars closed in tightly from the left and right, boxing them in.
They were not afraid, for under the restrictions of the covenant, no martial artist was permitted to strike against them.
Seeing the ambush, the martial artist responsible for He Shugang's protection instantly unleashed his field, enveloping the entire executive vehicle. At the same time, he barked at the driver, "Don't stop! Ram through!"
Chapter 1487