Qiu Tu walked to the bedside and looked out at Xinjie City through the window.
The winter had stripped Xinjie City of its splendor, leaving behind a sketch drawn in black and white lines, exuding a sense of solitude and bleakness.
This was the second winter since Xinjie City had become a Planning Area.
Picking up the phone, the somewhat desolate voice of Tang Feifei came through, "Qiu Tu?"
Qiu Tu hummed in acknowledgment, "It's me. What's happened?"
Qiu Tu calculated the timing. Tang Feifei should still be in a meeting. So this call was a bit strange.
Indeed... Hearing Qiu Tu's words, Tang Feifei said, "Huang Shangzong has offered enough compensation but also has some thoughts and arrangements of his own."
"He knows it's up to you to accept or not. So he arranged a ten-minute tea break in the middle of the meeting, allowing me to communicate with you."
Upon hearing Tang Feifei's explanation, a dawning realization spread across Qiu Tu's face.
Then he asked, "What compensation did Huang Shangzong offer, and what conditions did he propose?"
On the other end of the phone, Tang Feifei stood on a suspended corridor of the Parliament Building.
The fourteen-story building loomed below her, pedestrians scurrying like ants, dizzying for anyone who looked down from the sides.
But as a Fourth-order Cataclysmic, capable of flight, Tang Feifei didn't care in the slightest.
She spoke, "As soon as Huang Shangzong started the meeting, he mentioned the contributions you have made for the Sanctuary and the entire 'Human Camp.'
"Then he brought up the vacant position of the Investigation Bureau Chief in Xinjie City, thus proposing that you take over the role."
"Perhaps having his own agenda, he was quite sincere—"
"In proposing you for the Bureau Chief of the Investigation Bureau, he used the fact that 'Xinjie City' is the core of the 'Boundless Heart Sea Expansion Plan' as the reason to suggest that you should join the Parliament and occupy a seat as a Member of Parliament."
At this point, Tang Feifei paused, her wheat-colored face etched with seriousness, "Actually... according to normal procedures, after the first batch of Members of Parliament, the number can only decrease, not increase."
"Luckily, his reasoning was good, so none of the Deputy Speakers objected."
"However, according to the process, the addition of a Member of Parliament isn't something a few Speakers can decide on their own."
"It has to go through a written application, submitted to the State Council, and then during the next parliamentary session, decided by a vote of the Members."
"So, it might take about half a month."
On the other end of the phone, Qiu Tu nodded slightly upon hearing this.
Huang Shangzong could become Speaker, it seemed, not just through force but with considerable skill.
The entire affair was handled according to procedure and quite beautifully. In addition, the reasoning given was sound, so... it was nearly impossible to see it as a transaction.
Thinking thus, Qiu Tu also couldn't help but ask, "Then, what are his conditions?"
Tang Feifei walked a few steps along the suspended corridor before speaking gravely, "Huang Shangzong feels that the high-level positions within the Xinjie City Investigation Bureau are severely understaffed."
"Since Yu Zhengyi and Lin Ting have been transferred, he has proposed a complete overhaul of the senior staff in Xinjie City."
"There are currently three high-level officials in the Xinjie City Investigation Bureau: you, Guan Weihua, Director of the Public Security Department, and Shi Youxin, Director of the Organizational Department."
"By standard allocation, there are also vacancies for two Deputy Directors, Directors of the Special Service Department, the Administrative Office, and the Political Department—a total of five people."
"By custom, as the Bureau Chief's executive officer, the Head of the Administrative Department is entirely at the discretion of the Bureau Chief."
"And since the position of Head of the Political Department is of significant authority, the Bureau Chief's opinion carries a lot of weight."
"So... he's set his sights on the positions of the two Deputy Directors and the Special Duties Department Director."
Hearing Tang Feifei's words, Qiu Tu also started strategizing.
Shi Youxin was a Teflon old fox. Despite always harboring numerous schemes... Qiu Tu's appraisal of him was this: he pursued minor benefits yet forgot righteousness, and when it came to big issues, he valued his own safety too much.
Such a person was easy for Qiu Tu to handle. Not a major issue.
As for Guan Weihua...
Although from the Academic Faction, he seemed to be at a remove from people like Yan Chen and Yu Zhengyi.
Add to that Guan Xiao currently being at Qiu Tu's mercy, and having personally witnessed Qiu Tu's meteoric rise...
So, Qiu Tu felt recruiting Guan Weihua under his command wouldn't be difficult.
Calculating thus, and considering that he could appoint the Heads of the Administrative Department and Political Department himself, Qiu Tu would have at least five votes out of the eight high-level positions in Xinjie City.
Enough for him to control the entire Investigation Bureau.
With this in mind, Qiu Tu simply responded, "I have no objections. I can accept."
Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Tang Feifei wasn't surprised.
But she still said, "I guessed that if it were so, you would accept. But there's another issue with this."
She continued, "Do you know who Huang Shangzong nominated as the Acting Deputy Director?"
Qiu Tu, curious, asked, "Who is it?"
Tang Feifei answered, "It's Ai Li."
Qiu Tu paused, hesitatingly asked, "Ai Li?"
Tang Feifei affirmed with a hum, "Yes."
She added, "Huang Shangzong didn't explain why Ai Li, despite having committed a serious crime, would be promoted."
"He just shared his thoughts, then suggested the tea break."
Qiu Tu furrowed his brow, then analyzed, "He wants to throw the problem to me."
"To have me find a suitable, publicly justifiable reason to completely remove Ai Li from this incident."
Ai Li's position as Head of the Third Division of the Attendant's Room, being of the same rank as a Deputy Director, was a lateral move.
But, once this process is completed, it would signify that the 'Larilo Release Incident' was entirely in the past.