Chapter 600: Chapter 348, You Must Believe in Our Loyalty
This was not Izla Hood’s first visit to the governor’s palace, nor was it his first time witnessing a new master upon the governor’s throne.
Yet, as he came to meet with the governor this time, he was still very nervous.
It was his last chance to save his political future.
Originally, he didn’t even have this opportunity.
His background was rather humble, but by some stroke of luck, he was noticed by someone important. With genuine capability, he began by working for a notable figure in the Lower Nest District and delivered a commendable performance that brought him into the government system. Later, he had the opportunity to further his education at an upper-district academy in Mingyan City, and when he returned, he was a mid-level official.
In theory, that was about as high as someone of modest origin could hope to climb in life.
…
But fortunately, during his work, he happened to meet Governor Akuna on an occasion. His work report won the female governor’s approval, and just after turning forty, he rapidly ascended the ranks. In merely a decade, before reaching sixty, he had taken up the post of Mayor of Mingyan City.
Within Korolya, that was quite a distinguished position. Mingyan City was the largest of Korolya’s Nest Capitals and also its capital city. As the mayor of Mingyan City, one more step up would allow him to enter into the cabinet of the Planetary Government and even compete for the most important position of Grand Secretary by the governor’s side.
Throughout his entire political career, he always remembered what his first benefactor and later Governor Akuna had told him.
Even though they had phrased it differently, the gist was the same: he came from humble beginnings, had no influential background as he climbed the ladder, and relied entirely on his superiors’ favor. And what did the superiors value in him? It was that he had no complex network of relationships, his work abilities were extremely outstanding, and he was an upright man who never reached for things he shouldn’t take.
He could hold on to his status, adhere to his responsibilities, yet not be rigid; he knew when to be firm, when to use tact, and when to close his eyes.
That was good.
On Korolya, there were too many people at the top entangled in various interest groups, and when they acted, made decisions, they often didn’t think about ‘right or wrong’ but rather considered ‘pros and cons’ related to their interest groups. However, these ‘pros and cons’ often contradicted the interests of the planet and the city.
Under such circumstances, the role of Hood became evident. Everyone was grabbing, lying down, behaving like parasites—someone had to do the work.
And that was his value. If one day, he too began to grab and act like a parasite, then there would be one too many such people on Korolya, and they wouldn’t miss him.
He heeded the teachings and conducted himself in this manner throughout his life.
This allowed him to establish considerable prestige in Mingyan City, especially among the lower and middle classes of the population.
But likewise, he had also offended quite a few people.
In the past, he wasn’t afraid. Governor Akuna knew what kind of person he was, needed him, and trusted him.
However, in what was left of his life, he never imagined that Governor Akuna, the ruler of the entire planet, could actually die one day.
The changes that death brought were too great.
The newly appointed governor didn’t know what he had done in the past.
Moreover, from the few interactions he had with Ivan Fatches, he could tell that the governor’s concern wasn’t so much with governing the entire planet; instead, his focus seemed to be outside the planet.
His political enemies, on the other hand, were stirring. Over the past few years, they never ceased their attacks on him.
Worse still, Governor Fatches appeared to trust these enemies more.
This was normal; he was a typical bureaucrat, his power stemmed from the system of the Korolya Planetary Government, and the support of those in power. Now, the support was gone, and his enemies—holding substantial actual resources—became the objects Governor Fatches needed to win over more.
Although he was never removed from office, many of his powers were gradually taken away by subordinate agencies. Compared to the real power he held as mayor, under the tacit approval of Governor Fatches, he had nearly become reduced to a rubber-stamping machine.
Being marginalized was already a reality.
And soon, dismissal would become a matter of course, and he smelled danger.
After that, he feared, would be the loss of his entire family’s lives. Once he lost the protection of his position, his political enemies would not let him off.
And it was at this moment that the governor changed again.
He realized this was his last opportunity.
If he couldn’t regain trust in front of Mr. Gu, the governor who had taken charge during the crisis, then everything would truly be over.
He had prepared thoroughly for this meeting.
Of course, he knew that the greatest crisis at the moment was the Cult insurgents, the Living Cities that were slowly encroaching. Mingyan City had to be fully mobilized, optimally allocating resources and rallying the workforce, all for the sake of survival.
And he, who had been the mayor of Mingyan City for a dozen years and had risen from the ranks, knew how to improve administrative efficiency, how to mobilize manpower, which forces could be persuaded to cooperate, how to persuade them, which individuals were parasites and dead weight intent on fleeing, and how to eliminate them…