Chapter 601: Chapter 348, You Must Believe in Our Loyalty_2
A series of important strategies, he had organized them in his case, ready to report to the new governor.
He had already thrown caution to the wind, no matter whether he might offend others. In his life, his only method was to work seriously; flattering, making up lies, he didn’t want to, but he simply couldn’t do it as well as others. Rather than that, he preferred to stick to his own style, hoping that the new governor would value these things.
If not… it was all going to be over anyway.
However, what he had originally envisioned, was having a one-on-one meeting with the new governor. Yet, the reality was different. Mr. Gu had gathered everyone together, then let everyone take the stage one by one, to say who they were, what job they did, and what contributions they could make to Mr. Gu’s demand of “winning the battle of Mingyan City.”
Izra Hood could understand that Mr. Gu didn’t have the time to delay, as “Fino City” was estimated to arrive at Mingyan City in four months; he couldn’t possibly spend those four months playing political struggles with the local bureaucrats of Mingyan City. He was using this public method to demand these people make political pledges openly.
However… he was stuck.
…
He had no political pledges to make.
Unlike those who took the stage before him, claiming how much manpower or resources they could provide, or the contributions they could make. He was just a bureaucrat, and what’s more, a marginalized one. All he could offer was himself, his passion, and his work ability.
What he had prepared was also along these lines. Not to mention, within the material he prepared, how to divide and co-opt, to suppress interest groups, some of which definitely couldn’t be trusted and must be removed—how could he say these things in a public setting?
What to do?
He hadn’t come up with any ideas, and it was already his turn.
His mind went blank as he stood on stage.
Looking down at his ‘colleagues’ and at Mr. Gu who was smiling, Hu De took a deep breath.
To hell with it!
It had come to this point, What was the use of worrying about this or that?
If they couldn’t win the defense of Mingyan City, everyone would die!
If he couldn’t win this one breath, he would be killed by these interest groups sooner or later!
They had long been irreconcilable enemies, with no way out. For the sake of Mingyan City, for his own sake, he had to do what needed to be done!
He began.
The content of his speech was no different from what he had prepared.
He could see clearly the expressions of those below.
Those dignitaries, the big shots, when they first heard him talking about mobilizing manpower and establishing wartime mechanisms, looked at him with disdain.
He seemed to hear a voice: “Without us, your plans are all castles in the air, none can be realized.”
His heart was full of anger.
He reached the critical part of his speech.
How to ensure the wartime mechanism’s plans could be executed?
Then, he started naming names.
Potential collaborators, those to coerce, those harboring ulterior motives, those who needed to be suppressed. Most seriously, some who were already preparing to flee… who these people were, and what they would do, he laid it all out clearly.
Even, he added some improvisation on the spot.
Just now, hadn’t many people on stage passionately made a series of pledges to Mr. Gu?
Izra Hood mercilessly exposed many of them.
Some fellows had no intention of fulfilling their promises. Their caravans were ready, and they had their people inside the Imperial Guard of Mingyan City, or they had been bribed. They would soon be riding in vehicles, taking a portion of their wealth, departing Mingyan City for other Nest Capitals.
Although they couldn’t take everything with them, even the departure of these individuals, the loss of this portion of influence, would mean many things couldn’t be carried out.
Upon hearing this, the people below could no longer sit still.
What nonsense are you spouting?
“Slander! This is absolute slander!”
“He’s spouting nonsense! He’s trying to suppress his rivals!”
“Mr. Gu, please believe in our loyalty!”
The people below were clearly agitated, their roaring voices even momentarily too loud for Hu De’s speech to continue.
Cold sweat appeared on Hu De’s forehead, and facing those eyes that seemed ready to tear him apart—especially knowing those eyes belonged to such influential figures—he was naturally afraid.
But at the same time, he felt a surge of pleasure within him.
Years of being sidelined and constantly criticized, decades of being hamstrung by the need to rely on his superiors, and a lifetime witnessing all manner of ugliness… all found a significant release at that moment.
Even if he accomplished nothing in the end, seeing these nobles exposed in such an undignified state felt like revenge.
Then, in the next instant, all the noise abruptly ceased around him.
A mysterious power enveloped the whole venue; aside from breathing, no other sound was heard.
It was only the voice of the new, still young-looking Mr. Gu that resonated within the hall.
“Continue speaking.”
Hu De looked at Mr. Gu and saw a hint of a smile, exactly as he had at their first meeting.
He steadied himself and continued his narrative.
After he finished, Gu Hang softly clapped his hands: “Mayor Izla Hu De, I think your plan is very good, the best I’ve heard today. After the banquet, please stay behind, we need to discuss this in more depth. To win this war defending Mingyan City and end the greatest disaster looming over Korolya for years, I need talents like you.”
“And to everyone else, please don’t panic. I trust in everyone’s loyalty to the Empire, to the Mr. Gu. However, I still don’t know you all that well. As long as you follow through with what you’ve said today, you will have proven your loyalty to me. As for Mayor Hu De, I hope you can implement the strategy you spoke of today to perfect our preparations for the war and oversee if the attendees fulfill their promises.”
Upon hearing this, Izla Hu De finally felt relieved!
…
The morning after the banquet, after having breakfast with the new Mr. Gu at the governor’s mansion, Hu De, weary yet exhilarated, got into his car to head home.
In the car, he still pondered the topics discussed in depth with Mr. Gu after the banquet had ended.
Alone with Mr. Gu, his words were bolder and sharper. With Mr. Gu’s encouragement, he voiced ideas he had previously feared to express or that had been futile to try to implement.
And these ideas were all supported by Mr. Gu.
With only limited contact, he was now almost certain that this young Mr. Gu had indeed come with the goal of saving Korolya.
He too was willing to lend his strength to this cause.
At that moment, he suddenly heard the sound of shattering glass. A searing wind flew passed his face, and he felt an intense burning on his nose.
“There’s a sniper!” His bodyguard shouted as he pushed down Hu De’s head.
Only then did the belatedly aware Hu De realize he was the target of an assassination. A laser had just pierced the car window, grazing the tip of his nose.
He was just an inch away from having his head burned off by the laser gun.
However, hiding in the car was not safe either.
His car was bulletproof, but it was still a penetrable target for the high-powered laser gun in the assassin’s hands.
Several beams struck, and his bodyguard’s chest was pierced with a large hole; his own left leg became numb after a burning sensation.
He came back to his senses.
Am I going to die?
How could they be so heartless?
But then he heard rapid gunfire.
No more lasers came towards his car.
Enduring the severe pain and fear, he lifted his head and glanced outside the car window.
He saw a squad of warriors clad in Exoskeleton Combat Suits moving outside his car window.