City Council Building "I understand, tell them I’m definitely on their side." Clasping the receiver of the old-style telephone, the man dressed in a white shirt and a herringbone tie took a deep breath and pressed the hang-up button on the phone. Then, with a bang, he slammed the handset down on the desk, stood upright, flung his arms wide, and roared angrily, "Bastard, this goddamn old coot! This old madman! I’m going to impeach him! Let him roll down from the Mayor’s position! Does he think he’s the King of Yilan?!" "Quiet, pal, where’s the elegance and dignity you pride yourself on as a Yilan person?" On the outside of the office, a tall man with a slim figure dressed in a loose suit and a cigar in his mouth took a bottle of slightly old label whiskey and two square glasses from the liquor cabinet next to him and placed them on the small table in front of the sofa. He lifted the bottle and poured whiskey into the two glasses respectively, "Don’t forget, your signature is on the proposal to impeach him." The telephone on the desk rang again. The man in the white shirt reached out, answered the call. Something the person on the other end said made him frown, then he suppressed his anger and said quickly, "What are you lot doing? You’re supposed to tell him I’m fine if he absolutely needs to contact me, not that I’m available! A bunch of idiots, patch him through." With a soft ’ding—’, the man in the white shirt’s angry face instantly transformed into a mild smile, "Mr. Kolok... Yes, of course, I’m sure I remember you. I haven’t yet thanked you for persuading the neighbors and residents of the precinct to vote for me, "... How’s your grandson? The lad must be at the age where he’s shooting up, he might be taller than me next time we meet... He’s been sick for a few days? What’s the campaign committee doing? I’ll have them send some medicine over immediately... "No trouble at all, don’t worry, everything will turn out fine... You’re talking about the medical insurance bill? I know your three sons all work at the Yiwis Space System factory, they indeed need medical insurance, "Yes, of course, I undoubtedly support the bill. You know me; I would never accept campaign funds from the Consortium to oppose a bill that could improve the lives of people in the precinct, "Don’t listen to rumors online, nowadays, many people like to wildly speculate. I assure you, I am firmly in support of the medical insurance bill. Yes, yes, I swear on my honor, I am undoubtedly on the side of the precinct’s residents. I have promised to bring a better life to the precinct. "Alright, alright, goodbye." The man in the white shirt slammed the receiver back on the phone, looked up at the cigar man, "Quiet? How do you expect me to be quiet?" While he spoke, he angrily walked out from behind the desk and directly picked up the glass of whiskey from the small table and downed it in one gulp, "Do you know what Lin En has done? He posted the Council’s business right up on the internet and insinuated that I took the Consortium’s campaign funds! The old madman!" "Take it easy, pal, you’re like an angry bear right now," The man with the cigar took it out of his mouth, picked up the glass of whiskey, brought it to his lips and took a sip, "He didn’t specifically name us, just posted the opposing details and specific transactions of his bills... Besides, we did indeed take campaign funds from the Consortium to oppose his bill, which is not a reason to be angry." "He listed the details so clearly that anyone determined to do so, by collecting related information, could trace it back to us," The man in the white shirt angrily slammed his glass down on the table, "Today, the phones in my office have been blown up by those stupid constituents of mine! They’re calling to question whether I took money from the Consortium, asking if I’m blocking a bill that could improve their lives for the Consortium." He furrowed his brow and pinched the glass so hard his knuckles went white, "These idiots, without the Consortium’s money, where would I get the funds for advertising, where would I get the money to convene meetings? Do you think their small donations of federal coins to my campaign committee are enough? "What good does this do that old madman? Council, Cabinet, this is how it’s been run for years, and he came up through the same system. Doesn’t he know there are things we can discuss privately, but just can’t publicly acknowledge?" He looked up, glanced ahead, raised his empty glass, and pointed towards the office door, "In this Council, in his Cabinet, how many don’t take money from the Consortium? How many don’t do things for the Consortium? Doesn’t he need his kids to attend good schools?" He reached for his tie, loosened it slightly from where it had been tight around his neck, his cheeks flushed red as he caught his breath, "Holiday resorts, luxury villas, women, gourmet food, cocktail parties, which of those doesn’t require money?" Another man, holding a cigar, picked up the bottle of liquor once again and poured a bit more into his empty glass. The man in the white shirt downed the liquor in one gulp once again, exhaled the alcohol breath, his cheeks flushed as he looked at the man with the cigar, "How many councilors can live off of the annual salary and subsidies from the city government totaling a few hundred thousand federal coins a year?" "He’s putting all this out in the open, does he really believe that those conservative councilors who depend on him will remain loyal? They’re just as eager to see that old madman dead—he’s a dead man walking!" "Indeed, he’s a dead man walking." The cigar man topped up the white shirt man’s glass with a little more liquor, then holding his own glass, walked to the desk, leaned against it, and looked out at Neon City through the window behind the desk. The dim clouds covered the sky, casting a shadow, and he slowly began, "He experienced an assassination attempt last night, another one this morning, and the Grim Reaper’s death knell could ring in his ears at any moment. If he continues to abide by the rules as before, he’ll only be cornered slowly and devoured by the Consortium." "What’s wrong with you today?" The man in the white shirt, holding his glass, turned his head towards the man with the cigar, "Why do you keep speaking for that old lunatic? Remember, we’re in this together, and your name’s on the impeachment proposal too." "I’m just trying to stand in his shoes and understand his reasons for doing all this," The cigar man glanced down at the amber liquor in his glass, giving it a gentle swirl, "His speech this morning was an attempt to directly open a channel of communication with the lower class, while the contents on the Mayor’s Mansion website are trying to dissect the black box operation of the city council, presenting it in the crudest and most straightforward way to everyone." "He’s gone mad, challenging the Consortium, openly disrupting the well-established unwritten rules. I’ve never seen someone so insane—a crazy old man, a brutal tyrant with no sense of decorum, sitting on the throne wielding the ultimate power over Yilan," The white shirt man took a sip of his liquor, "And you, my friend, you’re attempting to understand a madman." "Though his actions may seem mad, we all know that it might be the right path, albeit fraught with crises and full of thorns." The cigar man placed his glass on the desk and took up his cigar, looking out the window again as the massive clouds moved away, letting the bright sunlight pour down from the Firmament, "In a few months, the city council will go through elections, and if at this critical juncture, we expose a multitude of scandals, the difficulty of seeking re-election will increase. "He’s using the most brutal, the most reckless methods to force us to agree to his proposals through the will of the lower-class voters, and it will only get tighter. "We all know it, friend," The cigar man, holding the cigar between his index and middle finger, picked up his glass again, bringing the amber liquid to his lips, "People are silent, not ignorant." The white shirt man standing behind him didn’t respond this time, simply holding his glass and looking at the sunlight outside the window in silence. At that moment, the cigar man’s wristband vibrated slightly, and he looked down at the pop-up on his wristband. [Exclusive! Last night’s Mayor assassination attempt video!] A slender man of medium height with a gaunt face looked at the departing police car, pulled open the taxi door, and sat in the back seat. He glanced at his wristband and quickly said to the driver in front, "Mister, take me to the White Jasmine Palace, and make it fast." "Don’t worry, I’m the fastest driver in all of Yilan. I’m not like those dumb autopilot AIs." He stretched out his hand to press the acceleration button on the control panel, simultaneously pressed the brake and gas pedal, and then abruptly released the brake. Accompanied by a loud whoosh, the slender man in the back seat was jolted, his body slamming into the seatback as he was thrust forward. Under this fierce acceleration, it took the man a while to recover from the shock. He glanced at the driver and then raised his bracelet, continuously scrolling through the content on it. Mr. Lin En had almost dissolved the City Cabinet, which he already knew through a ’friend’ in the Cabinet. After the assassination attempt last night, it seemed as though Mr. Lin En’s thought process had shifted. He had gone from his previous gentleness and tolerance to a level of assertiveness that felt a bit overdone. When he met Mr. Lin En later, he would need to earnestly advise him. This kind of counsel wouldn’t make Mr. Lin En feel he was being rebellious; rather, he would see it as a true concern for the city and the reform initiatives. As an Elder who had been Mr. Lin En’s close confidant for years, the man was very aware of Lin En’s temperament. He knew that Lin En truly had ideals and genuinely wanted to change the city, to shatter the entrenched power of the Consortiums. But as a Challenger to the old Order, Lin En wasn’t bold or courageous enough; often too pliable, swayed easily, and indecisive. Many good bills, once slightly obstructed by the Consortium, would stall. Having understood Lin En’s temperament, he acted especially radical in various situations. He was aware that this radicalness wouldn’t anger Lin En but rather reassure him of a dependable Ally. His role in the team was to display the vigorous stance that Mr. Lin En’s group lacked, showing the conservatives and everyone else their zeal. And for this reason, many of his deliberately inflammatory remarks, even those that offended the City Defense Army, were tolerated by Lin En. Now that Lin En had been shaken by the assassination and had become tough, he had to be somewhat ’conservative’, giving advice to Lin En to not be too harsh, all the while maintaining his original character. He understood Lin En very well, even better than he understood himself. A person’s core personality doesn’t change drastically no matter what; Lin En’s assertiveness was likely just a stress response to the assassination attempt. At heart, he was still the same indecisive person, not one to be harsh on himself. This was also the confidence that bolstered him to return after having fled. All he needed was to see Lin En and recount his struggles. Admit his faults to show his stance first, then explain that his departure was due to having deeply offended the City Defense Army and fearing a political purge. He would elaborate that his departure wasn’t so much an escape, but a strategic retreat to preserve hope and the spark of change. He would come back one day in the future, just like Sienzi from Saint Joen City, who would return to continue the unfinished business of the Mayor even if the Mayor were dead. Then he would plead tearfully for forgiveness. He was well aware of Lin En’s likes and temperament. Once he went through this three-step explanation—attitude, humanity, and ideals—with Lin En’s personality, there was a good chance Lin En wouldn’t pursue the matter further. Even if Lin En turned tough and decided to investigate, he still might end up with a half-official position. As long as he remained by Lin En’s side, he would have the chance to climb back up. Of course, all this assumed that Lin En wasn’t aware of his previous secret dealings with the Consortium. From the current situation, although most members of the City Cabinet had been fired, they were still handing over their duties in their positions. So it wasn’t certain that Lin En had actual evidence of these ministers’ crimes, and perhaps he had simply acted on some rumors to exhibit his newfound toughness by dismissing them. There was still a chance for redemption. As long as he could meet with Lin En, he was confident he could persuade him to forgive. He lifted his bracelet and flipped through messages from the dismissed Cabinet ’friends’, quickly replying with his gratitude and making firm promises to help mend their relationship with Mr. Lin En, should he return to Lin En’s side. Of course, should he be reinstated, if Lin En seemed more approachable, he would attempt to recommend these ’Old Friends.’ If Lin En remained very tough, he wouldn’t say a half-word in their favor. After replying to the messages, he reopened the video of Mayor Lin En’s speech from that morning and replayed it at double speed. He had already watched the speech on his way there, and this was the second time. It had to be said that after his brush with death, Lin En’s speaking abilities had improved dramatically, as if he had an epiphany. His demeanor and tone had subtly changed, appearing more confident and more compelling. However, he was not certain whether Mr. Lin En had truly changed or whether it was a fabricated change just for the speech. After all, a competent politician displaying a convincing demeanor during a speech is a fundamental skill. He quickly finished watching the video and recited the speech twice in his mind; the man finally let out a slight sigh of relief. Up ahead, he could see the jasmine flowers in front of the White Jasmine Palace. The man leaned against the car window, shaking his slightly dizzy head; although this taxi driver was somewhat rough, he indeed drove fast, taking many shortcuts and delivering him to the front of the White Jasmine Palace in far less time than usual. He glanced at the video on his wristband, exited the video interface; this video had been directly downloaded from the White Jasmine Palace’s official website, and was played using the browser. After closing the video, the browser automatically navigated back to the website he had visited before, which was the White Jasmine Palace’s official site. Then immediately after, his field of view turned red. The White Jasmine Palace’s official website did not refresh; instead, a [Dangerous website, access forbidden] popup sprang up from the browser. Dangerous website? The White Jasmine Palace’s official site? Had it been hijacked by hackers? The man was taken aback for a moment, quickly switched between several browsers, and finally managed to open the White Jasmine Palace’s webpage on a small company’s browser. It wasn’t that the official site had been hijacked, but that the Consortium’s counterattack had arrived. Good, now was the time. This was exactly the moment to provide "timely help." As long as he met with Mr. Lin En, expressed steadfast support to Mayor Lin En, offered a bit of advice, and then got in touch with the Consortium to let them loosen things up a bit, he could return to the core of the City Government’s power. The only pity was that he had been unable to contact Levis—all messages had gone unanswered, and phone calls couldn’t get through. That guy was usually quite "diligent," so it was unclear what had happened. The driver ahead stepped on the brake. Along with the vehicle coming to a halt, the slender man pushed open the door, stepped out of the car, and looked ahead at the sea of jasmine flowers and the palace beyond. Taking a deep breath, he quickly strode forward. Soon, he would return there, take control of power, and continue his role as the noble member of the Cabinet. But before he had walked a few steps, a young figure in a police uniform blocked his path. "Excuse me, are you the former Minister of Internal Affairs? My name is Sena, from the City Police Station." "Yes, I am the Minister of Internal Affairs," The slender man was slightly startled, looking at the young man in front of him and asked somewhat confusedly, "Did Mr. Lin En arrange for you to pick me up?" He then laughed, "Mr. Lin En really doesn’t need to be so good to me, my loyalty to him is as clear as day and night! When I return to the Cabinet, I will speak highly of you in front of Mr. Lin En, now quickly take me to see Mr. Lin En." "Yes, I’m here to pick you up, but for now, I cannot take you to see Mr. Lin En," Sena nodded, raising his wristband to display a document, "Mister, you are charged with ’accepting bribes,’ ’abusing your power,’ among other offenses, this is the arrest warrant, please could you come with me." The slender man stared wide-eyed in astonishment. A pair of electromagnetic handcuffs clicked onto his wrists, then with a ’clank,’ they snapped together.