Let them offer their loyalty!

Everyone who entered the Investigation Bureau was a person of some culture and thought amidst the chaotic world.

Such people generally had minds much more agile than the average person.

Thus, after only a brief contemplation, they realized that this was no coincidence but rather a deliberate political gesture.

In other words, it meant that both the Municipal Committee and the military favored Qiu Tu for the position of Deputy Chief of the Political Department.

Moreover, with the endorsement from the Disciplinary Department earlier, there were already three departments, on the same level or higher than the Investigation Bureau, supporting Qiu Tu.

This exaggerated political gesture truly shocked the Xinjie City Investigation Bureau, which had just been established for a year and had not experienced much adversity.

Suddenly, discussions about what kind of background Qiu Tu had were heard everywhere.

Everyone was curious about what kind of power Qiu Tu possessed to be able to request the support of so many departments on his behalf...

Meanwhile, at the same time,

On the 12th floor of the Investigation Bureau, in the Deputy Director's office,

Action Deputy Director Lai Shun, listening to the report from his secretary, revealed a hint of a smile on his face.

His style of doing things was clearly different from that of Yan Chen and Tang Feifei, which could be seen from the decoration of his office.

Compared to Tang Feifei's simple yet grand and Yan Chen's gloomy and oppressive office, his was very regular and extremely bright.

Upon stepping into this office, one would have an impression of Lai Shun being impartial and calm.

However, if one spent more time in this office, they would find that despite its seemingly impartial facade, it was filled with many clever and special arrangements.

Which also precisely matched his way of doing things and personality: an unflappable appearance, but full of schemes and tactics on the inside.

And now, after listening to his secretary's report, Lai Shun stroked his balding crown and said cheerfully, "I didn't expect that... Chief Qiu really has some tricks up his sleeve."

"He managed to get so many people to speak up for him."

Upon saying this, he picked up his tea cup and took a sip, "But... it's useless to ask for more people's support; it still requires Old Yan's approval."

"Old Yan isn't someone who can be coerced."

"So... what he's done now, aside from provoking Old Yan, is pointless."

At the same time, also on the 12th floor, in the Deputy Director's office,

Tang Feifei had just finished listening to the report from her secretary and spy from the Security Department, Su Xiaowan.

She came to a similar conclusion as Director Lai.

"Although reaching out to Commissioner Jiang and Director Dai to pressure the Investigation Bureau is shocking… it's not very effective."

Tang Feifei frowned slightly, "If Yan Chen is dead set against it, no one can interfere with the internal affairs of the Investigation Bureau."

"This will only cause everyone to lose face."

"Qiu Tu should have foreseen this. What exactly is he thinking?"

This thought circulated among all the high-levels of the Investigation Bureau. In a short time, the focus of everyone's attention shifted from who would become the Deputy Chief, to whether Qiu Tu could really become the Deputy Chief.

And just as everyone was eagerly awaiting, close to the end of the workday, another order was issued from the Bureau Chief's office.

It was still a promotion list. It was still for the Political Department's Deputy Chief position.

Only, this time the nominees had changed from the previously listed Vice Director Qi, Section Chief Guan, and Section Chief Wang, to the equally competitive Deputy Director Zheng and Section Chief Xin...

In other words, Qiu Tu's name was still not there.

Yan Chen's method of response was essentially a direct and firm resistance, effectively deflecting the pressure from the Municipal Committee and the Disciplinary Department, as well as the influence of the military.

This left the entire bureau too excited to even think about leaving work, all intensely interested in seeing how the situation would unfold.

After receiving this new promotion list, Tao Yaoyao immediately called Qiu Tu.

No one knew what they talked about, except that shortly after hanging up, the Municipal Committee sent back the document.

But what came back carried a personal annotation from Commissioner Jiang, a single word: "Possible."

The implications of that one word were significant. It neither agreed nor disagreed. It did not specify which of the two should become the Deputy Chief.

It effectively returned the decision-making power back to Yan Chen, leaving it up to him to decide who the Deputy Chief would be.

By this point, it was clear to everyone that Yan Chen had withstood the pressure from the Municipal Committee and the military, preventing them from meddling in the affairs of the Investigation Bureau.

What remained to be seen was whom Yan Chen would choose between Section Chief Xin and Deputy Director Zheng.

In essence, Qiu Tu's bid had utterly and completely failed!

As a result, just then, a third document was issued from the Bureau Chief's office, still a simple request for the appointment of a Deputy Minister.

However, this time, there was only one name on the appointment, and that was Qiu Tu.

This time, City Hall almost took just a few minutes to fax the document back. On it was still only Commissioner Jiang's instruction, but this time it was two words, "Agreed."

When the Investigation Bureau Organization Department received this legally effective appointment document, everyone in the department was a bit baffled.

Even some of the seasoned investigators were somewhat at a loss as to what exactly had happened.

How after several documents, the candidate for Deputy Minister had changed from the other five division chiefs and section chiefs to Qiu Tu?!

What kind of riddles were these big shots playing?

Meanwhile, Yan Chen, who had finally finished all his business, tossed his pen onto the desk and then slowly rose from his office chair, saying to Secretary Bai in a deep voice, "Let's go. Back to the villa."

"Yes!" Secretary Bai, who had been involved in the whole affair, stepped forward to drape a wool coat over Yan Chen and then followed behind him, leaving the Investigation Bureau Office Building.

Just as the two stepped out of the building, Qiu Tu was also in the empty meeting room on the 9th floor, holding a glass of foreign liquor, looking down at them through the floor-to-ceiling window.

As if sensing something, Yan Chen instinctively turned and looked up towards the 9th floor.

Their gazes collided across the vast distance, and Qiu Tu raised his glass towards Yan Chen. Yan Chen's mouth twitched into a nearly imperceptible smile, then he turned and got into the car...

Secretary Bai closed the car door for him, then also got into the car behind.

Once the two big shots were seated, the motorcade gradually started and then slowly drove off into the darkness...

However, though Yan Chen and Secretary Bai had left, the entire Investigation Bureau was in an uproar.

What happened today truly broadened everyone's horizons.

The twists and turns in selecting the Deputy Minister attracted a lot of attention and put Qiu Tu, who finally got the position, under the spotlight for the entire Investigation Bureau to dissect.

Deputy Minister of the Political Department, no less!

A real Deputy Division Chief, and one of the top echelons at that. High-ranking and powerful, even greater than many of the department chiefs in smaller sectors.

And Qiu Tu got it just like that?

Moreover... after being unfavored by everyone, and vetoed by the Bureau Chief at the high-level meeting, he still got it?

How on earth did Qiu Tu manage that!

Instantly, everyone in the Investigation Bureau was divided into three states of mind.

The first group was excited and joyful. These were mostly subordinates associated with Qiu Tu. For example, Liu Fuping, Song Qing, and people like Cao Dabiao, Chen Feng. Or some investigators and section chiefs who had repeatedly shown goodwill towards Qiu Tu.

The second group was skeptical and incredulous. These were mostly division chiefs and section chiefs who held grudges against Qiu Tu, and some ordinary investigators who almost sprained their backs from all the drama.

The third... was Zheng Tao.

Ever since he made a bet with Qiu Tu at noon, Zheng Tao's mood had been like a roller coaster.

At first, when he learned that Qiu Tu was vetoed by Yan Chen, Zheng Tao was ecstatic.
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After all, nothing is more pleasing than seeing an enemy in trouble.

But when the "Position Promotion Application" submitted to the Municipal Committee by the Investigation Bureau was rejected, he was thrown into a panic.

'How could it be rejected?' he thought.

Zheng Tao was one of the old-timers who had come down from the Sanctuary with Yan Chen, helping to prepare Xinjie. During the establishment of Xinjie, he had seen all sorts of situations.

But honestly, he had never seen the Municipal Committee return a promotion request from the Investigation Bureau and the military.

After all, isn't that like making these two institutions fall out?

If only it ended there.

Zheng Tao believed that the great Director Yan wouldn't let him down: after all, compared to Commissioner Jiang's vulnerability, Yan Chen's image had always been strong.

Being slapped in the face like this, Yan Chen would surely not back down.

However, what Zheng Tao didn't expect was that both the Municipal Committee and the military subsequently sent commendations to Qiu Tu.

It was like dancing on the tip of Zheng Tao's heart.

On the one hand, he prayed that Yan Chen would withstand the pressure. On the other, he was shocked by Qiu Tu's influence.

He wanted to run up and demand from Qiu Tu where all these trump cards came from!

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