Chapter 14: Whispers Beneath the Marble
Night fell over Dongjiang City like a silken shroud, softening edges and hiding intentions. But within the corridors of governance, lights still burned. In one such room—modest, lined with folders and whiteboards—Lu Zhen sat at the center of a quiet storm.
The digital proposal titled "Digital Integration Zones for Regional Youth Employment and Innovation" had been unofficially passed from hand to hand in several departments. Lu Zhen could feel the tremors—subtle yet seismic.
But tremors invited scrutiny.
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The Bureaucrat's Chessboard
"Who gave him the right to submit such a wide-scope policy?" snapped Director Liu Feng, a mid-level leader in the Ministry of Urban Affairs. His tone was sharp, lined with alarm.
An older official beside him, Vice Secretary Ma, smirked. "The paper isn't even on the official docket. It's... circulating."
Liu slammed a file on the table. "That's exactly the problem. Circulating where it shouldn't be. That girl Xu Qinglan has her fingerprints on this."
Ma stirred his tea. "And what's more dangerous than an ambitious young man?"
Liu grunted.
"An ambitious young woman backing him."
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Xu Qinglan's Counterplay
Meanwhile, Xu Qinglan paced her office, reviewing responses. Some departments dismissed the proposal as "idealistic." Others saw opportunity—especially those fighting budget stagnation.
She sent a secure message to Lu:
> They're circling. Be careful. The more visible you are, the more knives you'll attract. But don't retreat. This is the right fault line to step on.
Lu replied without hesitation.
> If I can't stand in a storm now, I don't deserve the sun later.
She smiled faintly.
Then forwarded his proposal to Cao Tianyi.
The game was entering its next phase.
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System Ping: "Veins of the Bureaucracy"
New Passive Unlocked
> Network Insight: Bureaucratic Web Tier 1
— You can now track internal friction between departments.
— +10% efficiency when navigating inter-agency politics.
Progress Update: "Echo Threads"
> Reach: 28 departments
Favorability: 6 positive, 14 neutral, 8 hostile
Lu leaned back, absorbing the data.
The map was coming alive.
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The Dinner That Changed Everything
Three days later, Lu was invited to a private dinner hosted by a local political education group. Nothing formal—just an "exchange of views."
But when he arrived, he realized the stakes.
Present were:
Deputy Mayor Zheng Qirui, a silent observer known for grooming promising cadres
Chen Fang, a former scholar turned political strategist
And Cao Tianyi, the man whose name had floated into Lu's life like a myth
Cao's eyes were sharp but not unkind. He studied Lu as one might examine a weapon before wielding it.
"I read your proposal," Cao said, sipping baijiu. "It's too bold."
Lu didn't flinch. "So was moving grain quotas to prevent famine in '78."
Chen Fang chuckled. "Quoting history, are you?"
Lu nodded. "Because we've stopped making enough of it."
Zheng Qirui finally spoke. "What do you want, Lu Zhen?"
It was a question wrapped in layers.
Lu answered simply.
"Influence without spotlight. Leverage without scandal. Change that feels like continuity."
Silence followed.
Then Cao set down his cup.
"Good. You're hired."
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A Mentor in Shadows
From that night, Cao Tianyi became Lu's shadow advisor.
Not publicly.
But through encrypted messages, coded signals, and silent approvals.
Cao began forwarding Lu "problem dossiers"—neglected files, unsolved crises, personnel bottlenecks. Each a test. Each an opportunity.
System Update:
> Secret Mentor Mode Activated
Mentor: Cao Tianyi
Unlock: "Strategic Scenario Challenges"
Reward: Reputation Points, Influence Seeds, Staff Unlocks
The first task arrived the next morning.
Code Name: Project White Fog
> Issue: Overlapping housing permits issued in Dongbei District
Conflict: Two government-backed developers, one military-adjacent
Risk: Public scandal if mishandled
Objective: Resolve quietly. Maintain all sides' interests. Gain leverage.
Lu cracked his knuckles.
Let the games begin.
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The Quiet War of Paperwork
For the next 72 hours, Lu lived inside a matrix of permits, satellite maps, stakeholder lists, and power dynamics.
He discovered:
Developer A was tied to the mayor's cousin.
Developer B was a front for retired military pension funds.
The housing permits were issued based on two zoning drafts—both outdated, one rescinded.
The solution?
He forged a compromise zoning reclassification—presenting it as a policy loophole correction. He used junior clerks to leak the "reassessment memo" into the workflow, making it seem procedural.
Then, he scheduled a "coincidental" tea meeting with representatives of both sides and let them reach a truce under the guise of "collaborative efficiency."
Neither side lost face.
Lu gained a favor from both.
System Ping:
✅ Mission Complete: Project White Fog
> +3 Political Favor Tokens
+1 Bureaucratic Skill Point
Skill Unlocked: "Administrative Sleight (Lv.1)"
Trait Unlocked: Quiet Fixer
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Xu Qinglan's Warning
Later that night, Lu received a voice call.
Xu Qinglan rarely used voice.
That meant trouble.
"You're playing too many angles, too fast," she said.
"I'm keeping pace with my opportunities," Lu replied.
"You're drawing attention from Vice Minister Hao."
Lu went quiet.
Hao Yunlong.
A man whose name in bureaucratic circles equaled power, patronage, and paranoia.
"He's watching you. Don't surprise him."
"I'll introduce myself before he has to guess," Lu said calmly.
She sighed. "You're brave."
"I'm already too far in to be careful."
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A Shadow in the Lobby
The next day, Lu found a plain envelope in his government inbox.
No name. No sender.
Inside was a printed message:
> "He who rises too fast is watched from too high. The hawks are not your friends."
And below it, the ancient seal of the Internal Oversight Bureau.
Lu folded the letter slowly.
Smiled faintly.
Then tossed it into the shredder.
He wasn't just rising.
He was building wings as he climbed.
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End of Chapter 14