Chapter 199

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

No one other than the System and Shen Yao knows the content of their conversations.

Just like the transaction Shen Yao and Fang Li made in private, Fang Li kept her mouth shut and revealed nothing to anyone.

It wasn't that no one was curious why Fang Li would firmly resign from the Investigation Bureau Chief position; even internal personnel specifically sought her out to understand the situation.

But Fang Li strictly carried out Shen Yao's requirements; no matter how others asked, she wouldn't say, only one sentence: her body couldn't take it anymore, and there was nothing more beyond that.

This statement...

Whether they believed it or not, everyone kept a close watch on Fang Li and Shen Yao, especially those with ulterior motives, who suspected the two of them were deliberately setting a trap.

Shen Yao: ……

When Shen Yao heard all kinds of rumors flying about from the System, she sighed, "People are useless, so they think everyone is unreliable.

Tut tut tut, the people of this era, truly despicable."

System: ……

The System felt the Host's words had a bit of a double standard; obviously the Host took this Investigation Bureau Chief position with a purpose, yet blames others for suspecting?

Arms crossed around her shoulders, unmoving, Shen Yao spoke righteously, "Am I the same as them? This is for the common people of the world and great righteousness; Fang Li believes my decision is right.

Others harbor their own thoughts; some even wish for the Magic Qi Invasion to be thorough."

Tut tut tut, feeling this comparison, she thought her counter-move was still very useful.

Regardless of whether she can ultimately clean up the calamity of the entire planet, she has Fang Li as a backer to cover her.

Taking a step back, even if their plan fails, Shen Yao still has three children with extraordinary potential.

Once Shen Liu Nian and the others grow up smoothly, this mess before them can be solved.

After all, the title Savior was prepared for people like Shen Liu Nian.

Right now Shen Yao decides to sacrifice, merely wanting to run away early plus scrounge more benefits from the World Consciousness.

Of course, running away is also to make it more justified to harvest more wool later; otherwise Shen Yao would still be very willing to continue living in this world for a while longer, to spend more time with family and children.

"Look down; this kind of life won't last much longer."

Squeezed in a small corner struggling to survive, Shen Yao felt this was perhaps the reason she didn't want to wait.

Why suffer anxiously when you can live comfortably?

……

Shen Yao and Fang Li are two types of personalities; after they took the Investigation Bureau Chief position, their methods of handling matters were also completely different.

Once again passing a rumor to Fang Li's ear, Fang Li suppressed her heart's disgust, smiling as she socialized with the other party.

Until the other party left satisfied, she forcefully smashed the letter in her hand, and went to find Shen Yao.

"Calm down; if you cannot steady your mindset, it proves you have already fallen for their trick."

Shen Yao didn't take it to heart; she could even persuade and soothe Fang Li with a laugh.

Fang Li looked at Shen Yao's calm expression, admiring her while feeling even more moved by how different the two were.

"These people won't hold out much longer; once they can't probe anything further, they'll likely want to find trouble for you."

Fang Li had worked with these people; she knew all too well how disgusting certain people could be.

Shen Yao shrugged, "They say heaven wishes to destroy someone, it first makes them mad.

We've endured long enough; endure any longer, and whether we can survive is unknown."

Those people still want to find trouble with Shen Yao? Sorry, Shen Yao already finds them displeasing.

Fang Li heard this, and with a stern expression revealed a personnel list to Shen Yao, "These are all trustworthy people, though you still need to verify them once."

Fang Li didn't have Shen Yao's great ability; her trustworthiness was merely careful observation over many years; if there were a deeply hidden traitor, she might not discover it.

Compared to Fang Li's careful observation, Shen Yao's methods were even more simple and crude.

First determine if these people are deeply hidden Magic Cultivators, then probe their life trajectories through the System to infer if they are internal spies.

Result: after this round, there were indeed several with problems not small.

Fang Li: ……

Fang Li felt pained by her own misjudgment, didn't expect she still couldn't guard against it.

"Change an angle; they have problems, which is just right to be utilized."

You must know some information, passed out by an internal spy, is far more credible than if they revealed it themselves.

Fang Li helpless, "Will they let us have our way? Perhaps we can find trustworthy people to test."

Shen Yao shook her head, "Useless sacrifice has no use; what we can do is reduce risk."

She has a better road to walk, no need to choose a harder road to take risks.

High risk high return is indeed cost-effective, but low risk stable return is not a loss either.

Having expressed her meaning clearly, Shen Yao began discussing with Fang Li how to proceed with the plan.

By this time Shen Yao had already sat firmly in the Bureau Chief position; she had even handled several impressive matters, gaining recognition from internal and external forces alike.

Fang Li pressed palms together, "Must rush before the new year; certain places need refinement.

I'll turn back and bring people to arrange; however, it needs us two to cooperate and act out a play."

A play letting everyone know they have already broken off relations and there is no possibility of cooperation.

"Rest assured, my side is already prepared; we can take advantage to arrange others to step down."

Even Shen Yao doesn't need to find an excuse; purging original forces isn't normal operation? Historically struggles are all like this, eliminate dissidents, safeguard one's own forces.

……

The day Fang Li and Shen Yao fell out, the air outside was oppressively stuffy.

Both were insiders of the Investigation Bureau; Fang Li was deeply entrenched, while Shen Yao was exceptionally capable.

Everyone expected them to fall out—after all, no one would believe someone would willingly give up the position of Bureau Chief wholeheartedly.

Most people's thinking is still to judge others by themselves; they infer how others will act based on how they themselves would act.

"Host, so no one suspects?" That's unscientific.

Everyone here has suffered in society for many years; they may not have many tricks, but they certainly aren't naive.

Especially those big shots hiding behind the scenes, maneuvering and strategizing—each has formidable methods.

The system felt the host's thinking was too naive; if anything went wrong, it would be the sky falling, and she'd likely lose the small foundation she had painstakingly accumulated.

Shen Yao stood by the window, gazing at the heavy clouds and sky outside.

"Someone suspects, but people are more willing to believe what benefits them than to suspect."

If Shen Yao and Fang Li truly fell out, it would benefit those eyeing the Investigation Bureau.

Given this possibility, who would invite trouble and make things unpleasant for themselves?

Even if such people truly exist, limited by their environment, there wouldn't be too many.

"Hold on for a while longer, then send those on good terms with Fang Li into exile; that will dispel most people's suspicions."

The rest don't occupy mainstream thought and won't greatly affect Shen Yao's plan.

System: ……

The system connected the host's explanations and found them indeed reasonable.

As long as Fang Li and her people are all sent far away, who will suspect they haven't fallen out? They'll only wonder exactly how they fell out—whether they can still get along on the surface or have torn faces and can't wait for the other to meet disaster.

Soon, transfer orders with the meaning of exile spread within the Investigation Bureau.

Everyone discussed heatedly, wondering if this was the superior's public revenge for private grudges.

Shen Yao's previously maintained good reputation also collapsed completely during this period.

"Hey, heard? Those transferred are all the former Bureau Chief's confidants."

"Hmph, someone saw the former Bureau Chief go argue with Bureau Chief Shen; when he came out, his expression was bad—clearly Bureau Chief Shen didn't give the former Bureau Chief face."

"You know all this; you must not have missed watching the spectacle lately. Be careful not to implicate us—your bones stuffed with meat wouldn't even make a sound."

"How can it be as sinister as you say? It's just everyone following the wind because others say so."

"……"

Scenes of such discussion were already commonplace within the Investigation Bureau.

The system had just finished eating melons and returned to see Shen Yao lounging on the sofa, relaxing; it couldn't help but mock the host for truly being able to sit still.

Shen Yao smiled. "Not being able to sit still can't be said; it's not yet the time to turn faces."

The system hurriedly told the host the rumors outside, and didn't forget to remind her that her reputation was nearly ruined.

"Not afraid. Having eaten the bitterest bitterness, one becomes a person above others. When the situation reverses later, won't we be able to earn more merit?"

The one point where tragedy is stronger than comedy is that tragedy's core can make people empathize.

It's very much like having an unspeakable secret: the harder people scold her now, the more likely she'll be praised and sung to the skies when public opinion reverses later.

System: ……

The system felt that, leaving aside its host's other qualities, this mindset was truly unexpectedly good.

How could she still be happily imagining the future? If it were someone with weaker psychological fortitude, they'd probably worry about the consequences of the trouble they'd caused being impossible to smooth over.

"Host, you're truly suited for this kind of mission; I feel we can cooperate for a long time in the future."

The system sincerely felt it and the host could persist for a long time.

The aura and essence revealed by the host made it unable to help but feel alarmed.

"Yes, so we're companions on the same path. Let's carefully choose the various missions ahead—you good, me good, everyone good; we must achieve common prosperity."

Shen Yao didn't forget to make a joke, then turned and picked up the documents on one side to examine them.

The system saw this, and with tacit understanding stopped speaking, quietly finding a place to continue eating melons and watching the show.

To be sure, although modern times aren't like ancient times, there's amusement everywhere.

Especially within the Investigation Bureau, where big and small mountains stood everywhere; the system drifted here and looked there, and had truly seen no shortage of spectacle.

On Shen Yao's side, she gradually finished sending Fang Li's people into exile.

After dealing with Fang Li's people, Shen Yao next began to reveal her purpose: to launch an attack against the magic beasts constantly encroaching on human living territory.

And after Shen Yao's several designs, their side had made decent progress.

As the situation was about to get better and better, the magic cultivators hiding behind could no longer sit still; the hidden moles and double agents began internal strife.

Seizing this timing, Shen Yao received a top-secret letter sent back by an outside squad.

"Summon everyone for a meeting; the matter is urgent and cannot be delayed."

The fish bait was cast, and the big fish took the hook.

Whether it's the mantis stalking the cicada with the oriole behind, or one mountain higher than another—it all depends on this time.