39: Section 39

Jing Yuan was browsing through photos on the computer, trying to find some clues.

Suddenly, he discovered that every photo had a serial number.

The digits at the end of the numbers were arranged in a cycle from 1 to 9.

But as Jing Yuan browsed through the numbers, he noticed a large quantity of them had disappeared.

In other words, a vast number of photos had been deleted.

Jing Yuan's expression suddenly turned serious.

This seemed like a minor detail, but if the Navigation Control Room provided redacted data to the Command Center for evaluation, it could lead to incorrect conclusions.

Combining the context of this data, Jing Yuan thought for a moment and already had an answer in his heart.

Just as Jing Yuan stepped out of the Navigation Control Room, he ran straight into Jing Nan.

"Sister Jing Nan!" Jing Yuan used a smile to mask his awkwardness.

"Insolent! You should address her as Lady Jing Nan!" a woman behind Jing Nan spoke up in reprimand.

Jing Yuan looked bewildered.

"That's enough!" Jing Nan raised her hand to stop the woman from speaking further. She looked at Jing Yuan with suspicion, "What are you doing here?"

Jing Yuan said frankly, "I have a friend who works here, I came to find him."

Jing Nan didn't doubt him, nor did she ask who his friend was. She nodded and walked past Jing Yuan.

Watching Jing Nan's departing figure, Jing Yuan thought to himself that while she usually seemed approachable, the people around her were quite overbearing.

"Lady Jing Nan? Humph!" Jing Yuan muttered under his breath.

Jing Yuan had always viewed these people from the perspective of an outsider; he didn't think these high-ranking officials were particularly noble.

But in the eyes of Jing Nan's subordinates, what status did you have? You, clearly a member of the Lower Class, dared to try and get close to the Upper Class like that? Where did that leave those of us in the Middle Class?

For example, in the Law Enforcement Office, if you, an ordinary Upper Citizen, called Charles 'Brother Cha' right in front of the Light Bearer!

Would the Light Bearer give you a lash of her whip?

You have to call him Lord Leader; you have to call her Lady Light Bearer.

So whether it's the Law Enforcement Office or the Navigation Control Room, the essence is the same.

The scolding from Jing Nan's subordinate wasn't enough to make Jing Yuan angry, but it did make him realize one thing: Jing Nan was at the top level of the Lighthouse, one of the few people at the peak of the pyramid.

She seemed to have no troops or real power, but she had City Lord Morgan!

Whether she was his biological daughter didn't matter, and being female didn't matter either.

Morgan was even willing to pass his position to Marc; he actually valued ability more.

Although in the original story, Morgan seemed intent on passing the position to Marc, did he really not want to pass it to Charles?

No! If he didn't want to pass the position to Charles, why would he appoint him as the Leader of the Light and Shadow Society?

Marc, Charles, and Jing Nan—these high-ranking young people might all be candidates under Morgan's evaluation.

It was also at this moment that Jing Yuan suddenly understood why Charles was willing to let Jing Nan go to the Hall of Dawn with him.

Even if Jing Yuan hadn't made the request, Charles would likely have found a way to get Jing Nan into the Hall of Dawn.

If Jing Nan were to become pregnant, she would have no strength left in future power struggles.

Thinking of this, Jing Yuan couldn't help but give a helpless smile.

Charles's schemes were always interlocking, achieving multiple goals at once!

...After finishing breakfast, Jing Yuan went to the Armament Preparation Depot for his daily training.

Since a mission had just ended, the Wasteland Hunters team didn't mandate that everyone come for training.

But for Jing Yuan, if he didn't train, he couldn't seem to find anything else to do.

Not long after Jing Yuan arrived at the Armament Preparation Depot, a piece of news arrived.

The notice for the internal selection of a Deputy Captain for the Wasteland Hunters was officially issued.

The Deputy Captain would be selected from all members of the Wasteland Hunters; everyone could sign up.

However, after signing up, the first round of selection would involve a review and screening by the higher-ups.

Once the review was passed, there would be a public announcement; if there were no objections, they would proceed to the second round.

The second round was an Arena Tournament, one-on-one combat where the winner advanced, and the final victor would obtain the position of Deputy Captain.

Seeing this, Jing Yuan smiled.

The first round of selection was obviously for pre-selected candidates, yet they still insisted on this superficial display to make it seem like the selection was fair.

To emphasize fairness, the higher-ups even mandated that every single Wasteland Hunter must sign up!

As for the second round's Arena Tournament, that was a standard selection procedure.

However, Jing Yuan couldn't quite figure out the design behind this series of events, so he could only wait and see.

If everyone signs up, it's the same as no one signing up.

How things are arranged is up to the higher-ups.

After leaving the Armament Preparation Depot, Jing Yuan went to the Workshop to sit for a while.

4277 was in the Workshop as usual, forging flying daggers.

Seeing Jing Yuan arrive, 4277 also asked, "I heard your Wasteland Hunters are going to select a Deputy Captain?"

"You know about this too?" Jing Yuan was somewhat surprised; he had only just learned the news at the Armament Preparation Depot.

"Of course, it's spread all over the Lighthouse."

"Then what do you all think about it?" Jing Yuan asked.

"What do we think?" 4277 said with a laugh. "We just watch it for the spectacle!"

Jing Yuan smiled; for Dust Citizens like them, whoever became the Captain or Deputy Captain didn't have much to do with them.

They just watched for the excitement.

On the Lighthouse, there were no entertainment activities, so this kind of selection tournament was equivalent to holding an event.

The results of the review and selection came out the next day.

When everyone got the list and looked at it, they felt very strange.

The list was entirely composed of people from Marc's faction.

Including Jing Yuan.

After all, in most people's eyes, since Jing Yuan had strongly supported Marc in the cafeteria, he was clearly identified as one of Marc's men.

But if it's entirely Marc's faction, would other departments, like Charles's Light and Shadow Society, allow such a thing to happen?

Thinking of this, Jing Yuan suddenly understood Charles's intention.

Chapter 40: Marc's View

Jing Yuan looked at the second-round list and shook his head helplessly.

Charles was indeed a master of manipulating hearts.

On the surface, Charles seemed like a good Leader, winning over subordinates by giving money and women.

But was he really that simple?

Did he not have a backup plan?

Charles's hidden move was to make Jing Yuan offend everyone in Marc's faction.

The last time, the execution of Snow Peak at the Light and Shadow Society was intended to make Jing Yuan offend Snow Peak.

And this time, the Deputy Captain selection seemed like a fair contest where everyone could participate.

But in reality, it was just selecting specific targets to watch you fight among yourselves in a cage.

Whose seniority or experience on this list wasn't deeper than Jing Yuan's?

Whose contributions weren't greater than Jing Yuan's?

Whose relationship with Marc wasn't deeper than Jing Yuan's?

Any person on this list was more qualified to be the Deputy Captain than Jing Yuan!

Jing Yuan had asked for this post right in front of Charles.

Charles had agreed.

The opportunity has been given to you; it's up to you whether you can seize it.

Charles's goal was simple.

He wanted Jing Yuan to rise to power by stepping over a group of Marc's trusted aides.

So, do you want this position or not?