East West Factions, The Pulling Game is Beautiful!

Farce!

This was absolutely a ridiculous farce!

The applause from the audience seemed to be a competition, with the Dongren Faction and the Xiren Faction unwilling to yield to each other, neither willing to stop first.

Uncle Dong on stage was completely stunned, while the members of the Winter Squad backstage, along with all the retired veteran warriors who came to give the lecture, froze on the spot with bewildered expressions.

What, what happened?

No one knew what had happened.

Even Cheng Ye, the instigator, was somewhat taken aback, but he suppressed it without revealing anything, showing no abnormality that could be inferred.

After a long while.

It wasn't until Uncle Dong bowed repeatedly and then hastily fled backstage that the applause gradually subsided, bringing this farce to a close.

"Cheng Ye, do you already have some special connection with the Xiren...?"

Li Maitai's face darkened, and he gestured with his eyes for Cheng Ye to look at Dario Haven.

He didn't believe that Dario Haven was supporting an unknown Dongren Warrior just to liven up the atmosphere of this Study Session.

"No, don't talk nonsense."

After sitting down, Cheng Ye immediately shook his head.

He didn't want to be misunderstood as having joined the Xiren faction after being assigned to North Station.

Moreover, when Dario Haven entered, he seemed a bit off, his gaze very fervent.

"It's good that you didn't. I don't want to deal with people who take sides."

Li Maitai flinched, saying this, but his body involuntarily shifted to the side.

Huxue told him that at this time, he should stay away from Cheng Ye to avoid being caught in an indiscriminate AOE.

Reality soon confirmed his premonition.

As soon as the Study Session ended, before the dismissal was announced, a Staff member walked directly over: "Inspector Cheng, Inspector Haven would like to invite you over to discuss dealing with Hydrophilic Infected. Do you have time now?"

"Take me there."

Cheng Ye grunted, deciding to take things as they came.

Although he still didn't understand why the Xiren's attitude had changed, he instinctively felt that this was not a bad thing and did not go against his original plan.

To survive the struggle between the East West Factions, the first priority was to have the Strength to stand firm.

And this strength, he actually already possessed it.

Although it might not be top-tier, it was definitely enough to protect himself, no longer the green Trainee Inspector.

With this strength, he could implement the next plan.

Choose a side.

Li Maitai's Huxue might be suitable for others within the Checkpoint, but it was definitely not applicable to him.

Before he understood what the two factions were fighting over, Cheng Ye had considered staying neutral.

But when he understood that both sides were fighting over a Transcendent Opportunity, he knew there was no retreat. The East West Factions were already in a fight to the death.

Unless Halin was willing to give up this chance for a Transcendent Baptism that occurred once every six years, and willingly wait for the next six years.

And risk Ding Yishan failing his awakening again, leading to another round of struggle between the two.

Otherwise, this time the East West Factions would inevitably have to decide a victor.

"Choosing the Dongren is the best choice, and my original plan."

"Choosing the Xiren carries too much risk and is not advisable, but meeting them can let Ding Yishan see my change."

This was a risky move.

Cheng Ye might have hesitated before, but now he was somewhat eager to try.

His strength had grown, and his courage had grown with it.

Before even going to the South Station, he was already getting impatient, wanting to pressure Director Ding first.

"But if I want to stand firm now, strength alone is not enough. I'm lacking a sufficiently weighty contribution."

"With a Pledge of Allegiance, I can gain faction protection!"

Cheng Ye pondered in his heart, his steps not stopping.

Following the Staff to the room next to the Venue, he didn't expect that this entire floor had been renovated overnight.

A room originally used as a resting room for actors had been cleared out and turned into a meeting room.

He pushed open the door.

In the corner where costume racks were originally piled, there was now a silver-gray desktop air conditioner. Its white vents silently exhaled a cool airflow, keeping the summer heat outside the door.

Two dark gray fabric sofas were arranged in an L-shape, with a walnut wood coffee table in the middle whose edges were polished smooth and round.

On the table, three White Porcelain Cups were placed side by side. Next to them, a Zisha Pot was emitting wisps of steam.

"Inspector Cheng, please sit."

Dario Haven gestured, a perfectly measured smile on his face.

From a normal person's perspective, ignoring the Factional Struggle, this demeanor was easily likable.

Cheng Ye sat on the sofa opposite, and before he could speak, Dario raised his hand to pour tea.

"I really like Dongren culture, especially tea culture."

"You should know that all plants in our Shi Province are constantly losing their traits. These Tea Cakes were traded from the Outer Province, making them a luxury item."

Truly a luxury.

The wisps of tea fragrance might not be obvious in modern times.

But after drinking bland Nutrient Paste for two consecutive months, the clear aroma lingering in Cheng Ye's nostrils at this moment brought a sense of comfort that spread through his entire body.

In a daze, he seemed to have fallen into a lush green Tea Field, greedily inhaling the fresh, moist scent of nature.

It was truly magical.

But in the next second, Cheng Ye suddenly came to his senses, "This shouldn't be ordinary Tea Leaf, right?"

"You guessed correctly. These Tea Leaves are imbued with a Transcendent Aura."

Dario showed an appreciative look, as if recognizing Cheng Ye's discerning taste, and slowly introduced, "Our Shi Province has a Transcendent Curse, and other provinces are naturally not immune. However, some curses, if utilized well, like 'Stones Falling Ill,' can turn waste into treasure."

"Here, try some. Sha Province's specialty, Cloud Mist Tea."

"Thank you."

Cheng Ye nodded and didn't stand on ceremony. He picked up the White Porcelain Cup and took a sip.

Hiss.

It was truly clear and refreshing. Is this the life of the upper class!

An indescribable sense of refreshment exploded on his tongue, spreading along his taste buds.

It was like eating ten times the effect of a Golden Throat Lozenge. Part of the coolness rushed straight down his throat, while another part seemed to escape from his seven orifices and dissipate.

"Refreshing!"

The lung-penetrating refreshment dissipated.

Cheng Ye exhaled a breath of white air, creating a temperature difference cold mist phenomenon typically seen in winter.

This was the origin of the 'Cloud Mist.'

"Since you like it, there's another unbrewed tea cake here. Inspector Cheng, please take it with you later."

Dario pulled out a palm-sized aluminum foil packet from under the table.

He unfolded a corner, revealing a verdant, pressed tea cake inside.

"I invited you here today mainly for us to get acquainted. Director Halin greatly appreciates promising young men like you. He hopes you can contribute more to North Station and also lend your strength to Xingfu City."

Dario tapped the rim of his teacup with his fingertip, his smile carrying a hint of deeper meaning. "My Defense Communicator ID is 2217. Inspector Cheng, if you encounter any trouble in the future, I've always been generous in extending a hand to talents like yourself."

"Thank you."

Sensing the other party was seeing him out, Cheng Ye offered another thank you, picked up the tea packet, nodded, and left.

Damn, this guy is a master at winning people over. His level doesn't seem much lower than Ding Yishan's.

Outside, Cheng Ye was secretly alarmed.

If Dario had directly stated his intentions and forced him to take a side, he would have had every reason to excuse himself to think about it.

But the other party had used such a calm and unhurried demeanor, making it difficult to refuse, even denying him the chance to speak his refusal.

But that's fine too.

Cheng Ye rubbed the creases on the aluminum foil packet with his fingertip. Since you're not in a hurry, I won't be either. Let's see who gets anxious first.

He didn't believe that Ding Yishan would be selectively blind to the commotion in the venue earlier, coupled with this meeting with Dario now.

The door closed.

Dario downed the Cloud Mist Tea in his cup in one gulp and quickly picked up the teapot to refill it.

He drank it as if he were a cow chewing on peonies, only letting out a long sigh of fragrant white steam when the teapot was empty. He then leaned back loosely onto the sofa.

But if one looked closely, a trace of heartache could still be seen on his face.

Cloud Mist Tea was no common commodity. The piece Cheng Ye took away was worth at least 50 Contribution Points.

And most importantly, Sha Province and Shi Province were far apart, and caravans might not even make the trip once a year.

This stuff was truly a case of "one less when it's drunk"!

"Station Chief."

Picking up his Defense Communicator, Dario dialed a number.

"You've made contact?"

"He's capable and can keep his cool. I don't know which idiot compiled that previous information; it's completely inaccurate."

"That's normal," Halin's light chuckle came through the microphone. "Neither Cheng Wu nor Cheng Long have the Transcendent gene, so they'll never awaken abilities in this lifetime. But when it comes to ruthlessness, they're both top-notch. The people they've offended could circle Xingfu City. If his precious son weren't a 'waste,' he would have been dealt with long ago. How else would he have had the chance to inherit the Inspector position?"

"Then, is it possible he won't awaken Transcendent abilities either?"

"Hard to say." Halin pondered for a moment. "Can we bring him over?"

"Difficult!"

Dario repeated the conversation between the two at lightning speed.

Silence stretched on the other end of the microphone for a long time before a voice finally came through. "Then keep an eye on him. Cheng Wu and Cheng Long still have some goodwill left. It'll be too much trouble for us to make a move. Don't let him die at North Station. Wait until he's sent to South Station. Besides, getting past the Inner City won't be easy, unless Ding Yishan is willing to protect him to the death."

"Understood."

The call ended.

Not long after.

The door opened, and a Xiren Inspector walked in, taking the seat Cheng Ye had previously occupied.

"Sir, we've already let the Dongren know we met with Cheng Ye. Director Ding should find out soon too."

"Mm," Dario nodded lightly. "What's his relationship with that scoundrel Li Maitai? Why are they so close?"

"He probably knows he can't hold on much longer. After Autumn, he'll have to pick a side. So, he's trying to find a Dongren to rely on in advance, to put pressure on us and continue playing both sides. But his personality wouldn't dare go too far, for fear of our overreaction. That's why he could only find a Trainee Inspector."

"He's going to put pressure on us?"

Dario scoffed dismissively. "In that case, just ignore him. For the next five days, I'll arrange for you to partner with Cheng Ye. Keep a close eye on him for me. Don't let the Dongren get desperate and force us into a passive position."

"Rest assured, sir."

The Xiren Inspector nodded in agreement. Then, he hesitated and spoke, "But he's just a Trainee Inspector. Is he worth us..."

"Worth it, of course, he's worth it."

Dario abruptly interrupted him. "Cheng Long left behind so much goodwill back then. He can die anywhere, but he cannot die at our Xiren's North Station, causing Cloud Leopard Changyuan to unite against me and seize my position as Station Chief, understand?!"

"Station Chief!"

"Mm."

"Liu Bi didn't say anything. I did. The situation is quite clear now."

"Mm?"

"Cheng Long is indeed hiding, and he's hiding deep enough to fool everyone."

"Cheng Ye is completely different from the information we have. His methods are ruthless, his mind is steady, and he's also someone pursuing individual limits. He doesn't have much interest in factional struggles. He has no idea about past grievances within the Station, especially the entanglements of Cheng Wu's generation, and he's not curious about them."

"Are you sure?"

"Sure. Otherwise, why would the Inner City hand the person over to us to deal with?"

"Alright. Did you tell him about the benefits of joining our faction?"

"I did. He doesn't object to joining. I think we can give it a try. Maybe he can carry the banner for the younger generation of the Checkpoint, just like Cheng Long did back then. But the pressure from the Inner City..."

"Mm, I know. You don't need to worry about what happens next."

"And the favor from before?"

"Consider it settled. Also, I'm very pleased that the Station still has people like you, who hold onto their original intentions."

"The Station Chief is joking. I'm just an Old Scoundrel, what original intentions do I have? I just feel that becoming a dog for Transcendent beings is a betrayal of the efforts of our predecessors."

On the third floor of the theater, which hadn't been cleaned yet, Li Maitai hung up the phone. His gaze casually pierced through the hole in the wall, landing on Cheng Ye as he walked out.

A glint flashed in his eyes, as if he had stumbled upon a rare treasure.

But immediately, the glint vanished, and his eyes returned to their usual lazy, turbid, and dim state.

Ps: Still a 3.6k chapter. The faction survival struggle is over. The protagonist has officially gained a firm foothold and can now go all out. Ah, writing original content is so difficult! Please, Reader Lords, give me some Votes for encouragement. Let's see if I can reach 1000 Votes this month. I'm still over 100 short!

Ps2: Thanks to the Reader Lords who have supported me recently. The Inspector has finally reached the Three Rivers recommendation, the highest honor for a new book on Qidian! There's a lot I want to say to you all, and I also want to thank those who voted and tipped. I'll release it along with the official listing + Three Rivers recommendation speech in a couple of days~