Like the smoke he exhaled, Zhao Longfei's words cast a haze over Guan Ming's once-clear determination to complete his assignment.
Newly arrived in Area No. 7, he had not refused the first assignment Kav had personally given him. He had thought it was a good opportunity to get closer to the European Nation's district chief, a man with powerful connections.
Kav's personal instructions had stirred excitement even in a veteran bureaucrat like him. He had almost felt as if he had arrived in Utopia, and even his political instincts had grown a little dulled.
"Dadowa was assigned to demolish the building, but things haven't gone very smoothly for him. I think there's a good saying in Huaguo: 'Don't appoint people solely based on personal ties.' Section Chief Guan, I've reviewed your résumé. It's excellent, so I intend to entrust you with putting seals on Nanrong University's Guesthouse. I hope you'll impress me."
Earlier, Guan Ming had wondered whether District Chief Kav was short of people he could rely on and intended to groom him.
He had hummed a tune in the car all the way to Southern Glory.
Only now, after meeting the Zhao Family's second-in-command, did he realize how deep the waters ran beneath Kav's order to put seals on the Guesthouse.
Within two hours, he had met the heads of two major powers in Area No. 7.
What sort of person could manage that?
Either someone important enough to stand on roughly equal footing with them.
Or a disposable pawn.
And he was undoubtedly the latter.
He even immediately thought of Jing Ke's attempt to assassinate the King of Qin.
The difference was that Jing Ke had known he was going to Qin to assassinate its king, while Guan Ming had still believed, right up until now, that