In the name of supernatural powers

Chapter 168 First Class Merit
City Defense Office.

Zhao De stared expressionlessly at the group of burly monks in front of him.

The fact that Buddhist monks have come here at this time can only mean that they are here for Lu Zhao.

The ownership of the Dragon Subduer and Tiger Tamer has been debated for ten years. It has evolved into a battleground where different factions and factions vie for power.

The complexity of the conflicts of interest and the breadth of the time involved are unprecedented since the founding of the Federation.

Take the Chen faction, to which Zhao De belonged, for example. Chen Wuhou belonged to the reformist faction, and most of the reformists supported Buddhism, but Chen Wuhou did not support Buddhism.

The reason is simple: Buddhism has a large following in the region, and by using religion to win people's hearts, it indirectly infringes on the interests of Marquis Chen Wu.

Conversely, Liu Wuhou's economic reform plans were welcomed by reformists in various inland regions.

Often, "faction" is just a general term. Each faction within a faction has different interests, but they are grouped together because they share the same general direction.

Ultimately, it all comes down to money, or more precisely, resources.

The stronger the economy of a county or city, the greater its influence, and the more extraordinary individuals it attracts, like a snowball rolling downhill.

The great supernatural powers such as the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends are strategic forces, involving all the Martial Marquises.

Some have described it as a powder keg, which could very well be the start of a civil war.

Zhao De personally does not want to see Buddhism; he only wants to focus on economic development, run the trading port well, and ensure that Fangchenggang can smoothly become a directly administered municipality.

To some extent, he also catered to the economic plans of the Liu faction, which was one of the few places where the two military commanders, Chen and Liu, reached cooperation amidst their fierce struggle.

Cooperation amidst struggle, and struggle amidst cooperation—that is the art of federal politics.

He asked, “Masters, there are no temples in my city.”

The implication was clear: get out of here.

Collective actions by extraordinary individuals are regulated, let alone the activities of a large group of cult-affiliated extraordinary individuals, which is tantamount to walking around with a gun.

Organizing group activities in places without temples is illegal in itself.

The leading monk said, "Amitabha, I heard that the disaster in Fangshi was severe, so I came here specifically to support the post-disaster reconstruction of the area."

As he spoke, he produced a document bearing the federal seal.

"This is our document. We have obtained permission to provide disaster relief in all states and districts within the Nankaido region. We are here today to report to Mayor Zhao and hope to enter the state and district for disaster relief."

Zhao De took a look and confirmed that the document was correct, then sighed helplessly.

Missionary rights in the state.

Before the Cataclysm, the Federation prohibited religious preaching in public. However, the social unrest following the Cataclysm necessitated the use of religion to stabilize public morale, especially in states with lower living standards.

The federal government then granted the Buddhist and Taoist sects the right to preach. The Buddhist sect took the mass line, frequently going deep into the states to distribute food, and gained a large number of followers.

In the event of a riot, the presence of Buddhist organizations usually eliminates the need for violent suppression.

Since the establishment of the Taiping Dao, the Taoist sect has been able to only follow the elite route, and now it has vaguely become a private medical institution and tutoring center for the upper class.

They refine elixirs for the nobility and teach young masters and ladies cultivation.

In reality, the effects may not be as good as those of potions produced by the Federation. The main selling point is an ancient secret method, which is all-natural and pollution-free.

In general, religious sects are a significant force in stabilizing society; they are not inactive and naturally have a voice.

But these monks were clearly not there to help with the disaster; disaster relief was just an excuse. They were most likely there to cause trouble for Lu Zhao.

However, Lu Zhao is in charge of the port affairs, which is crucial to whether he can continue to serve as the mayor.

Zhao De warned, "I hope all of you masters are really just here for disaster relief and won't cause me any trouble. Our city is currently promoting the opening of a trading port, and I don't want any problems to arise."

As he spoke, the aura of a peak third-tier expert was revealed.

In an instant, the monks composed themselves, and the leader solemnly replied, "Even Buddha obeys the command of the Federation. We will naturally abide by the law. Please have Mayor Zhao sign."

Since the other party's procedures were compliant and they had the necessary documents, Zhao De had no choice but to stamp the document, no matter how unwilling he was.

After the monks left, Zhao De first instructed his secretary to send someone to keep watch, and then called Lu Zhao to inform him of the situation.

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Ant Ridge.

Lu Zhao is currently conducting an on-site inspection of the progress of the treaty port project.

The site was chosen on the original road leading to the outpost. A road was to be built starting from the old temple at the foot of the mountain, leading to the outpost, and from there a port was to be established to transport goods directly to the Sanjiang River.

This will also improve traffic conditions at the outpost and prevent frequent landslides in emergency situations.

The road-laying construction team was working feverishly.

The project manager, wearing a white hat, followed Lu Zhao, slightly behind by half a step, with a fawning smile on his face.

"Station Chief Lu, as per your request, we are constructing the road to the highest standards and reinforcing the mountainsides on both sides to prevent landslides."

"As for the outpost expansion you requested, we have already prepared the blueprints, aiming to make the outpost both a fortress for defending against monsters and a haven for the soldiers to rest."

"Please feel free to make any other requests."

Lu Zhao inspected the area and said, "I am very satisfied so far. There is nothing that needs improvement. Please feel free to suggest anything you need."

Upon hearing this, the project manager's smile widened even further.

He's been in the engineering industry for so many years, and this is the first time he's met such a good leader.

They were quick to pay and didn't interfere with the project, but they were a bit strict and would come to inspect it every few days.

But this is definitely not a disadvantage; on the contrary, it is an advantage.

Most problems in construction projects don't stem from a lack of effort on the part of the construction team, but rather from an inability to deliver satisfactory results for a reasonable budget. Ring ring ring.

The phone suddenly rang, and Lu Zhao took out his phone to see that it was Zhao De calling.

"I'll take a call."

Upon hearing this, the people around immediately dispersed, and some spontaneously took turns standing guard, creating a private space for the leader.

Upon answering the phone, Zhao De got straight to the point, informing Lu Zhao about the monk's visit to Fangshi and hoping it wouldn't affect his work.

The two had already developed a tacit understanding.

Lu Zhao said, "I will ensure that the construction of the treaty port proceeds steadily, and trade can be opened within this month."

The site can be directly requisitioned; the slaughterhouse is just a few iron sheds. The cold chain directly restores the previously lost industrial chain.

The only time-consuming part is the paperwork; all procedures must be completed before work can begin.

Zhao De was very satisfied with Lu Zhao's work efficiency and said, "If that bald monk causes you trouble, you can call me."

Lu Zhao asked in surprise, "Did Marquis Chen allow you to do this?"

Zhao De said, "Anything not prohibited by law is permissible. If the leader has not given any instructions not to do something, then I will naturally decide for myself."

Moreover, since Chen Wuhou did not specifically instruct me to help the Buddhist sect or not to help Lu Zhao, this situation is, in a sense, also a matter of attitude.

On the other end of the phone, Lu Zhao understood Zhao De's unspoken meaning.

Chen Wuhou did not support Buddhism.

Lu Zhao couldn't help but feel a little strange; lately, he seemed to be getting along too well with the Chen faction.

On the issue of treaty ports, his interests were completely aligned with Zhao De's.

Lu Zhao suddenly said, "The Sanjiang region is a mixed bag, with all sorts of bandits running rampant. I'm afraid that after the treaty ports open, some bad elements will infiltrate."

Zhao De reassured him, "You don't need to worry about that. No one dares to cause trouble in this matter. If any thugs do cause trouble, those gangs will clean up their own mess."

So-called gangsters don't even deserve to be dogs in front of these two.

Whether it's a vicious gang in the state or a desperate criminal from overseas, they'll all turn into docile dogs at the slightest beckoning.

Since ancient times, those who have mastered both martial and literary skills have served the imperial court. Whether one is skilled in martial arts or literature, it is all about serving the system.

Lu Zhaodao said, "Just in case, we always need a contingency plan. I think we should cooperate with the city's public security department to enforce the law together, so that we can proactively curb crime."

Zhao De finally realized what was happening.

This guy is trying to take power for himself, transferring his potentially illegal actions to departments with legitimate authority and responsibility.

This isn't a conspiracy or trick; it's just an interpretation of the rules, and generally only experienced players can pull it off.

Lu Zhao had only been a powerful local official for a little over two months, and had never worked in a key department before. How could he have come up with this idea?

Then he thought of all the ways Lu Zhao had operated within the task force, how he had always managed to maximize the use of his power.

Lu Zhao seems to be a born political creature, able to master any power as soon as he gets his hands on it.

Suddenly, Zhao De had a probing thought and refused, saying, "I'm currently dealing with the matter of becoming a municipality directly under the central government, and many procedures in the city are quite complicated. I'm afraid I can't help you for the time being."

"If you have any problems, you can call me directly."

"Row."

Lu Zhao was decisive and didn't press the issue.

Hang up the phone and return to the camp.

Lu Zhao presented a draft of the regulations for the management of treaty ports, which was jointly drafted by the city and the border garrison, and included issues related to personnel management.

Master said that expanding power internally means replicating the power of discourse, while expanding power externally means reinterpreting the rules.

Expanding the interpretation of vague terms of authority to include new situations within the scope of management paves the way for the expansion of power.

Lu Zhao's gaze fell upon the personnel management regulations.

The border garrison troops have no authority to prevent, stop, or investigate criminal activities. If the monks come looking for trouble, Lu Zhao has no way to use the Qiankun Bag Technique to cover them up on the grounds of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble."

However, it has the power to combat crimes committed abroad, and the regulations governing personnel at treaty ports can be supplemented and interpreted.

If Zhao De wants to help Buddhism, he will have to revise the management regulations.

At that point, the border garrison could decide that the port might threaten border security and halt the entire project.

Once his thoughts were clear, Lu Zhao immediately issued a series of orders to prepare the border garrison cadres mentally.

As I said before, promises from others are useless. It would be best if Zhao De could help, but it won't make things worse if he can't.

For the rest of the day, Lu Zhao didn't see the monk, but instead received some good news.

The two second-class merit awards that the Public Security Command had promised him should have been awarded today after the procedures were completed, but the higher-ups suddenly changed their minds.

The first-class merit award was expedited and issued together with the second-class merit award, allowing him to be promoted directly to the rank of colonel.

The document will be issued within a week at the latest.

In just four months, Lu Zhao jumped from lieutenant to field officer, his promotion speed was like a rocket.

That evening, Miss Lin specifically told Lu Zhao about this matter.

"It was Master Liu who instructed Uncle Liu to do it. Otherwise, it wouldn't be good for a lieutenant like you to serve as a local official. It would be easy for someone to find fault with you."

(End of this chapter)