One person said: The essence of Wuhou Qimen lies not in Qimen, but in Wuhou.

Zhuge Ming's mind wandered, and he ran through his thoughts in a voice only he could hear: If I weren't a leader, a department-level official, a party member, and free from disciplinary constraints, I would lead a team of special forces, fully armed, straight to Longhu Mountain, and wipe out all those evil people from Quanxing, ending it all and preventing them from causing trouble in the martial arts world every day.

Then he shook his head inwardly.

Unfortunately, there are still quite a few extraordinary people.

If this gets out of control, the consequences will be enormous.

One out-of-control superhuman can destroy a street, and dozens of superhumans causing chaos can paralyze the normal operation of a town.

They are highly capable and destructive, yet their ideologies are diverse.

With such a large country and such a large population, once the world of superhumans falls into chaos, the peace of ordinary people will be lost.

He is none other than Zhuge Ming, a descendant of the Han Dynasty Chancellor Zhuge Liang, a department-level cadre, and a Party member—his responsibility is not to muddy the waters, but to guide them into the right channels.

Let's take it one step at a time.

In a society based on personal relationships, one must use personal relationships to resolve conflicts.

Slap them, but also give them candy; make them feel the pain, but also make them feel that they can only have a good life if they follow you.

……

The headquarters of NaDuTong Company in Beijing.

The highest-level conference room.

The atmosphere in this meeting room today is completely different from last time.

When Zhao Fangxu chaired the meeting last time, although everyone was present, there was a sense of exhaustion in the air, as if everyone was about to have to deal with the troubles from above.

Today is different.

The person sitting in the main seat today is Zhuge Ming.

The main seat at that mahogany conference table was usually occupied by Zhao Fangxu.

But at this moment, Zhao Fangxu sat properly in the first seat on the right, his hands folded on the table, his posture upright and his expression serious, showing no subtle dissatisfaction at having his seat taken away.

The six directors and the seven regional heads all sat upright, their backs straight, their eyes calm, exuding a quiet, ready-to-go aura.

Zhuge Ming sat in the main seat, his white shirt collar crisp and new, his black suit jacket draped over the back of the chair, and the national emblem on his chest reflecting a calm metallic luster under the conference room's overhead lights.

He placed the documents in his hand on the table, his slender fingers gently resting on the paper, his gaze slowly sweeping across the faces of everyone present.

The gaze was gentle and calm, without any sense of oppression, yet it made everyone feel as if something had gently tapped the back of their head.

Then he spoke.

The sound wasn't loud, but every word was clearly audible in every corner of the conference room. There was no amplification equipment, yet the effect was better than a microphone.

"Comrades, please don't be so formal. Although this is our first meeting, we are all comrades under the leadership of the Party Group and we are all dedicated to serving the people. Let me introduce myself first—I am Zhuge Ming. Hello, comrades."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Fangxu took the lead in applauding.

Zhao Fangxu's applause was neither too loud nor too soft, and the rhythm was even. Two seconds later, the six directors also reacted and clapped along, followed by the seven regional heads. The applause spread from the center of the conference table to the edges, neat and enthusiastic.

There was no one giving instructions, no one hesitating, and the process flowed smoothly.

While clapping, Zhao Fangxu turned slightly to the side, adopting a posture that was both dignified and humble, and said to Zhuge Ming, "Please, Comrade Zhuge Ming, preside over the meeting."

Zhuge Ming nodded slightly, gently pressed his hands on the table, and the applause immediately stopped.

He scanned the room again, his gaze now more serious than before.

"Comrades, you've worked hard. Working in the world of supernatural beings is not easy. Unlike ordinary affairs in society, it involves many difficult and complicated issues. Over the years, you have all worked diligently in your respective positions, putting in unimaginable hard work and enduring pressure and misunderstandings from all sides. Your work is very challenging."

He paused, then removed his hands from the table and placed his fingers interlaced in front of him.

The light reflected off his glasses, creating a barely perceptible glare.

Then he slowly stood up, a corner of his suit jacket slipping off the back of his chair, but he ignored it.

"On behalf of the Party and the State, I would like to extend my highest respect to you all."

Everyone applauded.

This time the applause was louder and shorter than the last.

I dare not be perfunctory; the respect has already been conveyed, and there is no need to fill the void with extra applause.

As the applause subsided, Zhuge Ming and the others returned to their seats, leaning slightly forward, their tone shifting from solemn to a more relaxed one.

When he spoke, it didn't sound like a leader giving a speech; it sounded more like a senior colleague chatting with a fellow employee. But every word he uttered was carefully calculated.

"The reform and opening up was a massive undertaking. Everyone was caught in the torrent. During this period, many people, through their own efforts—or perhaps luck—stood at the forefront. At the forefront, there was boundless glory, endless temptation, and also boundless risk. It all depended on how you seized the opportunity."

His gaze swept from left to right and back again, lingering on each person's face for just the right moment.

"Looking at the past is far clearer than looking at the future. Excitement and confusion intertwine in everyone's heart. Therefore, we must keep a sense of awe in our hearts. We can be blurry when looking at other things, but we must be clear about the bottom line. Never go against the people. Only in this way—whether you are an official or a citizen—can you live a peaceful and secure life."

More applause.

This time, when he clapped, Xu Si's Adam's apple bobbed slightly.

Having roamed the underworld for so many years, he had seen countless scenes involving all sorts of people, but for some reason, in front of this young man, he felt like a blank sheet of paper, with every pore of his body being scrutinized.

He subconsciously reached for the cigarette pack in his pocket, touched it, and then pulled his hand back.

Zhuge Ming picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip. The tea was still hot, prepared in advance by the company's logistics department—the temperature was just right, the tea soup was clear, and it was brewed with the finest Longjing tea.

He placed the teacup back on the table, making a soft, crisp sound as the porcelain base touched the surface, and then adopted a more relaxed tone.

"Fellow countrymen, I am here on temporary assignment at the company—to the Party Committee's Inspection Office. Comrades, please do not misunderstand, and do not harbor any resentment towards the organization. You are all people who have made significant contributions to the Party and the country, and the Party and the country will not fail any meritorious hero."

He tapped his finger lightly twice on the table, as if adding punctuation to his words.

"The work still needs to be done. Sometimes things aren't handled well, so we'll fix them. Nothing can be perfect, nothing is 100% flawed. Flaws—that's normal. It means you're doing the work, that you're getting things done. Those who don't do anything are flawless. Don't deceive the organization, don't hide anything from the organization. If there are any problems, let's talk them out and solve them together."

Upon hearing this, several people in the conference room visibly relaxed their shoulders by an inch.

Dou Le's back, which had been so tense it was almost cramping, slumped slightly. Xu Si's movement to reach for a cigarette froze in mid-air, and the expression on his face changed from intense tension to a subtle complexity.