Chapter 19: Reputation Rollercoaster
Inside the office, a typewriter clattered as the print pins moved, producing an official approval document from the Southern Alliance.
Lifting the roller lock of the typewriter, Baha pulled the approval document out from between the rollers, a faint smell of ink still lingering on it.
"Boss, is this thing reliable?"
Baha placed the special maritime departure approval on the table. At this time, without a special maritime departure approval, going out to sea was absolutely forbidden. Su Xiao had called to inquire with Dean Victor, whose original words were that the Alliance was clamping down tightly. Even he couldn't obtain a special maritime departure approval at this stage.
Su Xiao picked up the forged Alliance seal and stamped it at the bottom of the document. The actual significance of forging this special maritime departure approval was far less than its symbolic meaning. Su Xiao didn't plan to completely fall out with the Alliance, as that would cost him many conveniences. This document was merely a fig leaf to prevent a complete rupture of relations.
It was now afternoon, and Youke City was as peaceful as ever, while the neighboring city of Jiaman City was seething with undercurrents.
According to the real-time intelligence Su Xiao had gathered, the white-haired youth and Aichi had joined forces. In the morning, they had gone to the Jihua Newspaper Office in Jiaman City, which was now a ruin.
There was no need to elaborate on the investigation process. The protagonist team wouldn't face any resistance from the Alliance because both Su Xiao and Kingsley were using their own methods to apply pressure.
Even the Alliance wouldn't dare to offend both Su Xiao and Kingsley simultaneously, let alone the Alliance Council, which relied on the Alliance's authority.
On Kingsley's side, he had definitely discovered that Aichi was a pawn in Su Xiao's hands. So far, Aichi hadn't been assassinated or purged, clearly indicating that Kingsley had tacitly accepted the current situation. Before the protagonist team captured the mermaid, Kingsley's Eclipse Organization wouldn't appear in the open.
Obviously, after being thoroughly embarrassed by the Alliance Council, that bunch of useless teammates, Kingsley realized this wouldn't work. If he continued cooperating with the Alliance Council, the "Organization" would definitely crush the Eclipse Organization until they couldn't find their way back.
The Alliance Council, abandoned by Kingsley, was like a cornered dog jumping over a wall. At noon today, several leading members of the Alliance Council sent subordinates to Youke City to negotiate cooperation with Su Xiao.
The terms of cooperation were: the Alliance Council would no longer pursue the matter of Su Xiao killing the council member, meaning Su Xiao could publicly reclaim his position as Deputy Legion Commander. In return, after capturing the mermaid, Su Xiao would hand her over to the Alliance Council first, and five hours later, the Alliance Council would return her.
Su Xiao chose to ignore this deal. The Alliance Council was the ultimate useless teammate. Kingsley had been badly burned by them, so Su Xiao naturally wouldn't cooperate with them either.
After being rebuffed by Su Xiao, the several representatives of the Alliance Council were furious and immediately threatened to hold him accountable. Their general meaning was that Su Xiao, as the Deputy Legion Commander of the "Organization," was currently under criminal suspension and shouldn't be in Youke City but should return to the underground detention center in Jiaman City.
In response, Su Xiao still ignored them, merely sending his adjutant, Belok, to deliver a job appointment document. It clearly stated that a few days ago, Su Xiao had nominally ceased to be the Deputy Legion Commander of the "Organization." The current Deputy Legion Commander was Su Xiao's former trusted subordinate, Xili.
Xili was in the underground detention center in Jiaman City. If those Alliance councilors didn't believe it, they could go and verify it themselves. This had happened a few days ago.
Su Xiao was now a free man. The members of the Organization all listened to him, but he couldn't help it. Who knew if these people had water in their brains? He was just Kukulin Bai Ye, an ordinary citizen of the Alliance. Nominally, he had no connection to the "Organization" anymore.
Upon hearing Su Xiao say these words, those several Alliance councilors were almost furious. One councilor immediately roared, "Bullshit! One-fifth of the Organization's members have gathered in Youke City, congregating in the area where you, Kukulin Bai Ye, are located. And you tell me you're an ordinary Alliance citizen?"
Despite the angry outburst, the several Alliance councilors were indeed helpless. The nominal Deputy Legion Commander, Xili, was still in the underground detention center, which had already given the Alliance Council enough face. Continue to hold Su Xiao accountable? Did they really think the "Organization," "Containment Institution," and "Finance Department" were just decorations?
After another round of absurd maneuvers, the Alliance Council fell silent, undoubtedly brewing some other baffling actions in the shadows.
Su Xiao placed Bubu Wang's wooden carving on the table. He had now reached a certain balance with Kingsley. Both were interfering with the protagonist team, but neither was touching the other's pawns.
Ring, ring, ring~
The phone beside him rang. Su Xiao picked it up, and Kingsley's very magnetic voice came through.
"Kukulin, have you obtained the special maritime departure approval?"
"Not yet. The Alliance is clamping down tightly."
Su Xiao tapped his fingers lightly on the table and glanced down at the forged special maritime departure approval.
"Then you'd better hurry up. If you encounter difficulties, just say the word, and I can do you a favor on my end."
"Would you be so kind?"
Su Xiao knew that he and Kingsley were destined to be enemies, but he had never encountered a formidable opponent like Kingsley. He knew Kingsley's plan, just as Kingsley seemed to know his arrangements.
"It's not about kindness. The Midsummer Festival is coming. You're not going to forget such an important holiday, are you?"
"I forgot."
"It's tomorrow. Those little ones can only spend the festival at sea, and so can we. Oh, by the way, Bai Ye, my son was born. At the beginning of this month, I became a father. Don't you have anything to say? Don't be too stingy. You are the Legion Commander of the Organization."
Kingsley didn't hide the birth of his child. Su Xiao had known about this for a long time. The intelligence channels of 'Ears' weren't just for show.
"I happen to have a small gift. Where do your wife and child live? I'll send someone to deliver it."
"Forget the gift. Just don't set your sights on them. I've been too busy at the beginning of the month, so I only had time today to hold a birth ceremony for my son. I saved an apple for you. It's our tradition: eat an apple for a boy, a tangerine for a girl. Take care, Bai Ye. You won't hesitate to kill me, and if I could kill you, I wouldn't hesitate either. Oh, and remember to eat the apple."
After saying his final words, Kingsley hung up. Just then, a knock came at the door. It was a deliveryman.
Baha took the gift box the deliveryman was holding, confirmed it was safe, placed it on the table, and opened it. It was an exquisite gift box. Inside was an apple, along with a greeting card. The handwriting was elegant, and the signature was from Kingsley's wife.
"How come it feels like this guy named Kingsley isn't actually that bad?"
Liechao spoke softly. Hearing her words, Baha was stunned.
"Who told you Kingsley is a bad person?"
"Isn't he?"
"Of course not... Well~, that's not right either. Kingsley isn't a good person, but he's definitely not a bad person. If you ask those Alliance officials, they'll definitely say we're the villains."
Baha glanced at Su Xiao. The faint, almost imperceptible blood aura made him look like the ultimate villain boss.
Liechao was speechless for a moment. After thinking for a long time, she finally chose to remain silent.
The door was pushed open, and a figure walked into the room. The person was dressed in formal attire and had a very formidable aura.
"Is this the Organization branch in Youke City? I am..."
The newcomer stopped mid-sentence. His name was Linlong Yalike, a contractor from Death Paradise.
Yalike, Baha, and Bubu Wang stared at each other with wide eyes, the atmosphere extremely awkward.
"Bai Ye, the 'Organization' Legion Commander I'm looking for... it's not you, is it?"
When Yalike asked this, even he felt a stifling frustration in his heart. He recalled the helplessness of being surrounded by the Doom Number and the cursed people in the Demon Sea World. And now, that feeling was back. This bastard named Bai Ye had become the Legion Commander of the 'Organization' in the Alliance Star, with a large number of transcendent subordinates.
"It's me. Is there something?"
"Nothing. Farewell."
Linlong Yalike turned and left. His plan was to leave Youke City, not stay in the Southern Alliance, and go to the jurisdiction of the Eastern Alliance.
Just as Yalike took a few steps, he suddenly received a notification.
[Notification: Your Containment Institution reputation has increased by 10,000 points.]
[Notification: Your Containment Institution reputation has increased by 10,000 points.]
[Notification: Your Containment Institution reputation has increased by 10,000 points...]
[Current Containment Institution Reputation: Containment Expert (46,850/63,000 points).]
[You have been promoted to Containment Expert. You can lead 3-5 first-class transcendent members of the Organization to eliminate and contain B-class and A-class dangerous objects.]
...
Linlong Yalike stopped in front of the door. He had originally wanted to leave, but...
"I won't be stupid enough to cooperate with an old Yinbi from Reincarnation Paradise."
As soon as Linlong Yalike finished speaking, a notification appeared.
[Notification: You have been dismissed.]
[You have lost your position as Containment Expert of the Containment Institution.]
[You have become an ordinary citizen of the Alliance.]
Linlong Yalike was stunned for a moment. He turned his head to look at Su Xiao, pondered for a long time, and then said, "At most, I'll help you with one thing, as thanks for helping me increase my reputation."
"Deal."
As Su Xiao spoke, Linlong Yalike received another notification.
[Notification: You have been re-recruited by the Containment Institution.]
[Your faction reputation has significantly increased.]
[Current Containment Institution Reputation: Containment Expert (46,850/63,000 points).]
Seeing this notification that was like a rollercoaster ride, Linlong Yalike felt utterly speechless. This reputation system was as ridiculous as a joke, making him silently curse in his heart: 'Damn it.'