Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 197

 

| PN | It's over | 197

The president was so furious that his head spun.

However, considering that Qi Chao was sent by the emperor, he ultimately refrained from saying anything and forced himself to produce a benevolent smile.

Yet, at this moment, Qi Chao seemed unusually cooperative. Even though the president did not insist that he return upstairs, Qi Chao still followed him, as if it were a duty he could not shirk.

This helpless demeanor immediately made the puppet masters in the workshop feel even more sympathetic toward Qi Chao. 

Of course, rather than pure sympathy for him, it was more a way for them to vent their dissatisfaction with the association’s welfare policies.

The president was oblivious to the thoughts of the puppet masters behind him. He merely assumed they were standing up for Qi Chao, and the notion nearly caused him to grind his old teeth to dust. 

His resentment toward Qi Chao, who was trailing him, grew even deeper.

To this day, he still couldn’t understand why. Clearly, he had been the one to help Elliton to his position, and he hadn’t treated him poorly. 

So why had Elliton, after gaining power, abandoned him? 

Not only that, but why did he treat Qi Chao so generously?

The more he pondered, the more the president convinced himself that the emperor was fickle, and his hatred deepened further.

"President, do you dislike me?"

Qi Chao followed behind the president, his tone seemingly full of guilt. “Last time, I wasn’t informed about the meeting. Now, I’ve gone to the workshop without your permission. No matter how I think about it, you must find me annoying.”

You also know that you are annoying?

The president gripped his cane tightly, his benevolent smile remaining unchanged. “Of course not. You are the person His Majesty sent to be in charge. Whatever you do, it doesn’t require my permission. How could I possibly dislike you?”

"That’s good. I was just thinking, if you disliked me, I could ask His Majesty to assign someone else."

Qi Chao seemed to let out a sigh of relief.

Assign someone else?

The president quickly offered a few words of reassurance. “Of course not. Please don’t misunderstand.”

In the president’s eyes, Qi Chao was merely the emperor’s puppet. With the emperor refusing to see him now, if Qi Chao were replaced and someone unfamiliar took his place, it could bring even more trouble. 

Thinking this through, the president had no choice but to swallow his disgust and persuade Qi Chao to stay.

As someone who had wielded power for nearly a century, deceiving someone came easily. His acting alone was enough to make anyone believe him. 

But for the two of them, who had already revealed their true colors, no amount of pretense could change the fact that both knew it was just a façade.

Qi Chao followed behind him with a smile, continuing to deliberately irritate the president. “Since the president doesn’t dislike me, I can rest assured.”

The president forced a perfunctory smile.

Though this interaction was just a minor episode for them, it reminded the president once again of the urgent need to solidify the loyalty of the lower-tier puppet masters. If the majority of them left, it would be truly irreparable.

That very day, he scheduled another high-level meeting.

This time, to avoid Qi Chao, he deliberately arranged for the senior officials to meet at the most discreet restaurant he could find.

"First, send people to locate new mineral veins. We must make up for the losses from the depleted ones as soon as possible. Also, since the Alliance currently has a stellar reputation, there’s no need for direct confrontation. Start by highlighting the Alliance’s shortcomings. Understand? No matter how good their welfare is, the Alliance is not an official organization like the Association."

As he spoke, he scanned the circle of senior members around him.

“Understood, understood,” the vice president hastily echoed.

“After the meeting, I want people sent out immediately to manage public opinion.”

The president nodded. “And those council members still in the hospital—get the best psychologists to work with them. Make sure they’re discharged by the end of the week!”

“Understood.”

The senior members, having worked with the president for many years, immediately agreed upon hearing his plan. 

They understood well that the emperor was currently supporting the Alliance. If things continued like this, none of them would come out unscathed. It was better to seize this opportunity and make a bold move.

If they could grasp the right moment, there was still a chance to save the Association. And, if the opportunity presented itself, they could even work with the council members to overthrow the emperor.

The president, still brooding over the betrayal he had endured, couldn’t let it go.

The senior members, guessing what was troubling him, exchanged glances and began offering their reassurances.

“Once this crisis is over, the Association will undoubtedly rise to new heights. At that time, it will still be you who takes the helm and leads us forward.”

“That’s right! The Association has stood strong for so many years. How could something as trivial as this bring it down? You needn’t worry, President.”

One comforting remark after another quickly lifted the mood, filling the room with lively chatter. 

The president gradually allowed a relaxed smile to form on his face and couldn’t help but indulge in visions of a brighter future.

After the meal, the group prepared to leave the restaurant and return to the Association. 

However, they had barely stepped outside when a familiar figure suddenly appeared before them.

The man looked at the president, then at the group of senior members standing behind him, his expression one of shock and disbelief. “President, you all went out for a meal without inviting me? So it’s true—you still think of me as an outsider.”

Do we even need to say you're an outsider?!

No, wait—why was Qi Chao here?!

The president and the senior members were momentarily dumbfounded. 

Why did Qi Chao seem to show up everywhere? 

Who on earth had leaked the information?

Inside a private room in the secluded villa, a small eyeball dissolved into specks of light after completing its task. 

Qi Chao sensed the disappearance of the eyeball surveillance, yet his expression remained unchanged. Watching the president and the others stand there, seemingly at a loss for words, he couldn’t help but find the situation amusing.

Qi Chao had indeed learned of their meeting from the surveillance eyeball, and he was fully aware of the president’s next steps. His decision to appear in person was purely for his own enjoyment.

“President, I understand now. You really do dislike me. After this, I’ll submit my resignation to His Majesty,” Qi Chao declared. 

He nodded politely to everyone present and then left the scene with an air of restrained grievance.

He left behind a group of senior members and the president, frozen in place and unsure of how to respond.

“President, what do we do now?”

The vice president hesitated. Qi Chao leaving was a minor issue, but if the emperor sent someone new and unknown to replace him, it could spell big trouble.

The president, of course, understood this. Gripping his cane tightly, as if to comfort himself, he said, “Don’t worry about it. Qi Chao leaving might actually be a good thing. Whoever comes next certainly won’t be as difficult to deal with as him. Also, investigate who tipped him off. I want that traitor found!”

What he didn’t say aloud was that he doubted someone as thick-skinned as Qi Chao would actually leave the Association so easily.

The vice president and the senior members hurriedly agreed to carry out his orders.

Meanwhile, having already anticipated their reactions, Qi Chao walked down the hallway and, after a series of twists and turns, entered one of the restaurant’s private rooms. 

Inside sat Shen Yuxi.

Seeing the amused expression on Qi Chao’s face as he returned, Shen Yuxi immediately knew that Qi Chao’s bad taste had been thoroughly indulged.

“Well? Are you happy now?”

Shen Yuxi asked with a smile.

Qi Chao’s grin deepened at the remark. “Very. Brother Shen, you should’ve seen how flustered they all looked when they saw me.”

Shen Yuxi chuckled softly. Unlike Qi Chao, he didn’t share the same bad taste as him, but seeing Qi Chao in a good mood, he felt that the president and his team had inadvertently done a good deed.

“Are you going to the Association tomorrow?”

“Nope.”

Going to the Association now would just mean more pointless talks with the president and his crew. 

Instead of wasting time on that, it would be better to start figuring out how to dismantle the Association entirely.

Shen Yuxi raised an eyebrow. “If you’re not going, what’s going to happen over there?”

Qi Chao thought for a moment and casually replied, “That guy Qiao Sheng would probably be more than happy to handle it, don’t you think?”

Qiao Sheng?

Shen Yuxi froze for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh. 

If Qiao Sheng really were to step in, the Association would probably be thrilled—at least at first.

The two of them had come to the restaurant with the purpose of observing the president.

But since Shen Yuxi was already here, Qi Chao naturally wasn’t in a rush to head home. While eating, he recounted the information he’d gained from the surveillance eyeball to Shen Yuxi.

Noticing the slight furrow in Shen Yuxi’s brow as he listened, Qi Chao reached out to take his hand, smiling as he reassured him. “It’s fine, Shen Yuxi. The Association’s plans won’t affect us.”

Shen Yuxi relaxed slightly at Qi Chao's reassurance.

It was true—unless the Association could locate no fewer than ten viable mineral veins in a short period, it was impossible for them to sustain the previous welfare benefits for the puppet makers.

Of course, to avoid any unexpected developments, the Association still needed to be dealt with swiftly.

The next day, as the president sat in the Association, waiting for Qi Chao to arrive, he was met with an unpleasant surprise.

Instead of Qi Chao, the person who walked through the doors was Qiao Sheng, the same man he had fallen out with after experimenting on Qiao Sheng's puppet.

The moment the president saw Qiao Sheng, an ominous feeling washed over him.

Qiao Sheng still wore his signature white lab coat, his glasses reflecting the light as he exuded his usual lethargic demeanor. Behind him stood Chao Yang, a puppet beast whose ability was to charm.

“Well, hello there, President,” Qiao Sheng greeted with a drawl, his tone lazy but his expression unreadable beneath the gleam of his glasses. “I heard the Association isn’t too happy with Qi Chao? I’ve been sent to fill in for him.”

Since when did Qiao Sheng start associating with Qi Chao and the emperor?

The president’s uneasy premonition solidified. His smile froze awkwardly. The last time they’d seen each other, after the president had experimented on Qiao Sheng’s puppet, their relationship had completely fallen apart. 

At the time, Qiao Sheng had neither power nor influence, so the president had dismissed him as irrelevant.

Who could have predicted the tides would turn? Now, Qiao Sheng had become Qi Chao’s replacement, stepping into the Association as a representative of the emperor.

“Qi…Where’s Qi Chao? This is all a misunderstanding, I assure you, just a misunderstanding.” 

The president desperately tried to maneuver out of the situation. In his eyes, Qi Chao had no personal grudge against the Association; he was merely fulfilling the emperor’s orders by overseeing operations. 

But Qiao Sheng was a completely different story—Qiao Sheng harbored a deep grudge against the Association.

A faint smile emerged on Qiao Sheng’s perpetually weary face. “Qi Chao has already reported to His Majesty. Now, His Majesty has entrusted me to the Association. We’re old friends, aren’t we? I’m sure we’ll get along just fine, don’t you think?”

Qi Chao, what a thoughtful man. 

To give Qiao Sheng the opportunity to handle the Association personally—it was too good to pass up. If he didn’t seize this chance to make the Association suffer, he would feel like he was failing his poor eldest daughter.

With this thought, a glint of dark intent flashed in Qiao Sheng’s eyes.

Meanwhile, in another location, Eliton was questioning Qi Chao about his decision. “Are you sure Qiao Sheng can handle this alone?”

Elliton didn’t know Qiao Sheng well. If Qi Chao hadn’t specifically suggested him, Elliton would have picked someone at random to replace Qi Chao at the Association.

“Absolutely,” Qi Chao replied confidently.

He was fully aware that Qiao Sheng was far from a saint, but he also knew that Qiao Sheng cared deeply about his two puppets. 

Even after leaving the Association, Qi Chao had no intention of letting its members live comfortably.

Qi Chao chuckled softly and then changed the subject. “Your Majesty, it seems those council members will be discharged from the hospital soon.”

Elliton froze for a moment before quickly grasping Qi Chao’s implication. Nodding in understanding, he replied, “I see. Don’t worry; they won’t have time to meddle in the Association’s affairs.”

Compared to the benefits provided by the Association, what those council members truly cared about was the security of their political seats.

Qi Chao nodded in satisfaction before bringing up another matter. “Aside from this, the main reason I came to see Your Majesty today is that I need a favor.”

“A favor?”

From their very first meeting, Qi Chao had never asked for help. On the contrary, it had always been Elliton assisting Qi Chao—whether it was locating supers or working with him to design schemes within the Association.

This unexpected request piqued Elliton’s curiosity.

The forum has been very lively these past few evenings. Ever since the emergence of the Alliance, the debates between the Association and the Alliance had never died down. While the internet was singing the Alliance’s praises just a few days ago, negative comments about it had suddenly begun to flood in.

For example:

[Hilarious! Sure, the Alliance’s benefits sound great, but let’s see how long they can keep it up. If you ask me, the Association is far more reliable.]

The rapid shift in tone had clearly been orchestrated. Elliton’s brows furrowed slightly as he awaited Qi Chao’s explanation.

As soon as this comment was posted, it garnered significant support from many netizens. 

However, it wasn’t long before someone with inside knowledge appeared to refute the claim.

[The previous comment is outdated. According to rumors within the Association, their mineral veins have run dry, and they won't be able to sustain their welfare for much longer. Meanwhile, the Alliance is working with newly mined veins, so they should be able to hold out longer than the Association.]

After this rebuttal gained traction, the previously mocking tone toward the Alliance quickly shifted. A growing number of netizens began ridiculing the Alliance, almost as if it had committed some heinous crime.

[What's going on? Is an insider from the Alliance controlling the narrative here? They sure know how to manage public opinion.]

[The Association is the only officially recognized organization for puppet masters. What about the Alliance?]

[Didn't they say the Alliance is officially recognized too?]

[Replying to the previous comment: that's just a rumor.]

[Laughable. The Alliance claims to be officially certified, but I checked a few days ago, and there's no such thing. The Alliance is just a civilian group. It could be disbanded at any time, and those puppet masters who've worked so hard to join it will be left with nothing.]

[It's still better to join an official organization. Not only are the benefits good, but at least you don't have to worry about waking up tomorrow and finding the organization gone.]

The sculptors from the association originally had their eyes set on joining the alliance, but after this comment came out, they suddenly realized. 

Yeah, no matter how bad the association is, it's still an official organization, while the alliance is a civilian group. If it’s not managed properly, the person in charge might even run awat with the funds.

Thinking this way, the puppet masters no longer felt so eager to join the alliance.

Ever since they decided to use public opinion to pressure the alliance, the president and the upper management have been paying attention to online trends. Seeing the situation tilt in favor of the association, they couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction, waiting for the moment they would find more mineral veins so they could easily crush the alliance.

However, before the situation could settle down, the next second, the alliance’s official Weibo suddenly posted a message, which quickly went viral and dominated the social media rankings.

[Wow, wow, wow! Did you see that? The alliance's official account posted a picture, and the New Emperor has stamped it, officially recognizing the alliance as a legitimate puppet master organization!]

[Hahaha, where are the people who said the alliance was going to disband? Now the alliance is officially certified!]

The association members who saw this message were stunned. The president was especially furious, saying, "Why would Elliton stamp and agree to the alliance? What about those council members? Didn’t they all just get out of the hospital? After taking the association’s money, they just stood by and let the alliance rise?"

The vice president hurriedly exchanged messages with the others. 

After learning the truth, he turned pale and said, "The council members said His Majesty has already spoken with the cabinet, and they are about to re-evaluate the council member’s performance. If they don’t pass, they’ll be replaced. The council members are now busy with their work and have no time to deal with us."

The president’s face turned red, and he began to breathe heavily. 

However, this was not the end. The next moment, he heard the vice president continue, "The staff over at the mining site say the mine can no longer produce any energy stones. But we haven’t found any new mines on our side yet, and another round of benefits is about to be issued. What are we supposed to do?"

One bad news after another overwhelmed the president, leaving him struggling to catch his breath. He couldn’t even hold onto the cup in his hand properly.

In that moment, he felt that, even if it were himself, there was no way to keep the association going.

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