Xiao Zhigang thought for a moment, then opened the door and took the cake.
If this cake had his own name on it, he might have hesitated a little.
But with the name directly written as Qin Siyang, he no longer doubted.
This was clearly Qin Siyang openly sending it to him.
After unwrapping the package, a three-layer cake appeared before his eyes.
Bright red honey sauce flowed over the milky white cream, looking quite good in presentation.
But as he sat at the dining table examining it for a long time, he still couldn't figure out what meaning the cake carried.
He picked up a knife, planning to cut open the cake, thinking perhaps something was hidden inside.
However, the blade only went in two or three inches before being blocked by a hard object.
Xiao Zhigang's body involuntarily shuddered.
Then, cautiously, he used the side of the knife to push aside the cream.
In that instant, Xiao Zhigang's eyes went wide, every hair on his body standing on end, and he collapsed straight into the chair.
In the part of the cake where the cream was pushed aside, a pair of eyes appeared, staring directly into his.
One pair of eyes had already lost its light, covered with a gray shadow, lifeless and without emotion.
The other pair of eyes, pupils contracted sharply, irises trembling, like a frightened bird.
Xiao Zhigang's face turned pale, "You… you…"
Xiao Zhigang did not sleep all night.
———
Qin Siyang, on the other hand, had a good rest.
He didn't know how Zhao Longfei helped warn Xiao Zhigang.
But he knew the effect must have been good.
Because the next morning, he received a call from Tang Wanjing, Minister of Administration.
During their chat, Tang Wanjing mentioned that Xiao Zhigang had suddenly taken a week's leave, saying he needed to rest and recuperate at home.
When he applied for leave, his state of mind didn't look good, as if he hadn't rested properly. Who knew what had happened.
When Qin Siyang heard this, he immediately understood.
It must have been Zhao Longfei's warning delivered right to his door.
This warning, effective and efficient.
'Xiao Zhigang isn't someone easy to talk to, so Boss Zhao must have used a heavy hand.'
In his heart, he couldn't help but feel deeply grateful for Zhao Longfei's help.
With the Zhao family tree behind his back, the shade he enjoyed was much more comfortable.
Of course, Tang Wanjing's call wasn't simply to gossip idly about Xiao Zhigang's leave.
The main point was to tell Qin Siyang about the effect of the five grams of crimson crystal.
Because the Administration's research division had obtained the corroded black centipede carcass and the crimson crystal, and relying on its own scientific staff, had successfully and independently developed fourth-tier armor, impressing Secretary-General Gu Weiyang.
You have to know, because the various research institutes required all research results to be handed to the United Government, the researchers inside generally took money without working, loafed around, and even fourth-tier Godslayer weapons were rare to see in ten years.
Yet this newly built research division under the Administration had actually managed to provide a fourth-tier Godslayer item, how could people not be astonished?
Of course, Tang Wanjing had no intention of offending all the research institutes.
The research institutes were filled with all sorts of people, and as a mere minister, he couldn't withstand their overwhelming wrath.
To avoid attracting the hatred of the institutes, Tang Wanjing attributed all the credit to Qin Siyang providing top-grade rare materials.
Merit deserves reward.
When Secretary-General Gu attended a high-level United Government meeting, he included this matter in the scope of discussion.
And at the meeting, Gu Weiyang raised Tang Wanjing's hope to strengthen support for the research division, and deepen cooperation with the United Government's research institutes.
In other words, now Tang Wanjing had neither support from above, nor cooperation with the institutes. To continue further on his own was extremely difficult.
The high-level officials of the United Government, seeing results, naturally were willing to support Tang Wanjing to keep pushing forward.
So they let Secretary-General Gu Weiyang take charge of liaising with Tang Wanjing and focus on developing the research division.
As a matter of course, Tang Wanjing secured more say within the Administration.
One deputy minister close to Xiao Zhigang was directly transferred out on a pretext.
After weighing the pros and cons, Tang Wanjing realized that relying only on himself, he still couldn't fully hold the Administration under control.
The first reason was that the Administration had already been infiltrated badly by other forces, and he himself wasn't an elder minister with deep seniority.
The second reason was that the Administration itself was one of the biggest departments in the United Government, in charge of points and Sequence potion distribution, with offices in every region directly connected to vast numbers of Sequence ability users. The interests involved were immense.
Tang Wanjing knew there was no way he alone could swallow it all.
So he brought in outside support, Chu Zhongxiong, dean of Heavenly Research Institute.
Chu Zhongxiong had originally been deputy minister of Finance.
Years ago, when the United Government was nearly bankrupt, he sold off operating rights of some properties under United Government control to help it survive and hold on until after the awakening of Sequence ability users.
Because of his great merits and outstanding ability in handling affairs, he was then assigned as dean of Heavenly Research Institute.
Though merely a research institute dean, his status was equal to a minister.
Clearly it was a subordinate institution of the Education Ministry, yet he didn't need to heed the orders of Education Minister Xiao Zhigang at all.
Because Chu Zhongxiong had conflicts with Xiao Zhigang, and his seniority was extremely deep, Tang Wanjing naturally chose him as an ally.
When one deputy minister left, another deputy minister had to be transferred in.
The new Deputy Minister of the Administration was Yang Tengqiu, vice-dean of Heavenly Research Institute, Chu Zhongxiong's brother-in-law.
Normally, relatives would never be allowed to hold posts in the same department of the United Government, but Chu Zhongxiong was an exception.
A minister in all but name, sent down as dean to lead breakthrough work, had already made the upper levels of the United Government feel they owed this capable man.
Promoting Yang Tengqiu in Heavenly Research Institute, to make his work smoother, was nepotism nobody opposed.
After joining Heavenly Research Institute, Yang Tengqiu worked day and night on research, with outstanding results, and firmly sat in the vice-dean's seat.
Of course, it wasn't that Yang Tengqiu's scientific strength was so formidable, since he hadn't even made it onto the Tiger list.
Before entering Heavenly Research Institute, Yang Tengqiu was just an associate professor at an ordinary university.
But he couldn't be compared to others. Since the rest of the researchers were basically just performing empty shows, slacking off at work every day.
In a rotten institute, Yang Tengqiu's diligence naturally made him stand out.
With research results as credentials, plus the strong backing of both Tang Wanjing and Chu Zhongxiong, Yang Tengqiu's transfer as deputy minister of the Administration naturally went through without a hitch.
At this point, Tang Wanjing held half the voice of the Administration.
["Little Qin, the effect of the five grams of crimson crystal has already produced results."]
["Now, the Administration's affairs are much more orderly than before. At the very least, Vice-Minister Yang and I can carry out our plans smoothly."]
["We've just set a new rule, mainly for you. In view of your outstanding contributions to the research division, in the future when you exchange materials for missions, your rewards of points and Sequence potions will be increased by another twenty percent!"]
["Little Qin, about the ten grams of crimson crystal we mentioned before, the remaining five grams you haven't given me yet, when will it be convenient…"]
"We mentioned ten grams of crimson crystal before?"
Qin Siyang's lips curled up, "How come I remember it being twenty grams?"