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"If you didn\'t know, I was almost killed outside, so she had to act as me temporarily. Sorry, Yueyue, I should have never needed you to put up with this."

As Xiaoyun bowed down in apology, Yueyue panicked a little as she didn\'t expect Xiaoyun to apologize in front of everyone.

"No, no, it\'s fine. It wasn\'t that much trouble."

After hearing that, Xiaoyun moved on to the next part of his plan.

"Ahem, besides that. I had several intel telling me that some ideas were floating around that required me to disappear."

Xiaoyun\'s face turned cold as he raised his voice for the next part.

"I\'m severely disappointed that Yueyue would need to act like me to discourage those people from putting their \'plan\' into action..."

"You know who you are, and you won\'t be hiding forever."

With a threatening note left off, Xiaoyun softened his tone a little as he took a seat.

"Now, with that out of the way. Today is the weekly meeting... Would you all go over the report again?" Xiaoyun asked.

"Of course, health department, you guys report first." Yuqi started instructing the department to present their data one by one.

Three hours later...

Just as everyone had presented their data and approved plans, Xiaoyun spoke up again.

"Yueyue, are there any corruption cases you found recently?"

"No, most of them are already taken care of... Or they are hiding it extremely well," Yueyue replied.

"I see... very well. Everyone, you may leave now."

All the department heads immediately got up from their seats as if Xiaoyun was the scariest thing they had encountered.

"Actually, one last thing." Xiaoyun reminded.

Everyone\'s heart in the room skipped a beat as they slowly sat back again to hear what Xiaoyun had to say.

"All the department heads\' salaries will be increased to adjust to the recent inflation. As well as all the workers in the government sector..."

Everyone in the room let out a sigh of relief as it was a benefit to them rather than another threat or actual exposure to some crime.

"Also, tomorrow, everyone must come in for another mandatory meeting... Now you are all dismissed."

Everyone immediately left the room as fast as they could as Yuqi and Yueyue remained in their seats.

"Xiaoyun, you aren\'t going to explain what you just did?"

Yuqi looked a little unhappy as she crossed her arms in frustration.

"This is for your sake. If I don\'t make it clear to them, they will keep thinking they can get away with it." Xiaoyun explained.

"But you just instill fear into them. How\'s that solving anything?" Yuqi challenged Xiaoyun\'s explanation.

Xiaoyun didn\'t argue back, instead choosing to stand back up and look away from the two.

"You know, I had been thinking a lot while staying at the hospital..."

Xiaoyun paused for a second to clear his head as he prepared what he was about to say next.

"I realized everyone only has one chance at life. I know it sounds stupid at first, but look how many chances I had been given to get away from dying..."

As Xiaoyun turned back around, the two noticed the firm look in his eyes.

"But if it was one of you guys that was there that night instead of me. I would regret it for my entire life."

Xiaoyun sat back down in his seat as he clenched his fist on the side.

"I\'m not going to risk you guys. I just can\'t... I realized that kindness hasn\'t worked at all. I should have changed my mindset when the coup happened. My kindness has only caused trouble for all of us...

If fear is the only way that can deter them, then I\'ll do whatever it takes."

After hearing what Xiaoyun had said out loud, Yueyue raised her concern vocally against him.

"Xiaoyun, I think you are just being too paranoid. You sound like a cruel dictator rather than the Xiaoyun, I know... And all those claims of danger, you just made them up, didn\'t you?"

Yueyue looked defiant towards the change Xiaoyun had taken as Xiaoyun prepared to argue back.

"Yueyue, I\'m not being paranoid. I\'m taking extra precautions... If it is safe like you describe it to be, then why did you agree to act with Yuqi to make everyone believe that I\'m still fine?"

Yueyue looked down in defeat as she didn\'t know what to say back. But she just couldn\'t accept Xiaoyun\'s drastic changes.

"I... don\'t know. I——"

"Come on, Yueyue, we should be happy that this man is actually owning up to responsibility and realizing that kindness doesn\'t solve anything." Yuqi looked much happier in contrast to Yueyue\'s discomfort towards Xiaoyun.

Yuqi attempted to grab Yueyue\'s hand to get her to move toward Xiaoyun, but Yueyue slapped her hand away.

"You are almost like a completely different person from a few days ago. This isn\'t the Xiaoyun I know."

As Yueyue looked at Xiaoyun\'s face one last time, she felt more and more distant from Xiaoyun despite only being a table away.

"I changed the moment I was in the hospital... I just didn\'t have a chance to show it." Xiaoyun answered back.

Yueyue got up from her seat and left the room without saying another word.

"Um, I\'m sure Yueyue will get over it... She just can\'t get used to you ditching that useless kindness... Also, Babe, you sound so much more manly earlier. I love it!" Yuqi excitedly walked up to hug Xiaoyun around her arm.

"You\'re right. She needs some time to process it..." Xiaoyun mumbled as he hugged Yuqi back.

---

After saying goodbye to Yuqi, Xiaoyun and his two bodyguards started heading towards the training field.

"Do you think I did the right thing back there? I want to ask some outside opinion." Xiaoyun suddenly asked.

"I don\'t know... I think you are doing the right thing, but it felt like it was a little too forced." Tianci gave her idea after a short pause.

Kate didn\'t respond as she looked back at Xiaoyun with a cold face.

Just as they walked inside the training field and stood right before the command center, Kate finally spoke up.

"You sounded like a dictator I met back in Africa... Yueyue was right. You changed for the worse."

Xiaoyun didn\'t respond but noted it in his head as he walked inside the command center.

"Wow, I didn\'t expect to see you here," Yezi commented as he looked up at the doorway.

"Can you order all the majors to come to the administrative meeting room tomorrow?" Xiaoyun asked.

"Sure... What are you planning to say?" Yezi curiously asked.

"The next move for us. I\'m not letting all our effort go to waste." Xiaoyun replied.

"I knew it! Finally, it\'s time to use the new weapons." Yezi excitedly raised his fist.

"What new weapons?" Xiaoyun looked confused towards Yezi.

"Just wait and see. You\'ll see it tomorrow in the meeting." Yezi decided not to reveal it right away.

"Fine." Xiaoyun gave up asking.

"Anything else? Do you want me to call up all the soldiers, too?" Yezi asked.

"Not yet." Xiaoyun paused for a second but chose not to ask it in the end.

"Okay."

As Xiaoyun was about to leave, Yezi spoke up again.

"Something is in your mind, isn\'t it?"

Xiaoyun turned back around and asked, "How do you know?"

"Because all this could have been done in a phone call. You wanted to ask something earlier, didn\'t you?"

"Yeah... I\'m not sure if I did the right thing." Xiaoyun sat down across from Yezi.

"What is it? Maybe I can give you my feedback on it."

"Well, I did this...."

Xiaoyun began explaining the changes in him and how he handled the meeting, as well as the talk between him and Yueyue.

"Yep, you fucked it up. The next action you take is going to decide your relationship with her in the future." Yezi warned.

"What? What do you mean by that?" Xiaoyun pushed Yezi to explain further.

"Well, you two now have the polar opposite in personality. It\'s that simple. It\'s either one side compromises, or it\'s a breakup in the worst-case scenario... I had been in enough relationship to know how this is going to end."

"But all I\'m doing is to protect them," Xiaoyun argued.

"Sometimes protection isn\'t the thing they are looking for... If you keep behaving the way you describe yourself, hell, even I might distance myself from you." Yezi commented.

"Why?" Xiaoyun curiously asked.

"Well, because you are way too paranoid. Look, I know that assassination attempt might have changed you a lot. I would, too, if I were you. But that doesn\'t change the fact that I\'m going to agree with Yueyue that you are too paranoid.

Before you argue back, let me remind you that the civilian government can\'t do anything without the military. Do you really think any of the majors will betray you?" Yezi asked.

"Um... No?" Xiaoyun replied with an unsure tone.

"Let me ask you an easier question: do you think the majority of the soldiers support you?"

Xiaoyun nodded in agreement.

"So what are you worried about? There is literally no threat of another coup or plot against you. At most, those department heads are just doing some corrupt business on the side. That\'s just every government out there." Yezi explained.

After hearing what Yezi had said, Xiaoyun realized he was indeed way too paranoid for no reason.

"Although I will give you credit where credit is due. You were right that kindness is quite hindering you as a mayor when it\'s an apocalypse. But your kindness saved my life... I hope you can remember that."