Chapter 163: Entanglements in the Gathering Place
The middle-aged man frowned as he glanced at Alex, expressing his dissatisfaction, "The origins of these people are unknown. I absolutely won't agree to let them handle such crucial city defense tasks!"
Quickly following behind the middle-aged man, a large group of parliament members entered.
"Is it time for General Lü to intervene in the arrangement of the City Defense Team?" Although the military man was also somewhat dissatisfied with Guangbei Jia's decision, when faced with the hostile faction, he chose to unconditionally support Guangbei Jia.
"I may not have the authority, but the parliament does!" The middle-aged man addressed as General Lü said with a self-satisfied expression, "Your unrestrained acceptance of survivors and casually entrusting such important city defense work to people with unknown backgrounds gives me the right to propose revoking your management authority over the City Defense Team!
I suggest transferring the personnel management authority of the City Defense Team to the parliament and the Department of Personnel!"
"Yes! You're abusing your power! You're acting recklessly! You have not taken the safety of everyone into consideration at all! You must hand over the personnel management of the City Defense Team!" A chorus of supportive voices erupted behind the man called General Lü.
All of these people were parliament members aligned with the Lü faction.
Guangbei Jia couldn't help but furrow her brow. She was well aware of the intentions of these people—they wanted to seize control of the City Defense Team to completely dominate the entire gathering place!
Several times during the meeting today, they had come dangerously close to succeeding. If it weren't for the strong resistance from the City Defense Team's Captain, Ke, who staunchly opposed them, Guangbei Jia might have already chosen to compromise by now.
Now, more than half of the parliament members have sided with Lü Weijiang. Except for the support from the City Defense Team and a few members of the parliament, Guangbei Jia finds herself surrounded.
The reason she still occupies the top position is entirely due to the prestige of Classical Ke within the City Defense Team and the support she enjoys among the ordinary survivors.
"You can try! See if my people will follow your orders!" The military man suddenly stood up, his tall stature and the imposing aura he exuded plunged the entire room into silence.
Those aligned with Lü Weijiang were visibly intimidated.
Facing Ke, a powerful mutant who not only held military authority but also possessed formidable combat strength, these people were clearly filled with fear.
Most members of the parliament were ordinary individuals, virtually powerless. They rarely engaged in practical activities and spent most of their time in the conference room, emphasizing their perceived importance.
Despite their apparent lack of contribution, the parliament was regarded as a crucial department, wielding significant power and influence. This, perhaps, was a result of ingrained thinking patterns.
In Alex's view, in this post-apocalyptic world, having a parliament engaging in endless debates was a futile endeavor, tantamount to courting disaster. Not only were they ineffective, but internal strife could also lead to significant trouble.
The fact that the arguments among these people had escalated to such a heated level indicated that this seemingly impregnable shelter was facing a serious crisis.
"Captain, do you really think the City Defense Team is solely under your command?" A robust voice suddenly echoed from the entrance. A young man in military attire, accompanied by two youths dressed as squad leaders, pushed through the crowd and walked in. He sneered at Ke and said, "As long as it is detrimental to the development and safety of our shelter, the parliament has the right to refuse!
What do you intend to achieve with your autocratic actions?"
The young man had a robust and tall physique, clearly signaling that he was a skilled mutant among mutants. The two young men dressed as squad leaders behind him were also not to be underestimated.
All three of them were mutants!
"Zhang! You!" Ke stared in disbelief at his deputy, Zhang Jingwu, who had a cold smile on his face. He exclaimed with a mix of shock and anger, "What do you mean by this?"
"What do I mean, Captain Classical? Don't you understand yet?" With Vice Captain Zhang Jingwu of the City Defense Team stepping forward, Lü Weijiang suddenly gained confidence!
With members of the City Defense Team supporting him, Lü Weijiang's side instantly appeared more formidable. The previously subdued group of parliament members regained their momentum.
"Captain Ke, Deputy Captain Zhang is soon to be my son-in-law, about to marry my daughter. In a few days, we'll be inviting you to the wedding banquet. Hahaha." Lü Weijiang's conservative faction's second-in-command, Ping Deyuan, also joined the fray.
Behind him stood his daughter, Ping Qiyun.
She was known as the "Flower of the Shelter," a figure admired by everyone. Furthermore, she was one of the few female mutants in the shelter, possessing unique abilities.
Although Alex remained calm, he cast a glance at Ping Qiyun. In his eyes, she was merely considered pretty. However, in this environment, beautiful women were indeed scarce, especially one with extraordinary abilities.
Not every shelter was as filled with beautiful women as Alex's City of Darkness.
Ping Qiyun had an elegant and slender figure, carrying herself with grace and dignity. Her face exuded a noble aura, unmistakably identifying her as a refined young lady from an affluent family.
With her charming appearance and poised demeanor, she was undeniably attractive. Even Alex, who had encountered countless women, found himself slightly intrigued by this beautiful lady.
"Hmm... I need to find an opportunity to make my move before Deputy Captain Zhang gets to her," Alex contemplated, already devising a plan to seize the opportunity and win her favor.
"Captain Ke, the City Defense Team is undoubtedly the most powerful force here, but having it under the sole control of one person, namely yourself, leaves everyone uneasy. Additionally, recent actions by your team have left many disappointed. Hence, the brothers have elected me to join the council," Zhang Jingwu said, a faint smirk playing on his lips, a trace of triumph in his eyes.
Ever since the establishment of the shelter, he had harbored desires for the beautiful Ping Qiyun. When she approached him today, he readily accepted her proposal.
Gaining greater power while bringing a beautiful woman home? Why not?
In this post-apocalyptic world, betrayals were not considered shameful. Lack of power and strength, on the other hand, was deemed the greatest disgrace.
Under the instigation of Ping Qiyun, Zhang Jingwu's long-suppressed ambitions erupted. Although he didn't possess exceptional strength within the City Defense Team, he had influence over a fifth of its members. Moreover, with the conservative faction holding absolute dominance in the council, the combination of the two forces could instantly suppress the opposing side led by Guang Beijia.
As Alex observed the unfolding situation, he rapidly analyzed that things had turned extremely unfavorable for Guang Beijia and her faction, considering the information provided by Shen Han earlier.