The game of power begins with the police officers at the local police station.

Chen Shi conducted a background check on Xie Shanquan and found that he didn't have much of a background. His father was a middle school teacher who was seconded to Laoyan Town for a year before being transferred back to the government office.

After waiting for two days, on the third day of work, Chen Shi arrived at the office early in the morning, and Lu Nan took the initiative to clean the office for Chen Shi.

Chen Shi sat down, took a sip of water from his thermos, and looked at Lu Nan: "Director Lu, could you please ask Director Xu to come to my office?"

Lu Nan arrived at Xu Wen's office: "Director Xu, County Chief Chen wants you to come to his office."

Xu Wen asked, "Did County Chief Chen say anything about it?"

"I didn't say anything," Lu Nan said, turning and leaving.

Xu Wen arrived at Chen Shi's office: "County Magistrate Chen, you wanted to see me?"

"Director Xu, please have a seat."

Xu Wen sat down, and Chen Shi said, "I've been working at the county government for a while now, and it's time to arrange a liaison officer. I think Xie Shanquan from the General Affairs Section is quite good. Director Xu, please go and make arrangements to have him as my liaison officer."

Upon hearing this, Xu Wen's heart skipped a beat. How could it be him? Didn't he ask Hou Yong to recommend Zhao Gang just a couple of days ago?

He didn't show it on his face, but smiled and said, "County Chief Chen, I'll go and make the arrangements."

Xu Wen returned to his office and called Hou Yong into it.

"Director Hou asked you to recommend Zhao Gang to County Chief Chen as his liaison officer, but County Chief Chen said he didn't?"

"After reading the report that Zhao Ke wrote for the leaders, Chen County praised Zhao Ke for writing it well and asked him to write a report on the theme of new rural construction."

Zhao Ke is known throughout the government office for his report-writing skills; it's very easy for him, so I didn't interfere.

Hou Yong looked at Xu Wen: "Director Xu, did County Chief Chen say anything?"

"Chen County summoned me to arrange for Xie Shanquan from the General Affairs Section to be his secretary."

Hou Yong looked surprised: "How could it be Xie Shanquan?"

"Director Hou, you can go ahead and get back to work."

Hou Yong left the office looking confused.

Xu Wen called Zhao Gang to his office and guessed what had happened.

Zhao Gang arrived at Xu Wen's office: "Director Xu, you wanted to see me?"

"Zhao Ke, County Chief Chen asked you to write a report. Did you have Xie Shanquan write it?"

Zhao Gang quickly denied it: "No, I wrote it myself."

"Don't hide it now. I know everything. The reports you wrote were all ghostwritten by Xie Shanquan."

When Zhao Gang saw that Xu Wen had exposed his secret, he said awkwardly, "I asked Xie Shanquan to write it."

Xu Wen looked at Zhao Gang: "Previously, County Chief Chen asked me to arrange for Xie Shanquan to be his secretary."

"What?" Zhao Gang exclaimed.

"Keep your voice down. This is because you asked Xie Shanquan to write a report. He's very close to Lu Nan. Lu Nan tampered with it. Lu Nan must have recommended Xie Shanquan to Chen Shi. Otherwise, Chen Shi wouldn't have known about Xie Shanquan since he's only been at the county government for a short time."

Zhao Gang said angrily, "Xie Shanquan dared to scheme against me. I will make him pay the price and transfer Xie Shanquan to Laoyan Town."

"We can't touch Xie Shanquan. Now that Chen Shi is our backer, as long as Chen Shi doesn't fall, we have no way to deal with Xie Shanquan."

"Just let him go like that?" Zhao Gang asked angrily.

"Find an opportunity to seize Xie Shanquan's weakness. Even Chen Shi can't protect him then. And Lu Nan, we can't let him stay in the government office and cause trouble. When we find an opportunity, we'll transfer Lu Nan away."

Unwilling to give up, Zhao Gang asked, "Are you really going to make Xie Shanquan Chen Shi's secretary?"

"Chen Shi specifically requested it, and no one can stop him. From now on, be more careful when you work in the General Affairs Section."

Zhao Gang left Xu Wen's office and went to the General Affairs Section's office. He stood next to Xie Shanquan's desk and said coldly, "Xiao Xie, come to my office for a moment."

Xie Shanquan stood up. For the past few days, there had been no further news. His biggest worry was that Chen Shi's secretary had failed to be elected and had also offended Zhao Gang, which would ruin his career. It was only a matter of time before he was transferred to Laoyan Town.

Feeling uneasy, he entered Zhao Gang's office. Zhao Gang sat down and said coldly, "Close the door?"

Xie Shanquan noticed Zhao Gang's unpleasant expression; Zhao Gang knew about the report he had written.

Zhao Gang stared intently at Xie Shanquan: "Xiao Xie, tell me, what's going on with the report?"

"What report?" Xie Shanquan asked with a forced smile.

Zhao Gang slammed his hand on the table: "Stop grinning. I know everything you've done. You dare to scheme against me? You'll be in big trouble in the government office."

Xie Shanquan asked, "Director Zhao, if I have offended you in any way, please tell me so that I can correct it in time."

Zhao Gang was furious: "At this time, you're still playing dumb with me. You're hiding your true colors. Don't think that just because you're Chen County's secretary, I can't deal with you. You should know that the government office is like an ironclad fortress, while the county leaders come and go."

Upon hearing this, Xie Shanquan's worries vanished. As Chen Shi's secretary, he no longer had to worry about offending Zhao Gang. With Chen Shi protecting him, not only Zhao Gang, but even Xu Wen couldn't do anything to him.

Once Chen Shi is transferred, I'll follow suit.

"Zhao Ke, is there anything else? No, I still have work to do."

Zhao Gang sneered, "Oh, you've gotten bold, daring to talk to me like that. Believe me or not, I'll kick you out of the government office right now."

Xie Shanquan sneered inwardly. "You used to have this ability, but you don't anymore." With a solemn expression, he said, "Director Zhao, don't think I didn't know that I wrote so many reports for you before. They were all written at the behest of the leaders. You didn't change a single word and just handed them over to us as your own."

I won't get in your way, and I won't write any more reports for you. We'll keep to ourselves. If you think I'm easy to bully, then let's fight to the death. I'll expose the reports I wrote for you, post them online, and let everyone judge.

Zhao Gang was furious. In the General Affairs Section, everyone fawned over him, and this was the first time someone had dared to threaten him.

He shouted loudly, "Xie Shanquan, you just wait, I'll show you what I'm made of!"

Xie Shanquan looked disdainful. Zhao Gang was an idiot. Without his father, he was nothing.

As he turned to leave the office, Zhao Gang called after him, "Did I say you could leave? Stop right there!"

Xie Shanquan had tolerated Zhao Gang for long enough, so he simply ignored him, waiting for the day he had the power to trample Zhao Gang under his feet.

Xie Shanquan had just sat down in the General Affairs Office when Xu Wen walked in with a smile: "Xiao Xie, County Chen has specifically asked you to be his liaison. Starting today, serve County Chen well."

Xie Shanquan was overjoyed. He had finally waited for this day, like the clouds parting to reveal the blue sky. He quickly stood up and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Director Xu. I will serve you well."

The others in the General Affairs Section all looked on with envy. Being a secretary to a leader meant one foot was already in the deputy section chief position. If the leader was transferred, the person would either follow the leader or be sent out to another position, at least starting at the deputy section chief level.

Zhao Gang walked into the office with a dark face. Xu Wen looked at Zhao Gang and said, "Section Chief Zhao, from now on, Xiao Xie will be the liaison officer for Chen County. Don't assign him any other work."

Zhao Gang said coldly, "Our department only has a few people, and three of them are already liaisons for county leaders. How are we supposed to do any other work?"

"We are short-staffed, so we've seconded a few people from other departments to the General Affairs Section to help out. Our core job is to serve the leadership well."

Zhao Gang glared angrily at Xie Shanquan, "You just wait and see."