Chapter 51

Relying on his status as Duchess and the Empress's support, after several rounds of elections, Ruan Tang quickly secured the positions of Chairman of the Omega Protection Association and Standing Committee Member of the Empire Omega Joint Committee.

The two social positions the Empress had given him were both highly coveted sinecures that held considerable power and high social status.

If he could firmly secure them, he would soar to great heights; if he couldn't, he would miss a step and fall from the clouds...

The Omega Protection Association was a complete mess among the countless branches of the Empress Faction, having been rotten for a long time. If it wasn't cleaned up soon, it would decay and stink, affecting the reputation of the main branch of the Empress Faction. By throwing Ruan Tang here to be Chairman, the Empress both wanted Ruan Tang to help clean up this mess and to test Ruan Tang's abilities once again.

Ruan Tang understood this very well, and sure enough, he hit a snag less than two days after becoming Chairman.

In the aristocratic circles of Dias, a position in the Omega Protection Association could be said to be a coveted post for noble Omegas. Ruan Tang was young and parachuted into this position. The veterans of the Omega Protection Association, even those who had never done any real work and just held empty titles to coast through the days, were quite unconvinced by Ruan Tang in their hearts and treated him with extreme unfriendliness.

Ruan Tang had a lot on his mind, and he knew that the current Omega Protection Association was a rotten place. He understood that the Empress had supported him here because she wanted him to achieve something, to do some tangible work to add luster to the Empress's network of power.

Therefore, regarding the management of the association and improvements in other areas, Ruan Tang proposed quite a few suggestions for improvement as soon as he entered the association.

"Chairman, it's not that we're disobeying orders, but I really don't know where to start... Before, when we reimbursed expenses, we never clearly kept accounts. It's not like it's a huge amount of money, is it really necessary to make such a fuss?"

"It's just working at the association, isn't everyone just coasting through the days? We don't have that much to do, why be so strict?"

"Chairman, I really can't do this work. How about you first make a sample of what you want for me to see, as an example..."

"Chairman..."

The Omegas messing around in the association were all from families with power, influence, and connections, old hands at coasting who had long since formed their own factions.

They respectfully called Ruan Tang "Chairman" to his face, but in reality, no one took him seriously.

Although Ruan Tang had a reputation as a 'black-hearted lotus' in the circle, people who actually moved in real power circles didn't take him seriously at all, and some even thought he was actually quite foolish.

After all, Ruan Xi had destroyed Ruan Tang's reputation to such a degree before, and what could Ruan Tang really do about it?

If Ruan Tang really had any real ability, how could his reputation have been dragged through the mud like this, and for so many years?

And the fact that Ruan Tang had made Auston so infatuated with him, knew how to please his Alpha, and was quite favored, was seen as even less of a skill in the eyes of these highly self-regarding Omegas.

Seeing these people making excuses and paying lip service to his orders, Ruan Tang's face showed no extra emotion. He took a deep breath and said: "Reimbursing expenses based solely on oral statements or a single record without corresponding data and vouchers logged in the books is non-compliant. If the Imperial Ministry of Finance people came to audit, they could have all of you thrown in..."

Having spent a long time in a meticulous place like the research institute, Ruan Tang actually deeply hated the coasting, idle attitude of these high-level Omegas in the association.

"But who would audit us? And who would make us go in?" The Omega's husband was a certain general, and his father was a count. He was completely unconcerned, his face full of indifference.

The Omega Protection Association was a place where the powerful and influential of the Imperial Capital placed their family members. It was indeed a place where the Imperial Ministry of Finance had to give some face and, knowing it was a murky swamp, would never come to audit.

Ruan Tang looked at him. "Whether they audit or not, and whether you do your job or not, are two different things."

"But before..." The Omega immediately frowned in displeasure, wanting to explain the unwritten rules of the association to Ruan Tang.

Ruan Tang didn't even give him the chance to finish speaking, cutting him off directly. "You know that was *before*?"

"Now I am the Chairman of the association. All management, work arrangements, rules, and regulations of the association will comply with my requirements. My requirement for you is simply to do your job. I think that shouldn't be too difficult, should it?"

"But I don't know how to do any of those things at all." The Omega hadn't expected Ruan Tang to speak to him like this. His face immediately turned very ugly as he said it as if it was his right.

After all, Ruan Tang couldn't fire him.

"If you don't know how, then learn. If I remember correctly, this was your major in university. If you can't even do this and need me to give you an example, I suggest you go back to school to retake the course." Ruan Tang didn't want to offend him, but in this situation, to establish his authority, he had to make an example of someone.

Therefore, he left no shred of face for this man.

The Omega directly confronted Ruan Tang. "Isn't it just to gild ourselves and get a nice-sounding reputation when we noble Omegas go to university? Who actually goes there to learn? Chairman, don't you think so?"

He himself was incompetent and assumed everyone else was the same.

"I'm actually not like that." Ruan Tang gave a cold laugh. "If you can't complete your own job and just treat work as coasting, and your family doesn't need this little bit of money, I advise you to just go home and coast. You don't need to keep working here."

The Omega hadn't expected Ruan Tang to say that, and immediately his face turned ashen. "You—"

"It's working hours. I don't have time to bicker with you. Do the work if you want to. If you don't want to, send your resignation letter to my office!" Ruan Tang had no intention of arguing with him, nor did he want to waste time wrangling here. He directly ignored the Omega and walked into his own office.

The moment his door closed, the Omega who had been put in his place immediately started angrily ranting to his colleagues. "He—who does he think he is to make me resign? What the hell does he think he is? Ordering us around as soon as he gets here, trying to break the balance we've had for so long. He really thinks he's hot stuff."

"Don't be angry, don't be angry. It's not certain yet who will leave the association first, you or him." Another colleague with a good background patted him on the back to comfort him, his tone full of disdain for Ruan Tang.

They were all quite dissatisfied with Ruan Tang becoming Chairman. The Vice Chairman Delary, in particular, harbored doubt and resentment towards Ruan Tang from the moment he became Chairman.

She had always felt that when the old Chairman retired, it was the parachuted Ruan Tang who had stolen her position.

And now, most of the people in the association had good relations with her...

Consequently, Ruan Tang, the newly appointed Chairman, was isolated.

Although this group had paid lip service to him before, this time they didn't even bother with the pretense. They directly went on a collective strike, acting as if Ruan Tang, their Chairman, didn't exist.

"Chairman, each and every one of them has a spoiled temper. They are truly disobedient, and you can't offend them thoroughly either. They're not easy to manage. Please don't be angry, do calm down. You're not angry, are you?" Vice Chairman Delary, on the other hand, had never shown any malice towards Ruan Tang. With a kind face and a smile, she came to Ruan Tang and pretended to console him.

Ruan Tang actually wasn't surprised by the current situation. His arrival represented reform for the association, and reform meant touching the interests of these coasting people, increasing their workload, and encroaching on their pie. It was perfectly normal for them to band together against him.

"These people... I have the association's best interests at heart, but they..." Ruan Tang had long known this would happen, and he also knew that it was the very person in front of him who was stabbing him in the back, yet he still put on an angry face in front of Delary, as if treating Delary as a good person. "Lady Delary, now only you are willing to say a few words to me and not treat me like air."

"Chairman, I know you are here on the Empress's orders, and I understand your desire to make achievements. But each one of these people in the association has deep and entangled roots behind them. They can't be easily moved or scolded. You absolutely must not be too hasty..." Delary, putting on a very agreeable act, comforted him.

Ruan Tang bit his lip, looking like he was being taught a lesson. "I understand. You're right. I'm new here, my temper is too blunt, and maybe there are indeed some problems with my work methods. I've offended people and made them unhappy. All of this is my fault..."

"I don't have much sway here. As for Her Majesty the Empress... I'll have to rely on you for the association's affairs in the future. Please take good care and teach me well." Even knowing that Delary was working against him behind his back, Ruan Tang still spoke nicely and flattered her.

Delary's smile was daggers. "Sure, sure. If anything comes up in the future, just tell me. I'll convey your instructions for you."

Delary thought she had already handled Ruan Tang, that Ruan Tang would be sidelined by her, and that from then on in the association, Ruan Tang would only be a figurehead chairman, while the true power of the chairman would be in her hands.

Even Ruan Tang would have to follow her lead.

At the end of the day, the Omega who had clashed with Ruan Tang earlier raised his eyebrow at him provocatively, saying smugly, "Weren't you asking me to write a resignation letter, Chairman? I'm just not going to write it. What can you do to me about it?"

"If you have the guts, go complain to Her Majesty the Empress, or to Duke Auston. I'd like to see what you can do to me anyway."

Ruan Tang gave a cold, quiet laugh, said nothing, and turned to walk away.

As for the idea of complaining to the Empress or to Auston, he didn't have the slightest intention of doing so. Not only had the Empress thrown him here to test his ability and wouldn't help him, but even if Auston was willing to help, Ruan Tang felt that the forces behind these people were deeply tangled. If Auston broke their legs, he would incur a lot of trouble and conflict.

Ruan Tang was determined to guide Auston onto the right path and didn't want this. Besides, he felt this little matter was too childish to bother Auston with.

Since he had decided to enter this circle, he was prepared to weather any storm.

The moment he decided to enter the game, Ruan Tang had become a drawn sword, absolutely forbidding himself from turning back.

His chosen method was to take a different path. He found leverage against those who were paying him lip service and stirring up trouble, but instead of going after them directly, he sought out the truly powerful people behind them who supported their arrogance. Using these things, he gently analyzed the pros and cons with them, borrowing the authority of the Empress and the ministers, connecting the current political climate to their family's interests, and kindly offered them some advice.

The coasting noble Omegas in the association might be lazy fools, but the people in their families who truly wielded power were no fools. No one wanted to let a stain be cast on their own prospects and their family's future just because they had spoiled their Omega over such a trivial matter.

Ruan Tang considered himself to have some political acumen, and coupled with being fairly articulate, he only needed to gently warn these power holders. These shrewd veterans immediately caught his drift and went home to discipline and warn their own Omegas.

Within just a few days, many of the association staff who had gone on strike obediently returned to work without Ruan Tang having to say another word, and every task was completed according to Ruan Tang's requirements.

Delary was extremely shocked. She had only wanted to test Ruan Tang, not taking him seriously, yet she never expected Ruan Tang to be so different from before, as if he had become a different person, a truly black-hearted lotus.

However, because of Delary's continued presence, although most people in the association had returned to work thanks to Ruan Tang's personal visits, there were still some whose families in power were brainless and extremely protective of their Omegas.

They were still thorns in Ruan Tang's side as he carried out his work, and they still didn't take him seriously.

Ruan Tang's second move was to openly engage in pleasantries with Delary, while behind the scenes he proactively forged an Alliance with Delary's adversaries in the Association, built amicable ties, and made a direct move against her.

He directly obtained evidence of Delary's embezzlement, bribery, and misappropriation of public funds during her tenure, presented it to the Empress, and leaked the news of Delary's lover to her husband.

At this time, the Emperor and Empress were locked in conflict. The Empress needed to make an example of someone close to her, bringing them down to establish her own fairness and justice. And although Delary's husband and she had an open relationship, having this kind of matter thrown in his face was still humiliating. Furthermore, most Alphas in the Imperial Capital had severe Alpha chauvinism—they could fool around themselves, but they expected their Omegas to remain chaste. Ruan Tang perfectly grasped the delicate psychology of the Empress and Delary's husband, directly leading to the Empress dismissing Delary from her post and sending her to prison.

And Delary's husband and family reached a consensus—

None of them stepped forward to protect her.

Following this, those who had been targeting Ruan Tang began to run into misfortune one after another.

Delary's other position was Chairman of the Empire Omega Joint Committee. As soon as her position was vacated, Ruan Tang took the lead, with the backing of a few old-timers deeply trusted by the Empress, to collectively recommend Ruan Tang's new ally for the position.

Both the Omega Protection Association and the Empire Omega Joint Committee had been thoroughly reshuffled because of Ruan Tang's entry.

Seeing this, the Empress immediately held Ruan Tang in higher regard. She gave him a mild, pointed piece of advice, then proceeded to support a person who was very displeased with Ruan Tang to become the Committee's Vice President, without removing the President who had a good relationship with Ruan Tang. As for Ruan Tang's position as Chairman of the Omega Protection Association, the Empress installed a Vice Chairman who was not on good terms with Ruan Tang, but was a smart person, unlike Delary.

As the one in power, she did not like to see any single faction become too dominant under her.

Thus, a balance was maintained within the Empress Faction's network. Those on good terms with Ruan Tang made up half, while those remaining neutral and those who disliked Ruan Tang each accounted for a quarter.

Ruan Tang deeply understood the principle of not being too hasty and knowing when to quit while ahead—the philosophy of the carrot and the stick. Seeing this situation, he immediately stopped attacking those he had conflicts with, and instead took the initiative to visit them, apologize, and make peace.

Although these people were still dissatisfied with Ruan Tang in their hearts, looking at the current state of affairs, they no longer dared to directly target Ruan Tang...

They temporarily ceased their attacks against Ruan Tang, maintaining a facade of harmony.

At this point, Ruan Tang had completely secured his foothold within the Empress Faction's network.

"Remarkable, truly remarkable. This Omega is really something. He's practically a natural-born player of power politics. We really underestimated him before." Watching how Ruan Tang had stirred up such a huge storm quietly and subtly after entering the Empress Faction, many high-ranking figures of Dias within the Empress Faction couldn't help but sigh in admiration.

—They all felt they had misjudged him before. This black-hearted lotus was perhaps truly a black-hearted lotus after all. He had stayed hidden before, but his cunning and skill were truly profound.