008
Andre naturally adhered to Zhi Wei's low-key approach, faithfully implementing her philosophy while listening to her instructions with restless anxiety.
Keep a low profile—no organizing rallies, no traveling to constituencies.
The final deadline for submitting the deposit was in three days.
These past two days, Zhi Wei had been as jumpy as a startled bird, constantly fearing someone might ruin her grand plan.
If she could just hold out for these three days, she’d be free—completely detached from this whole divine election business!
These three days were the most critical. She needed to fall smoothly and be eliminated outright.
Seeing that Zhi Wei truly wasn’t making any moves, Andre also settled into quietness.
But his silence made Zhi Wei uneasy.
She couldn’t shake the suspicion that Andre, freshly appointed as her deputy, might be so excited that he’d secretly dip into his own funds to cover her deposit.
She repeatedly warned him not to spend his money on her, to the point where Andre grew visibly irritated.
Andre snapped, "I heard you, I heard you! Both ears heard it, my brain and heart know it!"
He raised his voice, "Do you really hate my money that much?"
Zhi Wei could only smile helplessly at him.
Andre, however, looked genuinely hurt. After a long silence, he muttered under his breath,
so softly that Zhi Wei had to lean in to catch his words.
"...I know I have nothing to offer you except money. It’s only right that you’d look down on me."
His lips downturned, his expression wounded, he continued, "I can’t think of any way to win over voters. My temper’s mediocre, my personality’s nothing special, and I’m not even good with words. The only thing I’ve got going for me is some money—and you won’t even take that."
Zhi Wei met his blue eyes earnestly. "I truly don’t want it."
Andre tugged anxiously at his golden hair. "Then what am I supposed to do? I just got this job, and now I’m about to lose it?"
Zhi Wei bit back a laugh and said nothing.
Could this even be called a job? She wasn’t paying him a salary, wasn’t covering his benefits, and he was even using his own hovercraft for official business.
Under such harsh conditions, Andre still wanted to pour his money into her sham of a campaign—what kind of born-to-grind corporate martyr was he?
If not for the times, he’d have outworked an entire tech company.
Zhi Wei casually reassured him, "It’s not about looking down on you or your money. I just can’t use your funds as campaign contributions."
"But everyone does it. Plenty of people do," Andre insisted.
Zhi Wei: "But I won’t."
Andre was still upset, though less than before.
He paced in circles, stopped, planted his hands on his hips, and stared at her.
"You... you’re really not like the other candidates," he murmured.
The way he looked at her grew more complicated.
Of course Zhi Wei wasn’t like them—they wanted to win the divine election; she wanted to drop out.
She double-checked that her quick-pay portal was disabled, stayed holed up in her room browsing the star-net, and had all her meals delivered by room service.
With no visitors, she couldn’t receive contributions, and Andre was under strict orders not to use his own money. Perfect!
Just three more days, and she’d be disqualified.
While she was busy celebrating, Andre was quietly moved.
Ah, what a noble candidate! Refusing his money—he’d never seen anyone so principled, so full of integrity and charisma.
A bit stubborn, perhaps, but wasn’t that just commitment to her ideals?
This was Andre’s first time as a deputy, but he’d seen enough to know the role was crucial—the second-in-command, the backbone of any campaign.
He’d landed the position straight away and felt insecure, desperate to prove himself.
Now that his candidate was in trouble, how could he stand idly by? So he racked his brain for solutions.
Then it hit him.
Wait... Andre’s expression sharpened. Could this be a test? A challenge from Zhi Wei to assess his worth as her deputy?
A mysterious, idealistic candidate like her, with her profound, incomprehensible speeches—how could her actions be judged by ordinary logic?
Of course! Zhi Wei’s calm demeanor wasn’t indifference—it was confidence!
She must already have a solution but was withholding it for a reason.
And that reason could only be one thing: she was testing him, training him!
Andre took a deep breath, reinvigorated.
Yes, he’d rise to the challenge. He’d prove himself as a worthy deputy!
—
Meanwhile, Zhi Wei happily snacked on interstellar delicacies and binge-watched space-age films and dramas.
She kept an eye on Andre, relieved to see him staying put in his room, neither running around nor organizing any unauthorized rallies.
As the deadline loomed, she couldn’t stop grinning—even during tragic romances, she’d giggle through the tears.
Finally, on the morning of the third day, Hector paid her a visit.
Sitting across from her, he seemed more anxious than she was. "The cutoff is midnight tonight."
His tone was formal, but his words betrayed concern. "Candidate Zhi Wei, you still haven’t submitted your deposit. If you miss the deadline, the Temple will revoke your eligibility."
"As an independent candidate, many organizations have reached out to the Temple, hoping to recruit you as their sole representative."
He patiently explained, "An organization can cover your deposit, arrange regular rallies, secure voter support, and even provide guaranteed constituencies—all advantages for a candidate."
"Would you consider joining one? It would resolve your current challenges."
Zhi Wei declined. "No, thank you."
Hector pressed, "But—"
"Really, I appreciate your concern," Zhi Wei said sincerely.
Was this part of a Temple liaison’s job? Zhi Wei wasn’t sure.
Or maybe Hector was betting on her success, hoping she’d pull him out of his liaison role if she won?
Puzzled, she ushered out the reluctant Hector.
That evening, she indulged in a honey-glazed tenderloin—apparently from some evolved space-pig (still delicious, whatever it was called).
After dinner, she lounged on the sofa, drowsy and content.
If she’d known it’d be this easy, she wouldn’t have tricked Andre into becoming her deputy.
Now he’d be stuck as a "secondhand deputy," his loyalty questioned, his job prospects dimmer.
She resolved to write him a glowing recommendation before she left tomorrow.
Zhi Wei mentioned that during the three days Andre served as her adjutant, he had been very reliable. After all, as the seventh-ranked and an internet sensation, her fame was immense. A recommendation letter written by someone like her could be considered a celebrity endorsement, which might help him with future employment.
So, congratulations to Andre on his upcoming unemployment! May he regain his freedom and focus on researching how to return home!
At 10 p.m., Zhi Wei was dozing off on the sofa when a clattering sound came from the balcony. Startled, she deactivated the room’s security system and pressed a button, causing the curtains to automatically draw open.
Peering out, she saw Andre clumsily climbing over the balcony railing.
At this moment, Zhi Wei was feeling particularly affectionate toward the soon-to-be-unemployed Andre. Seeing him arrive, she didn’t question why he was there and instead beckoned him over.
Andre trotted up obediently, his eyes bright as he stood beside her.
Zhi Wei softly began to speak, intending to say a few parting words: "Thank you for your company and help these past few days."
Just as she was about to mention writing him a recommendation letter, Andre pursed his lips and grinned triumphantly.
He looked as gleeful as a golden retriever that had stumbled upon a 600-pound wild boar, eagerly coming to show off to its owner.
Andre chuckled sheepishly, then scratched the back of his head, tousling his golden hair until it stuck up in messy, fluffy tufts.
Delighted, he said, "I knew I couldn’t hide anything from you. You… you already know, don’t you?"
A sense of foreboding washed over Zhi Wei.
When she spoke again, her voice trembled.
"Know what?"
Andre pulled up his virtual screen, tapped a few times in front of Zhi Wei, and expertly navigated to a website.
Excitedly, he announced, "I had someone build our campaign website these past two days! Look, your name—"
Zhi Wei glanced at the screen and saw her name emblazoned in large letters, followed by her so-called campaign slogan: [Campaign for the One True God].
Horrified, she snatched the virtual screen and frantically scanned the content.
At first glance, she felt a wave of relief.
What? This wasn’t even well-made. It was far from a mature, comprehensive, or polished campaign website.
To Zhi Wei, who had crossed over from another world, the flaws were glaringly obvious.
For instance, it looked rather crude—some sections overlapped in the corners, there were garbled texts, and the color scheme was split between blue and gold, with some edges even bleeding into each other.
It was clear that effort had been made to make it visually appealing, but it still fell short.
Zhi Wei assessed it critically and found it mediocre.
She had a keen eye for aesthetics—during her time as an underground idol, she had handled her own styling. As much as she admired Andre’s handsome face, she couldn’t deny that the website was just… average.
Perhaps sensing her hesitation, Andre’s enthusiasm dimmed.
His mood dipped slightly, a mix of embarrassment and frustration, though it didn’t seem entirely genuine—more like he was feigning annoyance to gauge her reaction.
"It was rushed. Can’t compare to the websites other candidates spent three, five, or even seven years perfecting… Ours was done in just two days."
Zhi Wei wasn’t particularly bothered.
She was just stunned by the sight of her oversized name and the bold [Campaign for the One True God] slogan, rendered speechless by the sheer audacity.
Once the shock wore off, she actually found it amusing!
Just imagine—this shoddy website, once released, would shatter any illusions people had of her as a savior.
One look, and they’d think, Wow, this is ugly! Totally lacking the gravitas of a savior!
Anyone’s idealized image of her would crumble, and she could finally fade into obscurity.
Zhi Wei even laughed, reassuring Andre, "It’s fine. After midnight…"
After midnight, once I’m eliminated, you can tweak this website, polish it up, and reuse it for your next superior.
The mention of midnight seemed to jog Andre’s memory. He smacked his forehead and added,
Andre: "Oh right, I’ve already paid the 100,000."
Zhi Wei: "……??"
Her mind went blank. Her breath hitched. After a long pause, she managed a strangled: "Huh?"
Huh?! Had she just hallucinated? Had she just heard the sound of her freedom slipping away?!
Andre proudly boasted, "We raised six million in half a day!" He pointed at the website.
Zhi Wei: "……What?! What did you say?!"
Andre waved a hand modestly. "No need to get so excited, boss. I know I’m amazing, heh… Hey? Why are you choking me?"
