Dragon Raja 3; Chapter 90: Genji Heavy Industries (2)

Dragon Raja 3

Tokyo by night and Tokyo by day were completely different. At night, Tokyo was full of colorful lights, exuding a kind of enchanting beauty, like a mature woman in a kimono with an alluring figure. During the day, however, Tokyo was like a sporty girl, with simple colors. The buildings blended seamlessly into the background of the sky from a distance. This was a well-ordered city. Office workers in a hurry jogged in and out of the subway stations, pedestrians moved quickly, but all in an orderly manner. Everyone seemed to be operating on invisible tracks, with few deviating from their paths. People silently waited at red lights, the crowd growing larger without anyone getting impatient or raising their voice. Then, when the red light turned green, the cars on the street would completely stop in an instant, and the crowd would surge across the street along their respective paths. When the red light returned, the flow of cars resumed, while new pedestrians silently waited.

Chu Zihang turned to see Lu Mingfei staring out the window, seemingly lost in thought, his pupils reflecting the steady flow of traffic.

“This is a country bound by rules. The entire nation is like a complex machine, and every individual is a part of that machine, running at high speed under the pressure of rules. When you think about it, such a life seems terrifying,” Chu Zihang said quietly. “Is that what you’re thinking too?”

“No… I was thinking about how thick the calves of Japanese girls are…”

Chu Zihang silently turned his head back. The same serious eyes might gaze at the same scene, but the observers’ inner thoughts could be completely different. When Jia Baoyu saw Lin Daiyu, his heart was moved, and he thought to himself, “I’ve met this girl before…” When Xue Pan saw Lin Daiyu, he thought, “Frail girls are the best—soft voice, gentle body, easy to push around.”

The car came to a stop. A girl in a black suit opened the door, bowing deeply with her hands by her sides. “Welcome, distinguished guests from the headquarters, to the Japanese branch.”

After breakfast, the car from the Japanese branch had already been waiting downstairs at the hotel to take them to tour the Japanese branch’s base in Tokyo. Breakfast was delivered directly to their suite by a service cart, prepared personally by the head chef. Along with the meal was a fax detailing their schedule for the day. The schedule was divided into fifteen-minute intervals, densely packed from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. They were scheduled to visit the Japanese branch’s office center in Tokyo, tour the Japanese Imperial Palace arranged by the Imperial Household Agency, worship at the 1,400-year-old Senso-ji Temple, and go shopping in Ginza. Lunch was set at a three-star Michelin French restaurant, while dinner would be top-tier Japanese cuisine prepared by the family’s personal chef. The fresh fish needed for dinner had been shipped from Tsukiji fish market at 6 a.m. that day, including a 1.86-meter deep-sea tuna. The schedule was so detailed that even Chu Zihang was surprised. If they encountered any traffic jams, there were backup plans in place. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., they had absolutely no free time, becoming parts of the giant machine that was Japan, moving in sync with it.

“I thought there would be men in black suits bowing along the road,” Caesar said, getting out of the car and looking up at the black skyscraper.

Amidst the elegant gray buildings, this skyscraper, covered in dark iron-like glass, stood out conspicuously. It was like a black iron monument, hinting at the power of the institution within. “If we were visiting the family shrine, they would still uphold that tradition of welcoming guests in lines. But in Tokyo, they have to keep a low profile to avoid disturbing the neighbors. I hope you’ll understand,” said Yabuki Sakura, Chisei’s assistant, who had met them last night. She was an unusually slender and tall Japanese girl, with her long black hair tied in a high ponytail like a kendo girl.

“Due to traffic, you are four minutes behind schedule, but it’s okay. We checked the traffic conditions in advance, so the meeting with the family heads has been delayed by fifteen minutes. I’ll take you to tour the office area in the meantime.”

“This building was completed at the end of 2004. It serves as the headquarters for Genji Heavy Industries and also as the College’s office center in Tokyo.” Sakura led Caesar’s group into the spacious lobby.

The lobby echoed with the brisk, purposeful footsteps of employees carrying folders, the air filled with the subtle scent of perfume, and the sound of elevator bells chiming. The building seemed no different from the top business centers in Ginza, except for the kind of work being done…

“Section chief! A fax from the Numagawakai—they’ve had four fights with the Hidou Group in the past three days, with two minor injuries and one serious injury requiring hospitalization. They request the family’s intervention to mediate,” said a young man wearing thick glasses, following an older man out of the elevator while reading from a fax.

“The Numagawakai’s influence in the area is dwindling. Their organization has shrunk by 22% compared to last year, and their contributions to the family have decreased by 11.2%. If this continues, we’ll have to downgrade their credit rating from ‘C’ to ‘D’! Under these circumstances, it’s hard for the family to make a decision in favor of the Numagawakai in their conflict with the ‘B’-rated Hidou Group!” the section chief said in frustration. “But if the Numagawakai’s issues aren’t resolved, it’ll affect the Hidou family’s year-end bonuses!”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m still paying off my mortgage… Boss, what if we just get rid of the Numagawakai? Wouldn’t that lighten our load?”

“Last night, our ship carrying warhead components for Tomahawk missiles sank off Nagasaki Port. The area is now cordoned off by the Coast Guard, and if they manage to salvage that ship…” Two men in black suits were pacing in the corner, their faces heavy.

“What about the bribes to the Coast Guard official? Ask him to halt the salvage. Damn it, those warheads are worth $1.2 billion! If they fall into the Coast Guard’s hands, we’ll have to commit seppuku in front of the family heads!”

“The official seems to be an upright person. Bribery tactics aren’t working on him. Maybe we should threaten him with his wife and daughter? We don’t have time for anything less drastic!”

“The new family code prohibits using kidnapping as a form of coercion. If we go heavy-handed, we’ll have to commit seppuku too!”

“We don’t necessarily have to kidnap them. How about using some compromising footage of his wife?”

“Using forced recordings of unrelated women as leverage is also banned under the new family code, I think it’s Chapter Six, Section Four, Clause Three. This new family code is so strict! Are we even a yakuza organization anymore? The CIA does worse things than we do!”

“We don’t need to use force. According to the records, his wife was signed as a performer for the AV studio under our family before she got married.”

“Oh, great! Get her tapes; let’s check them out first!”

“Everything’s sorted. I’ve gotten the licensing through Representative Aokawa, so go ahead and make something big in Yokohama! You guys are my most promising students. I’m sure one day you’ll surpass your teacher! Once you’ve established yourselves, don’t forget to give back to the family and set an example for the younger members!” An elderly man with graying hair, dressed in a tailored suit, lectured three young men in the lounge area, his words brimming with positive energy.

“If it weren’t for you, there’s no way we could’ve gotten our own nightclub and casino! To us, you’re like a father—loving and towering! We don’t know how we could ever repay you. Here, this is a lifetime honorary gold card for the nightclub. All expenses are covered. Please bring your friends by whenever you’re free, and we’ll arrange for the youngest girls to serve you. Do you still like the sailor uniforms, teacher?” The leader of the young men, his face filled with gratitude, knelt down and presented a pure gold card to the elderly man.