Can’t mess with them!
Can’t mess with them, I tell ya!
But Seo Si just couldn’t let it go and pleaded with He Tiantian to wait just a moment.
He then sneakily went off to make a phone call.
Lv Yaohua, upon receiving the call and hearing the title "nephew of Major Sugawara," instantly felt it was an ill omen.
He replied irritably to Seo Si, "Alright, alright, I know the guy, and you— just don’t mess with him!"
While speaking, Lv Yaohua’s face still ached, and there seemed to be a whistling sound where his tooth had been knocked out by He Tiantian.
Damn it, this little devil—seems so soft and floppy usually, but who knew he could be so vicious when riled up.
Lv Yaohua hung up the phone, considering getting a gold tooth fitted when he had the time—what’s the deal with the deputy chief of Action Team 3 speaking with a lisp?
Lv Yaohua didn’t bother with Seo Si’s troubles at all, didn’t even ask what difficulties he had run into.
Seo Si, cunning as a fox, knew from Lv Yaohua’s tone that he had truly hit a snag this time.
Swallowing the pain, Seo Si pulled out two small goldfish.
He Tiantian responded with a cold snort.
Cursing under his breath, "So greedy, not afraid of choking to death," Seo Si still obediently took out three more gold bars.
He Tiantian crossed her arms and assumed an indifferent pose.
...In the end, He Tiantian fleeced Seo Si for ten gold bars.
Before Seo Si could even wipe his sweat and heave a sigh of relief, He Tiantian turned on him in an instant.
Under the banner of Major Sugawara, she summoned two Constitutional Soldiers and hauled Seo Si off to the Constitutional Army.
All of Seo Si’s possessions, including his warehouse full of goods, were swallowed up by He Tiantian.
Of course, He Tiantian didn’t hog it all—she gave some money to the two soldiers who helped, and then, with the modesty of a younger relative, she visited the good friend of Major Sugawara, Captain Miyamoto Jiro.
"Haojie, you clever lad!"
Having received a few gold bars, Captain Miyamoto was pleased and looked at He Tiantian with a bit more loving affection of an elder.
He Tiantian smoothly took Seo Si’s money to grease the wheels with the Constitutional Army, then finished Seo Si off.
Next, He Tiantian used Seo Si’s assets to trade for a luxurious three-story Western-style building.
The location, layout, interior decor, and furniture of this house were several notches above where Sugawara Ichiro currently lived.
He Tiantian nonchalantly dragged Major Sugawara away after work, feigning secrecy.
"Uncle dear, when I visited your house last time, I found the place rather cramped and unworthy of your noble status!"
"I have recently come into a windfall, so I thought to get you a new place to live!"
"Please forgive my presumption, uncle, but it truly is a gesture from my heart. I beg you not to spurn it!"
Even a devil enjoys luxury, wants to live in a big house, and have fancy cars at his disposal, while his wife and children have no worries.
The moment Major Sugawara saw the white Western-stylebuilding, his eyes lit up.
Hearing his cheap nephew’s humble words, the old beast was even more delighted.
"Mm! I’ve heard about what you did, and although it was a bit too much, those bastards really were getting too big for their boots!"
He Tiantian’s roundup of traitors and rascals hadn’t gone unnoticed, and Major Sugawara, as the second in command of the Shadow Organization’s intelligence, had certainly heard about it.
At first, he was scolding his unlucky nephew for being a greedy fool.
Thinking of fleecing those thugs—couldn’t you have gone about it quietly?
Had to make such a show of it that the whole Shadow Organization knows now, looking a bit unseemly.
But when he stepped into the newly furnished three-story house and saw the exquisite garden and lavish adornments and furniture... ah, delightful indeed.
What issue with appearances?
This is filial piety from my nephew, and after all, Haojie didn’t outright steal.
He found evidence against that rascal—illicit opium trade!
That’s a serious crime, and there were suspicions of arms smuggling too.
Such bold lawlessness, his conscience totally corrupt—killing him and confiscating his wealth was only right.
After He Tiantian offered up another ten gold bars, Sugawara Ichiro looked at his nephew even more lovingly.
He couldn’t help but feel proud: Actually, having a henchman willing to lose face to squeeze and extort the Hua Country people wasn’t so bad!
Ah, those Hua Country people are really too rich, all those fine houses, all that gold and silver jewelry, and antique jade objects.
These made Major Sugawara, who’d grown up at the bottom of society, quite envious.
But he had to maintain the dignity and decorum of an Empire officer; even if he wanted to take, he dared not be too excessive.
After all, what they proclaimed to the outside world was East Asia Prosperity.
Sugawara Haojie was different, merely a small fry—even if he looked unsightly while eating, it was he who would be blamed.
If trouble arose and a scapegoat was needed, Sugawara Haojie was the ideal candidate...