In the predawn hours, under a sky where the moon shone and stars were sparse.
Asano Kamisaku was completely unaware of the impending crisis; at this moment, he was drinking heavily in a private room of an izakaya with his driver and a middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man appeared to be in his fifties, with salt-and-pepper stubble and hair, wearing a slightly old-fashioned black cotton jacket. He had a simple, honest face, but his small, slightly squinted eyes were bright, revealing a certain wiliness common to small-time traders.
With one hand holding a drink and the other picking up food, he spoke with his mouth greasy, "President Asano, I’ve done as you instructed, and I’ve rallied all the neighbors to our cause. If that damn Beiyuan Construction Co., Ltd doesn’t agree to the compensation we’re asking for, they won’t be touching a single brick of ours, nor will they build their amusement park!"
He was one of the families in the area scheduled for demolition for the amusement park and had earned a bit of a reputation in that residential area for being unreasonably aggressive and bold.
If you were to describe him in four words, they would be: a local ruffian.
"Haha, thanks a lot, Mr. Yagyu, you really helped me out this time," Asano Kamisaku laughed heartily, satisfied and turned to his driver, "Why haven’t you presented Mr. Yagyu with the prepared token of our gratitude?"
"Yes, sir!" the driver responded, and as Yagyu Tao awaited expectantly, he put down his bowl and chopsticks, picked up the case by his feet, opened it, and revealed stacks of neatly arranged bills, the smell of the ink overpowering the aroma of the alcohol.
All in yen—converted to US Dollars, it would only amount to a few hundred thousand at most.
Not a small sum for the average person.
Yagyu Tao’s eyes lit up at the sight of the lovely bills. He stood up, discarding his drink, his gaze fixated on the cash box as he rubbed his hands together and laughed sheepishly, pretending to be embarrassed, "Well, this doesn’t seem quite right. I’m helping President Asano purely for the sake of friendship and also to get a little extra compensation for the neighbors. I really shouldn’t be taking this money."
Though he said this, his eyes never strayed from the cash box, almost drooling.
"Mr. Yagyu, between brothers, we should settle accounts clearly. If you really consider me a friend, you have to take this money, otherwise, I won’t be pleased! How could I have the cheek to ask for your help again in the future?" Asano Kamisaku said sternly, feigning displeasure as he placed his drink heavily on the table.
Yagyu Tao looked conflicted. After a long pause, he sighed as if reluctantly, "Since President Asano has put it that way, it would seem ungracious of me to refuse any further. Fine, I’ll take the money."
As soon as he finished speaking, he couldn’t wait to grab hold of the cash box, grinned from ear to ear, closed the lid, and placed it by his feet.
The reason he was helping Asano Kamisaku was not only to extort a hefty demolition compensation but also for the substantial reward Asano had promised once the deed was done.
"That’s the spirit! Come on, let’s drink to our friendship," Asano Kamisaku said, watching his despicable behavior with contempt that he did not show on his face.
After all, though these lowlifes weren’t presentable, sometimes they could still be very useful.
Yagyu Tao quickly lifted his glass with both hands and leaned in to clink it against Asano Kamisaku’s, snickering, "I’ll drink first, President Asano, at your leisure."
After finishing his drink in one gulp and wiping his mouth, he sat back down, but then he added worriedly, "There’s something I’m not sure I should bring up."
"Mr. Yagyu, we’re friends; there’s nothing you can’t say. If there’s any doubt, just speak!" Asano Kamisaku gestured for him to speak his mind.
As Yagyu Tao picked up his chopsticks and served himself food, he casually stated, "About this matter, I’m not bothered since I’ve always been the type to stand by my friends through thick and thin. However, many of my neighbors are quite afraid of Beiyuan Construction’s potential retaliation; after all, considering it’s such a large project, they must have powerful backing."
Now that he had received the compensation he had long desired, the rush of excitement in his mind had faded a bit and he began to coolly contemplate the possible consequences of his actions.
"You’re worrying too much, Mr. Yagyu," Asano Kamisaku saw right through to Yagyu Tao’s own fears and was even more disdainful. Just now, when reaching for the money, there was no sign of fear. To reassure him, he said, "No matter how deep the background, reasoning and the law must prevail. If Beiyuan Construction dares to do anything to you, you can all go protest in Tokyo together. I guarantee they’ll be the first to panic. The bigger the business, the less they want to escalate the issue."
His next step was to arrange for someone to pretend to be a thug hired by Beiyuan Construction to violently provoke the residents demanding more compensation, fomenting public anger. He would then incite these infuriated citizens to go to Tokyo to file complaints, and afterward, find reporters to expose the matter.
With this smooth set of moves, Beiyuan Construction would be thrown into complete disarray.
Eventually, Beiyuan Construction would either have to leave in disgrace or be forced to cooperate with him.
And once he had the upper hand, the terms of cooperation would certainly be more favorable for him.
"With that reassurance from President Asano, when I go back and tell them, they should also feel more at ease," Yagyu Tao breathed a sigh of relief and poured himself another drink.
Just then, the door to the private room flew open.
The people inside instinctively turned towards the sound.
A young man in black sportswear, a baseball cap, and a mask stood at the doorway. His gaze fixed on Asano Kamisaku, he didn’t hesitate to draw a gun and fire.
The moment he pulled out the gun, Asano Kamisaku was already pale with fright, but it was too late to hide.
With the sound of the gunshot, the bullet was discharged, hitting Asano Kamisaku’s heart precisely, forcing him to sit back down just as he had managed to stand, bringing the chair down with him. Clutching his chest, his face contorted with pain.