CHAPTER 728: CHAPTER 596: DISCOVERING SUSPICIONS, THE FIRST SOUND OF 1994 (SEEKING MONTHLY PASS)

"What? What did you say? Has he gone mad?"

Qingshui Yi listened to the report from the person he had sent to tail Takashita Kanji over the phone and couldn’t believe it.

Takashita Kanji had actually kidnapped Yoshino Taichiro!

That was the Hakodate City Mayor’s brother-in-law!

If such means had been an option, he would have used them long ago, so why had the demolition been pending for so long?

With such methods, even if Yoshino Taichiro had signed at the time, would his brother-in-law just let it slide?

This was creating enemies for Minister Aoyama!

After hanging up the phone, he immediately called Aoyama Xiu Xin to report. When the mobile phone couldn’t get through, he immediately tried the landline, but still, nobody picked up.

Because the line was busy.

Just a moment before Qingshui Yi made the call, Aoyama Xiu Xin had received a call from the Hakodate City Mayor.

"Mosi Mo..."

Aoyama Xiu Xin had not finished speaking when he was angrily interrupted, "Aoyama Xiu Xin, you’ve got quite the nerve!"

"Who is this?" Aoyama Xiu Xin raised an eyebrow.

Who dared to speak to him with such a tone?

"I am Hakodate City Mayor Musashi Sanfu!"

"Ah, so it’s Mayor Musashi. I’m not aware of having offended you to the point of warranting a late-night call for a scolding," Aoyama Xiu Xin asked calmly, even implying a counter-accusation.

"Hahahaha, you don’t know?" Musashi Sanfu laughed angrily, grinding his teeth as he said, "You refused my brother-in-law’s demolition terms, we could have sat down to negotiate, but what did you do? You had my brother-in-law kidnapped and threatened to kill him to force him to sign a contract. Do you even consider me? Are you still a police officer? What’s the difference between you and bandits?"

Hearing this, Aoyama Xiu Xin roughly understood what was going on and immediately frowned.

The demolition was always Qingshui Yi’s responsibility.

It was unlike him to act so recklessly.

He had never caused any trouble before.

Then he thought of Takashita Kanji and realizing he might be in the wrong, he couldn’t be as assertive and said, "Mayor Musashi, I really don’t know what happened. Please allow me to look into it. If it is true, I will definitely explain it to you."

"Unaware? Do you think I believe that?" Musashi Sanfu sneered dismissively and was silent for a moment before his tone suddenly softened, "Never mind, I can’t play with a desperado like you who only sees personal gain. Since the contract is signed, I’ll give you the land, but you’ll pay double the demolition price as compensation for my brother-in-law."

Aoyama Xiu Xin was taken aback, unable to believe that Takashita Kanji had actually managed to intimidate Musashi Sanfu.

Initially annoyed by such rash actions, he now thought Takashita was a useful person to cultivate.

"Hey! Thank you, Mayor Musashi, I’ll pay three times the market price," Aoyama Xiu Xin immediately stated.

Musashi Sanfu hung up the phone directly.

"Ding-ling-ling! Ding-ling-ling!"

Aoyama Xiu Xin hadn’t recovered when the phone rang again. He thought it was Mayor Musashi who hadn’t finished, "Mayor Musa..."

"Minister! Something big has happened! That madman, Takashita Kanji..."

Qingshui Yi said frantically.

Aoyama Xiu Xin interrupted him, "I already know, Mayor Musashi Sanfu just contacted me, I got the land for three times the price."

"Ah?" Qingshui Yi couldn’t believe it either and raised his voice, "His brother-in-law was kidnapped and injured, and Mayor Musashi Sanfu just let it go?"

Had he known it would be so easy, he would have done it himself.

"Mhm." Aoyama Xiu Xin was also surprised that Mayor Musashi had been so weak, "Tell me more about this piece of land."

"Yes!" Qingshui Yi narrated at once.

After listening, Aoyama Xiu Xin felt Mayor Musashi’s submission was quite reasonable, "Yoshino Taichiro dared to propose such outrageous terms because he had the backing of Musashi Sanfu; such greedy individuals are often extremely afraid of death, and it was Takashita Kanji who woke him up. Mainly, it’s because Takashita truly acted recklessly."

"Yes!" Qingshui Yi admitted this point; at least he had never thought to do such a thing to a mayor’s brother-in-law. Suddenly under great pressure, he subversively said, "Minister, we were lucky this time, but what about next? Takashita’s reckless way of doing things can easily breed enemies and trouble for you."

"I know, it’s late, let’s leave it at that," Aoyama Xiu Xin said and then hung up.

Regarding Qingshui Yi’s final reminder, he was unconcerned. He always cared only about outcomes, not the process. An instrument for getting things done only needed to achieve what he ordered, and he admired Takashita Kanji’s reckless attitude, a sharp knife indeed.

As for offending Musashi Sanfu, so be it. They weren’t that close anyway, otherwise, he wouldn’t have condoned his brother-in-law’s extortion.

He called Takashita Kanji, and after the connection, spoke lightly, "Takashita, you’ve made quite the splash in Hakodate, the Mayor called me to demand an explanation."

"Yes! My apologies for disturbing your rest, Minister," Takashita Kanji immediately admitted fault.

Aoyama Xiu Xin pondered for a moment and asked, "Didn’t you consider the consequences? Musashi can’t do anything to me, but he will surely find ways to cause trouble for you."

"For the Minister, I only consider the desired result, not my own consequences," Takashita Kanji stated firmly, then spoke in a lower voice, "This is the opportunity I asked of you. I should commit fully and risk everything. Moreover, that guy dared to insult you, Minister, he is unforgivable! I am just sorry that I caused you to offend Mayor Musashi."

"If you’re not afraid to die for me, should I fear offending a mayor?" Aoyama Xiu Xin laughed unconcernedly and exhaled, "Establish a new company, and you’ll handle that project. Let the Takashita Group take root in Hakodate. Work hard; the Takashita Group will surely flourish under your guidance, I’m telling you."

"Yes! Thank you for your care, Minister! I won’t let you down!" Takashita Kanji gratefully said.

Being entrusted with the entire project indicated Aoyama Xiu Xin’s initial trust. Next, he should aim to become his most reliable tool.

After hanging up, Aoyama Xiu Xin went back to bed.

In the darkness, his eyes shut but then he opened them again.

Then he abruptly sat up, without saying a word.

"Xiu Xin, what’s the matter again?" Aoyama Haruko asked groggily, yawning heavily and speaking unclearly.

Aoyama Xiu Xin did not answer; his face changed unpredictably in the darkness. Then, he picked up the mobile phone and called Nakamura Shinichi, "Shinichi, I need you to go to Hakodate personally tomorrow to check who visited Musashi Sanfu’s home tonight and to find out what calls he received today."

Musashi Sanfu backed down, which he could understand. He could comprehend demanding twice the usual price as compensation. But he was dumbfounded that Sanfu hadn’t demanded the person responsible for harming his nephew, Takashita Kanji, be handed over.

This was something that Xiu Xin couldn’t comprehend.

For a mayor to be intimidated was one thing, but to not even preserve a shred of dignity—

As someone who was naturally suspicious.

This inevitably made Aoyama Xiu Xin grow suspicious.

Once he harbored suspicion towards one aspect, he would evaluate the entire situation with a skeptical attitude. Why would Takashita Kanji dare to act so recklessly? Was it merely audacity, or did he already know that there would be no consequences for his actions?

...

The next day, before the end of work, Nakamura Shinichi, returned from Hakodate, knocked on the door of Aoyama Xiu Xin’s office.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

"Come in," said Aoyama Xiu Xin offhandedly.

Nakamura Shinichi entered and said, "Minister, I have the results of what you asked me to investigate last night."

Visiting Hakodate, his tasks were to check the surveillance around Musashi Sanfu’s home and to pull his call records.

Neither task was difficult since most of the Hakodate City Police Department were Aoyama Xiu Xin’s people.

"Speak," Aoyama Xiu Xin said, lifting his chin slightly.

Nakamura Shinichi reported, "Mayor Musashi’s home didn’t have any visitors last night, but he received a call from Tokyo in the early hours. The owner of the line was the secretary to Prime Minister Hatanaka."

"Hatanaka Zizi," Aoyama Xiu Xin murmured to himself.

It was not unusual for a secretary of a Cabinet Minister to make calls to local mayors, but for Hatanaka Zizi’s secretary to ring Musashi Sanfu, and at such a coincidental time, this was very strange.

Aoyama Xiu Xin thought of the previous investigation by Hatanaka Zizi into the embezzlement of military funds by himself and the Land Guard executives, intending to use this against Yanchuan Shilang—was this the same strategy again? After all, if the Cabinet were to be reshuffled next year, as Deputy Prime Minister, wouldn’t he want to advance?

He was now sure that Takashita Kanji was likely a spy planted by Hatanaka Zizi.

He was convinced he was viewed as the weakest link by Yanchuan Shilang and that they were out to target him specifically.

"Planting a spy by my side; they really think highly of me," Aoyama Xiu Xin said with a touch of sarcasm.

"A spy?" Nakamura Shinichi raised an eyebrow, his face immediately growing cold, "Minister, which one on your team is the spy? I’ll take care of him right now."

"No need," Aoyama Xiu Xin shook his head with a smile, "A spy who’s been exposed is more useful alive than dead. From now on, assign him the toughest, most tiring tasks. After all, he’s backed by someone powerful and can get things done effortlessly."

Keeping Takashita Kanji around allowed him to use Hatanaka Zizi’s influence to handle things even he found bothersome.

And the more tasks Takashita Kanji was given, the more it appeared that he trusted and valued him.

Furthermore, he could use him to transmit incorrect information to mislead Hatanaka Zizi—why not?

After all, Hatanaka Zizi was a formidable rival in his grandfather’s path to becoming Prime Minister. It was natural to be prepared.

"Hah! I’m too dull-witted; you truly are far-sighted, Minister," Nakamura Shinichi complimented.

Aoyama Xiu Xin waved his hand to dismiss him.

Nakamura Shinichi bowed and left.

In the following days, Takashita Kanji became Aoyama Xiu Xin’s firefighter, tasked with the most difficult assignments. And naturally, he sought help from Hatanaka Zizi, handling the matters quite well.

Aoyama Xiu Xin did not hesitate to praise him, but never let him be involved in truly critical matters.

slipped by quietly.

In the blink of an eye, it was January 1, 1994.

Aoyama Xiu Xin was at the airport to greet someone, with this year’s snow falling heavily, making the scenery even more stunning than before. Asakawa Xia and Yanchuan Xianyou were coming to Sapporo to see the snow, and he knew he was to join Asakawa Xia in enjoying the snow too.

He had seen it twice before and remembered its bright red glow through the white.

It had been a while, and he found himself missing it.

After all, he was always someone who cherished the past.

Occasionally, he glanced at his watch in the car.

As Japanese celebrate New Year’s Day, the entire country was on holiday, leaving the streets lively and bustling.

In Sapporo Central District, a jewelry store took advantage of the holiday season for a promotion, drawing a large crowd of locals and tourists. The shop was crowded and noisy.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a massive explosion occurred inside the jewelry store, shattering all the glass. Pedestrians outside the door were knocked down, and the air was filled with smoke and continuous wails.

"Ah! There’s a bomb! Call the police!"

"Get an ambulance!"

People were running and screaming in panic.

When the dust settled, the interior of the exploded jewelry store was chaotic, with customers and staff scattered and strewn about, blood everywhere, some dead on the spot and others severely injured, wailing ceaselessly.