Chapter 137: Dirty Tactics (3/4)

Tachio Shimazu had not expected an unexpected gain. He smiled faintly, accepted the apology, and invited him to continue eating. "In any case, I am not demanding that President Takeda make a decision right now. After all, there is still nearly a month left before the delivery deadline you agreed upon with Henghe."

As he ate, Takeda Takanao began to feel uneasy inside.

This fellow must be seeking revenge. It must be that his grandfather was tortured in some conglomerate's mine or factory long ago.

It remains a mystery how he later accumulated this wealth and built up such a network of intelligence sources.

Regardless, if the true enemies of Takeda Manufacturing were so many large conglomerates, would they really be able to successfully complete the order once they obtained the raw materials?

With their own thoughts hidden, the two finished this unusual dinner.

Leaving the restaurant and walking through the campus, Takeda Takanao finally asked, "Why do you think that Takeda Manufacturing focusing solely on cassette production has no great future?"

"Perhaps someone else would be more effective in persuading you," Tachio Shimazu said with a gentle smile. "If you agree to the land transaction I mentioned today, I will arrange the time and have Professor Yamamoto talk with you."

Takeda Takanao felt a shock in his chest. "Consulting with Professor Yamamoto... face to face?"

"Is that sincere enough?" Tachio Shimazu nodded. "Your current focus is on the immediate crisis, and you cannot settle your mind to seriously consider the future of the company. I await your decision."

"...I understand." Takeda Takanao looked at the public telephone booth. "Then, let us leave it at that. I will think carefully about what was discussed today after I return."

"Good." Tachio Shimazu took out his car keys. "Indeed, it can only end here."

With that, he unlocked his car and said goodbye to Takeda Takanao.

He had led the way earlier, and they had walked here because his car was parked nearby. With a University of Tokyo student ID, a research group member certificate issued by Akihito Yamamoto, and this Mercedes-Benz, he had encountered no obstruction entering the university.

However, Takeda Takanao now had a more direct understanding of his capabilities.

Watching the car's taillights recede into the distance, he finally walked toward the public telephone booth. Soon after, he spoke into the receiver: "Hello, I am Taro's father..."

...

Tachio Shimazu knew that his first move would provoke a reaction, but he had not expected the reaction to be this large.

Takeda Manufacturing had suddenly received 150 million yen, instantly relieving its urgent plight. In an era where information and intelligence gathering still relied primarily on manual efforts, a foreigner like Zhao Yuanxi would not be quickly traced to a specific faction, leaving everyone else to guess blindly.

He knew all parties would take action, but he had not anticipated that their actions would be so violent.

When he received a call from Takeda Takanao the next day, even he was startled.

The truck delivering magnetic powder to Takeda Manufacturing had actually been hijacked. The company's chief financial officer who accompanied the shipment—Takeda Takanao's own nephew—was also missing.

Overwhelmed by shock and anger, Takeda Takanao actually suspected that Tachio Shimazu was behind it.

Tachio Shimazu retorted with a single sentence: "If you have no raw materials to produce with, wouldn't the conglomerates be even happier?"

This retort left Takeda Takanao offering yet another apology. Unable to help himself, Tachio Shimazu dialed Hidenori Kinoshita's number directly: "Big Brother Hidenori, how could you make such a blunder?"

"...What are you talking about?" Hidenori Kinoshita was utterly bewildered. "What blunder?"

"The magnetic powder for Takeda Manufacturing! The fact that it was hijacked!" Tachio Shimazu said bluntly. "Doesn't this benefit Sumitomo the most? Takeda Manufacturing won't be able to fulfill Henghe's order. Sumitomo asked you to do this, didn't they?"

"How is that possible!" Hidenori Kinoshita said indignantly. "Although there was indeed such a request, I explicitly refused it last night! Your news network is certainly prompt..."

"...It wasn't you?" Tachio Shimazu muttered. "Framing Sumitomo?"

"Not at all... Sumitomo's people are cornered and desperate right now..."

"Your tone sounds a bit guilty. Is it possible that Sumitomo actually did it, and you just don't know?" Tachio Shimazu asked strangely. "After all, it's impossible for them to lack their own forces; they wouldn't necessarily have to rely on you. Come to think of it, Sumitomo has the strongest motive."

"Anyway, I didn't do it," Hidenori Kinoshita said, feeling a massive headache coming on. "Reiko Ishibashi's affair is already giving me enough trouble. Mitsui is making an issue of it, blowing the matter completely out of proportion. Furthermore, the forces gathering around Reiko Ishibashi are growing larger by the day; Roppongi Hills will probably be affected too..."

"...This tactic is too dirty. Framing is indeed very likely, leaving both Sumitomo and you running around in exhaustion." Tachio Shimazu was merely trying to confirm this point. He still leaned toward believing Hidenori Kinoshita, especially since Kinoshita was still counting on him to succeed.

Actually, when it came to this dirty trick, the first person he thought of was Hiroshi Omiya of Yuwa.

"You're paying so much attention to Takeda Manufacturing—you really are making a move, aren't you?" Hidenori Kinoshita couldn't help asking about his progress. "It wouldn't be you..."

"..." Tachio Shimazu was defeated. "Big Brother, you know the extent of the forces I can mobilize in my capacity as a University of Tokyo student. Can't you just ask and find out if it was me?"

"Indeed..." Hidenori Kinoshita felt this made sense. The only yakuza group that Taro fellow dealt with was the Shindo-gumi, after all.

Having obtained the information he wanted, Tachio Shimazu said, "Then if there is any new intelligence, inform me promptly. Just as we were preparing to start our move, this kind of situation arises again. Truly..."

"What on earth are you..."

"We agreed, until I succeed, do not ask. I am about to go to class; we will talk later."

Hidenori Kinoshita was left speechless.

Ah, right. This fellow still had classes to attend.

He always managed to forget that detail.

Yet he said he was just preparing to start his move—he must have already taken action, right?

Could that Zhao Yuanxi be one of Taro Tachio's people?

This fellow is a descendant of people from the Xia Land...

...

"Hiroshi, now is a prime opportunity!" Seiji Handa said with some excitement. "With Sumitomo pulling off a stunt like this, Henghe Trading's hatred in the eyes of Takeda Takanao must have reached its absolute peak! Mitsubishi also approves of your strategy, letting Yuwa find a way to replace Henghe Trading's position. Now is the time to have a proper talk with Takeda Manufacturing."

Hiroshi Omiya smiled. "It is indeed time. However, this time, we need Takeda Manufacturing to contact us on their own initiative."

"Will he?"

"Of course he will," Hiroshi Omiya said with absolute confidence. "Didn't I mention it? Among the people close to Takeda Takanao, there is a piece of my chess."

"How exciting..." Seiji Handa said with schadenfreude. "Neither Mogami Real Estate nor Sumitomo has the surplus energy right now to deal with Takeda Manufacturing's affairs."

On the contrary, Hiroshi Omiya looked extremely troubled as he said, "We at Yuwa are also involved in that piece of land belonging to Mogami Real Estate. Isn't Yuwa's future also under attack? I am quite distressed as well."

"Hahaha..." Seiji Handa burst into laughter. "You fellow..."

With a smile of supreme self-satisfaction, Hiroshi Omiya said, "Therefore, let us first go with Hidenori Kinoshita to handle the first round of negotiations with Reiko Ishibashi's representatives!"

Walking alongside him, Seiji Handa remarked with a sigh, "Sumitomo really dares to do it. So flagrantly."

Hiroshi Omiya smiled without answering. If Seiji Handa believed Sumitomo did it, that was for the best.

Once the delivery truck was found, Sumitomo wouldn't be able to wash itself clean even if it jumped into the Yellow River.

Under those circumstances, what other conditions could Takeda Manufacturing choose?

At the same time, Mitsubishi would misjudge who had been stirring up trouble previously.

Taro Tachio's relationship with Mogami Real Estate, his identity as a descendant of the Xia Land and a University of Tokyo student, that man from Xianggang, the fact that Takeda Takanao went to his son's university...

Every single piece fit together, didn't it?

How did that saying go? Openly repair the plank road while secretly crossing Chencang.

This was Sumitomo's strategy—even if it wasn't, it was!

Come to think of it, the ancestors of the people from the Xia Land were truly formidable, possessing so many methods of struggle...

...

Tachio Shimazu could not peacefully attend this class; he had no choice but to turn off his mobile phone first.

Amidst the strange and suspicious glances of his fellow students, he could only remain seated.

The teacher merely cast a glance because of the suddenly ringing phone sound, and upon seeing that it had quieted down again, continued the lecture.

Meanwhile, Yosuke Ueno beside him had witnessed him take out the mobile phone and turn it off. Seeing the other students' gazes, a sense of pride welled up within him, his expression practically screaming a line of text: Look at that, the big shot using a mobile phone is my buddy!

With great difficulty, he endured until the class ended. Following Tachio Shimazu as they walked out, Yosuke Ueno asked, "Why didn't you turn off your phone before coming to class today? Was there an emergency?"

"...I just forgot to turn it off." Who told him to call Daiki Suzuki for news right before coming to class?

Seeing Yosuke Ueno trailing after him, Tachio Shimazu said, "Class is over, go to your part-time job. Don't go prying into what I'm doing. Goodbye!"

Yosuke Ueno stopped in his tracks, dumbfounded.

So hurtful.

Is my current identity merely that of a laborer, unqualified to share in your secrets?

Walking to a secluded spot, Tachio Shimazu finally switched his mobile phone back on.

True to expectation, the moment it booted up, another call came in.

It was Takeda Takanao.

"What else do you know?" Takeda Takanao's voice was hoarse. "Yesterday you said the most painful moment was about to arrive. What else do you know?"

"...That was merely a very natural judgment. Although it was brought about by the 150 million yen transaction between you and me, the transaction itself was unproblematic, wasn't it?" Tachio Shimazu felt not a shred of guilt.

"..." Takeda Takanao could not refute this. The decision had been made by himself, and the price had been raised by himself. "You knew all along that once I obtained the 150 million yen, those people would only resort to dirtier tactics."

"You must understand, could a matter like this morning's be accomplished without a very long period of planning? It was planned long ago! No matter where you scraped the money together from, this backup plan was bound to be triggered!" Tachio Shimazu said unceremoniously. "And how many days has it been since my people contacted you?"

Takeda Takanao was once again left speechless. After a pause, he said, "Indeed... but that's not all."

Tachio Shimazu was stunned. "Something else happened?"

"They didn't even spare my family!" Takeda Takanao said with bitter resentment.

"...Surely nothing happened to your son, right?" Tachio Shimazu felt something was amiss. "You aren't suspecting me again just because we met at your son's school yesterday, are you?"