"Director Ito stated that the accusations depicted in the whistleblower’s letter are entirely fabricated, and expressed that the entire Land Guard is willing to cooperate with the investigation. The investigation team will divide into six groups, and they’ll officially be in place within three days."
At the sound of Ueda Hikoshu’s voice, Aoyama Xiu Xin had already risen and was walking upstairs. By the ti Ueda Hikoshu finished speaking, he had just entered the study, "The whistleblower’s letter didn’t ntion the embezzlent of military funds?"
"No," answered Ueda Hikoshu, then added another sentence, "However, I suspect this is just a feint by Yu Tianzi, hoping to make a show of force while secretly moving their real plan into action. Since Hattori Si has already reported many of my cris, it’s unlikely he’d omit the most important one."
"Yu Tianzi’s push for an investigation may well be partially motivated by public spirit, but it’s also inevitably aid at using Mr. Aoyama to strike at Minister Yanchuan. If this issue were brought up at a Cabinet eting, it would certainly alarm Minister Yanchuan, hence this desperate move."
"Mr. Ueda speaks sensibly," said Aoyama Xiu Xin, who had also figured out Yu Tianzi’s reasons and snorted coldly, "Too bad he doesn’t know that we’re aware of it already. Proceed with the plan."
Just balance the accounts so the investigation team can’t verify the embezzlent by the high ranks of the Land Guard; everything else is easily resolved by scapegoating a few individuals.
With the Land Guard showing weakness, the Cabinet would also take what they can get, not daring to press too hard for fear that it could provoke a mutiny, a responsibility no one would want to bear.
That’s why matters involving the military are always treated with extra caution: the military truly has the power to overturn the table, and even if it doesn’t flip entirely, just breaking one leg off can destabilize it!
"Mm, everything is arranged. Will Mr. Aoyama join tonight to see off my esteed son-in-law?" Ueda Hikoshu invited with a sinister chuckle.
"Of course, I will," Aoyama Xiu Xin agreed readily. "As a junior, it is proper to see off a senior who has been recognized for his excellence. It’s all about legacy!"
...
In order not to alarm Hattori Si, Ueda Hikaru and Ueda Hanon followed through with their original plan and spoke with Hattori Si that morning, discussing the divorce.
To avoid startling him, Hattori Si naturally cried and pleaded to retain the marriage, repeatedly expressing his wish not to divorce, and finally, with great reluctance, accepted the Ueda Family’s compensation, agreeing to proceed to the divorce the next morning.
Then, in the afternoon, he didn’t go to work and instead went out to drown his sorrows elsewhere, ensuring that all his reactions fit his character to avoid tipping off that old fox, Ueda Hikoshu.
He rented a private room with a bathroom, ordered a large amount of alcohol, but in reality, barely drank any. Most of it he poured into the toilet, leaving only bottles strewn haphazardly around to create the illusion of solitary drinking.
At 10 pm, slightly tipsy, he left the bar reeking of alcohol, intending to take a taxi ho.
Many cabs were waiting for custors outside the bar.
He got into the nearest one, belched, gave the address, then closed his eyes to rest.
Though he wasn’t dead drunk, he was sowhat intoxicated. The stop-and-go motion of the car made him sleepier, and he soon fell asleep, only to wake up when he heard the sound of a car door opening.
"Are we here?" he muttered, looking out the window. The alcohol quickly sobered up at the sight: outside the window was a desolate wilderness, and the driver was nowhere to be seen.
Realizing sothing was wrong, he imdiately opened the door and dashed out, only then seeing a dozen figures standing not far away, with Ueda Hikoshu and Aoyama Xiu Xin prominently at the front, followed by Ueda Hikoshu’s bodyguards.
A chill ran up Hattori Si’s spine, his legs shaking and limbs turning ice cold.
"Dad... Daddy, what... what are you doing?" he swallowed, trying to sound calm, his hands clenched into fists.
With no expression, Ueda Hikoshu flicked his cigarette ash and said faintly, "Cleaning house! Or did you think we brought you to this godforsaken place to honor you?"
"Dad... I... I don’t understand what you an." Hattori Si was sweating profusely, clinging to a last hope, he stuttered, "I’ve already agreed to divorce Hanon, and I won’t interfere with her life anymore. There’s no need to ruthlessly eliminate , right? I know it, Aoyama Xiu Xin! Is it Aoyama Xiu Xin instigating this? Dad, listen to ..."
"Enough!" Ueda Hikoshu shouted angrily, interrupting Hattori Si. His jowls trembled slightly with rage as he gritted his teeth, "You were a nobody, a penniless brat! It was who gave you everything by marrying my daughter to you! And you, just because of a divorce, you bite the hand that feeds you, running off to Tokyo to accuse ! Hattori Si, you ungrateful cur!"
Boom!
It struck Hattori Si like a thunderbolt, shattering the strings in his mind, and with it, the last speck of hope he had clung to. His legs gave way, and he collapsed to his knees.
"How... how did you find out?" He was at a loss as to how he had been exposed, and so quickly.
Aoyama Xiu Xin spoke, and his words were designed to deny Hattori Si any peace in death. He said with a smile, "I’ll tell you why when I attend your funeral."
"Dad! Dad! I was wrong, Dad!" Hattori Si crawled and scrambled to Ueda Hikoshu, grasping his legs and begging pitifully, "Dad, I’ve called you ’Dad’ for so many years, respected you as if you were my own father—please, for honor’s sake, spare ! I just cared about Hanakoto too much. That’s why I made a mistake in a mont of confusion. I didn’t an to hurt you; I didn’t want to betray you!"
Ueda Hikoshu kicked him away without a word.
"It’s too late for words now. Better to save your strength for a quicker journey on Yellow Springs Road."
Hattori Si tried to crawl back, but two guards rushed over and pinned him to the ground. They tied his limbs with ropes and sealed his mouth with tape.
"Dad... mmm!" Hattori Si struggled violently, tears streaming down his face, as muted sobs erged from behind the tape.
But his efforts were futile. Once he was tied up, Aoyama Xiu Xin walked over, squatted down, and whispered in his ear, "Mr. Hattori, Hanakoto told I’m better than you, able to touch where you couldn’t."
"Mmm!" At those words, Hattori Si’s eyes bulged with fury, his legs kicked out desperately trying to break free.
No man could stomach such humiliation, and he wished he could rise up and kill Aoyama Xiu Xin on the spot.
"Hahaha! Hahahaha!" Aoyama Xiu Xin laughed loudly as he stood, shook off his cigarette ash, took a drag, and said, "Warm him up."
The guards imdiately took Hattori Si away in a car.
More than ten minutes later, Hattori Si was locked in a large warehouse of the Land Guard North Force, watching helplessly as the guards poured gasoline inside.
A strong will to live drove him to twist and struggle continuously, but even as he exhausted himself, he couldn’t break free.
With a look of utter despair, he watched the guards close the warehouse door.
And shed tears of regret.
"Boom!"
The warehouse burst into roaring flas in three separate areas.
Tied up in one of them, Hattori Si was soon set ablaze, his piercing screams echoed as he rolled on the ground, until he stopped breathing completely.
Aoyama Xiu Xin and Ueda Hikoshu stood on a low hillside, smoking cigarettes and watching the flas from afar.
The fire blazed into the sky, coloring the dark night red.
Because the warehouse was far from the city, although ergency calls were made promptly, by the ti the fire departnt arrived, it was too late; the fire could not be contained. It burned until dawn, reducing the three warehouses to re skeletons.
Even more unfortunate, that night, several soldiers guarding the warehouse did not survive, including Hattori Si, Ueda Hikoshu’s beloved son-in-law, who went to inspect the warehouse.
It wasn’t just the Northern Force affected; that very night, Land Guard warehouses across the country caught fire.
Due to the serious losses, the next day, the Staff Director inford the Joint Chiefs of Staff about the incident, who then reported it to the Pri Minister.
The Pri Minister imdiately called a high-level eting that morning.
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