I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 187 You Are My Future (5000 words!)

There is no unobstructed view of the blue sky.

But as always, a sumptuous lunch was laid out on Kiyono Mizuki's table.

"You changed your clothes again, are you going out?"

Kiyono Mizuki took a spoon and stirred it around in the bowl.

Clearly, their attention wasn't focused on eating; their eyes were full of speculation and curiosity. People who aren't good at multitasking are prone to this; when they focus on one thing, the other becomes quite sloppy.

Do you know me that well now?

Gen Tsukino asked with a smile.

Kiyono Mizuki snorted, "Of course, I can tell what you're up to with just a glance from you now."

He seemed quite pleased with this.

Then Tsukino Gen gave Kiyono Mizuki a look, and the girl blinked, her face turning bright red.

"rogue!"

Gen Tsukino's eyes widened. "You really know how to do that!"

"Don't give me that crap. I'm not even going to ask you what you were doing. When are you coming back?"

The girl muttered softly.

Gen Tsukino thought for a moment, "I probably won't be coming back today. There are some things I need to take care of, and it's quite far from here. I probably won't be staying overnight in Shōri."

The place is indeed very far away, but that's not the key point. The key point is that there are still many things to deal with after this is over.

Sometimes, a person's death may just be the beginning of something.

"Is it really that troublesome?"

Kiyono Mizuki couldn't think of anything else for the moment. After all, if this boy were going out to seek pleasure, he wouldn't have been so honest in telling her. Since he could explain it so clearly, it must be something serious for him.

Since these are men's serious matters, they shouldn't act impulsively in these situations.

"It's alright, not too troublesome, just might take a little time."

"Would it be dangerous for you?"

Kiyono Mizuki suddenly asked.

Tsukino Gen looked at the other person strangely, "Why do you ask that?"

It seems that I haven't told Bai Feng about these things since I first met him.

She probably doesn't know that she's dealing with these people right now.

Could it be some strange intuition again?

Kiyono Mizuki shook her head. "Because I remembered what happened with Sato last time. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but be careful."

Is it really just intuition?
Would you consider this a special ability belonging to women that is openly recognized in this world?
Gen Tsukino smiled and said, "Don't worry, there's no danger."

"Ah."

After cleaning up the mess left after the meal, Tsukino Gen returned to his room and saw the wooden box on the bed.

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Would anyone really be so pretentious as to parade around with this thing like that?"

"Om."

The phone rang.

He thought it would be Bai Feng Hongye calling, and at this hour, he seemed to be getting impatient.

But when I took it out, I saw that it was Kazama Sakura's phone call.

"Hey."

"Hey~ what are you doing?"

The girl's slightly sweet voice came out, instantly giving people enough sugar to keep them energized for the whole day.

Is she using some kind of performance-enhancing drug?
"I just finished eating and I'm at home. What about you?"

"I just finished my work lunch too~ Did you miss me?"

Her somewhat coquettish voice occasionally revealed a hint of infatuation, but this girl was also very tactful and wouldn't cling to Tsukino Gen all the time, demanding that he reply with his whereabouts and what he was doing at all times.

This is a form of coquetry within a reasonable range.

"How much do I have to think before I can say I miss you? I saw you when I looked in the mirror."

"Hahaha~ It's not that exaggerated."

The girl on the other end of the phone almost burst out laughing; she seemed to be in a really good mood.

Hearing the other person's laughter, Tsukino Gen felt that the gloomy weather had been healed, and his mood had become much calmer.

The little anxiety I had seemed to vanish.

"You sound so happy, is your work interesting?"

"No way, are there really any interesting jobs in this world? Isn't everything annoying once it becomes a job?"

"Then congratulations! You've come across one of the truths of this society. So what are you happy about?"

"I'm so happy I have tomorrow off!"

Upon hearing this, Tsukino Gen immediately understood what was going on and was left speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Is this all you think about every day?"

"I'm not worried! Then you'd better not go out tomorrow."

"What? You can't stop people from going out just because you're on vacation? Even the Prime Minister doesn't have that much power."

"Hmph, then you can criticize me."

"Sigh, women are so fickle. Now I can't even say a few words."

"Hahaha, you're even pretending to be wronged~"

Looking at the gloomy weather outside, Gen Tsukino noticed that his phone was ringing, but instead of changing the call, he hung up immediately.

"Of course I feel wronged. After all, I'm such a good man, and someone actually wants to bully me. It's outrageous."

"Pfft. How can you be so narcissistic? Ah-Xian is absolutely the best in the world when it comes to this."

"That's fine too. At least you'll be invincible in one aspect."

Hearing laughter on the other end of the phone, Tsukino Gen saw the message sent to his phone from Shiramine Momiji.

I'm downstairs now.

Gen Tsukino picked up the long wooden box and went downstairs while making a phone call.

"Huh? Are you going out now?"

Seemingly having heard some noise, Kazama Sakura asked with some confusion.

"Yes, I have something to take care of."

"Do you have time tomorrow? If you're too busy, I can find another time to rest."

The girl suddenly became serious, seemingly worried that she would interfere with the boy's important business. Although she didn't know what important business Tsukino Gen could possibly have, it seemed that he had never been serious in her words.

"It's okay, there's still time."

"Oh, then you can go ahead and get busy. Have a great time!"

"it is good."

The girl obediently hung up the phone.

Tsukino Gen went downstairs and walked to the door. Not far away, he saw a black sedan parked outside the community.

He walked straight over, and the old man guarding the gate noticed Tsukino Gen.

"Hey, Tsukino, what kind of fishing rod is in that box?"

They clearly mistook this long box for a box to hold fishing rods.

Gen Tsukino chuckled and casually replied, "You store your fishing rod in such a nice box?"

"what is that?"

"It's a sniper rifle."

"Hahahaha, I only carry my gun in my pants!"

He twisted his waist, which was no longer as smooth, like a gear without lubrication.

Soon, under the watchful eye of the old gatekeeper, Tsukino Gen got into the black sedan that had been waiting for a short while.

The old man was still sighing and reminiscing.

"Tsukino is a good guy, but can he handle being a kept man at such a young age?"

After getting into the car, Tsukino Gen discovered that the person sitting next to him was not Shiramine Momiji, but Mochizuki Miki, who was wearing a black trench coat, a baseball cap, and a mask.

He looked very sharp and aggressive, like an undercover agent or secret agent in a movie.

In movies, secret agents usually wear high heels, and Gen Tsukino doesn't understand when high heels became a type of work uniform.

"Are you getting ready to film a movie?"

The boy was joking.

Mochizuki Miki looked over with a smile, "Don't you think this has the air of someone who's going to do something big? Dressed like this, people won't dare to mess with you. It looks like you're going to do something special."

Gen Tsukino thought for a moment, "It's like the way a woman dressed after her husband has died; she looks like a widow?"

Mochizuki Miki blinked. "I've never played the role of a widow before, but if you'd like..."

"Never mind that, I just said it offhand, I don't have that kind of fetish."

The car had already started moving slowly. In fact, when Tsukino Gen got on, he noticed that the driver was Kawakami Shinichiro.

The arrangements were quite good; everyone in the car was someone he had a close relationship with. He didn't know if it was Shiramine Momiji's arrangement or Mochizuki Miki's own initiative. However, he didn't greet Kawakami, who, being very polite, drove attentively without even glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.

It's as if he was a coachman in his past life and is still a driver in this one.

"Pfft. By the way, why are you carrying a wooden box?"

She noticed the thing that Tsukino Gen had placed on his lap. She wasn't particularly curious about it, but it was taking up a bit of space and preventing her from freely placing her hand on Tsukino Gen's thigh.

"Oh, it's just a little gadget, I'll just carry it around and play with it."

"You're making this look like a primary school student on a school field trip, and you even brought your doll to sleep with you."

"That's a beautiful description, but it's a little hurtful."

"Ha ha ha ha."

The car was driving at a moderate pace, as if it had deliberately allowed time. Tsukino Gen also noticed that this was the only car on the road, with no other vehicles following behind.

It seems that Shiramine Akita is not nearby.

Why would she text me then? Is she trying to make sure we stay in touch all day? Is she that scared?

Soon, Tsukino Gen discovered that the route had deviated from the city and was approaching the sea.

Are we going to the beach?

He asked directly.

Mochizuki Miki's expression turned serious, and she was no longer the relaxed person she had been when joking around with the boy.

"Yes. Daigo Nakajima agreed to this meeting on the condition that he chooses the location. It's one of his estates on a hillside by the sea. It seems inconvenient, quite a distance from the city. But if it were in ancient times, it would be a fortress, a very strategic location. That's why I'm worried."

"We can look at it from a positive perspective."

"what?"

"For example, he didn't leave himself any way out, and he probably already knew our plans. The other party was also prepared to fight to the death. As a result, he didn't leave himself much room for maneuver, so it wasn't too troublesome to deal with."

Hearing Tsukino Gen say these things so calmly, Mochizuki Miki didn't know how to respond for a moment.

Although I said I trusted him unconditionally, the confidence this boy often displayed was still quite surprising. I couldn't help but wonder, what exactly gave him such confidence?

Perhaps it was his superior individual combat skills, or perhaps he truly possessed an extraordinary level of composure.

But this occasion is different. No one will talk to you about those rules, especially Daigo Nakajima, who is a man who built his empire with his brother. How could he not understand the principle of not holding back any strength when it's time to take action?

Moreover, the situation would be somewhat complicated, and he needed to ensure more than just his own safety.
As they spoke, the car had already spiraled up the seemingly towering mountain range.

After passing through a tree-lined mountain path, we arrived at an open area. In the distance, a rather modern courtyard came into view.

The courtyard was surrounded by high walls, surveillance cameras, and several men in suits who were already waiting at the gate.

Just as Mochizuki Miki said before, it does indeed resemble a bunker, not in that it is particularly tall.

The courtyard wall seemed to have more than one layer, with the buildings inside interconnected. Although the buildings were not tall, the design had a distinct 'shogunate' feel to it. This inexplicably reminded Tsukino Gen of Osaka Castle, the historically renowned castle tower of this country.

Of course, this cannot be generalized.

It's just that with the support of modern weapons and various equipment, it has that kind of feel.

It's clear that Daigo Nakajima was prepared from the very beginning. This might be a trump card he had been planning to use all along.

As the car slowly came to a stop at the gate of the courtyard, dozens of cars surged in from behind.

When Tsukino Gen and Mochizuki Miki got out of the car, the other cars stopped as well, and many familiar faces rushed toward them.

Kitagawa Shiroo and Shiramine Momiji were also among them.

Shirafune Koyo was dressed neatly and smartly today, in a black shirt and sleek casual trousers. She wasn't even wearing high heels, as if she had made many preparations.

Apart from Kitagawa Shiroo and Shiramine Momiji, everyone else was positioned around the dozens of vehicles. This wasn't to prevent the vehicles from being stolen, but rather to make it easier to access the items prepared inside.

After all, they don't seem to have anything in their hands right now.

Shiramine Koyo came up to Tsukino Gen and they exchanged a glance, and she also noticed the box he was carrying.

She didn't say anything, but Tsukino Gen probably thought the tense atmosphere made it hard for her to smile.

"Are you all ready?"

he asks.

Bai Feng Hongye nodded.

Without further ado, Tsukino Gen said, "Let's go then."

Kitagawa Shiroo, Kawakami Shinichiro, Shiramine Momiji, and Mochizuki Miki walked towards the door with Tsukino Gen.

Soon, a man in a black suit blocked their path, making no attempt to conceal the pistol he was holding. He wore sunglasses, obscuring the true nature of his gaze.

He just said it in a low voice.

"I'm sorry, Chairman Nakajima instructed that you can only allow a maximum of two people to go in for negotiations."

"Two people? What's the difference between me bringing only two people to your territory and me surrendering now?"

Bai Feng Hongye frowned and asked in an unfriendly tone.

The man's expression remained unchanged, merely repeating the same thing.

"This is the president's order, I'm sorry."

"Don't push your luck."

As Shiramine Momiji's anger flared, Kawakami and Kitagawa Shiroo stood on either side of her, seemingly ready to attack at any moment. The crowd behind them, echoing her call, also looked on with piercing eyes.

However, Daigo Nakajima was not entirely unprepared.

With just a glance out of the corner of his eye, Tsukino Gen saw not only dozens of people already waiting in a tense standby inside the courtyard wall.

There is also the danger of being watched from a high place.

The man stopped answering.

Shiramine Koyo clearly realized that it was unwise to start a conflict at this time, and she couldn't help but look at Mochizuki Miki and Tsukino Gen.

Mochizuki Miki thought for a moment and said calmly, "I'll take one person in. You can wait for news outside."

This is tantamount to handing over one's life and death to others, or even being prepared to sacrifice oneself.

Kawakami spoke directly, "I'll go with Ms. Mochizuki. I'll do my best to protect Ms. Mochizuki."

Kitagawa Shiroo frowned. "You're so young and inexperienced, you don't know Nakajima well enough. I'll accompany Ms. Mochizuki inside."

Shiramine Koyo understood that Mochizuki Miki was definitely not joking when she said that because of her health condition.

But she understood even more clearly that one of them, Mochizuki Miki, had to go.

Otherwise, this negotiation would have no credibility. It would seem like we're at the gates, but taking action now would be the worst possible move.

Clearly, in the eyes of so many people, his own safety was more important than that of Mochizuki Miki, after all, she was his father's biological daughter.
At this juncture of hesitation.

The boy carrying the box spoke calmly.

"It's not like a life-or-death separation. Is it really that complicated? Miss Hongye, you can come in with me. You can wait outside."

".this?"

Kawakami was taken aback.

In his view, a key figure like Tsukino Gen should not be drawn into the center of trouble from the beginning; he should remain on the outside to maximize his effectiveness.

He's not a god. There are only two of you. What if you go in and a dozen guns are pointed at you? What can you do then?

Are we counting on them going in to rescue them?
If Mochizuki Miki goes in, there might still be a chance to fight to the death, but if Shiramine Koyo goes in and becomes a hostage or something, wouldn't that be tantamount to a complete defeat from the start?

Under the gloomy sky, Mochizuki Miki spoke, "Kurei must stay outside, otherwise..."

"There's no such thing as 'must' or 'not must'; just listen to me."

With that, Tsukino Gen took a step forward.

His words were calm, yet no one dared to utter a single word of rebuttal.

Shiramine Koyo looked at Tsukino Gen with mixed feelings, unsure of what to say at this moment.

What can I say to avoid revealing my inner unease? How can I appear dignified and courageous rather than cowardly?
The boy looked at her with a smile, "What are you afraid of? At most, we'll both die in there. But do you think I'd just randomly go and die with you?"

That's what I say, but where does your confidence come from, you bastard?!
"I"

Gen Tsukino didn't intend to waste any more time arguing with the other person.

He said calmly, "If you don't go, Daigo Nakajima won't reveal a single flaw. Only if you and I go will we have the initiative. If you don't go, I'll turn around and leave right now, do you believe me?"

".I see."

Shiramine Koyo took the box prepared for the negotiations from Kawakami Shinichiro.

She walked up to Gen Tsukino.

At this moment, "Wait a minute."

Mochizuki Miki called out to the two of them, or more precisely, to Tsukino Gen alone.

She walked directly up to the boy.

Gen Tsukino smiled as he looked at the other person, watching them take off their mask.

She didn't speak, but reached out and hugged the boy's neck, then kissed him forcefully.

Shinichiro Kawakami and Shiroo Kitagawa, quite tacitly, each turned their gazes into the distance, while only Momiji Shiramine watched quietly, this time unable to utter any words to try and stop them.

Until the kiss finally ended.

Mochizuki Miki said with a smile.

"You know, if you don't come back, then I have no future."

"it is good."

……

(End of this chapter)