Bright Sword: From Border Region Manufacturing to Major National Heavy Industry

Chapter 333 Oh My God
Soon, Fujita Ichiji was brought before Hojo Keiji.

Before Hojo Keiji could even begin his questioning, Fujita Ichiji spoke first in a solemn tone: "Director Hojo, please have everyone else leave. This lead is extremely important; the fewer people who know about it, the better."

Hojo Keiji waved his hand and said to the other Japanese soldiers, "You can all leave now."

"Yes, factory manager." The other Japanese soldiers in the office nodded and left one after another, closing the door behind them.

Fujita Ichiji was still not at ease, so he went over and carefully opened the door again to make sure no one was eavesdropping outside, before closing it again.

Seeing Fujita Ichiji's caution, Hojo Keiji wondered what important clues Fujita Ichiji had about the Eighth Route Army that made him so serious.

Could it be that this guy got incredibly lucky and came across some core secrets of the Eighth Route Army?
So, before Fujita Ichiji could even walk over from the doorway, Hojo Keiji hurriedly asked, "Fujita-kun, tell me quickly, what important clues have you obtained about the Eighth Route Army?"

Because of his anticipation, Hojo Keiji began to call Fujita Kazuji "Fujita-kun".

In the past, people would call someone an idiot.

"Director Hojo, you'd better be mentally prepared before I speak." Seeing Hojo Keiji's impatient expression, Fujita Ichiji was ostensibly advising him to prepare himself in advance.

In fact, Fujita Ichiji himself was taking deep breaths and preparing himself mentally.

There's no way around it, this job is really tough, I'm sure I'll get beaten up.

"Fujita-kun, I'm mentally prepared. Please speak quickly." Seeing Fujita Ichiji's solemn expression, Hojo Keiji's anticipation grew even stronger.

Judging from this, could it be that Fujita Ichiji has come into contact with intelligence about the Eighth Route Army headquarters or the Eighth Route Army's arsenal?

If that's the case, and the Empire's army uses this intelligence to capture the core of the Eighth Route Army, then they too can benefit from it.

"Ahem." Fujita Ichiji coughed, cleared his throat, and then said something shocking: "To tell you the truth, Director Hojo, I have fallen into the hands of the Eighth Route Army."

"You were captured by the Eighth Route Army?" Hojo Keiji's expression froze instantly.

Didn't you say you had access to core intelligence about the Eighth Route Army? Now you're telling me you've been captured by the Eighth Route Army!!!

However, Hojo Keiji's hesitant expression quickly eased, and he asked excitedly with a hint of suspicion, "Fujita-kun, did you escape from the Eighth Route Army again?"

After all, Fujita Ichiji fled to the natural gas plant while being chased by the Eighth Route Army.

Hojo Keiji knew Fujita Ichiji well; with that idiot's brain, how could he possibly be capable of actively finding the core clues about the Eighth Route Army?

He was captured and taken away by the Eighth Route Army. Perhaps by sheer luck, the Eighth Route Army accidentally let him come into contact with key clues.

This guy is incredibly lucky to be alive.

He managed to escape from the Eighth Route Army and wasn't killed by them.

“No.” Facing Hojo Keiji’s expectant gaze, Fujita Ichiji shook his head: “I was released by the Eighth Route Army.”

Were you released by the Eighth Route Army?
Hojo Keiji's expression froze once again.

You got access to the core clues about the Eighth Route Army, and then the Eighth Route Army released you?
Do you think the Eighth Route Army soldiers are fools, or do you think I'm a fool?

Hojo Keiji's expression quickly turned ferocious. He stopped addressing Fujita-kun and directly shouted, "You idiot, what are you trying to say? What do you mean?"

Hojo Keiji realized that he had probably been tricked by this idiot.

This damn thing, who gave you the guts to mess with me?

Seeing the murderous intent on Hojo Keiji's face, Fujita Ichiji was so frightened that he took two steps back and quickly said, "I fell into the hands of the Eighth Route Army. They want to kill me, and I had no choice but to cooperate with them. The Eighth Route Army told you to do as they instructed, to poison the food prepared by the cook, knock out the guards, and then open the gate to let the Eighth Route Army in..." Fujita Ichiji didn't finish his sentence before he quickly took several steps back, leaning against the wall, his face full of terror as he looked at the pistol that Hojo Keiji had raised: "Director Hojo, don't shoot yet, I still have something to say, please wait until I finish."

"If you have something to say, go talk to the military police." Although Hojo Keiji was angry, he did not pull the trigger and put the gun down.

You said you fell into the hands of the Eighth Route Army, and they wanted to kill you. You had no choice but to cooperate with them.

Now that you're all back, why are you still working for the Eighth Route Army?

While Fujita Ichiji's stupidity is hateful, his background is still not to be underestimated.

I shot him based on just a few words he said, but it still caused a lot of trouble afterwards.

Since he himself admitted that he was captured by the Eighth Route Army, and then released by them, and the Eighth Route Army even made him work.

I won't make things difficult for him.

We should send the person to the military police headquarters.

That bastard should be sent to the military police's torture chamber and subjected to procedural torture; that would be most appropriate.

"Someone come here..." Hojo Keiji shouted outside, preparing to lock Fujita Ichiji up first.

After all, the area was now surrounded by the Eighth Route Army guerrillas, and the military police couldn't come to take him away. He couldn't send Fujita Ichiji to the military police either, so he could only lock him up for the time being.

Fujita Ichiji quickly interrupted Hojo Keiji: "Director Hojo, if you don't want anything to happen to your younger brother Hojo Keizo, you'd better not let anyone in."

Hojo Keiji had an older brother named Hojo Keita, who had already died.

His parents are gone, and he only has one younger brother left, who is also his only relative in the world: Hojo Keizo.

Hojo Keizo is currently infiltrating the inner circle of high-ranking members of the Eighth Route Army.

"Baka! You damned idiot, what are you saying!" Hojo Keiji's expression turned liver-colored the moment he heard Fujita Ichiji mention his younger brother's name.

He only had this one relative left.

That damned Fujita Ichiji dared to threaten me with him! He's got a death wish!

"Factory Manager." Several Japanese soldiers heard Hojo Keiji's voice and suddenly pushed open the door to come in. They all looked at Hojo Keiji and waited for orders.

"Get out of here!" Hojo Keiji's mind cleared for a moment as he watched his soldiers barge in.

That's not right.

His younger brother, Hojo Keizo, was on a secret mission, and very, very few people knew about it. How did Fujita Ichiji find out?

"Yes, factory manager." The Japanese soldiers quickly retreated and closed the door.

Hojo Keiji still went to check and made sure the soldiers were far away before turning around and asking in a low voice through gritted teeth, "Idiot, how did you know about my brother?" "I spent a few days in the military police, and when I had nothing to do, I looked through some secret files..." Fujita Ichiji didn't finish his sentence.

Hojo Keiji couldn't help but point the gun at Fujita Ichiji's forehead again, his anger practically boiling: "You idiot, did you spill this secret to the Eighth Route Army?"

The Eighth Route Army sent this bastard to deliver a message, instructing him to drug the garrison soldiers and let the Eighth Route Army in. He was probably using this as leverage.

“Director Hojo, I’ve already told you, I had no choice. I was forced into this.” Fujita Ichiji trembled as he faced the gun that had been raised again. “If I didn’t cooperate, the Eighth Route Army would kill me. Actually, I’m a victim too. I don’t know which bastards spread rumors that the Eighth Route Army treated prisoners of war well. I was captured, and you have no idea how many times I’ve been on the verge of death in just those few days. Director Hojo, those Eighth Route Army soldiers are a bunch of barbarians. You should really think this through…”

Hojo Keiji roared, interrupting Fujita Ichiji: "I'm afraid you weren't captured by the Eighth Route Army, were you, you bastard?"

Since this bastard claims that the Eighth Route Army treats prisoners of war well, Hojo Keiji, with his stupid brain, could easily deduce that this oddball was probably one of his own prisoners in the past.

After all, he couldn't stay in the military police force anymore, and the combat troops abandoned him. Given the trouble he had caused, Commander Shinotsuka certainly wouldn't let him off the hook.

So, this hopelessly stupid guy chose to become a prisoner of the Eighth Route Army.

Good heavens, there is no one more stupid than this in the world.

"Director Hojo, how I became a prisoner of the Eighth Route Army isn't important anymore," Fujita Ichiji abruptly ended the conversation, then earnestly said to Hojo Keiji, "What's important is that the Eighth Route Army already knows about your brother Hojo Keizo's infiltrated spy network. They've told you to do as they ask. If you cooperate well, you two brothers can be reunited..."

"Baka, you bastard, it's a disgrace to the Empire that you're still alive, you bastard..." Hojo Keiji's hands trembled violently as he struggled internally.

On one hand, they wanted to pull the trigger immediately and kill this damned idiot.

But another layer of reason reminded Hojo Keiji that things had come to this point, and killing Fujita Ichiji would not help.

Furthermore, killing Fujita Ichiji would also mean taking Hojo Keizo's life.

He's my only family member. If he's gone too, I'll be all alone in this world, and it won't be any more meaningful.

What's the point of being loyal to the Emperor? What's the point of being loyal to the Empire? The Emperor and the Empire can't even protect their own families, so what's the point of being loyal?

Keiji Hojo couldn't help but recall the words of the Osaka chief of the Military Police.

He always said that the war belonged to the empire, but our lives belonged to ourselves, and we shouldn't pay too much for this war, because it was all just the empire deceiving us.

Previously, Hojo Keiji didn't understand and even laughed at these Osaka people with others, saying that all they cared about was money and business, not empire.

Now, Hojo Keiji vaguely understood that these people from Osaka seemed to be among the few clear-headed individuals in this war.

There's an old Chinese saying: Truth is often held by only a few.

"Director Hojo, you absolutely must control your fingers!" Seeing Hojo Keiji's hands trembling like a leaf, Fujita Ichiji was terrified. "Think about your younger brother. He's your only family in this world. You're the older brother. When your mother left this world, she definitely wanted you to take good care of him, right? You certainly wouldn't let your mother down, would you? After all, you're siblings, bound by blood, each other's support in this world..."

"Enough, stop talking, shut up!" Hojo Keiji shouted, stabbing Fujita Ichiji's forehead with the muzzle of his gun as if he had lost control.

Because of the excessive force, the gun barrel poked Fujita Ichiji's forehead, leaving a bruise.

Fujita Ichiji closed his eyes in fright, not daring to look at Hojo Keiji's terrifying face.

boom!
boom!
boom!
……

Hojo Keiji dropped his pistol and began punching Fujita Ichiji repeatedly in the face.

This chaotic attack left Fujita seeing stars and completely disoriented.

Although Fujita Ichiji was being brutally beaten, he breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that his life was safe.

Once the Eighth Route Army has finished this job, I must find a chance to escape.

Working for the Eighth Route Army was really too difficult; I figured I might get beaten to death in my next job.

Hojo Keiji, exhausted from the beating, plopped down on his backside, panting heavily. "That damned idiot is too tough!" he thought. "What have the Eighth Route Army done to my brother now?"

Fujita Ichiji, sporting dark circles under his eyes, struggled to open them: "Director Hojo, don't worry, your brother is fine. The Eighth Route Army said that as long as you do as they ask, they guarantee you'll be reunited."

Fujita Ichiji then advised, "Chief Hojo, you're different from others. You have no family in the homeland. Even though you betrayed the Empire, you don't need to worry about your family being purged..."

"Enough, stop talking." Hojo Keiji interrupted Fujita Ichiji: "You know perfectly well that I don't have complete control over this factory, and the garrison isn't entirely under my command."

The natural gas plant is too important. Hojo Keiji has no family on the mainland, which means he has no weaknesses. How could the military easily entrust him with control of this place?

Therefore, the people who truly control the natural gas plant are the guards on the other side.

“The defense is not a problem, I can handle it,” Fujita Ichiji said.

"You think you can handle this?" Hojo Keiji looked at Fujita Ichiji suspiciously and asked, "How? With your pig brain?"

Fujita Ichiji explained, "When I spent a few days in the military police, I looked through some secret files. Besides your brother's, there were also files from the garrison..."

Before Fujita Ichiji could finish speaking, Hojo Keiji laughed in exasperation: "Baka! Fujita Ichiji, you're hopelessly stupid! You're the most foolish bastard in the world!"

That was an absolutely divine assist!

You've only been in the military police for a few days, and you've already caused such a huge problem for the Empire.

If you were to infiltrate the intelligence department or the quartermaster department one day, who knows what kind of mess you would make!
"Director Hojo, does that mean you've agreed to the Eighth Route Army's demands?" Fujita Ichiji asked seriously.

"You've already caused this much trouble, do I have any other choice?" Hojo Keiji chuckled, utterly speechless.

“Alright, Director Hojo, since you’ve agreed, I’ll give it to the garrison…” Fujita Ichiji stood up and was about to leave.

"You stay put." Hojo Keiji grabbed Fujita Ichiji by the arm. "You bastard, stop messing around and tell me what's wrong with the garrison."

Although Hojo Keiji's emotions were like a raging storm, he simply couldn't accept the nightmare brought about by that idiot Fujita Ichiji.

But reason still prevails.

We absolutely cannot let that idiot Fujita Ichiji handle this alone; those guys on the garrison are too difficult to deal with.

If Fujita Ichiji fails, his younger brother will have no chance of survival.

“Okay, okay.” Fujita Ichiji nodded.

(End of this chapter)