Dragon Clan: I am Lu Mingfei, the Intelligence Strategist, the God of Concepts!

Chapter 158 Chaos Arises, Protecting the Emperor

As per past practice.

Those who wish to visit or learn from our family will receive a fax document in advance.

Inside is a schedule divided into half-minute intervals.

From the moment they entered the lobby on the first floor until they reached the corresponding floor and finished their visit and learning, their schedule was packed tightly, with absolutely no free time.

It's like the parts on a giant machine fitting together perfectly with the other gears, without wasting a single second.

After the tour, you can either have lunch in the cafeteria inside the Genji Heavy Industries building or go to the underground parking lot to take a private car to leave.

If the guest has a special status, the interval between each time point on the itinerary will be as generous as five minutes.

These VIPs often visit the family's internal areas above the 20th floor, such as the call center on the 28th floor, the liaison department on the 29th floor, and even the strategy department on the 30th floor.

As for the area above the thirtieth floor, it is a completely confidential area.

Even insiders only know the layout of their own floor; since the building was built, no guest has ever had the opportunity to visit that area.

Su Sang's status naturally transcends the concept of a so-called 'VIP'.

In fact, even after receiving news that Susan was about to bring a delegation to visit, Sakurai Nanami still prepared a detailed itinerary.

The intervals between each time slot were an unprecedented 15 minutes.

However, this unprecedentedly relaxed schedule has not yet been officially implemented.
It was nipped in the bud by a simple "just browsing".

"I'm sorry, it's a rare opportunity for me to come here. I'd like to see more about the current development of Genji Heavy Industries."

Su Enxi smiled gently, "I just think there's no need to rush. Sometimes it's okay to slow down. Can you just consider this a little bit of my whim? I hope it won't cause you any trouble?"

"Yes, Susan, you're right."

Sakurai Nanami could only nod and bow, handing the schedule to her subordinate and instructing him to put it in the shredder.

After all, Su Sang wasn't some 'junior' from a branch or subordinate organization coming to learn; these were legitimate big bosses who came to guide their work!
This female head of the family, who had made considerable achievements in business, even began to ponder the deeper meaning behind Su Sang's words.

Could it be that... Su Sang feels that the rapid development of the Snake Clan in recent years is causing their foundation to become unstable?

While they were pondering, the group of people escorted Su Enxi into the Genji Heavy Industries building.

Mai Shude, who serves as both secretary and bodyguard, is standing to the side. Wearing high heels, she moves with the agility of a swallow, constantly inspecting the layout of the building's interior.

The spacious lobby was bustling with people, staff carrying folders and moving briskly. The sounds of hurried footsteps, ringing phones, and arriving elevators filled the air, making it seem no different from the top business centers in Ginza. Everyone seemed quite energetic, except for the official business they were dealing with...

"Team leader! Yesterday, there were quite a few unfamiliar faces causing trouble in Kabukicho, saying they wouldn't provide services to them, who are from out of town!"

"Two African Americans and one Frenchman, huh? I've already been notified. Good job, guys. But next time you throw these guys into the septic tank, remember to head down!"

"Team leader, you're so generous! We should treat friends who have come from afar with courtesy! Since they're so eager to eat, let them have their fill!"

"The Fire Raven Hall is suspected of selling information about its own clan to hunters outside. The Black Wind Society sent a fax containing photos of the Fire Raven leader meeting privately with a hunter!"

"It's obviously a frame-up. Both sides are probably involved. Send someone to investigate thoroughly and remember to deal with it seriously! Make it clear that if the leaked information is serious, make them commit seppuku. If the leaked secrets are not of high value, just stab them three times and pierce them six times."

"Hai!"

"Oh wait! I remember the head of the Fire Crow Hall is surnamed Yamamoto, right? His wife is supposed to be a stunner!"

"Team leader, please watch your words! Threats to force unrelated women to film videos are prohibited under the new family rules!"

"I didn't say anything! It was just a joke. I just don't want her husband to... cough cough, patriarch!"

As the group entered, the previously noisy hall instantly fell silent.

Surrounded by several young people, a middle-aged man with a stubble-covered face, a gloomy smile, a white towel draped around his neck, and wearing a blue casual jacket stiffly turned around and saw Sakurai Nanami, who had no expression on her face, as well as a group of strange-looking corporate elites around her.

The team leader quickly realized what was happening, bowed, and greeted them loudly, clearly indicating that he was also a member of the Sakurai family.

Sakurai Nanami's exquisitely made-up eyes twitched slightly, and she turned her head somewhat awkwardly to look at Su Sang.

"Everyone seems really motivated," Su Enxi said with a casual smile.

"I'm sorry to have made you laugh," Sakurai Nanami said with an awkward smile.

The Snake Clan is the management organization of the Japanese underworld, but it is impossible to manage a bunch of monsters and demons without some tough methods. However, it would be too impolite to talk about these things in front of VIPs. Fortunately, Su Sang did not seem to take it to heart.

After saying that, she turned her head and glared fiercely at the team leader.

The middle-aged man nodded and bowed awkwardly, his mouth moving silently as if he were saying something apologetic.

Sakurai Nanami didn't even look at him, bowed slightly, and continued to lead Su Enxi and Shude Mai towards the VIP-only observation elevator.

“Su Sang, the first four floors are reception halls, and the fifth and sixth floors are elevated roads with open spaces. Please come with me to the seventh floor, where our Snake Clan Foundation is located.”

"Okay." Su Enxi nodded with a smile.

As the group entered the elevator in batches, the lobby finally returned to normal.

The front desk staff of the Snake Clan and numerous gang members whispered among themselves about the two girls, whom even the esteemed head of the Sakurai family had to serve with utmost care, and wondered what their backgrounds were.

Many people saw this woman leading a group of people waiting at the door early in the morning.

Only the middle-aged team leader looked as if he had lost his parents; he felt that his career as a team leader might be coming to an end.

……

The elevator arrived at the seventh floor.

"Most insurance companies are very strict when it comes to providing medical and pension insurance to people involved in organized crime."

Sakurai Nanami walked into the service hall of what was clearly a large financial institution.

"Therefore, the main family raised a fund of 160 billion yen and established a special subsidiary foundation to invest around the world, using the investment dividends to provide a series of benefits for everyone, including education, medical care and old age insurance."

"In this way, they are willing to do everything they can for the family, and the family continues to grow stronger as a result."

"Good, very humane, a very good positive cycle."

Su Enxi continued to nod with a smile, maintaining the demeanor of the largest shareholder, saying, "The world needs more companies like yours with a conscience."

"You flatter me," said Sakurai Nanami. "It is under your guidance that the family has achieved what it is today."

"Haha, where is it?"

The two of them were very polite to each other.

They praised each other and were modest as they walked into the hall.

Mai, who was behind her, kept chuckling to herself; she knew what was driving Potato Chip Girl crazy inside.

Wow, 160 billion yen, that's almost a billion US dollars, right?

As a result, they ended up supporting a group of guys who felt they could make movies without makeup.

……

Xingshen Temple, beneath the red, mottled torii gate.

"Su Sang has arrived."

Genjiro, dressed in an executive bureau trench coat, sipped tea with Tachibana Masamune.

On the small table in front of him was a chessboard. A young and strong arm and an old arm with chapped and wrinkled skin were intertwined, and the chess pieces on the board were constantly being moved and moved.

"What is she visiting?" Tachibana Masamune put down his teacup and moved his 'elephant' a space further.

"The foundation, the business investment department, the insurance department, the human resources department... She wandered around these floors for nearly an hour, looking at some financial statements. Ms. Sakurai followed her the whole time," Genji said.

Under his arrangement, every five minutes, the Fuma clan ninjas, who were secretly responsible for monitoring and guarding the two young and beautiful girls with different styles, would report their movements.

Logically speaking, there's no need for such close attention. After the attack on Princess Kaguya, the security force in the building was increased by two levels, and all the major families mobilized additional elite forces to be stationed on various floors of Genji Heavy Industries.

Any internal disturbances can be suppressed immediately.

The secretary and bodyguard seemed to have some ability, but on the surface, Su Sang looked like an ordinary person, without even any trace of 'dragon blood' in her body.

This undoubtedly surprised Genjiro.
He had initially assumed that the investor, whom his father would have to treat with utmost caution, would be a middle-aged woman with a stern and unassuming appearance, exuding authority and harboring a thousand layers of scheming. But to his surprise, she turned out to be a young and beautiful girl, seemingly a recent business school graduate.

Although Genjiro's vigilance remained undiminished.

“It sounds trivial,” said Tachibana Masamune.

“Yes, Su Sang has devoted a lot of energy to these floors that are responsible for commercial activities. It’s almost lunchtime now, and she has only visited less than half of the first twenty floors of the building.” Yuan Zhisheng hesitated.

"While it seems to fit her identity, it's unlikely she'll even have time to tour the family's inner areas above the twentieth floor today. Is Su Sang simply a business investor? I thought she would try to uncover the family's secrets, but now it seems..."

"It feels more like they're here to investigate corruption," said Tachibana Masamune.

"Yes."

Genji sighed and inserted his rook straight into the bottom of the chessboard.

"I'll take the elephant, advance my piece, and checkmate you before you can."

Tachibana Masamune moved his pieces across the board and said, "You lost, Chisei. It's rare for you to play a game of Go with an old man like me, and you can't even concentrate?"

"hiss--"

Genjiro paused, observed the situation on the board, and then exhaled in realization, "Oh, I didn't notice this."

"Hahaha." Tachibana Masamune chuckled and shook his head, then picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Want another round, Dad? I was thinking about something else and got distracted," Genji said apologetically.

"No need. Come again when you have time. It was my fault."

The old man got up to tidy up the chessboard, picking up the black and white jade chess pieces one by one and putting them into the chess box.

Just then, when Yuan Zhisheng came to report the situation, he pulled him aside and said, "Zhisheng, the weather is nice, come and play a game of chess with me."

No one in the Snake Clan dared to speak to their young master like that, nor would anyone ask him to play a game of chess with them out of boredom, especially during what is strictly speaking 'working hours'.

But Tachibana Masamune did just that, and naturally, Genjiro didn't feel anything was wrong. He put down what he was doing and sat down to play Go with Tachibana Masamune.

Because, as his name suggests, in his heart, the other person had long become like a father.

Your father wants to play a game of chess with you. Do you have a reason to refuse?

“Sorry, Dad,” Yuan Zhisheng said again.

Tachibana Masamune shook his head: "Keep an eye on Susan's movements, and that woman next to her. I also feel that they came at the worst possible time. You need to keep a close eye on Kaguya's server room; that's the most important thing. I should go upstairs now, otherwise it would be very awkward if I told Susan I wasn't there but ended up running into her."

“Okay,” Yuan Zhisheng said.

He naturally understood the principle of "a king should not meet a king," and he did not want his father to be forced to grovel before that young girl like Ms. Sakurai. His father was old and there was no need for him to be so subservient.

"besides……"

Suddenly, Masamune Tachibana said, "You've been in the Executive Bureau for too long; you need to think about things more differently."

"Many family matters cannot be resolved by fighting and killing. Times have changed. You still need to learn a lot from this old man."

“Uh…” Genjiro was a little embarrassed.

He knew this was his father reminding him of what happened at the meeting of all the heads of the family that day.

He suggested that if Su Sang made any unusual moves, they should kill her.

The other five family heads didn't say anything on the spot, but their expressions were still rather strange, probably because they secretly thought that the young master's words were childish.

Tachibana Masamune patted him on the shoulder, his expression kind and encouraging, "Some things may be right, but the right thing can't necessarily be done right away... Try to accept these things, the way things work in this world is sometimes just that strange."

"I only came to understand these principles later in life because I'm getting older, but sometimes when I think back on it, I realize that understanding them earlier might have changed many tragic situations."

Yuan Zhisheng stood silently.
"What if it's the wrong thing?"

He suddenly asked, "Sometimes, should we do the wrong thing?"

Tachibana Masamune paused for a moment, then a relieved smile appeared on his face: "Whether to do it or not depends on whether it aligns with the justice in one's heart. The justice in people's hearts is the true justice. Just like how our family has controlled the Japanese underworld since ancient times, we have never been the evil side."

"Not bad, Chisei. The fact that you could think of this shows that you are already qualified to be the head of the family."

"There's a black folder in the bottom drawer of my office. Feel free to take a look if you're interested."

Masamune Tachibana said, "It contains my understanding of justice and wrong, as well as examples from over the years. It is also the secret you have always wanted to know, the hidden truth."

Yuan Zhisheng remained silent.

This wasn't the first time Dad had brought up the black folder. He knew it contained family secrets, perhaps bloody, perhaps unspeakable.

But he also knew that if he ever chose to pick up that document, it would mean he would completely lose the chance to leave the family, and his life would be bound by responsibility.

But Mr. Masamune never forced him; he simply let him choose freely. If he didn't want to shoulder this burden, his father would help him carry it for a while longer.

Freedom? Or ideals?
Responsibility? Or leaving?

In the end, Genjiro did not respond to that remark, just as he had done countless times before.
"Dad, remember to eat a good lunch. I'm going up to the 50th floor."

……

Tachibana Masamune watched Genji's figure disappear through the Japanese-style wooden door and sighed softly.

He was currently pondering the purpose of Susan's visit to Genji Heavy Industries today.

Unprovoked
Tachibana Masamune would subconsciously connect Susan's trip with the attack on Princess Kaguya's computer room a few days ago.

This is a gut feeling.

Over the past two decades, this intuition has helped him and saved him countless times.

"Su Sang...who exactly is she serving?"

A strange light flashed in Tachibana Masamune's dark eyes.

"Hiss, could it be that she's in cahoots with Lu Mingfei? If so, if so..."

He kept muttering to himself.

Princess Kaguya's importance is self-evident.

Just as he told Genjiro that day, Princess Kaguya's importance far outweighs that of 'Tachibana Masamune'.

This is by no means an exaggeration.

Few people know that the person who is truly the most skilled at using computers in the entire Genji Heavy Industries building is actually the patriarch, Tachibana Masamune.

After all, he was the youngest Dr. Herzog at the Third Reich Biological Research Institute. He graduated from the University of Munich at the age of 16 and was known as a genius. Later, without any prior knowledge, he stepped into the field of dragons. His research achievements in just a few decades surpassed the accumulation of many forces over hundreds or even thousands of years.

For a genius like him, learning computer technology on his own was never a difficult task.

Now that he has come to Japan, he has inherited Bondarev's grand plan, the most important part of which is to use Princess Kaguya to control both the Snake Clan and the Demon Clan, making everyone his pawns.

That's right, Chip Girl's guess was too conservative.

Tachibana Masamune and the King were not secretly colluding; rather, they were two different identities of the same person from the very beginning.

Dr. Jung von Herzog, using the Shadow Warrior technique and with the help of Princess Kaguya's control over Japan, perfectly concealed his dual roles and simultaneously elevated both identities to the pinnacle of their respective forces, a feat unmatched by anyone!

But Chip Girl's guess was correct. Princess Kaguya's existence was not only Herzog's asset, but also his Achilles' heel.

The database of that artificial intelligence contains too many of his secrets. Even if the traces are deleted, the truth can still be pieced together from clues in other events.

"Princess Kaguya is too important; she absolutely cannot fall into the hands of others. Genji alone is not enough, given his personality..."

Tachibana Masamune tidied up the teacups, a hint of coldness appearing on his face.

He always felt like he was overlooking something.

"However, it shouldn't be a big problem. Luckily, I took two extra precautions in advance."

"If all else fails, then we can only..."

……

The sun was shining brightly in Tokyo.

Shinjuku Ward, the famous Kabukicho Ichiban-gai.

Even though it was morning, the streets were still bustling with tourists, but at night, this city that never sleeps truly reveals its own unique charm.

Under an oil-paper umbrella on the street, a young couple walked side by side.

The man wore a simple black and white kimono, his narrow eyes casually sweeping over the shops on both sides of the street, revealing a nonchalant air. The woman had a beautiful face and wore a red kimono with a white background, like a red lotus in full bloom.

The two were both exceptional Kabuki actors. Just walking under the shade of the trees, their gait and subtle movements evoked images of a boy and girl making a promise under a cherry blossom tree.

Tourists along the roadside would stop from time to time, expressing their admiration and taking photos of them.

"Sir, should I go and stop them?" Sakurai Kogure asked softly.

Her body was pressed against the man's, her nostrils filled with his scent, and her cheeks were flushed.

Since the incident at the Paradise Pavilion, she has been able to be with this man every day. The so-called paradise in the world is nothing more than being by the side of the one you love.

And she could sense that the man's attitude towards her was different from before, though it was subtle, it was still very noticeable.

Sometimes she felt grateful to the boy from that day; he destroyed the Paradise Palace, but he brought her a new life.

However, Kazama Ruri paid no attention to the actions of these unrelated people, and instead asked:
"Wouldn't you like to take a picture with me?"

"No...no," Sakurai Kogure quickly replied.

"Ah."

Ruri Kazama nodded and continued her leisurely stroll down the street.

“But what about the King…” Sakurai Kogure said in a low voice.

"Of course there's no rush."

Kazama Ruri gazed at the dark iron building beyond her line of sight, a smile curving her lips.

"It seems quite lively at the family's house right now... Oh, by the way, would you like to see a movie?"

"Huh?" Sakurai Kogure was taken aback.

"It's still early. There are no Kabuki performances during the day. Let's grab something to eat first, and then you can come with me to see a movie."

……

Zero, are you hungry?

Genji Heavy Industries, 34th floor, inside the emergency staircase.

The empty stairwell was silent.

Half an hour ago, Lu Mingfei and Ling had already arrived at this floor.

20 minutes earlier than the agreed time.

The two sat down against the corner of the wall to calm themselves down; there was a blind spot of about two square meters in the surveillance cameras.

Next, they had to wait for the 'signal' coming from downstairs.

According to Mai Shude's previous investigation, this floor was probably used as a warehouse, with a series of enclosed compartments behind the safety valves, where various pre-stocked supplies were stored.

Presumably to prevent some kind of sudden, enclosed disaster, it stores folding mattresses, bedding, power supplies, and various convenience foods. Japan is located at the boundary of tectonic plates and is prone to disasters, so many high-rise buildings have a special emergency storage room like this.

“I’m not hungry, but if you are, we can go to the cafeteria downstairs. That’s a safer option. Although there are no guards on this floor, there’s a high probability that there will be an alarm,” Zero said in a low voice.

"No, I ate enough this morning," Lu Mingfei said sheepishly.

While he was indeed curious about the food at Genji Heavy Industries, it was unlikely that he would go to such lengths to become invisible again and traverse hundreds of meters of ventilation ducts just to steal food from the cafeteria…

This kind of thing still feels too outrageous, or rather, a bit of a waste of resources.

Lu Mingfei was unaware of the limitations of the 'Mingzhao' that Zero 'borrowed' from Jiude Mai, but using the power of words was still quite physically demanding.

After thinking for a moment, he activated 'Bloodline Jungle' again.

Invisible, dense lines surged wildly from his heart.

He had activated it once when he first infiltrated the Genji Heavy Industries building.

Now that he has reached the middle of the building, he uses this incantation again.

Silently,
Most of these lines surged downwards, while a small portion rushed upwards. Their exact number was countless, and countless red lines squeezed together, turning the color of blood as they flowed continuously.

Lu Mingfei felt as if he had become an old banyan tree, with its extensive aerial roots growing into the soil and thickening continuously, eventually becoming prop roots. While absorbing water and nutrients, it also generates new roots, eventually forming a forest from a single tree.

Meanwhile, the canopy above is constantly expanding and growing outwards, with abundant branches.

Each thread leads to a hybrid, or rather, a creature with dragon blood, and they all have some kind of connection with Lu Mingfei in the dark.

"As expected of the headquarters of the Snake Clan, so many hybrids... their levels seem to be quite high, and they are all well-trained." Lu Mingfei thought to himself, "They are really not simple."

“I can hear your heartbeat,” Zero suddenly said.

"Ah...? Oh!" Lu Mingfei was slightly startled and quickly deactivated the Word Power: Bloodline Binding.

"now what?"

"it's good now."

Zero remained expressionless, like an emotionless status broadcasting machine.

"I'm a little nervous, hehe, it's my first time going to such a deep place..." Lu Mingfei tried to find an excuse to explain.

Zero glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Lu Mingfei then shut up.

Before they came, both Zero and Mai Shude had specifically explained the precautions for 'Mingzhao'.

This power of words is most easily revealed in terms of sound.

Even if there is no controller of the 'Kamaitachi' on the other side, you must keep your emotions stable at all times to avoid your heart beating too fast and giving yourself away.

Especially in quiet environments.

Hybrids are naturally more sensitive to their five senses, and this is especially true for those of higher bloodlines.

Compared to Mai Shutoku, who received specialized ninja training, and Zero, who is no different from a KGB agent.

Lu Mingfei, a newcomer to the industry, was clearly a weak link in the team.

only……

When I release 'Bloodline Bond', will my heartbeat really become more noticeable?

But why don't I feel anything myself?

Lu Mingfei was somewhat puzzled.

The slight relief that had just been felt because Zero hadn't asked him to explain was replaced by a renewed tension.

Feeling inexplicably awkward.

He seriously suspected that the girl might have actually seen through him all along, and was just reminding him in her own way.

Well, just say it directly, why do you have to do it this way!
That girl is awful!

“Your heart is beating faster again,” Zero said.

"……Oh."

……

Lunchtime, Genji Heavy Industries, 15th floor cafeteria.

Sakurai Nanami pushed open the wooden door to the largest Japanese-style private room and gestured for them to enter.

"Su Sang, please come in."

"Wind Demon Lord! It's been a long time!"

Su Enxi walked into the private room with a smile, opened her arms slightly, and warmly embraced the elderly man who came to greet her.

The head of the Fuma family, who inherited the name 'Fuma Kotaro', was dressed in a black kimono. He was of a lean build with a rather large frame. To accommodate Su Enxi's height, he had to bend down so that the girl could gently pat his shoulder.

"Su Sang, it's been a long time. Are you satisfied with the family's hospitality? You are welcome to come and give us your guidance anytime in the future."

Kotaro Fuma's snow-white eyebrows twitched slightly, his face beaming with a warm and kind smile.

"Haha, of course I'm satisfied, extremely satisfied! I love this place so much!" Su Enxi covered her mouth and chuckled.

This scene, witnessed by the group of 'career elites' outside the door, naturally shocked them greatly. They knew that this 'young leader' of the Snake Clan was known for his 'terrifying' nature within the family. His meticulously styled silver hair looked as if it had been forged from refined iron, and his gaze was as cold and sharp as a knife. No one could meet his gaze for more than three seconds.

But in front of Su Sang, he showed a hint of 'flattery'.

Everyone fell silent.

“I’m sorry, Su Sang has come from afar. In principle, the patriarch should lead us to greet you, but recently there have been many matters in the family, and several patriarchs have been temporarily tied up with affairs… But don’t worry, all the relevant business materials for each family have been prepared, and I will bring them to you for your review in a moment,” said Fuma Kotaro.

"Hey, let's not talk about that now, let's eat first."

Su Enxi waved her hand casually, looking completely unconcerned.

"Ok."

Fuma Kotaro dismissed all irrelevant people.

The wooden door was closed.

Only Fuma Kotaro, Sakurai Nanami, Su Enxi, Shude Mai, and a few heads of family organizations remained in the private room.

The spacious and bright Japanese-style private room was furnished with tatami mats on both sides, and a 200-kilogram deep-sea bluefin tuna was placed on the long table in the middle. The honya-grilled chef's knife, as bright as a mirror, cut open the belly of the fish, and the belly meat looked as tempting as pink marble.

Surrounding this main course are teriyaki pufferfish, grilled capelin, botan shrimp sashimi, and blue lobster sashimi flown in from France, with a bottle of rich and fragrant sake chilled in it.

"I'll treat you to a drink, Susan." Fuma Kotaro raised his glass.

"Drink," Su Enxi replied, raising her glass.

"This female bodyguard looks somewhat familiar?"

The moment Fuma Kotaro saw Shutoku Mai enter the room, he noticed this exceptionally tall and beautiful female secretary and bodyguard, and continued to scrutinize her.

The sense of familiarity in my heart grew stronger and stronger, as if I had dealt with them before.

At this moment, he finally couldn't help but ask.

But Mai Shude ignored her, wearing sunglasses and looking cool and aloof.

Su Enxi laughed, "Feng Mojun, you're going too far! Are you trying to steal my girl right in front of me? I've heard you have a particular fondness for little girls, but you already have enough goddaughters. There's no need to steal mine, is there?"

As she spoke, she glanced subtly at Sakurai Nanami, whose makeup was exquisite.

"Haha, no."

Fuma Kotaro gave an awkward smile and looked away.

Sakurai Nanami, standing to the side, subconsciously shifted her body, her expression also appearing somewhat unnatural.

"As expected of Su-san, every word she says is like a bomb, making this old man tremble with fear," Fuma Kotaro exclaimed.

Ms. Sakurai, who had been gentle and talkative throughout the journey, suddenly fell silent.

Hearing the seemingly cryptic words exchanged between the two, the heads of several family organizations were immediately taken aback.

They seemed to have caught a whiff of big gossip, but immediately lowered their heads.

I dare not gossip.

"A bomb? I thought I was here to defuse a bomb," Su Enxi said.

Then, the next moment, an explosion occurred.

boom--

A loud bang, growing louder as it approached, shook the entire Genji Heavy Industries. The windows, shrouded in gauze curtains, vibrated and emitted a faint glow, while the liquid in the sake cup on the table spilled onto the surface.

Everyone inside the room immediately stopped moving.

The heads of the organizations looked at each other, their eyes filled with fear.

Attack... an attack?
Only Su Enxi and Jiu De Mai were still meticulously fiddling with the wasabi and tuna belly in the soy sauce dish.

"Ok?"

Sakurai Nanami suddenly looked up, rushed to the floor-to-ceiling window at the edge of the private room, pulled back the curtain, and let the bright sunlight shine into the room.

The fifteenth floor wasn't too high, but the head of the Sakurai family immediately saw the billowing black smoke rising from below, which, along with the airflow, formed a small mushroom cloud—undoubtedly the product of some violent explosion.

Along with it, thick plumes of white smoke, like inflated cotton balls, rapidly swelled and rose, encircling the main entrance of the Genji Heavy Industries building and extending all the way to the main street outside.

"There's been an explosion downstairs, probably a gas pipeline explosion. It's an organized attack," Sakurai Nanami quickly reported.

As if in response to her words, the alarms throughout the entire building instantly blared out in a shrill, mournful wail.

The loudspeakers hidden in the green belt outside Genji Heavy Industries emitted noise, which enveloped the entire block, forming a dense, impenetrable net, causing flocks of birds to flap their wings and take flight into the sky.

Chaos has broken out.

Fuma Kotaro was silent for a moment, then sighed softly.

"There really is a bomb, Susan."

As he watched Su Enxi devour the next piece of tuna belly, the smile on his face visibly vanished.

"Could you... explain this?" the old man asked in a deep voice.

Su Enxi put down her chopsticks and said calmly, "This isn't the bomb I'm trying to detonate."

"You are all responsible for protecting the emperor."

(End of this chapter)