Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk.

"Kuroda has already given him a sum of money."

"How many?"

"Thirty million euros."

Chihaya Yuri's gaze turned cold.

"Prepayment?"

"Nominally, it is a short-term working capital loan."

"But in reality it's a deposit."

Seiji Shiraishi did not deny it, but simply nodded slightly.

Ayako Shiraishi's face turned even paler.

She whispered:

"Why did my uncle go to such lengths..."

No one answered.

Because the answer is obvious.

Takao Shiraishi has been gradually pushed to the brink by losses from margin trading, margin calls, short-term loans from securities firms, a plunge in golf membership prices, the bursting of the real estate bubble, and the 30 million euros lost in the Kansai urban development project.

He's not thinking about the future of Whitestone Refrigeration right now.

All he wanted was to survive.

Kiryu Yaya asked:

"Has President Shiraishi seen that loan agreement for thirty million yen?"

Seiji Shiraishi shook his head.

“Longfu won’t let me see it.”

Kiryu Yaya tapped the table lightly with his finger.

"The fact that they won't show it to you means it's not just a loan."

Seiji Shiraishi suddenly raised his head.

Chihaya Yuri also looked at him.

Kiryu Yaya said:

"If I were Kuroda, I wouldn't only give a 30 million yen advance payment."

“I would include a clause in the loan agreement stipulating a pre-sale right, or a high penalty clause for breach of contract. Going further, there might also be a power of attorney.”

"In this way, even if Mr. Shiraishi Takao turns back, he will first have to untie the reins around his neck."

The air in the conference room grew cold.

Seiji Shiraishi's face was almost ashen.

"what do you mean……"

Before Kiryu Yaya could answer, footsteps could be heard outside the meeting room.

No rush, no pressure.

The sound of leather shoes stepping on the corridor floor even carried a certain overly leisurely rhythm.

The door was pushed open.

A man in a light gray suit walked in.

He was around forty years old, with slicked-back hair and a very businesslike smile on his face.

When Shiraishi Seiji saw him, his face instantly darkened.

"Mr. Kuroda."

The man smiled.

"President Shiraishi, don't be so nervous. I just happened to be in the vicinity of Dojima on business, and I heard that people from Mitsubishi Bank were here, so I wanted to say hello."

His gaze swept over Chihaya Yuri and Kiryu Yaya.

"Hello, both of you."

"Kansai Urban Development Co., Ltd., Representative Director and President, Shuichi Kuroda."

He took a business card from the inside pocket of his suit and placed it on the table.

Please take care of me.

Kiryu Yaya glanced down at the business card.

The fact that a company president personally appeared here shows that the Kansai urban development attaches even greater importance to Dojima Cold Storage than Seiji Shiraishi had imagined.

The concept of "the operator's obsession" has not yet been used today.

Kiryu Yaya's mind stirred.

[Skill "The Manager's Obsession" activated]

The next instant, a cold and sharp thought surfaced in my mind.

<Mitsubishi Bank is here too? They're moving faster than expected.>

<But it's okay. Banks hate trouble the most. Unlisted shares, family feuds, securities pledges, real estate downturn, registration deadlines before Golden Week... these words together will likely make the people in the financing review department back down.>

The 30 million yen loan agreement already stipulated the purchase agreement and the penalty for breach of contract. Even if Seiji Shiraishi wanted to save the situation, he would have to untangle the ropes one by one first.

<Morikawa Sangyo has softened its stance, and two members of the employee stock ownership plan have received benefits.>

If I can just stall until next Wednesday, Ryunosuke will completely side with me.

"Using this land on Dojima Island for cold storage is a waste. Demolish it and build commercial buildings; even if the land price drops a bit, there will still be a significant profit."

The thought abruptly ended.

Kiryu Yaya's expression remained unchanged.

Shuichi Kuroda sat down with a smile.

"President Shiraishi, I've always admired Shiraishi Refrigerators. It's not easy for you to manage this Dojima land for so many years."

As he said this, his tone suddenly shifted slightly.

"It's just that times have changed."

"The cold chain warehousing business has thin profit margins, heavy depreciation, and labor costs. Continuing to stick with it may not be as smart as asset restructuring."

Seiji Shiraishi's voice was deep:

"White Stone Refrigeration does not exist for the purpose of selling land."

Kuroda Shuichi's smile remained unchanged.

"The company belongs to its shareholders. Shareholders always seek to maximize their profits."

He looked at Ayako Shiraishi as he spoke.

"Your daughter is still young, why tie her life to cold storage, trucks, and the smell of diesel?"

Ayako Shiraishi bit her lip and remained silent.

Chihaya Yuri finally spoke, her voice calm yet chilling:

"Mr. Kuroda, we are currently conducting discussions related to the financing review. Unauthorized personnel are not permitted to linger here."

Shuichi Kuroda turned to look at her and bowed slightly.

"Of course. I'm just expressing a market opinion."

He stood up and straightened the hem of his suit jacket.

"Banks are most risk-averse. Especially large banks like Mitsubishi, they probably dislike paying for other people's domestic affairs the most."

His gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Kiryu Yaya.

"Am I right, Kiryu-kun?"

He didn't say anything more and turned to leave the meeting room.

The moment the door closed, Seiji Shiraishi's fingers clenched tightly.

Kiryu closed his eyes and remained silent.

Have you even investigated your own name?

Shuichi Kuroda is really determined to get his hands on Dojima.

Chapter 24 Kiryu Yaya's Promise

After the door closed, there was a long silence in the conference room.

Seiji Shiraishi didn't speak immediately, but instead looked down at the documents on the table.

Chihaya Yuri closed her notebook, stood up, and said: