Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Keiko Miyazawa said with a smile:

"Mr. Furukawa is very reliable, and with Mr. Terada's assistance, we don't have to worry too much about the production schedule."

"In addition, President Sometani also participated in the selection of winter clothing fabrics. He said that several fabrics are very suitable for making thick sweatshirts and coats, and the price can be reduced."

Kiryu Yaya nodded after hearing this; it was good news.

"That's good."

"I was originally thinking of taking some time tonight to go over and discuss the specifics."

"Now that you say that, I feel relieved."

Keiko Miyazawa reminded her:

"You designed the brand, and you set the direction."

"At most, I can help you keep an eye on the factory to prevent any problems. If you really need to expand your distribution channels or negotiate partnerships, you'll have to handle it yourself."

Kiryu Yaya nodded.

Channels and partnerships are of paramount importance; we cannot rely on others. The two seemed to be getting along very well.

Yayoi Mina asked curiously:

"Miyazawa Fiber...is that Ms. Keiko's family company?"

Keiko Miyazawa readily nodded in agreement:

"It's a factory that the Miyazawa Group recently acquired. It used to be called Marui Fiber, but now it's called Miyazawa Fiber. It mainly produces clothing."

Mizuna Yayoi blinked, her gaze darting between Keiko Miyazawa and Yaya Kiryu.

At this moment, Chihaya Yuri, who was standing to the side, also showed a curious expression.

Keiko Miyazawa didn't answer immediately, but instead turned her head to look at Yaya Kiryu, as if to confirm something.

Kiryu Yaya looked at Miyazawa Keiko and casually said:

"Go ahead and tell me, it's not a secret."

Keiko Miyazawa then smiled and said:

"Miyazawa Fiber's first brand, which was also designed by Kiryu-kun himself, is called Issaku." Yayoi Mina, who was about to eat watermelon, paused, blinked, and couldn't digest such big news for a moment.

After a while, Yayoi Mizuna finally realized what was happening and looked at Kiryu Yaya with admiration:

"The first work... was designed by your senior?"

The latest product is a well-known clothing brand in Osaka.

Especially after the Miyazawa Group contacted the Osaka branch and sent a batch of clothing as bank benefits, the work became even more popular within the Osaka branch.

Good quality at a low price will always appeal to most people.

Kiryu Yaya felt a little uncomfortable under her bright, sparkling eyes, and smiled as he said:

"I only drew a few blueprints; the actual making of these clothes was done by the craftsmen in the factory."

Mizuna Yayoi stared blankly at Yaya Kiryu.

Although she had never bought any of Yizuo's clothes, she often heard her colleagues in the office mention them.

When the bank gave out employee benefits, everyone praised the clothes when they opened the paper bags, saying that the fabric was comfortable, the design was neat, and the clothes fit better than many clothes in department stores.

She had always assumed it was a custom-made piece from a well-known brand. She never imagined it was actually designed by Kiryu Yaya.

Chihaya Yuri also put down her teacup. She wasn't as shocked as Yayoi Mizuna, but there was a hint of surprise in her gaze as she looked at Kiryu Yaya.

"You can cook, you can solve cases, you can design clothes... Is there anything you can't do?"

Kiryu Yaya was slightly taken aback by her question, then smiled:

"There are quite a few things I don't know, for example... I'm not very good at responding to compliments?"

Mizuna Yayoi couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Keiko Miyazawa shook her head, but a smile played on her lips.

Mizuna Yayoi suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Keiko Miyazawa:

"By the way, Ms. Keiko and Mr. Kiryu were high school classmates, right?"

Keiko Miyazawa nodded:

"Yes, classmate."

This answer piqued Yayoi Mizuna's interest. She leaned forward slightly, her voice filled with a tentative eagerness to hear a story, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Miyazawa Keiko:

"So... what kind of person was Kiryu-kun in high school?"

Keiko Miyazawa did not respond immediately.

Looking up at the ceiling, I pictured Kiryu Yaya in high school.

The answer was given much later:

"He doesn't talk much, but whenever he does, he gets to the point."

"Whether it's a task assigned by the teacher or a request for help from classmates, he handles it very well."

"He is a very, very reliable person."

Speaking of the past, especially high school, it also involves Kiryu Yaya.

Keiko Miyazawa's memories were immediately stirred.

"I remember, it was during the high school cultural festival in my second year."

"I'm in charge of coordinating the class's program, and I'm swamped with work." Search "Deqi" on Bing to see the latest chapter!

"One day I forgot to order some decorations. When he found out, he didn't say anything, but rode his bike a long way to buy them for me."

That evening, he handed me the things, covered in sweat, and only said that he should have enough time before turning around and leaving.

Keiko Miyazawa spoke with a smile on her lips.

His eyes were filled with memories.

Anyone who sees her smile can tell how happy she is.

As Yayoi Mizuna listened to Miyazawa Keiko's words, she couldn't help but imagine the scene.

Seventeen-year-old Kiryu Yaya rode his bicycle across the road, the setting sun casting an orange glow on his face.

A bag of decorations was hanging from the handlebars of the bicycle.

Chihaya Yuri also paused slightly, her eyes involuntarily sweeping over Kiryu Yaya.

Keiko Miyazawa continued speaking.

There was a hint of regret in his voice: "After graduation, we all went our separate ways. I got into Waseda University, and I rarely saw him anymore."

"Then I saw him again at a class reunion."

Yayoi Mizuna nodded, glancing at Kiryu Yaya from time to time.

It seems to be piecing together a seventeen-year-old Kiryu Yaya and comparing him to the current Kiryu Yaya.

Chihaya Yuri stood up abruptly, looked at the completely dark sky outside, and spoke:

"It's getting late, I should head back. I have to catch the Shinkansen tomorrow."

Yayoi Mina also quickly got up:

"Me too, I have to go to work tomorrow."

Keiko Miyazawa glanced at Yaya Kiryu, then stood up:

"Let's go together then. I drove here, so I can give them a ride."

Mizuna Yayoi paused for a moment.

He then looked at Miyazawa Keiko gratefully and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Miss Miyazawa."

The three of them went to the entrance to change their shoes.

Keiko Miyazawa put on her shoes first, straightened up, and turned her head to look at Yaya Kiryu:

See you in Tokyo.

See you in Tokyo.

Kiryu Yaya responded with a smile.

Chihaya Yuri, having put on her shoes, stood beside Miyazawa Keiko and nodded slightly to him.

See you at the station tomorrow morning.

"it is good."

Mizuna Yayoi was the last to put on her shoes. She bent down to tie her shoelaces, and as she straightened up, her gaze lingered on Yaya Kiryu's face for a moment:

"Senior...the food tonight was delicious."

Kiryu Yaya stood by the door frame, a night breeze wafting in from the end of the corridor, carrying the slight coolness of late summer: "Then you can come often in the future."

Mizuna Yayoi's eyelashes trembled slightly, then she nodded gently:

"……Um."

The three people walked down the corridor toward the stairwell, their footsteps fading into the quiet stairwell.

Kiryu Yaya stood at the door, watching the three figures disappear one by one around the corner of the stairs, and then slowly closed the door.

Just then, the semi-transparent system interface silently appeared in their field of vision.

[Branch 1: Returning to the bank to work overtime - Completed]

[Branch 2: Back to the apartment for a nap - Completed]

[Branch 3: Invite three people to the apartment for dinner - Completed]

Overall rating: ★★★☆ (3.5 stars)

[Rewards are being distributed]

[Item Obtained: Funds Purification Engine] [Initial Funds: 100 million yen]

[Function Description: This engine can help launder the host's existing funds. After the engine is embedded in a mainstream securities trading terminal, the host can trade gray funds to the system. The system will then use the engine to execute high-frequency, low-impact grid trading and range arbitrage on user-specified low-liquidity assets in live trading until it earns the amount traded by the host.]

Every buy/sell transaction has a timestamp and transaction price corresponding to the market conditions of that day, forming a perfect closed loop from a tax perspective.

Please note: A service fee of 5% of the transaction amount will be charged for each transaction.

[Note: Wall Street doesn't believe in tears, but it does believe in backtesting curves. Your money, once it's weathered enough candlestick charts, becomes a rose of time.]

The incident has concluded, and the rewards have been distributed.

After seeing the three off, Kiryu Yaya turned his gaze to the pale blue virtual screen in front of him.

"A money purification engine."

Kiryu Yaya read the reward aloud, his eyes narrowing slightly.

He was pondering how to use the reward.

The world is not black and white. Many assets that cannot be openly discussed need to be made public in order to be used.

The origins of gray industries are varied and often bizarre, making it difficult to legitimize them. However, with this system's engine, things are completely different.

He handed over a sum of illicit funds to the system, which then used securities trading to conduct a series of high-frequency, low-impact grid trades and range arbitrage in real-time trading, ultimately laundering the money back into his account in a legal and compliant manner.

Every buy and sell transaction has a corresponding timestamp and transaction price, and the tax records will form a perfect closed loop.

Simply put, it involves using real securities market transactions to transform money of dubious origin into seemingly legitimate securities investment returns.

During this period, the system only charges a 5% handling fee.

Both the resources consumed and the money spent are greatly reduced.

and!

There is absolutely no risk of it collapsing!

This means that all the shady money he had could be brought into the open again.

His current amount of illicit assets is not substantial.

What they can offer are the points from the East Association and the gold given to them by Seiichi Takaji.

Takatsukasa Seiichi gave him 11,000 points from the East Central Association, which is 110 million yen. He doesn't plan to use this money for the time being.

To mobilize resources within the Dongzheng Association, one still needs to pave the way with points.

Kiryu Yaya felt that he might need to use the power of the East Association soon.

Therefore, what needs to be converted most right now is actually anonymous gold.

The system rewarded me with 5 million yen in gold, in addition to the 100 million yen worth of gold that Seiichi Takatsukasa had previously given me as a reward.

A total of 150 million yen.

As for cash rewards that are regularly given by the system and directly deposited into your account, those are all safe and traceable funds.

The total amount is not much.

Only two or three million yen.

Kiryu Yaya opened his eyes and silently recited:

"I want to use the Funds Purification Engine. The target amount is gold, and the total amount to be purified is 105 million yen."

The system interface flickered slightly, then new text appeared: [Confirmed: Funds Purification Engine Activated]

[Target: Purify 10500 yen]

Service fee: 525 million yen

[Actual amount obtainable: 9975 million yen]

[Estimated duration: 12 days]

Should we proceed?

Kiryu Yaya's eyebrows twitched slightly.

Twelve trading days.

Twelve trading days, which is five trading days a week, or a little over two weeks.

Starting with one million yen, the system aims to earn one hundred million yen through trading within twelve trading days, a hundredfold increase.

That's a bit scary.

Even if that stock market guru from across the ocean who manipulates the curves were to come in the future, he would probably be ashamed of himself. Kiryu Yaya shook his head and selected "confirm".

[Confirmed]

[The funds purification engine has been embedded in the simulation terminal]

The gold has been transferred from anonymous vaults to system holdings.

[Trading Period: Starting today, expected to be completed in twelve trading days]

Transaction records will be synchronized to the host's designated bank account and can be viewed at any time.

After properly handling the system rewards, Kiryu Yaya looked at the spotless room and couldn't help but smile.

The short half-day break is over.

Next, it's time to get back to the busy work schedule.

……

Friday, August 9th.

As usual, the Osaka Shinkansen platform was packed with people in the early morning. At 7:40, Kiryu Yaya and his colleagues from the Special Investigation Team entered the reserved-seat carriage.

The train departed from the platform.

The scenery outside the window began to slowly move backward.

First came dense clusters of buildings, then the houses decreased and gave way to vast hills and farmland, with occasional scattered low-rise factories in the distance.

Kiryu Yaya sat by the window, gazing at the scenery outside, but his mind was already thinking about his plans for the afternoon.

The Kanto International Development Department is not far from Mitsubishi Bank, both located in Chiyoda Ward, and it's only a ten-minute walk away.

"Onoda's appointment has been confirmed. The time is 2:30 pm, the location is the president's office, and the meeting is expected to last 30 minutes."

This short period of time is the upper limit set by the Kanto International Development Company.

It seems that Kengo Kurosaki is not easy to approach; even the duration of meetings is strictly limited.

Kiryu Yaya doesn't have much information about Kurosaki Kengo at the moment.

This person is 58 years old this year and is the representative director and president of Kanto International Development.

In the Kanto financial circles, he had a well-known nickname: the policy savior.

It is said that this is because the projects he handled all happened to coincide with the time when government plans were about to be implemented.

Real estate development in Makuhari, logistics bases along the Chiba Prefecture route, and many other places are examples of this, with plans being laid out three to six months before the policy is announced.

One or two times could be considered a coincidence.

But if this happens every time, it can't be explained by luck or coincidence.

What's even more impressive is that doing this isn't illegal.

In the information age, intelligence is everything in business, and being able to act in advance is a strong competitive advantage.

"The key question is, how exactly did Kengo Kurosaki obtain this information?"

"If only I had known that."

"Kiryu-kun?"

Chihaya Yuri's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?" "I'm thinking about the afternoon meeting."

Kiryu Yaya said in a deep voice:

"From the old Imperial Palace building onwards, Kanto International Development has come into our view. The asset restructuring in the first year of Heisei and the 30 billion yen credit line in April this year all have its presence."

"Perhaps the answer is about to appear."

Chihaya Yuri whispered:

"Kengo Kurosaki is a key figure."

"If he really has a vested interest in the bank's top management, everything will come to light as soon as he speaks up."

The two exchanged a glance.

Chihaya Yuri frowned slightly:

"But how can we get him to talk?"

"There will always be a way to get him to talk."

Kiryu Yaya's tone was calm, but it conveyed a strong sense that he was determined to succeed. The two lowered their voices and began to discuss their upcoming travel plans.

When the Shinkansen slowed down and the train conductor announced the arrival at the station over the loudspeaker, Kiryu Yaya realized that the two-hour journey had passed without him even noticing.

The area outside is no longer filled with vast green fields and hills.

Dense clusters of buildings have reappeared, even more stylish than those in Osaka.

Then came the elevated highways and crisscrossing urban rail lines, and Tokyo's skyscrapers, resembling a steel forest, came into view.

Kiryu Yaya grabbed his briefcase and, along with his colleagues, followed the flow of people out of the train carriage.

Chihaya Yuri walked beside him with steady steps, her dark gray business suit back on.

Leading the way was Takahiro Matsumoto, who was talking with a general affairs employee to double-check the afternoon's itinerary to avoid any mishaps.

"Kanto International Development requested that, in addition to Mr. Kengo Kurosaki, their company's finance and legal managers also be present this afternoon."

This new information made Kiryu Yaya even more cautious.

It seems the other side came prepared.

Outside the station, two cars arranged by the bank pulled up. ...

2:20 PM.

The group arrived in Chiyoda Ward.

From afar, Kiryu Yaya could see the gray building.

That was the headquarters building of Kanto International Development, a twelve-story building with light-colored granite exterior walls. The overall architecture was extremely simple, without any unnecessary decorations.

A bronze plaque hangs above the main entrance.

The company's full name and the year of its establishment are engraved on it.

"It looks low-key and composed. Compared with the headquarters of other conglomerates, it is completely inconspicuous, which is very much in line with the style of Kanto International: making money steadily and quietly."

Kiryu Yaya thought to himself silently.

The only members of the investigation team attending this meeting were him, Matsumoto, and Chihaya.

At the entrance, someone was responsible for verifying their identities. Only after confirming that everything was correct were they led to the elevator by the front desk staff.

Upon reaching the eighth floor, the elevator stopped. Outside was a slightly dimly lit corridor, with a dark blue carpet that made no sound underfoot, and exquisite landscape paintings hanging on the walls on both sides of the corridor.

"This way, everyone."

The staff member who brought them up led them to the end of the corridor:

"President Kurosaki is already in his office."

She was wearing a dark gray uniform and looked quite professional. She explained in a soft voice while knocking twice on the door.

After waiting a moment, she pushed open the door and gestured for people to enter.

Takahiro Matsumoto went in first.

Kiryu Yaya followed closely behind.

He quickly and discreetly surveyed the office.

It's not large in area, but the layout is compact.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, making the room bright even without the lights on.

Behind the desk in the very center sat a man with graying hair. He was none other than Kengo Kurosaki.

Although he is 58 years old, he looks much younger than in the photos. He is wearing a dark blue high-end suit, and the collar of his white shirt is crisp. He is not wearing a tie in a very formal way.

Kengo Kurosaki has a very ordinary face with well-defined features, but his eyes are somewhat special.

His eyes were calm and deep, like an ancient well with no bottom, so that no matter what happened, no one could see the slightest clue.

A middle-aged man, around forty years old, sat to the left of the desk. His gold-rimmed glasses and the open folder in front of him gave him a refined appearance.

The other person sat on the right side of the office.

He was also a man, but his hair had been dyed silver.

He seemed a little more relaxed, and was gently blowing on the steaming teacup as he looked down.

"These two must be the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Justice."

Kiryu Yaya realized the other person's identity.

As the investigation team walked in, Kengo Kurosaki didn't say anything at first. He simply leaned back slightly in his chair, looking indifferent.

Once they were a little closer, he clasped his hands together and spoke first, unhurriedly. "Commander Matsumoto, welcome to Kanto International Development."

"I heard the Special Investigations Unit has been very busy lately, investigating some old cases. I wonder if there's anything I can do to help you?"

His tone was flat and very polite, as if he knew nothing about the purpose of their visit and that it was just a casual greeting.

"President Kurosaki, hello."

Matsumoto Takahiro sat down on the sofa opposite him, with Kiryu Yaya sitting close to him.

"Thank you for your time. I did come here today for some business."

Matsumoto Takahiro's tone was very formal, with a businesslike attitude. He neither tried to build rapport nor expressed any aggression, as if it were just a routine investigation.

"As you just mentioned, the special investigation team is reviewing old cases."

"During Kouyuhiko's tenure, several credit cases occurred, including a 30 billion yen financing case involving Kanto International Development, which is the reason we are here today."

After he finished speaking, he naturally looked at Kengo Kurosaki, waiting for his reply.

Kengo Kurosaki did not answer immediately.

He slowly picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip of water, put the cup down, and then looked at the two men, his gaze sweeping over their faces. It was as if he was considering a strategy, or perhaps observing their expressions.

"About this matter."

Kengo Kurosaki finally spoke:

"I've heard about it; it's indeed a big deal, and it has had a significant impact on banks and even the entire industry."

"However, I would like to ask what the specific requests of the investigation team are today."

"Is this for verifying specific information, or should we inquire with the Kanto International Development Department, or is there anything else that requires our internal cooperation?"

He was polite and spoke tactfully.

He casually defined the investigation team's visit as a confirmation of needs with just a few words.

He's definitely a slippery old fox.

The investigation team had anticipated his attitude.

Matsumoto Takahiro took out the prepared documents from his briefcase and pushed them in front of Kurosaki Kengo.

"Your company's predecessor was Kanto Asset Development, right? Here is a copy of an asset transfer ledger from Showa 61 (1942), which involves the discounted transfer of an old building outside the East Garden of the Imperial Palace." "There are obvious doubts about the pricing in this ledger."

"President Kurosaki, are you aware of this deal?"

"Something from 1942?"

Kengo Kurosaki glanced at the ledger in front of him but did not look at it.

"That's way too far away."

"I'm not very clear about what happened during the period of asset development in the Kanto region."

"However, if you need it, I can ask the finance department to help verify the archived materials for that year."

His tone suggested that he was doing the investigation team a huge favor.

Good acting skills.

Kiryu Yaya had been observing Kurosaki Kengo, and judging from his subtle reactions, he was clearly aware of the matter.

"President Kurosaki."

As if remembering something, Kiryu Yaya said naturally, "Here is also a guarantee assessment report. Would you like to take a look? It was submitted by your company to a certain bank last autumn, and it mainly involves the asset valuation of the Makuhari plot."

"As you know, this land is currently embroiled in a property rights dispute."

Did your company's legal and finance departments participate in the entire process of creating this report?

Kengo Kurosaki's attention began to shift to Yaya Kiryu.

After a moment, he spoke:

"I remember this was a financing project led by Minister Kouyuta when he was in office. Our company did not participate in the evaluation report; we only provided the necessary basic materials."

"This report was issued by a third-party organization, and it seems that it was personally commissioned by Minister Kouyu."

With a single, easy sentence, Guandong International was extricated from the incident.

Kiryu Yaya was not surprised by this, nor was he discouraged.

He went through every single word that Kengo Kurosaki had said in his mind.

He didn't press further, but instead changed the direction of his question in a casual, conversational tone.

"President Kurosaki, you're right. It was indeed the approval process led by Department Head Furuta." "However, while organizing the files, I discovered that Kanto International's ownership structure was somewhat complicated when developing the Makuhari site, with some rights being held by an SPV."

"This SPV was established during the dissolution and liquidation of Kanto Asset Development, which was in August of the first year of Heisei."

"What is the specific reason for establishing this SPV?"

Kiryu Yaya noticed that after he asked the question, Kurosaki Kengo's fingers twitched slightly again.

He knew he had found the right direction.

"That's just standard procedure."

Kengo Kurosaki quickly replied:

"The specific reason was that there were several long-term contracts in effect at the time."

"Although some of the rights and interests in the Makuhari site went through some procedures during the restructuring, they were ultimately incorporated into the corporate structure of the company's international development."

"These procedures and operations are public; you can check the registration records."

Another answer without any flaws.

Kiryu Yaya was somewhat moved. Kurosaki Kengo truly lived up to his reputation as a tycoon who had weathered many ups and downs in the Kanto financial world for thirty years; such ordinary questions would definitely not yield any useful information.

Even from the beginning until now, Kengo Kurosaki's expression has not changed.

He is very confident.

They were also prepared to face questions.

Such an opponent is extremely difficult to deal with, almost invincible, but Kiryu Yaya is not in a hurry.

He adjusted his posture, stared at Kengo Kurosaki's face, and his heart sank instantly.

[The Operator's Obsession] —

launch!

Kengo Kurosaki's thoughts echoed in Yaya Kiryu's mind.

<The special investigation team...has arrived after all.>

From the day Hanayama-in Taki took the files, I knew this day would come. I just didn't expect them to come so soon.

"What exactly is Nakajima doing? Wasn't it agreed that they would cover this up? Wasn't it said that Kouyuta could handle it all by himself? How come the special investigation team has tracked me all the way to my doorstep?" "Fortunately, I've already had those old files sorted out. Those internal records from the Heisei 1 reorganization, all the ones that could be destroyed have been destroyed. Even if they find the rest, they'll only see the legal accounting procedures."

The truly deadly thing is locked up somewhere else.

<However, I'm still a bit unsure how far the investigation team can get. Especially this guy named Kiryu; since he was able to get Hanayama-in Taki to drop out of the program, and dared to sit directly across from me today, it means he's not just bold, but he probably also has something going on.>

I need to find out what he's up his sleeve.

If the conditions are right... perhaps we could probe his stance. Is he purely a banker, or someone willing to negotiate? If it's the latter, things would be much easier.

Kengo Kurosaki's thoughts stopped there.

Kiryu Yaya sat opposite him, his face showing no change in expression.

He picked up his teacup and took a sip, using the action to quickly review the information he had just read in his mind.

The person who contacted Kengo Kurosaki was Konosuke Nakajima.

Kengo Kurosaki knew the ins and outs of the Furuta case.

He began making preparations after his file was transferred by Kayama Inoki.

Moreover, he knew he was the one who had persuaded Hanayama-in to drop out of college. These thoughts intertwined, forming an increasingly clear picture:

Kengo Kurosaki was not a bystander in this case; he was a true key participant.

However, it would be quite difficult to find something to hold against a high-level player like Kengo Kurosaki.

Left with no other choice, Kiryu Yaya had to continue the attack—

The Banker's Eye

A series of messages appeared before my eyes:

[Target: Kengo Kurosaki]

Age: 58

[Position: Representative Director and President of Kanto International Development Co., Ltd.]

[Obvious Assets:]

1. Mitsubishi Bank Tokyo Head Office General Cash Reserves: Approximately 4.2 million yen

"2. Sumitomo Trust Money Trust: Approximately 12.8 billion yen" "3. My own residence in Minato Ward, Tokyo (Minami-Azabu): Approximately 9.5 million yen"

4. Karuizawa villa and surrounding woodland: appraised value of approximately 6.2 billion yen.

"5. Kanto International Development Co., Ltd. holds 45% of the shares: Book value approximately 320 billion yen"

[Hidden Assets:]

1. Anonymous account in Zurich, Switzerland (UBS): Approximately 22.5 billion yen.

2. Cayman Islands SIV structure holding (through three layers of BVI): approximately 48.7 billion yen

"3. Eleven investment apartments in Meguro and Setagaya wards of Tokyo (held in nominee names): appraised value of approximately 43.6 billion yen."

4. The company registered under Seychelles holds a controlling stake in the Cebu Island resort development project in the Philippines, amounting to approximately 18.3 billion yen.

5. Spot gold bars (Tokyo Nihonbashi Vault): Approximately 9.2 million yen

6. HSBC Hong Kong Private Bank Account (held for business transactions): approximately HK$14.7 billion

"7. Implicit internal receivables of Kanto International Development – ​​undisclosed receivables recorded as prepayments to related companies: approximately 21.5 billion yen"

[Total assets: approximately 53.12 billion yen] Truly an astonishing amount of assets.

Kiryu Yaya was mentally prepared, but he was still taken aback by such a huge number.

Next is the debt situation.

[Liabilities:]

1. Mitsubishi Bank – Comprehensive Business Financing (with Guarantee): 300 billion yen (principal)

2. Sumitomo Trust Money Trust Reverse Pledged Debt: Approximately 62 billion yen

3. Nomura Securities - Credit Lending Margin Liabilities: Approximately 18.4 billion yen

4. HSBC Private Bank Loan (secured by accounts receivable from Kanto International Development): approximately 9.7 million yen

5. Mortgage loan for a home in Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo: approximately 4.1 million yen.

"6. Nominee ownership of the apartment - Nominee owner's compensation payable: approximately 3.8 million yen"

"7. BVI maintenance fees and annual legal counsel fees related to the SPV: approximately 1.2 million yen"

Total Liabilities: Approximately 39.92 billion yen; Net Assets: Approximately 132 billion yen

[Hidden Message Hint (lv.2):]

"1. The asset item 'Internal Implicit Receivables of Kanto International Development' totals 21.5 billion yen, of which approximately 15 billion yen consists of 'consulting fees,' 'preliminary investigation fees,' and 'project coordination fees' paid directly or indirectly to a senior bank executive in recent years, recorded under the names of 'advance payments for construction' and 'long-term consulting contracts.' The specific recipients and timing of these payments highly coincide with the timeframe in which this executive supported Kanto International Development-related proposals during the executive meeting."

"2. The financial transactions between Kengo Kurosaki and Konosuke Nakajima were conducted through an intermediary organization called 'Chiyoda General Planning.' The legal representative of 'Chiyoda General Planning' was a former subordinate of Konosuke Nakajima during his time in the General Affairs Department. He has since left the banking system but remains an active contact in the Kanto financial circles. The organization's accounts, recorded under categories such as 'market research fees' and 'policy analysis consulting,' have totaled over 12 billion yen."

Kiryu Yaya's gaze lingered on those hidden messages for a moment before casually looking away.

He picked up his teacup and took another sip, using the action to review the information he had just read in his mind.

Chiyoda General Planning.

He had never heard of this company before, but the appearance of its name made a previously vague chain clear.

Direct financial transactions are easily detected by auditing departments.

However, by simply establishing an intermediary organization that appears to be a market research and policy analysis consulting firm, one can bypass the auditing department and transfer funds.

Chiyoda General Planning is such a company.

Its legal representative is a former subordinate of Konosuke Nakajima. Konosuke Nakajima received over 1.2 billion yen in consulting fees, and the payer was Kengo Kurosaki.

This money was recorded in the accounts of Kanto International Development, ostensibly as normal business expenses, and disguised as "advance payment for engineering work" and "long-term consulting cooperation".

In reality, this is purely a transfer of benefits!

Once I understood all this, everything became clear.

Kiryu Yaya felt a little more relaxed.

He put down his teacup and looked at Kengo Kurosaki again, a faint smile on his face.

There's no need to say anything more.

Sometimes, silence is a weapon.

Taking advantage of the atmosphere is also a tactic used by skilled players.

Kiryu Yaya's sudden relaxed posture and smile caused Kurosaki Kengo's fingers to twitch involuntarily several times, and a tiny crack appeared in his expression.

Just when he thought Kiryu Yaya would continue to ask more pointed questions,

The other party suddenly said goodbye. "Thank you for your cooperation."

Kiryu Yaya said very politely:

"President Kurosaki, thank you for your willingness to answer our questions."

"If there are any further points that need to be confirmed, the special investigation team will continue to contact your company."

Please continue to support us.

Kengo Kurosaki gave a polite smile; he was somewhat puzzled, but remained perfectly composed.

"Of course, we welcome your cooperation anytime."

"After all, Kanto International Development has been cooperating with your company for many years."

"The trust between us will not change because of individual incidents."

Matsumoto Takahiro also stood up and bowed slightly to Kurosaki Kengo.

"Thank you all for your hard work."

"Thank you for your cooperation today." "If any new issues arise, we will contact your company through official channels."

Both sides exchanged pleasantries.

This time, Kengo Kurosaki didn't just sit there; he personally escorted them to the office door.

However, when saying goodbye, he deliberately glanced at Kiryu Yaya a few more times, trying to glean some clues from his face or expression.

Kiryu Yaya smiled and nodded at him.

Kengo Kurosaki then looked away.

The three of them did not speak after getting into the elevator.

After a while, Chihaya Yuri finally spoke:

"He's very shrewd. Putting aside everything else, he was absolutely aware of the transfer of the old Imperial Palace building."

"Yes."

Kiryu Yaya leaned against the elevator wall and said in a slightly indifferent tone:

"Every word he said was carefully prepared; he was fully aware of the chain reaction this would have." "How much do you think he knew?"

Matsumoto Takahiro asked.

Kiryu Yaya remained silent.

He looked up at the elevator.

There are security cameras there.

Their conversation might be overheard, so to be on the safe side, it's best not to discuss more important information here.

The other two noticed his actions and immediately shut up.

The elevator descended silently, floor by floor.

The three men had serious expressions and each had their own thoughts.

Kiryu Yaya watched the constantly changing elevator floor numbers, sorting through the large amount of information he had just obtained.

Now that the fog surrounding the Chiyoda General Project has lifted, the line connecting it to the project is becoming clear.

It was 3:30 p.m. when the group returned to the special investigation team's office. The three of them went their separate ways and got to work.

Matsumoto Takahiro began organizing the meeting minutes. Although he hadn't gotten any useful details from the meeting, he still needed to record them carefully.

Kiryu Yaya stood at the window, staring at the traffic below.

Key points began to surface in his mind.

First, Kengo Kurosaki confirmed the communication channels with Konosuke Nakajima.

Secondly, the existence of Chiyoda General Planning provided this channel with a concrete vehicle and funding path.

Third, the "consulting fee" of over 1.2 billion yen was recorded in the accounts of Kanto International Development in the form of "advance payment for the project" and "long-term consulting contract".

Each of these three points, if considered individually, has a valid interpretation.

But if you put them together, you might find even more detailed clues...

"Ring ring ring~"

The gentle ringing of the telephone interrupted Kiryu Yaya's thoughts.

"Special Investigation Team, Matsumoto." Matsumoto Takahiro answered the phone, and his tone changed slightly after the other person said something.

"Okay, you can do it now."

"Deputy Minister, what's wrong?"

Kiryu Yaya asked.

Takahiro Matsumoto sighed:

"The new investigation team members are on their way."