My dear wife, I still love you more.

"Well, Kenichi, I told you they would like it, right?" Aki Tomoya said with a proud look, as if he was more confident than Hasegawa Kenichi.

"Yes, Tomoya, you're really amazing." Hasegawa Kenichi smiled happily and gave Aki Tomoya a thumbs up.

And so, Hasegawa Kenichi spent most of his day in bookstores, and not just one. At first, Aki Tomoya accompanied Hasegawa Kenichi, but later his workday ended and he left. Even when Hasegawa Kenichi was alone, he still couldn't resist visiting a few more bookstores.

Kenichi Hasegawa discovered that most of his books were placed in inconspicuous locations in bookstores, but 60% of those who saw Tokyo Ghoul would choose to buy it. Of the remaining 40%, 20% hesitated before deciding to buy it, and less than 20% made a decisive decision to give it up.

Kenichi Hasegawa was fairly satisfied with the result. After all, his novels weren't RMB, no, they weren't Japanese yen. Not every Japanese person would like them, and it's normal for some readers not to like this kind of thing.

Back home, Hasegawa Kenichi was still quite excited and agitated, tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep. Finally, he took out his wooden sword and practiced relentlessly until he was completely exhausted. Then he took a quick shower and fell fast asleep.

"Buzzing..."

Kenichi Hasegawa was sleeping when a voice entered his ears, causing him to frown even while asleep.

"Hmm... This is, a phone call?" Kenichi Hasegawa opened his eyes with difficulty, looked at the phone on the pillow, and realized that it was the phone that was disturbing his sleep.

"Hey, this is Hasegawa."

"Congratulations, Mr. Hasegawa! Your new book is doing very well." An excited voice came from the phone. Hasegawa Kenichi felt that the voice sounded familiar. He blinked, paused for a few seconds, and then his mind gradually cleared.

"Hasegawa-sensei? Did you hear what I said? Hasegawa-sensei? Are you still half asleep? Hasegawa-sensei?"

"Uh, oh, it's Editor Machida. What did you just say?" Hasegawa Kenichi came to his senses, feeling a little expectant. He thought he had just heard Machida Sonoko say some good news.

"Congratulations, Mr. Hasegawa. Tokyo Ghoul is selling like hotcakes!" Machida Sonoko's voice came through the phone, and Hasegawa Kenichi could almost see Machida Sonoko's smiling face.

"Tokyo Ghoul is selling well? Really? That's wonderful!" Hasegawa Kenichi's face lit up with joy. In fact, when he saw the readers buying his novel in the bookstore yesterday, Hasegawa Kenichi had a feeling that his novel might sell well. Now, hearing Machida Sonoko's words, he was even more certain.

"Yes, Mr. Hasegawa, Tokyo Ghoul sold 5394 copies yesterday. It's estimated that the initial print run of 10,000 copies will sell out in three days at most, and the publisher has decided to reprint it. And the reprint quantity will also be 10,000 copies. However, I think the publisher may still be printing too few copies this time," Machida Sonoko said with a smile.

"Really? That's great news!" Hasegawa Kenichi's face beamed with excitement. Although the sales of Tokyo Ghoul were still considerably lower than those of new books by established authors or novels that had been published for some time and accumulated a certain level of popularity, among newcomers, his light novel's sales were already considered quite excellent.

"Also, Mr. Hasegawa, the royalties for the first printing of 10,000 copies have already been deposited into your bank account, and the royalties for this reprint will also be deposited into your account in advance. It's different from before. This time, the publisher will directly deposit 800,000 yen into your account." Machida Sonoko once again told Hasegawa Kenichi some good news.

"Eight hundred thousand yen? Really?" Hasegawa Kenichi's eyes widened. This was already a considerable sum; even for office workers at large companies, it would take two or three months to earn that much. Now, it was suddenly in his bank account. Hasegawa Kenichi was already very happy with the previous four hundred thousand yen, but now, it had doubled in an instant.

Moreover, according to Machida Sonoko, once the number of copies of the novel is determined, the publisher will directly deposit the royalties into his bank account, instead of waiting until the novel is published and begins to sell, as was the case this time.

Although the amount of money doesn't increase, it's received much earlier, which can be considered a benefit. It's like getting paid each month; one is paid on the first five days of the month, while the other is paid after the twenty-fifth—these are completely different experiences.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Mrs. Yuihama's Accident

"Mr. Hasegawa, one last question." Machida Sonoko's voice became a little serious.

"Um, please speak, Editor Machida." Hearing Machida Sonoko's voice turn serious, Hasegawa Kenichi also became a little nervous.

"Regarding the manuscript for the second volume of Tokyo Ghoul, when will you be able to finish writing it? I don't want to be chasing you for the manuscript later. Of course, I understand that you are a student now and everything should be focused on your studies, but I still hope that you, Hasegawa-sensei, can complete the task on time. After all, when the editor is chasing you for the manuscript, it might not make you feel so happy." Machida Sonoko said earnestly, which could be considered a form of advice. After all, the first volume of Tokyo Ghoul has only just started selling, but she still had to be on the safe side.

"Hmm, the manuscript for volume two? Actually, I've already finished it." Hasegawa Kenichi breathed a sigh of relief; he had thought it was something serious.

"You mean the manuscript for the second volume of Tokyo Ghoul is finished? Are you kidding me?" Machida Sonoko was a little confused.

She'd been an editor for quite some time and had met many authors of all kinds, with all sorts of quirks and unusual tastes. But she had never met an author whose first volume had just been published while the manuscript for the second volume was already complete. Even the more diligent authors only finished their manuscripts before the publication schedule was set, and at most, she'd have to ask them to submit it, nothing more.

"Yes, Editor Machida, I'm actually writing the third volume right now, and it's almost finished," Kenichi Hasegawa said calmly.

"The third volume is almost finished? Are you a monster?" Machida Sonoko couldn't help but exclaim.

"Well, one volume is only about 100,000 words. Even if you add the second and third volumes, it's only about 200,000 words, right? It's been more than a month. Writing this much shouldn't be a big deal, right?" Hasegawa Kenichi scratched his head.

"...Nothing much? Hasegawa-sensei, you really are a monster. That is, if you're not lying."

"Lying? There's no need to lie about this."

"Then, please send me the manuscript for Volume Two. I will read and review it carefully." Hasegawa Kenichi faintly heard a gasp coming from the other end of the phone.

“Okay, I’ll email it to you right away.” Hasegawa Kenichi was very direct. He found his draft and sent the 100,000-word manuscript, which was the content of the second volume, to Machida Sonoko in an email.

"I've received it. You're really amazing, Mr. Hasegawa. I'll read it carefully from now on."

After hanging up the phone, Kenichi Hasegawa was invigorated. 800,000 yen—while not exactly 800,000 RMB—was still a considerable sum for him. He had previously planned to buy a new laptop and a new air conditioner. These two relatively expensive items only had a combined budget of around 100,000 yen. With other miscellaneous items to consider, 800,000 yen was definitely more than enough. Of course, for something as expensive as the piano he recently wanted to buy, his current amount was far from sufficient. But he wasn't in a hurry.

Using his phone, he clicked to purchase the air conditioner and laptop he had previously selected, paying 100,000 yen. Even though 100,000 yen was no longer in his bank account, Kenichi Hasegawa was still in a very good mood.

Humming a cheerful tune, he walked to the window, drew back the curtains, and could see right in the direction of Mrs. Yuihama's house. If he could see Mrs. Yuihama's figure at this moment, his mood would be even better.

However, Kenichi Hasegawa suddenly paused, his brows furrowing. Although he had seen Mrs. Yuihama, his mood remained unchanged.

Several men in black suits, clearly not good people, had appeared outside Mrs. Yuihama's house. Mrs. Yuihama looked sorrowful, her eyes brimming with tears, as if she might burst into tears at any moment.

"Damn it!" Kenichi Hasegawa didn't know what was going on, but he felt that Mrs. Yuihama needed help.

Kenichi Hasegawa picked up the wooden sword he had left aside the night before and rushed out quickly.

What do you want to do?

Before he could even rush over, he saw one of the guys in a black suit reach out to Mrs. Yuihama, and Kenichi Hasegawa couldn't help but yell.

Hasegawa Kenichi's roar made the man in the black suit pause for a moment, turn around, and see Hasegawa Kenichi rushing towards them. However, their expressions did not change at all. Obviously, they did not take Hasegawa Kenichi, a high school student, seriously at all, even though Hasegawa Kenichi was holding a wooden sword.

Honestly, this group of men in black suits looks like incompetent extras. You have to understand, Japanese high school students, Chinese retired special forces soldiers, and American homeless people—none of them are simple characters. Especially the Japanese high school students, they're practically saviors! And they didn't even take them seriously. So, even if these guys die, it'll be a pointless death.

Fortunately, Hasegawa Kenichi's appearance stopped the creature from reaching out its claws and from continuing to grab Mrs. Yuihama. This relieved Hasegawa Kenichi.

He rushed forward quickly and separated Mrs. Yuihama from the man in the black suit: "Mrs. Yuihama, are you alright?" Kenichi Hasegawa asked with concern.

"No, I'm fine. Thank you, Hasegawa-kun, but—" Mrs. Yuihama's face was pale, her expression filled with deep sorrow, and tears welled up in her eyes. She looked like a willow swaying in the breeze, making one feel pity for her. Hasegawa Kenichi immediately felt an urge to hold her in his arms and protect her.

However, Kenichi Hasegawa was still quite rational, knowing that his relationship with Mrs. Yuihama was not that good, and there were other people present.

Kenichi Hasegawa frowned, his eyes flashing coldly as he looked at the man in the black suit: "Who are you? What do you want to do to Mrs. Yuihama?"

"Hey kid, this isn't your place to meddle. If you know what's good for you, get out of here." The man in the black suit looked at Hasegawa Kenichi with obvious displeasure. If it were twenty years ago, he would have punched a high school student who suddenly appeared like this. Unfortunately, the social environment is different now, and he can't go too far, especially in broad daylight.

Hasegawa Kenichi narrowed his eyes, a cold glint in them. His kendo, which was almost at level 4, was ready to be unleashed. If these men in black suits couldn't give him an explanation, he would definitely not be polite to them.

"Mr. Hasegawa, thank you for coming to help us. However, this matter has nothing to do with you, so you should leave as soon as possible." Mrs. Yuihama was a little touched, but she didn't want Hasegawa Kenichi to get involved.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Upgrading the Swordsmanship

“Mrs. Yuihama, please don’t say that. We are neighbors after all. So I can’t turn a blind eye to this. Mrs. Yuihama, I’ll stop them first, and you go call the police.” Kenichi Hasegawa slightly bent over, his hands already gripping the hilt of the wooden sword, and then a sharp aura emanated from his body.

Perhaps sensing the imposing aura emanating from Kenichi Hasegawa, and vaguely feeling that Hasegawa was not someone to be trifled with, the man in the black suit's expression changed slightly: "Kid, we haven't broken any laws. So what if you call the police? Her husband owes us money, and it's only right that we come to collect it. Even if the police come, they can't say anything."

"Owes money?" Kenichi Hasegawa was taken aback and subconsciously turned to look at Mrs. Yuihama.

“Yes, he’s right. That man, that man owes money to others.” Mrs. Yuihama said, tears streaming down her face. He became a gambler, not only losing almost all the family’s money, but also borrowing money from loan sharks. Now, unable to find him, the loan sharks have come directly to their home.

Kenichi Hasegawa wanted to curse, but seeing Mrs. Yuihama crying, he couldn't help but soften.

"How much money does that guy owe you?" Kenichi Hasegawa took a deep breath and looked at the man in the black suit.

"Ten million, ten million yen. Kid, get out of the way now. We're all decent people, we won't do anything illegal, but paying back debts is a matter of course. We're just having Mrs. Yui work at our company to pay off the debt." The man in the black suit smiled smugly as he spoke, his eyes sweeping over Mrs. Yui.

Although Mrs. Yuihama is already a high school student's mother, she's only thirty-two years old, a very attractive age. Moreover, Mrs. Yuihama is very beautiful and has a great figure. Bringing her into the company to act in movies might just make her an overnight sensation.

"Ten million yen?" Hasegawa Kenichi was now in a bit of a predicament. Although he had just earned eight hundred thousand yen, it was still far less than ten million yen.

"So kid, get out of here. Unless you can come up with ten million yen to pay for her, but she's just your neighbor, and you're just a high school student. So, get lost." The man in the black suit laughed smugly. He then tried to avoid Hasegawa Kenichi and grab Mrs. Yuihama behind him. Mrs. Yuihama's pale face was filled with panic and fear. Even though she had never been involved with the underworld before, she understood what fate awaited her if she were taken away.

Mrs. Yuihama couldn't help but grab onto Kenichi Hasegawa's clothes, trying to find some sense of security.

Snapped!

Kenichi Hasegawa slapped the man in the black suit's hand away: "I don't have ten million yen right now, but I'll give you the money later."

"Huh? Kid, do you know what you're doing?" The man in the black suit's face turned cold.

In reality, the men in black suits weren't there for the ten million yen from the start. They were there for Mrs. Yui. Otherwise, why would they lend money to Mrs. Yui's husband, a mere gambler who couldn't possibly repay his debts? It was all because of Mrs. Yui, and even Yui herself.

This beautiful mother and daughter were immediately recruited by the company to film action movies. Even after Mrs. Yuihama and her family earned ten million yen or more and paid off their high-interest loans, the Black Dragon Group would probably have already made hundreds of millions of yen in profits.

So the man in the black suit didn't like Kenichi Hasegawa, who suddenly jumped out to cause trouble, at all.

"Of course I know what I'm talking about. I have 800,000 yen on me right now. You can take it with you first, and I will pay back the rest within a year." Kenichi Hasegawa looked coldly at the man in the black suit.

While ten million yen is a considerable sum, it's actually only around six hundred thousand yuan in Chinese currency—not a small amount, but not a large one either. Kenichi Hasegawa is confident he can earn that much in a year through his novel *Tokyo Ghoul*.

"Eight hundred thousand yen? Kid, are you trying to fob me off like this? If you don't have the money, get out of here." The man in the black suit said, raising his right hand and slapping Hasegawa Kenichi across the face.

click!

Before the man in the black suit could even touch Hasegawa Kenichi's face, Hasegawa Kenichi's wooden sword had already slashed at the man's wrist.

The man in the black suit let out a scream, clutching his right wrist with his left hand, his face contorted in pain.

"Boy, you, you actually dare to lay a hand on me?"

"Why don't you dare to make a move? You can only hit me, but I can't fight back?" Hasegawa Kenichi coldly stared at the man in the black suit. If this weren't a society governed by the rule of law, and if he hadn't already become accustomed to the current laws and systems, that blow might have already landed on the other man's throat.

With the force of Hasegawa Kenichi's wooden sword, even the wrist bone of the man in the black suit was cracked. If it had landed on his throat, the guy would have been dead long ago.

"Damn it! You guys are just standing there watching? Get him! Teach this guy a lesson!" The man in the black suit couldn't help but yell at the men behind him.

Kenichi Hasegawa saw that the others behind him also wanted to make a move and wanted to take the initiative, but he noticed that Mrs. Yuihama was still holding onto his clothes, so he hesitated for a moment and did not step forward. However, at this moment, the other party rushed over.

Seeing the group of guys rushing towards him, Kenichi Hasegawa remained remarkably calm. He gripped his wooden sword with both hands, gathered his strength, and then struck like lightning.

Almost the instant he made his move, Hasegawa Kenichi felt his swordsmanship become stronger. Holding the wooden sword in his hand, he could even clearly feel its weight and texture.

clap clap clap!

In the blink of an eye, the guys who rushed up were just like the man in the black suit, clutching their right wrists and screaming in pain. One of them was even crying.

Their wrist bones were all cracked by Kenichi Hasegawa.

Clearly, they hadn't expected Hasegawa Kenichi to be so skilled; with just a wooden sword, he had taken them all down in the blink of an eye. A hint of fear crept into their eyes as they looked at Hasegawa Kenichi.

“Now, take this 800,000 yen and leave. You’ll have to give me the rest of the money within a year. Otherwise—well, I’m just a high school student. Even if I do something outrageous, there won’t be any serious punishment. You should know that.” Hasegawa Kenichi stared coldly at the group of guys.

"We're leaving now, we're leaving now."

Kenichi Hasegawa's eyes were terrifying; those cold, almost emotionless eyes sent chills down their spines. And just as Hasegawa had said, he was merely a high school student. Even if he killed someone, he wouldn't face much punishment, especially since they were members of a yakuza gang.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Yuihama and her daughter

"Mrs. Yuihama, it's alright, it's all over now," Kenichi Hasegawa comforted the pale-faced Mrs. Yuihama.

"Hasegawa-kun!" Mrs. Yuihama finally couldn't hold back any longer and buried her face in Hasegawa Kenichi's arms, sobbing. Gently patting Mrs. Yuihama's back, although he had such a soft woman in his arms, Hasegawa Kenichi had no other thoughts in his mind at the moment, only boundless pity.

Such a gentle Mrs. Yuihama, and now she's turned into this. That scumbag husband of hers truly deserves to die.