Inside the small safe, Ryuzaki Shin didn't find the mountain of bundled cash he'd imagined.
Instead, there were only a few thin stacks of Japanese Yen, probably less than a million in total.
Besides that, there was a pile of messy items that looked like account books.
And then... Ryuzaki Shin's pupils suddenly constricted!
He saw dozens of photos pressed beneath those account books!
The photos showed young girls, disheveled, with hollow eyes, their faces etched with despair and numbness!
They all looked to be no more than sixteen or seventeen, an age that should have been blooming, but now they were like withered flowers, devoid of any vitality.
The backgrounds of the photos varied: some were in a dim alley, some in a dilapidated hotel, and some... even in this casino's office!
Without exception, they were all surrounded by groups of men with lewd smiles, touching and grabbing at them!
And one of the men, who appeared most frequently, was the dead fat man still groaning on the floor—
Inokari!
Ryuzaki Shin looked at these photos, and in his normally profound eyes, two raging fires instantly ignited, fires that seemed capable of burning everything to ashes!
In his previous life, although he had also been involved in the underworld, committing murder, arson, and all sorts of evil deeds,
he had his own bottom line!
That was, no drugs, and especially no children!
He could eliminate an opponent without hesitation for profit.
But he would never use such despicable methods against an unarmed woman!
This was his last shred of dignity in the underworld!
Yet, this dead fat man in front of him had committed every single act he most disdained and despised!
Ryuzaki Shin slowly turned around and looked at Inokari, who was still wailing on the floor.
A remarkably kind and gentle smile appeared on his face.
That smile was even brighter and more radiant than any he had shown before.
But when Inokari saw this smile, he felt as if he had fallen into the deepest hell, and all the blood in his body instantly froze!
He felt that what he was seeing was not a human smile at all.
Rather, it was a devil about to begin its hunt, showing him its final mercy.
"My little piggy," Ryuzaki Shin said slowly in an extremely gentle tone, "it seems there are only a few million Yen in here, not enough for a hundred million."
"It seems... I'll have to use your body parts to make up the difference."
Ryuzaki Shin didn't even ask where these photos came from, whether it was forced buying and selling, or if some usurer couldn't pay and had their family members seized.
What else could it be besides these possibilities?
Asking these questions was meaningless; the underworld was full of filth, and Ryuzaki Shin was already accustomed to it.
As for the source of these evils, Ryuzaki Shin had never intended for Inokari to see the light of day again; once his value was squeezed dry, it would be time for him to reincarnate.
Inokari was scared out of his wits by these words; he scrambled and crawled to kneel before Ryuzaki Shin, crying and wailing with snot and tears:
"Big Brother! I really have no money left! All my money is here! Please... please let me go!"
"Really?"
Ryuzaki Shin smiled, then in an extremely calm tone, he said to Tokaji Yuji behind him:
"Tokaji, go get that cleaver from the floor for me."
When Inokari heard this, his body instantly stiffened; he knew this man wasn't joking.
His eyes darted around, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind!
Then, as if grasping at a last straw, he loudly exclaimed in a hopeful tone:
"Big Brother! I remember! I still have money! I still have a lot of money!"
"That... do you... do you know Kunō Hideomi?"
"The Kunō from the Armed Front!"
"He... he just borrowed ten million Yen from me two days ago! You... you can go ask him for it!"
"And Onizuka from our Red Scorpion! He's my sworn brother! He'll definitely help me pay it back! You... you can call him!"
"Oh, right! And our Red Scorpion's boss! He... he values me the most! As long as I ask, he'll definitely help me!"
The more Inokari spoke, the more excited he became, as if he had already seen his hope of survival.
He thought his plan to shift the blame was flawless.
However, Ryuzaki Shin just burst out laughing after hearing it.
He laughed so hard he bent over, tears almost coming to his eyes.
"Inokari, Inokari, I didn't expect you to be... quite clever, huh?"
Ryuzaki Shin looked at Inokari's hopeful face, a cold sneer in his heart.
This dead fat man really knew how to play.
First, he completely absolved himself, then he dragged Kunō Hideomi, Onizuka, and even the Red Scorpion's boss into the mess.
Was he trying to make himself fight with those factions so that he could escape once discovered?
Too bad... Ryuzaki Shin wasn't that easily fooled.
Ryuzaki Shin stopped talking to Inokari and looked at the layout of the office. First, Ryuzaki Shin was certain that Inokari couldn't have just this little money; judging by the casino's cash flow, there must be more than what was visible outside.
And they couldn't deposit large sums of money in banks; these people surely felt it was safest to keep it close to them.
Then he finally noticed something unusual about this office.
His gaze fell on the incongruously large redwood bookshelf in the office.
How could an uneducated thug like Inokari have a bookshelf in his office?
What?
Trying to pretend to be cultured?
Or... was there something hidden inside?
Ryuzaki Shin slowly walked to the bookshelf.
When Inokari saw his movements, his heart, which had just calmed down, instantly jumped back into his throat!
Although his face still showed a pitiable expression with snot and tears, a trace of undeniable nervousness and panic flashed in his small, pea-like eyes!
Ryuzaki Shin took all of this in.
He sneered inwardly, even more certain that this bookshelf was definitely suspicious!
He didn't act directly but pretended to be nonchalant, starting to pick up the hardcover books, which looked like decorations, one by one from the shelf.
"The Self-Cultivation of an Actor," "Postpartum Care for Sows"... He looked at them, nodding sagely, and muttering in admiration.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Inokari, I didn't expect you to have such good taste; you read world-renowned classics."
When Inokari heard this, he quickly forced out a smile that was uglier than crying, and struggled to explain:
"Big Brother... you... you're making fun of me. I... I may look fierce, but normally... normally I quite enjoy reading and cultivating my temperament."
Ryuzaki Shin smiled.
He casually tossed the book in his hand onto the floor.
Then, he began to gently tap the wall behind the bookshelf with his fingers.
"Thump, thump, thump..."
Dull thuds echoed in the silent office.
A fine layer of cold sweat had already seeped onto Inokari's forehead, and his heart tightened with each tap.
Just then!
Ryuzaki Shin's hand suddenly stopped at the very center of the bookshelf!
He tapped again!
"Thump, thump, thump..."
No!
It was "Tap, tap, tap..."!
The sound was clearly much hollower than other places!
Ryuzaki Shin slowly turned his head and looked at Inokari, whose face was already ashen, a remarkably "kind" smile on his face.
When Inokari saw this smile, he felt his soul tremble!
He knew he was finished.
Tokaji Yuji saw this scene and immediately understood.
He immediately wanted to seize the opportunity to prove himself.
Without a word, he turned and rushed out of the office.
Soon after, he returned, carrying a gleaming fire axe from the casino's fire safety box.
He walked up to Ryuzaki Shin and respectfully said:
"Boss, let me do it."
Ryuzaki Shin looked at Tokaji Yuji's face, which was full of eagerness to perform, nodded with satisfaction, and then waved his hand casually.
Tokaji immediately understood!
He knew this was his boss giving him an opportunity to earn merit!
Without a second thought, he directly picked up the fire axe!
Tokaji, like a professional demolition team leader, swung his arm in a full circle and brought the glinting fire axe down hard on the seemingly out-of-place wall!
"Boom!"
With a loud bang!
The plaster instantly burst open, revealing the dark red bricks inside!
"Again!"
Tokaji roared, pouring all his strength into his arms, then, like a furious storm, he wildly smashed down on the wall!
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Dull, drum-like explosions echoed continuously throughout the entire basement!
One shocking hole after another appeared on the wall!
Debris and dust flew everywhere like raindrops!
In just a dozen seconds, the wall, which should have been incredibly sturdy, was forcibly smashed open, creating a huge gap about 1.5 meters high and 2 meters wide!
The smoke and dust slowly dissipated.
A deep and mysterious hidden compartment behind the wall appeared in everyone's sight.
Ryuzaki Shin took a glance, and his normally profound eyes instantly burst forth with a fervent and greedy light, like a hungry wolf seeing a lamb!
Holy cow!
I'm rich!
Inside that small compartment, there were no gold, silver, or jewels, nor any antiques or paintings.
There were only black, seemingly ordinary briefcases.
However, those briefcases were stacked neatly together like small mountains, almost filling the entire compartment!
Ryuzaki Shin didn't even need to think to know that inside were definitely—
Money!
He casually waved his hand at Sasaki Yu behind him.
"Xiao Yu, go, count them."
Just then, Inokari, who had completely collapsed on the ground like a dead dog, muttered in an extremely weak voice:
"No... no need to count... it's fifty million..."
Ryuzaki Shin heard this, raised an eyebrow, walked up to Inokari, slowly squatted down, and asked in a playful tone:
"Oh, little piggy, I didn't realize, your little stash is quite substantial, isn't it?"
A bitter smile appeared on Inokari's face. He looked at Ryuzaki Shin, his eyes filled with despair.
"This... this isn't my money..."
He paused, as if using all his strength, and added:
"This is... our Red Scorpion boss's money, kept here with me... for laundering..."
Money laundering?
Ryuzaki Shin understood instantly when he heard these two words.
He knew the ins and outs of it better than anyone.
The so-called "money laundering," in plain terms, is to "cleanse" illicit money of unknown origin through various seemingly legitimate business activities, such as casinos, nightclubs, or even real estate investments, and then secretly pocket it.
Thereby legalizing the source of funds.
And people like Inokari, who are "local tyrants" with some influence in a certain area, are the favorite "partners" of those large organizations.
They use Inokari's venues to "wash" dirty money, and then share a portion of the profits with him.
This is the law of survival in the underground world.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at Inokari, who had completely lost the will to resist, and a cold sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth.
He knew that this fat dead man was completely useless now.
However, before sending him to meet his maker, his last bit of value had to be squeezed out.
Ryuzaki Shin pulled over a chair, sat down imperiously, and then said coldly in an unquestionable tone:
"Inokari, do you want to live?"
Inokari's eyes instantly burst forth with the light of survival!
He thought he was going to die today, but he didn't expect there was still a glimmer of hope!
He scrambled and crawled to kneel before Ryuzaki Shin, his head thudding against the floor like garlic being pounded, making dull "thump thump thump" sounds.
"Yes! Yes! Big Brother! I want to live! Please... please spare me!"
Ryuzaki Shin looked at his pitiful and ridiculous appearance and said lightly:
"Alright."
"From now on, I ask, you answer."
"If your answers make me happy, I'll let you go."
Inokari heard this and felt as if he had received a great pardon. He nodded repeatedly and said in an extremely fawning tone:
"You speak! You speak! I will definitely tell you everything I know, holding nothing back!"
Ryuzaki Shin slowly lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and then slowly exhaled.
Amidst the swirling smoke, his gaze became exceptionally cold.
"The Armed Front came to trouble me... your shadow was behind it, wasn't it?"
"Tell me the whole story, every single detail, no nonsense."
Inokari trembled all over from his cold gaze, and he dared not conceal anything.
He immediately spilled everything like beans from a bamboo tube, explaining it all clearly.
From how he ruined a certain plan of the Red Scorpion boss at the nightclub.
To Onizuka finding Inokari to conspire.
Then to contacting Kunō Hideomi, explaining everything clearly.
Ryuzaki Shin listened and nodded.
He knew that Inokari's words were likely not a lie, because everything made logical sense.
So, he had not only offended Red Scorpion but also the Armed Front?
However, none of that mattered anymore.
He shifted his gaze back to Inokari and asked coldly:
"What's the name of this Red Scorpion boss, and what's his background?"
Inokari's face instantly turned liver-colored, and he stammered for a long time, unable to utter a complete sentence.
"I... I don't know..."
"Slap!"
Ryuzaki Shin backhanded him with a resounding slap, knocking him directly to the ground!
"Then why the hell did you tell me you were highly valued by him, trying to fool ghosts? There's not a single truthful word from your mouth."
Inokari clutched his swollen cheek, scrambled and crawled to his knees, crying out:
"Big Brother! I really don't know! When I came to pay my respects, I also dealt with his cadres. I don't know what the Red Scorpion boss is called or where he is!"
Ryuzaki Shin looked at his cowardly demeanor and knew he was probably not lying.
It seemed this Red Scorpion boss was quite mysterious.
However, none of that mattered anymore.
He thought for a moment, and an extremely wicked smile appeared on his face.
He looked at Inokari and slowly said:
"Now, I'm giving you one last chance."
"Call Onizuka."
"Tell him you've captured me, and have him come over to share the fruits of victory with you."
"He shouldn't refuse, right?"
After he finished speaking, he picked up the broken half of the machete from the ground again and casually flicked it in his hand.
"Clang—"
A crisp metallic hum instantly sent Inokari's heart plummeting to rock bottom.
"You must persuade him well..."
"If he doesn't come..."
"Then, it's your turn to go on your way."
Inokari looked at Ryuzaki Shin's face, which was twisted into a devilish smile, and felt his limbs turn to ice.
He knew he had no way out.
Trembling, he fumbled in his pocket for his phone, his fingers shaking for a long time before he finally found Onizuka's number and dialed it.
"Beep... beep... beep..."
The phone rang for a long time, but no one answered.
Cold sweat poured down Inokari's forehead like a waterfall; he could even feel Ryuzaki Shin's icy gaze, like a tangible weight, on his neck.
Just as he thought he was done for today and was about to beg for mercy...
The call connected.
"Damn it! Inokari! It's so late! I was already asleep, what the hell are you calling for?!"
Onizuka's impatient, groggy voice, full of morning grumpiness, came through the receiver.
Hearing that voice, Inokari instantly shivered. He glanced at Ryuzaki Shin, who was lightly tracing his neck with the tip of his knife, and his voice trembled with fear.
"O-Onizuka... is... is business going well today?"
"Huh?!"
Onizuka, on the other end of the phone, was stunned by his sudden greeting.
He paused, then burst into unbridled laughter.
"Hahahahaha! Inokari, did your balls get crushed and turn you into a sissy? Why are you talking so effeminately?"
Ryuzaki Shin's brow furrowed instantly upon hearing this.
He thought to himself, 'This is bad.'
Then, he gave Inokari an extremely cold look.
That look seemed to say: if you mess this up again, you won't be acting anymore.
The cold gleam from the knife's blade stung Inokari's eyes.
He felt his soul tremble; the desire to survive completely overwhelmed everything at that moment!
The next second!
His acting skills instantly came online!
Inokari, enduring the intense pain in his lower body and his inner fear, lowered his voice and quickly spoke into the phone with a tone full of barely suppressed excitement, yet tinged with the weakness of a battle just fought:
"Onizuka! Where the hell are you?! Don't sleep! Bring your men over quickly!"
"I... I ambushed that Suzuran kid! He's in my office right now, beaten half to death!"
"This is a huge achievement! Hurry! Bring your men over, let's take credit with the boss together!"
"What?!"
Onizuka, on the other end of the phone, heard these words and instantly woke up!
He abruptly sat up in bed, pushing the curvaceous woman beside him, who was still sound asleep, off the bed.
"Is that true?!"
He knew the boss had said that whoever brought that kid named Ryuzaki Shin would get the sole spot to participate in the smuggling business!
This was the opportunity he had always dreamed of!
After all, the boss had said that just bringing Ryuzaki Shin to him would grant qualification to participate in the smuggling business.
But this matter was discussed with Onizuka, and Inokari knew it was Onizuka who conveyed it.
What Inokari didn't know was that the boss told Onizuka there could only be one spot, and it depended on how well Onizuka handled this matter.
So, Inokari and Onizuka were destined not to share this pie together.
Inokari, hearing Onizuka's skepticism, grew anxious and quickly said:
"Am I going to lie to you?!"
With that, he brought the phone's receiver to Ryuzaki Shin's face, looking at him with an almost pleading gaze.
Ryuzaki Shin curled his lip, thinking, 'Useless.'
But he still cooperated, clearing his throat.
Then, clutching his throat, he angrily cursed from the side in a weak and unwilling tone:
"Damn it! You bastards... if you have the guts, fight me one-on-one!"
At the same time, he deliberately kicked over a fallen chair nearby, creating a loud "clank" to create the illusion of being subdued after a fierce fight.
"..."
Onizuka, on the other end of the phone, heard that sound and fell silent.
The voice did sound quite similar to Ryuzaki Shin's that night.
He immediately felt a surge of joy.
But... he quickly calmed down.
Inokari, that fat slob, greedy and selfish, would he think of sharing such a big credit with him?
There must be a trick involved!
That fat slob Inokari might be trying to trick me into going there, then finish me off to steal the credit, or even take over my territory!
After all, just a few days ago, I poached over a hundred of his men; he must be annoyed.
But... what if... what if it's true?
That's a spot in the smuggling business!
Onizuka's eyes gleamed with greed and struggle.
He knew it was a huge temptation, but also a deadly trap.
He had to come up with a foolproof plan!
Got it!
He pretended to agree into the phone: "Good! Inokari! You did well!"
"But, for safety's sake, let's change locations."
"Tomorrow afternoon at three, at the abandoned warehouse in the south of the city, bring him there."
"It's a big place, and it'll be easier for us to 'handle' him properly."
"Remember, only you, alone, are to bring him!"
Inokari's heart sank upon hearing this.
Alone?
Isn't this a trap?!
"Onizuka, what do you mean by this, asking me to go alone? You're not trying to kill me and take all the credit for yourself, are you?"
Onizuka was startled; how did Inokari get so smart? He rolled his eyes.
"Who do you take me for? You also know that the boss is elusive, so to bring Ryuzaki Shin to see him, there certainly can't be anyone else."
Inokari knew these words were full of holes.
Just then, he saw Ryuzaki Shin slowly nod at him.
Inokari's heart instantly went cold.
He knew he had no choice.
He could only grit his teeth and squeeze out a few words:
"Alright, it's a deal."
After hanging up the phone, Inokari collapsed to the ground as if his bones had been removed.
He looked at Ryuzaki Shin, a smile uglier than a cry on his face.
"B-Boss... now... can you let me go?"
Ryuzaki Shin smiled.
His smile was incredibly bright.
He walked up to Inokari, slowly squatted down, and then, in an extremely "kind" tone, softly said:
"Go? Where to?"
"Tomorrow afternoon, you're the main character."
"How could such an important occasion be without you?"
After he finished speaking, he patted Inokari's face, which was already swollen like a pig's head, and added:
"Oh, and to prevent you from running off, tonight, you'll just... have a good sleep here."
"Don't worry, I'll have my brothers 'take good care' of you."
When Inokari heard the word "take care of," he felt a shiver run through his body.
He looked at the delinquents behind Ryuzaki Shin, who were grinning menacingly at him, and his vision went black as he completely fainted.
Ryuzaki Shin curled his lip, glanced at Inokari who was still twitching on the ground, and said with disdain, "Damn, such poor mental fortitude?"
He no longer paid attention to the 'dead pig' and instead turned his head to look at his subordinates, who were gazing at him with adoration, and burst into laughter.
"Alright, alright, stop standing around!"
He pointed to the gaping hole in the office that Tokaji had smashed open and declared in an extremely bold tone, "Izaki! Take a few men and bring all the boxes out for me!"
"Yes, Boss!"
Izaki Shun responded and immediately led a few quick-witted subordinates into the dust cloud.
Before long, a dozen black briefcases were neatly arranged in the center of the casino's main hall.
Ryuzaki Shin walked up to the boxes; he didn't rush to open them, but first cast his gaze upon everyone present.
He looked at the "crows" whose eyes burned with raging flames, took a deep breath, and then, in an incredibly infectious voice, said in a low tone, "Brothers! I know what you're after by following me!"
"What you're after is nothing more than a 'thrill'!"
"But I'm telling you, just being thrilled isn't nearly enough!"
"Not only do we want to be thrilled, we also want to... make money!"
"We want everyone who looks down on us to know that we, the Crows of Suzuran, can not only fight, but we can also... make a lot of money!"
After he finished speaking, he suddenly lifted his foot and kicked hard at the first briefcase in front!
"Clang!"
The box opened with a sound!
The next second!
Everyone's breath completely stopped at this moment!
Inside the black briefcase, there was no gold, silver, jewelry, or antique paintings.
There were only stacks of brand new 10,000-yen bills, neatly bound with bank seals!
The red portrait of Fukuzawa Yukichi, under the somewhat dim lights of the casino, emitted a dazzling, devilishly tempting glow!
"Holy shit!"
"This... how much money is this?!"
"We're rich! We're rich!"
Everyone was completely stunned by the impactful scene before them!
They looked at the box full of cash, and their eyes were practically spitting fire!
However, Ryuzaki Shin seemed oblivious to their excited expressions.
He kicked open the second box with another kick!
The third!
The fourth!
... "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
A series of crisp sounds!
More than a dozen briefcases were all kicked open!
The mountain of cash, like a golden waterfall, poured out of the boxes, piling up on the ground into an exhilarating... mountain of money!
The entire casino seemed to be enveloped by this golden light!
Everyone was completely captivated by this dream-like scene before their eyes!
They looked at the mountain of money, and at the figure standing before it like a god, and subconsciously swallowed.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at their unsophisticated appearance and smiled.
He spread his arms, like an emperor lording over the world, and declared in a tone full of grandeur and ambition, "Brothers! Do you see it?!"
"This is the first territory our True Dragon Society has conquered!"
"This money isn't something I earned alone!"
"Without you, I, Ryuzaki Shin, am nothing!"
"So, from today onwards, as long as you still recognize me as your boss, as long as you are willing to work with me!"
"I promise, from now on, we will share prosperity and overcome adversity together!"
"We will make money together!!"
He paused, then, with all his might, let out a thunderous roar, "Tell me! Are you willing?!"
"We are!!!"
"We are!!!"
"We are!!!"
Everyone was completely ignited by Ryuzaki Shin's words!
Flames burned fiercely in their eyes!
Endless pride surged in their chests!
They looked at the god-like figure, no longer with the previous awe and fear, but with an unparalleled... fanaticism that came from their hearts!
They all raised their right fists in unison, and with all their might, let out a powerful, unified shout!
"True Dragon Society!"
"True Dragon Society!"
"True Dragon Society!"
The sound, like rolling thunder, echoed continuously throughout the entire underground casino!
Ryuzaki Shin looked at their excited expressions and nodded with satisfaction.
He knew that from today onwards, the True Dragon Society had truly become united.
He laughed heartily, and then, in an even more magnificent tone, declared, "Good! In that case, now, let's begin the rewards!"
"If there are benefits, I, Ryuzaki Shin, will never hog them!"
First, he cast his gaze upon Sasaki Yu, who was equally excited, and Serizawa Tamao, who, though expressionless, had a glint of surprise in his eyes.
"Sasaki Yu! Serizawa Tamao!"
"You two ventured into dangerous territory with me and made great contributions! Each of you will be rewarded 500,000 yen!"
He paused, then added, "Serizawa, you led the charge, knocking down ten people, so you get an additional 100,000!"
When Sasaki Yu heard this, he was about to say, "Shin-nii, I don't want it."
But Ryuzaki Shin seemed to have anticipated it; he looked at Xiao Yu and slowly said in a very serious tone, "Xiao Yu, remember, this money is what you earned with your own abilities."
"A real man doesn't need to rely on his family."
Sasaki Yu's body trembled instantly upon hearing this!
He looked at Ryuzaki Shin's encouraging eyes, then at his own fair and tender hands.
He felt as if he had... grown again!
He nodded heavily, then stepped forward and took his 500,000 yen from the mountain of money.
Meanwhile, Serizawa Tamao, looking at the piled-up money, had an unprecedented gleam in his usually lazy eyes!
His body even trembled slightly from excessive excitement!
Six hundred thousand yen!
This was six hundred thousand yen, damn it!
He had never seen so much money in his life!
Sasaki Yu, however, suddenly walked up to him and, with a very contemptuous look, scrutinized him from head to toe.
Then, he curled his lip and whispered in an extremely provocative tone, "Hey, Serizawa, have some backbone. Look at how those subordinates are looking at you. You'll get even more by following Shin-nii in the future."
Serizawa's movements instantly stiffened!
He subconsciously looked back and, sure enough, saw the subordinates looking at him with extremely complex expressions.
In their eyes, there was envy, jealousy, and even a hint of... disdain?
Damn it!
Serizawa's face instantly turned red!
He abruptly turned his head and met Ryuzaki Shin's playful eyes.
Then, gritting his teeth and stomping his foot, he stepped forward, quickly counted out 600,000 yen from the mountain of money, and without looking back, stuffed it into his pocket!
After doing all this, he even deliberately cleared his throat and said nonchalantly in a very boastful tone, "Hmph, only 600,000. Just pocket change."
Ryuzaki Shin secretly chuckled at his appearance of suffering to save face and ignored him.
He turned his gaze back to everyone present and continued in an unquestionable tone, "All executives, you have contributed to the organization this time, each of you will receive 300,000!"
"Ordinary members of the organization, each will receive 100,000!"
He knew that by doing this, he was indeed throwing money around.
However, this money absolutely could not be saved!
This was the True Dragon Society's first reward!
It was also the most resounding signboard he was establishing for himself!
Only by letting them know that by following him, they would have meat to eat and money to take, would they wholeheartedly fight for him in the upcoming battles!
As for the specific reward and punishment system, and the division of organizational functions, it wouldn't be too late to sort them out slowly tomorrow after dealing with that bastard Onizuka!
What he wanted was never a loose, disorganized rabble!
What he wanted was a disciplined organization that followed orders without question!
"Oh oh oh oh oh oh—!!!"
Upon hearing Ryuzaki Shin's words, all the delinquents present instantly erupted!
They looked at the glittering mountain of money, and their eyes were practically spitting fire!
Under the organization of the executives, they lined up one by one, stepping forward to collect their money!
Every person's face was beaming with a heartfelt, radiant smile!
The entire underground casino was filled with a joyful atmosphere!
Ryuzaki Shin looked at the harmonious scene before him and nodded with satisfaction.
Then, he said to Izaki Shun and Serizawa, among others, in a low voice, "Tonight, everyone, please work a little harder, take shifts, and keep a close eye on these Red Scorpion guys."
"Now, all executives, come in with me for a meeting."
"We have... big plans for tomorrow!"
Izaki Shun and Serizawa exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of solemnity in the other's eyes.
They knew the time for play was over.
The main event was about to begin.
The few of them quickly cleared away the clutter in the office, then each found a place to sit around Ryuzaki Shin, and the atmosphere in the entire office instantly became Stern.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at the cadres present and said in a deep voice,
"Alright, now, let's talk business."
"That Onizuka guy, though not very smart, is vicious, and he has at least a hundred men under him now."
"Tomorrow's battle, we cannot be careless in the slightest."
He paused, his tone becoming extremely serious.
"Therefore, we must make... thorough preparations!"
His gaze first fell on Izaki Shun.
"Izaki, the manpower is up to you."
"Before tomorrow morning, I want to see at least a hundred capable brothers appear before me."
"Remember, I want elites! Not those scumbags who only know how to fish in troubled waters!"
Izaki Shun heard this and showed a confident smile on his face.
He pushed up his glasses, a hint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
"Shin-nii, don't worry."
"Now, I don't know how many people are scrambling to join our True Dragon Society."
"If it weren't for concealing our tracks today, I wouldn't have brought only forty brothers."
"A hundred elites? That's too few."
He paused, then added,
"Tomorrow morning, I guarantee there will be at least a hundred and fifty tough guys, capable of taking on three opponents, standing before you!"
Ryuzaki Shin nodded in satisfaction upon hearing this.
Then, he turned his gaze to Tamura Chuta, who was looking excited and rubbing his fists.
"Chuta."
"Here! Boss!"
Chuta had originally thought that with big shots like Izaki Shun and Serizawa in the True Dragon Society, he, a small leader from Class E, would definitely be marginalized.
But he didn't expect that the boss still remembered him and even assigned him a task!
He was so excited his face turned red, and he stood ramrod straight, like a javelin.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at his loyal appearance, smiled, and said,
"Now, immediately take a few nimble subordinates to the abandoned warehouse Onizuka mentioned."
"Remember, don't alert the enemy."
"Your mission is to thoroughly scout out the terrain there for me!"
"Where people can hide, where ambushes can be set, where there are escape routes, figure it all out for me!"
"Ideally, you can draw a simple map and bring it back, and then we'll all brainstorm together!"
Chuta nodded heavily upon hearing this, knowing that this mission was crucial!
He patted his chest and vowed with a determined look,
"Boss, don't worry! I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"
With that, he waved his hand and, with a few equally excited subordinates, rushed out of the casino in a flurry.
Ryuzaki Shin smiled, watching his energetic back.
Then, he turned his gaze to Sasaki Yu, who had been by his side like a timid young wife all along.
"Xiao Yu."
"Here! Shin-nii!"
Sasaki Yu's face instantly flushed with excitement when he heard his big brother call him, and he stood ramrod straight.
"You go and procure weapons."
"Big cleavers, iron rods, baseball bats... or any tools for dirty tricks, anything will do."
"Buy freely, the money will come from me."
Sasaki Yu was first stunned upon hearing this, then a hint of difficulty appeared on his fair little face.
He subconsciously asked, "Shin-nii... should I... should I do it alone?"
He was thinking that he didn't even have a single subordinate to command, and doing such a big task alone would probably... be inefficient.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at his cowardly appearance and instantly understood his thoughts.
He laughed heartily, patted Sasaki Yu heavily on the shoulder, and said in a captivating tone,
"Xiao Yu, don't underestimate yourself, you kid!"
"Have you forgotten? You are now our True Dragon Society's ace! You are my confidant!"
"Tomorrow, when you go to school and raise your arm, are you afraid no one will follow you?!"
Sasaki Yu was so stirred by his words that he felt a warm current well up from his heart, instantly spreading throughout his body!
I... I'm an ace?
Shin-nii's confidant?!
Just as his heart was surging, Makise Takashi, who had been silent all along, suddenly stood up.
He walked to Sasaki Yu's side, patted his shoulder heavily with his large, fan-like hand, and said in a booming voice,
"Xiao Yu, be a man! Show your spirit!"
He paused, then added,
"And, don't forget, we are not fighting alone."
"We are companions!"
Sasaki Yu looked at Makise's face, which, though ugly, was full of sincerity, and then at the big brothers around him who were looking at him with encouraging eyes.
He felt his eyes inexplicably warm.
Since he was little, because of his weak personality, he never had any true friends.
But now... he looked at this group of 'crows' before him, who, though each looked fierce, had eyes full of sincerity and trust.
He knew he was no longer alone.
Is this what it feels like to have companions?
He held back the tears in his eyes, nodded heavily, and with all his might, said loudly,
"Shin-nii! Don't worry! I, Sasaki Yu, guarantee I'll complete the mission!"
Ryuzaki Shin nodded in satisfaction, looking at him, who was almost burning with passion.
Then, he turned his gaze to the other cadres present and said in a deep voice,
"As for you guys, tonight, all of you get a good rest!"
"Conserve your energy!"
"Tomorrow, come with me... and fight a big battle!!"
"Yes!!!"
Everyone was completely ignited by Ryuzaki Shin's heroic spirit; they raised their fists and let out a thunderous roar!
...Meanwhile, on the other side.
Onizuka was not idle either.
Onizuka
He lay on his big bed with leopard print sheets, a curvy blonde woman in his arms, a cigar in his mouth, and a confident smile on his face.
He looked at the ceiling, calculating in his mind.
That fat pig Inokari, though greedy, wasn't smart, and his subordinates were all useless trash.
He had already poached over a hundred of Inokari's men, and Plus his original brothers, he had over two hundred men under him!
And Inokari's side?
No matter how much he recruited, if he could gather a hundred men in one day, that would be something!
Over two hundred against a hundred!
The advantage is mine!
The more Onizuka thought about it, the more pleased he became; he even began to fantasize about how he would live it up and enjoy life after taking down Ryuzaki Shin and gaining the qualification to participate in the smuggling business.
How many chances does a person get in life to leap over the dragon's gate?
He, Onizuka, absolutely could not miss this opportunity!
So this time he would go all out!
He took a deep drag from his cigar, then slowly exhaled, watching the curling smoke, a very lewd smile appearing on his face.
"Hehehe..."
The blonde woman beside him was startled by his sudden laugh; she twisted her snake-like waist and asked in a coquettish voice,
"Lord Onizuka, what are you laughing about?"
Onizuka pulled her into his arms, squeezed hard on that magnificent expanse of white, then burst into arrogant laughter, saying,
"I'm laughing because I, Onizuka, am about to... rise to prominence!"
The next morning, in the underground casino office.
The air still carried the murky scent of sweat, blood, and cheap alcohol from last night, but at this moment, it was uncharacteristically filled with a certain murderous and excited atmosphere.
The True Dragon Society executives had already gathered.
A large, hand-drawn map was spread out on the only relatively intact gambling table in the center of the office.
The map was drawn with exceptional detail, even marking the several sewer manholes around the warehouse and the few crooked trees in the corner clearly.
You can't say, Chuta is quite reliable in his work.
He found a subordinate from some corner who had worked on construction, and with his skill, he replicated the entire terrain of the warehouse, drawing it quite three-dimensionally.
At this moment, a group of executives surrounded the map, talking animatedly, the atmosphere so heated it seemed like a fight was about to break out.
"If you ask me, let's not bother with all that fancy stuff!"
Tokaji Yuji was the first to step forward, his usually cold face now filled with disdain.
He jabbed a thick finger at the map, and said in a deep voice:
"In the afternoon, once they enter the encirclement, we'll just lead our men and charge straight through the main entrance! We'll crush them with absolute force!"
"What a bunch of Red Scorpion trash, in front of our True Dragon Society, they're just a bunch of garbage riding broken-down junk!"
"That's right! Tokaji-nii is right! Let's just do it!"
"Exactly! Let them know who the rules of Toyaru City are!"
Behind Tokaji, the former members of the Serizawa Army, who also revered violence, immediately started yelling and cheering, each of them wishing they could rush over now and twist off Onizuka's idiotic head to kick around like a ball.
However, Izaki Shun merely pushed his glasses up unhurriedly, a playful curve on his lips.
He waited until the shouts of the brutes had quieted down a bit before slowly speaking, his voice not loud, yet clearly reaching everyone's ears.
"Tokaji, you simple-minded muscle-brain, can you try to use that brain of yours that's smaller than a walnut?"
"A frontal assault? Do you think this is a war?"
"How many people do we have now? At most, the elites we've gathered are about one hundred and fifty."
"What about Onizuka's side? He has now incorporated Inokari's men, and Chuta found out yesterday that he has at least two hundred or more!"
"We are already at a numerical disadvantage, and you still want to clash head-on with them?"
"Even if we win, it will be a Pyrrhic victory. This is not playing house in school; everyone is wielding weapons now."
"Are you trying to make our True Dragon Society perish right after its establishment?!"
Izaki Shun's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over their heads, instantly extinguishing the hot blood that had surged through Tokaji and the others.
Tokaji's face instantly turned a liver-like shade of purple. He pointed at Izaki Shun and roared:
"What the hell did you say?! Who are you calling a muscle-brain?!"
"Say it again if you dare!"
Izaki Shun didn't even glance at him, instead turning his gaze to Ryuzaki Shin, who had remained silent the entire time, sitting quietly in the boss's chair, playing with a lighter.
He knew that in this organization, only one person truly held power.
He bowed slightly to Ryuzaki Shin, then slowly said in a confident tone:
"Shin-nii, my plan is as follows."
"Although Onizuka is not very smart, he is suspicious and afraid of death. We don't need to fight him head-on."
"We can start like this…"
Izaki Shun pointed at the map and began to elaborate on his ambush plan.
From how to use the abandoned buildings around the warehouse for an ambush, to how to divide and encircle, gradually consuming the opponent's forces.
He had even considered the retreat routes and contingency plans for emergencies, all clearly laid out.
His meticulous logic and watertight strategy made everyone present nod in silent approval.
Even Tokaji, who had just been furious, had to admit that the plan sounded indeed well-organized.
Tokaji also didn't want to be outsmarted, so after calming down for a while, he thought of some more comprehensive plans.
Just as Tokaji was about to speak and battle Izaki Shun for another three hundred rounds.
"Bang!"
The office door was suddenly pushed open violently from the outside!
Xiao Yu
Sasaki Yu ran in, panting, his fair little face filled with excitement and agitation!
He glanced at Ryuzaki Shin, who was sitting upright, then reported loudly in an extremely proud tone:
"Shin-nii! Everything you asked for has been bought back!"
Ryuzaki Shin smiled, casually tossed the lighter in his hand, then slowly stood up from the boss's chair.
"Xiao Yu, how did things go?"
"Reporting, Shin-nii! Everything went smoothly!"
Sasaki Yu straightened his back and began to report his procurement results like a menu.
"As per your instructions, fifty large machetes, one hundred steel pipes, one hundred baseball bats, all of the highest specifications available on the market!"
"In addition, I took the liberty of purchasing fifty high-voltage stun guns, one hundred bags of… quicklime powder, and also…"
He paused, a very lewd smile appearing on his face.
"Three hundred bags of super-spicy chili powder!"
"Also, to prevent accidental injury, I specifically purchased three hundred military-grade gas masks!"
"All supplies, totaling… one million seven hundred and fifty thousand Japanese Yen!"
"…"
Silence!
A deathly silence!
In the entire office, you could hear a pin drop!
Everyone was completely stunned by Sasaki Yu's words!
They looked at this innocent-faced pretty boy, then at the few subordinates behind him who were huffing and puffing as they carried in various "tools for the crime."
They felt their entire worldview was completely overturned at this moment!
Damn it!
Where the hell were they going to fight?
This was clearly a biochemical attack!
Makise Takashi looked at the bags of bright red chili powder, subconsciously swallowed, then asked in a very puzzled whisper:
"Xiao Yu… we… we're not going to cook, why buy so much chili powder?"
Upon hearing this, Sasaki Yu instantly dropped his innocent expression. He turned his head and glanced at Makise with a look as if he were looking at an idiot.
That look seemed to say: With your IQ, do you even deserve to follow Shin-nii?
Just then!
"Hahahahaha!"
Izaki Shun and Tokaji Yuji, after a full three seconds of stunned, suddenly looked at each other, then, by agreement, burst into unrestrained laughter!
They looked at Sasaki Yu, their eyes filled with undisguised admiration!
"Holy crap! Xiao Yu! You're a genius!"
"Hahahahaha! Chili powder! Gas masks! This move… is brilliant!"
The two instantly understood Ryuzaki Shin's intention. They didn't even need to discuss it further; they simultaneously shouted orders to their respective confidants:
"Quick! Go! Call all our men over!"
"Tell them, there's a good show to watch!"
Ryuzaki Shin looked at the harmonious scene before him, a very gratified smile on his face.
He walked over to Sasaki Yu, patted him heavily on the shoulder, and said in a tone full of praise:
"Xiao Yu, I was right to entrust this matter to you!"
Sasaki Yu, praised like that, instantly felt like he was floating!
He proudly lifted his head and glanced at Makise, who was still bewildered nearby, with a look of extreme disdain. That look seemed to say:
Hmph, ugly duckling, did you see that? This is… enterprise-level understanding!
Makise looked at their "those who know, know" expressions and felt like an outsider. He scratched his head, still completely baffled.
Chili powder… what exactly… is it for?
Ryuzaki Shin looked at his simple-minded expression, smiled, and didn't explain.
He cleared his throat, attracting everyone's attention, and then, in an unquestionable tone, began to issue the final battle orders.
"Alright, everyone stop arguing. Now, listen to my arrangements."
"At 3 PM, everyone, gather punctually at the abandoned warehouse in the south of the city!"
"Izaki, you take fifty of our best fighters and go with me through the main entrance to lure that idiot Onizuka out for me!"
"Tokaji, you take fifty men and flank them from the back and side doors of the warehouse, blocking their retreat for me!"
"Serizawa, you and Makise, both of you take twenty men each and climb onto the beams on the warehouse roof!"
He paused, an extremely evil smile on his face.
"Wait for my signal, then… heavily… scatter these 'special seasonings' down!"
"Remember, make sure to… sprinkle it evenly!"
"As for the remaining brothers, stay outside and keep watch for me! Not even a fly is allowed to get out!"
Upon hearing this, Makise finally understood!
He looked at the hundreds of bags of bright red chili powder and imagined the miserable scene of over two hundred bosozoku next afternoon, choking, snot flowing, and rolling on the ground.
He couldn't help but shiver.
Damn it!
This is too insidious, isn't it?!
If this is scattered, those guys, let alone fighting, probably won't even be able to open their eyes, and can only let our people, with sticks, beat them like dogs!
Where the hell is this a fight?
This is clearly a one-sided… massacre!
After Makise understood.
He walked over to Sasaki Yu, gave him a thumbs-up, and sincerely praised him:
"Xiao Yu, you're good!"
Sasaki Yu proudly lifted his head, patted his chest, and said in an extremely proud tone:
"Of course! I am… the Ace!"
Xiao Yu Cartoon Version
...3 PM, abandoned warehouse in the south of the city.
Onizuka, with about two hundred men, rode motorcycles in a grand procession to the warehouse entrance.
He looked at the dilapidated and desolate abandoned warehouse before him, then at the vast crowd behind him, and an extremely arrogant smile appeared on his face.
He spat his cigarette butt onto the ground, stomped it out with his foot, then laughed unrestrainedly towards the sky.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Brothers! Today, let these guys who don't know their place learn who the real rules are!"
"Once we take care of them all, the spot the boss promised will be mine!"
"Then, Onizuka's good days will come!!"