Chapter Nineteen: The President of the Jiaolong Society

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At three o’clock in the early morning, Kyoto still radiated an aura of bustling prosperity. The shimmering lights atop towering skyscrapers, the ceaseless flow of vehicles on the streets, and the occasional passage of heavily made-up urban women all lent the city an indescribable allure.

Yet, just as every beautiful peacock conceals an unsightly tail, every city, no matter how splendid, harbors a dark underbelly. Behind the glittering facades of high-rises lie shadowy alleys, heaps of discarded rubbish, and unspeakable secrets.

Perhaps it was a homeless man, drunk and vomiting in a dim street corner; or a ragged vagrant shivering in the filthy corner of a garbage pile; or tattooed thugs conducting clandestine deals under the yellow haze of street lamps; perhaps the lowest-tier prostitutes or escorts were engaged in unsavory acts in the shadows...

But now, behind the K-Bit Hotel, none of this was happening. Only a stray black cat, its fur matted and unkempt, padded lazily to a pile of trash, casually rummaging through it as if hoping to find some discarded scraps. Occasional disgruntled meows escaped its mouth. Suddenly, the cat’s bristly fur stood on end, its body arched sharply before curling tightly to the ground, motionless.

With a sharp “snap,” several dim streetlights flickered out, plunging the alley into deeper darkness. Silhouettes radiating lethal intent darted past the trembling cat.

After a long moment, the cat nervously lifted its head, glanced around warily, then bolted away from the ominous place.

Those figures were none other than Lei Dong and his comrades.

At the alley’s exit, two battered unlicensed pickup trucks stood ready—vehicles Li Yongzheng had procured from somewhere for the team’s use. The members swiftly climbed in, and with a low rumble, the engines ignited.

Two minutes later, Bei Shiliang leapt out from the alley carrying a military laptop and jumped into the lead truck.

“Boss, the alley’s streetlights will return to normal in thirty seconds. The preset program will expire in one minute. The hotel’s computer servers will be fully restored, leaving no trace of the intrusion. It’s clean—don’t worry!”

Lei Dong nodded and slammed his foot on the accelerator. The two pickups sped off into the night, one after the other. Behind them, the streetlights flickered back on with a snap...

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June 7, 2030, early morning, 8 a.m., Kyoto Central Prison.

The prison’s main gate opened onto a lonely, narrow road stretching into the distance. This road was almost entirely separate from Kyoto’s traffic network—being the only route from the outside world to the prison’s front gate. Only about a kilometer away did this road connect with another, gradually merging into Kyoto’s dense urban grid.

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Perhaps for this reason, the area was usually extremely secluded. Aside from occasional visits by prisoners’ relatives, few wished to come to such a remote and ominous place.

Yet today, the street was packed with people, some of whom had been queuing since midnight.

Most clutched multicolored microphones or carried cameras of various sizes emblazoned with different media logos; at worst, they held voice recorders, jostling through the crowd.

No matter how fiercely they jostled or even resorted to foul play to secure a better spot, none dared approach the black Lexus LS 800 ultra-luxury car parked at the prison gate, nor the four equally sumptuous vehicles surrounding it. It was as if some terrifying beast lurked inside these cars. They even left enough space for the vehicles to maneuver freely.

In front of the sleek black luxury cars stood sixteen men in black suits, short-haired and brawny, their gazes cold and serious. Upon closer inspection, faint glimpses of blue tattoos could be seen on their bodies, and some had fingers deliberately severed on their hands resting on their abdomens.

Yakuza! The standard garb of Japan’s underworld! The large badges worn on their chests further confirmed their identity: members of the Koryu-kai!

Ordinarily arrogant and domineering Yakuza, along with countless media reporters, had gathered on this usually desolate street for one reason only—today, the eighth-generation head of Koryu-kai, Fujiyama Ken, would be released from prison in half an hour!

Even in Japan’s deeply entrenched criminal underworld, Fujiyama Ken was a legendary figure.

Born in a remote town in the Hanshin region, he moved to Nagoya after high school and joined the Koryu-kai’s Motoda faction around 2001. He earned the favor of the faction leader, Motoda Mitsutake. Soon after, Fujiyama was appointed Wakagashira, the designated heir, of the Motoda faction. However, he was later imprisoned for killing a rival group’s officer and was not released until 2013.

In 2014, soon after his release, the Koryu-kai was thrown into turmoil following the death of the sixth-generation leader, Kiokata Yuichi. Internal factional strife caused a split, and Motoda Mitsutake quietly retired, handing leadership to Fujiyama Ken.

Seizing this opportunity, Fujiyama used the remaining Motoda faction forces to strike aggressively, employing various tactics to consolidate much of the Koryu-kai’s power. He became a core member and aide to the seventh-generation leader, Watanabe Otoko.

In 2019, the Japanese government enacted the Anti-Boryokudan Act to curb gang activity. Under these circumstances, Watanabe adopted Fujiyama’s advice to avoid direct conflict with the police, encouraging members to engage more in finance and other legitimate sectors, abandoning street turf wars, thus completing a major strategic transformation of the Koryu-kai.

In 2021, Watanabe announced his retirement due to “poor health.” Fujiyama, known for his ruthlessness and extraordinary talent, skillfully unified the faction and succeeded him as the eighth-generation leader.

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Upon assuming leadership, Fujiyama revealed his true, fearsome nature. Publicly, he continued the path of corporate-style legalization and legitimization, but behind the scenes, he sought to transform the Koryu-kai into a deeply political organization.

To this end, he did not hesitate to employ framing, arson, and looting tactics, directing hostility towards the neighboring Chakuna Republic. He openly declared intentions to revive Japan’s “Greater Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere” and orchestrated numerous violent attacks against Chakunans.

His actions resonated with Japan’s right-wing factions, especially gaining favor from then-Interior Minister and current Prime Minister, Kishi Shinzo. With the backing of the powerful Kishi family, Fujiyama’s moves grew brazen. To expand the Koryu-kai’s territory and influence, he even plotted a massive gang war against the Inazumi-kai, resulting in Japan’s largest recorded Yakuza battle, involving approximately 12,000 participants. According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, Fujiyama had a lengthy criminal record and was deemed “extremely dangerous”—it was rumored he personally shot four “enemies” during that conflict.

However, in 2025, Fujiyama was sentenced to five years in prison for involvement in the murder of a small Inazumi-kai leader, under the then-ruling conservative government.

Despite imprisonment, when many expected the Koryu-kai to fall into a “leaderless” decline, Fujiyama astonishingly continued to remotely command the organization. He issued orders to purge the Yamaguchi-gumi faction within the group.

Knowing he would be imprisoned for several more years, he established an “Executive Department” to temporarily manage the Koryu-kai and created the position of “cadre.” He also introduced an identification badge system: members wore neat suits and ties with large badges—larger than ordinary employee ID cards, roughly passport-sized—to distinguish themselves from regular office workers. Additionally, he instituted a “scholarship” system, enabling “top-performing” members to study abroad in the Euro Federation or Minia Federation, returning home to assume important roles. Many said Fujiyama was practically a “CEO” even behind bars.

After the internal purge, Fujiyama ordered his subordinates to expand their territories aggressively while increasing financial, political, and media support for Kishi Shinzo. Three years ago, this helped propel Kishi to the prime ministership.

With Kishi’s overt and covert backing, the Koryu-kai’s influence expanded rapidly, now nearing assets worth a hundred billion yen, with members spread across Japan, wielding deep influence in politics, the military, finance, and entertainment—truly a superpower.

In a nation where strength reigns supreme, Fujiyama had become an icon for a generation. Countless people praised him; countless others were swayed by his charisma. To the impulsive youth, this crime boss held an unassailable, exalted status, surpassing even the prime minister.

Now, this “legend” was about to walk free from prison. What would he say? What impact would his return have on society? At the very least, would he launch another massive retaliation against the Inazumi-kai?

Under the gaze of countless onlookers, the clock hand slowly pointed to 8:30 a.m.

The iron gates of Kyoto Central Prison creaked open.

“He’s coming out… he’s coming out…” The crowd stirred, then a cacophony of ringing phones erupted, piercing the narrow street like a storm.