Chapter 30: The Uprising (Part I)

"Bang!"

A rustic, rounded celadon teacup smashed against the floor, shattering instantly.

This was the third cup the Prime Minister had broken within the last half hour. This particular piece, a masterpiece by the thousand-year-old Japanese "Tea Saint" Master Sen-i, was a rare treasure in the world of tea ceremony and one of the Prime Minister’s most cherished possessions. Yet now, it had been smashed without a second thought, a testament to the Prime Minister’s towering rage.

The aide swept up the broken porcelain and retreated from the office, trembling, feeling as though the oppressive atmosphere there made it nearly impossible to breathe.

He wondered what could have possessed the Eighth Generation leader of the Jiaolong Society to release such a statement. It was no wonder the Prime Minister was furious. The aide sighed; he had never seen anyone emerge unscathed from the Prime Minister’s wrath. Whenever he recalled the vicious, ruthless methods the Prime Minister used against "traitors," he began to lament the future of that notorious gang leader.

"That buffoon! What does he think he is doing?" Kishi Nobusuke roared. Sitting across from him was his most trusted high-ranking official, Deputy Minister of Defense Ono Tsukasa Take-no-rin, a short, stocky man with a face full of thick, fleshy features.

Ono Tsukasa Take-no-rin understood Kishi’s anger perfectly.

Kishi and Fujiyama Ken had reached a recent agreement: Fujiyama was to mobilize the forces of the Jiaolong Society to incite public sentiment in Japan, muddying the waters to provide support for Kishi’s push for "national normalization" and the normalization of the military, while Kishi would provide convenience for the syndicate's growth. But no one expected that just two hours after his release from prison, Fujiyama Ken would execute a 180-degree turn, pointing his finger directly at Kishi Nobusuke and hurling insults. How could Kishi, a man who loathed betrayal to his core, not be driven to madness?

But as a confidant, Ono knew deep down that what truly enraged the Prime Minister, whose eyes were currently burning with fire, was not just the betrayal itself, but the severe setback to his grand plan.

For the three years since he took office, Kishi had been pushing his policy of amending the pacifist constitution and shifting the military’s "exclusively defensive" strategy. This was the very foundation upon which the youngest Prime Minister in history had won the election. If he failed to push it through, his political life would suffer a devastating blow.

Originally, after reaching the agreement with Fujiyama, Kishi had a complete plan to incite public opinion. By combining the official power he held with the underground influence of the Jiaolong Society, he intended to pour fuel on the already far-right-leaning public sentiment. It would be enough to spark a massive constitutional amendment movement across Japan, ensuring his agenda passed through the Diet, paving the way toward the glorious path of restoring the supreme honor of the "Greater Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere."

Kishi Nobusuke himself would then leap to become the most powerful, accomplished, and greatest Prime Minister of the post-war era, etched into the annals of Japanese history!

By the grace of the Imperial Gods, at this critical moment, the new leader of that powerful neighboring country had launched an unprecedented cross-border military operation. This provided Kishi’s plan with evidence more persuasive than any rhetoric—what better proof was there of the threat posed by that evil red republic than such large-scale military action?

As for whether this operation was actually aimed at combating terrorism, who cared? In this world, had there been any shortage of politicians who had done things far more deceptive and misleading?

Kishi Nobusuke had made the right choice almost immediately. He held a press conference, delivered a highly manipulative speech, and ordered Ono to deploy numerous undercover intelligence agents and spies to incite the public and build momentum for his rhetoric. Within a few hours, they had successfully orchestrated several massive demonstrations, brandishing slogans like "Oppose Aggression" and "Japan Must Be a Normal Country," sparking a wave of protests in major cities like Kyoto and Hanshin against the ancient neighbor.

Now, in the fifth-floor office of the Prime Minister's residence, looking through the window, Ono could clearly see the protest crowds shouting slogans as they swept through the streets. Just ten minutes ago, Ono had witnessed the desperate fanaticism, the overconfident self-assurance, and the joy of imminent victory in Kishi’s eyes.

As the second-in-command of the Japanese Ministry of Defense and the actual director of military intelligence, Ono knew how much power and resources Kishi had invested in this operation, and he understood its massive significance. Yet, at this very moment, Fujiyama Ken’s statement had introduced an unpredictable variable, acting like a bucket of cold water dumped over Kishi Nobusuke’s head!

Thinking of the Jiaolong Society’s vast organization—over 100,000 members, their status as idols to the younger generation of Japanese, and their influence behind the scenes in the media—Ono gasped inwardly. If those words were truly his stance, then...

"Ring-ring—" The special private line rang. Ono quickly answered, responding with nods and murmurs. Kishi stopped his roaring, staring tensely at the phone in Ono’s hand.

Less than a minute later, Ono hung up, his face grim. Kishi asked hurriedly, "Is there a result?" He was so nervous that his voice trembled slightly.

"Yes, Prime Minister, there is," Ono said, hesitating as he chose his words. "Technicians analyzed it; the audio characteristics match one hundred percent, and there are no signs of editing. We can confirm the words in the audio were indeed spoken by Fujiyama Ken himself."

Ono noticed that with every word he spoke, Kishi’s face grew darker. As soon as he finished, Kishi slammed his fist onto the massive desk.

"Baka!"

With the angry curse and a loud "bang," the office supplies on the desk jumped high into the air. A gold fountain pen rolled onto the floor with a metallic clatter.

But soon, Kishi regained his composure, at least on the surface. As a seasoned politician, he knew that since things had reached this point, anger was useless. The most important thing now was how to solve the problem.

"Have you contacted him personally?"

"No. The phone goes unanswered, and his mobile is switched off."

"Bastard! Contact Jiangzhen Qingsi immediately. Tell him I will support him in taking leadership of the Jiaolong Society." Kishi’s face was still dark enough to squeeze water from, but his voice sounded steady. "Send men to Fujiyama’s castle at once. If he refuses to retract his statement, then..." Kishi swept his right hand across his throat.

"Hai!"