Chapter Thirty-Five: The Uprising (Part Six)

Wuyun pulled up his collar and pressed the brim of his cap down firmly before stepping out of the alleyway, heading toward a large mansion in the distance.

Had this been in Hanjing, such attire in the middle of summer would have been somewhat conspicuous. Fortunately, this was Kyoto, where the streets were filled with people dressed in all manner of ways, ensuring he attracted no sideways glances. More importantly, this was not a densely populated area.

Although it was situated in the heart of Kyoto’s bustling Shinjuku district, the sprawling, traditional estate was cordoned off by four narrow alleys. The high walls and the glimpses of pavilions peeking over them gave the residence a sense of "finding tranquility amidst the noise," while the black-clad men patrolling the four alleys made ordinary citizens view the place with dread.

In truth, even without the presence of these men, few—especially the locals—would ever want to approach this house. Because its master was none other than Kiyoshi Ezaki!

As the second-in-command of the Jiao Long Society and the only underworld titan capable of rivaling Ken Fujiyama, he had always been renowned for his iron-fisted, bloody, and violent methods. While he claimed to submit to Fujiyama’s leadership, he was, in reality, the high-ranking official most dissatisfied with Fujiyama’s moderate, gradualist approach to power.

During the years Fujiyama was imprisoned, Ezaki seized the opportunity to expand his own influence. In terms of brute force, he had grown strong enough to potentially overshadow Fujiyama. Had Fujiyama not maintained such a deep grip on the Society’s economic lifeline, his position might well have been usurped by Ezaki long before he was ever released.

Naturally, ordinary people wanted nothing to do with such an underworld boss. As a result, these alleys were almost always deserted.

Today, however, the situation was vastly different. The black-clad men patrolling the alleys were shocked to discover a menacing group charging toward them from outside the alleys, brandishing machetes and handguns.

"What do you think you're doing!" one of the guards bellowed.

"Thwip!" A bullet flew from an unknown source, punching a bloody hole through his forehead. The guard’s cry of pain was cut short as he fell backward, blood spraying instantly across the ground.

The sudden attack caused the guards' eyes to turn bloodshot. A voice screamed, "The Inaka-kai! It’s the Inaka-kai! Enemy attack—"

The guards scrambled to pull out their handguns, seeking cover and firing back at the rushing crowd. From the opposing side, someone shouted, "Avenge our fallen brothers! Wipe out the Jiao Long Society!" A chorus of voices echoed the cry, and the group surged forward with wild shouts.

The intense exchange of fire caused both sides to lose all sense of judgment. They failed to notice that both shouts had originated from the same person. Seeing their comrades falling around them unleashed their pent-up rage, and soon, bullets were flying everywhere, the air filled with a continuous, deafening roar of gunfire.

The fierce shootout thoroughly alarmed Kiyoshi Ezaki inside the mansion.

With his signature pencil-thin mustache and a face full of coarse, fleshy features—looking more like a common thug than an underworld tycoon—the head of the Jiao Long Society’s Black Tiger Hall was currently trying to force a smile while engaged in deep conversation with a visitor in a sharp suit.

Hours earlier, when he sent his subordinate to participate in the welcome for Ken Fujiyama’s release, Ezaki had already prepared for a falling-out. He knew that Fujiyama, who had managed to maintain control over the Society’s finances from prison for five years and even doubled its economic empire, would not leave him much room to continue growing his own power. Only by striking a heavy blow while Fujiyama was busy and had yet to find his footing could he seize the position of leader he had dreamed of, allowing the Jiao Long Society to follow his own vision down a new path.

Yet, he never expected that shortly after, Fujiyama would deliver that speech.

"Fool! Scoundrel! Traitor!" Ezaki roared in his reception room.

For over a century, the Jiao Long Society had been deeply involved in major military and political affairs, providing talent and intelligence to the Imperial Army. When had they ever prioritized anything other than the Empire's will and interests? To say nothing else, in less than a decade, they had funded and orchestrated the overthrow of the Ulyanov dynasty by the Susroman empire and the Chaknasamar dynasty by Song Yixian, throwing these two major neighbors into chaos and securing immense benefits for the Jepon Empire.

And now, what was that pig saying? He was actually criticizing the Empire's efforts to normalize the state and the military, accusing the Empire of heading toward fascism!

This was an act of naked betrayal. Even killing him a thousand times would not wash away his sins!

At the same time, Ezaki felt a glimmer of joy: his chance had arrived! Fujiyama’s actions would undoubtedly make him a thorn in the side of Prime Minister Kishi, who would be desperate to eliminate him. When that time came, as long as he made his move, the supreme power of the Jiao Long Society would surely fall into his hands!

Just as he was basking in these thoughts, the fierce gunfire erupted outside.

Ezaki slammed his hand on the table and strode outdoors, shouting at his subordinates who were rushing out of the yard: "Take them down! Kill them all!"

"Bang!" A bullet flew, striking the head of Renhe Komura—a key aide to Kishi Nobusuke’s top confidant, Oono Tsukasa—who had followed Ezaki out. He collapsed instantly.

Immediately after, Ezaki felt a sharp pain in his right arm as a bullet tore through his forearm, the casing clattering to the floor. Then, a dozen grenades flew into the yard, exploding with a series of thunderous blasts.

Amidst the billowing smoke, debris, and shrapnel, Ezaki roared like a beast: "Kill them! Kill them all! All branches, attack! I want everyone from the Inaka-kai to die!"

Five hundred meters away, in the restroom on the 12th floor of an office building, Lei Dong put away his S1 small-caliber sniper rifle that had been mounted on the windowsill. He whispered "Retreat" into his comms, walked out the door, and strolled away calmly.

In his earpiece, Wuyun’s playful chuckle sounded: "Boss, I still have two grenades left in my pocket!"

Lei Dong shook his head slightly. That guy Wuyun was always so unreliable!

However, the development of the situation left Lei Dong thoroughly satisfied. With those final two shots and the subsequent explosions, and with Ezaki’s beastly roar of a command, his first strategic objective had been successfully achieved: the largest gang riot in Jepon history was now unstoppable.