Tokyo: Parasite

Chapter 401 171: Awakening (Happy New Year's Eve)

"I'm sorry, Prime Minister. Director Noguchi is currently receiving intensive treatment and is not open to visitors."

Kuroki Shinizumi meticulously rejected Abe Koichi's request for a visit, neither showing timidity nor strong confidence, as if he was stating an ordinary fact.

Abe Kangyi hummed lightly, trying to read something from Kuroki's face, and changed the subject: "Director Kuroki, have you been back to the family recently?"

"I have severed my relationship with the Kuroki family. Apart from the last name Kuroki, I have no relationship with the Kuroki family. You should know this."

"Well, I understand. But no matter what, I think your father still hopes that you can return to the family and take over the many new businesses they have started."

"That's his business. I have many brothers and sisters, so there will always be someone who can take up the responsibility."

"Well, I've heard a lot of bad rumors recently. I don't want Japan, which has just regained a little peace, to fall into the vortex of civil strife again. What do you think?" Abe Yasushi raised his hand and looked at the time.

Kuroki had a different view: "If the legacy of Japan can be cleared away once and for all, some turmoil can be tolerated, don't you think, Prime Minister?"

Abe stared at Kuroki's expressionless face and nodded slowly: "Of course I will not interfere with your practice, and I believe that you can handle the current problems internally. However, it is a fact that the Emperor was deceived by those remnants. I also met with him and asked him not to contact outsiders in the past few months."

"Maybe." Hei Mu was ambiguous and did not make any promise not to settle the score later.

Abe stood up and left. After he walked out of the Special Affairs Bureau and got into the special car, his face showed a little doubt.

So, is Noguchi really so patient and so determined to completely strangle the last bit of opposition within the organization?
Or is he really so seriously injured and dying that he can't even complete the assignment?
"Go to the Imperial Palace." He has been going to the Emperor more often recently, one reason being to prevent the Emperor from doing anything irrational, and the other being to test Noguchi.

After the collapse of those big chaebol families, he had no choice but to ally with the emperor even if he didn't like the emperor. Especially since America seemed to care less and less about him, as if it treated him as a pawn, or as if the whole of Japan was a pawn, completely ceded to the Holy Infant Society and the Special Affairs Bureau, acting as if it didn't want to take care of small matters but couldn't take care of big matters.

Then if he wants to avoid being liquidated, he can only make a living on his own.
Otherwise, when the next prime minister comes to power, it will probably completely become the Special Affairs Bureau.

Therefore, he must seize every possible opportunity to turn the tables. For example, the morale of the people in the Special Affairs Bureau has been unstable recently, and many newly joined extraordinary people have tried to replace the old ones to become the new core, and Abe and the Emperor are the external forces they are most actively looking for.

At first, Abe didn't dare to touch it at all, thinking that this was just the bait thrown by Noguchi.

But now, he has also begun to communicate indirectly and secretly through others to obtain more information from within the Special Affairs Bureau.

But even so, he still couldn't tell whether Noguchi was really unconscious or faking his injury.

After all, if he makes a wrong bet, his life will probably be over.

He could only hint at those who were ready to make a move and let them put the temptation into practice.

He believed it was the right thing to do, not only for himself but also for Japan.

Once Takeshi Noguchi completes the integration of the Special Affairs Bureau, he will have the final say in the entire Japan.

Especially now that even foreign supernatural beings only recognize the Special Affairs Bureau, he, as the prime minister, has basically no sense of existence.

This is a very dangerous signal. Takeshi Noguchi may not show any dictatorial temperament at the moment, but no one can guarantee that he will not do so in the future. Only the checks and balances of power can provide the safest balance.

Just as the vehicle arrived at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Abe Koichi came back to his senses from his thoughts and got out of the car.

"Your Majesty Prime Minister!"

As soon as I got out of the car, an assistant from another car trotted over with an anxious look on his face, holding a tablet in his hand.

He leaned close to Abe's ear and said, "Mr. Abe, just now, Takeshi Noguchi made a public appearance."

Abe was in a trance, his back suddenly covered in cold sweat. Looking at the imperial palace in front of him, he felt both disappointed and relieved.

"Go back. Go back to the Prime Minister's residence."

Several black luxury cars came and went in a hurry, and before all the people had landed, they immediately turned around and returned.

Abe didn't even dare to meet the emperor and say hello before leaving.

"I hope those idiots haven't carried out the so-called test yet," Abe thought to himself.

Earlier, the safe house.

Noguchi Takeshi, who had been lying in the hospital bed for who knows how many days, finally moved his eyelashes.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, and with a confused look he sorted out the chaotic information in his mind.

Sumitomo Shunsuke's conspiracy, the mysterious ladder to heaven, the so-called heaven.
A complex stream of information quickly passed through his mind, and he touched his heart, where the beating was strong and powerful.

"The origin of the star. Test?"

He didn't know how long he had been unconscious. Judging from his mental state, he just felt that he had a good sleep.

I had a long dream that I will remember vividly.

His expression changed and he looked towards the door. Soon, he saw a distorted space and time. Then, Toyokawa Kamikichi came out with a look of surprise on his face.

"Boss!! You finally woke up!"

Because of excitement, Fengchuan's voice became shrill, his face turned red, and his hands waved wildly.

In the past, Noguchi could not see the fluctuations caused by Toyokawa using his abilities, but now, perhaps because of his heart, he can observe them.

"How long have I been in a coma?"

Noguchi removed the needle from his body and touched his stubble, which was quite long.

"It's been at least twenty days. We even invited Hedwig here, but we still don't know why you were in a coma! Fortunately, you woke up in time. I heard that Director Kuroki in the bureau is a little overwhelmed by those new people. No, I have to tell Director Kuroki the news immediately."

Toyokawa took out the communication device, but was interrupted by Noguchi.

"No need, I'll go there myself." Noguchi could imagine how many people would make wild guesses about his coma of more than 20 days. Only if he showed up in person as soon as possible could the problem be solved.

He was not interested in fishing in such a self-destructive way. He was not a tyrant. In his opinion, those wavering extraordinary people could be subdued by other better means. Although luring the snake out of its hole could certainly kill it more cleanly in one go, it would also cause panic among the people and make the newly born Moon Initiators afraid to join the Special Affairs Bureau.

In the long run, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

The battle for unification with the Mother Goddess is not over yet. As long as there is no clear-cut rebellion, every extraordinary person who can be won over will be a cannon fodder.

Toyokawa was stunned for a moment, but he quickly adapted to it. He was used to obeying Noguchi's orders.

"Boss, don't you need to take a rest? I think those who have been lying in bed for a few days need to recover after getting out of bed."

Noguchi shook his head and clenched his fists: "My condition is better than ever before. It seems that I have to visit Sumitomo Shunsuke's grave and thank him for everything he has done."

Fengchuan shrugged: "Well, it seems that there is nothing left of that guy."

"That's why I'm thankful to him." Noguchi put on the clothes beside the bed, wiped his chin with his palm, and the nonsense fell into powder. "If he still had half a leg, I would throw him on the treadmill and let him run for a month."

God knows how many steps he climbed.

Fengchuan didn't understand, but wisely didn't interrupt. "Let's go." Noguchi stretched out his hand and put it on Fengchuan's shoulder, imagining that they would take a ride in the different space as they did in the past.

But this time, Fengchuan's face turned red and he didn't move at all.

"Boss, I can't seem to carry you anymore." Toyokawa used all his strength to shit, and was sure that he could not carry Noguchi into the void.

It seemed that during the period of coma, the boss had undergone a second development, and his strength soared to the same level as William.

He couldn't lead William either.

Noguchi was not too surprised. After taking a look at the layout of the safe house, he quickly came up with the corresponding information in his mind.

"This place is not far from the headquarters, let's drive over."

When they drove to the headquarters of the Special Affairs Bureau, they happened to encounter a group of a dozen new-style extraordinary Moon Awakeners who were leaving the training ground and walking towards the building.

"What are you going to do?" Fengchuan patted someone on the shoulder and asked.

"Looking for Chief Kuroki." The man didn't see Noguchi, who had half of his body leaning into the security room. When he saw that the person asking the question was Toyokawa, he looked alert, but did not hide anything.

Fengchuan glanced at the faces of these people, raised his eyebrows, and raised his voice: "So many people went to see Director Kuroki, what do they want to do? Can't they tell Captain Saga?"

"It's because Captain Saga has not given us an answer!" The leader of these people walked in front of Toyokawa. He was older than Toyokawa, but there were not many people in the Special Affairs Bureau who were younger than Toyokawa.

"We all joined the Special Affairs Bureau because we believed in Director Noguchi, but Captain Saga and Director Kuroki have been preventing us from visiting Director Noguchi. Senior Toyokawa, I know you are on Director Kuroki's side and maybe you know something. We all really care about Director Noguchi's safety. If you still consider us a member of the Special Affairs Bureau, you should let us meet Director Noguchi now!"

The leader spoke righteously and looked loyal.

Half an hour ago, Fengchuan could only avoid the question and use the art of language to make these people give up the idea.

But now, the boss you are looking for is right behind me, and my confidence is overflowing.

"Do you really want to meet Director Noguchi so much?" Toyokawa asked playfully.

"It's natural!"

"So, you have seen me, is that enough?" Takeshi Noguchi walked over from the security room, his face calm. He glanced calmly at the dozen or so people, memorizing their faces in his mind.

“Director Noguchi!!”

The leader opened his mouth wide, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

"What? Do you suspect I'm fake?" Noguchi stared at him, his invisible aura of pressure spreading. The momentum of the dozen or so people in front of him was completely suppressed by Noguchi alone. His eyes were panicked and cold sweat was pouring down his face.

The leader quickly shook his head: "No, no! Director Noguchi, I'm so glad you're okay! We all want to visit you this month, and remember your teachings every moment--"

"Alright. Are you still going to look for Kuroki?"

"No more, no more."

"It's two o'clock in the afternoon. If the regulations haven't changed, and there are no missions scheduled, now should be the afternoon team combat training time. What are you still doing here?"

"Yes! Quick! Let's go back to training! Being lazy is shameful, training is glorious! Chief Noguchi, let's go back to training now!"

The leader and a group of people ran towards the training ground in a hurry.

Noguchi just looked at them until their backs disappeared one by one.

That’s good, at least we now have candidates for the assault team on Iki Island.

"What is the current situation on Iki Island?"

"The white fog has begun to appear again sporadically. The troops are huddled on the island in the southwest and are on the defensive."

As expected, their strength alone cannot put too much pressure on the existence behind the Mother Goddess's integration. Even for the so-called counterattack, they have to find the right time and place.

The period of time when Guan Junyan had his explosion on Iki Island was good, but unfortunately there was a shortage of manpower, the remnants of the traditional faction were still causing chaos, and they could not organize a large-scale counterattack.

It is barely organized now, but the Mother Goddess's unity has obviously recovered.

Opportunities are like this, fleeting.

Noguchi looked towards the entrance of the building. Kuroki Shinizumi had already gone downstairs and was looking at him quietly from a distance of more than ten meters.

"Boss, how about I go first?" Fengchuan understood the air.

Noguchi opened his mouth, but the words were stuck in his throat and he waved his hand.

Fengchuan left quickly.

"Why didn't you call me before you woke up?" Kuroki said with a smile, but his words were filled with complaints.

".I saw that we were close, so I rushed over to tell you that the time is about the same." Noguchi looked at his watch. It was only a little more than ten minutes before he woke up.

Kuroki sighed, "Can't you just give me a surprise or something?"

"Give it a surprise." Noguchi nodded.

"."

Accustomed to Noguchi's man-machine model, Kuroki didn't care too much.

"Although I have a lot of things to tell you and many people want to meet you first, but in return for your surprise to me, I also have a surprise for you." Kuroki turned around and walked back to the building. Noguchi followed behind him and nodded to his colleagues whom he hadn't seen for a long time as a greeting.

"What surprise?"

"You'll know once you see it in person." Perhaps out of a desire for revenge, Hei Mu was unwilling to say it in advance.

But Noguchi was not that curious. He observed the layout of the bureau and the reactions of those people after seeing him, planning where to start again and get back to work.

Although he now feels very energetic, his concentration seems not as focused as before. He always hears some strange whispers in the distance, disturbing his thoughts.

"Why are you distracted?" At the door of the director's office, Hei Mu looked at him strangely, "Are you sure you are okay?"

"It's okay. I had a long sleep and I feel fine." Noguchi came back to his senses and followed her into the office.

As soon as he entered the room, he found someone sitting on the sofa in the reception area.

Still an acquaintance.

"Director Noguchi." Takashima Yumi stood up, "Takashima Yumi, I request to return to the Special Affairs Bureau."

(End of this chapter)