Tokyo: The Player Behind the Scenes.

Chapter 85.5 Extra: Trivial Matters on the Return to Beijing

On the last day of September, Shin Higashiyama boarded a flight back to Tokyo.

Chiba Shion was a little reluctant to leave, and at this moment she was even able to temporarily overcome her fear of heights and dare to squint one eye to look out the window.

The lavender season in Hokkaido has ended. From the air, all that can be seen is a vast expanse of contrasting colors, with undulating patches of golden yellow and white peaks.

In a short while, as the altitude increased, everything was swallowed up by the sea of ​​clouds, leaving only the flowing scene of clouds and mist being divided by the mountain ridges.

Chiba, pale-faced, pulled down the barrier, and her tense body finally relaxed a little.

"If you want to stay a few more days, that's fine too."

Looking at her profile, Higashiyama Shin realized that Chiba wasn't the type to hold back her opinions.

But after Chiba's mother suggested leaving, she didn't object at all; she just looked at Higashiyama Shin.

Higashiyama Shin knew that she meant she was open to staying or not staying. Considering that Hamasaki Yui was planning to make a big splash in Japan, which would cause some chaos, he preferred to return to Tokyo.

Look how much face he gives to the players below.

“Your judgment has always been correct,” Chiba suddenly said out of the blue.

Higashiyama Shin remained expressionless, knowing that she had developed some kind of doubt about him.

Not surprising.

With Chiba's keen perception, it would be suspicious if he couldn't see anything.

She could vaguely sense that Higashiyama Shin had gradually changed a lot since spring break.

Even though he hid it very well, she could still detect some changes.

For example, the slightly intimate contact during the King's Game and the several badminton matches.

She paid special attention to them, using her eyes and touch to carefully feel the changes in Higashiyama Shin's strength, stamina, and even his skin.

To put it in a more fantastical way, even the smell has changed slightly.

These fragmented pieces of information, combined with the timing of their occurrence and the constant changes in society, gave her a vague idea.

Shin Higashiyama is one of the extraordinary beings, and quite possibly the one who appears and disappears unpredictably, killing countless people.
Demonic mist!

But she had no evidence, and she didn't want to prove anything.

Since Higashiyama Shin didn't tell her on his own initiative, he must have his reasons. What she needs to do is not cause trouble.

The purpose of her saying this is to tell Higashiyama Shin that she has already guessed it, but she will not say it out loud.

This is the tacit understanding between them.

She wasn't afraid of Higashiyama Shin being a serial killer; she believed that she would want to kill anyone Higashiyama Shin wanted to kill.

She's the type of person who, if Higashiyama Shin stabs someone and then hands the knife to her, will stab them a second time.

"By the way, I found a really nice outfit yesterday." Higashiyama Shin changed the subject, took out his phone, and gently placed it in her hand.

Chiba's gaze fell on the phone, fixed on it, unable to look away.

It was a purple lavender wedding dress.

After a while, Chiba lowered her eyes and gave a barely audible "hmm": "It is indeed very beautiful, just like a model."

"That's what I thought too, it's a bit of a waste." Higashiyama Shinichi nodded in agreement, taking his phone back. "Ideally, it would be someone who is 1.62 meters tall, weighs 48 kilograms, and has the following measurements..."

Higashiyama Shin paused for a moment.

“82, 56, 88,” Chiba added earnestly.

“Yes, this standard size should look great on a girl.” Shin Higashiyama said seriously.

All this information combined is practically just a matter of revealing Chiba Shion's personal ID number.

After saying all this, Chiba was in a good mood and chatted with Higashiyama Shin about the movie he watched last night, "Passenger Plane vs. Volcano," discussing its scientific flaws.

Higashiyama sighed. This film is full of flaws. How can you possibly list them all?
Sure enough, they hadn't finished analyzing the unscientific content inside the plane even after it landed.

The passenger in the front seat, however, was sweating profusely as he listened, especially when the plane encountered turbulence and was rocking; he was even composing his last words.

Fortunately, he survived in the end.

I will never fly again!
Narita Airport.

According to past practice, the plane should have landed at Haneda Airport. However, due to the limited coverage of Tokyo Ishijizo statues and the fact that Haneda has not yet fully completed the cleanup of the pollution, Narita Airport, located further east and less affected, has become the only airport in Tokyo currently open to the public.

The downside is that it's not very close to the heart of Tokyo.

"Residents returning to Beijing for the first time, please proceed this way to register."

"Please pay attention to the warning signs and do not step out of the safe zone."

"Each person can receive a Geiger watch for free. Please read the instructions carefully."

There are quite a few people returning to Tokyo; Narita Airport is currently operating at full capacity. Announcements are repeatedly broadcast over and over again, and staff are guiding the disembarking crowd, directing them to different channels based on whether boarding is mandatory.

After registering, the group was asked to download an app, which is essentially a map that tells people about the open and dangerous areas in Tokyo.

There were also buses parked outside, specifically to take them to various districts.

After boarding, passengers will be given some convenience foods, which shows that the authorities are really eager for Tokyo, the heart of Japan, to recover as soon as possible.

Shinichi Higashiyama was certain that this wish would come true. After all, once the demons descended and the public realized that Tokyo was the safest place, they would simply vote with their feet.

Tokyo is the only safe place.

The heart has been revived, but the limbs are paralyzed. It's unclear whether the authorities will accept this.

"Brother, has the school said when classes will start?"

Dongshan asked listlessly.

"It can't be opened." Higashiyama Shin shook his head.

"Then our tuition fees were wasted!" Dongshan Duba raised his voice. "Can we get a refund?"

Higashiyama Shin glanced at this guy sideways; he was actually concerned about tuition fees?
"Are you short of money?"

"No, no! We can't just not give you a refund if you don't go to school!" Dongshan Duyi said righteously.

“I will handle it. Even if the money is refunded, it will be returned to my father’s account. It has nothing to do with you or me.”

"Ah!" His face fell immediately, and he drew out the sound.

After returning to Tokyo, Chiba's mother immediately went into work mode. She took out a tablet, put on glasses and headphones, and started a video conference. Her demeanor was completely different from her usual smiling and gentle wife image.

Chiba Shion kept her eyes on the scene outside the window, nodding slightly from time to time, as if she was studying something.

"Sigh, I used to think Tokyo Tower was too old-fashioned and never went to see it. Now, I can only see it in photos from now on." Dejected, Higashiyama was scrolling through videos when he suddenly sighed.

"You used to be able to go to school, but now you can't. Do you want to go?" Higashiyama Shin replied.

Dongshan was speechless. Going to school is something you enjoy every day you skip it, so why would you miss it? Let's talk about it when the time comes!

"Brother, what you're doing is called... what you call sophistry!"

“Yes, little one, going to school is so great. Once you start working, you’ll realize how happy you were when you were in school,” a balding man joined the conversation with a smile.

Higashiyama Shin merely glanced at him: "Do you like going to work?"

The Mediterranean-looking man's face froze.

This makes it impossible to continue the conversation.

The group returned to the tower apartment building without incident, and in the lobby, they saw the roadblocks that had not yet been removed.

The guard team had a few more members than when they left, and they were fully equipped with shields and batons.

"Chaos, it was absolutely chaotic a while ago." The apartment security captain, Uncle Sakamoto, with a cigarette dangling from his lips and dark circles under his eyes, calmly recounted the various chaotic scenes that followed the eruption of Mount Fuji.

He didn't hold back because Dongshan was a child. He just pointed and said, "On the road you just came from, a woman escaped from somewhere, her clothes disheveled, and was caught and beaten to death. The police didn't come to collect the body until half an hour later."

Dongshan Du's expression shifted dramatically. He glanced back but dared not look back again, afraid of seeing something he shouldn't: "Th-those people escaped?"

Sakamoto smiled and patted his waist. Higashiyama Dotsuya then realized that this security captain was actually armed.

"The bodies the police collected included those few people. I was sleeping at the time, and nobody wanted to get involved. It was Otsuka's manager who woke me up."

Chiba's mother coughed a few times, interrupted, and changed the subject.

"Where's Otsuka, the manager? I haven't seen her."

"Oh, she went to see a friend. Her friend is a widow with children at home, and she's worried about her, so she goes there often. Don't underestimate Otsuka Management; she's very physically fit, and most people wouldn't be a match for her."

Higashiyama Shin looked at Chiba Shion.

She's physically fit, but she's even more skilled with props, practically a weapon master. What good person sleeps with a dagger, stun gun, or pepper spray?

Furthermore, he has considerable expertise in combos involving these items and occasionally studies techniques with Shin Higashiyama.

For example, should you use a stun gun or pepper spray first, or feint with a dagger and then use pepper spray to break through the defense? If you organize your thoughts, you could write a book called "The Art of War".

It's a bit like a bankrupt version of Muramasa Takii.

Chiba stared at the road without saying a word.

"Shen, tell me, is there anyone you like but never had the chance to confess to?" she suddenly murmured.

Dongshan asked earnestly, "Do you want to ask?"

Chiba looked at him, and Higashiyama's eyes reflected her own face. She opened her lips, then closed them again.

"I hope not."

(End of this chapter)