Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Chapter 162 Underground Meeting Place [Sixth Update, Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Kiryu Yaya sat down at the table.

He followed Kuroda Shuichi and inserted his membership card into the card slot next to the screen.

The screen lit up.

Kiryu Yaya looked down.

The screen is divided into three areas.

On the left is a vertical menu displaying different functional modules: "Points Inquiry", "Trading Hall", "Information Auction", "Asset Listing", and "Member Directory".

In the middle is the main display area, where real-time transaction information is scrolling, with a format similar to what he sees on the big screen.

On the right is the personal account information, showing his/her membership number, membership date, and points balance.

Because Kiryu Yaya just joined the group.

The points column will naturally be 0.

"You need to redeem or earn points yourself."

Shuichi Kuroda's voice came from the other end: "New members have zero points. You can buy points from the secret service with cash; 10,000 yen gets you one point."

"You can also exchange information for points. Submit valuable information to the affairs bureau, and after evaluation, they will convert it into points for you."

Kiryu Yaya shifted his gaze from his points balance: "President Kuroda, how many points do you have now?"

Kuroda paused for a moment, seemingly surprised by the direct question, then chuckled softly.

"Not much, just over ten thousand. I've used some of it over the past few years, otherwise it would have been more."

A little over ten thousand.

Kiryu Yaya quickly did the mental calculation.

If calculated at a ratio of 10,000 yen to 1 point, Kuroda Shuichi has spent at least 100 million yen in cash on the East Asia Co-operation Association over the years.

Of course, a portion of it should also be points earned by exchanging information.

Even so, this number is enough to demonstrate the depth of his commitment to the organization.

"Kiryu-kun, look at the middle column."

Shuichi Kuroda raised his chin, gesturing for him to look at the main display area of ​​the screen.

Kiryu Yaya's gaze fell on the scrolling transaction information.

The format of each message is very consistent:

[Information Type: Real Estate Collateral Appraisal | Provider: Member ID TKS-OS-0623 | Desired Points: 15]

Status: Tradeable

[Intelligence Type: Change in Financing Review Standards (Mitsubishi) | Provider: Member ID TKS-TK-00009 | Desired Points: 80P | Status: Tradeable]

[Information Type: List of Share Guarantee Targets | Provider: Member ID TKS-0S-00541 | Desired Points: 120P | Status: In Progress]

【————】

Kiryu Yaya's gaze lingered on the second message for a moment.

TKS—TK—00009.

This number is very early, which means that this member joined very early.

The information he was most intrigued by was the "Change in Financing Review Standards (Mitsubishi)".

Someone is selling information about changes in Mitsubishi Bank's internal credit policies within the East Asia Group.

Shuichi Kuroda noticed his gaze.

"You saw it?"

He lowered his voice slightly: "The benchmark adjustment by the Mitsubishi Bank headquarters' review department will mean that it will take at least one to two weeks before the official documents are available."

"But in the East China Chamber of Commerce, people were already selling them as early as three days ago."

"In the information-driven financial era, the absence of information channels like the East China Sea Economic Cooperation Center is as tragic as charging a tank with a pitchfork."

This analogy is very accurate.

Kiryu Yaya nodded and asked, "Will the secret service verify the authenticity of this information?"

Shuichi Kuroda replied, "Yes, but not every one will be verified."

"The Bureau has an evaluation mechanism that determines whether verification is required based on the provider's historical credit rating, the scope of the information's impact, and its verifiability."

"Information provided by members with high credit ratings is usually not scrutinized in detail by the secretariat."

"What if the information is false?"

"Providers' credit ratings will drop, and in severe cases, their memberships will be revoked. But so far, I haven't heard of anyone being fired for providing false information."

Shuichi Kuroda smiled, a smile tinged with a detached indifference: "Here, the value of information lies not in its truthfulness, but in who said it."

"A member with a high credit rating saying that a certain bank is going to tighten credit is more convincing than ten members with low credit ratings providing solid evidence."

"This is the logic of the Eastern Consolidation Association."

Kiryu Yaya turned his gaze from the screen to the back of his membership card.

Member ID: TKS—OS—00876.

After Kuroda Shuichi's explanation, he now understands the composition of this number.

The preceding "TKS" stands for East Shokai, "TK" refers to the Tokyo area, and "OS" refers to the Osaka area.

"00876" means that he is the 876th member to join in the Osaka area.

"President Kuroda, what is my credit rating?"

"New members start with a credit rating of D."

Shuichi Kuroda said, "From top to bottom, they are C, B, A, and S."

"Leveling up mainly depends on two things: first, completing enough point transactions within the Eastern Affairs Bureau; and second, having the information you provide assessed as high-value by the Bureau. Your current points are zero, so—"

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was already clear.

Kiryu Yaya nodded, showing no disappointment.

Just then, Shuichi Kuroda received a phone call.

He took out his phone, and Kiryu Yaya recognized it as an NEC DP211.

This is currently the lightest mobile phone on the market, yet it still weighs close to 300 grams.

The device itself costs over 400,000 yen, and call charges are calculated by the second. With the monthly fee and call charges, it easily exceeds 100,000 yen.

For salaried workers earning 200,000 to 300,000 yuan a month, a mobile phone can be seen as a symbol of status.

As soon as Kuroda Shuichi answered the phone, he hummed twice and his expression immediately turned serious. He then said to Kiryu Yaya, "I have some other things to do tonight, so I won't be able to keep you company. Contact me anytime if you need anything."

Shuichi Kuroda has already done more than enough by staying with him for so long.

Kiryu Yaya stood up and bowed slightly: "Thank you, President Kuroda."

"Don't mention it."

Shuichi Kuroda waved his hand: "You are now a formal member of the East Association. From now on, we are all on the same side. If you want to go back, just return the way you came. If you get lost, find a staff member and they will take you out."

Kiryu Yaya nodded.

Shuichi Kuroda left first.

He walked through the central passage of the hall and returned along the same route.

Kiryu Yaya withdrew his gaze and began to stroll slowly through the trading hall.

There were about twenty semi-circular high tables in the hall, and about thirty people were sitting there at the moment.

Everyone was wearing a black half-face mask.

Judging from their posture and the state of their hands, most of them are probably not young; there are almost no people his age.

However, since the mask covered her face, it was impossible to determine her exact age.

Kiryu Yaya slowed his pace and glanced at the screen on a table as he passed by.

The content on the screen was similar to what he had just seen, also scrolling transaction information.

The person seemed to notice his gaze, raised their eyes to look at him, but their eyes behind the mask showed no emotion. They then lowered their head and continued operating the screen.

Kiryu Yaya did not stop and continued walking forward.

He walked to the left side of the hall, against the wall, where there was a row of low bookshelves with several thick, large-format booklets on them.

He stopped and looked down.

The cover of the booklet had no text, only that familiar gold-embossed emblem.

He reached out and opened the first book.

Inside were densely packed tables, each row recording information about a completed transaction.

Information type, provider membership number, transaction points, and transaction time.

There is no buyer information.

Kiryu Yaya quickly browsed through a few pages.

Changes in financing review standards, minimum valuation price for real estate, information on hidden corporate liabilities, and adjustments to internal bank credit policies.

Undisclosed financial data of listed companies —

Every message stung Kiryu Yaya's professional nerves.

These are the things that bank auditors need most, and also the things that are hardest to obtain.

Just then, a voice came from behind him.

"A newcomer?"

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