Tokyo: They say it's just dating, but they're serious about it.

He slowly walked over as the applause began.

He had a rather refined appearance and wore gold-rimmed glasses.

“Sir, you have impressive skills. I am Hiroji Sato, the financial advisor specially appointed by Group 21.”

Sato Hiroji stepped over the people lying on the ground, stopped three steps away from Katsuhiko, took out a business card from his jacket pocket, handed it over, and said, "May I ask your name?"

“Katsuhiko Takenaka,” Katsuhiko replied casually, taking the business card and glancing at it before asking, “Do you have anything to say?”

A handwritten business card: Hiroji Sato, Head of the Finance Department, Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank.

Sheng Yan found it rather strange. Why would a gang that could afford such a financial advisor be so fixated on a small business owner? After all, the protection money wasn't much at all!

However, the moment Katsuhiko had a question, he almost subconsciously thought of the most valuable property rights of the convenience store.

This property belongs solely to Mikoto; she doesn't need to pay rent and is definitely wealthier than any other individual business owner who rents it.

Could they really be after the convenience store's ownership? Are they trying to seize it all?

“Mrs. Mikoto’s ex-husband owes us a considerable loan of forty million yen.”

"What does this have to do with Misaka?"

Mikoto only has 10 million yen in loan debt, which means that legally, her ex-husband's debt has nothing to do with her.

"We can't find her ex-husband."

"Then don't look for Mikoto either, she's mine now."

“Mr. Takenaka, that’s not the problem,” Hiroji Sato said politely. “Group 21 is in dire financial straits and desperately needs funds. This convenience store is our lifeline. You don’t want things to turn out this way, do you?”

It may seem like an attitude of distancing oneself from the matter, but it carries a strong sense of threat.

“I don’t mind,” Katsuhiko almost laughed, shrugging and spreading his hands. “My lawyer will tell me how to leash the dog.”

The iron fist of justice can smash a dog's head. After all, the anti-gangster law introduced last year has been revised this month, making the management of organized crime even more stringent.

Sato Hiroji's face stiffened. After a long silence, he turned around and said, "Until we meet again."

Sheng Yan watched him walk across the street, get into a black Toyota, turn on the headlights, and slowly drive away.

The dozen or so people on the ground stopped groaning and began to move towards the van, clutching their wounds.

Katsuhiko pulled Tanaka Yutaka out of the car, which his underlings had just carried inside.

"Mr. Takenaka, please stop! I surrender!" Tanaka Yutaka cried out, clutching his groin.

Katsuhiko asked, "What is your position in the organization?"

He was able to bring a group of people with him, and the people around him seemed to treat him quite well, so he seemed to have a high status.

Just as Katsuhiko had guessed, Tanaka Yutaka was still a junior assistant to the gang leader, a high-ranking officer who assisted the gang's second-in-command.

"Is what Hiroji Sato said true?" Katsuhiko asked again.

Tanaka Yutaka glanced at his underlings around him, his face contorted with the pain of a blow to the groin, but he didn't respond.

Sheng Yan raised an eyebrow and said, "I have a lucrative project here that I guarantee won't disappoint you. However, I also want some shares. Let them go first, and we'll discuss the details in the convenience store, how about that?"

Tanaka Yutaka's eyes flickered, and after a moment of silence, he waved to the group of underlings in the van.

As the van drove away, Katsuhiko carried the limping Tanaka Yutaka into the convenience store, then pulled the shutter door down halfway to indicate that the store was temporarily closed.

Tanaka Yutaka picked up the briefcase from the cashier's counter and looked at Katsuhiko warily.

Chapter 25 Please don't do this, it will make Sayuri-chan sad...

How many bad debts do you still have on your hands?

As he spoke, Sheng Yan walked to the coffee machine at the cashier, took an empty paper cup, and filled it with coffee.

Tanaka Yutaka tightened his grip on the black briefcase and asked, "You've seen it all?"

"I didn't look at much,"

Sheng Yan placed the coffee he had just received on the cashier's counter, pushed it towards him, and asked, "Is the debt easy to collect?"

He memorized every single contract in his briefcase that he scanned; he scanned every single one of them—twenty contracts in total.

Besides stocks and securities contracts, the personal information records of the debtors are quite comprehensive, including the elderly, the infirm, the disabled, those hospitalized, orphans and widows, those who mysteriously disappeared, those who hanged themselves, those who jumped off buildings... all of whom had no formal employment and no fixed assets, totaling about 200 million yen.

He's really something if he can get 100,000 yen back.

"It's none of your business." Tanaka Yutaka sneered, tilting his head. He paused, then muttered, "We're a yakuza group, hundreds of brothers..."

"Haven't you seen the recently revised Gang Combat Act?"

Tanaka Yutaka's face immediately darkened. He clenched his fists and said, "If you're keeping me here just to talk about this, then I'll have to take my leave."

It's really inconvenient to use violence to collect debts these days. As long as the debtor dares to call the police, they'll have to run away.

It seems that ordinary intimidation is no longer effective, mainly because there is too much debt. Everyone is taking responsibility and is not afraid of being exposed or losing face.

After all, the debtors really don't have any money... and with the situation so tense, it's impossible to harvest their organs to pay off the debts.

Ultimately, it all comes down to a major problem within their own group.

The president was arrested and sentenced to ten years... which led to a massive brain drain; all the capable people left... and the company lacked operating funds.

With too little influence, too few connections, and not strong enough relationships, if the police could be lenient, not only could the debt on hand be recovered quickly, but a large sum of money could also be made.

Unfortunately, the police station was asking for an exorbitant amount, not even deigning to pay five million yen... I was so angry that I wanted to anonymously report the corrupt police chief who "took his money but not mine."

Forget it, what if he turns out to be innocent? That would be even harder to handle. I'll try a "honey trap" later, film some videos, and send them to his house to see what happens...

"Before cooperating, it's always necessary to get to know each other."

Katsuhiko poured himself a cup of coffee, sat down at the cashier's counter, facing Tanaka Yutaka, and asked, "Can you tell me honestly how many people are in your group, what your sphere of influence is, and what you mainly do?"

Tanaka Yutaka's face flushed red, and he shouted as if on cue, "It's not a gang, it's an organization, it's a group!"

Our territory and businesses have all been swallowed up by other gangs... Our brothers have either left or scattered. Today, when we came to fight, we had to pay for their meals out of our own pockets... That bastard Hiroji Sato, relying on the president's trust, only uses us to collect debts for him and fill the holes he created in the bank. He doesn't care about the fate of the organization at all...

"Okay, okay, whatever!"

Katsuhiko waved his hand dismissively and continued, "I just want to know exactly what difficulties you are currently facing."

“It’s an organizational secret, so I can’t disclose it.” Tanaka Yutaka took a breath and continued, “Just tell me what good projects you have! I have some influence within the organization.”

Now the president and the head of the gang have both been arrested, one sentenced to ten years and the other to eight years. Tanaka Yutaka is the acting boss, and of the hundreds of men under his command, only about thirty remain... They are living a life worse than death, and they have to be subservient to a financial advisor.

"How about we start with a dessert to build initial trust?"

Sheng Yan pointed to the empty area in the convenience store and continued, "I'm going to open a used goods store. Currently, funds are limited, so I can only focus on low-cost game cards. You provide the manpower to buy game cards for me, and I'll pay you a salary plus a high commission. I mainly want to show you my ability to spot lucrative opportunities. This is just a small appetizer; I don't mind if you start your own business. But for the big dishes that can build a business empire, I won't cooperate with you."

Often, people are unaware of many opportunities to get rich, and only realize their mistake after the opportunity has passed, having missed out on a great deal.

It's like being trapped in a maze; the opportunity to make money is right in front of you, but you just can't notice it. It's a typical blind spot in perspective and thinking. You need a mentor to guide you.

"Let's not talk about the main course for now," Tanaka Yutaka raised his hand to indicate, then continued, "How much are you paying for the game card acquisition? Is it weekly or monthly? How often are salaries paid? If I bring my brothers over tomorrow morning, can you give me an advance?"

Since the group leader was sentenced, many members of the organization have been leaving because they can't afford to support their families. Many others are also secretly taking on part-time jobs, earning less than 700 yen per hour and working less than three hours a day.

And then there are those lazy bums who go to pachinko parlors every day to play marbles, losing more than they win... not even enough to buy a pack of cigarettes a day.

I really wanted to go to the pinball shop and collect protection money, but unfortunately, they'd all already belonged to someone else.

My influence is still too small, my connections are still too limited, and the police station is making exorbitant demands… I just want to rush in and start hacking and slashing wildly…

"Is it already this difficult for you?"

Katsuhiko asked in surprise, "Then why did you hire Hiroji Sato as your financial advisor? What does he do?"

“This is an organizational secret, I cannot disclose it.” Tanaka Yutaka’s face stiffened, and he placed his hands on the cash register, saying, “But if you want to cooperate with me, please answer my questions.”

"As you know, we're in a job market slump right now, everyone's struggling, and starting a business is really difficult..."

Katsuhiko touched the tip of his nose and, seeing that Tanaka Yutaka was getting a little impatient, said directly, "We don't have a fixed salary, it's piecework, the more you work, the more you earn. The profit from one game card is about 400-1000 yen. After deducting operating costs, I'll split it equally with the brothers, 150 yen per card. If you're quick, you can probably collect four or five hundred cards a day..."

"So many?!" Tanaka Yutaka suddenly stood up, his wide eyes seeming somewhat dazed, and said as if talking to himself, "Ten game cards, 1,500 yen each; one hundred game cards, 15,000 yen..."

Sheng Yan picked up his coffee and took a sip, letting him process it on his own.

Not many people are quick and efficient. The reason I was able to scan more than 400 game cards in half a day was mainly because I knew their exact value as soon as I touched them, so I didn't waste any time.

Ordinary people have to pick and choose, and carefully consider. Even a gifted card master can only receive a hundred valuable game cards a day. That's quite a lot. Fifteen thousand yen is enough for one visit to a bubble bath shop.

After a while, Tanaka Yutaka slowly sat down, his gaze intense, and said seriously, "I'm bringing twenty brothers tomorrow. Can you handle them?"

"No problem, the more the merrier..."

Just as Sheng Yan put down his coffee cup, the sound of running footsteps came from outside the half-closed roller shutter.

"Chika-chan, slow down..."

As Yuma Kamisaki called out, Chinatsu, dressed in a white martial arts uniform, crawled in from under the rolling shutter door.

Tanaka Yutaka suddenly stood up and stared at Katsuhiko with surprise.

"what happened?"

Katsuhiko asked, then walked around the cashier and hugged Chika.

Tanaka Yutaka didn't respond, his expression somewhat suspicious. He took two steps past Katsuhiko and lifted the iron roll-up door.

Yuma Kanzaki just happened to walk to the door.

Tanaka Yutaka frowned and tilted his head, asking, "Miss Yuma?"

Yuma Kanzaki looked equally surprised and said, "Mr. Tanaka?"

She still had her hair tied in a high ponytail, wore a black trench coat, her karate uniform on her legs, and a pair of white sneakers on her feet.

Katsuhiko raised an eyebrow, holding Chika in his arms, and subtly stepped aside, wanting to hear what the two of them were saying.

Since she's called "Young Miss," she must be the daughter of their company president.

Could her 320 million yen debt be inherited?

"Oh, I just discussed some business with Mr. Takenaka," Tanaka Yutaka said somewhat awkwardly, bowing slightly. He clearly didn't want to talk any more and turned to leave. "It's all over. Goodbye."

Kanzaki Yuma's expression remained quite calm. She glanced indifferently at Tanaka Yutaka's departing figure, then turned back and asked, "Mr. Takenaka, are you bringing Chinatsu-chan again tomorrow?"

"certainly……"

Katsuhiko nodded, but Chika waved her hand and shook her head, saying, "I'm not going, I'm not going. It's too tiring. She doesn't teach me how to fight, she just makes me stand as punishment all the time..."