Long-term salvation

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Rhodes walked towards the open-air hot spring.

Since there are not many guests, there are only a few open-air baths in the hot spring hotel. However, the layout of the venue and the size of the baths are by no means shabby, and even the water is a bit hot.

After a quick rinse, Rhodes walked into the open-air bath, covered his eyes with a towel, and let out a contented sigh.

A few minutes later, the sound of rippling water was heard.

Rhode didn't lift the towel to look, but asked with a hint of joking:

"You don't care about the agreement now?"

"Well, the agreement still needs to be followed."

The naked Little Red Riding Hood spoke loudly with a guilty conscience, but her voice soon faded away. Nikki let desire and shame devour her heart and blur her vision, let the cherry color climb onto every inch of her skin, and let her heart drive her body forward.

"But for everything else, things not in the agreement, it's up to each individual to figure it out, right?"

The sound of water reached Rhodes' ears, and he felt a soft and smooth body pressing against his chest, clear and beautiful.

In the hazy darkness, Rhodes reached out and embraced the slender waist that could be held in one hand. His palm slowly moved up along the curve of the waist, stroking across the back, making Nikki's body tremble.

The sounds of heavy breathing mixed together, making people dizzy. They didn't know whether it was the cruel torture brought by the passionate love of the person in front of them, or the secret work of the pool water that seemed to be boiling people.

Red-haired Nikki reached out, covered the towel that obscured those azure eyes, and kissed her eternal master to her heart's content.

Chapter 109: Heading to Shinohara Heavy Industries

early morning.

As expected, he did not enter Asuka Jing Muji's dream world last night, which made Rhodes a little worried.

After a moment's deliberation, Rhode stood up, donned his yukata, and walked to the girls' room. But as he gently opened the sliding door, he met the eyes of Little Red Riding Hood, who was gazing up from under the covers. Little Red Riding Hood was startled, a cherry blush spreading across her face from her delicate white neck. Without a word, she scurried back under the covers, wriggling like a giant caterpillar.

"Muji slept very well last night, Commander. He hasn't even woken up yet."

Yang's voice drifted in faintly. She was sitting sideways at the dressing table, carelessly combing her hair. Her yukata was draped loosely around the dark-haired Nikki, only her beautifully curvaceous chest barely holding it up, preventing her from completely exposing herself.

Several daggers and pistols were placed next to Nikki's white thighs, flashing cold light.

Feeling inexplicably guilty, Rhode immediately changed the subject, his words also carrying a hint of pretense of seriousness:

"Yang, come with me to the headquarters of Shinohara Heavy Industries today. If we have time, we can also go to the research institute that is related to Muji. It is very likely that some of them hired gangsters."

"Okay, do you want to bring others?"

"let me see……"

"I won't go," Little Red Riding Hood muttered sullenly from under the covers, with only a few strands of bright red hair peeking out from the edge. "Mu Ji certainly can't go either, right? Her current identity is a bit sensitive, and it wouldn't be good if she were targeted again."

The overly justifiable reason left Rhode speechless. He knelt beside the sliding door and glanced at Asuka Iki who was breathing steadily under the quilt. He found that the girl's eyebrows and eyes were less melancholy and tired - it seemed that she had slept well last night.

Was it because she was so close? Or had her ability to control her abilities improved after the incident at Minamigami Village? The answers to these questions could be explored later; for now, let's deal with today's most pressing matters.

Thinking of this, Rhodes nodded slightly and said:

"Then Yang will be alone. I'll go rent a car and pay the Fiat fine while I'm there."

"Hmm," dark-haired Nikki made a short, nasal sound.

When the sliding door was closed, Yang put down the comb and turned to look at Little Red Riding Hood, who was still curled up in the quilt, motionless. Seeing this, black-haired Nikki had no choice but to tighten her yukata, rubbed against her companion, and said unhappily:

"You are such a useless guy."

"Mmm," a strange mumbling sound came from under the quilt.

"Forget it, just take care of Mu Ji. I'll ask the boss lady to bring breakfast over," Yang said, standing up and taking off her bathrobe, exposing her beautiful figure in the slightly cold room. She began to put on her clothes for going out today.

Twenty minutes later, Rhodes, dressed in a suit and tie, stood outside the gate of the hot spring hotel, looking at the black car boredly - this was not a rented car, but when Rhodes went out this morning, he saw a file bag hanging on the door handle of the car, with the Atlas logo printed on it.

This was clearly Irons's work; he loved doing things like this to highlight his presence. Of course, it was more likely that Sawai had mentioned it to him last night.

Just as Rhode was about to take out a cigarette, he saw dark-haired Nikki, wearing a cheongsam and a long black trench coat, walk out of the hotel. She was carrying a silver suitcase, looking like a gang leader about to make a deal... Speaking of which, some of Nikki's friends were also involved in the underworld, so he never knew when he would run into them.

Reluctantly stuffing the cigarette back into the box, Rhodes opened the car door and got in. He took out a map with several locations marked on it:

"I remember Yang had an appointment with Shinohara Heavy Industries for a visit, right?"

"It would be faster to go along the circular road on the edge of the city at ten o'clock this morning."

As Yang spoke, he placed the suitcase on the back seat, alongside several other guitar cases. According to the description in the file bag, it contained some "props for convenient performances"... Rhodes had already guessed what was inside, but he still hoped he wouldn't have to use it.

"Okay, then let's--"

Nikki suddenly pulled up Rhode's tie, and her beautiful face and slightly trembling eyelashes magnified immediately, as if burned. Nikki quickly sat back, reached out to tuck her hair by her ear, and said calmly:

"Please continue."

"Continue what?" Rhodes asked more aggressively.

"!!!"

Nikki's cheeks flushed red. She glanced at Rhodes in reproach. Then, she propped up her face with her palms, looked out the window, and sighed, "Marianne is so lucky to be the first one. You should bring her out next time, Commander. Of course, Yuka and the others too."

"There will be time after we settle down."

"Don't promise a girl something you can't keep. You'll be adrift for the rest of your life," Nikki said softly, her voice barely audible above the whirring of the car. "A savior's duty is to work for human civilization, and most of us can't always be by your side."

Rhodes didn't reply. He stepped on the accelerator and drove the car along the wide road with little traffic.

The location of the hot spring hotel is on the outskirts of the city. Even standing on the roof of the hotel, you can see the low hills in the distance. However, these natural atmospheres are soon drowned out by the high-rise buildings in the city, and only the crowds of people are swaying in the wind like weeds.

Traveling from Tokyo to other cities was actually much faster than turning left or right within the city. Although it wasn't rush hour, the heavy traffic still made Rhode impatient. He placed his hands on the steering wheel, tapping casually. Glancing around, he saw a familiar young man walking down the road with his head down.

Yuma Shinohara?

Driving the car closer to the sidewalk, Rhodes rolled down the window and asked loudly with a hint of a smile:

"Hey, Shinohara-kun, do you need a ride?"

"Um, who... Oh, the one you knocked me down earlier!" Shinohara Yuma exclaimed in surprise. He tilted his head to look around the car and said with a hint of helplessness, "Sir, isn't it inappropriate for you to waste any more time with your female companion?"

"If you're going to Shinohara Heavy Industries headquarters, that would be perfect."

"...So be it."

Yuma's tone was erratic. He didn't like his tyrannical father, Shinohara Kazuma, and because his eldest brother committed suicide at a young age, the relationship between them was even more strained. But it had to be said... people still had to eat, and living expenses and tuition still needed support from their father. Thinking of this, the boy's face was inevitably a little embarrassed:

"My bike's being repaired, but it would be a real help if you could give me a ride."

"Get in the car, time waits for no one."

"okay."

The young man readily followed his lead. He opened the back door and saw several violin cases and a striking silver box. After following Rhode's instructions and placing the box on the other side, Yuma Shinohara, seated, asked jokingly, "What's the matter?"

"You brought so many music cases. Are you going to perform at the Shinohara Heavy Industries headquarters?"

"Haha, you don't want me to 'play' there, young man," Rod said with a laugh.

Along the way, Rhode and Yuma Shinohara talked about urban legends in Tokyo, such as the "human-faced dog" and the "slit-mouthed woman," as well as some horror stories passed down by word of mouth among students. But for Yuma, he always scoffed at such things.

After the two of them got to know each other a little better, Shinohara Yuma leaned back and gradually relaxed. He carefully examined the silver-white suitcase and asked half-seriously and half-casually:

"Mr. Rhodes, you went to Shinohara Heavy Industries headquarters to see my father?"

"I guess so," Rhodes replied calmly, "I have a business to discuss with him."

"You want to buy Shinohara Heavy Industries products? But business at the factory is tough right now. Many of our former customers have lost their funds, and some are saying the economy will get even worse in the future."

"That's why I'm going to discuss this now—if Shinohara Heavy Industries is on the rise, how can I acquire it completely?"

Yuma Shinohara: "Huh?"

Chapter 110 Shinohara Kazuma

The car stopped in front of the office building of Shinohara Heavy Industries headquarters. The building was not particularly tall, but the fact that it could be found in Tokyo, where every inch of land is valuable, was a testament to the strong financial resources of its owner, or... the strong financial resources that had once existed.

Rod stood in front of the office building and saw

The sign for Shinohara Heavy Industries was already slightly rusty, which made him feel much better. Hearing the sound of the car door closing behind him, Rhodes tilted his head slightly and asked:

"What are you going to do next, young Yuma?"

"Um... I can't just stand by and watch you buy my father's company, right?" Yuma looked a little embarrassed. "I'm afraid I won't be able to hold back my laughter."

Wow, such a loving father and filial son?!

"I understand. We'll say goodbye here for now," Rhode patted the young man's shoulder, his words full of encouragement. "Maybe we can meet again in the future—of course, not in our current identities."

"Then it's better not to meet," the young man said with a gentle smile on his face. "I plan to apply to the police academy. So, goodbye!"

Watching the young man sprinting into the office building, Rhode shook his head in amusement and turned to look at Nikki, who was carrying the silver box.

"Is all the information ready?"

"It's ready, including the early contracts," Yang reminded Rhode, looking at the excitement on his face. "This time, we're not acquiring Aperture Technology, but a real enterprise with some resistance and R&D capabilities. And the one in charge isn't Calvin Johnson, who's gone mad due to mercury poisoning."

"We just need a foothold in Japan. Getting a 20% stake would be a huge victory. Or, to put it another way, Aperture Technology needs an agent in Japan."

As Rhodes spoke, he put on his all-seeing eye patch and walked into the office building.

Two minutes later, under the guidance of the professional receptionist—Shinohara Heavy Industries' financial situation appeared to be much better than Aperture Technology's at the time—Rhode arrived at the upper floor's reception room, where he met Kazuma Shinohara standing solemnly.

"Please take a seat, guest who has come from afar."

Shinohara Kazuma said this. He was thin and had sharp eyes. His face looked a little harsh, but one could vaguely glimpse the spirit of his youth. It must be said that Shinohara Yuma really looked like his father, both in appearance and in the toughness and tyranny hidden in his bones.

Although he was a little curious about Rhodes's eye patch, he still asked his secretary to serve tea to Rhodes and Yang:

"Try the tea from Aurora, Mr. Rhodes."

"It seems we don't need to introduce ourselves," Rhodes said, sitting on the sofa and motioning for Nikki to place the silver-white box on the table. "I think my secretary contacted Shinohara Heavy Industries the day before yesterday and expressed our intentions."

"...In the name of Aperture Technologies of the United States? I heard that a mysterious wealthy investor acquired Aperture Technologies and took complete control of it. Even 'Arrogant Carven' bowed to him—that man is very young and highly regarded by Atlas Corporation CEO Irons."

There was no change in the expression on Shinohara Kazuma's face. It would be more accurate to say that "not showing emotions on one's face" has become a standard skill for people like him. Even the most passionate heart will be covered by a cold mask.

"The news spread quite quickly," Rhode said, neither admitting nor denying it. "Even if the news could be suppressed, a giant corporation would inevitably leak some information."

Maybe it's that guy Carl Johnson. He has no control over his mouth and likes to shout everywhere, Rod thought to himself while maintaining a fake smile.

As expected, I still need to go to the Aperture Technology headquarters in person.

After a few minutes of pleasantries, or rather, some kind of Japanese-style quibbling, Shinohara Kazuma slowly gave his answer:

"After discussions and preliminary review, we have decided to reject your acquisition request."

"If I remember correctly, my terms were very generous." Rhode wasn't surprised by the result. He took a sip of hot tea, savoring the bitterness before continuing, "And your company is probably facing a financial crisis, right? Especially since last year's acquisition of Iruma Heavy Machinery and Asakawa Steel."

"The factory's production lines are being reorganized and restructured, and when the products..."

"Who will be your client?" Rhodes raised his eyebrows slightly. "The Japanese government? Don't tell me you can't see Japan's impending depression. If you believe the prosperity can last another ten years, I will discuss the acquisition with you again this time next year, but by then, the terms won't be so generous."

"You don't have to worry about that. Shinohara Heavy Industries has already received numerous orders from the vast overseas market, more than enough to alleviate the current crisis," said Kazuma Shinohara, looking confident, his face shimmering with a hint of scorn. "We're not those idiots who've lost their minds to stock speculation. Shinohara Heavy Industries is a real enterprise now and will remain so in the future. Steel, production lines, and highly qualified Japanese workers are Shinohara's strength!"

"Really? Then it looks like we'll be rivals in the future, Mr. Shinohara."

"……Um?"

"Yang, show this Mr. Shinohara," Rhodes snapped his fingers.

Nikki opened the silver box, and inside were neatly arranged some of Labor's information and blueprints, as well as a prototype video disc from Atlas.

After quietly watching the video for twenty minutes, even though the video quality was average, Kazuma Shinohara could see the future from that piece of construction machinery.

The level of sophistication in essential components of construction machinery, including powertrain, transmission, electromechanical systems, and the specialized equipment and equipment it might carry, already far surpasses any similar products currently on the market. Even downgrading existing machinery could elevate its performance to a new level, not to mention its potential for development in other fields.

Atlas Corporation or Aperture Technology must have already started research and development and manufacturing. Shinohara Heavy Industries obviously does not have the strength to compete with them... But this is an opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that may even surpass Mitsubishi Heavy Industries!

After watching the video, holding Labor's information tightly in his hand, Shinohara Kazuma stared silently at the tea on the table, as if the swirling amber liquid was some kind of deadly poison.

The silence did not last long, but was broken by a middle-aged man who hurried in from outside. The man was wearing a gray engineer's uniform, with a look of confusion and fatigue on his face.

The man who came was called "Tsuyoshi Miyama", the managing director of Shinohara Heavy Industries and the factory manager of the Hachioji factory. He was also an old friend and partner of Shinohara Kazuma. In a sense, he even raised Shinohara Yuma.

"Takashi, take a look at these things," Shinohara Kazuma said. He felt his mouth was extremely dry and no amount of tea would help. "Take a closer look, it's very important."

"This... is rude."

Shinohara Shinohara, who was studying a brochure for Shinohara Heavy Industries, had just glanced at him. He then stepped forward, picked up the document already on the table, and began to peruse it. About half an hour later, he too shared Shinohara Kazuma's expression of bewilderment and shock.

"Have you already started trial production of such a machine?!"