After being elected as the governor of Tokyo, he will debut as a band!

Aoyama fell silent until a strong gust of wind blew in through the window, making the curtains flap loudly. He then got up to close the window slightly, saying:

“I can help, but you need to explain the whole story to me, Professor Ogikubo…”

Aoyama is also a person with political ideals. He can provide assistance to certain gangs, but only if they are not villains who are completely unworthy of being saved.

"If you'd like to listen to this old man ramble on about some stories from forty years ago..." Ogikubo Yutaka picked up his water glass, took a sip, and then his eyes gradually became hazy, as if he were lost in memories—

In Ijincho, residents from three countries have gathered. Some of them are illegal immigrants, some are orphans left behind by foreigners, and of course, there are also many Japanese whose ancestors have lived here for generations.

Because this area is a mixed bag, lacks industry, and is inhabited by marginalized groups outside of mainstream Japanese society, the locals generally live a precarious existence—due to their ethnic identity, they are even unable to relocate elsewhere.

In order to coordinate their internal interests, the local people formed three gang-like organizations based on ethnicity—in fact, only the Japanese-owned Star Dragon Society is a legitimate gang, while the other two, being immigrants, are theoretically not qualified to form legal associations.

Since they come from different factions, they are naturally incompatible, and gang fights often occur in this area.

In order to maintain order in the region, revitalize the local economy, and quickly address the livelihood issues of illegal immigrants and marginalized Japanese, then-Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture, Yutaka Ogikubo, had no choice but to use counterfeit money as a common interest for all three parties, thus maintaining a temporary peace.

The three parties also imposed many restrictions on the production and circulation of counterfeit money to avoid being met with a severe crackdown and suffering a devastating defeat.

During the golden age of Japan's economy, the financial industry was highly developed, which brought huge profits to the counterfeit money industry in Ijincho, enough to feed the three factions. However, with the arrival of the bubble economy and twenty years of stagnation, this profit model became unsustainable.

The peace among the three factions is becoming increasingly fragile, the rules that keep the counterfeit money industry running are being questioned, and cracks are appearing within individual organizations. It's not uncommon for underlings to secretly use counterfeit money for profit outside the town of the supernatural without the knowledge of their leaders/commanders.

In the Shimakaze Financial counterfeit currency case, the person who brought the counterfeit currency printing technology and equipment to the Nejeongtuan was from the "Spider Nest" faction, which belonged to South Korea among the three factions.

The counterfeit money industry, which once maintained peace in Ijincho, is now gradually becoming a knife that destroys people's peaceful lives.

This development model has finally come to an end.

The leaders of the three factions also decided to bring an end to the counterfeit money industry that had lasted for forty years.

……

Hmm, the content about the Ishincho in this chapter is a bit hard to reconcile... but it's basically the original setting of Yakuza 7, which I've condensed here.

Well, the Japanese values ​​are indeed a bit problematic. Yutaka Ogikubo helps three gangs make counterfeit money, yet he's portrayed as a righteous character... I'm planning to make him the protagonist's blood pack. The Ijincho area will be dealt with in a similar way to the Tojo Clan.

……

Thank you to @{"reader_id":"6895965","reader_name":"啊偷"} for the donation!

Isogachi Music Awards: 137 Before changing allegiance, clean yourself up first.

After leaving the upscale sanatorium, Aoyama returned to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.

Sitting in his office, he...

While listening to Arima Yo report on the progress of the Boso Peninsula development plan, he was thinking about the affairs of Ijincho.

The relationship between the Ijincho Trio and Ogikubo Yutaka can be simply described as follows:

Forty years ago, while people in other parts of Japan were enjoying the good life brought about by the economic boom, the residents of Ijincho, a no-man's-land, were struggling to survive and were fighting and killing every day, which meant that no one would invest in the area (also because Ijincho was in Yokohama; if it were in Tokyo, even if hundreds of people died every day, it wouldn't have stopped those crazy investors back then), and there was no hope of development at all.

Just then, a brilliant idea flashed into the mind of 37-year-old Yutaka Ogikubo—Hey! If no one is sending you money, why don't you just print your own?

Then they provided equipment and technicians, setting up a counterfeit currency production industry in Ijincho, which revitalized the local economy.

The common people had food to eat, and the three men, from top to bottom, were all well-fed.

Ogikubo Yutaka saved their lives.

So even though forty years have passed and the profits and risks of the counterfeit currency industry are no longer worthwhile, they still remember Ogikubo Yutaka's kindness. Even though Ijincho is about to face annihilation, they are determined not to hand over any evidence that might implicate Ogikubo Yutaka.

Hmm...how to put it.

They are indeed a very loyal and righteous group of people.

But printing counterfeit money for forty years, even if the purpose was to revitalize the local economy and provide livelihoods for a group of illegal immigrants who are not treated as human by the Japanese government, foreign orphans, and a few locals who resolutely refuse to relocate, cannot be absolved of its guilt.

A crime committed for a just purpose is not a reason for acquittal.

If a righteous cause is not considered a crime, then in the future there might be a bunch of vigilantes who take the law into their own hands for justice. These vigilantes could be more destructive to social stability than real bad guys, and any competent government would be highly vigilant and even hostile to them.

Aoyama's final decision was that Ijincho could be saved, but one of the core members of the trio needed to step forward and take responsibility for the crime of counterfeiting currency.

The reply was still to ask Takayuki Yagami to forward it.

According to Takayuki Yagami, a Korean-Japanese man he knew who ran a Korean restaurant in Kamurocho was actually an outsider member of "Spider Nest," one of the three members of the Ijincho gang. Whenever he ordered a set meal at the restaurant, someone from "Spider Nest" would come and contact him.

After receiving Aoyama's reply, the leaders of the three organizations in the Ijincho immediately gathered for a meeting and ultimately decided to accept Aoyama's conditions.

However, the leaders of the three organizations also requested to meet with Aoyama Mukai.

This is only natural, since their protector is about to change from Ogikubo Yutaka to Aoyama Mukashi, and it's time for them to meet their new master.

But the specifics of where to meet them, in what capacity, and with what attitude to treat them all need to be considered.

"Governor? Governor? Governor Aoyama?!"

Aoyama was brought back to his senses when he heard a woman's voice growing louder.

Looking up, Yukino Yukinoshita was staring at her with a puzzled look, while Arima Hiro, who had finished his report, stood to the side with his eyes lowered and not looking at her.

It was clear that the latter had finished his report quite some time ago, but seeing that Aoyama had not expressed any opinion, he did not dare to interrupt Aoyama's thinking.

Yukino Yukinoshita waited outside the office for a long time, but neither Ma Yang nor Aoyama Muto reprimanded him. Worried that something might have happened, she barged in and saw the strange sight of Ma Yang being "punished" and Aoyama Muto staring blankly.

Unlike Arima Yo, she wasn't as composed. She was only thinking, "There are still a lot of things waiting for Governor Aoyama to handle today. I can't let him waste his precious time daydreaming," so she directly reminded him.

Aoyama felt a little guilty—he had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed someone opening the door and coming in. Luckily, it was only Yukino Yukinoshita who came in; if it had been an assassin, he would have been riddled with bullets by now.

Although he didn't care about Yukino Yukinoshita's offensive behavior, there was another subordinate present, and in order to maintain the governor's dignity, he had to do something.

However, there's no need to directly reprimand her. On one hand, Yukino Yukinoshita has her own superiors, and on the other hand, getting angry at a young girl who has only graduated for less than a year would make our Toru Aoyama seem too low-class.

"Ms. Yukinoshita, did Secretary Arima call you in? If so, please remind me to go to the University of Tokyo Hospital for an ear checkup before I leave work."

"Um, Governor, I just..."

Although Aoyama's expression was quite pleasant when he said these words, Yukino Yukinoshita was a smart person and could naturally hear the sarcasm in his tone.

What kind of temper does she have? To be able to tolerate such injustice, she would want to retort on the spot—

"Governor, please forgive my bluntness..."

Unfortunately, this wasn't her alma mater, Soubu High School, and she wasn't facing her classmates who knew she was going to say something strange but still gave her a chance to speak. She was interrupted by Arima Yo before she could even get started.

"Governor, during my report just now, I mentioned Mr. Haruhisa Yukinoshita's achievements in the recent progress of the 'Boso Peninsula Development Plan,' and I also mentioned Ms. Yukino Yukinoshita's name. She may have misheard and thought I was calling her in, which is why she made this somewhat presumptuous move."

Arima Yo's statement seemed to shift all the blame for Yukino Yukinoshita's rudeness onto himself. However, as Yukino Yukinoshita's superior, whether he said it or not, the responsibility lay with him. But by saying it, he prevented Yukino Yukinoshita from saying anything offensive and turning a small mistake into a big one. Furthermore, it helped maintain Aoyama Kou's authority. Yukino Yukinoshita being called in after misunderstood him was a different matter from her impatiently barging in outside. The former was an accident, while the latter was an "incident" of disregarding office management rules.

Yukino Yukinoshita had no idea about any of this. She genuinely thought that Arima Yo was simply taking the blame for her. She was the type of person who responded to gentle persuasion but not force. Now, she felt that she had let down her kind and honest boss, Arima Yo. The part of her original statement that she wanted to say to vent her anger—"The experts at the University of Tokyo Medical School Hospital probably can't cure your hearing problems, just like you can't wake someone who is pretending to be asleep no matter how loud you are"—was all stuck in her throat.

"In that case, Secretary-General Arima, I have finished listening to your report. You may leave with Ms. Yukinoshita."

Aoyama glanced at Arima Yo and thought that this guy had much better judgment than Utsunomiya Takuya...

Isokachi Music Awards: 138 If you can't handle Governor Aoyama, can't you handle a singing idiot like Hack?

Ma Yang bowed to Qingshan and then turned to walk out the door.

Yukino Yukinoshita was still somewhat hesitant. Even when Ma Yo walked up to her and gave her a look, she turned around reluctantly.

"Miss Yukinoshita, is there anything else you want to report to me?"

Aoyama noticed that she seemed to have something to say, and out of consideration for Yukinoshita Haruhisa, the loyal senator who was about to be given to him by Ogikubo Yutaka, he gave her a way out.

“Yes, yes…” Yukino Yukinoshita quickly handed the documents in her hand to Aoyama Mukai’s desk. “Because the ‘Gigocho Cup’ preliminary and knockout rounds are officially starting the day after tomorrow, there may be significant security issues in the towns where the main venues are located.”

Due to the pressure and traffic congestion, the Public Safety Commission needs your approval for special police deployments and traffic control during specific time periods.

“'Gigocho Cup'... I understand, you can leave now.”

"……Yes."

Watching Yukino Yukinoshita's departing figure, Aoyama narrowed his eyes. He had thought of a good place to meet the leader of the Ijincho Trio.

……

Nantian Yourui, the secretary-general of the Nijingtuan headquarters, has been feeling very anxious these days.

He felt he must have really offended the governor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

How could I have been so foolish as to think that such a "young and successful" person would be so infatuated with a mere teenage idol like Mikami Hatsuka, and even suspect that he would do something as unwise as forcing Mikami Hatsuka to stay overnight?

...That day, Nantian Yourui heard from Sumimi's manager that Mikasa Hatsuka hadn't returned home all night. Thinking he had gotten closer to Aoyama, he impulsively went to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office, hoping that Aoyama could think of a way to help the Neijing Group retain more assets and connections. However, he didn't even get a chance to speak with Aoyama before being kicked out by two young guards.

On his way back to the headquarters of the Nijing Group, he was still cursing Qingshan Xiang in his heart—

You've taken advantage of a beautiful young woman, and now you're turning your back on her! And you talk about creating a "bright society, a bright industry, and a bright life for the citizens of Tokyo"? I think people like you are the biggest darkness hanging over the heads of the citizens of Tokyo!

Of course, he didn't impulsively report Aoyama to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office. He knew that an official of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's rank wouldn't be brought down by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office for a minor matter of personal conduct. However, the retaliation from the other party could make life extremely difficult for his entire family…

However, after Nantian Yourui returned to the secretary-general's office on the second-to-last floor of the Neijing Group headquarters building, he received news that made him deeply regret his actions that day—

Sumimi's manager called to say that Misumi Hatsuka had returned safely, and although she had dark circles under her eyes, she was in good spirits. A doctor from the agency's partner clinic also confirmed that she had not been harmed that night.

According to Mitsumi Hatsuka herself, she only stayed at a female friend's house for one night (in reality, she was locked outside and knelt for one night).

At that moment, Nantian Yourui felt as if his entire body had cracked open...

It turns out he really didn't do anything. No wonder he looked at me with disgust when I yelled at him... He must have already categorized me as someone with bad intentions, not worth dealing with, and probably with some intellectual problems.

In an effort to salvage his image in Aoyama's eyes and re-establish contact with him, Yuru Minami tried every possible method after that day—asking for favors, spending money, sending gifts—but neither the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Aoyama's office in Roppongi, nor Hōki Estate (Aoyama's mansion in Toshima Ward) could refuse his requests to see Aoyama in any form.

He was furious. On one hand, the other members of the Neon Purification Council kept coming to him every few days asking, "Can you ask Governor Aoyama for help again?" On the other hand, he was repeatedly turned away by Governor Aoyama's subordinates, assistants, and servants.

As a result, he developed seven or eight blisters in his mouth, making it impossible for him to eat a hot meal. He could only barely make ends meet by going to a traditional Chinese medicine clinic after get off work every day for cupping and acupuncture.

Then, today, while he was enjoying cupping therapy on the physiotherapy bed at the TCM clinic, he suddenly heard a physiotherapist and a doctor discussing the "Gigocho Cup" at the door of the room.

"Wang-san, the preliminary and knockout rounds of the 'Gigocho Cup' will officially begin in a few days. Do you have any plans to go and watch the performance live?"

“I’m ready! I’ve been following two of the participating bands ever since they started performing on the streets during the audition stage! They’re such great young people with amazing personalities, great singing voices, and incredibly high-level instrumental skills. I’m going to support them every step of the way, from the auditions to the preliminary rounds and then to the finals!”

"It's rare to see you so enthusiastic, Wang-san. Speaking of which, my brother-in-law, who works at the police station, told me that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is taking this '50-town Cup' competition extremely seriously. They're even planning to double the police force in the main venue wards during the competition... It's like they're making a big deal out of Nakajima Akina's concert, even though these are all bands and singers who haven't officially debuted yet..."

“Mr. Mitsuhashi!” “Mr. Wang’s” voice became a little serious. “Don’t underestimate these contestants! Many of them have accumulated a large number of fans during their street performances, and the preliminary and elimination rounds have brought them all to a large stage. The appeal of this competition is definitely no less than that of the kings and queens of singing!”

"Red bean paste fruit mena se!"

Nantian Yourui didn't hear the last sentence of "Wang-san" at all; his attention was completely drawn to what "Mr. Mitsuhashi" said: "The Tokyo Metropolitan Government attaches great importance to this '50-cho Cup' tournament."

Yes, the "Gigocho Cup" is an important part of Governor Aoyama's "Literary Promotion Plan," and I have a certain say in the organizing committee of the "Gigocho Cup." If I contribute to making the competition more exciting, even if Governor Aoyama dislikes me, he should at least give me a chance to meet him, considering that I have put in the effort even if I haven't made any great contributions.

Thinking he had found the right path, Nantian Yourui couldn't wait any longer and picked up his phone to call a familiar executive member of the "Gigocho Cup" organizing committee.

"Aida? Who's the hottest singer in Tokyo right now? Hack? Then let's invite him to be a guest performer at the 'Gigocho Cup' finals?"

"What? Harker is such a mysterious person, he doesn't participate in business activities, so it's impossible to get him to come?"

"Leave this to me? Hey, I don't believe it. A singer can have such a big entourage?!"

I, Nantian Yourui, am the Secretary-General of the Nijing Group!

It's one thing to be unable to deal with the powerful Governor Aoyama, but to be unable to handle a mere singer like Hack?

……

The time has finally come to advance the storyline of each volume.

I haven't forgotten! (*^_^*)

Isogachi Music Awards: 139 Hiroi Kikuri bought a car.

With the single "Love and Hate Intertwined" and the album "Deep And Serene," which includes a total of eleven English songs, selling well in North America, a huge amount of copyright and licensing revenue flowed into the pockets of the four members of Sickhack.

Of course, the lion's share went to Aoyama, since he wrote the lyrics and composed the music, and he was also the main vocalist. Although Hiroi Kikuri was also the lead singer of Sick Hack, her spoken English was nowhere near Aoyama's near-native fluency (not to mention her difficult Japanese accent), so she only managed to get a backup vocal position during the recording of these English songs. As for Shimizu Eliza, although she was a native English speaker, her singing skills were slightly weaker. There was only one song that Aoyama felt was suitable for her slightly sweet voice, so he gave her the lead vocals.

Aoyama's money was directly deposited into his overseas account in US dollars to avoid unnecessary trouble, while Hiroi Kikuri and the other two were converted into Japanese yen and then deposited directly into their cards.

This was a huge sum of money for the three of them, more than they had after forming Sickhack.

The money I earned in the past five years is more than that.

Shima Iwashita is a practical person. Seeing such a large sum of money in her account, she had no intention of spending it. Instead, she deposited 80% of it into a fixed deposit, and kept the remaining 20% ​​stagnant. It's only because Japanese real estate has little room for appreciation that she would have used the money to buy property.

Eliza Shimizu spent all the money on various plastic figurines, and even commissioned a super luxurious crystal display case for them in her home. In her words, "My living environment doesn't matter, but I can't let Anya-chan, Shana-chan, CC-chan, and Asuna-chan suffer in my hands!" To be fair, this crystal display case, complete with temperature and humidity control and special lighting effects, plus the eight rows of genuine plastic figurines inside, cost more than a house…

As for Hiroi Kikuri... she first used the money to become a high-level VIP member of several sake/wine/whiskey/baijiu associations in Tokyo, a membership she had always dreamed of. The associations would present high-level members with a carefully selected bottle of sake every week. Then she used the remaining money to buy a used sports car.

Yes, that's right. A guy who gets drunk 350 out of 365 days a year bought a sports car.