Louise said. "Call Takahashi Masachi and tell him we plan to sign the contract tomorrow. However, before signing, we need to discuss the specific details one more time. Set the meeting for tomorrow morning."Michael pressed. "What do you mean? Are we really going to sign with them?""No." Louise said calmly. "We tell him we intend to sign, but the details still need to be finalized. Then we can find any excuse to say some details require further discussion, and I can push the signing date back."She continued. "If word gets out now, Ito Takehiko will become desperate. Before tomorrow even arrives, he will lower his stance and come to us for another talk."Michael nodded. "All right, I will do as you say. I will call Takahashi Masachi right now!"When Takahashi Masachi received Michael's call and heard that the Bruce family intended to sign with him, he was beside himself with excitement.He immediately ordered his men to prepare a signing ceremony for the next day, while also having t

Osaka was the final stop for official business on his trip across Japan, so he wanted to eliminate these three tailers as soon as possible before heading to Kyoto without delay.He intentionally led Tenglin Zhengzhe and the other two away from the bustling downtown area, planning to find a suitable spot to strike.What he did not expect was that the three men, who had been shadowing him quietly two to three hundred meters away, suddenly turned around and headed back.Alan wondered to himself, What is going on? They stopped following me. Could they have sensed something?But that should not be the case. I am alone and have not shown any intention to attack. I even acted as if I was completely unaware of their presence. There is no reason for them to detect anything unusual.Could they have some urgent matter? Or maybe Takahashi Machiko has ordered them to stop tracking me.With that thought, Alan sighed, turned around, and began tailing the three men instead.He refused to leave any hi

This time, not only over a hundred reclusive experts from the Bruce Family arrived, but Jonas also came in person.The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department attached great importance to Jonas’s arrival. The commissioner personally invited him to the police headquarters to brief him on the progress of the investigation.The so-called investigation progress reported by the police was nothing more than summoning both Takahashi Machiko and Ito Takehiko to the station for interrogation.In their judgment, both men were suspects.Furthermore, each was convinced that the other was behind the attack and intended to frame them.Ito Takehiko believed Takahashi Machiko had deliberately orchestrated the incident to smear the Ito Family, hoping to use the Bruce Family’s power to wipe out the Ito Clan entirely.On the other hand, Takahashi Machiko thought Ito Takehiko, frustrated by failing to secure cooperation with the Bruce Family, had framed him on purpose. Leaving a Tenglin Family shuriken at t

They transported the four frozen‑solid corpses back to the forensic division of the Metropolitan Police Department. Autopsies could not be performed until the bodies had fully thawed.Meanwhile, news of the bizarre deaths of Tōrin Masazane and his three subordinates made its way up to the top brass of the police force, sending shockwaves through the entire department.The Police Department Chief was on the verge of breaking down.There was still zero progress in the kidnapping case of Michael and Louise, and now another major catastrophe had unfolded out of nowhere.Even four highly skilled ninjas had been killed. It was truly one crisis piling on top of another.Overnight, Tokyo transformed from a trendy international metropolis into a grim city of crime.While the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department was swamped with work and turning every corner of the city upside down in search of clues,Michael and Louise had already been secretly transported hundreds of kilometers away to Kyoto.

Meanwhile.Kyoto.The snow was falling harder and harder.Amid the swirling blizzard, Allen had been quietly observing Keiko Ito for nearly ten minutes.During those ten minutes, Keiko would stare blankly up at the sky from time to time, then bend down to scoop up handfuls of pure‑white snow from the ground. She looked genuinely happy playing all by herself.The moment Allen made up his mind to go down and meet her, he suddenly sensed several dark figures rushing toward his position at high speed out of the distant darkness.Judging by their movement stances and breathing patterns as they ran, these figures bore a strong resemblance to Tetsuji Fujibayashi and his three men.Allen instantly went on high alert.These people had to be ninjas.Most likely, they were ninjas from the Fujibayashi clan.Sensing their hostile intent, Allen concealed his aura and watched in secret. He watched as the men scaled the outer wall at great speed, then charged straight for Keiko Ito from multiple dire