Chapter Seventy-Six: The Bloody Finale

Bai Tangjing quickly understood.
The president of the Tokyo Electric Group—a man whose every step could shake the very foundations of Japan—was nothing more than a fool, a comical character, before Kagen Metto.
One of his lieutenants, clad in white, wielding a samurai sword, was defeated by Takeyama Minoru, masked and silent, who bested blade with bare fists.
One by one, traitors emerged from Hayami Masamasa’s ranks.
Some had been planted by Nogi Eiki; others by Kagen Metto himself...
All had thoroughly sabotaged the key stages of his plan.
The Sirius Gang, the direct enforcers, were outright converted, turning against him.
Thus, the old man who had first appeared as an invincible demon king, scarred by fire, was subdued by the traitors behind him, pressed into submission beneath Kagen Metto’s feet.
“Kagen! You bastard! Scum!”
Pinned to the floor without dignity, Hayami Masamasa struggled to lift his hate-filled eyes, glaring at the impassive Kagen Metto.
“Let’s imprison him for now. If we deal with him immediately, it will trigger an earthquake in Japan’s political and economic spheres.”
Kagen Metto’s guards carried out their master’s orders without compromise.
After Hayami was forced down, the president of the Kengan Association, composed and serene, entered the room alongside the visibly displeased leader of the Wu Clan.
They stood before the boy, who watched the battlefield cleanup with great enthusiasm.
Though both sides had avoided using firearms, in order not to alarm the spectators still immersed in the intoxicating beauty of youthful bodies in the arena,
the carnage wrought by cold weapons and martial artists’ fists was... indescribable.
As the two equally gaunt old men stood before the boy,
Bai Tangjing smacked his lips, watching as a black-suited man carried a basket brimming with arms, thighs, fingers, flesh—an assortment of body parts—out the door.
Only after the man disappeared from view did the boy, in this blood-soaked chamber, greet the elders with a refreshing smile.
“Don’t you have aftermath to deal with after the Kengan Association’s betrayal? Why seek out a mere newcomer like me?”
“You know the answer.” Wu Huili’an eyed the boy, his displeasure so intense it seemed he could unleash his full power on the spot, smashing the skull of the rascal who dared cozy up to his precious granddaughter!
In contrast, Kagen Metto appeared exceedingly calm, even amiable.

“Brother Bai Tang, we’re here for that audio recording,” said the face that, since arriving on Wish Flow Island, had repeatedly struck terror like a fierce demon—now grinning cheerfully.
“Tokyo Electric’s betrayal of the Kengan Association will be dealt with accordingly. But if that audio leaks...”
Kagen Metto tapped his cane against the floor, hinting at deeper meaning.
“It won’t just shake Wish Flow Island. It would trigger a seismic event across Japan, perhaps even the world.”
“‘Chaos is a ladder’—those with nothing always say so.”
“But for us, bound within the vast interests of the Kengan Association, senseless chaos is merely a nuisance.”
“As someone who built an empire worth billions from scratch in a few years, you understand this, don’t you?”
The old man rested his hands atop his cane, the Wu Clan chief standing by, both smiling as they awaited Bai Tangjing’s response.
The boy, radiant as the sun, watched the room gradually shed its bloody hue, returning to luxury and order.
He didn’t answer the president’s expectations, but instead broached another subject.
“Are you familiar with electronic information technology, president?”
“Hmm... I have a specialized information secretary department.” Kagen Metto scratched his cheek.
That meant he didn’t understand.
The boy smiled knowingly.
“When my finger touches the phone and the progress bar completes, if within an hour no one accesses a secret webpage and enters a pre-set password...”
“What happens?” the old man asked, genuinely curious.
The boy obliged.
“The data will simultaneously transmit to the five major powers, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Norway, Sweden, Australia... then it will spread across the internet on its own.”
“I beg your pardon; it was a crude experiment I did with information technology as a child.”
The boy first smiled bashfully, but quickly, that feigned modesty transformed into a scrutinizing, playful gaze fixed on Kagen Metto.
“You see, just listing these countries takes me two minutes, and I haven’t finished yet.”
“But for that audio recording to spread to all of them online, all it takes is...”

The boy raised his hand, snapped his fingers, “...just this little bit of time.”
“High technology is always awe-inspiring.” Kagen Metto’s expression didn’t change. “But given your ‘one hour’ deadline, you’d best state your terms quickly.”
The old monster who had ruled the Kengan Association for decades was leagues above Hayami Masamasa in composure.
He might not understand information technology, but he understood the minds of those who wielded it.
The long speech about powerful new tech boiled down to three words: pay more.
While silently admiring Kagen Metto, the boy spoke without hesitation.
“Let me speak with Hayami Masamasa alone.”
“That’s it?” The condition was so simple Kagen Metto doubted his own ears. “No demands for equity, no other deals?”
He wasn’t worried Bai Tangjing would harm Hayami Masamasa.
First, there was no mortal feud between them.
Second, having declared that Hayami must be preserved, he trusted Bai Tangjing would understand the logic of that decision.
“That’s all.” Bai Tangjing replied with an effortless confidence. “After learning the scale and operation of the Kengan Association, I have no doubt that I will one day stand atop Japan’s assets.”
“So, equity and futures are trivial things I’ll eventually acquire. For now, I’d rather satisfy my curiosity.”
At this answer, the old monster Kagen Metto gazed with keen interest at the boy, whose confidence seemed so natural as to be inevitable.
“Young people...” The elder’s sigh could be praise for the boy’s resolve, or mockery of his ignorance and fearlessness.
“As you wish. Zendao, take him to Hayami.” Kagen Metto turned to instruct a burly man with a side-parted haircut.
“And you,” he turned back, “I trust you don’t need reminding how to handle that audio recording?”
“Rest assured, it will vanish,” the boy said, smiling, snapping his fingers again, “...in just such a moment, without a trace.”