Chapter 5970

When Charlie learned that several major Japanese mafia organizations had already begun to act, he immediately understood that the situation was far more serious than he had anticipated. At this moment, the only force he could rely on was the Iga Ninja, but there were only a few hundred of them. Facing tens of thousands of gangsters in Tokyo, they wouldn’t even be enough to fill the gaps in their defenses. Moreover, the more crowded the setting, the more he had to conceal his strength. If hundreds or even thousands of assailants came for him, he could unleash the Thunder Order, which would undoubtedly frighten them away. However, by the time tomorrow arrived, he would undeniably be infamous throughout the nation. Such actions were far too costly, especially since the person he was tasked with protecting was Tawanna—making the sacrifice even less justifiable. Thus, he assessed the current circumstances and said to Mitsui Yoshitaka, "Mr. Mitsui, please summon all the security personnel from the Mitsui family to get here as quickly as possible. Do not think about taking Tawanna to your residence. We must ensure Tawanna’s safety right here!" "Here?" Mitsui Yoshitaka shook his head and replied, "This place is not suitable. There isn’t even a proper safety door. The Mitsui family's estate has underground fortifications capable of withstanding nuclear attacks. As long as Miss Sweet arrives there, her safety will be absolutely guaranteed!" Charlie responded coldly, "What if tens of thousands of people rush here? How would you transport Tawanna? A helicopter? It’s very possible that numerous sniper rifles are targeting various spots from above. Can your helicopter truly guarantee safety?" Mitsui Yoshitaka countered, "But we can’t just stay here, can we? What if they break in? What then?" Charlie explained, "There are only two entry and exit points backstage. It’s fairly straightforward to block them. Your personnel can rush over, and we can begin deploying our defenses as soon as they arrive. We'll establish three layers of defense: your people will form the outermost layer, my people the middle layer, and I will oversee the innermost layer. Concurrently, I’ll ensure there are no traitors among my personnel, while you must ensure the same among your own. This way, we can isolate the risks." "And since this is a public place—the largest performance venue in Tokyo—anyone attempting to storm in will have to consider the ramifications. At that point, we can notify the Japanese Metropolitan Police, and they will undoubtedly dispatch officers to maintain order here and preserve their reputation. As long as we maintain the integrity of our three-layer defense and prevent any threats from approaching Tawanna, the Metropolitan Police can provide an additional layer of security to our outer defense. This approach should allow us to minimize risk significantly." Mitsui Shinmei, who was listening, quickly said, "Odo-san, I believe Mr. Wade's plan is quite sound. If we implement defenses here and adhere strictly to Mr. Wade's strategy with layered security, we can certainly safeguard Tawanna!" Mitsui Yoshitaka waved his hand dismissively and replied, "They’re just the Yakuza and a bunch of lower-tier gangs. There’s no need to go to such lengths. I can easily intimidate them into abandoning their plans!" Mitsui Shinmei interjected urgently, "Odo-san, those gangs aren’t that easily controlled!" Mitsui Shinmei harbored a certain fear of organizations like the Yakuza. As Japan's largest gang, the Yakuza commands at least tens of thousands of members, and its social influence is profound. Reports indicated that the Yakuza generated an annual revenue of around 60 billion US dollars in 2014. However, this figure is not certain. To inflate the Yakuza's strength and sensationalize news coverage, the media often aggregates the total output values of all industries and related businesses under the Yakuza, presenting an exaggerated sum. For instance, if a street under Yakuza control had a total output value of 100 million US dollars a year, the media would attribute that entire amount to the Yakuza. In reality, if the street is considered a subsidiary to the Yakuza, they wouldn’t hold a 100% stake—at most, they might own 60%. Furthermore, this 100 million US dollars reflects total output value without deducting expenses, including real estate income, renovation costs, utilities, food and alcohol expenses, labor costs for countless associates, and even the income from clinics treating STDs along that street. In truth, only about 60 million of that 100 million would be related to the Yakuza. After accounting for all those explicit and implicit costs, the net profit that could be sent upstream to the Yakuza headquarters would be significantly less. Considering the sheer number of individuals to support in that area, this cost adds up to astronomical figures, necessitating the management of extensive relationships. Consequently, after deducting all expenses, the net profit attributable to the Yakuza's parent company could only amount to a few million US dollars. On one side is the $100 million total output value; on the other is a few million in profit. This ratio indicates that the Yakuza's annual net profit is at most a few hundred million dollars. Nevertheless, the Yakuza’s real strength lies in their ability to provide for tens of thousands of individuals, ensuring that everyone from lowly foot soldiers to upper-tier leaders live comfortably, all while producing hundreds of millions in profit. These members act as the worker ants in their colony; they work tirelessly day in and day out and are willing to sacrifice their lives to protect the hive.

This vast army forms the foundation of the Yakuza's stability. However, even a gang like the Yakuza is relatively insignificant compared to the Mitsui family. Though Mitsui Shinmei may fear their size, Mitsui Yoshitaka views Nishida Hirohiro, the seventh generation of the Yakuza, as merely a minor thug who doesn’t deserve consideration. He can order Nishida around as easily as reprimanding a chauffeur, and Nishida dares not even raise his head, let alone retaliate. Thus, hearing that Nishida Hirohiro had the audacity to order the Yakuza to assassinate Tawanna infuriated him, provoking a sense of insult from below. Mitsui Yoshitaka’s brother quickly called Nishida Hirohiro. Once the call connected, he promptly asked, "Is this Nishida?" "It is," replied a middle-aged man on the other end, somewhat respectfully. "Mr. Mitsui, what prompted you to call me?" Mitsui Yoshitaka’s brother responded coldly, "I’m not the one looking for you; it’s my elder brother Mitsui Yoshitaka who wants to speak with you." Mitsui Yoshitaka snatched the phone and shouted, "Nishida Hirohiro, are you trying to court death? How dare you send someone to assassinate my guest, Tawanna! Who gave you the audacity?!" Nishida Hirohiro coughed awkwardly on the other end and said, "Mr. Mitsui, our target is Tawanna, an American. This situation doesn’t seem connected to you at all, correct?" Mitsui Yoshitaka snapped, "Baka! Tawanna is not only my guest but also a signed artist of Universal Music. As a shareholder of Universal Music, do you really think this has nothing to do with me?" He then threatened in a chilling voice, "Nishida Hirohiro, I have no time for your nonsense. I’m giving you two options: one, immediately rescind the order and ensure all Yakuza members refrain from approaching or laying a finger on Tawanna, or two, declare yourselves enemies of the Mitsui family! I can assure you, should you choose the latter, I will utterly eradicate the Yakuza!" Upon hearing this, Nishida Hirohiro responded, somewhat embarrassed, "Mr. Mitsui, you should be aware this is a hidden investment worth one billion US dollars. I needn’t explain how much purchasing power that entails or what it can accomplish, correct? Every gang in Japan is keen on securing this money. If you prevent me from accessing it and my competitors get their hands on it, it will spell disaster for me. A billion dollars could enable my competitors to overtake the Yakuza, leading to our elimination without any assistance from you." Mitsui Yoshitaka shot back, "Let me make it clear: no matter who seeks this money, if they pay the price, they will find themselves targeted. If they act against us, they will become the enemies of the Mitsui family and will be eradicated by us! If you recognize the wisdom in the current situation, you will stay clear of it to protect yourself and enjoy the fruits of others’ labor!" Nishida Hirohiro chuckled wryly, "Mr. Mitsui, do you really believe the Mitsui family can eliminate all the gangs in Japan? Not even the current Prime Minister would be bold enough to make such a claim!" "Moreover, do you realize how many gang members exist in Japan? Nearly 30,000 are registered with the Metropolitan Police alone! There are at least 100,000 members who aren’t even registered!" "Don’t forget the numerous gray market figures who earn their keep in bars, casinos, pachinko parlors, and adult venues. Although they aren’t outright gang members, they rely on gangs for survival and serve as reserves! Counting these individuals brings the total to at least 300,000!" "If the Mitsui family were to act against that many people, Japan's prisons would overflow! At that point, the balance among gangs would be shattered. Every gang member would view the Mitsui family as their number one enemy, and new gang recruits would flood the streets to claim territory. The public security of Japan would descend into chaos. Mr. Mitsui, you surely do not wish to witness such an outcome?" Mitsui Yoshitaka knew Nishida Hirohiro spoke the truth. Gangs had long been an entrenched issue in Japan. The government acknowledges their existence and tolerates their business practices, and they typically do not contravene governmental authority. The two sides have developed a dysfunctional balance. Any disruption to this equilibrium would send society into upheaval. As such, even the Japanese government struggles to contend with gangs, and Mitsui Yoshitaka certainly does not possess that capability. He initially intended to threaten Nishida Hirohiro, hoping to dissuade the Yakuza from pursuing this matter, before then intimidating the leaders of the other gangs. However, he now understood the gravity of the situation. Although these organizations had shown him deference in the past, the allure of hidden one billion dollars now placed them in a position where ignoring the potential reward could risk their very survival. Mitsui Yoshitaka declared coldly, "Nishida, I have no interest in your excuses. Once you make a move, I will not pardon you!" Nishida Hirohiro matched his tone firmly, stating, "Mr. Mitsui, this is a coordinated effort involving all of Japan’s underworld. Should you target the Yakuza afterwards, the thousands of Yakuza members won’t simply stand by! We will do everything we can to strike the Mitsui family. If we can eliminate one, we will; if we can eliminate two, we will! The stakes have never been clearer. Mr. Mitsui, people like us live scantly and in the shadows. We consider ourselves fortunate if we can exchange our cheap lives for the lives of esteemed individuals like you!"