novelraw Chapter 956: Prelude
Chapter 956: Prelude
(This takes place after the Christmas incident and before Luo Qiu's departure from South America. Location: District 11.)
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Recently, the atmosphere in the Suzuki family has been particularly tense.
During the Christmas Eve banquet last month, the eldest son, Suzuki Xia Ya, once again ruined something important for Suzuki Yuichi, the head of the Suzuki Group, due to his foolishness. Upon returning to the Suzuki family estate, the father and son had a major fallout, and Xia Ya left home in anger. He has been missing for over twenty days now.
While Xia Ya running away from home is not unusual, this time seems different. Despite mobilizing nearly all the resources of the Suzuki Group, Yuichi has been unable to locate his son—a first in their history.
At 68 years old, Suzuki Yuichi had Xia Ya at the age of 42 and his second son, Suzuki Chun Xin, at 45. Though already at retirement age, Yuichi’s physical condition remains better than most young men. Yet, today, he looks visibly older.
In the quiet study of the Suzuki residence, Suzuki Yuichi paused his calligraphy.
The study's door had opened slightly, and the second son, Suzuki Chun Xin, knelt respectfully on the corridor outside.
“Father,” Chun Xin greeted deferentially.
“Still no news of your brother?” Yuichi asked, glancing back.Chun Xin lowered his head. “I’m very sorry, Father. I’ve mobilized everyone I can, but we’ve still been unable to locate him. Perhaps we should consider seeking help from the police.”
“Foolish! Letting the police know that the heir of the Suzuki Group has run away?!” Yuichi snorted coldly.
“My deepest apologies, Father!” Chun Xin bowed even lower, nearly pressing his head to his chest. “I will find my brother. Please don’t worry.”
Unexpectedly, Yuichi said, “Forget about it! Let him suffer outside for a while. A hungry lion fears no one. Call back all the men deployed. Also, notify all division leaders that if Xia Ya appears, they are not to assist him in any form. If he’s decided to run away, he must be prepared for the consequences!”
“Yes, I will inform them immediately!” Chun Xin responded quickly.
“Do you have plans this afternoon?” Yuichi asked.
“Other than visiting the office and signing some documents, I have nothing major,” Chun Xin replied. “Is there something you need me to do, Father?”
Yuichi closed his eyes. As he did so, a faint purple glow flashed in Chun Xin's eyes, though Yuichi did not notice.
After a brief pause, Yuichi frowned slightly, as if weary, and rubbed his forehead.
“Are you alright, Father?” Chun Xin asked with apparent concern.
Yuichi shook his head and opened his eyes again. “I’m fine. This afternoon, accompany me on an outing. There’s an important matter for the Suzuki Group that requires your careful attention. Don’t mess it up like your brother.”
“What is it, Father?” Chun Xin asked.
“You’ll know when we arrive.” Yuichi waved dismissively. “Now leave. I need to rest.”
“Yes.”
Chun Xin bowed, sliding the door shut, and left through the corridor. On his way, a servant stepped aside upon seeing him, bowing deferentially. Chun Xin offered a polite smile, his demeanor that of a refined gentleman—until he returned to his room.
Once inside, Chun Xin's expression changed dramatically, taking on a wicked charm. He lounged on the sofa, picking up a glass of wine.
Suddenly, a shadowy figure emerged from his own shadow.
“So, this is your plan, Yaqi?” the figure said coldly. “Influence Suzuki Yuichi’s mind and slowly draw him under your control.”
“Ren Zhen, you’re too impatient,” Chun Xin—or rather, Yaqi—replied with a smirk. “It’s only been a few days.”
The figure, Ren Zhen, sneered. “After all your claims of mastery over souls, you can’t even handle the obsession of one mortal?”
Yaqi chuckled. “You should know better than anyone the state we’re in. The wounds we sustained in Yan Wuyue's world were severe. While I’ve managed to attach myself to Chun Xin, his obsession is so strong it’s influencing my thoughts. I’m forced to do things I’d rather avoid.”
Ren Zhen mocked, “The great manipulator of souls, reduced to this? Pathetic.”
Yaqi retorted calmly, “And you? Without a host, how much better off are you? Don’t forget, we’re bound together now. If I fall, so will you.”
Ren Zhen fell silent.
Yaqi continued, “You’re frustrated without a proper host, but would you rather settle for a poor fit and risk what I’m dealing with now? I had no choice, but you do.”
Ren Zhen’s voice turned dark. “I don’t have time to waste. The Yin Wolf Star’s power is now unclaimed and resides within Zixing. If she masters it fully, she’ll become the true Ren Zhen Star, and I’ll lose everything. Yaqi, you don’t want the same fate, do you? Reduced to a mere fragment of a useless soul?”
“The Tanlang Clan has had many generations of priests, yet none have replaced you as the Ren Zhen Star’s master,” Yaqi replied dismissively. “Some things can’t be rushed. Let me handle Chun Xin and fully take control of his body. The Suzuki family’s resources will benefit us both. For now, be patient.”
Ren Zhen snapped, “Gain his father’s favor? Then what? His obsession still binds you!”
Yaqi smiled faintly. “I’ll take care of that soon enough. Trust me, this arrangement benefits us both. Let’s focus on finding you the ideal host, using the Suzuki family’s influence. Until then, keep calm and wait.”
“After all, it’s still a true soul, and it’s quite talented,” Ba Qi said with a smile. “Suzuki Chun Xin’s greatest wish is to surpass his elder brother, Suzuki Xia Ya—whether it’s to gain Suzuki Yuichi’s approval or to become the head of the Suzuki Clan, it all revolves around surpassing his brother.”
“In that case, stop dawdling and bring Suzuki Xia Ya out quickly!”
“Don’t worry, I already know where he is.” Ba Qi sneered. “But I’ll wait until I accompany Suzuki Yuichi this afternoon and see what he plans to do first… the main course is always better saved for last.”
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“Suzuki! Suzuki!”
Amidst the thumping music, the nightclub manager was shouting for a newly hired waiter.
This was a particularly handsome man, whom the manager once remarked could make far more money as a host than working as a waiter here.
“What is it, Manager?” The man called Suzuki quickly approached.
“Room 209 has placed an order. Take these drinks over,” the manager instructed, pointing at the prepared beverages. “And don’t mess it up this time! You’ve already delivered orders to the wrong rooms five times this week. If there’s a sixth, don’t blame me for firing you!”
“Got it, Manager!” Suzuki scratched his head with a look of resignation.
The manager wasn’t exaggerating—Suzuki had indeed messed up five times already.
Shaking his head, Suzuki tried to pep himself up. Jobs were hard to come by, especially for someone without even a high school diploma. His options were limited.
“Phew… close call. Almost messed it up again!”
Balancing the drinks in his hands, Suzuki suddenly froze. He had nearly walked into the wrong room again due to distraction.
However, just as he was about to turn back, he stopped abruptly, frowning. From the room he almost entered, there were strange noises.
Suzuki, known for his excellent hearing and exceptional physical strength since childhood, leaned closer to the door to listen. It sounded like a woman’s cries.
Though curious, Suzuki hesitated. Such situations weren’t rare in this setting—women invited to such places often ended up in compromising scenarios. Both parties usually shared the blame. Shaking his head, Suzuki resolved to focus on his job.
Just then, the door burst open. A disheveled woman ran out and collided with Suzuki.
The impact knocked the drinks out of his hands. Suzuki’s reflexes kicked in; he crouched and miraculously caught them before they hit the floor.
“Phew…” He wiped the sweat from his brow, relieved that he avoided what could’ve been a disastrous mistake.
“Help me…”
The woman’s plea interrupted his thoughts.
Suzuki glanced up. Two men emerged from the room, grabbing the woman’s arms to drag her back inside.
“Help me! Please!” the woman cried, directing her plea at Suzuki.
Suzuki pretended not to notice. He quickly picked up the remaining drinks and stood, intent on leaving.
“Please, save me… I beg you…” The woman’s voice, muffled by one man’s hand over her mouth, faded as they dragged her back into the room, slamming the door behind them.
One of the men stayed outside, glaring at Suzuki.
Still feigning ignorance, Suzuki turned to leave, but the man grabbed his shoulder.
“Stop. I didn’t say you could leave.”
“I didn’t see or hear anything. I’m just a regular waiter,” Suzuki said quickly.
“Did I accuse you of anything?” The man sneered and grabbed one of the drinks from Suzuki’s tray.
“This isn’t your order,” Suzuki frowned. “It’s for another room. Why don’t you place your own order?”
The man’s erratic behavior suggested he might be on drugs.
“Quit whining. I’ll take what I want. Got a problem? Call your manager.” With that, the man turned to head back into the room.
Suzuki grabbed his arm, forcing a smile. “Come on, don’t make this hard for me. Why don’t you just order another drink? I’ll deliver it personally.”
Smash!
Without warning, the man smashed the bottle over Suzuki’s head. The bottle shattered, drenching Suzuki in liquor.
“Take it! Now scram!”
Suzuki wiped his face, took a deep breath, and forced a smile. “No problem. Just make sure you tell the manager this wasn’t my fault. I don’t want to lose my job over this.”
The man paused, confused by Suzuki’s reaction. “Are you stupid or something?”
“I didn’t hear you,” Suzuki replied, still smiling.
“I said, are you stupid? Stupid! Stupid!”
Suzuki’s smile vanished. Without warning, he punched the man in the stomach with tremendous force. The man flew backward, crashing into the room’s door, which fell off its hinges under the impact.
“I said I didn’t hear you, but you kept talking and talking…” Suzuki stepped forward, his expression cold and emotionless. “Do you want me to kill you?”