novelraw Chapter 959: Suzuki Xia Ya (part 1)
Chapter 959: Suzuki Xia Ya (part 1)
It was cold—so cold that your breath turned into visible white mist, and it was raining.
The streets were busy, likely because it was the weekend, even though it was raining.
Couples, whether male-male, female-female, or male-female, walked hand in hand. About a decade ago, Kumano was just like that, fervently enjoying the vigor of his youth on the streets.
Youth…
Kumano couldn’t help but sigh.
“Honey, honey, are you listening?”
He was on his way home from work, chatting with his wife over the phone. Their conversation mostly revolved around daily trivialities. Lately, their elementary school-aged child had been having some respiratory issues due to the weather.
The child was born with congenital asthma, inherited from their mother.
Even though his wife was nagging, Kumano had long gotten used to it after so many years. In fact, he might even feel uneasy if he didn’t hear her nagging for a day.
“How about we take a trip to Hokkaido next month?” Kumano suggested. “It’s been a long time since we went on a family vacation.”“Do you even have leave? But if we’re really going to Hokkaido, we’ll need to prepare carefully. If it’s too cold, I’m worried it’ll be hard on the kid.”
“It’ll be fine; I just have a feeling we’ll get lucky,” Kumano said with a laugh. But then he suddenly stopped walking.
His wife’s voice continued over the phone, her tone still nagging. “...Honey? Are you even listening?”
“Ah, sorry, sorry. I just noticed someone here,” Kumano replied hurriedly. “Reiko, I’ll call you back later. Something’s come up.”
He ended the call and looked toward the roadside.
It was in front of a snack shop.
The shop’s owner seemed to be out, as the shutter was down. In front of the closed shop crouched a man.
The man, dressed thinly for the weather, sat hugging his knees with his head buried in them. Beside him was a small duffel bag.
“Are you okay?” Kumano walked over, crouching slightly while tilting his umbrella toward the man.
The man lifted his head slowly, blinking as though he’d just been woken from a nap.
“Are you okay?” Kumano asked again.
The man took a moment to come to his senses, then blinked again. “Old man, do I know you?”
“...That’s not really the point, is it?” Kumano shook his head. “In weather like this, you’re sitting here dressed so thinly. It’s only natural to be curious, isn’t it?”
“Huh? It’s raining? Since when...” The man looked surprised at the rain falling steadily.
Kumano opened his mouth, then closed it again. Did this guy freeze his brain or something?
At that moment, something seemed to wriggle out from the man’s lap—it was a calico cat.
The cat crawled out of his clothes, leaped to the ground, and darted across the road, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
“Your cat ran off. Aren’t you going after it?” Kumano asked, puzzled at the man’s lack of reaction.
“It’s not mine,” the man replied, shaking his head. “I found it this morning. It looked like it was about to die, so I thought I’d try to save it. Looks pretty lively now... That’s good.”
“You’ve been sitting here since this morning?” Kumano asked, astonished.
“Yeah. Is that a problem?” The man seemed genuinely confused.
“Are you an idiot? It’s just a cat. It’s probably a stray, anyway.” Kumano frowned.
To his surprise, the man suddenly stood up, his expression turning ferocious. Kumano instinctively backed away. “W-what are you trying to do…”
“You’re the idiot! I’ve already graduated middle school!” the man shouted angrily.
“Huh...” Kumano was momentarily at a loss for words.
The man’s loud voice drew attention, and chuckles could be heard from people nearby.
Perhaps feeling embarrassed, the man glared fiercely at the crowd, his beast-like intensity scattering the onlookers.
With a snort, the man ignored Kumano, picked up his bag from the ground, and started walking away. But just then, his stomach growled audibly.
The man rubbed his stomach, fished around in his pocket, and pulled out a handful of loose change. After a moment’s hesitation, he sighed, put the coins back, and prepared to leave.
“Okonomiyaki—want some?”
The man stopped and looked back at Kumano, who was pointing at a shop across the street and mimicking a drinking gesture. “If you don’t mind, keep me company for a drink,” Kumano said with a smile.
---
“Ha! Running away from home? That’s what youth is all about, Suzuki!”
A few drinks later, Kumano’s chatter had loosened up. The lively atmosphere of the teppanyaki shop was infectious.
Kumano had learned that the man’s name was Suzuki, and he’d left home after a fight with his family—a common enough occurrence.
“Running away, huh? I did the same when I was young,” Kumano said nostalgically, swirling his glass.
“You too, old man?” Suzuki asked curiously.
“Yeah, but I went back after a few days. Honestly, home’s still the best place,” Kumano replied with a shrug.
Suzuki stayed silent, focused on eating his third steaming plate of okonomiyaki.
“So, you don’t have anywhere to go now?” Kumano hiccupped and asked.
Suzuki glanced up briefly, shook his head, and resumed eating.
Kumano chuckled. “Hey, want me to find you a job? Something temporary?”
“Me?” Suzuki asked, surprised.
“You ran away, didn’t you? If you’re serious about being independent, you’ll need a job. How about working as a waiter at a club? Hourly pay—interested?”
“Sure!” Suzuki nodded enthusiastically, his expression brightening.
---
The imposing gate bore the name Takizawa.
Suzuki Xia Ya frowned as he stared at the mansion, which was far grander than his own home. He didn’t bother estimating the size—it was overwhelming.
Kenji and Gao Zhi stood silently beside him, not daring to provoke him after being thoroughly beaten by this beast-like man on the way.
Their silent agreement was to bide their time for revenge. No matter how strong this man was, he was just a nobody in the Takizawa household.
Kenji and Gao Zhi weren’t true members of the Takizawa family. Only Young Master Feng bore the Takizawa name, which came with unimaginable powers hidden from the outside world.
“Is the child in there?” Suzuki Xia Ya asked, his instincts warning him of danger as he stood at the gate.
“Yeah, in Young Master Feng’s courtyard,” Gao Zhi sneered. “You’d better hurry. If you’re too late, all you’ll find is a corpse.”
“Hmm. I’ll find a good place to bury the child,” Suzuki said seriously. “And I’ll make sure you two are buried next to them. Consider it a favor.”
Gao Zhi and Kenji’s expressions darkened. This guy’s nothing but a reckless beast!
“You’re brave enough to enter, aren’t you? Go on, step inside!” Kenji raised his voice and abruptly opened a small side door next to the Takizawa family’s main gate.
The moment the side door opened, Kenji and Gao Zhi suddenly dashed inside with such speed that even Suzuki Xia Ya couldn’t react in time.
Suzuki paused for a moment before stepping through the door himself, but Kenji and Gao Zhi were nowhere to be seen.
“Where did they go?” Suzuki frowned.
At that moment, something dropped from above—a large net!
At each corner of the net, several burly men grabbed hold of it, pulling it tightly. Despite Suzuki Xia Ya’s monstrous strength, he couldn’t break free immediately. The men managed to completely restrain his movements.
“That’s why I said you’re an idiot… You dared to intrude into the Takizawa family’s territory, so we’ll make sure you’re properly entertained,” Kenji sneered as he stepped out from the shadows, slipping a spiked knuckle duster onto his hand.
Suzuki Xia Ya stopped struggling and looked up.
Ahead lay a sprawling estate, one building after another, like overlapping mountains. At the highest point, there stood a castle-like structure.
This Takizawa estate was enormous.
---
The Takizawa family’s residence, located deep in the mountains, was more like a vast village than a mere home. Within its immense walls were various buildings of different shapes and sizes.
Vehicles entered through the outermost gate, and it still took some time driving along winding mountain roads to reach the family’s main house—an ancient fortress-like castle perched at the peak.
Along the way, there were numerous luxurious mansions.
As expected of an ancient family with immense influence over the nation’s politics… Suzuki Chun Xin gazed coldly at the area, which could easily be called “Takizawa Village.”
“Father, do all these people living here belong to the Takizawa family?” Suzuki Chun Xin asked curiously.
“Not exactly,” replied Suzuki Yuichi. “Only a small number of Takizawa branch family members live below. The rest are servants and their families. The Takizawa family has strict rules. Even direct descendants can be expelled if they lack talent, while talented individuals from branch families may be promoted to the main family.”
Suzuki Chun Xin nodded thoughtfully.
Soon, their vehicle stopped in front of the castle’s gates.
It was late, close to midnight.
It seemed that Suzuki Chun Xin’s plan to “visit” Suzuki Xia Ya and settle their matter would have to wait until later. Ba Qi silently contemplated, deciding to spend more time tonight researching the intricacies of the Takizawa family.
From the moment they entered the gates, there was an unsettling feeling… This place wasn’t as simple as it appeared.
“Though faint, there seems to be a sinister force here. While it’s far weaker than us in our prime, we still need to be cautious in our current state.”
In the shadows, Ren Zhen’s voice echoed. Suzuki Chun Xin subtly glanced at his shadow and nodded.
The massive gates opened, and an elderly man emerged, followed by two kimono-clad young women.
Suzuki Yuichi whispered to his son, “That’s Takizawa Hideo, the butler of the main Takizawa family. He’s a significant figure here.”
Suzuki Chun Xin nodded and discreetly assessed Takizawa Hideo. Naturally, as a master of soul manipulation, his probing methods were exceptionally covert.
“Welcome, Lord Suzuki,” said the elderly butler, smiling politely and bowing respectfully.
Suzuki Yuichi returned the bow graciously. “It’s a pleasure to meet you again, Butler Takizawa.”
“Likewise,” Takizawa Hideo replied with a soft smile. Despite his white hair, he exuded an air of vitality and strength.
Suddenly, a clanging sound echoed from the lower levels of the estate.
Both Suzuki Yuichi and Suzuki Chun Xin glanced down curiously. It sounded like someone beating a watchman’s clapper.
“Ah, it’s probably just some ignorant trespasser,” Takizawa Hideo said nonchalantly. “Don’t worry; the security team will handle it.”
“Someone dared to intrude here?” Suzuki Chun Xin asked, intrigued.
Takizawa Hideo seemed unperturbed by the question. It was apparently within acceptable bounds of curiosity.
The butler smiled warmly. “There are always curious individuals, some with ill intentions. The two strikes earlier signaled a minor incident, nothing to worry about.”
“I see.” Suzuki Chun Xin nodded.
But just as the conversation ended, three consecutive clangs suddenly rang out from below!
The minor incident had escalated… Both Suzuki Yuichi and Suzuki Chun Xin noticed a subtle frown on the butler’s face.
(End of Chapter)