MMB Chapter 163 Signature Puppet
Chapter 163 Signature Puppet
June 5, 1989.
Nagata Town, the official residence of the Prime Minister.
The early summer sun shone weakly through the thick bulletproof glass onto the deep red carpet. Although the air conditioning was on, a suffocating heat still permeated the air.
Outside the window, the faint sounds of loudspeakers and the chants of protesters could be heard. It was a civic group opposing the consumption tax and demanding an investigation into the Licourt scandal.
Although separated by several walls and the Metropolitan Police Department's SWAT team, the waves of anger still crashed against this isolated island of power like a tide.
Uno Sōsuke sat behind that large mahogany desk.
He had only been in office for three days.
The "transitional" prime minister, chosen by the Takeshita faction, was trying to sign his name on a document. But the Parker pen in his hand remained suspended in mid-air, hesitant to come down.
His fingers gripped the pen tightly, but a fine layer of sweat had already seeped from his forehead, trickling down the white hair at his temples.
Across from the desk, Ichiro Osawa was nestled in a leather sofa. He wasn't looking at Uno, but focused on trimming the cap of the Cuban cigar in his hand.
"Click."
The crisp sound of the cigar cutter closing was particularly jarring in the deathly silent office.
Uno's hand trembled slightly.
"Osawa-kun," Uno's voice was dry, as if he had grit in his throat, "Isn't this budget... a bit too rushed?"
He pointed to the thick document in front of him—"Emergency Financial Appropriation Proposal for the Development of Tokyo's Waterfront Sub-Center".
"The 50 billion yen in special government bonds were all used for infrastructure construction in Odaiba. At this critical juncture, the public is already very dissatisfied with the Liberal Democratic Party's fiscal discipline. If we were to undertake such a large-scale civil engineering project at this time..."
Uno raised his head, a pleading look in his eyes.
"Could we postpone it? Until the fall congressional session..."
"cannot."
Ichiro Osawa lit a cigar and exhaled a puff of bluish-gray smoke.
He stood up, walked to the desk, placed his hands on the surface, and looked down at the nominal national leader.
"Prime Minister, you seem to be unaware of the situation."
Daze's voice was deep.
"Did you hear those shouts outside?"
He pointed out the window.
"The people are angry. Because of the consumption tax, because of the scandals. They feel that the Liberal Democratic Party only knows how to take money out of their pockets, but doesn't know how to do any work."
"At this time, we need a grand story. A story that allows them to see the future, to see hope, and thus forget the pain they are currently experiencing."
Osawa pressed his finger heavily on the cover of the document.
"Odaiba is the story."
"That is the future of Tokyo, the engine of expanding domestic demand. Only by starting such large-scale projects worth tens of billions of yen can we prove to the business community and the people that the new cabinet is capable of leading Japan out of its predicament."
"But..." Uno wanted to argue.
"This is a consensus within D," Osawa interrupted him, his tone icy. "It was also the expectation of several elders when you were nominated to take the stage."
"You just need to sign. The secretary-general's office will handle the rest."
Uno Sosuke looked into Osawa's cold, emotionless eyes.
He suddenly understood. He was in this position not because of any outstanding political talent, but simply because he was a blank slate.
The purpose of blank paper is for people to write on it or stamp it.
He lowered his head, no longer looking at the specific clauses on the document. The details about the Rainbow Bridge, the underground utility tunnel, and the flow of tens of billions of yen were unimportant.
The important thing is that he has to stamp it.
If he doesn't cover it, he won't be able to hold his position as the top official for even three days.
The pen tip touches the paper.
The ink spread, making a hissing sound.
"Uno Sosuke."
The four characters are written neatly, but they are utterly powerless.
He took out the Prime Minister's official seal, which symbolized supreme executive power, from his jacket pocket and pressed it into the bright red ink.
"Smack."
The seal fell.
The bright red mark was like a wound, branded onto the white paper.
Osawa Ichiro looked at the seal, a satisfied smile curving his lips. He swiftly reached out and snatched the document away, his movements as practiced as if he were collecting chips from a gambling table.
"A wise decision, Your Excellency the Prime Minister."
Osawa put the documents into his briefcase and locked it.
"The people from the Ministry of Construction and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government are already waiting. Tomorrow morning, this budget will be transformed into concrete and steel reinforcement."
He bowed slightly, then turned and walked towards the door.
When he reached the door, Osawa stopped and looked back at Uno, who was still sitting stiffly in the chair.
"By the way, Prime Minister. I heard you've been consistently writing haiku lately? How refined."
A hint of mockery flashed in Daze's eyes.
"It's good to write more poetry in this position. Let us ordinary people handle the mundane affairs."
The door closed.
Uno Sōsuke sat alone in his empty office. The protests outside seemed to grow louder, like waves threatening to engulf the wrecked ship.
He looked at his finger, which had a little bit of red ink on it, and felt that no matter how he wiped it off, he couldn't get the red off.
……
Kasumigaseki, Accounting Bureau of the Ministry of Finance.
This is the heart of Japan's national budget, and also the busiest and most arrogant government office in the country. But today, its efficiency is astonishing.
The fax machine in the Director of Budget, Accounting and Statistics' office was frantically spitting out thermal paper.
"It's here! The official residence has been approved!"
A section chief rushed into the office with documents still warm in his hand, his face flushed with excitement.
"The Emergency Appropriation Bill for the Development of the Coastal Sub-City Center has been personally signed by the Prime Minister! The special national debt quota of 50 billion is effective immediately!"
Shuichi Saionji, who was sitting on the leather sofa, put down his teacup.
The Vice Minister of Finance opposite him took off his glasses, wiped them with a cloth, and a relaxed smile appeared on his face.
"Congratulations, Mr. Saionji."
The vice minister took out a pre-prepared appropriation slip from his drawer and signed his name on it.
"Since there is special approval from the Prime Minister, we will skip the usual procedures. According to the agreement, Mitsui Bank and Sumitomo Bank have already prepared the funds in the list of underwriters for this tranche of government bonds."
The vice-official pushed the receipt in front of Shuichi.
The recipient's section prominently displays several names:
Tokyo Metropolitan Port Authority
But below this name is a note:
[Designated payment recipients: Saionji Construction Co., Ltd., Seibu Railway Co., Ltd., Shimizu Construction...]
Shuichi picked up the receipt and glanced at the numbers on it.
12 billion yen.
This is the first advance payment. It is used to fund the initial construction of the Shibaura approach bridge of the Rainbow Bridge and the underground pipeline laying project on plot 13 in Daiba.
Three days.
It took only three days from when Ichiro Osawa walked into the Prime Minister's official residence with the draft bill to when the huge sum of money was transferred to the account for the Saionji construction project.
If the normal process were followed, this budget would have been debated in Congress for at least six months.
"A country can be quite efficient at times."
Shuichi folded the receipt neatly and put it into the pocket of his suit jacket.
"Of course." The vice minister smiled meaningfully. "As long as someone is pushing from behind, even a rusty gear can turn very fast. After all, this is for the 'century-long plan of the nation.'"
Xiu stood up and straightened his clothes.
"Well then, I'll take my leave now. There are thousands of mouths on the construction site waiting for this money to feed them."
"Please go ahead."
Shuichi walked out of the heavy gate of the Ministry of Finance.
The rain outside had stopped, but the sky remained overcast. The black Mercedes was already parked at the bottom of the steps, and Fujita, holding a huge black umbrella, hurried towards it.
"master."
"Back to the company."
Xiuyi climbed into the car, shutting out the damp, cold air.
The car started and drove into the heavy traffic of Xiaguan.
Shuichi took the receipt out of his pocket again and glanced at it in the light of the reading lamp.
Just half an hour ago, this money was taxpayers' money, a number lying in the national treasury.
Now, with the seal of that puppet prime minister, it has become the property of the Saionji family, the lifeblood injected into that wasteland of Odaiba.
"Use the country's money to build the roads we need to travel."
Shuichi looked out the window at the fleeting street scene and muttered to himself.
"Making the people pay taxes to build our own backyard. Satsuki... your move is too ambitious."
……
Port area, Shin-bashi.
The core computer room on the second basement floor of the Saionji Intelligence System (SIS) headquarters building.
The temperature here remains at 22 degrees Celsius year-round, the air is dry and clean, and the only sound is the low-frequency hum of countless servers.
Shimomura Tsutomu sank into the black leather ergonomic chair, his feet propped up on the control panel.
Open your mouth.
A gentle voice came from beside me.
Without taking his eyes off the screen, Shimomura Tsutomu instinctively opened his mouth. A peeled and seeded Kyoho grape was gently placed into his mouth.
Wearing a dark uniform, Sayuri knelt on a small round stool beside him, holding a silver tray in her hands, and gently wiped the juice from the corner of his mouth.
"Is it delicious? It was just flown in by air."
"Hmm...not bad." Shimomura Tsutomu chewed indistinctly, his fingers flying across the keyboard.
On the other side of the server room, the aloof Eri stood beside Satsuki, holding an encrypted file box in her hands, her posture upright.
Satsuki sat on the sofa in the corner, holding a copy of Weekly Bunshun. Today she was wearing a black turtleneck sweater with a gray cashmere shawl draped over her shoulders, curled up on the sofa like a lazy cat.
"Boss, is that true?"
Tsutomu Shimomura pointed to a news window that popped up in the lower left corner of the screen.
[Breaking News: The Uno Cabinet has approved a special budget for waterfront development, accelerating infrastructure construction in Odaiba. The Rainbow Bridge will officially begin construction tomorrow.]
"That's what they said on TV."
Satsuki turned a page of the magazine, her voice calm.
"But it's true. The money has already been transferred from the Ministry of Finance's account. Tomorrow morning, the first steel beam will be delivered to the Odaiba construction site."
Wow.
Shimomura Tsutomu put his hands behind his head, his tone somewhat amused.
"That old man really dared to sign that. Five hundred billion, isn't he afraid of crushing himself?"
"He won't be crushed to death."
Satsuki closed the magazine and tossed it onto the coffee table.
"Because he's about to step down."
She stood up and walked to Eri's side.
Eri skillfully entered the password and opened the file box in her hand. A burst of cold air rushed out, revealing a black 3.5-inch floppy disk inside.
"Send this out."
Satsuki picked up the disk, which was the "bomb" she had brought back from the Kagurazaka geisha house.
Shimomura Tsutomu took the disk, twirled it in his hand twice, and glanced at the label on it.
"Is this a farewell gift for Uno?"
I guess so.
Satsuki walked to the control panel and looked at the flowing data on the screen.
"The road has been paved, and the budget has been approved. Uno, as the 'disposable glove,' has completed his mission."
"If we don't throw him away, these dirty gloves will get the person we're about to promote dirty."
Shimomura Tsutomu understood immediately.
"Osawa Ichiro?"
"That's the sharpest knife we have, and the face of the next ten years," Satsuki said calmly. "Good steel should be used on the blade, not for wiping our bottoms. Uno is the most suitable for this kind of dirty work."
She pointed to the disk slot.
"Let's do it. Give that short-lived prime minister a final goodnight kiss."
Shimomura Tsutomu inserted the disk into the read slot.
An encrypted folder popped up on the screen. Inside were blurry black and white photos and the recording of "A woman like you is only worth this much."
"To whom should it be sent?"
"The social affairs department of the Mainichi Shimbun, and the whistleblower email address of Weekly Bunshun."
Satsuki took a business card from Eri and placed it on the table.
"Use an overseas jump server, without leaving any trace."
"Understood. I'm best at this kind of dirty work."
Shimomura Tsutomu typed away on the keyboard.
Little Lily silently handed him a glass of warm water and placed it beside him, her eyes filled with admiration.
A green progress bar appeared on the screen.
Sending... 10%... 30%...
Satsuki stared at the progress bar, her eyes completely unmoved.
Uno Sōsuke is the pawn on the chessboard used for "exchanging pieces". Once the pawn crosses the river, it breaks through the opponent's defenses, and then it can die.
"bite."
A green dialog box popped up on the screen: [Sent successfully].
Tsutomu Shimomura pulled out the disk and casually tossed it to Eri behind him.
Eri caught the disk, walked to the degausser in the corner, and skillfully shredded it.
"Done. We've got the headline for next Tuesday's paper."
Shimomura stretched and yawned, his joints cracking.
Satsuki turned around and picked up the shawl that was on the sofa.
"Let's go home."
She glanced at the dark basement walls outside the window, as if she could see the sky through the thick concrete.
"Tomorrow, Tokyo will be very noisy."
……
June 6, 1989, dusk.
Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, Burial Site No. 13.
As the downpour subsided, a crack appeared in the clouds on the horizon, revealing a few streaks of blood-red setting sun.
A massive array of pile drivers roared as they rammed thick reinforced concrete piles into the seabed. Mud churned, and seabirds took flight in alarm.
On the sea not far from the shore, several engineering vessels are at work. Huge caissons are being slowly lowered by cranes; these are the pier foundations of the Rainbow Bridge.
"Boom—"
The caisson was lowered into the water, creating huge white waves.
Satsuki stood on a makeshift observation deck on the shore, the sea breeze tousling her long hair. She wore a black trench coat and held a newly released evening edition of the Mainichi Shimbun in her hand.
The front page headline was a huge, bold line of text, shocking to the eye:
[The Prime Minister's "Prostitution" Scandal: A "Lover's Contract" for 300,000 Yen Per Month]
The accompanying image was a blurry photograph, along with the infamous quote that could ruin a politician: "That's all a woman like you is worth."
Public opinion has exploded.
Women's groups are protesting, the opposition is pressuring for the prime minister's resignation, and even voices within the Liberal Democratic Party are calling for the prime minister's resignation.
Uno Sosuke is finished.
On the same day that the first cornerstone of the Rainbow Bridge sank into the sea, the prime minister's political life also sank into the sea.
"Young Miss".
Fujita stood behind her, looking at the newspaper, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.
Do you think I'm cruel?
Satsuki did not turn around; her gaze remained fixed on the bridge pier that was rising on the sea.
"No... I just feel that people's hearts are fickle."
"People's hearts have never changed, Fujita."
Satsuki loosened his grip.
The newspaper was swept away by the sea breeze, tumbling through the air like a white bird with broken wings, before drifting and falling into the murky sea.
As the waves rolled by, the black title line was instantly swallowed up, leaving only Uno's blurry face bobbing in the water before disappearing completely.
Fujita Tsuyoshi pondered Satsuki's words, lost in thought. His grandfather had once instructed him to listen more, observe more, and think more, to keep up with the young lady's way of thinking.
The young lady is the absolute core of the Saionji family. Since he is fortunate enough to serve by her side, he must become a qualified butler to assist her.
"I see."
Fujita lowered his head.
Satsuki turned around, her back to the surging sea.
The last rays of the setting sun burned away at this moment, turning the sea into a deep black.