Clockwork Bride

Page 307

She lowered her head deeply into a kneeling position with three fingers on the ground until her forehead touched the tatami mat.

“I have always believed… although we may only be able to save a small portion of them now… I believe that you are the new king who can save us.”

Hayden really didn't know what to say. He couldn't save everyone, let alone fundamentally solve the country's deep-seated racial and political legacies... but he did see Angela looking at him with a subtle gaze.

He did tell Angela that he needed to grow up.

Growing up is really difficult.

375: The color of power

Some time later, Komakusa Tayu arrived at Hayden's guest room. He first asked Momiji to leave, and then politely said to Hayden, "Lord Hayden, the preparations for going to Ashihara are complete. After today's work is finished, we will personally take you away first thing tomorrow morning."

From the subtle changes in her expression, it was clear that Komakusa Tayu probably already knew Hayden's social status. This wasn't something Hayden liked to rely on, but there was no need to dwell on it now.

Hayden frowned and said, "The top courtesan of the brothel actually wants to be our 'guide' herself. Why don't you just send some random monster prostitute to lead us?"

“Besides me, all the other girls on this street were born after the war, when their homes were destroyed.” Komakusa Tayu shook the slender pipe in his hand. “They are of the ancient gods by blood, but their consciousness is closer to that of modern people. Although they can follow the past, they cannot serve as guides for the [Ashihara Great Barrier]. I am the only one here who has lived from the last era to the present.”

These words made Hayden frown even more: "So, apart from you, none of the other prostitutes here are former nobles of the Old Gods, they're all just..."

Komakusa Tayu flicked his pipe and laughed: "Lord Hayden, are you trying to say that they are innocent because they were not nobles of the old era and did not enjoy the wealth and power of the old era? And that I, an old man who used to be a noble, deserve to be punished for selling myself now?"

Hayden shook his head: "That's not what I meant."

"Perhaps it really is retribution. After all, we used to be the land god who devoured the people's hard-earned money, squeezing their wealth and making them shed blood so that we could eat our fill. Now that the victors are kings and the losers are villains, we have nothing to say and never complain about it."

Komakusa Tayu picked up his pipe, took a puff, and exhaled with a sigh.

"But are those guys who beat us any better? I see Susanoo and his ilk still squeezing wealth from the people and handing over power to their descendants. What's the difference between them and us? Why are we the only ones suffering retribution? So, Lord Hayden, we don't believe in this kind of retribution, and there's no such thing as innocent or not innocent."

Hayden closed his eyes: "The new gods have given people a better living environment. Now, the lives of ordinary people are at least better than in the feudal era."

"What gave them that? Was it because of their superior virtue? Was it because they loved ordinary people more?" Komakusa Tayu sneered. "So, it's just a matter of the victor taking all."

"Lord Hayden, it seems that Her Highness sees you as her savior and hopes that you will come to save us. But in fact, we don't need any salvation. It's just guilt and illusion in her mind."

At this point, Komakusa Tayu shook his head.

"The gods have demoted us, their people, to a lowly status, forbidding us from working for the government, and many respectable companies won't hire us. So the men of our race can only use their demonic powers to mine coal and other minerals, while the women can only sell their bodies, smiles, and performances... Sounds terrible? But it's actually not so bad. At least we're stronger than mortals, less prone to illness, and our youth lasts longer. Do you think ordinary mortals who can work normal jobs are doing better than us? Aren't they suffering more than us?"

Hayden did not refute. Regardless of whether he agreed or not, he could indeed understand what the courtesan was trying to express.

“Her Highness wants you to save us, but we don’t need to be saved. Lord Hayden, it is enough for you to bring us justice.”

Hayden calmly said, "So you just checked my background and found out I'm the son-in-law of the Peacock King or something, and you feel like I really have a chance to help you wipe out Susanoo and his entire family. That's why your attitude changed immediately."

"This is something you just promised yourself." Komakusa Tayu finally smiled. "I hope that after I lead the way for you tomorrow, you will keep your word."

Hayden sighed and did not refute.

So Komakusa Tayu bowed respectfully to him, which seemed to mean that he had agreed.

Then she asked, "By the way, Lord Hayden, since we're not leaving until tomorrow morning and the night is long, would you like the princess to come and serve you in bed?"

Hayden was finally speechless: "Isn't this your princess? Besides, you said I'm the Peacock King's son-in-law. I have a wife."

"What's there for a fallen princess to be so dramatic about? Besides, her first love was the adopted son-in-law of the Peacock King." Komakusa Tayu said dismissively, "If it could bring about the death of Kazukami, sending five princesses to warm your bed would be a worthwhile deal. It's just a pity that there aren't that many left."

Hayden was really having a hard time now, so he quickly sent the old monster away: "I need to rest, don't cause me any trouble."

Komakusa Tayu smiled and obediently left.

Then Hayden stood up and actually tried to walk out of the room.

"Master, what are you going to do?" Angela asked curiously.

“Go take a stroll around the red-light district,” Hayden said irritably. “That old hag is too unreliable, and I can’t entrust my safety to her. I’ll go check around the brothels myself to see if anyone is watching.”

Angela shook her head dismissively: "I do think her despair is very real. Master, you want to grow, to be like me. But how can you grow if you don't witness the will of the people, swallow the suffering of all living beings, and understand their desires? You need to be complete."

For some reason, these words sent a chill down Hayden's spine.

“That sounds a bit demanding,” he couldn’t help but say.

“You said you wanted to grow, you wanted to be equal to me.” Angela looked innocent. “Wanting to be equal to me is non-negotiable, non-compromising.”

"Uh, what if we can't do it?"

Hayden asked with some concern.

“Then of course I will still love you and make you happy,” Angela replied with a smile.

In other words, it means maintaining the current state.

This realization did not shock Hayden, but it did intensify his sense of urgency.

"I'll go outside and keep watch, just to be safe. Anyway, not sleeping for a day won't affect my current strength."

Hayden walked out of the room and left the brothel.

Angela simply watched his retreating figure tenderly, without following him.

After a while, she thought about it, stood up from the tatami mat, and leisurely went to chat with Momiji.

————————————————————————————

Meanwhile, Hayden walked out of the brothel and circled around a couple of times. He realized that there was no one watching him and no one was busy trying to catch him, a wanted criminal from the Mitra Group.

The red-light district is a very lively place. In addition to the brothels of all sizes lining both sides of the road, there are many other places for customers to spend money, such as restaurants, small izakayas, and so on.

After completing two rounds of security checks, Hayden realized he was still quite upset, so he simply found an izakaya (Japanese pub) on the street, sat down, and ordered a few things.

If Karen saw him like this, she would probably mock Hayden again, laughing at him for being so distressed by the sight of old aristocratic ladies suffering as prostitutes, calling him a sentimental fool. However, this was not actually what troubled Hayden.

Seeing a single leaf, one can know that autumn is approaching. Although he has only been in this country for a few hours, it has been enough for him to understand some things. Just like Angela, she doesn't really need to travel to every corner of the earth to observe and judge.

Are all courtesans noble ladies from bygone eras? Of course not. Besides, what sins have these rickshaw pullers, graduates from prestigious universities, committed? These suffering people are essentially the same, and Hayden doesn't think they "deserve it." He wants to help them, but he simply lacks enough "time."

Or power.

If Hayden really finds the power of the Outer Gods, he might be able to annihilate the current ruling gods here and have Kallen bring people over to take over... However, whether this approach is reliable or not is hard to say.

Moreover, based on what he has seen so far, there is another issue that Hayden finds very strange—that is, the issue of so-called "tradition" and "etiquette".

It's no secret that feudal gods could draw upon the "secret fire" and gain energy through the "rites" they cultivated in society; the old professor had told Hayden about it long ago. However, capitalism is far more efficient at drawing this secret fire than feudal "rites," so in most other parts of the world, this outdated feudal magic has been phased out. Japan, however, presents a rather peculiar situation: on one hand, it holds capitalism in its right hand, yet on the other, it's unwilling to relinquish these "rites," resulting in an awkward and unsettling situation… Is it trying to have it both ways?

But the magic of ideology—wanting to have it both ways—actually affects overall efficiency.

So Hayden couldn't understand what these Japanese gods were trying to do.

...Then, something truly coincidental happened in the next moment.

A new customer walked into the izakaya. Hayden, still maintaining a degree of vigilance, immediately glanced over—only to be surprised to find that the new customer was the same young rickshaw driver who had brought them here two or three hours earlier!

This is too much of a coincidence. Can things in this world really be this coincidental?!

No wonder Hayden immediately became very vigilant, only to see the young coachman named Tanaka Sho sit down in the izakaya with a worried look on his face and say to the owner, "General, give me some tamagoyaki and shochu."

The izakaya owner seemed to know him well, and without saying a word, he expertly brought him the food. Hayden saw the young driver pick up his small wine glass, squint his eyes, take a sip, and then hiss as he slurped something, his facial muscles stretching as if he were yawning: "Ah, finally he seems like a living person."

The izakaya owner casually asked, "You've had a long day too?"

"I worked myself to the bone driving nine groups of customers, and then the company said they were going to raise the vehicle maintenance fee, and all sorts of other fees. Eighty percent of the money went to the company." Tanaka Sho picked up a vintage-style soy sauce bottle from the counter and poured the tar-like black liquid onto the omelet. "Luckily, the last customer gave a generous tip, otherwise I don't know how I'd pay the car loan next time..."

Then Tanaka saw Hayden sitting next to him in the shop, and froze like a frog seeing a snake. From his eyes, Hayden could tell that the driver already knew who Hayden was, or at least that he was a wanted criminal from the Mitra Group.

Strange, how could it have been exposed so quickly... But then Hayden thought about it again and realized that it was perfectly normal for the Mitra Group to specifically instruct the rickshaw company.

If the enemy is such an idiot who doesn't even take this seriously, Hayden wouldn't even know what he's fighting.

“Boss,” Hayden tapped the counter lightly with his knuckles, “give this young man a fried meat pie, it’s on me.”

Tanaka Sho almost wanted to turn around and rush out the door. But he held back and shook his head frantically, "No, no, I'm going home after I finish my tamagoyaki!"

"Friend, don't be so formal!" But Hayden had already darted to Tanaka's side like a ghost, putting his arm around him. "We hit it off today, little brother, and we're going to drink until we drop! Come on! Let's go to a brothel and have a couple of drinks!"

"Aieeee!" Tanaka Sho immediately let out a near-incontinent scream in his mind—"Mommy! I'm going to be silenced by foreign traitors and wanted criminals! Mommy!"

Hayden certainly had no intention of forcibly locking up the man or killing him to silence him; he just wanted to confirm whether the driver had reported their whereabouts.

When Hayden pulled Tanaka Sho out of the izakaya and into a small alley for a thorough interview, the answer he received surprised him greatly:

"You didn't tell the company at all? Why? Aren't you short of money?"

Just to be on the safe side, Hayden used his prophetic eye to take a closer look and discovered that the driver was indeed not lying and had not been mentally examined.

"The head office said the reward was 5 million, and if it's verified, then they'll definitely give 5 million," Xiang explained honestly. "But the company first gives the money to the Kyoto Tourism Bureau, and then distributes it to the individual. The Mitra Group doesn't handle this step. With each layer taking its cut, it's hard to say whether I'll even get 50,000 by the time I receive it."

Hayden frowned. Five million? He was only worth five million yen? Back when he hadn't met Angela and was still a mercenary in North America, many gangs and drug dealers offered him bounties much higher (because Hayden loved to single-handedly wipe out entire drug dens for a small commission). However, even before meeting Angela, very few people dared to claim that bounty, especially after Hayden turned several street thugs into frogs.

Hayden could now slap someone 500 miles away out of the atmosphere (though it might require a loading screen, that's the downside of not being a god). And Dakini only offered him a five million yen bounty?! Was she drunk when she wrote those numbers?

Damn it, Hayden is going to shove her head up her own ass later.

“If I were to report a colleague, reporting one person would certainly not lead to them stabbing me in the back, but reporting an official would definitely be a way for the government to deal with them immediately, so the 50,000 would be a free lunch.”

Tanaka Sho continued to explain,

"But since the other party is a great white shark that might not be caught even if I report them, and might even turn around and crush me, it's better for me to pretend I didn't see it..."

Hayden was speechless.

How can politics be done well when you're involved with public officials like this? Mithras, don't you have any class?

Thinking it over, Hayden felt he had indeed gained some insight. Considering the young man's safety, he added, "I have some things to do in Japan, which may have disrupted your livelihood and made it more difficult for you to earn money and live. I'm sorry... but I won't stop because of this."

"However, you don't necessarily have to stick to this place. Why don't you come with me to New Sprout City? The New Seattle Free State definitely needs a chemistry major who graduated from a prestigious university."

Tanaka Sho paused for a moment, then immediately shook his head. How could he possibly leave Kyoto? This ancient city, this hometown, was everything he had ever seen in his life—everything! Everything he had heard, seen, and experienced in his entire life was given to him by this place. To run away? He didn't even dare to think about it, not even once.

Hayden nodded, accepting his choice. Then, Hayden pulled out five million yen in cash from the dimensional portal and handed it to Tanaka: "Online transfers leave a trace, so this is the only way I can give it to you. The days ahead may be tough, take care, my friend."

He waved his hand, turned around and left.

Five million yen isn't really a lot. But holding a huge wad of cash, Tanaka felt like he'd escaped death, yet also like he was still dreaming, and he couldn't help but feel a little dazed.

At least for now, he doesn't need to worry about living expenses and car loan payments. With the remaining money, he might even get a memory enhancement surgery to increase his memory capacity, making it easier for him to take the civil service exam later.

Tomorrow will be better!

Tanaka Sho happily stuffed all the banknotes into his bag and quickly carried it home.

...Just as Xiang reached his front door, he saw several men wearing sunglasses and black uniforms standing there. They were not only tall and muscular, all over 1.9 meters tall, but they also exuded a unique aura of power, enough to awaken the primal fear of ordinary citizens.

"You're Tanaka Sho?"

A man in a black uniform asked sternly.

"Your colleague reported that after you dropped off a passenger at the intersection of Flower Street today, you were also seen whispering with a foreigner who appears to be an intelligence agent. Come with us to the Security Bureau!"

376: The Tragedy of Ugly Three Hours

Modern Japanese justice can be roughly divided into three categories: legal issues of Mitra Group members are handled internally by them, and the government has no right to interfere.

Conversely, the Ministry of Justice is responsible for the formulation, review, enforcement, and sentencing of laws within Japan. Both functions coexist.

Finally, there is another department called the "Inspection Office for Illegal Activities," which, although smaller in number than the two departments mentioned above, is in some ways the most terrifying institution.

It is responsible for inspecting, supervising, and investigating all personnel and affairs related to Japan's national security, and for investigating and suppressing rebellions. Therefore, it often conducts brutal "visits" when necessary. Of course, because Japan used to have a very strict hierarchical system, although it has been theoretically abolished, the prosecutors still have some reservations about allowing the prosecutors to "visit" powerful and influential people.

Therefore, in practice, they tend to treat the relevant personnel—that is, those who seem to be of lower status and are involved in the matter—well.

That kind of "hospitality" is now being used on Tanaka Sho.

Embarrassingly, the Prosecutor's Office for Illegal Activities hadn't anticipated things would turn out this way. Accusing someone of being a spy is very common in this country. If every accusation were taken seriously and thoroughly interrogated, the Prosecutor's Office would be overwhelmed with manpower. Tanaka Sho was probably just going to get a simple interrogation and be detained in the office for a couple of days.

However, a powerful figure from above, whose name cannot be spoken, suddenly issued an order to thoroughly investigate this rickshaw driver. So the prosecutors had no choice but to pull out the expensive "mind probe," which was normally kept secret, and plunge it deep into Tanaka Sho's brain.

"Eek!!? Ah-gu-gu-gu-waaaaaaah!"

Tanaka Sho struggled and screamed, spitting out saliva. He heard cracking sounds in his head, as if something was being broken.

The inspectors, of course, didn't care about that and continued to rummage through Xiang's mind with the needle.

Extracting memories isn't difficult, but doing it accurately without damaging him is a real problem. This terrifying ordeal dragged on until 1 a.m. before the prosecutor finally figured it out: Tanaka Sho had actually seen the wanted criminal, even chatted with him—and taken five million yen from him!

You ask why they didn't discover the five million sooner? The answer is that when the Security Bureau arrested Tanaka Sho, they had already pocketed the five million. They handed Tanaka Sho over to the Prosecutor's Office for processing, but they didn't mention the five million at all!

In short, the prosecutors will handle the matter of the five million yen themselves later. The important thing is that they immediately sent the details of Tanaka Sho and Hayden's contact to a high-ranking official who couldn't be mentioned.

It was now 3:45 AM.

At 1:45 AM, the darkest hour in traditional Japanese culture is when demons and monsters are most active. However, these so-called demons and monsters are actually the defeated old gods, and it seems that they no longer have room to be arrogant in this era.