webnovelvip Chapter 161 Naming: Saionji
Chapter 161 Naming: Saionji
Tokyo, May 1989.
Marunouchi, Saionji Industrial Headquarters Building.
The air in the signing room on the top floor was dry and solemn. The heavy curtains were half-drawn, shutting out the restless Tokyo outside caused by Takeshita Noboru's resignation.
Tokuhiro Eguchi sat at the huge mahogany conference table.
He held a pen between his fingers, the nib hovering above the hundred-page document.
Corporate Mergers and Acquisitions and Asset Restructuring Agreements.
Once he signs his name, "Eguchi Real Estate," which he founded during the early stages of the bubble economy and which once fought like a stray dog in Tokyo's real estate market, will disappear completely from the business register.
But his hands didn't shake.
On the contrary, the corners of his mouth even turned up slightly, revealing a sense of relief and pleasure.
"President Eguchi, please."
Sasaki, the legal consultant across from him, adjusted his glasses and offered a quiet reminder.
Eguchi's pen tip touched the paper. Ink seeped into the paper, making a soft, hissing sound.
He was signing his own contract of servitude, but he did it willingly, one could even say he was eager to do so.
That night two years ago, the night he walked through the doors of "The Club" in Azabu-Juban, still feels like a thorn stuck in his throat.
At that time, he was wearing a two-million-yen suit and a gold Rolex, sitting in the corner of that lounge that smelled of old money. He held an expensive "Hibiki 21 Year Old" in his hand, looking at Shuichi Saionji, who was surrounded by the managing director of Mitsubishi and officials from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry not far away.
Those people were chatting and laughing.
No one glanced at him. Even when their eyes swept over him, it was as if they were looking at a decoration or a wisp of air.
At that moment, he understood a truth: in this country, money is just an admission ticket. To actually sit at that table, you need a surname, or... to become part of that surname.
"Independence and self-reliance" is a fairy tale for the poor and fools.
Being the captain of a small fishing boat that could be capsized by waves at any moment is far less glorious than being a rivet on the deck of an aircraft carrier like Saionji.
"Smack."
The last stamp was applied.
Jiangkou Real Estate is dead.
The construction of Saionji Temple was initiated.
At that moment, the conference room door was pushed open.
Shuichi Saionji walked in.
He wore a dark gray double-breasted suit, his steps were steady, and the sound of his leather shoes on the floor was dull and powerful, each step like stepping on the heartbeat of Jiang Kou.
Jiang Kou suddenly stood up, the chair scraping against the floor with a sharp, jarring sound. Ignoring the somewhat disheveled documents, he hurriedly bowed deeply, his back bent at a ninety-degree angle, his forehead almost touching the table.
"Master of the family."
Shuichi did not respond immediately. He walked up to Eguchi, but instead of maintaining his usual distance, he took another half step forward, encroaching on Eguchi's "safe distance".
This sense of oppression made Eguchi hold his breath.
"Eguchi-kun, thank you for your hard work."
Shuichi's voice was gentle, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority. He held a small velvet box in his hand, which seemed unusually heavy at the moment, and gently stroked the lid, as if it contained some rare treasure.
"Smack."
The box is opened.
A badge lay quietly inside.
This is a pure silver medallion with the three-pointed star on the left.
The silver base has a special matte finish, giving it a cold, hard, and sharp luster under the light, like an unsheathed dagger. On that silver base, the three interconnected magatama swirls are handcrafted and inlaid from a single piece of black agate.
Deep black, cold silver.
The two colors intertwined create a chilling and ominous atmosphere.
"Isn't it beautiful?"
Xiu took out the badge and ran his fingertip across the cool, black agate surface.
"Eguchi-kun, do you know why the construction company's logo is black and silver?"
Jiang Kou raised his head with a slight tremor, then shook his head blankly: "This...this subordinate does not know."
"Silver is the blade, black is the soil."
Shuichi stepped forward, personally raised his hand, and pinned the badge to Eguchi's collar. His movements were slow and meticulous, as if he were awarding a medal to a general about to go to war.
"Those old-fashioned retainers in the family, they're too clean, too concerned with appearances. Their hands are for holding teacups, not for gripping spatulas."
Shuichi straightened Eguchi's tie with his fingers, his voice so low that only the two of them could hear him.
"But I need a pair of hands. A pair of hands that dare to reach into the mud, that dare to fight the devil for the Saionji family."
He patted Eguchi on the shoulder, his eyes revealing a sense of "trust" and "reliance" that only men could understand.
"Those old guys look down on your background and think you're just a nouveau riche who only knows how to steal food."
"But what I value is precisely this hunger in you."
These words struck like lightning, piercing through the deepest inferiority complex in Eguchi's heart.
"From today onwards, you are no longer a guerrilla."
Xiu took a half step back, scrutinizing the man in front of him.
"You are the president of Saionji Construction. You are my representative."
"You will represent Saionji's will."
"You must take on the toughest challenges for the family. Whether it's the obstacles from the Seibu Corporation or the rats in the underground, crush them with this badge."
Jiang Kou lowered his head and looked at the silver vortex on his chest.
The cold metal seeped through the shirt fabric and pressed against his chest. The chill did not make him back down; instead, it was like a shot of adrenaline, giving him an unprecedented sense of security and belonging.
He was no longer the nouveau riche trembling in the corner of the club.
He was the chosen one. He was the sharpest blade in the patriarch's hand.
This feeling of being "needed" made his blood boil.
"Yes."
Jiang Kou's voice trembled slightly, yet it was unusually loud, even carrying a hint of sob.
"I am willing to die for my family."
"Even if it means going to hell, I will pave the way for you."
Xiuichi nodded in satisfaction.
The trick he learned from his daughter—"instilling a sense of mission"—was indeed much more effective than simply giving money.
"Go."
Shuichi waved his hand.
"Let Tokyo Bay see how the Saionji family's black army reclaims land from the sea."
……
One hour later.
The first conference room at the construction site of Xiyuan Temple.
The decor here is completely different from the warm and bright S-Mart in Ginza.
black.
The walls are made of dark gray sound-absorbing panels, the conference table is made of black lacquered glass, and even the blinds are black. (See interior design of Arasaka Tower for details)
This is the rule set by Saionji Satsuki: light industry should be white, approachable, and as light as clouds; heavy industry should be black, austere, and as heavy as iron.
Tokuhiro Eguchi sat in the first seat.
His gaze swept over the twenty-odd people on either side of the long table.
Among these people were his former trusted subordinates and the former heads of the engineering department of SA Group.
On the left sat Gondo, the former president of Daito Construction.
Gondo wore a dark gray bespoke suit, his go-to attire as president. The suit was still impeccably tailored, but it looked somewhat loose on him—the torment of the past six months had made him emaciated, and the once-fitting suit now hung loosely on his shoulders.
Eguchi remembered clearly how smug President Gondo was at the "The Club" party two years ago. At that time, Gondo sat on the sofa in the center of the hall, talking about a multi-billion dollar engineering project, not even sparing Eguchi a glance out of the corner of his eye as he hid in a corner drinking alone.
But now.
Gondo placed his hands neatly on his knees, his back trying to be straight, but he couldn't hide the dejection that emanated from his very bones. He kept his eyes down, not daring to meet Eguchi's gaze at him, who sat at the head of the table.
Eguchi's gaze lingered on Gondo for two seconds.
There was no intention to deliberately make things difficult for him. He would absolutely not do anything that would harm the company's interests.
In this room, past seniority and rank are worthless. Only victory and defeat matter.
Gondo lost, was swallowed up by the Saionji family, and became their subordinate. Eguchi, on the other hand, won, became the Saionji family's sword, and became the company president.
This is the whole truth.
"Gentlemen."
Tokuhiro Eguchi spoke up.
His voice wasn't loud, but it resonated in the empty, dark conference room. Everyone immediately straightened up, adopting a listening posture.
He didn't need to shout. The authority of power was never based on the volume of his voice, but on the silver badge inlaid with black onyx on his chest, and what he was about to show.
"Splash—"
He tossed a thick, rolled-up blueprint onto the black lacquered tabletop. The blueprint rolled along due to inertia, only stopping when it bumped into the water glass in front of Gondo.
"The patriarch gave us our first task."
Jiang Kou stretched out his hand and slowly unfolded the blueprints.
At that moment, it was as if all the air in the conference room had been sucked out.
That's a corner of Tokyo Bay, in Odaiba, known as "Number 13 Burial Site".
In the center of the drawing, on a contour line representing barren reclaimed land, stands a black, monument-like architectural facade.
This industrial behemoth employed the then-cutting-edge "Super Frame" structure. At the four corners of the building stand four massive steel-reinforced concrete columns, like pillars supporting the entire building's framework. On the exterior facade, enormous X-shaped steel supports crisscross, encasing the black bulletproof glass curtain wall like an exoskeleton.
Without any superfluous decorations, the cold, hard lines and the black metallic sheen are all that this tower is all about.
It resembles a black, unsheathed heavy sword, or an obelisk used to suppress Tokyo Bay.
On the right side of the drawing was a number that made everyone dizzy—
Altitude: 500.0 meters.
It has 100 floors above ground and 5 floors below ground.
"Five...five hundred meters?!"
The chief engineer, who was sitting on the left, suddenly stood up, his chair overturning with a loud thud. He stared intently at the number, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets.
"This is impossible! President! This is absolutely impossible!"
The engineer's voice was distorted with extreme terror.
"The Sears Tower in the US is only 442 meters tall! The Tokyo Tower is only 333 meters! To build a 500-meter tower on reclaimed land like Odaiba? The ground underneath is all silt and garbage! It's like sticking a steel needle into a pudding; the slightest breeze will cause it to topple over!"
Gondo's lips trembled, his face deathly pale: "And...and that's within Haneda Airport's flight path! Aviation law stipulates a 150-meter altitude limit in this area! Aircraft takeoffs and landings require clear airspace, and the Ministry of Transport will absolutely not approve such a crazy plan!"
Despite the doubts and fear of the crowd, Tokuhiro Eguchi remained completely unmoved.
He simply stared coldly at this group of mortals bound by common sense.
"Is the foundation soft?"
Jiang Gu pointed his finger and pressed it heavily on the base of the drawing.
"Then fill the gap with money."
"We will use the 'pneumatic caisson' method. No matter what kind of silt or garbage is below, keep digging down, penetrating tens of meters of soft soil, and anchor the roots of these giant pillars directly to the hard rock bed deep in the seabed."
"To counteract typhoons and earthquakes, two 800-ton active tuned mass dampers (AMDs) will be installed on the top of the building. If Japan's technology is insufficient, we will buy from the US or Germany."
Jiang Gu leaned forward, his body leaning against the table, the silver company badge gleaming coldly under the light.
"As for your concerns about aviation law..."
A mocking smile played on his lips as he pulled a document bearing a red official seal from his briefcase and tossed it lightly onto the table.
"Those are rules made for the weak."
Gondo picked up the document with trembling hands.
That was a special approval issued by the Ministry of Transport's Aviation Bureau regarding the adjustment of approach routes to Haneda Airport.
The reason given was "to cooperate with the development of the coastal sub-city center and the internationalization process".
At that moment, Gondo felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.
In order to build this building, the Saionji family even forced the government to change the flight routes.
This is no longer a business transaction. This is privilege. It is absolute power that transcends the rules.
"If the plane is in the way, then make it take a detour."
Jiang Kou's voice was deep, yet it resonated in everyone's ears.
"Everything here, including the air, is under the control of the Saionji family."
"We will erect the tallest black monument in all of Japan, no, in the world, here. We will make Americans, the bureaucrats of Kasumigaseki, and all the people of Tokyo look up and have to look up to the will of the Saionji family."
There is no budget cap on this project.
He held up one finger, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.
"Only a time limit."
"The Seibu Group people are right next door. Yoshiaki Tsutsumi wants to build a garden and a hotel there. But what we want to build is a 'throne' that can overlook them."
"This is war."
Eguchi Tokuhiro slammed his hand on the table, and the black agate seemed to open its eyes in the vibration.
"I want you to drive this black nail deep into the heart of Tokyo Bay before the Seibu Group can react."
"This flag must be planted."
Gondo looked at the black tower on the blueprint that resembled a demon king's castle, and then at Eguchi's bloodshot eyes.
He suddenly realized that in this crazy era, only those who are crazier than madmen have the right to carve their names on the Tokyo skyline.
"Yes, President!"
A unified and enthusiastic roar erupted in the conference room.
A roar ignited by money, ambition, and the fear of absolute power.
……
three days later.
Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, Burial Site No. 13.
The May sea breeze carries a salty, damp scent, stirring up sand and dust from the ground. This area is still a desolate reclaimed land, overgrown with reeds, and seagulls circle low overhead.
Only a makeshift gravel road connects the mainland to this isolated island.
"Beep—beep—"
The piercing sound of a horn shattered the silence of the wasteland.
A long queue formed at the entrance to the temporary access road.
That was Seibu Construction's convoy. Dozens of concrete mixer trucks and pile drivers painted with blue and white stripes were blocking the intersection, their engines idling and emitting pungent black smoke.
Several inspectors in construction department uniforms were standing in front of the first vehicle, holding clipboards and slowly reviewing the documents.
"The date on this pass is incorrect."
The inspector adjusted his glasses and pointed to a line of small print on the document.
"According to the new 'Linhai Sub-City Construction Management Regulations,' heavy vehicles must be reported 48 hours in advance before entering the site. You only reported it 24 hours in advance."
"Are you kidding me!"
The site manager from Seibu Construction was sweating profusely and handed him a cigarette.
"Sir, this has always been the case! This is a project personally overseen by Chairman Tsutsumi, and the deadline is very tight. Could you please make an exception..."
"Chairman Tsutsumi?"
The inspector refused the cigarette and instead gave a cold laugh.
"Even if the Emperor himself came, he would still have to follow the rules. These are extraordinary times, and the higher-ups are cracking down hard."
He waved his hand, looking impatient.
"Return it. Submit it again."
"But the back is completely blocked, how can we get out!" the manager cried out in despair, looking at the long line behind him.
Just then.
A deep rumble came from the other side of the road.
The sound was deep and powerful, and even the ground trembled slightly.
Seibu's drivers all stuck their heads out.
On the horizon, a black torrent of steel appeared.
Those were all heavy-duty engineering vehicles.
The car body was painted a matte black that absorbs light, with only a white three-pointed star pattern on the door.
The motorcade for the construction of Saionji Temple.
They were like a chariot from hell, carrying a chilling aura, rumbling over the gravel road.
Seibu's manager was stunned. He watched as the convoy drove straight towards another, blocked, backup entrance.
Several officials from the construction province were also standing there.
But unlike the others, when those officials saw the black convoy, they immediately dropped their bureaucratic airs. They quickly set up roadblocks and even took off their hats and bowed slightly to the lead car.
There wasn't even an inspection or inquiry.
The gate, which bore the "No Entry" sign, was wide open to the black convoy.
"Hey! This isn't fair!"
Seibu's manager stormed over, pointing at the convoy that was driving straight in.
"Why were they allowed in? Their car is heavier than ours! Why wasn't their registration checked?"
The inspector, who had just been indifferent, turned around and looked at him with pity.
"You want to get in too?"
The inspector pointed to the windshield of the black lead car.
There was a red special pass posted there, stamped with the seals of the Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Ministry of Finance.
"If you can also obtain a 'Emergency Disaster Prevention Project' permit personally signed by Mr. Osawa Ichiro, I'll let you in too."
The Seibu manager opened his mouth, as if a stone was stuck in his throat.
He watched as those black behemoths roared into the construction site, kicking up dust that covered his face.
He suddenly understood.
Although Seibu and Saionji are "cooperatively developing" Odaiba, on the political chessboard, the pawn held by the head of the Saionji family is much stronger than that held by Chairman Tsutsumi.
This is the "right of way" that Shuichi bought for 1 billion yen.
……
Deep inside the construction site.
Tokuhiro Eguchi stood on a newly leveled earthen slope.
He wore a white hard hat and a black work jacket embroidered with a silver company emblem. The sea breeze made the hem of his jacket flutter.
He watched as the black trucks drove into the site, and as the black pile drivers raised their tall booms, resembling a black forest.
Outside the fence not far away, Seibu Group's blue and white convoy still resembled a flock of abandoned sheep, stuck at the intersection, unable to move.
"This is... power."
Jiangkou took a deep breath, his nostrils filled with the smell of diesel and seawater.
He raised his wrist and glanced at the time.
Five o'clock in the afternoon.
As the sun set, it stained the black construction site with a blood-red hue.
"Let's begin."
Jiang Gu gave the order into the walkie-talkie.
"Thump—!"
The first loud bang.
A diesel hammer weighing several tons slammed heavily onto the top of the steel pipe pile.
The massive shockwave trembled the ground beneath their feet, startling the birds in the reeds.
"Thump—!"
"Thump—!"
Dozens of pile drivers were operating simultaneously.
The dull thud resonated like the powerful heartbeat of this vast conglomerate empire.
Every strike is a declaration of sovereignty over this desolate beach.
Every strike mocked the stagnant opponents outside the fence.
Jiang Gu lowered his head, looking at the pure silver company badge on his chest.
The setting sun shone on the silver badge, reflecting a cold light. Instead of turning it gold, it appeared even colder and harder.
He reached out and touched the badge, feeling its cool touch on his fingertips.
"This is the master's will."
Jiang Gu muttered to himself, a fanatical smile playing on his lips.
"And so...my glory."
The roar echoed throughout Tokyo Bay.
The first stake belonging to the Saionji family was deeply embedded in the seabed of Odaiba.