422 Past Secrets

Jaban State, Kyodo City outskirts, Toyoda Conglomerate manor.

This was the most luxurious villa in the entire Jaban State. It was built in the mountains, with ancient-like castle designs which were most fitting for indicating the power of the family. It covered an area of 20 square kilometers. Inside, there was pavilions, rock gardens, and running water. The female attendants all wore kimonos, while the male attendants wore samurai gowns with samurai blades fastened to their waist. Normal people were not allowed near the perimeter, regardless of if they were tourists or not.

If someone suspected to be dangerous got close, the male attendants would cut them in half without hesitation!

Toyoda manor, Director Tarō Gohon's study room.

"Company president, it's Chief Shiroishi's phone call." An assistant hurriedly came into Tarō Gohon's room, carrying a specially encrypted phone with him. He carefully said, "It's the highest degree encrypted phone call."

"Did he encounter a problem?" Tarō Gohon hurriedly took over the phone and waved his hand.

After waiting for the assistant to leave, Tarō Gohon asked, "Chief Shiroishi, did you encounter a big problem?"

Shiroishi Kazuma's voice sounded very weak. "Company president, the situation here is very problematic now. Hong Dali's power and influence have already grown too strong. I beg of you to get rid of him before he becomes a real threat to us."

"Is this Hong Dali really this incredible?" Tarō Gohon took in a deep breath and asked, "Even you are unable to defeat him?"

"No." Shiroishi Kazuma slowly said, "I failed, failed very badly. The only thing I could do regarding this Hong Dali was to try to lower his level of threat to as low as possible."

"Looks like this is getting serious." Tarō Gohon thought for a while and said, "Then, your plan is…"

"Code Red." Shiroishi Kazuma only said these two words in the end.

"OK, I got it." Tarō Gohon hung up the phone.

He closed his eyes and laid on the sofa, thought for a while, then suddenly shouted, "Attendant, get Hattori Jiro here!"

…

Hattori Hanzo, a samurai clan that existed from Jaban's warring states period to the early Edo period. "Hanzo" was a name passed down in the Hattori family. Other than that, the chiefs in the family had always used the name of Iwami Shou. Therefore, they were also known as Hattori Iwami Shou.

Hattori Jiro, the thirteenth generation Hattori Hanzo.

After the death of his father, Hattori Jiro commanded the 200 strong Iga Concentric, inheriting the title of Hanzo and Iwami Shou. Now, his group was the core group of the Toyoda Conglomerate, in charge of clearing any potential danger to the Toyoda Conglomerate.

As for the "Code Red" mentioned by Shiroishi Kazuma just now, it referred to asking Tarō Gohon to send out Toyoda Conglomerate's highest guard force, the Iga ninjas led by Hattori Jiro!

Toyoda manor, back mountain, secret underground training base.

Hattori Jiro was a man with a resolute face, with features as if they were carved by a knife. He stood in the middle of the training ground with his upper body naked.

In front of him stood two people, each of which was holding a wooden staff as thick as an arm. They held the staffs firmly, with eyes locked on Hattori Jiro's body.

From their bulging muscles and veins that were popping out from their skin, it was obvious that these two weren't people to be trifled with!

"Ah—!!!"

They ferociously shouted and rushed towards Hattori Jiro, the wooden staff gripped tightly in their hands. Once they got near him, they lifted their arms and slashed towards Hattori Jiro violently!

One of them attacked his shoulders while the other attacked his head.

These two men's strength was extremely fearsome—ordinary people, even if they were of the same size, would at least suffer a bone fracture if the staff landed on them. It would be normal if their brain plasma were beaten out of them.

"Too slow!" Hattori Jiro casually waved his arm, easily blocking their attacks. He only defended and didn't attack, his expression fully at ease.

After fighting for a while, as if he was bored, Hattori Jiro's muscles suddenly exploded, his bones giving out large popping sounds as he punched twice. The two men's wooden staffs instantly broke in half and their body flew away, landing two feet away, unable to get up even though they tried.

"Too weak." Casually putting on a shirt, Hattori Jiro helplessly shook his head. "How can you guys work for the company president if you are so weak?"

He was quite unsatisfied with their attacks.

"Mr. Hattori, the company president asked for your presence." Just as he finished putting on his shirt, Tarō Gohon's attendant slowly walked up and said.

"The company president asked for me?" Hattori Jiro insipidly nodded. "Lead the way."

Very quickly, they were in Tarō Gohon's study room. Hattori Jiro softly came behind Tarō Gohon like a gust of wind and said, "Company president, I am here."

Tarō Gohon looked outside at the scenery with his hands behind his back and softly said, "Mr. Hattori, how are the effects of the medicine that our company recently developed?"

"Very good." Hattori Jiro nodded. "My body's strength and intensity increased by five times, causing my prowess to increase greatly."

Tarō Gohon smiled and said, "Two years ago, we hired mercenaries from Afriza to kidnap Heavenly State's Zhang Yi. Although they were annihilated, we managed to obtain this formula for genetical modification. From the current progress, it looks like the effects are not bad."

"It's a pity that the effects are not maximized." Hattori Jiro felt quite unsatisfied. "If the effects could boost the stats by a few dozen times like Zhang Yi, that would be much better."

"Some things are just not achievable." Tarō Gohon sighed. "We were already quite lucky to be able to obtain this low-level formula. As for the high-level formula, we really have no way of obtaining it."

"Yes." Hattori Jiro thought for a while and then asked, "Company president, the reason you asked for my presence is…"

"Chief Shiroishi has failed. The opponent this time is very strong." Tarō Gohon insipidly said, "Heavenly State has always been Jaban's target. We must not allow their capable younger generation to develop. This time, the target's name is Hong Dali, 18-years-old. Go to the intelligence department, get his information, and go get rid of him. With your current prowess, it shouldn't be a problem killing an ordinary 18-year-old teenager, right?"

"No problem." Hattori Jiro replied, "I only need three seconds to make him disappear from this world."

"Good, I believe in your prowess." Tarō Gohon lightly waved his hand and said, "Go and prepare."

"OK." Hattori Jiro replied and disappeared like a gust of wind.

"Being someone who is able to get Shiroishi Kazuma to admit defeat, just sending Hattori Jiro alone might not be enough. After all, this Hong Dali's luck is extremely good. If an accident happens…" Tarō Gohon touched his chin and thought for a while. Then, he shouted again, "Attendant, help me contact Sand Eagle."

…

Mercenaries were a group of professional assassins who depended on war to survive. They were hired to perform all sorts of assassinations, kidnappings, war battling, and even staging a coup. Their kind was very complicated, having all sorts of different types of people. However, they had one thing in common, which was that they all loved war. War was everything to them.

"We will sell our life to whoever pays us"—this was the core principle followed by all mercenaries. In their heart, there didn't exist right or wrong. Using the words of a famous mercenary: "I will sell my life to anyone who is willing to pay me. I don't know what is wrong or right. I can work for anyone, as long as he can afford it."

As for Sand Eagle, it was one of the most notorious mercenary gangs in the entire world—their fees were the highest, their mission accomplishing rate was the highest, and their security level of protecting the information of their employer was also the highest.

For them, as long as you could afford the money, there wasn't someone they couldn't kill.

Australie, Tasmanie, Sand Eagle headquarters.

"Hey, Boss, you have a phone call." A young man of about 20 years or so passed the phone to his boss—an ordinary-looking middle-aged man, someone so normal that no one would look at him twice in a crowd.

This man's name was Charles, and he was the highest boss of Sand Eagle. He was a quarter Merikan, a quarter Australien, a quarter Englishmen, and a quarter Jabanese.

"Who is it?" Charles took over the phone and insipidly said, "You better make it short, Mister. My patience is very limited."

"Is this Charles? I'm Tarō Gohon." Tarō Gohon's lower laughing sound came from over the phone. "I think we can be considered old friends, don't you think so?"

"If you are referring to my Grandfather helping you to kill the few teenagers from the Hong Family tens of years ago." Charles smiled and said, "Then, we really can be considered old friends. However, relationships don't mean anything to me. Just tell me directly what you want."

"Yup, OK." Tarō Gohon gradually said, "It's like this, I want you to help me kill someone. Just one person. His name is Hong Dali. You can send your men to my place to obtain his information immediately."

"Another person whose last name is Hong?" Charles' lips twitched. "It looks like you have quite the affinity with the Hong Family."

"We didn't dispose of them clean enough the other time, that was a pity." Tarō Gohon softly said, "After these years of recuperation, the Hong Family is starting to come back to life again."

"Alright, alright." Charles helplessly said, "Let's just consider that I am helping my Grandfather to clear up some loose ends—make your offer."

"500 million Merikan dollars." Tarō Gohon directly offered the highest price he was willing to spend. "I think this price should be enough."

"The price is fair." Charles instantly agreed. "Is there any time restrictions?"

"Of course there is. You have one month's time. If you agree, you can send your man here to collect 100 million as a deposit."

"You're generous indeed. It's settled, then. See you, I hope that we will have a happy collaboration."

"Happy collaboration."