Super Soldier in the City

Chapter 2446 - 2510: What Happened Back Then

A single sentence from Aoki Takeshi made Aoki Ryota’s face twitch. He resisted his anger and said in a deep voice, "It’s not like that, Takeshi. You are a good kid with your own abilities. The businesses you lead have all been successful. This is recognized by the board of the group. You shouldn’t...""Is that so? But how did I hear you say those exact words to someone else? You said I was a lost cause, that no matter how much I’m trained, it’s useless. Haha, I used to think you would really raise me as an heir. Yet in the end, it was all for nothing. The only one you truly love is your daughter, my beautiful sister. Tsk, she really is beautiful. I like looking at her too!" Aoki Takeshi let out a strange laugh, with an evil glint in his eyes, and said, "Why not, you let me marry Reiko, then I can legally inherit your estate, lead Aoki Group to greater heights. This way, the name of Aoki Group wouldn’t even need changing, haha, isn’t my proposal great? On one hand, you have your beloved daughter; on the other, a capable nephew. You don’t have to make a painful choice."

This person is mad. Aoki Ryota has seen many people in his life, some who became successful merchants, some high-ranking politicians, ordinary people, and even those driven to madness by desperation. Aoki Takeshi’s eyes were full of insanity. Aoki Ryota didn’t know why, but indeed he had gone mad, mad enough to utter such heartless words.

Even with Aoki Ryota’s upbringing, he couldn’t help but raise his hand and slap the other party.

The slap landed on Aoki Takeshi’s face, and Aoki Ryota angrily cursed, "You beast, are you even human? Haven’t I treated you well? Your parents weren’t around; from childhood to adulthood, what haven’t I given you? Could it be you resent me for that?"

"Aoki Ryota, have you perhaps forgotten some things? You think I was too young back then to remember much?" Aoki Takeshi rubbed his aching cheek, his gaze gradually growing cold.

Aoki Ryota’s breath paused, feeling unsure how to proceed. He seemed to recall some things and, with a pained tone, said, "Child, those things... I was indeed wrong, but... it’s been many years, they can’t be changed, I have tried my best to make up for it..."

"Make up for it? Haha, if you truly wanted to make up for it, you should have raised me as the true heir of the group, instead of this, wanting me to struggle all my life and end up working for your family, gaining nothing in the end."

"It’s not like that." Aoki Ryota’s face showed a painful expression, shaking his head as he spoke.

"No, dear uncle, you can’t lie to me now. No amount of lies is useful. I have eyes, I can see. I have hands, I can touch. And..." Aoki Takeshi looked back at the woman who had already opened her eyes, coldly staring at this side, and he grinned at her, saying, "You’ve come this far, you know clearly what I’m going to do, you can say if I don’t reach my goal, I won’t give up."

"Takeshi, you can’t do this, you really can’t," pleaded Aoki Ryota repeatedly shaking his head. The old man had been through many storms, yet never expected his nephew to become like this, so blatantly coveting his estate...

"You never saw me as a true relative, or rather, you never saw me as a human, so I don’t believe your words, nor will they change my thoughts. Huaxia has a saying: ’Once the bow is drawn, there is no turning back’, Aoki Ryota, see, I have already begun, so there is no way to end it, only by achieving my goal will I stop." Aoki Takeshi said, finishing with an odd laugh.

Aoki Ryota sank into deeper pain. Events from more than twenty years ago resurfaced. He truly felt guilty about the memory, about Aoki Takeshi’s parents. Back then, he and Aoki Takeshi’s father were competitors for inheritance. Due to some events at the time, he had no choice but to act, or he would be the one to lose.

But... now causing Aoki Takeshi to go mad because of this, he still finds it very painful.

"Takeshi, I can give you some shares, ensuring that once you’re settled, you’ll have more money than you can spend. How about that? Regarding this event, I can pretend it never happened and definitely won’t trouble you!" Aoki Ryota said.

Aoki Takeshi chuckled like he heard an incredibly funny joke, laughing until he sat on the ground, clutching his stomach, tears laughed out from the corners of his eyes. Once he finished laughing, he said hoarsely, "Aoki Ryota, such words could only come from shameless you, haha, but have you ever thought, I can obviously inherit the whole group smoothly from you, so why let you continue living, even let you off this time, you could end my life anytime, anywhere. What reason or excuse do I have to do that?"

This... Aoki Ryota finally understood what the other intended to do, suddenly having people kidnap him here was for this purpose. Though even if he dies, the heir isn’t Aoki Takeshi, but his daughter, Reiko.

Thinking about Reiko, Aoki Ryota felt slightly relieved. Aoki Reiko had been raised well over the years, with a personality strong within her gentleness. If something happens to him, Aoki Reiko can still hold the flag of the group, even though it’d be tiring, it can still keep the group operating. But... would the Aoki Takeshi before him let Reiko inherit? This person has already gone mad, with an abnormal look in his eyes.

"About Reiko, rest assured, she’s my dear sister after all, my only sister, born so beautiful and adorable, how could I bear to harm her?" Aoki Takeshi spoke softly, as if talking to himself, then grinned again after a few seconds, saying, "I’ll love her well, reenacting on her what you did to my mother, but I surely won’t kill her, nor let her die!"

"As you see, I now have some ability, may not match up against experts, but against ordinary people, I’m still very powerful. Reiko can’t escape. Aoki Ryota, what you did to my parents over twenty years ago, I will return to you, including your daughter."

"You!" Aoki Ryota’s face finally drastically changed, he couldn’t help but rebuke upon hearing the other’s words, "Are you even human?"

"Yes, human, of course human. But you’ve long stopped being one, so why follow suit." Aoki Takeshi replied.

"No, Takeshi, your mother’s incident wasn’t done by me, that was merely coincidental, albeit your father and I were rivals, I wouldn’t have done such despicable acts against family members, you must believe me, these years I ever..."

"Now you can certainly deny it, say by shaking your head, but... it doesn’t matter, some evidence you cannot erase, I know it was you." Aoki Takeshi interrupted.

Over twenty years ago, Aoki Takeshi’s mother was suddenly targeted by a few thugs, kidnapped to an abandoned factory, and was assaulted by them, causing quite a stir. When Aoki Takeshi’s father learned of it, his first suspect was Aoki Ryota, and in a rage-induced attack, he suffered a heart attack, never recovering, while Aoki Takeshi’s mother, in shame, chose to commit suicide. Shortly after, his father’s heart stopped, losing his life.

At that time, Aoki Ryota’s father was deeply grieved too, even suspected Aoki Ryota might be involved, but lacked direct evidence, eventually stopping since having already lost one child, couldn’t afford losing another.

As competitors, Aoki Ryota also felt ill-at-ease, but knew the incident truly wasn’t his doing, despite contemplating doing some unthinkable things back then, even putting some into action, thus was guilt-ridden in his heart. As for those few thugs, their endings were extremely miserable, but couldn’t amend the incident then.

"It truly wasn’t me, Takeshi, if it were me, kill me now, I’d have no complaints, but... there’s a line between what’s done and what’s not!"

"Enough, you hypocrite old coot, you think by saying this I’d believe you? Haha, I won’t, it’s useless, I won’t believe someone who caused the death of my parents, even though you’ve been fairly kind to me over the years, the deceitful always disguise themselves, you deserve what’s coming, death is justified."

"No, it wasn’t me, although I’ve always harbored guilt towards your parents, but that incident wasn’t my doing." Aoki Ryota vigorously shook his head.

"No, that incident was indeed your doing!" said the woman coldly across him, abruptly interrupting Aoki Ryota’s denial, continuing, "Your people instigated it, I witnessed it myself, so you needn’t deny."

"Who are you..." Aoki Ryota looked at the other.

"Who I am is unimportant, what matters is, that incident was indeed carried out by your subordinates, you can claim you didn’t instigate, or feign ignorance, but do you recall, the subordinates who did it were ultimately killed by you." The woman exposed.

Aoki Ryota’s heart sank deeper, seemingly immersed in past memories. This is a secret deep within him, now those who knew about it have died, he thought it would end here, yet didn’t expect someone still knew... Aoki Ryota gritted his teeth, indeed knowing the matter was conducted by subordinates, but truly wasn’t ordered by him, they acted secretly, informed him only post-success.

Back then, Aoki Ryota’s emotions were incredibly complex; while he desired to be the power holder of the group, such means were too despicable, however, the deed was done, he couldn’t change it, but could only kill those people as compensation.

To think the matter back then still had witnesses, and now they stand before him, disclosing everything to Aoki Takeshi.