Chapter 143: Means to an End
The van drove silently through the mostly deserted streets of Viridian City's outskirts, heading back towards the slightly more populated suburban areas.
Kurokawa kept his eyes fixed firmly on the road, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, saying nothing. Beside him, the hooded figure, Xiu, leaned back against the passenger seat, seemingly relaxed, gazing out the window at the dim stars beginning to appear in the twilight sky.
Yet, beneath the mask, Xiu's mind churned, reviewing the events of the past hour.
Letting Shota live… it went against every instinct honed by his past life's consumption of drug cartel documentaries— 'plata o plomo'.[1] Villains always come back for revenge. Leaving loose ends was sloppy, dangerous. Yet… killing him felt… wrong.
He knew Shota wasn't an isolated case. The rapid expansion Xiaoyuan had overseen, the lack of robust oversight systems, the inherent shadiness of their core business… it created fertile ground for corruption, for employees skimming profits, and cutting corners.
Dealing with Shota individually solved this problem alone, but it could not prevent every employee in similar circumstances to do the same. He couldn't personally police every branch and interrogate every employee, after all.
And Xiaoyuan… she was smart, capable, fiercely loyal to him— but she lacked experience, lacked the inherent cynicism, the ruthlessness needed to effectively manage potentially untrustworthy subordinates in a high-risk enterprise like this. Some tasks… some methods… were best kept away from her, preserving her relative innocence, her focus on the 'legitimate' side of the operation.
He needed someone inside the network. Someone familiar with the darker aspects of the business, someone motivated, someone… controllable. Shota, despite his greed and stupidity, was capable. His sales record proved that. And now, broken, terrified, and indebted… perhaps he could be reshaped. Tamed.
Xiu mentally reviewed Shota's file again. He wasn't originally from Fuchsia City, but migrated from a poorer surrounding town. History of petty crime driven by desperation. Smart, adaptable, silver-tongued, but lacking formal education or opportunity until Xiaoyuan recognized his talent. Ambitious, yes, but also deeply insecure, likely driven by a desire to provide for his family back home – his parents and his younger brother.
That was the key. His ambition was intertwined with familial obligation. His betrayal stemmed from feeling undervalued and overlooked, comparing his own compensation to Kurokawa's, unaware of the company's strategic shift away from piracy.
Breaking him physically and mentally was the first step. The torture, the near-death experience… that instilled fear. However, fear alone wasn't enough for control. Xiu needed leverage. He needed to reshape Shota's worldview, to subtly redirect his loyalty.
The 'reveal' about Xiaoyuan not being the boss, about her advocating for him, vouching for him, only to be betrayed… planting that seed of guilt, twisting Shota's resentment away from the 'company' and towards his own actions, framing his downfall as a consequence of betraying Xiaoyuan's trust… that was crucial. Then, the final 'mercy' – allowing him to live, ostensibly due to Xiaoyuan's intervention pleading with the 'boss' – created a complex debt, a sense of obligation.
And the abandonment in the wilderness? Leaving him injured, terrified, forced to rely on his own survival instincts? That reinforced his vulnerability, reminding him of the harshness of the world outside the company's protection. If Shota survived, if he made it back… he would likely be far more pliable, more grateful for the 'second chance' Xiaoyuan had supposedly secured for him.
The 'evil' persona Xiu had adopted during the interrogation – the masked figure, the ruthless pronouncements – served to distance Xiu himself from the process, while simultaneously reinforcing the image of an all-powerful, omniscient 'boss' operating behind the scenes, with Xiaoyuan acting as a merciful (if perhaps a naive) intermediary.
It was a complex psychological manipulation, layered and risky. Shota could still choose to run and expose everything. Or worse, he might simply break completely, mentally shattered beyond repair. But Xiu felt the gamble was necessary. He needed someone on the inside, someone desperate enough, compromised enough, to act as his eyes and ears, perhaps even as a tool to root out other 'parasites' within.
'Sometimes, the best way to deal with pests, Xiu mused darkly, is to use a dog.'
"We're here, sir."
Kurokawa's hesitant voice broke Xiu's train of thought. He looked up. They were parked on a quiet street beside the small, dimly lit park where Xiu had camped previously. Xiu subtly restrained his divergent thoughts, returning his focus to the present reality, to the man sitting tensely beside him.
Kurokawa turned nervously towards Xiu, clearly expecting dismissal or further instructions. "Is… is there anything else, sir?" His voice trembled slightly.
Xiu reached into his pocket, pulling out the wad of cash confiscated from Shota earlier. He counted out a significant sum and held it out towards Kurokawa. "This," Xiu stated calmly, his voice back to its neutral electronic tone, "is your overtime payment for tonight's assistance. Plus," he added, "a company subsidy."
Kurokawa stared at the money, then back at Xiu, completely bewildered. Payment? For… for witnessing that? After the terrifying ordeal, the implication of murder, the sheer ruthlessness he'd observed… being offered money felt surreal, almost insulting. He instinctively recoiled.
"No! Sir, please! I can't accept this!" he stammered, shaking his head frantically. "I didn't do anything! I just… just drove the van! It's my duty to assist the company!" He wouldn't dare take any blood money.
Xiu regarded him silently for a moment, the mask betraying no emotion. The air in the van grew heavy again. Kurokawa held his breath, terrified he'd said the wrong thing.
After a tense pause, Xiu slowly lowered the hand holding the money. Just as Kurokawa began to breathe a sigh of relief, Xiu spoke again, his voice soft, almost conversational.
"Your family… they're still back in Fuchsia City, aren't they, Kurokawa?"
The simple question landed like a physical blow. Kurokawa froze, pure, unadulterated terror flooding his system. An electric shock seemed to jolt up his spine, making his scalp prickle, his eyes widen in horror. His body felt instantly paralyzed.
'He knows. He knows about my wife, my children.' The implication was terrifyingly clear.
Xiu didn't press the threat further. He simply placed the wad of cash silently on the dashboard beside the driver's seat. "Don't be nervous, Kurokawa," he said casually, the electronic voice sounding almost soothing now, which was somehow even more frightening. "I'm not a bad person…"
Kurokawa could only manage a choked, awkward laugh, trying desperately to hide his fear.
Xiu continued, seemingly oblivious, his tone shifting back to business-like. "You came out here to Viridian alone, for the company. Separated from your family back in Fuchsia. Must be difficult. Especially now…" He paused meaningfully.
"With the… unfortunate vacancy at the Viridian bookstore… I," he stated calmly, "can recommend an arrangement to relocate your wife. Hire her as staff here. There's a good school right across from the bookstore, isn't there? For the children? Wouldn't want the family to be separated any longer than necessary."
As he spoke, Xiu casually took the key to the now-vacant bookstore and placed it pointedly on top of the wad of cash on the dashboard.
The offer, the implication, the underlying threat… it was all perfectly clear. Kurokawa stared at the key, then at the money, then back towards the darkened street, his mind racing.
He wasn't stupid. He understood the power dynamics, the factions likely at play within this 'company'. The 'boss' favored Xiaoyuan, yes. But this masked figure… clearly possessed immense authority, operated with ruthless efficiency, and wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty.
Accepting this offer, this money, this key… it meant shifting allegiance. Throwing his lot in with this side.
He thought of his family. The struggles they'd endured. The chance for a stable job, for his children to attend a good school here, together… contrasted against the implied threat if he refused…
"The company will eventually give up on piracy completely…" Xiu's voice added softly, seemingly reading Kurokawa's thoughts, reminding him which side represented the future, the 'legitimate' path.
That sealed it. The calculation was simple. Kurokawa quickly reached out, snatching the key and the money from the dashboard. "Thank you!" he stammered, bowing his head quickly, avoiding eye contact. "Thank you, sir! I… I will work hard for the company! I won't disappoint…"
Xiu just glanced at him coolly. "See that you do," he replied casually. "I hope the next time I need to find you, Kurokawa, it's not because of similar circumstances."
"Yes! Yes, sir! Absolutely!" Kurokawa nodded frantically, like a chicken pecking at rice, spewing words of loyalty and assurance.
He rambled on for several seconds before realizing there was no response. A slight breeze drifted through the open passenger window. Kurokawa cautiously raised his head.
The passenger seat was empty. The hooded figure had vanished as silently and mysteriously as he often appeared, leaving only the keys, the money, and a lingering sense of profound fear.
[1] "Plata o plomo," which translates to "silver or lead" or "money or a bullet," was a phrase used by Pablo Escobar. It represented his extortion tactic, offering either bribes (silver) or threats of violence (lead) to individuals who worked for the government or law enforcement.