Chapter 30: Stop, Awu
Japan's garbage recycling is known to be extremely strict to the point of being considered abnormal. Many foreigners who come to Japan have to spend a lot of time and effort learning how to sort garbage.
After sorting the garbage, it needs to be taken to designated collection points on specific days, and then transported to various garbage processing companies for recycling.
However, even with this system, only twenty percent of garbage can be recycled. The remaining garbage that can be incinerated is incinerated, the rest is buried, and heavily polluted waste is exported abroad.
The entire process causes great suffering for both the country and its people, with perhaps only the garbage processing companies profiting.
As a conscientious capitalist, Uesugi Kiyoshi feels it is time to change things.
He aims to monopolize Japan's garbage processing industry.
A completely new method of garbage processing will discard all previous measures and focus on this inclusive tunnel as the core.
Garbage from cities all over Japan will be collected here, transported to the entrance of the tunnel through a conveyor belt, and then shot into the depths of the tunnel by a catapult device.
Zhongyuan Village was completely relocated, leaving behind houses and facilities flattened, replaced by dormitories for staff, with a wide road connecting to various cities.
The whole project only took about ten days. At the completion ceremony, Uesugi Kiyoshi personally pressed the button to catapult the remaining thousands of cubic meters of garbage into the tunnel.
"Roar~"
As the garbage landed, a strange roar echoed through the tunnel, deafening.
"It says, 'Is this all you've got?!'" translated Head Balloon faithfully.
Upon hearing these words, Uesugi Kiyoshi and the Minister of the Environment, who had come to cut the ribbon, both smiled with relief.
"Oh, right, we will be leaving soon," Head Balloon added.
"Is it still a month?" Uesugi Kiyoshi waved friendly, "Then goodbye!"
"Let's not say goodbye again..."
Watching the Head Balloon drift away, the Minister of the Environment had new doubts.
"Mr. Uesugi, can this tunnel support itself?"
You see, there are 1.5 million tons of plastic waste that need to be exported each year, not to mention textile raw materials, waste paper, and even nuclear waste, and so on.
If we were to take over all the business of the waste treatment plants, it would be a huge number.
"Please rest assured, Minister, we have tested its limits and it won't be overloaded."
Uesugi Kiyoshi was not worried; although the tunnel was terrifying, its social skills were lacking, and he could easily test its limits in a few sentences.
It was because of this that he had the confidence to take on all of Japan's waste management work.
"That's good." The Minister's face lit up with a smile again. "So, next is about the costs..."
"No problem, no problem..."
Uesugi Kiyoshi took out thirty percent of the profit as a thank-you gift for the selfless help of the minister.
......
Countries in East Asia were astonished to find that Japan, in a recent change of heart, had agreed on a price, delivered garbage to the dock, loaded it into containers, and shipped it back.
Furthermore, Japan's foreign minister openly stated at an international ecological conference that they wanted to trade garbage imports for additional carbon emissions.
With passionate emotions, he even said statements like, "Responsible big countries should not shift their pressure onto other countries."
Of course, such a boastful behavior quickly caught the attention of a responsible big country. However, such large-scale garbage disposal could not completely eliminate traces.
It is said that this country has already started communicating with another big country, preparing to draft a joint declaration to designate the Zhongyuan Village tunnel as a shared asset of human civilization, and demanding that Japan be open and jointly developed and utilized.
However, these things were still too far away for the villagers of Zhongyuan Village.
Even though most of them had left their homeland and started new lives, some people couldn't bear to leave and became members of the Uesugi Waste Management Company.
With a long whistle, hundreds of newly recruited employees woke up from their sleep and started their day's work.
"Goro, we agreed, just this one time!"
"Don't worry, Uncle!"
Kimura Goro put on the uniform of his neighbor Uncle, with the help of fellow villagers turning a blind eye, he successfully arrived at the waste management center.
Through the display screen, they could see clearly the tunnel, though the entrance and exit were tightly sealed by waste pipes, a hint of evil could still be felt.
Kimura Goro's eyes immediately turned red.
It was this tunnel that had taken his father, killed his mother, a deep blood feud that had to be avenged!
Teaching Kimura Goro how to operate, the neighbor Uncle stood by to supervise, indicating him to start the operation.
Looking at the red catapult button on the control panel, Kimura Goro felt excited. He clenched his fist and fiercely smashed the button.
"Bring it on, monster! This shot is for my mother!"
A loud rumbling sound erupted, like a roaring storm, as discarded steel from Kawasaki Steel slowly moved along the conveyor belt into the tunnel. Amidst a thunderous catapult sound, it fell into the dark depths.
Along with the sound of garbage hitting the ground, came a long howl.
"Ah~"
Next came the discarded plastic from the Beauty Plastic Products Company.
"This shot is for my father, monster!"
"Oh~"
Then came the nuclear waste from Fukushima, traveling miles away.
"No, it's full, it's about to overflow!"
Faintly, Kimura Goro seemed to hear a cry of pain, and the remote sensing device also sounded an alarm.
"What's wrong, what's wrong?"
The supervisor rushed over upon hearing the news, and immediately spotted the small-framed Kimura Goro.
"Oh, you guys! I clearly said it. Don't let personal emotions interfere, that guy will sense it!"
"I'm very sorry!" Kimura Goro bowed respectfully, "I didn't know it would have such serious consequences."
"Actually, there's nothing serious at all..."
Suddenly, the supervisor's expression tensed, pointing and shouting at the monitor screen.
"What is that?"
Two wisps of white smoke rose from above the tunnel, gathering into a blurry figure before disappearing in the sunlight. Only the joyful smile seemed to remain in Kimura Goro's heart.
"It's dad, and mom..."
Despite deciding not to cry again, the tears could not be stopped.
"I'm giving it back to you... Please stop..."
Faint pleas echoed once more.
Kimura Goro wiped away his tears and bowed to his relatives and friends around him.
"I'm sorry to disturb you all. I am leaving Zhongyuan Village now to go to my aunt's house in Tokyo. But before I go, please allow me to tell you what just happened."
