Chapter 42: Don't Lose Your Character
The next day, Uesugi Kiyoshi, feeling refreshed, headed straight to Aisha's house.
As Japan's top political clan, the Aisha family had indeed helped him a lot, though it was partly because of the profits from the Protective Walking Machine.
Now it is said that Aisha's head of the family, the great politician Aisha Ichiro, is very sick, and Uesugi Kiyoshi should visit him out of concern and duty.
Cabinet Secretary Kawano Satsuki, as one of the main leaders of Aisha's group, personally welcomed him.
"Actually, Mr. Uesugi didn't need to come in person." Kawano Satsuki said with a relaxed expression, "Father-in-law has been doing well since he last saw you, maybe he will recover in a few more days."
"Really? Then I should go congratulate Mr. Aisha myself!"
"Oh, please wait a moment..."
Despite the advice, Uesugi Kiyoshi walked straight into Aisha Ichiro's room.
The room was crowded, and when they saw Uesugi Kiyoshi come in, they showed anxious expressions.
"Mr. Aisha, I've come to visit you."
Aisha Ichiro's throat made a hoarse sound, unable to speak, but he seemed fine.
When Uesugi Kiyoshi entered the room, he struggled to pull his hand out from under the blanket and showed three fingers.
Aisha Ichiro's daughter-in-law, Haruko, wiped away her tears and approached, asking, "Dad, are you thinking about Ichiro's three children? Should I bring them in?"
Aisha Ichiro shook his head a couple of times.
"Are you referring to the three council members who haven't arrived yet?" Kawano Satsuki thought for a moment, then approached and said. To avoid causing unrest, I didn't inform them. Please forgive me.
Aisha Ichiro's eyes widened, he shook his head vigorously, looking more and more anxious.
Uesugi Kiyoshi walked up, grabbed his fingers, and sighed, "Mr. Aisha, I understand your concern. Are you worried about the profits from the treadmill? Don't worry, even if you're not here, that three percent profit will still be there!"
"...Uh, isn't it thirty percent?" Kawano Satsuki asked in astonishment.
"Thirty percent was when Mr. Aisha was here. If he's not here, even three percent is generous, all thanks to Mr. Kawano's generosity!"
Aisha's family's political influence relies entirely on Aisha Ichiro. Once he passes away, the Aisha faction will immediately fall apart, everyone knows this.
When Uesugi Kiyoshi spoke, Aisha Ichiro suddenly lifted up his frail body and tried to grab him with his withered hand, then dropped it weakly, unwillingly taking his last breath.
"Mr. Aisha fainted!"
Kawano Satsuki acted quickly, pulling up the sheet covering Aisha Ichiro's face and signaling to the others to help usher Uesugi Kiyoshi out of the room.
"Quick, go fetch a doctor."
.........
In the late night, a mysterious man walked slowly towards Aisha's home.
The dim light highlighted his black flowing hair, cascading like a waterfall around his shoulders. He wore all white, his icy gaze seemed to dissipate like a wisp of smoke in the wind.
Around his waist hung a sheathless sword, its blade engraved with peculiar patterns resembling eyes.
"Is that Resurrection Master, sir?"
The mysterious person stopped and reached for the handle of his sword at his waist, looking coldly at the newcomer.
"Who are you?"
"I am Uesugi Kiyoshi, and I want to buy the sword you are holding."
Uesugi Kiyoshi had not come all this way just to annoy Aisha Ichiro, even though he deserved it.
His purpose was to lure out this person.
Over a decade ago, Aisha Ichiro's daughter-in-law, Ruko, passed away under tragic circumstances while still pregnant with a child. Many people remember this incident.
However, she later reappeared before everyone, without any signs of injury, and even successfully gave birth to a baby boy.
The reason for this phenomenon was the mysterious person before them.
He called himself the Resurrection Master, capable of absorbing the soul energy around him to bring others back to life.
And the reason he could do this was all thanks to the sword in his hand.
"I am willing to pay this price."
Uesugi Kiyoshi held out two fingers and shook them in front of the Resurrection Master.
In response, there was a creepy laugh, which didn't come from the Resurrection Master, but from the sword in his hand.
"Ridiculous mortals, thinking they can buy the noble Resurrection Sword for a mere two billion yen?"
"It's two trillion," Uesugi Kiyoshi corrected.
"..."
With his wealth and power, even the Resurrection Sword was speechless. It's worth noting that the Resurrection Master had only earned a few billion after working hard for decades.
"Even if it's two trillion..."
"Checks or cash?" Resurrection Master asked.
Resurrection Sword was shocked to find a new power breaking free from the control of Resurrection Master.
It was an ancient and evil force that had existed since humans entered civilized society. Compared to it, the influence Resurrection Sword had over Resurrection Master seemed trivial.
"Of course, it's a check. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to lift it."
Before it could say anything else, it felt dizzy, spun in the air, and landed askew on the ground.
Meanwhile, Resurrection Master carefully examined the check under the light, then quickly disappeared beyond its sensing range.
Watching Resurrection Master leave happily, Uesugi Kiyoshi let out a sigh.
This outcome was not unexpected.
What else could prompt Resurrection Master to help Aisha's family after over a decade, other than money? Certainly not the power of love.
And he just happened to not lack money.
Of course, a sniper rifle could achieve the same effect, but Uesugi Kiyoshi preferred to use techniques that suited his identity.
"Would you be willing to serve me?" he asked the abandoned Resurrection Sword.
The Resurrection Sword emitted a chilling laughter, refusing to answer.
"In that case, our company is preparing to launch a rocket. Do you want to go to the Earth synchronous orbit or to the moon?"
"Or... You know that famous tunnel lately, I am curious, if you go in, can you come out?"
"If we tie you to the Head Balloon, would you disappear into the stratosphere, or fall down?"
"Or maybe you prefer to experience the honey tree forging seven thousand times a day, tempered at three thousand degrees high temperature?"
"But, you really can't be the Resurrection Master." Resurrection Sword said in a crying voice, "You don't even have a soul!"
"Then let's change people."
After picking up the Resurrection Sword, Uesugi Kiyoshi told Nakasone Kazuko, who happily agreed to become the new Resurrection Master.
"Just Kiyoshi, where does the soul energy come from?" She closed her eyes and sensed for a moment, worry returning to her face. "The energy in the sword is only enough to resurrect you twice."
"Easy, just kill someone. After they die, point the tip of the sword at the body to absorb the remaining energy," suggested the Resurrection Sword.
"I see..." Uesugi Kiyoshi looked around, his eyes lighting up. "I have an idea."
