Chapter 107: Satoru's Operation
The moment these words left his mouth, Ōtoribashi couldn't help but stare in shock.
Three hundred squad members, dressed as civilians, dispersed and lying in ambush across Rukongai?
Who was he planning to kill?
Had Satoru… betrayed them?
Countless thoughts surged through his mind, sending waves of unease through his heart.
Yet, despite his confusion, he nodded and quickly turned to leave and make preparations.
No matter what Satoru intended, as someone with Class-A operational authority, he was now the superior.
Unless the Captain-Commander revoked Satoru's authority, he would carry out his orders without hesitation!
Once Ōtoribashi had left, Suì-Feng flickered to the door and closed it.
Satoru stood up, straightening his shihakushō.
Meanwhile, the black cat in his arms leaped down lightly, landing on the floor.
Whoosh!
The cat's body rapidly expanded, its fur receding as it transformed into the figure of a dark-skinned girl.
She reached under Satoru's desk and pulled out her tangled clothes, struggling to undo the knots.
As he watched Yoruichi's smooth, bare back, Satoru felt his heartbeat quicken slightly.
Her violet-tinged, medium-length hair cascaded over her coffee-colored skin, exuding an almost surreal allure.
He swallowed hard and averted his gaze.
Suì-Feng, having secured the door, walked back while grumbling,
"Lady Yoruichi, Lord Satoru, please consider your reputations!"
"The things you two were saying earlier in this room—people are definitely going to misunderstand!"
"If this keeps up, what will become of Lady Yoruichi's future?!"
Yoruichi, who was in the middle of pulling on her undergarments, gave her a puzzled look.
"What we said? What are you talking about?"
Suì-Feng opened her mouth, her cheeks flushing slightly, but no words came out.
Satoru smirked, thoroughly amused by her flustered reaction.
Just as he was about to say something, Yoruichi threw on her shihakushō.
As she tied her sash, she spoke up.
"Ready to move, Satoru?"
"Yeah."
Satoru nodded.
Earlier, the two of them had transformed into black cats and made a trip to Rukongai.
Over the past few days, Satoru had instructed the Ōmaeda family to compile a list.
This list contained all the businesses connected to the Tsunayashiro clan.
Once the list was finalized, he directed the two captains to go to these shops and make purchases.
While the shopkeepers were distracted, he and Yoruichi, in their feline forms, snuck in to examine the account books.
Finally, based on the ledger, they analyzed which shops had close financial ties with the Tsunayashiro family and which stores had significant Tsunayashiro investments.
As the list grew clearer, the time to close the net was finally approaching.
...
...
"Huh? What did you say? Not enough stock?!"
"Y-yes, Shinigami-sama... We don't even have five pounds, let alone a hundred..."
"Right now, we only have a little over four pounds here. I'll give it to you for free, please enjoy it first."
"As for the rest, I'll get it to you as soon as possible—"
BAM!!!
Before the shopkeeper could finish, Kensei slammed his fist onto the counter.
"Don't fuck with me! I'm the captain of the 9th Division!"
"If I want tea, it better be ready right fucking now!"
"You think you can mess with me? You want your shop to disappear? Huh?!"
Kensei leaned his head over the counter, glaring fiercely.
With his wild white hair, he looked every bit the intimidating thug.
The shopkeeper was on the verge of tears.
His lips trembled before he finally seemed to steel himself.
Lowering his voice cautiously, he said:
"Captain-sama... our shop's owner is... the Tsunayashiro family. The foremost of the Five Great Noble Houses."
"You wouldn't want to invite unnecessary trouble, would you?"
"Could you... perhaps show some leniency?"
At this, Kensei's pupils contracted slightly.
The Tsunayashiro family?
One of the Five Great Noble Houses?
For a moment, he almost considered walking away.
But then, realization struck him.
Wait a minute...
Could it be that Satoru planned from the very beginning to provoke the Tsunayashiro family?
If this involved the Five Great Noble Houses, then his Class-A authorization made perfect sense.
Moreover, Yoruichi and Satoru were extremely close.
With her insight, she couldn't possibly be unaware of the Tsunayashiro family's influence.
Gradually, his furrowed brow relaxed.
"Tch, fine! I'll compromise!"
He reached over the counter, grabbed the shopkeeper's chair, and sat down.
"Now, start transferring stock from all your branches. I don't care how you do it—I want my hundred pounds of tea before dinner!"
Seeing Kensei wasn't joking, the shopkeeper frowned briefly before forcing a smile.
"Understood, Captain-sama! I'll arrange it immediately!"
With several clerks in tow, he headed to the back.
"Ichiro, notify all branches immediately—have them send over all their gyokuro stock."
"Jiro, take people to all the warehouses—get the stock here as fast as possible."
"Saburo, head to West 32nd District—that's Soul Society's largest tea plantation. Buy up all their processed gyokuro!"
"Shiro, go find Lord Takatori immediately—report the situation!"
The clerks scattered swiftly to carry out their orders.
Ito-ya, Soul Society's largest tea chain, sprang into action.
In less than two hours, all "gyokuro" from Rukongai branches had been gathered.
A total of sixty-some pounds.
They were still short by nearly forty pounds, but a round of purchases from local growers should cover it!
The shopkeeper wiped his sweat and smiled in relief.
...
...
Rukongai, West 32nd District.
Over a dozen Shinigami dressed as warriors landed in succession using Flash Steps.
They were all swordsmen employed by the Tsunayashiro family.
Upon hearing his subordinate's report, Tsunayashiro Takatori, who oversaw all business operations in Rukongai, initially felt a surge of anger.
But then, excitement quickly took over.
The newly appointed captain of the 9th Division... Though he couldn't fathom why this man was stirring up trouble with the Tsunayashiro family, there was a saying that held true:
No discord, no concord!
He had been wondering how to befriend the two newly appointed commoner captains.
Now, the perfect opportunity had presented itself.
If he resolved this tea incident and, with a show of humility, gifted these teas to Kensei free of charge, the latter would surely be moved to tears of gratitude, wouldn't he?
Though the teas were worth millions, compared to the friendship of a captain-level powerhouse, it was nothing!
Rukongai, tea plantation.
Swordsmen clad in robes bearing the Tsunayashiro family crest announced their intention to purchase the tea.
Yet all the tea farmers wore expressions of stunned disbelief.
Growing impatient at their reaction, one of the swordsmen snapped,
"Hey, what's the matter?"
A tea farmer trembled before hurriedly pointing into the distance.
"R-Righteous Shinigami-sama!"
"Just now, the Ōmaeda family sent people to buy up all the gyokuro... Every last leaf has already been sold to them!"
The swordsmen's faces darkened in unison.
Strange.
My father has been sick for four days, and my mother for three.
I wasn't hiding either. Every day, I helped prepare medicine and ate meals together.
How come both of them got sick, while I stayed negative all along?