Chapter 123: ! (New Year

"That's how it is."

Wu Xian watched Uesugi Koshi's miserable expression, as if his own vegetable garden had been trampled by wild boars, and felt a quiet surge of satisfaction; then, under Uesugi Koshi's shattered gaze, he wrapped his arm around Himeari's slender waist, as if deliberately flaunting it, and continued:

"Himeari and I will be getting married soon. We plan to hold a grand wedding at the Meiji Shrine, then another one back in Huaxia."

"Don't worry—both weddings will be announced to you. After all, as a father, handing your daughter over to her groom is an essential ritual. You absolutely cannot miss it."

"Over my dead body! I will never give my daughter to you!!"

Uesugi Koshi gritted his teeth, glanced around, and spotted a small grove nearby—isolated, perfect for murder and burial.

"That's where it'll be."

"Kid, since you know my identity, you should understand that becoming my son-in-law isn't just about having a sharp tongue."

Saying this, Uesugi Koshi rolled up his sleeves, stepped out from the ramen stall, and glared at Wu Xian with a ferocious expression: "Come here. Let me test for myself whether you're capable of protecting Himeari. If you fail, I will never approve this marriage!"

It wasn't that Uesugi Koshi was deliberately tormenting Wu Xian—he'd already noticed subtle signs of Himeari's abnormality.

Though his daughter was beautiful and adorable, her gaze and tone lacked intelligence; in his youth, she'd have been swindled eight times in a single night.

That's why he had to teach this smug, scheming pretty boy a lesson.

Best to leave him with psychological scars—otherwise, if they truly married, Himeari would suffer endlessly.

"That doesn't seem right."

Wu Xian frowned, looking troubled: "To be honest, I'm quite strong. And you're Himeari's father—if I accidentally injure you, won't that make future interactions awkward?"

"Hah! Strong?"

Uesugi Koshi sneered, casually unbuttoning his collar to reveal still-firm muscles and a dragon-head tattoo beneath.

"Godzilla, huh… Nice name. Judging by your looks, you're probably a decent-blooded half-breed—but you know nothing about true power."

"Good. I'm in a terrible mood right now. Let me give you a proper lesson—so you won't get hurt later and make Himeari suffer needlessly."

"Oh! So Father-in-law, you're agreeing to this marriage!"

"Shut up! Don't call me Father-in-law!!"

Uesugi Koshi's face darkened again, he snorted, and walked straight toward the grove.

Wu Xian shrugged, expression utterly resigned.

You all saw it—I warned you. He brought this on himself. Can't blame me, right?

↓→+Ａ！

……

↓→+ＢＢ！

……

↑↑↓↓←→←→ＢＡＢＡ！

……

Ten minutes later, the trembling inside the grove faded.

The camera zoomed in: Uesugi Koshi, the former Emperor of the Nihon underworld, now lay bruised and swollen on the ground, groaning helplessly, unable to rise.

Wu Xian, meanwhile, strolled out of the grove slowly, brushing nonexistent dust from his sleeves—looking utterly provoking.

This was the scene Genjiro Sawatari encountered upon arriving.

He entered the grove, glanced at the old man kneeling on the ground, and fell into long silence.

If he wasn't mistaken, this old man was—perhaps, maybe, possibly—their biological father… right?

So why was he beaten? Was he, like Juzhengzong, another hidden villain?

If so, that was terrible—was there truly not a single normal father left in this world?

"Hey! You're here fast. Has your succession ceremony as Head of the Clan finished?"

Seeing Genjiro's dazed expression, Wu Xian raised an eyebrow and smiled:

"At a critical moment, unnecessary formalities can be skipped. The other clan heads have no objections."

Genjiro spoke these words, yet his gaze grew strangely uneasy.

As rumors grow wilder with retelling, in less than an afternoon, over twenty versions had spread about how he'd overthrown his superior, seized power through treachery, and usurped the position of Head of the Clan.

Though each version differed, all unanimously painted him as a cunning, scheming mastermind.

Even the five outer clan heads, who knew the truth, now eyed him with suspicion. During the succession ceremony at the shrine, their glances carried fear—as if he might cement them in concrete and sink them into Dongjingwan at any moment.

Genjiro shook off these thoughts, then hesitated before bending down to help Uesugi Koshi up.

Uesugi Koshi was still groaning when he sensed someone approaching—thinking the brat had finally had a change of heart—he prepared to strike. But when he looked up, he saw Genjiro's face—and froze again.

If Himeari resembled her mother, Genjiro bore no resemblance whatsoever to Uesugi Koshi.

Yet for some reason, Uesugi Koshi felt a strange familiarity upon seeing him.

Recalling Wu Xian's earlier words, his voice trembled:

"Are you… Genjiro… or Jinyu?"

"Genjiro Sawatari."

After a slight pause, Genjiro nodded: "By biological ties, I should call you Father."

"Good… good…"

Uesugi Koshi muttered two words, then suddenly grabbed Genjiro's collar, yanking him close, and roared: "Good for you, you little brat! How could you be such a brother? Just watch as your own sister walks into a fire?! Huh?!"

"Uh…"

Genjiro's face flushed with embarrassment. He glanced at Wu Xian, who was hugging Himeari and grinning like he was watching a comedy—suddenly, he felt utterly drained. How could he just die already?

"Enough, you two. This isn't a comedy show."

Wu Xian said this, pulled Himeari closer, and slapped Uesugi Koshi on the shoulder—then, as Uesugi Koshi winced, activated Shuang Quan Shou.

Instantly, a warm current surged through Uesugi Koshi's entire body, healing all his injuries and clearing decades of accumulated internal ailments.

Soon, the bruises vanished from his face; his wrinkles faded, making him look twenty years younger.

"This is…"

Uesugi Koshi suppressed a moan, staring at his now smooth, pale hands. He rushed to the ramen stall, pulled out a mirror, and stared in disbelief.

"Incredible. How did you do this? A Word? No—I've never heard of any Word achieving this effect. What power is this?"

"I can't tell you. Consider it a gift to Himeari's family. There will be more benefits later… In short, Father-in-law, just hand Himeari over to me with peace of mind."

Wu Xian smiled faintly, but his words left both Uesugi Koshi and Genjiro feeling uneasy—each had the sinking feeling their daughter (sister) was being taken away.

Fine—not just a feeling. It was the truth!

"Enough. Let's get back to the matter at hand."

Wu Xian's expression turned serious.

"Since I'm marrying Himeari, I must give her a perfect wedding. Now that Father and Big Brother-in-law are here, I can't leave out the Second Brother-in-law. A family must be complete."

"Second Brother-in-law? You mean Jinyu!"

Genjiro's breath caught. He recalled the memories he'd seen in Juzhengzong's mind, and a bitter smile crossed his face: "He's now the Dragon King of Menggui Zhong, controlled by Wang Jiang. He won't return easily."

"What do you mean? What happened to Jinyu? What's this Menggui Zhong? Isn't he part of the Snake-Dragon Eight Families?"

Uesugi Koshi looked utterly bewildered. His three children's lives felt impossibly complicated—he couldn't wrap his head around it.

"Don't worry. Once I find him, I have plenty of ways to make him return willingly. And if I'm not mistaken, someone will act soon."

Ignoring Uesugi Koshi's questions, Wu Xian's gaze flicked toward the direction of the Tokyo Peninsula Hotel, a sly smile in his eyes.

"For the next half-month, I'll use the 【Discipline】 to blanket all of Tokyo. All bloodlines below Dragon King level—whether half-breed or dragon—will be unable to use Words. Big Brother-in-law, use this window to mobilize as many men and weapons as possible to crush Menggui Zhong. No problem, right?"

Hearing this, Uesugi Koshi and Genjiro trembled involuntarily.

A Discipline covering all of Tokyo… what kind of monster was this?

Was it good or bad that their daughter (sister) was targeted by such a monster?

"Big Brother-in-law, say something."

"…No problem."

Genjiro nodded reluctantly. The Snake-Dragon Eight Families ruled Nihon's underworld—every Self-Defense Force unit could be mobilized.

With Words disabled, Menggui Zhong's strength would plummet. Half a month was more than enough to root them out completely.

At that point, Jinyu and the hidden villain would surely be forced to reveal themselves.

"Then I'll take Himeari to rest. When you find news about the Second Brother-in-law, come find me."

Wu Xian smiled, then pulled Himeari toward their waiting car. She turned back and waved goodbye to Genjiro and Uesugi Koshi. As the car started, they left the area.

Only two fathers who'd never met remained, standing in the night wind, gazing at each other in silence.

"Genjiro…"

At last, Uesugi Koshi spoke, his voice thick with complexity and hope: "Can you tell me… what happened to you these past years?"

Genjiro paused, then nodded.

"Yes… Father."

(End of Chapter)