Chapter 111: Imminent Action

"Can’t keep it up, Tao Dalang?"

Yamane Tsunehisa, dressed in full kendo protective gear, stood opposite Tao Zhiming, who held a bamboo sword in both hands. Seeing him panting heavily, Yamane felt a great deal of the resentment he had harbored for days begin to dissipate.

Around them, aside from the veteran members of the kendo club, the new recruits watching the scene couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. This senior was terrifying. Why put so much effort into a test for new members? And the fourth-year senior standing opposite him—surely he didn't have some sort of grudge against Yamane, did he?

"Go for it, Senior!"

It was unclear who they were rooting for, but everyone was a senior, so it was a safe bet for the crafty freshmen. However, none of the new recruits had yet managed to gain any advantage or land a strike against the veterans.

"The test is over! Do you really have to keep trying?" Yamane said with a chuckle. "It's a best-of-three, and you only need to land one hit to win. I’ve already struck you eight times. Give it up."

Tao Zhiming practiced regularly, but against Yamane, who had years of experience, he was still outmatched. With the protective gear on, Yamane wasn't afraid of causing any serious injury. After all, this simulated match was meant to be a display of control.

"We have seen your determination," said Ueda Kana, acting as the referee, in a calm voice. "One last round. Regardless of who lands an effective strike, we will move on to the next person's trial."

Tao Zhiming nodded. He had simply noticed Yamane’s eagerness and decided to use the opportunity to push for one successful hit. The intensity of the match was a good way to clear his head. Yamane, still nursing his internal frustrations, had readily agreed.

"Again!" Tao Zhiming took two breaths and steadied himself.

Ueda Kana looked at him and announced, "Begin!"

The standoff resumed. To Tao Zhiming, Yamane was formidable. But in kendo, one must create a sense of an imminent attack through posture, forcing the opponent to break their "kamae"—their stance. Whether they raised their hands to defend, retreated, or launched a hasty counterattack, they would eventually expose a weakness. The key after that was reaction speed. Tao Zhiming felt that experiencing this pressure was beneficial. The reason he was so exhausted was that in this club initiation test, he was the one tasked with being the aggressor.

He had to find a way to land one hit on Yamane. Therefore, every offensive movement had to be convincing. With his focus and muscles taut, Tao Zhiming flicked the tip of his bamboo sword toward Yamane’s wrist. At the same time, his gaze shifted, and his waist tensed as if he were about to strike.

Yamane, watching through the grille of his mask, merely lowered the tip of his sword slightly, blocking the path of Tao Zhiming's intended strike. If Tao persisted, he would have to cross the entire reach of Yamane’s blade, allowing Yamane to easily sidestep and strike his head.

All the new members watched, breathless. Just then, Tao Zhiming flicked his sword upward toward Yamane’s face. He sank his waist, his eyes locking directly onto Yamane’s through the protective gear. Yamane saw the same fearless look in those eyes that he saw every day—the same casual self-confidence.

How could he be so confident? This was a kendo match!

As Yamane raised his sword to protect his face, he prepared to step forward and strike. A glint of sharpness appeared in Tao Zhiming’s eyes: even if it wasn't a life-or-death struggle, momentum was everything in kendo—hesitation leads to defeat!

*To hell with being afraid!*

Yamane was, at the end of the day, still green. His inexplicable sense of superiority was baseless, and having witnessed Tao’s composure in front of the big firms, this was the seed of doubt in his mind.

Tao Zhiming pulled his sword back, as if to defend his face. *Opportunity!* Yamane’s eyes lit up; he seized the moment to raise his sword and swing down forcefully. But in that split second, Tao Zhiming, having seemingly retracted his hands to defend, swept his sword horizontally, landing the first strike on the side of Yamane’s torso.

"Stop!" A look of satisfaction appeared in Ueda Kana’s eyes. "Effective strike to the torso. Point for Tao Dalang!"

"Incredible!"
"Senior Tao did it!"

Tao Zhiming removed his gear, panting and laughing as he said to Yamane, "Just a lucky shot!"

The veterans said nothing. Yamane stood frozen, unable to bring himself to take off his gear. He couldn't fathom how Tao had tricked him; he had clearly seen the defensive movement! But standing there only made things more awkward. After recovering his sword, Yamane bowed and walked away in silence.

"Next!" Ueda Kana gestured with her flag. "You!"

Another recruit stepped forward. Tao Zhiming sat on the sidelines, sweat beading on his forehead.

"You’re truly impressive, Senior! How did you pull that off?" a freshman next to him asked in a hushed, curious, and respectful tone.

"Impressive? Hardly. It took me nine tries to land one," Tao Zhiming said lazily.

Not far away, Yamane finally took off his gear and sat watching. Tao Zhiming smiled at him; Yamane remained expressionless, though he finally gave a slight nod.

On campus, the students’ games continued. Tao Zhiming was waiting for this to be over. Once night fell, it would be the world of adults. Out there, the battles were truly lethal. Whether it was the ripples in the financial markets caused by the upcoming interest rate cut, or the power struggles surrounding Takeda Manufacturing, Tao Zhiming—who had been plotting for over ten days—was about to make his move.

...

"Haven't you made a move yet? You keep saying you're at school," Kinoshita Hufeng asked helplessly over the phone from the office of Mogami Real Estate.

"Brother Hufeng, what's the rush?" Tao Zhiming had just gotten into his car. "The deadline for Takeda Takanao to pay back Mitsubishi hasn't arrived yet. Right now, Mitsubishi has people watching everyone. Whoever makes the first move will be finished."

"But you can't just sit there without any preparations!"

"That’s why I said the plan must be kept secret. Can't you just pretend you don't know I'm involved?" Tao Zhiming said with a sigh. "Calling me every two days—aren't you worried that someone interested might notice you're hedging your bets and trace it back to me?"

"...I'm calling from my office. What could possibly be the problem?"

"Caution is never a bad thing! That's enough for now. Don't worry, I have a plan!" Tao Zhiming hung up and started the engine.

He wasn't sure if Kinoshita Hufeng had arranged for anyone from the Inagawa-kai to monitor him. But since he had decided to participate, he had to be mindful of such details. Countless people were preparing to move against Takeda Manufacturing, and Tao Zhiming couldn't possibly know every detail of their plans. His greatest advantage was simply his knowledge of the broader trends and the key figures involved.

For now, it was his time to prepare. With the upcoming interest rate cut, he would have the capital to swallow up Takeda Manufacturing's land. Before any real action was taken against the company, he would continue with his own plans while keeping a close eye on Takeda's movements. He had to wait for others to act first and reveal their weaknesses.

The car pulled into the flow of Tokyo traffic under the night sky.