Lu Mingfei, who had read Dragon Clan before slaying the dragon

"After all, I was involved in gangs when I was young. Although I didn't like my life in the gangs, I do understand a little bit about the ethics of the gangs." Uesugi Yue patted Lu Mingfei's shoulder with the expression of a veteran. "Things like 'Don't bully your friend's wife', 'Don't teach your uncle directly to your sister-in-law', 'If you seduce your second sister-in-law, you will be punished by having your hand cut off'..."

"What the hell?" Lu Mingfei's face was full of black lines. "Master Yue, do you know what you are talking about? Are you getting senile and confused? Why are you talking nonsense?"

"Young man, have I lived those decades longer than you in vain? Do you think I can't see the little tricks in your mind?" Uesugi Yue put his arm around Lu Mingfei's shoulders, leaned close to him, and said in a teasing tone, "Kid, look at your anxious face... It's you who's attracted to that girl named Eri, right?"

"No...that's not what I meant! It's just...it's just..." Lu Mingfei subconsciously wanted to defend himself.

"That's what? Then do you dare to say that you don't like that girl?" Uesugi Yue asked back. The old guy turned the tables on Lu Mingfei.

“Neither…nor…” Lu Mingfei looked embarrassed.

"If you like her, then you like her! If you like her, then you like her! What's wrong with just admitting it openly?" Uesugi Yue patted Lu Mingfei's shoulder vigorously.

Master Yue looked particularly happy today. On the one hand, it was because he had just learned that he had two sons and his excitement had not yet completely subsided. On the other hand, it was out of interest... In addition to watching various adult films, this ramen chef's biggest hobby in his spare time is to encourage the young men and women who patronize his ramen stall to bravely pursue love.

Lu Mingfei didn't know what to say and could only nod silently.

"That's right. It's not shameful to like a pretty girl. Why should you be embarrassed to admit it?" Uesugi Yue laughed heartily. "I think you two are a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman! I tell you, Master Yue has the sharpest eyes in this area. The young man and girl who came to my ramen stand to eat noodles, I predicted that they would be together, and in the end it really happened. At least the probability is that!"

Lu Mingfei looked at Sugi Yue's gestures, only to see him spread out a calloused palm, without making any other movements... Fifty percent? Can that even be called a prediction? Isn't that pure guesswork? I could do it, too... Lu Mingfei couldn't help but grumble inwardly.

"Boy, since you are a friend of my sons, Master Yue will not treat you as an outsider." Uesugi Yue's expression suddenly became serious, and he whispered in Lu Mingfei's ear, "Seriously, this girl probably has some feelings for you, otherwise why would she be so obedient when she's with you? Girls only listen to boys they like, you know? This girl is the head of the Uesugi family. It's obvious that she was raised like a princess since she was a child. If she didn't have feelings for you, would she accompany you to my little ramen stand to eat ramen in the middle of the night?"

Lu Mingfei looked at Eri, then turned his head to look at Uesugi Yue's face full of confidence and seriousness, and couldn't help but tremble in his heart... If we follow the promotion test standards from boyfriend to fiancé that Uesugi Yue said, has he passed the parents' test?

"I think this girl is good! She has a pretty face and a good figure, and she is sensible and well-behaved. She is definitely a white, rich and beautiful girl! You have a good eye!" Shang Shanyue gave Lu Mingfei a thumbs up, "You must cherish such a good girl! Don't bully her just because she is nice to you!"

Uesugi Yue's tone was like that of an elder instructing his junior, but Lu Mingfei did not feel awkward or unhappy at all. Instead, he nodded solemnly in response.

"It's great to be young. Seeing you young boys and girls fall in love, the young blood in my body seems to boil!" Uesugi Yue sighed deeply, "These are really nostalgic years. If I were fifty years younger, I would be eager to experience the passion of love and compete with you, Lu Jun, for Eri-chan... Hahahahaha!"

Su Enxi and Jude Mai, both of whom knew the inside story, were stunned by Uesugi Yue's words.

"Master Yue, could you please stop talking nonsense?" Lu Mingfei's face turned completely dark.

For a moment, Lu Mingfei even considered whether he should tell this outspoken old man right then and there that Eiry was his own flesh and blood daughter, and then see how interesting the expression on the old man's face would be.

"Just kidding, I've been used to speaking without restraint over the years, don't mind it." Uesugi Yue smiled apologetically at Eri, and then smiled apologetically at Lu Mingfei.

Uesugi Yue hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked Lu Mingfei and Eri, "Are you still hungry? You haven't finished your ramen yet, have you? I still have some ingredients and sake left. Why don't you help me finish them all before you leave... Don't worry, Jiude-san is a regular customer of mine. This is a thank you, so I won't charge you any money."

Lu Mingfei looked at Uesugi Yue's eyes which were slightly hopeful and pleading, and his heart moved... He knew that Uesugi Yue wanted to keep him, let him stay at the ramen stall for a while longer, and ask him more about the situation of his two sons.

This man had probably never spoken to anyone in such an unconfident tone in his entire life, nor had he ever shown such a pleading look, because he was the emperor of the mixed-blood world and the supreme ruler of the Japanese underworld. If he wanted, there was probably very little in this world that he could not obtain. He should have been the proudest man in the world... But the Uesugi Yue in front of him did not show any pride in his appearance or expression. At this moment, he was just an old man who cared about his son, just like all the old fathers in the world who cared about their sons.

Lu Mingfei looked at the horizon. It was still dark, so they still had some time.

"Yeah, we clearly ordered a large bowl of ramen. The portion just now was too small. Chef Yue, please don't cut corners when you make the ramen again!" Lu Mingfei complained in a fake manner. He sat back in his original seat and winked at Su Enxi and Jiude Mai. "You guys aren't full either, are you? We've come all this way, everyone should eat their fill before leaving."

Su Enxi and Jiude Mai sat in their seats very cooperatively without moving.

Eiry also sat back in her seat. She certainly didn't know that Lu Mingfei was trying to protect Uesugi Yue's self-esteem... She just really wasn't full yet.

Lu Mingfei watched as Uesugi Yue expertly used long bamboo chopsticks to lower the noodles into the soup pot, then slowly tossed them up and down toward the strainer. He coughed twice and continued with the previous topic: "Where were we just now... Oh, by the way, I wonder if Master Yue has heard of Genji's other name. His other name is... Fengjian Liuli."

Lu Mingfei saw that Uesugi Yue's hand, who was shaking the sieve, trembled noticeably. The old man shook his head slowly. He had never heard of the name Fengjian Liuli. He motioned Lu Mingfei to continue, then moved closer to Lu Mingfei, obviously not wanting to miss any news about his son... He almost pricked up his ears.

"Kazama Ruri is also the emperor, the emperor of the Japanese gigolo world."

"The Emperor of the Gigolo world..." Uesugi Yue muttered to himself, "Come to think of it, I seem to have heard Chihori mention the Gigolo Emperor 'Master Kazama' in his shop. He's said to be a rather young boy, but incredibly talented in Kabuki performance. So... this 'Master Kazama' is Kazama Ruri? My son?"

"That's right. Your son Kazama Ruri is quite famous in the industry of gigolos. Even senior gigolos with considerable experience would take time out to watch Master Kazama's Kabuki performances and draw inspiration from his operas." Lu Mingfei told Uesugi Yue about the story of Gen Chijou.

"Whenever Master Kazama appears at a nightclub, it's packed that night. The usually boisterous patrons become eerily quiet. Everyone wears traditional kimonos or elegant evening gowns, holding white paper fans with the words 'Kazama' and 'Ruri' inscribed on both sides, and a white ribbon with the inscription 'Kazama no Mikoto' tied around their foreheads. The girls become as reserved as ladies, and the men watch quietly," Lu Mingfei described vividly. "Master Kazama's Kabuki performances are an art form that captivates both men and women."

"Wonderful! Wonderful! You are worthy of being my son, Uesugi Yue! You really have the style of my youth!" Uesugi Yue couldn't help but applaud, as if he was at the show of Kazama Ruri and had just watched a Kabuki performance by Master Kazama.

The old man was so engrossed in listening that he didn't notice that the colander had fallen into the pot.

Chapter 363 Uesugi Yue's Sin

Genji Heavy Industries, located in a dark room underground.

The crimson candlelight danced like a ghostly fire in the underworld, and the flickering flame was projected onto Yuan Zhisheng's profile, making his expression look changeable, sometimes bright and sometimes dark.

If you feel that everyone in this world is not trustworthy, then go find a man named Uesugi Yue, he is a ramen chef...The words that Lu Mingfei told Yuan Zhisheng lingered in his mind like a ghost. At this moment, Yuan Zhisheng finally understood the meaning of this most difficult sentence that Lu Mingfei told him.

Uesugi Yue... Uesugi Yue... Could it be that the man named Uesugi Yue who was lost in the family history is actually his biological father?

So Lu Mingfei was telling himself that if he found out that he had been deceived by Tachibana Masamune, and couldn't distinguish right from wrong and good from evil, and began to doubt the world, he should go find his biological father... Is there at least a man named Uesugi Koshi in this world who is worthy of his trust and can guide him out of this dark fate?

If before this, Gen Chisheng still held an attitude of 70% trust and 30% doubt towards Lu Mingfei's words, then from the moment the name "Uesugi Yue" came out of Tachibana Masamune's mouth, Gen Chisheng had already believed in Lu Mingfei's words without a doubt.

Although Yuan Zhisheng still couldn't figure out Lu Mingfei's position, and didn't know how Lu Mingfei knew the truth, but as a man who was willing to tell him the truth hidden in the dark, Yuan Zhisheng believed that his purpose was definitely not just to provoke the relationship between him and Tachibana Masamune, nor to murder him and the Sheqi Eight Families.

Yuan Zhisheng was not clear about Lu Mingfei's purpose, but his intuition was more sharp than that of an ordinary person. Yuan Zhisheng could vaguely feel that Lu Mingfei was setting up a game... a shocking game with the whole of Japan as the board... To put it bluntly, even though the Sheqi Eight Families had already stood at the top of the Japanese underworld, they were probably not qualified enough to be regarded as enemies by a man with such a huge ambition.

Yuan Zhisheng had already labeled Lu Mingfei as "at least not an enemy" in his mind, and silently remembered in his heart that he owed Lu Mingfei a huge favor.

Tachibana Masamune could never have expected that his act of revealing Uesugi Yue's existence to Minamoto no Chisei, which he thought was honest, would instead completely push Minamoto no Chisei to Lu Mingfei's side.

"Uesugi Yue... Do you know why this man disappeared from the family?" Minamoto no Chisei forced himself to restrain himself, not letting too much emotion show in his voice.

"I don't know. Very few people know about this." Tachibana Masamune shook his head. "Even the elders who survived that era chose to remain silent about it. The man named Uesugi Koshi and that episode of history have been deleted from all family archives and documents. It has become an absolute taboo."

"My knowledge is very limited. I only know that Uesugi Koshi was the most powerful patriarch of the family for a hundred years, but also the family's greatest shame in modern times," said Tachibana Masamune. "Uesugi Koshi isn't purely Japanese. He's a mixed-race of Chinese, French, and Japanese. He's lived abroad since he was a child, and attended French universities for his undergraduate and doctoral studies. So, fundamentally, he's more French at heart than Japanese."

"I remember you said he was forcibly recalled by the family?" Gen Chisheng looked at Tachibana Masamune. "What was the family's purpose in recalling him? Was it because of the powerful bloodline in his body?"

"Yes, at that time, the upper three of the Snake Eight Clans had already declined considerably. After Uesugi Yue's father passed away, the royal bloodline of the Snake Eight Clans was already broken... Aside from Uesugi Yue, who was studying in France, it could be said that he alone shouldered the arduous mission of carrying on the legacy of the upper three clans," Tachibana Masamune whispered. "Of course, this is only one of the reasons. Another reason is what I mentioned. During World War II, the family cooperated with Germany at the time. Germany was not satisfied with the genetic blood samples provided by the family from the lower five clans. If the family could no longer provide them with qualified genetic samples, they would not only stop providing the family with advanced genetic technology, but might even tear up the war cooperation treaty at the time."

"You have to know that World War II at that time was a war that engulfed nearly the entire world. Even a family would have struggled to survive such a massive conflict. Without Germany as our ally, we would have been unable to stand alone." Tachibana Masamune sighed softly. "At the time, Germany put severe pressure on the family. The family knew that the genes of ordinary White King descendants could no longer satisfy the Germans, so they had no choice but to recall Uesugi Yue from France and borrow his genes to continue cooperation with Germany."

"After returning to the family, Uesugi Kotsu naturally became the patriarch of the eight Snake families. His powerful bloodline was unanimously recognized by all the family heads," said Tachibana Masamune. "But over time, the various family heads and clan members became more and more dissatisfied with the new patriarch. The suggestion box in the family shrine was filled with letters every day."

"Most of the emails were anonymous, and the content was remarkably consistent: overwhelming abuse, demanding Uesugi Kotsu be removed from his position as patriarch of the Snake Eight Clan. They said such a person was unfit to be the supreme leader of the Japanese underworld, and that the family would only decline under his leadership," said Tachibana Masamune. "Another portion of the emails recommended the then-head of the Fuuma Clan to take over the position of patriarch... This wasn't because the Fuuma Clan was highly respected among the Eight Clan members at the time, but rather because the family had lost so many talented individuals and was plagued by internal scheming. Everyone wanted to take advantage of the chaotic war to annex other Clan assets and strengthen themselves. Only the Fuuma Clan, as a ninja family, remained neutral during this turbulent era."

The corners of Yuan Zhisheng's mouth twitched. Being the head of the family while the whole family opposed him was unprecedented in the history of the Eight Sheqi Families. There was no one else like him... Was he born with the genes of such a man?

"What did that man named Uesugi Koshi do that angered heaven and man? That made the whole clan hate him so much?" Minamoto no Chisei couldn't help but ask Tachibana Masamune. After all, he was his father, and Minamoto no Chisei couldn't restrain his curiosity.

"Used to a free and unrestrained life abroad, Uesugi Yue has no understanding of Japanese culture, the underworld, or how to govern a large family. He doesn't understand the responsibilities he shoulders, and fundamentally, he's unfit to be the supreme leader of the Japanese underworld. In the eyes of all the family heads and underworld members, he's a complete eccentric... or a monster who doesn't fit in," said Tachibana Masamune. "But now that the family has invited Uesugi Yue back, according to the family's millennia-old unshakable rules, Uesugi Yue, who carries the blood of the 'gods', should serve as the supreme leader of the Eight Snake Clan until the next heir to the imperial bloodline appears."

"But Uesugi Yue's behavior truly disappointed the family. He ascended the throne of the patriarch in 1934 and abdicated in 1945, a brief eleven-year reign. It wasn't because the family impeached him, but rather because he voluntarily abandoned his status as the supreme leader of the underworld," said Tachibana Masamune. "Or perhaps it would be more accurate to describe his actions as running away... One day in 1945, Uesugi Yue suddenly vanished from the family, silently and without even a word. He abandoned his position as leader of the Snake Eight Families and the family he had left scarred and wounded during his eleven years on the throne."

"At that time, Japan was defeated in World War II, and the Emperor announced unconditional surrender. The eight Snake families also suffered a great blow. The Inuyama family was the first to bear the brunt of the tragedy. The Inuyama family suffered a tragedy that almost wiped out the entire family. At this time, Uesugi Yue, as the head of the family, not only did not reorganize the demoralized Snake families, but he suddenly fled the family after the battle with Ange, leaving the then-weak family to face the strongest dragon slayer from the United States, Hilbert Jean Ange." Tachibana Masamune said, "As you know, the family without a leader was unable to withstand the onslaught of Ange. The family was forcefully suppressed by Ange and signed a humiliating agreement and contract, which bound them to the Kassel Academy. Ange even established a Japanese branch within the family and supported the then-lowest head of the Inuyama family as the head of the Japanese branch, further dividing the already disharmonious family."

"So the reason why Uesugi Yue was spurned by the family was because he was idle, irresponsible, and incompatible with the family?" Gennochi continued to ask.

He felt that the Uesugi Koshi described by Tachibana Masamune was indeed not suitable to be a family head, but he was merely unsuitable, and not to the extent that his crimes were so heinous that everyone deserved to punish him... Gennochi now further believed that the man named Uesugi Koshi must be his biological father, because they both yearned for France, did not like to be constrained by rules and regulations, and were unwilling to bear the family's heavy responsibilities and destiny. They were both lazy and casual in their bones.

They are both facing very similar dilemmas. More than sixty years ago, the family's enemy was Ange, and now the family's enemies are the fierce ghosts and "gods". The only difference between Minamoto no Chisei and Uesugi Koshi is that the man abandoned everything and left freely, but Minamoto no Chisei finally chose to stay and take on all this for the family... Minamoto no Chisei did not think that the man was unforgivable. On the contrary, deep in his heart, he even vaguely admired the man's unrestrained temperament.

"If he had simply been evasive and neglectful, the family priests would at most have demoted him in family documents and at the shrine, branding him as 'incompetent.'" Tachibana Masamune shook his head and sighed softly. "But his crimes go far beyond that. Even when the head of the Fuma family mentioned him to me, his expression and tone were filled with deep sorrow and disgust. He said the evil this man had brought upon the family was simply too numerous to list."

"It's said that on the day Ange signed the contract with the family, Uesugi Yue suddenly rushed into the family's old shrine like a madman. In front of the priests, he loudly cursed a deceased soldier named Fujiwara Masaru, a lieutenant colonel in the army and hailed as a hero of the family during World War II," Tachibana Masamune whispered. "But Uesugi Yue not only slashed the heroic soldier's spirit tablet with a single blow, but also kicked over the eternal lantern praying for the hero. He also injured the priests who stood in front of the spirit tablet one by one."

"Not only that, but after returning home from the shrine, he murdered all thirteen of his wives. The women's bodies were found lying naked in the bathtub, with only a thin line of blood around their throats. They had all been stabbed to the throat with a single sword strike," Tachibana Masamune said. "The firewood and coal had burned dry, and the pool water was icy cold. The blood had dyed the entire water red."

Gen Chisheng was stunned, his eyelids trembling slightly. He did not understand the whole story of what happened back then, nor did he witness the tragic scene with his own eyes. But just from Tachibana Masamune's description, Gen Chisheng couldn't help but feel his scalp tingling, thinking it was cruel enough... The scene back then might be even more tragic than Tachibana Masamune described, maybe it was a hellish misery. Gen Chisheng didn't know why the man with a free and easy nature could commit such a devilish act.

If given the chance, Yuan Zhisheng would really like to ask that man in person... not as a son, but as the current patriarch of the Sheqi family.

"And yet, these weren't the worst sins he committed against the family," Tachibana Masamune said. "Before he fled, he tore up and burned most of the family's archives, including rare and unique books that had been handed down for centuries. All that precious history was reduced to dust and scraps of paper by Uesugi Koshi's hands... Chisheng, do you still remember the torii gate and the ruins of the old family shrine?"

Gen Chisei nodded. The family's important meetings were usually held at the old shrine, which was also the place where the family enshrined the spirits of their ancestors and paid tribute to the spirits of the pioneers. The family would spend a lot of money every year to maintain and repair the old shrine... Only the burnt torii gate and the ruins with charred marks and deep red bloodstains had always stood there, and no one had ever moved them, as if they were deliberately preserving evidence of historical crimes.

Minamoto no Chisei originally thought that those were traces left by the family's foreign wars, and they were preserved to warn future generations and remind them of the family's humiliating history... But according to Tachibana Masamune, those dilapidated buildings might be related to Uesugi Kotsu, the former patriarch.

"Before leaving the Yaki Eight Clan, Uesugi Koshi burned down the family shrine, seemingly venting his inner rage, though no one knows the source of his anger," Tachibana Masamune said softly. "With that raging fire, Uesugi Koshi completely vanished from family history. No one has heard of him since, as if he had never existed... Aside from the family he shattered, the damaged relics left at the old shrine serve as a constant reminder of his crimes."

Yuan Zhisheng said nothing. This was the real history of his family, but he did not know the whole story. He was just a listener and could not make any comments.

However, after listening to Tachibana Masamune's description, Minamoto no Chisei became even more determined to meet that man... perhaps tonight.

Chapter 364 Crazy Herzog

After counting the crimes committed by the man named Uesugi Koshi one by one, the dark room was enveloped in a gloomy atmosphere, and there was a hint of weirdness in the silence.

"Do you know why I have to talk to you in this room?" Minamoto no Chisei suddenly looked at Tachibana Masamune.

Tachibana Masamune sighed and nodded slightly.

"Uesugi Koshi's crimes are laid bare in the relics of history. What about yours?" Minamoto Chisei's voice was tinged with anger. "Uesugi Koshi's actions, at best, were to burn down the family shrine, abandon his family and flee, and murder his thirteen innocent wives..."

"But the number of family members who died today is far more than thirteen. Several floors of the Genji Heavy Industries Building have been dyed red with blood. I can't imagine why these innocent people who worked so hard for the family would die!" Minamoto no Chisei stared intently into Tachibana Masamune's eyes, his words practically gnashing out through his teeth. "All this is thanks to those damned Deadpools! All of them are secretly being kept in this room!"

"Yes, I created those monsters, and I also raised them, hiding it from everyone in the family." Tachibana Masamune nodded slowly, his face calm. "I am the culprit that caused the family disaster tonight. I am the culprit. I have caused the family to shed a lot of blood. So even if you want to punish me according to the family rules, I will not make any excuses. My actions have caused the family to suffer heavy losses. I admit my crimes, all of them. Even if I apologized a hundred times for the deaths of my family members, it would not be enough."

"Enough!" Yuan Zhisheng shouted.

If it were in the past, Minamoto no Chisei would probably have been moved by Tachibana Masamune's honest and straightforward words and softened his heart, but since Minamoto no Chisei uncovered Tachibana Masamune's hypocritical mask and recognized his hypocritical nature, the other party's self-torture-like words were so fake that he wanted to vomit deeply.

"It's not time to enforce family law yet," Yuan Zhisheng said coldly. "What I want to know now is, when you said the purpose of raising these deadpools was to counter the fierce ghosts and the king... what exactly did you mean by that?"

"Because it's not just me. The King General... or Dr. Herzog, he's also secretly breeding these Deadpools." Tachibana Masamune whispered, "Ever since he started conducting human experiments on hybrids, he hasn't discarded all of his failed creations. He'll have people destroy hybrids with too low blood purity on the spot, while he'll secretly preserve some of the experiments that have exceeded the bloodline threshold and become Deadpools. Twenty years ago, Dr. Herzog found a way to turn the White King's descendants into snake-like Deadpools, but his goal goes far beyond that. On the one hand, he's constantly producing Deadpools, and on the other hand, he's also researching how to control them."

"Control Deadpool?" Yuan Zhisheng's face changed. "Can something like Deadpool be controlled?"

"I don't know." Tachibana Masamune shook his head. "I don't know if Dr. Herzog's research on controlling Deadpool was ultimately successful, but it's undeniable that that mad scientist is a genius whose wisdom far surpasses that of ordinary people. He dares to act on things that others wouldn't even dare to think about... Maybe that madman has finally found a path that no one has ever taken before."

Gennosuke looked deeply at Tachibana Masamune. This madman was standing right in front of him. He wanted to expose his identity on the spot, put the Spider Cutter on his neck, and loudly question whether the path he took at the cost of sacrificing countless people was successful... but he couldn't do that.

He had to continue pretending to be clueless, and at the same time told himself in his heart that he had to treat Masamune Tachibana as Bondarev and the King General as Herzog. When talking to Masamune Tachibana, he had to be careful to separate them into two people, raise reasonable questions, and not let his words and emotions reveal any flaws.

"I can understand Dr. Herzog conducting human experiments like developing Deadpool, since he's a genetics scientist." Gen Chisheng surveyed the room, which resembled a human dissection lab, frowning slightly as he questioned Tachibana Masamune. "But why would you, as an intelligence officer, conduct human experiments? The KGB wouldn't teach you that, would they? Transforming a hybrid into Deadpool or something like that?"

"The KGB certainly wouldn't teach me how to transform a hybrid into a Deadpool." Tachibana Masamune shook his head and paused. "These were taught to me by Dr. Herzog."

"Dr. Herzog taught you this?" Yuan Zhisheng failed to understand the meaning of this sentence and frowned even deeper.

"To be precise, I stole it from Dr. Herzog," Tachibana Masamune lowered his head. "I was originally just following my vague memories to visit the 'hometown' where I grew up, but Dr. Herzog showed me a crazy path, the end of which is the throne of the world."

"The new world is here. Whoever can make up their minds and seize the opportunity first will be the emperor who creates a new era!" Tachibana Masamune said in a low and slightly crazy voice. "Before such a huge throne, it is impossible for anyone not to be tempted!"

"I have to admit, I was also moved at the time. I couldn't suppress my greed. If Dr. Herzog can do it, why can't I?" Tachibana Masamune asked himself in an almost paranoid tone, "All I want to do is replace Herzog. As long as I can replace him, I will be the one who creates a new era, and the power of the world will be in my hands!"

"Replacing Herzog?" Yuan Zhisheng was startled and pressed, "How? Using your intelligence agents' channels to disguise yourself as him? Or plastic surgery?"

"No, I don't want to be Herzog, nor do I want there to be two Dr. Herzogs in this world. I want to use my identity as Major Bondarev to replace him. It is enough for the power of the world to be in the hands of one person." Tachibana Masamune glanced at Minamoto Chisei, "Chisei, don't worry, I will explain everything to you slowly."

Gen Chisei looked at the slightly crazy light that flashed through Tachibana Masamune's eyes. He nodded at Tachibana Masamune and then shuddered slowly.

"I'm just an intelligence officer. I don't have Dr. Herzog's superb research skills, but I know that Dr. Herzog has the habit of recording his experiments and keeping a diary. It's impossible for a person to completely hide their inner madness. Dr. Herzog must have recorded all his plans." Tachibana Masamune said, "I agreed to cooperate with Dr. Herzog on the surface, but secretly I was thinking about how to swallow up all his experimental results and his diary. But my promissory note and identity were forged. I was just a paper tiger. I couldn't rely on the Soviet Union. So I turned my attention to the Snake Eight Families at the time."

"Part of my bloodline is inherited from the Snake Eight Clan. After the defeat in World War II, one of the beneficiaries who received the largest share of the inheritance from the Germans must have been one of the Snake Eight Clan. I also heard that the Snake Eight Clan was rapidly rising at the time," said Tachibana Masamune. "At that time, I thought to myself, the world is so vast that I can't handle it all by myself, so why can't the remaining part benefit my family?"

"So I kept instilling negative thoughts into Dr. Herzog's subconscious. Every day I'd say things like, 'Such great research results, it's a shame they'll have to contribute to the Soviet regime,' 'Working for others might end up with nothing,' 'I know the Soviet way of doing things best. Once those ruthless guys get what they want, they throw everything else away, like a dog,'" Tachibana Masamune said. "Over time, Dr. Herzog finally wavered. One night, he took the initiative to pour out his bitterness to me, saying that all his painstaking experimental research would ultimately lead to someone else's wedding dress, and he couldn't accept it."

"I knew it was because the subconscious I had instilled in him had taken effect. I had successfully brainwashed Dr. Herzog," Tachibana Masamune said. "The time was finally ripe, so I proposed to Dr. Herzog that we move the experimental base to Japan. This would allow us to escape the control of the former Soviet Union and the Soviet leader, and allow us to be the greatest beneficiaries of the research."

"Remember? Herzog discovered that the two experimental embryos named 'π' and 'ω' came from Japan. He had long believed that Japanese hybrids were the most perfect hybrids in the world, and moving to Japan would also make it easier for him to access local experimental materials," said Masamune Tachibana. "Dr. Herzog quickly agreed to my proposal. He seemed so excited that he couldn't sleep all night."

"But how do we move such a large experimental base?" Yuan Zhisheng asked.

"There's no need to move the entire experimental base. Dr. Herzog has all those techniques deeply etched in his mind and written down in his diary." Tachibana Masamune shook his head. "As for the old experimental materials, there's no need to bring them. Herzog believes Japan is full of newer and better experimental materials. So, we're taking you and the young girl with us. We'll just wait for the Lenin, which arrives once a month, so we can set off."

"Before leaving, Dr. Herzog told me he didn't want the secrets of his experiment to be leaked. We could fake an accident, pretending the entire Nameless Port was destroyed and we died in it," Tachibana Masamune whispered. "I thought his plan was feasible, but I didn't expect Dr. Herzog to be even more vicious than I imagined. Not only did he want to blow up the entire Nameless Port and destroy the experimental materials, he also wanted to kill all the researchers and security personnel who knew about the Nameless Port plan... There's a demon living in his heart!"

"But you finally agreed to his proposal, didn't you?" Yuan Zhisheng asked back.

Tachibana Masamune was silent for a moment, then whispered, "Yes, there's a demon in my heart too, and it awakened that day... Perhaps it awakened the day I saw Dr. Herzog's crazy idea. I agreed to Dr. Herzog's cruel proposal without a second thought."

"We killed many people that day, several times more than I've killed in all my years as an intelligence officer combined... It should have been three hundred, no, four hundred... maybe six hundred." A look of pain flashed across Tachibana Masamune's eyes. "In short, blood was everywhere. It dyed that nameless port red. The bodies piled up like mountains. In the end, everything was annihilated in that huge explosion."

"In the end, only you and Herzog survived?" Yuan Zhisheng asked.

"No, in the end, I was the only one who survived... That was how naive I thought back then," Tachibana Masamune said. "Originally, I planned to go to Japan, build a laboratory there, and kill Dr. Herzog once everything was on track. But I was terrified by his cruel nature and his reckless pursuit of his goals. I knew deep down in his heart that I was also a target he had to eliminate. When the Emperor reigned supreme, no one was willing to share power with anyone else. We were all targets he had to kill, it was just a matter of when the time came."

"So you took the initiative and killed Dr. Herzog?" Yuan Zhisheng asked.

"Yes, greed and fear made me extremely determined. After blowing up the nameless port and boarding the Lenin, I picked up the hunting rifle hidden in my clothes and shot Dr. Herzog through the heart. One shot was not enough, so I fired several more shots in a row, and his body was blasted from the deck into the sea." Tachibana Masamune said viciously in a venomous tone, as if he had killed a demon, and as if he was the demon with a ferocious face.

"And then what? You inherited Dr. Herzog's legacy... or did you want to replace him?" Gen Chisheng paused. "So you sank the Lenin into Takamagahara? You wanted to resurrect God and conquer the world?"

"No, it's not what you think." Tachibana Masamune sighed slightly. "After killing Dr. Herzog, I finally got my wish and took you and the little girl from the unnamed port of Siberia. I also successfully obtained Dr. Herzog's notes. I originally thought that Herzog's goal was simply to mass-produce you and the little girl into warriors who could help him conquer the world, but after reading his notes, I realized his ultimate goal."

"This madman... No wonder Herzog agreed without hesitation when I told him I wanted to move the experimental base to Japan. This is all part of his plan!" Tachibana Masamune said solemnly, "Because Dr. Herzog's ultimate goal is to sink the ancient dragon embryo on the bottom of the Lenin deep into Takamagahara!"

"You're saying this was all Dr. Herzog's plan?" Gen Chisheng raised his doubts. "But why were the embryo and the Lenin sunk into Takamagahara? Aren't you aiding and abetting the evil by doing all this?"

"No, the moment I saw the notes, I realized this was all a fantasy! Conquering the world is nearly impossible! This crazy idea comes with huge risks!" Tachibana Masamune's voice was filled with fear, as if he had seen a demon. "But it's too late! Everything is too late... When I read this paragraph in the notes, the embryo had already contaminated the hull!"