I have a life simulator.

Just as Kitagawa Ryo and Sakayanagi Narimori had predicted, Ayanokoji Atsuomi quickly gathered all the information after a brief moment of panic.

Gently and unhurriedly tapping the table, Ayanokoji Atsuomi realized, after understanding the current situation, that the situation was not actually at its worst yet.

Regarding the mysterious training institution known as the "White Room," which was suddenly exposed, the mainstream public opinion is mainly driven by curiosity, without showing much bias. In fact, many people who have disliked Tokyo Advanced Educational High School for years have even expressed their support.

Although I don't know who you are, I support you for belittling Tokyo Advanced Educational High School.

Many people share this view, and Kitagawa Ryo's record is undeniable, which gives those who support the White Room even more confidence.

Just as Kitagawa Ryo said, the White Room is an institution and plan that must be made public in the future, but at that time it will definitely be a little girl who has been embellished and dressed up cleanly.

Although Kitagawa Ryo's actions prematurely revealed the white room, it might not necessarily be a bad thing if used properly.

Ayanokoji Atsuomi half-closed his eyes and began to think.

The biggest variable facing him now is Kitagawa Ryo.

Although he thought Kitagawa Ryo was a promising talent, Ayanokoji Atsuomi did not believe that this was his idea.

How could a six or seven-year-old child have such deep thoughts?

Moreover, he is an experimental subject who has spent almost all of his life in a white room since birth, and has been controlled and brainwashed by drugs for a long time.

Without even a second thought, the opponent is just another pawn being tossed around.

The reason why Naoe Jinnosuke was so eager to distance himself from the White Room was essentially because he felt that this was an attack by the Onisha faction, and he was simply trying to avoid harm by seeking advantage.

Ayanokoji Atsuomi believed that as long as he handled the situation properly and turned the crisis into safety, the Naoe faction would definitely turn back and seize the profits he had earned without hesitation.

However, for Ayanokoji Atsuomi, this was his original goal.

Because at that time, the white room will naturally become his stepping stone to advancement.

Gently stroking the desk that has been with him for ten years, the behaviorist theory engraved on it back then has become somewhat blurred with the passage of time, just like the ten years he has wasted.

Without the variable of Kitagawa Ryo, it might have taken another ten years for the White Room to have a chance to enter the next stage.

As a member of parliament who rose through the ranks from the bottom, Atsuomi Ayanokoji has never been afraid of change. He has nothing to lose and nothing to fear. For him, change often means opportunity.

But now, Ayanokoji Atsuomi had to admit that for the first time, he felt a little afraid.

At the age of 25, Atsuomi Ayanokoji began his political career with the three million yen he had painstakingly saved as election deposit, only to lose in the parliamentary election.

At that time, he paid with several years of his life and three million in savings.

But he fearlessly launched his next campaign.

At the age of twenty-seven, Atsuomi Ayanokoji finally became a member of parliament.

However, when he stood at the crossroads once again, Ayanokoji Atsuomi was unable to make a decisive judgment immediately.

Because this time he bet far more than he did at twenty-five.

To obtain the position of head of the White Room, he served as a front man for the Naoe faction for several years.

Then, he poured countless connections, resources, and his most precious time into the White Room project.

In order to avoid suspicion and be ready to be abandoned at any time, the Naoe faction did not provide Ayanokoji Atsuomi with any direct financial assistance, and even forbade him to use the Naoe faction's name to advance the White Room project.

However, Ayanokoji Atsuomi gritted his teeth and pushed it through.

It has been ten years.

Ten years—from the age of thirty to the age of forty—is the most precious golden decade for a politician, and Ayanokoji Atsuomi adhered to this plan.

Perhaps a more appropriate and safer approach would be to remain silent.

As long as the White Room doesn't actually appear, everything Kitagawa Ryo said is just wishful thinking. The online storm of public opinion comes and goes quickly, and may disappear in a few months. The White Room project will continue to proceed in secret until it achieves its goal.

However, even Ayanokoji Atsuomi himself didn't know when that elusive achievement would appear.

So far, only Kiyotaka Ayanokoji is the only test subject who has come close to a successful product.

Naoe Jinnosuke is almost eighty years old.

For an elderly person, entering their eighties is a symbol of longevity, but also a dangerous omens.

Ayanokoji Atsuomi spent forty years grasping only the tip of the iceberg of power.

You could even say that in this white room, he was Zhigao's person.

But he wanted to get even closer, to the very center of power.

Atsuomi Ayanokoji was acutely aware that he possessed only one extraordinary quality.

That is an uncontrollable, insatiable ambition.

For someone from a poor background like him, becoming a member of parliament should have been enough, but he wasn't; being valued by Naoe Jinnosuke should have been enough, but he wasn't either.

We must reach the top, stand at the pinnacle of this country.

This idea has sustained me to this day.

Having understood his own feelings, Ayanokoji Atsuomi finally made a decision.

Perhaps from the moment Kitagawa Ryo uttered the words "Ayanokouji-sensei," he no longer had any other choice.

However, before giving a specific response, Ayanokoji Atsuomi planned to meet with Kitagawa Ryo.

He believed he could turn his opponent back into a piece he could use alone.

Physiologically, anyone who has injected addictive drugs has an almost 80% or higher chance of relapsing and falling back into a painful cycle.

And psychologically...

Just as a child is attached to its mother, a mother also holds the same or even deeper love for her child.

Whether Kitagawa Ryo is a genius or not is irrelevant; in fact, Ayanokoji Atsuomi is now somewhat hoping that the other party is a true genius.

Atsuomi Ayanokoji stood up and wagered all his chips in what was by far the biggest gamble of his life.

All in.

Chapter 101: This Brutal Pleasure

The most outstanding politicians should pursue even higher goals. For example, they should be able to successfully sell curry or beef rice bowls to customers who want sushi, while also ensuring that customers feel fully satisfied.

Ayanokouji Atsuomi recalled his conversation with Naoe Jinnosuke ten years ago, in which he used those words to move the other man, and with his fearless spirit, he gained the other man's trust and became the person in charge of the White Room Project.

Instead of constantly responding to expectations and being overwhelmed by public opinion, it would be better to use public opinion to create momentum for what you want to do in advance. Judging from the current situation, the Oni Island faction has always adhered to this policy, which explains why it has become another major faction that has made the Naoe faction feel threatened in recent years.

This is why Ayanokoji Atsuomi is so certain that this incident was orchestrated by the Onishima Clique, because they have mastered this tactic to perfection over the past few years.

Tokyo Advanced Educational High School is the best example. It can only send out a hundred or so students to society each year, and if you only count the A class, there are less than forty so-called talents. However, it has become a well-known high school in the country, bringing a lot of exposure to Onisha himself, and can even be recorded as a major achievement in his political career.

"Councilor Ayanokouji has arrived."

The driver's words interrupted Ayanokouji Atsuomi's thoughts. As the car slowly came to a stop, Ayanokouji Atsuomi squinted as he surveyed the scene in Dongyu.

Perhaps because classes were in session, there were hardly any students to be seen along the roadside. Unlike the white rooms deep in the mountains, the Tokyo Advanced Educational High School, located on an artificial island, has a rather large area, which is comparable to many famous universities in Japan.

"Councilor Ayanokouji, the chairman has been waiting in the reception room for quite some time."

Upon noticing Atsuomi Ayanokouji's arrival, the school staff, who were already prepared, stepped forward and bowed in greeting.

"understood."

Withdrawing his scrutinizing gaze, Ayanokouji Atsuomi followed the man into the reception room. Sakayanagi Narimori had already prepared tea and was sitting quietly there. Upon seeing Ayanokouji Atsuomi's arrival, he stood up and said indifferently:

"Ayanokoji-sensei".

Although the form of address remained the same as before, Ayanokouji Atsuomi was well aware that their positions had changed, so he responded with only a forced smile:

"Sakayanagi... Chairman, I haven't had a chance to congratulate you yet. You were a member of the White Room Project back then, but I never expected that you would have taken over as the chairman of Dongyu now."

Sensing the veiled sarcasm and irony in Ayanokouji Atsuomi's words, Sakayanagi Narimori simply shook his head and replied with neither servility nor arrogance:

“I still have great respect for you, Ayanokouji-sensei. However, I decided to take over as chairman of the board because I agreed with my father’s idea of ​​establishing this school. Ayanokouji-sensei, you understand this best, don’t you? Since my father’s time, the school’s policy has not changed at all.”

“I don’t intend to dismiss your actions. It’s fine if you want to follow your father’s will. However, if that’s the case, why did you let Ryo cause such a commotion?”

Ayanokouji Atsuomi sneered and began to press Chairman Sakayanagi with questions about Kitagawa Ryo.

He had his own reasons for agreeing to let Sakayanagi Shigemori take Kitagawa Ryo out of the White Room. On the one hand, it would make it easier to accelerate the progress of the fifth generation, and on the other hand, he didn't think that this drug-addicted kid could cause any trouble.

Even if the Naoe faction cannot directly express its willingness to support, over the years, the White Room itself has grown into a behemoth, using the guise of adopting and educating illegitimate children to establish connections with many political and financial figures.

This is also part of Kitagawa Ryo's plan, because the positive public opinion he is currently stirring up related to the White Room is actually something that these big shots who send their illegitimate children into the White Room are happy to see.

After all, when they sent their illegitimate children into the White Room, what Ayanokouji Atsuomi said was all nonsense about cultivating these talents.

In this way, if Kitagawa Ryo directly reveals the true nature of the White Room Project, it will expose the true colors of many people in the open, and it is possible that everything will end in disaster.

As for Ayanokoji Atsuomi, having made up his mind, he had to, or rather, had no choice but to, respond to these people's expectations.

"If I said that it was all Ryo's own idea, would Ayanokouji-sensei believe me?"

"I think that's a miracle, just like a piece of jade falling from the sky that can cure congenital heart disease."

Upon hearing this, Sakayanagi Narimori simply smiled and nodded, saying:

"I wish such miracles could happen more often."

"All right."

Ayanokouji Atsuomi waved his hand to interrupt Sakayanagi Narimori, staring intently into his eyes:

"Where is that child? I want to see him."

"It seems that Ayanokouji-sensei came prepared this time as well."

"After all, I have what he wants here."

Feeling confident that he had seized control of the conversation, Ayanokoji Atsuomi boldly speculated:

"If I were to guess, you probably used the child in the white room to make a deal with Ryo... no, I should say you tricked him, since he's just a child."

"Does Ayanokouji-sensei look down on children so much?"

“If it were a child like Kiyotaka, I would naturally value him more.”

Ayanokoji Atsuomi stroked the teacup in his hand, raised an eyebrow, and said:

"But I really didn't expect that you would be willing to sacrifice your daughter as a supporting character in order to create this scheme."

"So in the end, Ayanokouji-sensei still doesn't believe in Ryo's abilities."

"Of course, the scene at the cultural festival was just a pre-prepared script, right?"

"Then it's up to Ayanokoji-sensei to think it is."

Shaking his head helplessly, Sakayanagi Narumi felt like he was a victim of injustice. Ever since that USB drive, he felt frustrated that no one believed him whenever he told the truth.

"However, Liang does wish to meet you."

"That's why you chose this place to meet, isn't it?"

Ayanokouji Atsuomi looked around at his surroundings. After all, this was Tokyo Advanced Educational High School, and his bodyguards and others who usually accompanied him were also kept outside.

"After all, we don't want you to upset that child any further."

"That sounds nice."

Ayanokoji Atsuomi shook his head dismissively.

-------------------------------------

Almost a month later, when Kitagawa Ryo saw Ayanokoji Atsuomi again, he didn't show any of the panic or trembling he had expected.

Atsuomi Ayanokouji frowned and put down his tea. The most basic theory of the White Room Project was the Little Albert Experiment. It can be said that every child in the White Room was imprinted with a natural fear of the White Room and Atsuomi Ayanokouji himself from a young age.

Just like Yagami Takuya, who is physically very strong and even finds killing commonplace, he is like an infant when facing the people of the White Room and is completely unable to resist. After all, the White Room does not want to raise a bunch of ingrates.

Logically speaking, compared to the other test subjects in the white rooms, Kitagawa Ryo, who suffered more from his own torment, should have shown more obvious awe and even fear.

But there was no trace of such emotion in those dark eyes that were staring straight at him; instead, it inexplicably made Ayanokouji Atsuomi feel a little uneasy.

"Want to know what's going on in the white room right now? Like, what about your friends?"

Quickly regaining his composure, Ayanokouji Atsuomi spoke first to seize control of the conversation, while leaning slightly forward—a gesture designed to put more psychological pressure on the child in front of him.

"I don't need to know; the media will let me know soon enough."

Faced with Ayanokoji Atsuomi's aggressive stance, Kitagawa Ryo calmly replied, then interrupted him, seeing his hesitant expression:

"Since you decided to come here, it means you also intend to expose parts of the white room."