Chapter 44: George
Just a few minutes after Ronan headed to the Oniwaka Group, a private jet landed at Tokyo Narita International Airport.
An imposing elderly man stepped off the plane, followed by a few individuals who appeared to be bodyguards.
As soon as he exited the airport, several sharply dressed middle-aged men approached him and said respectfully, "Mr. Sheik, the car is ready."
"Hmm."
Without much conversation, George Sheik got into an extended Rolls-Royce. As the doors closed, the car began moving through the streets of Tokyo.
Sitting in the spacious vehicle, George gazed at the bustling streets of Tokyo and murmured, "The last time I was in Tokyo was at the end of the last century. It wasn't this prosperous back then. It's truly remarkable how times have changed."
"Indeed, the pace of progress is rapid," said a secretary-like figure beside him.
"Mr. Sheik, many people are already aware of your arrival in Japan."
"Hmm."
"Regarding the invitations we've received..." The secretary pulled out a tablet and began reading from it. "The Minister of Defense hopes to hold a defense meeting and would like to invite Mr. Sheik..."
"Decline."
"Understood. Next, the Minister of Foreign Affairs plans to host a symposium soon. Would you like to..."
"Decline."
"What about the dinner invitation from the Prime Minister?"
"Decline that as well."
George said calmly.
"The reason I came to Japan this time is solely to see the young master. All those trivial matters are meaningless. Cancel all invitations and events."
"Understood."
The secretary nodded and turned off the tablet.
George leaned back in his seat, his thoughts drifting back to twenty years ago, a time of turmoil and upheaval.
Back then, he didn't have the status he held now. He was just a discarded veteran, abandoned by the times. Because of a minor incident, even the corrupt cops in the U.S. dared to flaunt their authority in front of him.
At that time, he was thrown into a detention center over a trivial matter, and he thought his life would likely end there.
But then, a black-haired Eastern boy appeared at the detention center. He eliminated all the guards, his sole purpose being to rescue a girl who had been temporarily held there.
Though just a child, George could see in his eyes a strength and madness that seemed otherworldly.
George took a gamble. After escaping with the boy, the child mentioned a grand plan and invited him to join. George agreed without hesitation, becoming the boy's first subordinate.
That grand plan eventually became IW, an organization that now influences the global landscape.
"Time... flies by so quickly."
"Indeed."
"When the boss suddenly announced he was returning to his hometown to farm, everyone was shocked. But no one objected. After all, it's understandable for someone at the pinnacle to want a period of peace."
At this point, George suddenly chuckled.
"Speaking of which, I once held his son, Little Ronan, in my arms. He was such a cute child. But now..."
As he spoke, George's fist clenched tightly, the sound of bones creaking audible, veins bulging on the back of his hand.
"Now, even a mere Japanese conglomerate dares to lay a hand on the young master. Do they think IW's achievements were built on tea parties and pleasantries? No! They were built on war and bloodshed! These fools..."
"Mr. Sheik, they have no idea that Mr. Ronan is the boss's son. Aside from the IW elders, President Sagara, and the branch leaders, only a few in the operations department know. This information is strictly confidential."
"Even if they don't know, the fact remains that they targeted the young master..."
"Mr. Sheik, please calm down. Mr. Ronan himself has said not to take action against the Shinomiya family. He likely has his own plans."
"Sigh..."
George let out a deep sigh and relaxed his clenched hand.
"I told the young master back then that if he was coming, he should just live with me in the U.S. But the boss insisted on sending him to Japan."
"Probably because he was worried you'd spoil him too much."
...
The car drove for about an hour before coming to a stop in front of an apartment building.
"We're here."
"...This is it?"
George stepped out of the car and stared at the apartment building in front of him, momentarily stunned.
"This is..."
"Where Young Master Ronan lives."
"...Which unit is his?"
"Building Two, tenth floor, fifth room."
"Just one room? Is the young master living so frugally in Japan?"
"This is a high-end apartment. I think you might be misunderstanding the term 'frugal,'" the secretary said calmly. "Besides, the boss's wife also lives here. There's nothing unusual about it."
"...Never mind, let's go up and take a look."
The two walked into the second building, pressed the elevator button, and went up to the tenth floor. Following the hallway, they arrived at the fifth room and stopped in front of a door with the nameplate "Yao."
George hesitated for a moment before pressing the doorbell.
*Ding dong~*
*Click.*
The door opened, but the person who answered wasn't the blond boy George had imagined. Instead, it was a black-haired young man.
"Um... may I ask who you are?"
The one who opened the door was Ishigami. He had thought Ronan had forgotten his keys and rushed to open the door, only to find a tall, imposing old man with Western features standing there.
The old man exuded an intimidating aura that made Ishigami feel extremely uncomfortable.
*Whoa... who is this old man? He's terrifying...*
Seeing that it wasn't Ronan who opened the door, George glanced at his secretary. After receiving a confirming nod, he realized he was in the right place and asked in slightly broken Japanese, "Excuse me... is Ronan... home?"
"You're looking for Ronan? He said he went out to take care of something. He's not home right now," Ishigami replied nervously. "May I ask who you are..."
"I'm his... grandfather, yes, grandfather."
George nodded, quite pleased with his explanation.
"Oh, I see. Grandfather."
Ishigami recalled that Ronan was of mixed heritage, so having a Western grandfather wasn't too surprising.
"Please, come in. I think Ronan should be back soon."
"Good, good. Are you Ronan's friend?"
"Yes."
"That's wonderful. Tell me about how Ronan is doing at school. I've been quite worried about him."
After entering, George and Ishigami walked into the room.
Not long after, Ronan returned home.
He was startled to see George.
"Grandpa George?"
"Little Ronan, you're back?" The moment George saw Ronan, his stern expression softened into a warm smile.
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