Chapter 63

The next morning, a Japanese ronin walked along a path in the forest, heading towards Hulin.

This person was none other than Dong Ku. In the previous evening, he had taken less than half an hour to obtain all the necessary identity documents, the only issue being that his identity was not registered in Japan. However, at that time, there were many expatriates, and the Japanese did not pay much attention to their backgrounds. It wasn't until 1939, when Chinese people who spoke Japanese began to frequently disguise themselves as Japanese, that the records became more detailed. Once someone caught the attention of the Special Higher Police, it would not take long to trace their ancestry, making it difficult to pass off as someone else.

"Ha ha! Finally, I've reached the Chinese border!"

Looking at the Hulin checkpoint not far away, Dong Ku waved his arms and shouted. His strange behavior made two Chinese people on the road cautiously avoid him and walk towards the checkpoint.

After a moment of excitement, Dong Ku approached the checkpoint.

"What are you doing here?"

The sentry had already noticed Dong Ku's wild gestures and shouted at him as he approached.

"Kato Seihiko, please take care of me!"

Dong Ku, with his standard Tokyo accent, handed over his documents.

"Yoshi! A geographer. Kato-san, you have worked hard!"

The sentry stood at attention and returned the documents with both hands.

"You are the ones who have worked hard."

Dong Ku took the documents, and his proper etiquette made the sentries stand at attention. After all, the Tokyo accent was a symbol of the Emperor's residence and a part of their spiritual support.

With a subservient demeanor, Dong Ku swaggered into Hulin.

As he walked, he did not enter the Northeast Old Restaurant. One reason was that it was not yet mealtime, and the other was that he needed to find a place to stay first. So, he looked around and directly entered the Fulaishun Inn.

The innkeeper, seeing that it was a Japanese, carefully received him and gave Dong Ku the best room.

Dong Ku washed up in the room, removing the dust from his journey, before leaving the inn and wandering around Hulin, looking like a traveling scholar.

By noon, Dong Ku had already toured the not-so-large market area and then leisurely entered the Northeast Old Restaurant.

"Welcome."

A waiter, with his half-learned Japanese, greeted him, not recognizing that Dong Ku, who had changed his appearance and grown a mustache, was his boss.

Dong Ku nodded slightly and followed the waiter into the restaurant. At the stairs, a Japanese woman greeted him with a gentle voice and a ninety-degree bow: "Welcome, please go upstairs."

Dong Ku bowed in return: "Kato Seihiko, please take care of me."

As he spoke, he glanced around and walked upstairs. He noticed Uncle Cheng's scrutinizing gaze, but it seemed to find nothing suspicious and dropped as he ascended the stairs.

When Dong Ku reached the upper floor, he saw that it was purely Japanese in style, with sliding paper doors and tatami mats inside. The north side, which was shaded, had an open door leading to a large tatami room with ten small tables, only two of which were occupied. The south side had individual rooms, which were likely private dining rooms. Opposite the stairs was an open kitchen where several chefs were already busy.

Dong Ku followed the receptionist into one of the private rooms, ordered sushi and a stone-grilled dish, and slowly savored the relatively authentic Japanese cuisine.

It was impressive that the head chef here, Liu, could make such authentic dishes with only the recipes and methods provided. Dong Ku nodded in approval as he chewed on the stone-grilled dish he had once eaten in Japan.

"Kato Seihiko, please take care of me." After finishing his meal, Dong Ku paid and came to the counter, saying, "Sir, can I see the owner?"

"Sorry, Kato-san, if you want to see the owner, you need to show an order from the Kwantung Army headquarters."

Uncle Cheng, leaning against the counter, coldly said in Chinese, not taking Dong Ku seriously.

Oh? Kwantung Army headquarters?

This was a lot of information. Dong Ku didn't know if it was true or just a bluff by Liu Rujì. An order from the Kwantung Army headquarters was not a simple piece of paper.

"Sir, you misunderstood. I am a friend of the owner. Can I write my name and have you ask the owner?" Dong Ku said, nodding.

"Friend?"

Uncle Cheng clearly spoke Japanese fluently, or he wouldn't have understood Dong Ku's Japanese.

"Yes, a friend."

Dong Ku picked up the brush on the counter and, seeing that Uncle Cheng did not stop him, wrote a few elegant characters on a piece of paper: "Boss, Dong."

The moment Dong Ku finished writing the character "Dong," Uncle Cheng's squinted eyes suddenly opened, locking onto Dong Ku with a sharp gaze. His hand pressed on the counter, and the lazy demeanor vanished, like a tiger ready to pounce.

"Sir, please take care of me."

Dong Ku was not intimidated by Uncle Cheng's presence. He put down the brush, gently pushed the paper to Uncle Cheng, and met his gaze with a smile.

In the eye contact, Uncle Cheng saw something familiar. His imposing presence dissipated, and he folded the paper, called a waiter over, and said, "Please wait a moment."

"Thank you for your trouble."

Dong Ku bowed.

Shortly, Uncle Cheng came out of the back room, smiling, and said, "Kato-san, please." He then opened the side panel of the counter.

"I'm sorry for the trouble."

Dong Ku politely entered the back room.

Liu Rujì stood on the tatami, looking at Dong Ku, who had entered with Uncle Iron, still in shock. She knew she hadn't mistaken the handwriting, which matched the recipe she had been given. The strong, distinctive characters were deeply etched in her mind.

"Should I call you Kato-san or Mr. Dong?" Liu Rujì asked with a smile.

"Owner, I am Kato Seihiko, a businessman with aspirations in the restaurant industry. Please take care of me."

Dong Ku handed over his documents.

Liu Rujì, suppressing a smile, took the documents. She was surprised to see that, despite his playful tone and Chinese speech, the documents were genuine Japanese official documents.

"Alright, then Kato-san."

The clever Liu Rujì understood Dong Ku's intentions and returned the documents, asking, "What direction do you plan to develop in?"

Dong Ku, taking back the documents, smiled and said, "I plan to hire the owner to open a comprehensive restaurant in Harbin, targeting Japanese and wealthy Chinese customers. It will be a high-end, international restaurant with a Western dining area, accommodation, and a sauna."

"Hire me?"

Liu Rujì had heard Dong Ku mention this before, but then it was about cooperation, not hiring.

"Yes, hire you." Dong Ku confirmed, "Next, we will open branches in Fengtian, Xinjing, the Tianjin Concession, and the Shanghai Concession. I will provide the funds, room design, and dining standards, and the owner will manage the operations." Before Liu Rujì could speak, Dong Ku continued, "As for your compensation, I will offer at least ten times the income of your current restaurant, and you will have full control over the operations. I will only provide the funds, plans, and menu. Additionally, 10% of the revenue will be set aside for maintaining the restaurant's safe operation, and you can continue your current cooperative arrangements."

"Are you planning to be a behind-the-scenes boss?" Liu Rujì was quite surprised. Dong Ku had significant resources, not only in terms of funds but also in his plans and recipes. His identity was mysterious, and she still couldn't figure out what he did, whether he was Chinese or Japanese.

"Yes. Do you have any interest, Miss Liu? The standard of this restaurant is not just for China and Japan. In one or two years, after you have established it, you can expand it to Britain, America, and other parts of the world. You will manage the operations, and I will provide the funds."

Liu Rujì was silent. The information Dong Ku had provided was overwhelming, far beyond her understanding. She had always aspired to develop in the restaurant industry, but she had never thought about opening a restaurant abroad. Moreover, the investment, as Dong Ku mentioned, would be in the millions.

After much thought, Liu Rujì looked up and asked, "Mr. Dong, are you sure I can handle it?"

"Miss Liu, the standard of this restaurant is international, with a focus on Chinese cuisine. I don't doubt your ability to handle it. You just need a direction and a platform," Dong Ku said with a gentle smile.

"I'm not sure whether to call you Mr. Dong or Kato-san. Please give me a clear answer."

Dong Ku looked at Liu Rujì and understood her meaning. "In business, please call me Kato. As for me personally, I am a Chinese, a Chinese who will not bow to any oppressor, a Chinese who will not forget my roots."

Liu Rujì stared at Dong Ku, understanding his meaning. After a moment, she took a deep breath and said, "I am just a businesswoman and do not want to get involved in any disputes. If Mr. Dong and I are only business partners, I can consider your proposal. By the way, I have been to Japan and have a Japanese identity. The owner of this old restaurant also has a Japanese partner. If we open another restaurant, this partnership will still be necessary. Can Mr. Dong accept this?"

"No problem. I have already said that our relationship is purely business. I don't mind Japanese partners as long as you do not work for the Japanese. After all, we need your connections to ensure the restaurant's stability."

"Alright! I will give it a try and see if I can achieve what Mr. Dong has said, to open the restaurant to the world." Liu Rujì, without hesitation, agreed.

After speaking, she frowned and asked, "Where did Mr. Dong get your Japanese identity? I need to know this, or I cannot take the risk."

"Ha ha! This document is so authentic that even the Special Higher Police cannot tell it's fake. It's just that there is no record in Japan."

"Forged?!"

Liu Rujì was quite surprised. The ink, seal, and text looked genuine, and she never expected it to be forged.

"Mr. Dong, if we are to truly cooperate, you need a genuine Japanese identity with verifiable records."

"That's difficult..."

Dong Ku hesitated. To get the records, he would need to go to Japan, but he couldn't afford to spend a month or two on this. If he left, Liu Zhong and the others might run into trouble.

"I can handle it."

Liu Rujì said softly.

"Really?!"

Dong Ku was quite surprised. This was not just about forging a document; it required leaving records in Japanese institutions, which was not a simple task.

After some thought, Dong Ku asked, "Miss Liu, can I know about your connections in Japan?"

"It's not much. When I was in Japan, I was classmates with Terauchi Michiko, and we became sisters. Her father, Terauchi Hisaichi, is also my godfather and holds a military position."

"It's him!!"

Dong Ku instantly recalled the information about this person.

Terauchi Hisaichi: Current commander of the Taiwan Army, to be promoted to Army General in October, a military advisor, and next year, the Army Minister.

Terauchi Hisaichi is a big fish...

Several thoughts raced through Dong Ku's mind.