Volume One Mutation Chapter Fifty-four Internal Turmoil

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PS: These two chapters are not filler; they are a transition in the plot, and also foreshadow the approaching end of this volume.

The First Leader sat in his seat, listening to the roll call of votes while his thoughts drifted elsewhere.

When the voting ended, the secretary, disguised as a ceremonial attendant, collected and tallied the ballots, then handed the results to the First Leader. Two numbers stood out clearly on the paper: In Favor 31, Against 269.

Upon seeing the result, the Second Leader smiled and said, “Old Li, the results are out. Go ahead and announce it.”

The First Leader shook his head. In his view, sending Liu Cong, even temporarily, might entail unknown risks, but the benefits promised by Japan were enough to justify taking that chance. Yet the votes had been cast, and he had no choice but to announce the result with resignation.

“Regarding whether to agree to Japan’s request, the voting result is clear: 269 against. Since everyone disagrees, I will respect your will and refuse Japan’s proposal,” the First Leader said, glancing at the Second Leader. “Do you have anything to add?”

The Second Leader shook his head.

“That concludes today’s meeting. Dismissed!”

......

Japan.

Masao Nakamura hurried into the conference hall, only to find the vast room occupied by Prime Minister Abe alone, whose face was dark with anger.

“Prime Minister, what do you need from me?”

Abe took a deep breath. “What’s the situation outside?”

“Sir, our security forces fought desperately and repelled the monsters, but the western base has completely fallen. The creatures from there are likely to be drawn this way.”

“Damn it! Why won’t those accursed beasts tear apart the Chinese instead of attacking our country? This is infuriating!” Abe spat out his frustration, clearly holding a long-standing grudge.

Masao Nakamura waited for him to finish venting before asking, “Prime Minister, did China refuse our request to send Mr. Liu?”

At the mere mention of China, Abe grew furious. His plight had shattered his composure, and he slapped Nakamura hard across the face, yelling, “Liu, Liu, that’s all you can think about? He’s just another damn Chinese—an idiotic Chinese! It’s a pity our people can’t reach him; otherwise, I’d have had him eliminated!”

The slap landed with force, causing Nakamura’s face to swell instantly and his lip to bleed.

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“Never mention Liu to me again! Get out!” Abe roared.

Without a word, Masao Nakamura turned and left.

“Wait!” Abe called him back.

“Immediately summon all scattered forces, order them to rush here and set up a defensive line. Abandon their original bases and bring every usable resource. As for the civilians, those willing to enlist—bring them. For those unwilling, give them weapons and let them fend for themselves.”

“Prime Minister, you can’t do that. If you do, you’re condemning the surviving citizens outside to certain death!” Nakamura protested in disbelief, never imagining Abe would utter such words.

“Idiot! We’re barely holding on here—how can we care about them? Listen, not only will I recall the troops, I’ll also deploy atomic bombs where the monsters are thickest! Only this way can we protect our largest safe base. Or do you want to sacrifice the many here for the few outside?”

Nakamura’s anger turned to laughter. “Prime Minister, what ‘many’? Those at the external safe bases number over half a million! We have barely two hundred thousand here, including the military. You’re sentencing those half a million citizens to death! I won’t give such an order.”

After his outburst, Abe became oddly calm, narrowing his eyes and enunciating each word: “If you won’t give that order, someone else will. You are hereby dismissed. Get out!”

Nakamura was stunned, Abe’s ugly face filling him with disgust. Heartbroken, he staggered out, mind in chaos. At that moment, he thought of his daughter, far away in one of those external bases.

Powerless to stop Abe, was he really to watch his daughter die?

Stumbling, his hand brushed something at his waist. The cold touch jolted him awake.

Abe sat alone in the conference room, secretly regretting his decision to remove Nakamura. The man had always been diligent and capable, and it would be hard to find a replacement on short notice. As he pondered, the conference room door swung open and Masao Nakamura walked back in.

“Hmph! What, come to apologize? Admit your mistake and I’ll give you an oppor—”

Bang!

A shot rang out. Abe’s body crumpled lifelessly to the floor, a gaping hole in the center of his forehead, blood streaming steadily.

“Prime Minister Abe, you forced me to do this,” Nakamura murmured. For reasons he couldn’t explain, he felt a cold satisfaction at having killed Abe with his own hands.

Clatter—clatter—

A squad of guards, drawn by the gunshot, burst in. Seeing Abe’s body, they were visibly shaken. The assassination of a prime minister would be a national scandal anywhere. Though trained to protect Abe at all costs, none of them had ever believed such a thing could happen.

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Confronted with Abe’s corpse, the guards felt their faith shatter.

The scene was unmistakable: Abe shot dead, Nakamura holding the gun. As reality set in, the guards aimed their weapons at Nakamura, shouting for him to drop his gun.

Nakamura had a useful habit: he always recorded the content of important meetings or conversations to avoid any errors. Now, this habit would serve him well.

Looking at the guards surrounding him, he said, “Prime Minister Abe has gone insane from prolonged stress. I have evidence—my phone is in my pocket. Listen to the recording and you’ll understand why I did what I did.”

The lead guard knew Nakamura’s character well and found it hard to believe he would act without reason. “Go ahead, sir. I trust you wouldn’t do something like this without cause. I’ll hear you out.”

Nakamura gave a grateful smile and played the recording.

After listening, the guards were horrified by Abe’s deranged orders. Most of the civilians in the outer safety bases were, after all, the families of these soldiers.

When disaster struck across the country, the Japanese government had conscripted heavily and built numerous safety bases. Those who joined the military not only gained entry themselves but could bring their families, and the earlier they arrived, the safer they were. This was well known, so many young men enlisted. Abe’s decision was tantamount to ordering these soldiers to abandon their families and leave them to die.

“Abe went mad and chose to shoot himself to escape responsibility. Don’t you agree?” Nakamura said, his tone brooking no argument.

“Yes, Mr. Nakamura! We all saw Abe shoot himself. This has nothing to do with you!” the captain replied cleverly. The other guards quickly echoed him, agreeing to a unified account: Abe had committed suicide.

-----

In one night, the top level of Japanese power changed hands. Masao Nakamura officially became Prime Minister. Given his solid reputation and the good he had done for the people, there was little opposition—after all, those who might have objected were already dead.

The next day, Nakamura proactively contacted China to deliver a message so shocking that the First Leader was left speechless for a long time.

“Nakamura, we need to discuss this matter. You’ll have our reply later.”