Chapter 50 Attack of the Sickness

"President Atobe, the prosecution's charges are extremely unfavorable to your company. What do you think about this?"

"President Atobe, if your company cannot produce further evidence, the court will make a verdict in accordance with the prosecution's charges. Will you accept such a result?"

"President Atobe..."

During the recess, Atobe was surrounded by a large number of reporters and media as soon as he came out. Cameras and spotlights filled his eyes. The bodyguards who accompanied him had to step forward quickly to form a human wall, so that he could withdraw and go to the lounge on the side.

"Master Jingwu, are you okay?"

Akiyama Takuma followed him into the door step by step, but saw that the young boss lowered his lips, did not say a word, and his face was very gloomy. His heart tightened secretly, closed the door and handed him a glass of warm water. Atobe

waved his hand to indicate that it was not necessary. He

raised his head, but his brows were locked, as if he was suppressing some kind of pain, and it took a long time before he loosened.

"We can't go on like this." He said, "If we can't find Ichikawa Kei to testify in court, we won't even have the chance to fight back."

"I'll contact the Metropolitan Police Department again."

Akiyama said with his head down, and Atobe just

nodded without saying anything. There were a few knocks on the door, and Feng Changtaro rushed in, panting. Without pausing, he closed the door and spoke in a low voice: "Senior, Hiyoshi called just now. When the police destroyed the Ryugasaki Group's nest, they found Secretary Ichikawa. It seems that he was seriously injured and died after failed rescue."

Atobe Keigo stood up suddenly.

Akiyama Takuma was immediately shocked and looked at Feng who brought this news in disbelief.

"Feng Jun, is this true?"

Feng Changtaro nodded weakly, not knowing how to start.

The death of Ichikawa Kei meant that the top-secret information he had previously mastered was also sealed, and there was no room for reversal.

The air was stagnant for a while, and it was impossible to breathe.

Atobe did not speak, but only lowered his eyelids and pursed his lips, his face was gloomy, with a faint grayish white.

There was already a court staff outside the door urging the court to reopen. He just frowned and slowly walked towards the door.

The distance from the sofa to the door was short, but it seemed particularly long. His steps also seemed to become heavy and almost unable to move. Yuki seemed to have just escaped from the entanglement of the media and came there, wearing a black professional uniform. He was a little dazed when he saw it.

The tearing pain in his chest came, spreading all over the sky and finally could not be contained. The sanity that he tried hard to maintain began to dissipate at this moment. Under the heavy darkness, he vaguely heard the woman shouting in panic, and the whole person lost support and fell heavily.

The world seemed to collapse in an instant.

An emergency operation lasted for two hours, but it was ultimately unable to stop the footsteps of the god of death. Kei Ichikawa, who was still alive the moment before, finally stopped his heartbeat on the cold operating table.

The body, still with a trace of body temperature, was sent to the morgue. The family members who came to inquire about the situation cried loudly.

The police officers who sent the people over were doing relevant investigations while maintaining order.

Yushi Oshizuka had taken off his surgical gown and was standing by the door, watching coldly. His dark blue hair hung on his forehead and fell into his eyelids. The expression in his eyes was unknown. He looked for a moment before turning and walking towards the hall in the distance.

"Senior Oshizuka?"

He had just sat down on the bench in the rest area after making a bowl of instant noodles with hot water. He lifted a corner of the lid and heard a gentle call from above his head. He looked up. The dark blue-haired man was slightly startled and smiled: "Hey, Hiyoshi?"

"Is this what you're having for lunch?" Hiyoshi glanced at the cup noodles in front of him and sat down beside him.

"It's good to have this to eat. Sometimes I'm so busy that I don't even have time to eat." Oshitsuki smiled bitterly. The reputation of a surgeon is glamorous, but his hard work is unknown to outsiders. Not only do he have to endure hunger and fatigue, he has to keep fighting on the operating table, and he has to bear the huge pressure of medical accidents at any time. I think the young master of Oshitsuki Medical has to rely on inferior fast food products to survive. In the eyes of someone, he will definitely be ridiculed as a plain food.

Hiyoshi smiled knowingly: "Same here, I often make do when I'm handling a case."

"You haven't eaten yet, do you want some?"

"No, I'll eat at the police station." Hiyoshi leaned back in the chair and rubbed his eyes with a little fatigue. "It's a pity that the person couldn't be saved."

"Very important witness?" Oshitsuki raised his eyebrows. For a doctor, the life on the operating table is not important. However, he runs around the operating table and the emergency room all day long. He has long been accustomed to seeing cold bodies due to failed operations. The only reason he cares is because he vaguely remembers that the person lying in the operating room at that time seemed to be Yuichi Atobe's secretary at that time.

"It's the person that Senior Atobe asked me to find." Hiyoshi sighed and lowered his voice slightly. Oshitari

was stunned for a moment, as if he had guessed something.

Just when he was about to say something, Asano Rima rushed over.

"Doctor Oshitari, there is an emergency patient." The young nurse walked hurriedly, her face slightly flushed, "I heard that the president of the Atobe chaebol suddenly fainted in court!" Oshitari

Yuushi changed color in shock.

It took Hiyoshi a long time to come back to his senses, but Oshitari was no longer there. The instant noodles on the seat were still left, and they were vaguely steaming.

It was noon, and people were coming and going in the Tokyo University Affiliated Hospital. The ambulance drove all the way to the ward with a shrill whistle. The white stretcher was hurriedly pushed into the operating room. The nurse's white sleeves fluttered in the wind in the empty corridor, a white glow.

The next two hours seemed particularly long. The white walls of the ward and the bright red warning lights above the emergency room were intertwined and reflected each other, covering the sky and the earth, almost swallowing people.

The media accompanying the hospital were isolated outside the hospital by bodyguards arranged by Akiyama, and only a few scattered people were left in the empty corridor.

Assistants Akiyama Takuma, Hou Chotaro, and lawyer Takagi Akimi, all stood with their hands behind their backs, looking solemn.

Tezuka Kunimitsu raised his head, his eyes swept across most of the corridor, sighed slightly, poured a glass of water and handed it to Youji. The woman was sitting on a bench with her back against the cold wall. She raised her eyelids slightly but shook her head gently, her face gray.

He finally sighed.

After a long time, the door of the operating room was finally opened.

"Oshitari?"

Oshitari Yuushi came out fully armed, raised his hand to remove the mask, his forehead was already covered with fine beads of sweat, and he looked at the woman who suddenly stood up in front of him for a long time before he slowly said: "For the time being, there is no danger."

The big stone that weighed on everyone's hearts finally fell to the ground.

"She hasn't regained consciousness yet, and will be transferred to the intensive care unit later. As for the rest," Oshitari continued, glancing at the pale-faced woman, "let's talk about it in my office."

It was around two o'clock in the afternoon, and because of the cloudy weather, the afternoon sun was not very warm, and the blinds blocked the outdoor light tightly. She changed her surgical gown into her everyday white coat, turned on the projector, and hung the black-and-white X-ray film on the whiteboard. She looked a little tired, probably because she hadn't eaten much at noon and had been standing at the emergency table for two hours.

"Sure enough, he didn't say anything."

"What do you mean, Oshitari?" Yuki looked at his face, vaguely uneasy, "Why did it happen suddenly?"

"Dilated cardiomyopathy." Oshitari looked up and uttered only one word.

The people around him were still confused, but Yuki could not stand and took two steps back.

She had taken care of her brother who suffered from congenital heart disease since she was a child, and she was not unfamiliar with such terms. For a moment, she felt inexplicable sadness and fear surging. She could only cover her mouth with her hands, fearing that she would make a panic cry.

"It was recommended that he be hospitalized for treatment a long time ago, but he ended up with a lot of messes and didn't pay attention to rest. Last month, he only had mild symptoms, but now..." Oshitari looked at her and just sighed, "The left ventricular myocardial disease is serious, and the heart is seriously failing. He suddenly fainted because of angina pectoris. Although it is temporarily controlled with drugs and chest puncture, surgery must be performed as soon as possible in the near future."

The people present, including Tezuka Kunimitsu, who was usually calm and self-sustaining, all changed color at that moment.

"Is there any other way?"

"I asked my father to contact a cardiac surgeon to arrange a consultation as soon as possible and decide on an operation plan, but it may or may not work." Oshitari said slowly, with a compassionate and solemn expression. After hesitating for a long time, he finally lowered his eyelids and sighed, "It depends on his luck."

The room was silent, and the wind blew the curtains, making a crisp sound that was very harsh.

After coming out of the emergency room, Atobe was transferred to the intensive care unit. He was still unconscious and his family members were not allowed to visit him at this time. Yuki looked inside through the glass door and could only vaguely see the man's pale profile.

For a moment, she suddenly felt what irony was. Her brother, who had depended on each other since childhood, passed away because of a congenital heart disease. She had to experience the same pain and fear for the second time.

"Yuki?"

Tezuka Kunimitsu looked at her face, frowned, and looked very worried, but she just shook her head.

She turned slightly to the side and glanced at Akiyama and Feng, as well as the accompanying lawyer Takagi: "What's going on outside now?"

"Today's news is live, and the news has probably spread." Akiyama was a little helpless, "It won't be difficult to dig deeper."

"That's it." She only said one sentence, and Akiyama was stunned for a moment, and finally understood what he meant.

If outsiders knew that the young helmsman of the Atobe Zaibatsu was in danger of death, the situation of the chaebol would be even worse.

At this time, another call came in. In just half a day, the chaebol's stock price fell to the limit. Several major shareholders rushed directly to the chaebol headquarters to ask for an explanation, and ordinary employees also began to riot.

Yuki listened to Feng Chotaro's report, and extreme fatigue swept over her body, as if she had to lean on the wall for support to maintain her standing posture.

"Prepare the car, let's go back and take a look."

"Yuki." Tezuka Kunimitsu frowned. This woman had not eaten since morning, and it was unknown whether she could hold on for another trip.

"It's okay." Yuki shook her head and turned to look at him. "Okay, can you keep an eye on him for me?"

Tezuka Kunimitsu looked at him calmly and nodded.

The headquarters of the Atobe Group in Ginza has become the center of the storm.

When the group rushed there, groups of media reporters almost blocked the gate of the group. The uniformed security guards had to set up a long cordon to maintain order. They were escorted by black-clad bodyguards to fight their way through the middle and squeeze into the glass door of the group. The whole office building was in a state of panic. They took the elevator all the way to the meeting room on the top floor. The door was already full of employees who were anxiously trying to find out the news. They could vaguely hear the noisy noise inside.

"The lawsuit hasn't come to a conclusion yet, but the president has fainted. What is going on?"

"Ever since the scandal of suspected money laundering broke out, the value of our stocks has shrunk by more than half, and now it's even worse. In today's world, no one can afford the loss!"

"Everyone followed the president and chairman all the way because they believe in them, but now, shouldn't they give us an explanation?"

...

Pushing open the door, the dissatisfaction of the leading shareholders has developed from initial doubts to anxious questioning. The executive assistant in charge was already overwhelmed, but when he saw You Ji and others pushing the door in, he breathed a sigh of relief, walked up quickly, wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Madam, look..."

You Ji sighed slightly, waved his hand, indicating that he knew, took a deep breath, and glanced at the shareholders in the meeting room.

She seldom participated in the internal affairs of the Atobe Zaibo. She had only met these chaebol shareholders a few times, such as at regular meetings and dinners. They were either important elders in the chaebol or partners with deep connections to the chaebol. They had always been a community of interests closely related to the Atobe Zaibo. This time, the financial tsunami coincided with the Atobe Zaibo's low point, and the stock price plummeted. It was no wonder that these shareholders were so anxious because their interests were damaged.

"We are very sorry for the losses and inconveniences caused to you by our negligence."

She stood in the middle and bowed deeply.

The shareholders were stunned for a moment, looking at this woman in a black uniform with a lawyer's mark, and only paused for a moment.

"Can the losses we have suffered be dismissed with just an apology?"

"The consortium was framed by a villain, and the president was bedridden due to overwork. This is not the result we want to see. You are all comrades and heroes who have fought side by side with the Atobe consortium. You are also part of the consortium. We share weal and woe, honor and disgrace. I am deeply sorry and regretful that you have suffered losses because of the consortium, but at times like this, shouldn't we unite and overcome difficulties together?" The woman's tone was not high, as slow as flowing water, "Only if the Atobe consortium safely overcomes this crisis, then the losses you have suffered can be minimized, or even compensated, isn't it?"

The commotion stagnated for a while.

After a long time, someone hummed softly: "It's easy to say, President Atobe has fallen, who will pay for our losses?"

Although the voice was small, the echoes were heard sporadically.

"Madam," someone said slowly, "It's not that we don't want to share the good and bad times with the consortium, but now the future of the consortium is uncertain. If we can't give everyone an answer, it's natural that people will panic."

You Ji heard it clearly, frowned, and lowered his eyes as if he had been thinking for a long time, and then raised his eyelids.

"The president is sick." She said slowly, "Since the crisis broke out, in order to minimize the losses and fight the storm of the financial tsunami, he has been busy with all kinds of affairs, forgetting to eat and sleep, and thus delayed treatment. The consortium was framed and trapped in an unjust place. He stood in this position and spared no effort to fulfill his responsibilities and clear his name, and finally fell in court. But when he was on the emergency table, what were you doing? At this cusp of the storm, not only did you not work together, but you came here to ask for punishment! What qualifications do you have!"

Her voice suddenly rose, and her sharp eyes swept across most of the conference room, scorching and intimidating.

For a moment, there was silence.

"I'm sorry, ma'am." After a long while, the leading shareholders lowered their heads and said, "We are rude. But please understand everyone's feelings. The president is in the hospital now, and the consortium is involved in a lawsuit. Everyone is really confused about the future."

"The president's condition is not serious. He just needs time for surgery and recovery." You Ji's eyes were still shining. "The lawsuit will continue until we win! As for the operation of the consortium, I have to ask everyone on the board of directors to work together to overcome difficulties."

The old men in the lead nodded slightly without saying anything.

"But, can we really believe what the lady said?"

Someone spoke timidly. Before You Ji opened his mouth, the old man's old but loud voice came from the door.

"If you don't believe her, you should believe me, right?"

Everyone turned around at once. The door of the conference room opened. The employees who were asking for news outside the door had made way. Chairman Atobe Keiichi stood at the door, followed by his assistant Sugiyama Keisuke.

His face was still a little weak, but he was very energetic. He stood there and said only one sentence, which shocked the whole audience.

A few traces of surprise flashed across You Ji's eyes, and for a moment he felt like he had unloaded a heavy burden.

"During the president's illness, I will be fully responsible for the affairs of the consortium. As for the lawsuit, it will continue. For the vast majority of shareholders and stockholders, as well as the employees of the consortium, and the customers who have always trusted and supported us, the company will do its best to prove its innocence."

It was around three o'clock in the afternoon. Chairman Atobe Jingyi, who had not appeared since the incident, finally appeared in front of the media and the public, followed by the shareholders of the board of directors. It was like an impromptu press conference, without the need for carefully prepared speeches or complicated and sophisticated decorations. The white sunlight spread on the steps at the entrance of the building, and the spotlights flickered and flickered, complementing each other.

Then, a brief speech was made, and the final word was given.