Chapter 51: A Friend to Women

If, at first, Sun Zhongyi merely "admired" Xiao Kaitian, by now his feelings had deepened to awe. In just a few casual sentences, Xiao Kaitian had subtly alluded to the attitudes of those in power toward the current situation. As the conversation went on, Sun Zhongyi found cold sweat trickling down his back without even realizing it.

Xiao Kaitian, however, paid these matters no mind. Upon returning home, his first action was to message Jiang Churan, instructing her to return to the country and bring Uncle Zhong with her. He then turned his attention to the documents Spring井 Sakura had sent him.

The documents concerned the Takeda and Hojo families and were quite comprehensive. Given Spring井 Sakura’s low standing, she had likely relied on contacts within the police system to obtain them.

Xiao Kaitian did not dwell on this; he perused the material carefully. Both the Takeda and Hojo were renowned clans among the Kanto powers of the island nation. Now that his conflict with the Takeda had become irreconcilable and the Hojo’s stance remained ambiguous, he needed to find a breakthrough.

According to the documents, the two families had a long history together, with occasional conflicts, but were generally considered allies. The Takeda’s power was centered in the Kai region, whereas the Hojo dominated Sagami and Musashi.

In modern times, as the political center of the country shifted to Tokyo, which fell within the Musashi region, the Hojo’s status soared above that of the Takeda. New noble houses, such as the Ogiwara, had also begun to infiltrate the Hojo’s territory; nevertheless, local influence remained overwhelmingly strong.

The Takeda, for their part, sought to gain a foothold in Musashi. The current Takeda family head’s daughter was married to the young master of the Hojo, so on the surface, the two clans were united by marriage, but privately they vied for dominance.

That was why, while Xiao Kaitian found himself at odds with the Takeda, the Hojo had chosen to draw closer. The enemy of one’s enemy is a friend—an eternal, simple truth.

Since the Hojo had shown a covert inclination toward him, Xiao Kaitian would be remiss not to take advantage. His company was, after all, operating on their turf; future cooperation was not out of the question. Realizing this, he dialed Sun Zhongyi’s number.

Sun Zhongyi’s own sphere of influence lay within Hojo territory, making him the ideal agent for these discreet interactions. Xiao Kaitian didn’t mind acquiring another “ally in name.”

But for the Hojo to accept a stance of “neutrality” in the current climate, Xiao Kaitian would have to further demonstrate his strength—a strength that transcended martial prowess, such as slaying the Viper.

In this world, martial cultivation was not absolute; the concept of power encompassed many other factors.

The outcome of the protective glove incident might well sway the Hojo’s judgment. Contemplating this, Xiao Kaitian narrowed his eyes, confident in his patience as he awaited Ogiwara Rin’s next move.

Ogiwara Rin, the eldest daughter of her family, possessed a deep-seated resolve and confidence. This was a key reason Xiao Kaitian had chosen to collaborate with her.

In the days that followed, unlike the scheming Takeda Tetsu or the furious Aoki Takashi, head of the Kanto branch of the nation’s bounty hunters’ guild, Xiao Kaitian led a tranquil existence.

After the police sealed off his company, Spring井 Sakura’s “supervision” duties also drew to a close; she no longer shadowed his every step, to Xiao Kaitian’s silent delight.

During this period, he circulated his Divine Source Ninefold Transformations, eliminating all residual side effects from the breach and strengthening his body further. His combat strength rose to around 214, the equivalent of a mid-stage xuan realm cultivator. With his breakthrough, three more points of Divine Source Light ignited within him.

As for possessions, he currently held only a single Meridian-Penetrating Pill, useless to himself. His account held two hundred million yen, but with the company frozen, all funds from the protective gloves were temporarily inaccessible.

He was biding his time, waiting for the right moment to turn the tables—for his reversal would mean his adversaries’ final assault.

About a week later, the tide at last began to shift.

The spark came from a major online women’s columnist, who published an article meticulously detailing the protective gloves’ performance, safety, social impact, and the circumstances of their ban, before offering her conclusion:

—As an ordinary woman, I am all too aware of the vulnerability women face in today’s society. For years, martial arts regulations and special population controls have grown ever more stringent. While this gives us some confidence in our “relative safety,” real, practical safety tools for ordinary women remain stuck in the twentieth century, limited to things like pepper spray—a tragic failure of technology.

The appearance of these protective gloves was a revelation. After acquiring and using them, they’ve become a staple in my daily life—I never leave home without them. At last, safety is something we can personally safeguard. Why would we refuse such a thing?

As for concerns about their impact on public safety, compared to the security they offer, those worries are utterly trivial in my view.

Here, I want to shout out to the team who created this product: “Friends of women everywhere!”

This topic quickly caught fire, garnering widespread response, especially among those who had purchased the gloves—socialites and daughters of high society, each a mobile media powerhouse in her own right. The story soon shot to the top of the nation’s trending news.

A few days later, the media took notice. DHK Television responded swiftly, deploying dozens of street reporters to broadcast live interviews.

A housewife: —Compared to the gloves, I think martial artists or “those people” are far scarier.

A female university student: —My best friend bought them—custom GG edition gloves. They look so stylish. I’m thinking of getting a pair myself, though I heard the company’s in trouble. Such a pity.

A female office worker: —Now I carry them everywhere. Who knows when I’ll need them? The world of martial cultivators is a distant one, but for dealing with gropers on trains or in the office, they’re more than enough.

A middle-aged woman: —I bought a pair for my daughter’s birthday. The craftsmanship is excellent, though we haven’t tested them yet. As for safety, since purchases are all real-name registered, I see no issue.

A trendy young woman: —What? The company’s been shut down? That just proves the incompetence of the police. The inaction of our nation’s police has been plain to see for years.

And so on. Eventually, the debate reached members of parliament.

Among them, the widely popular female legislator, Keiko Takeuchi, faced the cameras and voiced her protest: “This is a blatant abuse of power. We cannot ignore the police department’s unreasonable actions. Some call me a friend of women, and I wholeheartedly accept that. But it is the team who developed these gloves who are the true guardians of women. I will introduce a motion on this issue at the next parliamentary session. Many have already signed a joint petition. I believe that justice may be delayed, but it will not be denied!”

At this point, the full extent of Ogiwara Rin’s influence was on display.