Chapter 135: Chapter 99: Aftermath in Japan_2
Yohei Oogawa knew much more than Takashi Hasegawa; he was aware that the murderer had connections with the high-tech Drone that had caused a commotion in Japan and also knew about the display of power by the Drone on that night. This led him to deduce that the Drone contained advanced technology. Although he believed in Hideo Oogawa’s strength, he wasn’t sure if Hideo would return safely. Hence, he thought that the murderer had not died but had killed Hideo Oogawa and escaped.
Driven by enormous greed, Yohei Oogawa began to investigate the old grudges his family had formed in China, hoping to find the murderer’s trail through this information. Then, by tracing the connection, he aimed to locate the factory or laboratory that produced the Drone and acquire the advanced technology it possessed. Once he obtained this high-tech technology, the revival of the Oogawa Family was within reach, and all the previous losses would have been worth it.
At this point, the deaths of Ryoko Oogawa and Jo Oogawa were no longer Yohei Oogawa’s main concern; his attention had shifted to acquiring the Drone’s advanced technology. However, the disappearance of Hideo Oogawa was regrettable, considering he was a valuable combat asset for the family, and it was uncertain when they could compensate for this loss. As for the major heist at Oogawa Bank, Yohei Oogawa didn’t take it too seriously since the core financial data of Oogawa Bank hadn’t been compromised. Whatever losses incurred to the vaults and the Oogawa Building were covered by insurance policies and didn’t significantly affect the family. Nonetheless, it was crucial to intensify the manhunt for the robber and apprehend him, as it was the only way to maintain the family’s dignity and prevent others from ridiculing them.
Compared to the predicament faced by the Oogawa Family, the Japanese Government had a much more complicated situation. During the operation to capture the mysterious Drone, the Japanese Air Self-Defense Forces suffered heavy losses. Not only were four F-15J Fighters destroyed, but two F-2 Fighters were also taken down, alongside losses of an Apache Armed Helicopter, main battle tanks, armored vehicles, and numerous casualties among the Ground Self-Defense Force members. The Drone’s disturbance in Tokyo Downtown later caused significant destruction and panic among the citizens, leaving the government with a massive headache. Fortunately, they managed to calm the frightened citizens by claiming the chaos was just a military exercise.
By joining the US Forces in this operation, the Japanese Government had hoped to gain significant benefits, but instead, they faced colossal losses. They were already quite upset, but the situation escalated into a significant dispute between Japan and The United States of America during the exchange of intelligence after the event.
The Japanese side lacked clarity about the final naval engagement that took place on the Sea of Japan because all their Jets had been destroyed by the Drone earlier that evening. They were only aware that the Drone had plunged into the sea and that US Military Navy had rushed to the location. When the Japanese dispatched their Missile Escort Ship that was nearby, they arrived only to be informed by the US Forces that they had not captured the Drone and that it had flown away on its own.
The Japanese Government was not satisfied with this explanation from the US, feeling deceived and suspecting that the US Forces wanted to monopolize the Drone technology. Despite repeated assurances from the US Forces that the Drone could not only submerge under the sea surface but also take off from beneath it, had ample ammunition, and significant combat power, the Japanese side remained skeptical, as they hadn’t witnessed it themselves. They believed that the Drone had been captured by the US Navy as soon as it hit the water, and that the US was unwilling to share the advanced technology, hence fabricating the lie. Based on their conventional thinking, how could a Drone capable of both sky and sea operations exist in the world? And after firing so many Missiles and Naval Cannons, how could it still have sufficient ammunition?
The US Forces were also frustrated because the losses suffered by their Air Force were massive, even more significant than those in the first and second Gulf Wars, and despite this, they were unable to capture the mysterious Drone. Facing the Japanese, they chose to be truthful unusually, but due to the unreliability of their new President, the Japanese side refused to trust them any longer, believing the US wanted to go it alone.
Sometimes the US Forces themselves doubted the credibility of their country’s word, but in this case, they were telling the truth! Especially after suffering a significant setback from the Drone, they wanted to avoid exposing their own failures. Adding to the US Forces’ frustration was the fact that, since that night, the mysterious Drone had never reappeared in the world, indirectly proving the Japanese suspicion that the US had indeed captured it. It seemed that the US wanted to monopolize the advantage, thus deceiving Japan.
The US established an invincible image in the minds of the Japanese people after detonation of two Atomic Bombs during the latter stages of World War II. As a result, Japan, no matter how impressive in other aspects, always felt inferior when facing the US Government and never dared to oppose them. However, the immense technological value of the Drone prompted Japan to take a chance this time.