HA1 15.2 - Kirishima Family
Exactly at 06:00, Hide's group boarded the red flatbed truck. Hide and Takeo sat in the rear bed, while Shizuka, Yukino, and Aizawa sat in the passenger seat. There was no window between the cabin and the rear bed, so they could talk easily.
After a smile, Kubota turned his gaze to two little girls who sat next to him.
"Ready to depart?"
""Mhm.""
Yukino and Aizawa nodded vigorously at the same time. It seemed riding a 5-ton truck was an exciting experience for them.
Not long after that, the red truck left the Morning Market. While the truck was still in urban area, Kubota maintained a speed of 40 km/h. After around twenty minutes, various buildings on each sides of the road had been replaced by paddy fields, while the sun was starting to shine brightly. Without delay Kubota increased the speed.
As he was fanning his sweat-drenched face Takeo said, "It's not as hot as summer, but isn't this rather too much of hot air?"
"Unfortunately, it will become hotter," Hide calmly said.
Kubota immediately added, "Wait until we get to the higher area. The air will be much cooler there."
"Okay," Takeo replied weakly.
At the same time, from the opposite direction two 5-ton green military trucks passed by. The rear bed of the trucks was full of soldiers with tired faces. Their clothes were also covered in dirt and mud.
Kubota then casually explained, "Hakaido has many Army training centers. Sniper Specialization, Jungle & Mountain Warfare, Riverine & Coastline Warfare, Basic Infantry Camp, and some others. So, don't be surprised if you meet a lot of military personnel here."
"I see," Shizuka replied briefly.
Then, the red truck passed a long line of soldiers on the one side of the road. The line consisted of a single file. Every single one of the soldiers carried a large rucksack on their back, assault rifles in their hands, jungle hat on their head, and combat boots on their feet. However, their bodies were only covered by underwear. Boxer for male soldiers, and an additional of sport bra for the female.
Except for Kubota and Hide, everyone on the red truck looked at the soldiers with confused faces.
"Why are they almost naked?" Shizuka curiously asked.
"They are member of Airborne Ranger platoon who lost the night war game. As punishment, they return to their base on foot without wearing their combat fatigue."
"That's harsh," Takeo said.
"Unfortunately, that's not the worst." Kubota was silent for a moment before continuing, "A platoon that lost the war game three times will have to carry a Walk of Shame at night?"
In an instant a question mark appeared on Shizuka's forehead, "Walk of Shame at night?"
"It's a 5 km night march, from Kano City’s square to the City Garrison HQ, fully naked either male or female soldiers."
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"Such things exist?" Takeo asked with a shocked face.
"Yeah, and it’s quite popular among local female. From 5-year-old little girl to 105-year-old granny will fill both sides of the route. My wife also always watches the event and calls it the Ultimate Public Service," Kubota explained.
"I have to watch it," Shizuka excitedly said.
As he grinned Kubota turned to Shizuka. "Don't forget to bring chocolate and candy."
"Why?"
"Twenty soldiers with the fewest chocolates and candies should repeat the Walk of Shame. So, they will do a special service to get as many chocolates and candy as possible."
An intense curiosity immediately reflected in Shizuka's gaze. "Special services?"
Hide, who had been silent for a while decided to give a little explanation. "The unfortunate and naked young soldiers have to dance exotically in front of the audience to get the chocolates and candies."
In an instant Shizuka turned his gaze to Hide, "Seriously? Hide, how do you know about it?"
"Somehow, he looks like someone who had experienced it," Kubota calmly said after stole a glance on Hide.
"Like hell I'll do such immoral things," Hide said before looking away.
After looking at Hide's face through the center rear mirror one more time, Kubota muttered under his breath, "Now, I'm absolutely sure you've done it."
Hide instantly snorted while Takeo said, "I never thought our military had such tradition."
Kubota calmly said, "Actually, lots of elite military unit in the world have older but similar traditions."
"Really?" Shizuka asked curiously.
"When I lived in a small town in Britiss, every winter I had the opportunity to see member of Royal Marine Commando doing the Walk of Shame under a drizzle of snow."
""I see,"" Takeo and Shizuka replied in unison, while Hide still looked away to the distance.
---
After passing through a seemingly endless paddy field, the group then arrived at the base of Hakka Plateau. Kubota didn't follow the main road that went up to the peak, but turned into an archway with a simple sign that read 'Kirishima Family'.
Not far from the gate, stood a rice and corn mill, followed by a vast field where corn and grain were dried under the sun, rows of warehouses, workshops, garages filled with various vehicles, and finally a complex consisting of 30 houses.
"Have we arrived?" Aizawa asked while curiously looking outside.
Kubota gently replied, "Not yet Pumpkin, this is a complex for workers. Kirishima Family lives on the east peak of Hakka Plateau, about 5 km hike from here."
"Mhm," Aizawa nodded slightly as relief filled her face. It was clear that she did not want the trip with the truck to end soon.
Then, not long after that the red truck was already on an uphill road flanked by green fields as far as the eye could see. With eyes full of amazement, Shizuka looked at watermelon field on the left side of the road and the eggplant field on the right side in turn.
"Mr. Kubota, don't tell me the whole field from the bottom to the top of the hill belongs to Kirishima Family?"
"Actually, 45% of the paddy fields we pass also belong to Kirishima Family."
"That is a huge piece of land," Takeo said in amazement.
Kubota smiled and then humbly said, "Well, there are many families that are richer than Kirishima Family."
While Takeo and Shizuka were drowning in amazement, Hide only gave a small nod. He didn't say much, but he was fully aware that the whole Hakka Plateau was owned by Kirishima Family. They even let Nikko Army used 15% of the area on Hakka Plateau to be used as training center for Sniper Specialization Course.
Speaking about their domestic assets, Kirishima Family was indeed only the fifth largest in Nikko. However, if their assets abroad were also taken into account, then even if the four families above them combined their entire wealth, the amount would still be nothing compared to Kirishima Family's total wealth.
'Harsh environment will kill a life form or stimulate it to evolve.' These were the words that Kubota used to say to Hide in his previous life.
In the last moment before their death, Kurokara Family managed to evolve and survive. It was no secret that the founder of Kurokara Family was always looking down on merchant as scoundrels while referred to farmer as common manpower.
To the founder of Kurokara Family, only warrior had the right to become a ruling class and leader of society. But now, their descendants evolved into a combination of merchant, farmer, and warrior. Also, they wisely stayed away from politics.
Some people even thought it was ironic that the strongest and richest family in Nikko choses to be a reclusive family. They did allow their member joint the military or government, but they would not get support from the family except for the education that they had received.
'Harsh environment will kill a life form or stimulate it to evolve,' Hide muttered as he leaned his head to the guard rail.
*****