Chapter 13
1201words
As the elevator doors opened, he took a deep breath.
This was his last chance.
"Arata Nakayama." The secretary looked at him with some surprise. "Do you have an appointment?"
"It's an emergency. Please notify Director Okada immediately that I have important matters to report."
Ryuichi Okada, the second-in-command at Amami Construction. Within the company, everyone knew he was waiting for the opportunity to replace Kokonogi as the next president.
The secretary hesitated for a moment, then picked up the internal phone: "Director Okada, Engineer Nakayama Arata says he has urgent matters to report... Yes, I understand."
She hung up the phone: "Director Okada can see you now."
Arata pushed open the heavy office door. Okada was sitting behind a massive walnut desk, reviewing documents.
"Nakayama-kun, I heard you have an emergency situation?" Okada didn't look up, his tone flat.
"Director Okada, I need to report a major issue concerning the safety of hundreds of lives." Shin placed the report on the desk, "The civic center has serious structural defects, with a 93.7% probability of collapse after the typhoon makes landfall."
Okada finally looked up, his gaze turning sharp: "What did you say?"
"Ichiro Tanaka's original design was deliberately altered, with the shear walls in the southeast corner reduced by 40%. According to the latest typhoon forecast data, the building will not be able to withstand the wind load."
Shin quickly opened the report, pointing at the calculation data: "Here is the detailed mechanical analysis, here is the comparison between wind speed and structural bearing capacity, and here is the calculation process for the collapse probability. Director Okada, we must evacuate the civic center immediately!"
Okada examined the report carefully, his expression growing increasingly serious.
"Are you certain about these data?"
"I stake my life on it!"
The office sank into a long silence. Okada closed the report and looked out the window.
"Nakayama-kun." Okada finally spoke, "Do you know what time it is now?"
Shin was taken aback: "What do you mean?"
"Next month, President Kokonogi will announce his retirement. The board will elect a new president." Okada stood up and walked to the window, "At this time, any disturbance could affect the election results."
Shin felt a chill: "Director Okada, you mean..."
"I mean this report needs more thorough investigation." Okada turned around, "Structural engineering is a complex discipline; we can't draw conclusions based on one person's calculations."
"But the typhoon will make landfall in just 48 hours!"
"All the more reason to be cautious." Okada sat back down and pushed the report toward Shin, "If we take hasty action and later find out it was a false alarm, what then? The company's reputation, the public's confidence - all would be severely damaged."
Shin's eyes widened: "You mean... you're not going to report this?"
"What I mean is, this matter requires more time for validation." Okada's tone turned cold, "Nakayama-kun, you are an excellent engineer, but you should also learn to consider issues from an overall perspective. Sometimes, personal technical judgments cannot represent the complete truth."
Shin understood now. Okada was gambling. Betting that Kokonogi would collapse because of this incident, and then he could naturally succeed as president. As for those innocent lives...
"Director Okada, you're treating human lives with contempt!"
"Nakayama-kun!" Okada abruptly stood up, "Watch your words! You're just an ordinary engineer, you have no right to question a director's decisions!"
Shin clenched his fists, but ultimately picked up the report: "I understand."
He turned and walked toward the door.
"Nakayama-kun." Okada stopped him, "This matter ends here. Don't mention it to anyone else."
Shin walked out of the office without looking back.
Just as Shin left the elevator, his phone rang.
"Nakayama-kun, please come to my office immediately." Kokonogi's voice was unusually calm, "Immediately."
Arata froze. The news had spread so quickly?
Five minutes later, Arata stood in Kokonogi's office. Besides Kokonogi, there were two men in suits whom he didn't recognize.
"Arata Nakayama." Kokonogi sat in his chair, holding a document in his hand, "I heard you went to see Director Okada today?"
"Yes."
"And you brought a so-called 'structural safety report'?"
Arata didn't answer.
Kokonogi stood up and walked over to Arata: "You know what? Director Okada is a smart man. He immediately forwarded your report to me."
Arata's heart sank.
"Three years, Arata Nakayama. A full three years." Kokonogi circled around Arata, "I've been watching you all this time, waiting to see what you would do. I thought you just wanted justice for your father, but I never expected you would dig so deep."
"Ichiro Tanaka's original design drawings, records of construction modifications, you even found evidence of the bribes from back then." Kokonogi stopped in front of Arata, "Tell me, what else do you have?"
Arata stared into Kokonogi's eyes: "Enough evidence to put you behind bars."
Kokonogi smiled: "Very well. Then for the benefit of the company and social stability, I have no choice but to take necessary measures."
He nodded to the two men in suits.
"Arata Nakayama, from now on, you are suspended pending investigation. The charges are leaking company secrets and damaging the company's reputation."
One of the men stepped forward: "Mr. Nakayama, please cooperate with us."
"What does this mean?" Arata stepped back.
"It means that until the investigation is complete, you cannot leave the designated area." Kokonogi took out a document, "This is an emergency resolution from the board of directors, which has already gone through legal procedures."
Arata looked at the document, the dense legal text making his head spin.
"Don't worry, we won't make you suffer. The company has arranged a nice hotel nearby for you." Kokonogi's smile turned cold, "Someone will take care of your daily needs 24 hours a day. Of course, for the fairness of the investigation, your communication devices need to be temporarily held."
One of the suited men extended his hand: "Your phone, please."
Shin gripped his phone tightly: "You have no right to do this!"
"We do." Kokonogi waved the document, "This is a legal business investigation procedure. Nakayama-kun, don't make things more complicated."
Shin looked around; more security guards were waiting outside the office. He realized he had nowhere to run.
Slowly, he handed over his phone.
"Good." Kokonogi sat back down in his chair, "The investigation will take... hmm, about a week. By then the typhoon will have passed, and everything will return to normal."
Shin was escorted out of the office by two men. In the elevator, he watched the floor numbers decreasing, with only one thought in mind:
In 48 hours, 580 innocent lives would be lost because of his failure.
The elevator doors opened to the underground parking garage of the Amami Construction building. A black sedan was waiting for him.
"Mr. Nakayama, please get in the car."
Shin took one last look at the building's exit, where sunshine brightened the busy crowd of people coming and going.
And he was about to disappear from this world.
