Lucky Mutual Aid Society (26)

After hearing President Oiwa's shocking statement, everyone fell into a daze, looking around and expressing their confusion. The entire venue trembled slightly with the clamor of the crowd, but under the maintenance of the security personnel, there was no major disturbance.

"Everyone! Everyone listen to me!" President Oiwa said urgently, "Perhaps what I'm saying is alarmist. At least, there are no problems with the public accounts. But why do I still accuse him? It's because I discovered that the donations you contributed are far more than the numbers on the books! Some of the money just disappeared into thin air, lost without a trace! And guess who was managing this money? That's right, because of trust, all the accounts since the Lucky Mutual Aid Society was established have been managed by Matsui Ryoji! So the only truth is that he took advantage of our trust and embezzled all of our property for his own selfish gain! And we were still thanking him and praising him! This is betrayal, naked betrayal!"

"President Oiwa! Is that really true? Mr. Matsui... he wouldn't do that." A member who was on good terms with Matsui shouted, "Is there some misunderstanding? Mr. Matsui, please come up and explain!"

Oiwa glanced at the audience below and found that Matsui had no intention of snatching the microphone. He continued, "Regarding this issue, I don't think it's a misunderstanding. I'll guarantee it with my personal reputation. And I'm doing this entirely for the common good of everyone. The Lucky Mutual Aid Society is a harmonious big family, and I won't allow anyone to destroy it. So, Mr. Matsui, do you have anything you want to say?"

President Oiwa had high prestige. After his solemn guarantee, the crowd was instantly enraged, and many people began to roar.

"Matsui! You smiling-faced killer, I knew long ago you weren't a good person!"

"Hey, don't just stand there, say something."

"Traitor! President Oiwa trusted you so much, we all trusted you!"

"I can't believe Mr. Matsui is this kind of person."

"I've never liked this guy in a suit!"

"You're finished, Matsui! Even Jesus can't save you! I'm telling you!"

Amidst the heckling, President Oiwa seemed to hear a familiar voice but couldn't recall who it was. Only Inuyama Heita glanced at that direction speechlessly.

"Since... everyone wants me to explain, then I'll gladly oblige." Matsui's expression was very calm. He slowly stepped forward, walked from the audience onto the stage, and stood beside President Oiwa. He said into another microphone he was holding, "I didn't expect things to escalate to this point. I want to apologize to everyone for this matter."

The members in the audience were not appeased. They cursed, "Apologizing now? Isn't it a bit too late? You scoundrel who embezzled donations will surely be struck by divine retribution!"

"President, may I speak?" Matsui asked politely.

"Please." President Oiwa nodded. He wanted to see how Matsui could fight back. Matsui had always stayed behind the scenes, which was indeed safe. Even if he suffered external blows, the damage would not be concentrated on him. But who would have thought that the attack would come from him—the president of the Mutual Aid Society? The benefit of being a puppet on the front stage was that he had enough prestige to overwhelm the other party. No matter what the other party said, he could refute it with his prestige and have the fanatical members attack them. Allowing the other party to speak now was not for the sake of courtesy, but merely to maintain his gentlemanly image.

"Then, please excuse me." Matsui turned to the audience and said, "The apology I just made was not for the alleged embezzlement of donations, but for something else."

"What exactly do you want to say?"

"If you have any sophistry, say it quickly!"

"Traitor! Traitor!"

"Damn it, give us our money back! How can you face us? Give us our money back!"

Matsui said expressionlessly, "What I want to say is a fact, the truth about a deception that has been going on for a year, and that is... President Oiwa is not President Oiwa at all. His real name is Harada Taro. He's been a shut-in for thirty years, not a business elite or a university professor."

This caused an uproar in the audience. They could not tolerate Matsui's slander of their beloved President Oiwa. All sorts of curses erupted, while only a few people were in shock and disbelief, seemingly pondering the truth of the matter.

Matsui said, "You don't seem to believe me? That's understandable. Harada's appearance is indeed deceptive because it's an image I designed for him. If you don't believe me, you can investigate. The university positions and company names are all fake. There are no actual addresses or positions. You'll know if I'm lying as soon as you go and investigate in person. You can even take photos and ask around near Harada's house. I believe many people there know about his family."

"Impossible! This is not true!"

"Slander! It's definitely slander!"

"President Oiwa, please tell us that this is all fabricated by that bastard Matsui."

"Good! Well torn! Tear it louder!"

President Oiwa... no, now Harada Taro, heard Matsui's revelation, his heart beat faster, but that was all. This couldn't be his fatal flaw. He picked up the microphone and said, "...Although it's somewhat embarrassing, I can only tell you that what he just said is not wrong. My name is indeed not Ooiwa Satoru, but Harada Taro."

"What?!"

As soon as this was said, the audience let out a wail, and some even fainted. Matsui, however, looked at Harada with some surprise.

"You've grown, old man..." Matsui thought to himself, raising an eyebrow.

Harada Taro said in a low, emotional voice, "I once experienced a major life change and hid at home for thirty years, becoming a heavy burden to my parents. I am an unfilial son. Like you, I was once a failure, someone entangled by misfortune, stuck in the mud and unable to extricate myself. But I still got out and awakened some insignificant talents. So I vowed that from now on, I must help others who are as unfortunate as me, help them out of the quagmire of life... No one believes the words of a good-for-nothing who stayed at home for thirty years, so I fabricated this identity. For this, I am very sorry. Please forgive me."

Saying this, he bowed deeply to the audience.

After a brief moment of shock, many people came back to their senses.

"President Oiwa... no, President Harada, so you are like us..." Many members' eyes were moist. It turned out that the president was also a pitiable person played by fate, just like them, not a god in a higher position! With such a president, they felt even closer to him.

A fanatical member stood up and roared, "President, whether you are Oiwa or Harada, you will always be our president! Ahhhhh!!! President!!!"

"President..."

"President, you did nothing wrong, you don't need to apologize at all! The fact that you helped us cannot be covered up!"

"President, we love you!"

"President! President! President! President..." Countless voices gradually converged into two words, echoing throughout the venue.

Harada Taro's eyes were filled with tears, and he choked out, "Thank you... thank you for everyone's trust! Thank you very much!"

After saying this, he glanced at Matsui, his eyes showing a triumphant look. He thought to himself, "Damn Matsui, even this poisonous scheme of exposing my past has been safely overcome by me. You have no more tricks, right? Oh, right, there's still that move... Heh heh, but I'm not afraid of them anymore. Bring it on. I said I'd give you a surprise. These fools will choose to believe me, this puppet, rather than you, the mastermind. Serves them right!"

However, Matsui was not as hysterical as he imagined. He coughed and said into the microphone, "Ahem, everyone, please be quiet for a moment. I have one more piece of news to tell you."

"What else is there to say at this point?"

"Wait for death! I'm calling the police to put you in jail!"

"Give us our money back! Give us our money back, you bastard!"

"Boo~~~~ Refund!"

Matsui ignored them, turned up the microphone volume, and slowly said, "Although doing so is very unfair to the president, I must do it. What I want to say is—Harada Taro, he is actually... a mentally ill patient."

The entire venue fell silent at this statement.

"Wow~ Brilliant!" Qian Xiaoyi applauded and praised, then took a sip of cola to moisten his throat.