Reborn in Tokyo: From Heiress to Global Tycoon

Chapter 395 Odaiba under construction

(Thanks to "Snow Wind Strikes" for the author certification! Two chapters today~)

As the helicopter took off from the rooftop of the village, Amy was still looking down through the porthole.

The roof of Saionji Temple, Kan'in Temple, and Hongo Temple quickly shrank into a light gray platform, and the security personnel guarding the glass passageway became just a few tiny black dots.

The helicopter continued to climb south, with dense residential buildings in Bunkyo Ward spreading out below. The red gate and campus buildings of the University of Tokyo blended into the vast expanse of rooftops, leaving only barely discernible outlines.

The cabin was very loud, so people could only speak through the communication system inside their earpieces.

Amy pressed her face against the porthole, looked for a while, then suddenly turned and asked, "Satsuki-chan, how long will it take if we fly there directly?"

"A dozen minutes."

"Wow, is it really that close?"

"Taking a car would be a detour, so flying is obviously faster."

Satsuki leaned back in her chair, looking completely relaxed. Her long hair was now tied back, and Chizuru had tidied up the few strands that had been blown around by the wind on the roof.

Amy raised her hand to cover her earmuffs and continued looking out the window.

After the helicopter passed near Ueno, the number of high-rise buildings in Tokyo began to increase. The buildings around the Imperial Palace swept past on the right, and Ginza and Shinbashi soon came into view ahead.

Looking further into the distance, the colors of the city gradually separate from the surface of Tokyo Bay. Several huge cranes stand beside the port area's docks, and the roads along the shore are filled with containers and construction vehicles.

Amy soon spotted the bridge tower on the sea.

"Has the Rainbow Bridge been built this far?"

The main tower on the Shibaura side has been erected, and its white steel structure is very eye-catching in the March sun.

Although there is still a large gap in the middle of the sea, the bridge construction platform is already extending from both sides towards the middle, with barges loaded with steel moored below and cranes slowly sending a set of components up.

"The progress is much faster than at the beginning of the year."

Satsuki followed her gaze.

"After Seibu resumed funding, the construction team was expanded by two shifts. Now there are people working both day and night, and the bridge deck is expected to be completed three months ahead of schedule."

Does Seibu have the funds to continue repairing the bridge?

"They didn't contribute much of their own money."

Satsuki smiled.

"Saionji Trading Co., Ltd. will order steel for them in bulk, and then Saionji Logistics will be responsible for delivering it to the dock. We will also advance the short-term funds. Once the project milestones are completed, the settlement will be made from the share of the Odaiba project."

Amy thought for a moment.

"So we're still paying for it?"

"Send out a portion first."

Satsuki raised her hand and gently tapped the porthole.

"The sooner the bridge and railway are completed, the sooner Saionji Tower can be connected to downtown Tokyo. Seibu hotels and shopping malls can also open sooner."

"Money won't appreciate on its own if it's just sitting in the bank. It's only after you spend it that the following things will continue to grow."

Amy pursed her lips and nodded.

"Well, in that case, Chairman Tsutsumi can be considered our partner, right?"

As the helicopter approached Tokyo Bay, Odaiba came into view from the other side of the sea.

This was the first time Amy had seen the entire development zone from this height.

She had been to Odaiba several times before, but each time she would drive along the long Lingang Road, and all she could see outside the window were fences, construction vehicles, and stretches of repetitive gray road surface. It was difficult to see what the whole area actually looked like.

But the view from the air is completely different.

The reclaimed land has been divided into areas of different sizes by roads and waterways, with temporary construction roads running through the plots, where vehicles and cranes move slowly.

Near the port, you can still see storage yards, warehouses, and large tracts of unused land; the closer you get to the center of the development zone, the denser the buildings become.

Amy was initially looking at the bridge, but her attention was soon drawn to a building further away.

"Satsuki-chan, over there!"

She raised her hand and pointed forward, her voice noticeably louder.

The Saionji Pagoda soon appeared in front of the helicopter.

It's really too tall.

This was Amy's first impression of the Saionji Pagoda.

The entire tower rises from the center of the reclaimed land, far exceeding all the surrounding buildings under construction, and even the tower cranes and office buildings next to it are made to look small by the tower.

Even from a distance, the tower already occupied most of the field of vision, as if the newly formed urban area of ​​Odaiba had prematurely established its center.

"Wow—it's already this high?"

Amy instinctively leaned closer to the porthole.

The Xiyuanji Pagoda is only one section away from being topped out, and the exposed steel frame and construction platform can still be seen at the top.

The lower floors are mostly covered with glass, and as the helicopter approaches from the side, the sunlight reflected from the sea slowly moves along the tower, illuminating the entire building.

As they flew closer, Amy could see that the area below the tower was still a busy construction site.

Vehicles carrying steel and equipment were moving in and out along several roads, and construction workers were constantly directing traffic at the entrances. There was hardly any empty road between the tower, the SIS headquarters, and the energy center.

Extending outwards from the tower, several headquarters buildings have completed their exterior walls, with different subsidiaries' logos hanging on their rooftops. The building closest to the tower belongs to SIS, while on the other side is an office building shared by Saionji Real Estate and the group's management department.

Further south, a large energy center has been completed, with low-rise equipment buildings connected to the surrounding buildings via underground pipelines.

The first batch of employee housing is located in an area closer to the sea. The exterior walls of several apartment buildings have been completed, and roads under construction and newly transplanted trees can be seen downstairs.

Amy leaned against the window and watched for a long time.

"Satsuki-chan, is that SIS building ready for use now?"

"Yes, the exterior walls are finished. Next month, we'll get the network department and equipment maintenance staff in so they don't have to keep crowding the new bridge."

Amy stared at the building for a few seconds, then suddenly turned her head away.

"Is my office ready too?"

Satsuki glanced at her.

"The machines aren't even turned on yet, and you're already thinking about the office?"

"This is very important."

Amy spoke very seriously, already counting on her fingers.

"We need at least four workstations, and a large enough desk. A regular desk won't fit the circuit diagrams, so it's best to leave space next to it for equipment. The windows also need to be big, so when I get tired of working, I can look at Saionji Pagoda, and maybe even see Satsuki-chan..."

Satsuki, halfway through hearing this, raised her hand and tapped her earmuff.

"What are you thinking? The building's windows are definitely one-way transparent."

"I've reserved an office for you. With your current requirements, it'll probably turn into a parts warehouse like Hongo Apartment again in a few months."

"No way."

Amy immediately retorted, but her voice clearly lacked confidence.

"The things at the apartment are just for temporary storage."

"Are those disassembled items on the dining table just for temporary use?"

"that……"

Amy's gaze drifted to the side for a moment, then quickly returned.

"Those three workstations will also work."

"There were four stations just now."

"Because Satsuki-chan has already deducted one."

"When did I agree to that?"

Amy was stunned for a moment before realizing that she had been tricked.

"Satsuki-chan—"

"Being cute won't work."

Satsuki suppressed a laugh and looked out the window again.

"Go to Shimomura to get the workstations. Whoever finishes the testing at the computing center first gets to choose the equipment in the office."

Amy immediately sat up straight.

"I'll definitely choose first!"

She pressed herself against the porthole again, wishing the helicopter would land on the ground right now.

"Mr. Shimomura, you're not taking a single one of these today."

As the helicopter continued its descent, a similarly bustling construction site gradually came into view behind the Saionji Pagoda in the distance.

The buildings there are much lower and more dispersed.

The main structure of the Prince Hotel has been raised to the middle section, and the adjacent convention facilities have been expanded with a huge roof structure. Further closer to the coast, commercial streets, plazas, and entertainment facilities have been reserved.

Several temporary roads connect Seibu's construction site with the central area of ​​Saionji, allowing vehicles to pass directly through the previously closed fences between the two sides.

Amy looked over there and asked, "Has the Seibu construction site recovered so quickly?"

"They now have someone coming to monitor the progress every day."

Satsuki adjusted her earmuffs.

"The Prince Hotel was closed for a while, and several of its original contractors went bankrupt."

"Saionji Construction took over several key parts, and Saionji Trading also helped them reorder materials. Now the hotel, convention center, and central plaza can all be moved forward together."

"Is Chairman Tsutsumi willing to let our people into his construction site?"

"He'd love for us to send more people over there."

Satsuki's tone held a hint of amusement.

"The sooner the hotel opens, the sooner he can start making money. People who hold meetings at Saionji Tower, people who come to SIS to discuss projects, and overseas guests invited by the group will all need a place to stay. Large exhibitions and press conferences can also be held at Seibu; they are good at hosting these kinds of people."

After listening, Amy suddenly asked, "So Satsuki-chan has stopped bullying him?"

What does "bullying" mean?

Satsuki turned to look at her.

Amy immediately looked back out the window, pretending that she hadn't said anything.

After a while, she added in a low voice, "I heard from the person I've been in contact with recently that every time Chairman Tsutsumi sees Satsuki-chan, she has to take an extra dose of stomach medicine afterward."

"Hmm?" Satsuki raised an eyebrow. "Have they been quite free lately?"

"No, no, we're both very busy," Amy said guiltily, looking away.

"Does that leave time to worry about Yoshiaki's stomach?"

Amy blinked and decided not to betray those poor working people for the time being.

Satsuki didn't press further, but simply glanced at the Seibu construction site.

"He has already handed over what he was supposed to hand over and has personally bowed his head, so now Seibu is an ally."

"After taking everything from their ally, and then watching his construction site rot there, who would dare sit at the same table with Saionji in the future?"

Amy nodded.

The commercial and hotel procurement rights offered by Seibu Railway Station and the operating rights of the stadium have all entered the implementation stage.

Those conditions will continue to bring people and orders to Saionji's companies for many years to come, and the Odaiba project will once again become a long-term project jointly undertaken by the two companies.

Saionji took over some of the funding and material allocation, while Seibu continued to leverage its experience in hotel, convention, entertainment, and transportation operations. The underground passages, pedestrian platforms, and equipment pipelines that were originally being constructed separately were also merged, and the two construction sites finally began to move forward according to the same blueprint.

From the air, the most noticeable change is an elevated road under construction.

It extends from the central station area in front of Saionji Tower, with one side leading to SIS and the group's headquarters complex, and the other side crossing the road to connect to the Prince Hotel and Convention Center. Construction has also begun on the underground commercial level below, so that people coming out of the train station will be able to directly access the buildings on both sides.

Amy looked for a while, then suddenly pointed to a spot closer to the coast.

"Are those ships ours too?"

Two small white passenger boats are docked at a temporary pier, with the logo of Saionji Logistics printed on the side of the boats.

A small line of people had already formed on the shore, waiting to board the boat. Nearby, several deeper-draft barges were unloading prefabricated components, pipes, and boxed equipment.

"Employee commuter boat".

"Sugatsuki said."

"Since the bridge and railway are not yet open, it is still troublesome to come from the city. Saionji Logistics has opened a water route from Shibaura and Harumi to Odaiba, which provides transportation for employees in the morning and evening, and can also transport some small items during the day."

"Are the buses over there the same?"

On the temporary road, several identical white buses were turning. The signs on the front of the buses read "Shinbashi - Odaiba Chuo Ward," and there was another bus route next to them leading to Harumi and Ariake.

"There are trains at Shinbashi Station, Tamachi Station, and Harumi Station, with a train every ten minutes during the morning rush hour. After arriving in Odaiba, there are also three internal loop lines."

Satsuki watched the buses pass by in front of the different construction zones.

"After the bridge and the Yurikamome line open, the number of temporary bus routes will decrease, but they won't be completely removed. The staff dormitories, the port, and several remote areas are still some distance from the station, so it's convenient for the buses to continue running. As more people move in later, they can be converted into regular routes."

They could also take advantage of this to seize some of the power over public transportation—a point Satsuki didn't mention.

"Should the ship be left behind too?"

Amy didn't think that much about it; she just found it quite novel to commute to work by boat every day.

"Keep it for now."

"Then I can take a boat to work from now on."

"Can."

"We'll take a helicopter back."

Satsuki reached out and pinched her cheek, pulling it to the side.

"You really know how to arrange things."

Amy covered her face and mumbled two protests. At that moment, the helicopter circled around the Saionji Pagoda and flew towards the ground landing pad next to the integrated management center.

As the altitude continued to decrease, the area that had appeared neat and clear from the air was quickly obscured by buildings and construction fences.

The rotor kicked up a cloud of dust, and several staff members waiting next to the take-off and landing field pressed down on their safety helmets, while ground crew stood outside the marked line waving command flags.

Amy saw through the porthole that two black Mercedes-Benzes and a small commuter car were parked next to the landing pad.

Seienji Construction Company President Eiji Tokuhiro stood at the very front.

He wasn't wearing his usual suit today, but rather a dark gray work uniform and a white hard hat. Several managers from Saionji Construction and SIS stood behind him, their uniforms also changed to styles suitable for movement on the construction site.

After the helicopter landed, ground crew quickly moved forward to secure the fuselage.

The hatch opened, and a gust of wind rushed in.

Chizuru went down first, then turned around and helped Satsuki. Amy followed behind, and as soon as she stepped onto the ground, she looked up at the Saionji Pagoda that was right in front of her.

Only when you stand at the foot of the tower can you truly appreciate the height of this building.

The entire building almost filled the sky she could see when she looked up. The completed glass facade extended upwards, transforming back into a steel frame and construction platform at a high point. The faint metallic clanging sounds coming from the top of the tower were barely audible when they reached the ground, and the components being hoisted shrank into slow-moving black shadows.

Amy strained to look up for a while, feeling as if the entire building was about to press down on her.

"This...this looks really oppressive, like I can't breathe."

"That's right, that's one of the original design principles behind this building."

Satsuki walked past Amy and casually remarked something.

"Is this how the design is supposed to be?" Amy was a little confused. "Why does the building have to look so scary?"

At this moment, Jiang Kou quickly came to greet him.

"Miss, Miss Suzuki."

"Thanks for your hard work."

Satsuki glanced at the construction site behind him.

"How's today?"

"The above-ground work is proceeding normally, and the wind speed is within the permissible range. The underground center completed its power supply check this morning, and the cooling system has been running continuously for six hours. The current temperature and pressure are within the predetermined range."

"Mr. Shimomura has been in the computer room since 8 o'clock, urging us to open the computing area ahead of schedule."

Upon hearing this, Amy immediately asked nervously, "Has he already turned on the machine?"

"Input/output devices and control terminals have been activated; the compute nodes are still awaiting final instructions."

Amy visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's alright."

Seeing her reaction, Eguchi smiled and said, "Mr. Shimomura said that the first batch of nodes will be activated after Ms. Suzuki arrives. He also asked me to tell you that you'd better hurry."

"He was clearly more anxious than I was."

Amy said that, but her feet were already moving towards the commuter bus.

At that moment, Satsuki reached out and grabbed her sleeve, pulling her back.