Editing Jim (section)

=== Aftermath and Withdrawal ===
With the elimination of Yorinobu and the dismantling of the remaining Yakuza presence in San Andreas, the immediate crisis came to an end. Marty Marcano was recovered, and the coordinated threat against the syndicates dissolved. In the days that followed, Los Santos gradually returned to its familiar rhythm, though the consequences of the conflict lingered beneath the surface.

Three days after Marty’s liberation, on a stormy evening, Jim was alone at his home on Sustancia Road when the doorbell rang. Standing outside was Yue, soaked from the rain and wearing a bright yellow raincoat. She sought warmth, shelter, and reassurance after weeks spent in fear and uncertainty. Jim allowed her inside without hesitation.

Yue settled near the fireplace to warm herself. Once Jim secured the house, she removed her raincoat, revealing how vulnerable she truly was. In that moment, the emotional distance Jim had maintained for nearly a decade collapsed. He had not been intimate with anyone since the death of his wife nine years earlier, and the combination of exhaustion, relief, and long-suppressed desire overcame his restraint. The two shared an intimate encounter by the fire, marking a decisive emotional break from Jim’s long period of isolation.

In the weeks that followed, Jim and Yue began seeing one another in secret. Their relationship remained deliberately out of sight, though it did not go unnoticed forever. Alexa eventually became aware of it. The development did not surprise her; it merely confirmed her earlier assessment of Jim’s weaknesses and priorities. She made no effort to intervene, but the knowledge further widened the distance between them.
[[File:Jim leaving Los Santos with Yue.png|alt=Jim doing air guitar standing next to Yue blow kissing, waiting on the plane at the airport|thumb|Jim leaving Los Santos with Yue]]
Over the following months, Jim’s motivation to maintain a criminal empire steadily eroded. The cycles of betrayal, violence, and compromise no longer held purpose for him. His focus shifted toward preserving the fragile stability he had found with Yue and distancing himself from a world that had taken far more than it had ever given back.

On July 17, after months of quiet preparation, Jim executed a plan he had been developing in isolation. Without informing Alexa or any of his former associates, he sold off all remaining business interests and severed his operational ties in a single afternoon. By the time news of the transactions began to circulate, Jim was already gone.

He left San Andreas with Yue and relocated to Oregon, settling in a remote cabin surrounded by forest. There, Jim withdrew almost entirely from the criminal world, spending his days walking the land, living quietly, and embracing a life defined by simplicity rather than control.

In a city where few ever truly escaped the consequences of their choices, Jim’s departure stood out. Whether by resolve, restraint, or sheer circumstance, he was among the rare individuals who managed to leave the underworld largely intact.