Tokyo: From Lawless Madpolice to Minister
Chapter 138 - 134: The Clown Turns Out to Be Me? Escalating the Situation

Chapter 138: Chapter 134: The Clown Turns Out to Be Me? Escalating the Situation

"Last night, a gunfight erupted in a remote field at the border between Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture, far from the main road... leaving ten bodies behind, with nearly a hundred shots exchanged between the two sides..."

"This is the deadliest gun-related incident in Japan’s history concerning the number of fatalities. The National Public Security Commission Chairman Yanchuan Shilang is taking it very seriously. Police Director General Renping Kuniaki has expressed that they will pull together the elite of the police force to establish the Special Investigation Headquarters, vowing to round up all the dangerous elements!"

Watching the shocking news broadcast, for some reason, Aoyama Xiu Xin felt that this gunfight was inevitably linked to Nakamura Shinichi taking the wrong batch of money.

Guessing what happened, two criminal groups had conducted an illicit deal, but the money was taken away by a third party due to a mix-up. The buyer, thinking the seller had pocketed the money, demanded the goods, while the seller, not having received payment, naturally wouldn’t deliver. Both parties suspected each other of double-crossing.

One wouldn’t give up the money, the other wouldn’t deliver the goods. It was a stalemate until the gunfight broke out—it all made sense...

Such a fierce conflict indicated that both sides were truly desperate criminals. The buyer would surely come looking for the missing money once they figured things out.

Aoyama Xiu Xin suddenly lost his appetite, thinking that his money might have been stolen—how could that be acceptable?

"Xiu Xin, what are you thinking about? Your food is getting cold," Aoyama Haruko gently reminded him.

"Big sister, I’m done eating." He put down his utensils, got up, and left. Once outside, he instinctively thought to call Nakamura Shinichi but hesitated, deciding to call Fujimoto Ryosuke instead. After getting through, he instructed, "Go and collect all the surveillance footage from stores along the route from Nakamura’s house to Jing Shang Electronics Corporation in Hirakawa District between ten and eleven last night under pretext of an investigation; they’re just opening up."

In Japan, there aren’t many government-installed surveillance cameras on the streets, but many businesses have their own.

"Got it!" Although Fujimoto Ryosuke didn’t know what had happened, he could sense the urgency in Aoyama Xiu Xin’s voice.

He hung up the phone and immediately set off to carry out his task.

Meanwhile, Aoyama Xiu Xin was on his way to Police Headquarters for work.

When parking his car, he happened upon Asai Ayumi, who, before he could speak, said, "What a coincidence that we met today. Come on, let’s go to the meeting room for a meeting."

"What meeting?" Aoyama Xiu Xin didn’t understand.

Asai Ayumi paused, her eyebrows knitted in confusion, "The establishment meeting for the Special Investigation Headquarters for the major gunfight incident in Kanagawa Prefecture. Didn’t the director inform you? How could he not pull you into this?"

Considering the capabilities that Aoyama Xiu Xin had shown.

In cases like this, he should have been part of the Special Investigation Headquarters, but judging from his reaction, it was clear he knew nothing about it.

"I really didn’t get the news. It seems I’m not that fortunate!" Aoyama Xiu Xin shrugged, feigning nonchalance, though he was nearly grinding his molars in frustration. He had already envisioned himself as a member of the Special Investigation Headquarters when he saw the news, but now he felt like a fool.

Renping Kuniaki must have his reservations about him!

Initially, he thought it was just an attempt to teach him a lesson with the serial killings, but now it seemed there was more to it.

Asai Ayumi was not pleased at all, "I’ll go ask the director why you weren’t pulled in."

"Forget it, the police bureau isn’t short of people who can crack cases." Aoyama Xiu Xin grabbed her arm, slowly exhaling, "Besides, maybe they know I’m working on the serial murder case and didn’t want to overburden me."

Not to mention whether Asai Ayumi could actually persuade Renping Kuniaki—supposing she did convince him, would something handed to others on their own initiative be the same as going out and asking for it yourself?

Aoyama Xiu Xin wasn’t so low.

"Alright," Asai Ayumi sighed helplessly.

Aoyama Xiu Xin patted her arm, smiling, "You’d better get to the meeting, Chief Asai."

Asai Ayumi nodded and hurried off.

Watching her leave, Aoyama Xiu Xin leaned against his car, lighting up a cigarette and puffing smoke into the air.

The morning breeze made his tie flutter, and his thoughts swirled with it. It wasn’t good to be in a position where the higher-ups had opinions about him; his future would surely be hindered.

"Bang!"

The sound of a car door snapping shut brought his wandering mind back to the present. Turning his head, he saw it was Asano Hirofumi.

"Good morning, Police Chief Aoyama," Asano Hirofumi bowed expressionlessly upon seeing him turn around.

One had to maintain proper etiquette.

Aoyama Xiu Xin flicked the ash away, "Good morning, Chief Asano. Make sure you take the case I gave you seriously, the victims’ families are waiting for justice."

"I’ll ensure justice for the victims," Asano Hirofumi said meaningfully.

Aoyama Xiu Xin chuckled and snuffed out his cigarette, tossing it away casually before walking towards the office building with one hand in his pocket.

Asano Hirofumi frowned, bent down, and picked up the cigarette butt Aoyama Xiu Xin had thrown away with a tissue, depositing it into a trash can, "Such a lack of manners. If a foreigner saw this, they’d lose all respect for the Japanese."

Aoyama Xiu Xin thought: Ha! Isn’t that a bit of good luck?

Nakamura Shinichi was waiting for him at the entrance of Aoyama Xiu Xin’s office. He reported, "Chief, Noda was just taken away by the people from the Tokyo District Court."

"Ah, then the case with Ayase Mihiko is coming to a close," Aoyama Xiu Xin nodded, treating it as a normal part of the process since after all, it was routine for the prosecution to take away a suspect after he had signed off the case report the day before and sent it for judicial review. The next step was for the prosecution to file charges.

Nakamura Shinichi was worried, "I’m just afraid Noda will recant all his testimonies at the local prosecution."

"Are you doubting your own interrogation techniques?" Aoyama Xiu Xin laughed, then dismissively said, "Noda is an adult; if he’s smart, he’ll know that sticking to his statements is the wise choice. Besides, we have people on the inside at the local prosecution. Even if Noda wanted to recant his testimonies, if he angered me, I could make it difficult for him to even turn in his sleep. So, relax."

His sworn brother, Yamada Yuuji, who had toppled Heize Xin together with him, was the head of the Special Investigation Unit. Even if Noda wanted to plead with the Prosecutor, as long as he made a call, would any ordinary prosecutor dare to disobey?

"Hey!" Nakamura Shinichi nodded slightly and glanced around before whispering subconsciously, "Should I bring the money directly to your house tonight?"

"Take it to the Yoshinaga family," Aoyama Xiu Xin replied.

Yehua Yiren was his wise and virtuous wife, who would launder that sum of money through Nozawa Financial Corporation.

Nakamura Shinichi responded, "Hey!"

"However, keep a close eye on Asano Hirofumi, to prevent him from causing trouble. Also, keep an eye on the progress at the local prosecution, and see when they’ll file the charges."

"Hey!"

...............

In the Tokyo District Court, interrogation room number 3.

"Noda, do you have any objections to the statement in this report?" Suzuki Junko, in her white office lady uniform dress, asked with a stern face. Although her demeanor was serious, her youthful face somewhat undercut the gravity of the situation.

It felt like a child was trying to act more adult than they were.

Noda looked hollowly at the report in front of him, scoffed, and shook his head, "None."

"Are you sure?" Suzuki Junko asked back, tapping the report with her slender fingers, "Once you admit to this, you’ll be facing charges of robbery and murder. And considering your criminal history, the judge will impose a heavy sentence, at least twenty years in prison."

"I know! Better than you do!" Noda became impatient. It was just a process; yet, there was so much fuss, "I confess to the crime. It was me who killed Ayase Mihiko and then stole her money."

"Noda, calm down. I’m here to help you. You didn’t kill Ayase Mihiko; you were coerced and forced into confessing, right?" Suzuki Junko pursed her lips, looking sincerely into his eyes.

Noda’s breathing stalled for a moment. After meeting Suzuki Junko’s clear gaze, he hesitated but quickly had a thought, and burst out emotionally, "Stop testing me! I won’t recant my confession, I admit to it, I truly do!"

Clearly, he had suffered greatly at the hands of Nakamura Shinichi.

It made him utterly incapable of discerning whether what the other party was saying was true or just another of Nakamura Shinichi’s tests.

Noda feared that after he nodded, Nakamura Shinichi would enter as always, with a cold sneer, and then another round of both mental and physical torture would await him. That guy was a devil, a lunatic!

"Noda! Noda!" Suzuki Junko raised her voice and called out to him several times, all the while feeling indignant inside. A good person had been tormented to this state.

Even if he was a criminal, he still had human rights!

Aoyama Xiu Xin, this corrupt cop, must be severely punished!

She looked at Noda and said, "I know what you’re afraid of, I know what you’ve been through, but please trust me, I truly want to help you. This is your last chance, Noda. If you don’t accept my goodwill, you’ll spend the rest of your life in prison."

Noda looked at her with flickering eyes, remaining silent.

"Noda, give it a try. You’ve already suffered so much. What’s the harm in trying? If you’re mistaken, it’s just another round. But what if you’re correct, what if I truly want to help you? Then wouldn’t you be free?"

Suzuki Junko encouraged him, her gaze and tone were very sincere, carrying a strong persuasive power.

"I... I..." Noda stuttered, finally mustering the courage to say, "When I entered, the person was already dead, it wasn’t me who killed them, I didn’t steal anything, it was Nakamura Shinichi who tortured me with various methods, coercing me into confessing, ahhh, come on, Nakamura Shinichi, come!"

After saying this, he closed his eyes, tensed his muscles, and shouted, preparing for another round of torture.

But when there was no response for a while, he cautiously opened his eyes slowly. There was no sign of the devil Nakamura Shinichi, only the angel Suzuki Junko. He was so moved that tears streamed down his face.

"Sob sob sob, sob sob..."

To turn a hardened criminal who didn’t blink an eye at murder into this state showed that despite Nakamura Shinichi’s scholarly appearance, his interrogation methods were most certainly tough.

"Continue," Suzuki Junko said with a smile, reaching into her bag to pull out a few tissues to wipe his tears.

"Yes, yes, yes," Noda nodded vigorously, after making sure she really wanted to help him, he confessed everything, "It was Xiao Lin who hired us on behalf of his boss to kill Ayase Mihiko, but when I entered, the person was already dead, and my accomplice and I quietly left..."

He laid everything out, and in the end, he pleaded urgently, "Please, you must help me! I didn’t kill anyone; I don’t want to be in prison, please!"

"Rest assured, Noda-kun, I will never wrong a good person, nor will I let any bad person go," Suzuki Junko promised earnestly.

She then stood up and left the interrogation room, calling Asano Hirofumi, "Brother Hongwen, Noda has just recanted, denying all the charges against him in Nakamura Shinichi’s report. I think this case can’t be secretly investigated; it has to be blown wide open. The more public attention it gets, the smaller the window for Kimura Yakuo to manipulate."

"I want to prosecute Noda as soon as possible, and then have him recant in court, accusing Nakamura Shinichi of torture for confession and the like. With the case drawing public attention, it will inevitably be reinvestigated under the watchful eyes of the whole nation."

"An open investigation makes it harder for the likes of Kimura Yakuo and Aoyama Xiu Xin to meddle; whereas a secret investigation not only ties our hands, but they could also quickly react if they discovered it. Of course, these are just my simple thoughts, Brother Hongwen, what do you think?"

"Junko, you’ve grown up," Asano Hirofumi said, praising her after listening, "You’re getting smarter and smarter."

"Oh, not at all," Suzuki Junko felt sweet inside, as if she had tasted honey.

She was so happy she could help Brother Hongwen.

Asano Hirofumi said, "Let’s do as you suggested, make a big deal out of it, and have a fair fight with the forces of evil. I believe in the triumph of good over evil!"

Aoyama Xiu Xin, you’re finished.

"Hey!" Suzuki Junko was equally fired up.