Tokyo: From Lawless Madpolice to Minister
Chapter 172 - 168: Provoking Subordinates to Fight Each Other, Strike Hard (Vote for Monthly Tickets! Vote for Monthly Tickets!)

Chapter 172: Chapter 168: Provoking Subordinates to Fight Each Other, Strike Hard (Vote for Monthly Tickets! Vote for Monthly Tickets!)

"Director General, you called for me."

Police Chief Hattori bowed to Renping Guoxiong.

Renping Guoxiong stared at him for a long time without speaking, then finally heaved a sigh, "Mr. Hattori, you should resign."

The words were shocking.

"Why?" Police Chief Hattori didn’t make a scene; instead, he asked calmly with a frown.

Renping Guoxiong said expressionlessly, "Someone higher up wants to promote Police Chief Aoyama. I just had a chat with Police Chief Aoyama, and he said he wanted the position of head of the First Division of the investigation, so I’m afraid I have to inconvenience you."

It was actually very simple for him to displace someone to make room for Aoyama Xiu Xin, but he didn’t want to do that.

Because it would damage his image.

Since Aoyama Xiu Xin couldn’t be provoked into rebelling from below, then provoke from above. He knew Hattori’s style and character, and furthermore, Hattori wasn’t his man, that’s why he chose to use him.

"Aoyama Xiu Xin just got promoted to police chief, and now he’s getting another promotion? Yes, he’s capable, but promotions shouldn’t happen like this, right? What’s more, this might actually harm him!" Police Chief Hattori became agitated.

Renping Guoxiong sighed, "Someone from above has spoken, what can I do? I just have to comply. Our Police Chief Aoyama has backers, and if he wants to climb up, naturally, someone has to make way for him."

He implied that this promotion was orchestrated by Aoyama Xiu Xin himself to increase Hattori’s resentment towards him.

"And why should it be me who has to make way?" Police Chief Hattori became emotional, his words sprayed with fury, "I’ve served the Police Headquarters for more than a decade, with countless merits, and now to make room for a junior, I’m being forced to resign? Is that reasonable? And you, as the Director General of the Police Headquarters, why are you carrying out such an unreasonable order!"

"Mr. Hattori, I also have no choice," Renping Guoxiong began to explain his own difficult position with a helpless expression, "If I don’t listen, they’ll replace me with someone who will, and the result will remain the same. Just accept it. I will negotiate some compensation for you."

"Idiot! I will never accept it!" Police Chief Hattori replied stubbornly, then swiftly changed his tone, "Besides, I’ve heard that Aoyama Xiu Xin has his own issues. To make way for such a person is simply delusional!"

He had long been dissatisfied with Aoyama Xiu Xin, especially after Asai Ayumi was promoted to Deputy Director, Aoyama only had eyes for Asai Ayumi, completely disregarding him, the division head.

Yes, Hattori admitted that he had publicly suppressed Aoyama Xiu Xin when he first joined the Police Headquarters.

But as a senior and as a superior, even if he had offended him, Aoyama Xiu Xin shouldn’t harbor resentment!

Such behavior was too un-Japanese in the workplace.

In Hattori’s view, Aoyama Xiu Xin’s specific request for him to make way was revenge for the public suppression he faced initially, the behavior of a petty and scheming villain.

"Mr. Hattori, please calm down, you go back to work for now, I will think of a solution and see if there’s a way to settle this properly," Renping Guoxiong said, rubbing his forehead.

"I take my leave." Police Chief Hattori bowed and left.

The moment he turned around, his face was as dark as water.

Since Aoyama Xiu Xin wanted to deal with him, he certainly wouldn’t just sit and wait for doom. If he could find evidence of Aoyama Xiu Xin’s crimes, it would be like removing a menace for the country.

Particularly the case of Ayase Mihiko’s murder, he always felt there was an issue. Asano Hirofumi’s death couldn’t be unrelated to Aoyama Xiu Xin—how treacherous was this person?

In the office, Renping Guoxiong showed a faint smile and lit a cigarette. If Hattori brought down Aoyama Xiu Xin, he would be pleased. If Hattori lost to Aoyama Xiu Xin, it would just fulfill his promise to him.

"Whether you get promoted or not is up to your own abilities."

Then he made another call, asking coldly, "Haven’t you found that person yet?"

The person he referred to was naturally the man who used himself as bait, accusing Nipponjiro of assault.

If he could control, or better yet, eliminate him, then Aoyama Xiu Xin wouldn’t threaten him any longer.

Otherwise, he would have to wait for time to dilute everything, which was too passive. Aoyama Xiu Xin feared he might break his promise, and he feared that after Aoyama Xiu Xin’s promotion, the plot of the persistent skin inflammation might continue to cause trouble.

But the man had been hidden and was nowhere to be found.

"Director General, my people have been trying their best to find him," came the steady response from Inakawa Hong at the other end.

Renping Guoxiong, impatient, said, "Quickly,"

No matter what, that guy had to die!

Back in his own office, Hattori began to think about how to take down Aoyama Xiu Xin. Of course, as a relatively upright person, he definitely wouldn’t engage in framing or underhanded tactics, but sought evidence of Aoyama Xiu Xin’s criminal offenses to bring him down rightfully.

And to investigate Aoyama Xiu Xin, he couldn’t use people from the First Division, which could easily alert him. Police Chief Hattori thought for a moment, then contacted an old friend who worked in the Public Security First Class and asked him out for drinks that night.

The Public Security Division, under the jurisdiction of the Police Headquarters, wasn’t responsible for common criminal and civil crimes; it primarily engaged in gathering espionage on domestic and foreign intelligence.

In name, it was under Police Headquarters, but in reality, it was directly managed by the National Public Security Committee, leaving the Police Director General little power to intervene in personnel and tasks.

The Public Security First Class was responsible for monitoring and investigating extreme-left political factions, possessing numerous informants and intelligence sources.

Compared to ordinary detectives, using them to investigate Aoyama Xiu Xin would not only be silent but also more efficient.

"Aoyama Xiu Xin, make sure your own backside is clean, or else you want a promotion? Ha, you’d better wait for your ascension to heaven!" Police Chief Hattori muttered to himself.

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

Aoyama Xiu Xin, of course, did not know Renping, the old fox, unwilling to be manipulated by him, was making trouble for him again. Right now, he was at the scene of a homicide case.

He thought he had been ruthless enough.

But he hadn’t expected there to be an even more adept person.

"The corpse is nearly boiled into broth," Fujimoto Ryosuke said with a pale face, covering his nose, his voice muffled and stuffy.

Indeed, the victim had been dismembered and cooked by the murderer.

The wife returned home from a two-day business trip, and as soon as she entered, she smelled the aroma of meat. In the kitchen, she discovered a pot with a tightly sealed lid on the stove, steaming and bubbling away, with a low flame still burning underneath.

She thought her husband had stewed some meat.

But when she lifted the lid, she discovered it was her husband that was cooked.

In the pot was her husband’s head, and she fainted from shock on the spot. The next-door neighbor heard the screaming, rushed over to check, and then also passed out from fright.

After waking up, the two of them hurriedly called the police.

When the police arrived at the scene, they too were startled by the sight, but professional ethics made them suppress their nausea and fear to conduct a thorough examination.

Apart from the head that was being stewed in the pot, there were several other pots of cooked meat in the kitchen, all from the victim’s body, yet not a trace of blood could be found on the floor.

And there were no signs of cleaning.

"Is the body complete?" Aoyama Xiu Xin asked.

Fujimoto Ryosuke replied, "If it hasn’t been stewed to mush, it seems some parts are missing, wouldn’t be that the murderer has... damn, that’s messed up."

Murder is one thing, but why be so disgustingly careful?

"What was the victim’s identity?" Aoyama Xiu Xin asked, glancing at the head in the pot before he turned and walked out of the kitchen.

A look confirmed it, it was thoroughly cooked.

Fujimoto Ryosuke quickly waved for his subordinates to take care of the head and followed Aoyama Xiu Xin, "He was a minor government official, named Rujiang Yangming, responsible for financial affairs. His wife says he was kind, never made enemies, and had integrity."

"You just said his wife told you that, can we take her word for it?" Aoyama Xiu Xin turned his head and asked.

Fujimoto Ryosuke of course knew it was unreliable, and added, "I’ve already sent someone out to make inquiries."

"Keep the case confidential, don’t go public, to prevent causing public panic," Aoyama Xiu Xin stated calmly.

"Let us in!"

"We are reporters, we have the right to interview!"

"Is the deceased Rujiang Yangming..."

Suddenly, a commotion of voices came from outside.

"Police Chief Aoyama, a group of reporters suddenly showed up, clamoring to get inside for interviews," reported an officer from the nearby police station in charge of the perimeter guard.

"Idiot! How did the reporters get the news so quickly?" Aoyama Xiu Xin looked at Fujimoto Ryosuke.

Fujimoto Ryosuke hurriedly explained, "I issued a gag order right away, no leaks on our side."

Aoyama Xiu Xin furrowed his brows and headed outside.

Upon stepping out, he saw a huge crowd of agitated reporters trying to breach the police’s chain of linked hands.

"Look! It’s Police Chief Aoyama!"

"Police Chief Aoyama, is the deceased Rujiang Yangming? Does the police have any leads right now..."

"Police Chief Aoyama, please say a few words to everyone!"

Seeing Aoyama Xiu Xin, the reporters stopped pushing and extended their microphones to ask questions.

"Quiet! Everyone, please quiet down!"

Aoyama Xiu Xin raised his hand and shouted loudly.

The noisy crowd gradually calmed down.

"May I ask the reporters, how did you know there was a homicide here? And how did you know the victim’s name?" Aoyama Xiu Xin raised his own questions.

A female reporter waved an envelope, "Our newspaper received this letter, a confession from Rujiang Yangming admitting to his corruption and bribery. The back of the envelope had his address and the news of his death written on it."

Hearing this, Aoyama Xiu Xin felt a chill in his heart.

If the murderer was a psychopath or killed Rujiang Yangming out of personal hatred, that was simply a criminal issue, but if Rujiang Yangming was murdered because he was a corrupt official, that implied a political problem.

After all, Aoyama Xiu Xin was also corrupt!

What if this vigilante targeted him next?

All officials would be terrified. How would they serve the public? How could they remain loyal to the Heavenly Locust?

The murderer seemed to be taking personal revenge, but in reality, it delayed national development. They might be heroes to the citizens but villains to the state. Ultimately, they were the people’s villains!

Moreover, what good would it do for the public to know there were so many corrupt officials? It would only anger them, lead to disappointment and sighs, affecting the happiness of the people!

A firm crackdown was needed against those who hindered everyone from being corrupt... cough, no, against those hindering everyone from serenely promoting national economic development and daring to take the law into their hands; they must be hit hard!

"Can I see that letter? It will help us with the investigation," said Aoyama Xiu Xin, adding after a pause, "After reading it, I’ll answer questions."

"Look at me, Police Chief Aoyama!"

"Take a look at mine!"

The reporters jostled to push forward again, waving their envelopes high in the air, trying to hand them to Aoyama Xiu Xin.

After all, whoever’s letter he read,

would surely be the one to have their questions answered.