Tokyo: From Lawless Madpolice to Minister
Chapter 177 - 173: Betray the Country Early, Two Extortion Calls

Chapter 177: Chapter 173: Betray the Country Early, Two Extortion Calls

Inside a private room at the izakaya.

Aoyama Xiu Xin and Richard sat facing each other.

Liquor and dishes were arranged on the table in between them.

"You must be wondering why I wanted to meet you, Police Chief Aoyama," Richard said with a slight smile.

Aoyama Xiu Xin nodded, "Yes, after all, I am just an insignificant person..."

"No, no, no, Police Chief Aoyama is being too modest," Richard interrupted him, shaking his head and said earnestly, "Son-in-law to the Asakai family, you became the dear friend of the Yanchuan Family’s only son with that... wonderful invention of the automated loan machine, controlling two Violent Gang organizations, and have achieved great accomplishments multiple times, hailed by the media as Heisei’s No.1 Detective with high popularity and people’s support. You might be a small figure now, but certainly not insignificant."

The fact that Richard could accurately mention some information about him didn’t surprise Aoyama Xiu Xin; this was the other man’s professional area, and he might even know what color of underwear Aoyama wore that day.

"Mr. Richard is overpraising me. Even so, I am not much of a big figure. Why would you want to meet me in person?" Aoyama Xiu Xin asked calmly.

"You will be a big figure in the future," Richard said confidently, then he raised his glass and drained it in one gulp, wiping his mouth, "For promising individuals like Police Chief Aoyama, we always try to reach out and establish a friendship in advance so we can help the Police Chief with some minor troubles later. Today, I’ll present an information as a greeting gift: Dubian Xiang from Public Security First Class is secretly investigating you. Before this he had contact with your immediate superior, Police Chief Hattori. Be careful, Police Chief."

That was a show of sincerity but also a form of deterrence.

"Thank you for letting me know, Mr. Richard," Aoyama Xiu Xin felt a sinking feeling in his heart. If it weren’t for the other party’s words, with Public Security’s investigative capability, he might really fall flat on his face. What the hell does that old fox Hattori want?

But no matter what, he already had a way to die!

After thinking, he asked, "There’s no such thing as a free lunch, so what must I give in return?"

"You don’t need to give anything in return, Police Chief. Just remember our friendship and assistance," Richard said with a faint smile, and then the conversation took a turn, "Of course, there might be times when we could use your help. I just hope you won’t refuse, for the higher your position becomes, the more benefits you’ll get from us, but similarly, the more you’ll have to give. That’s fair, isn’t it?"

"That’s indeed fair, Mr. Richard. I like this deal," Aoyama Xiu Xin laughed heartily, lifting his glass as a toast, "To fairness."

"Cheers," Richard raised his glass, clinked it with his, and after finishing his drink, he casually asked while wiping his mouth, "What does Police Chief Aoyama think of the United States?"

"A paradise of deep-fried dishes!" Aoyama Xiu Xin blurted out without hesitation, "If I didn’t have to stay and develop my own country, I’d really want to migrate to my sanctum and breathe air filled with the scent of gunpowder... the sweet air of freedom."

"Pity that you can’t have both the fish and the bear’s paw."

Now he was buttering up Richard to show his attitude to the people behind him. When the day came that he truly gained great power, the Americans would find this guy wouldn’t be as agreeable as before.

Of course, Richard reaching out was probably just a personal move, as Aoyama’s current status wasn’t sufficient to be noticed by those behind him. But as his position rose, that day would inevitably come.

One should betray their country early; otherwise, everything worth selling might be gone by the time he took charge, damn it.

Half an hour later, the two parted ways. Before leaving, Richard gave Aoyama Xiu Xin a number, saying it was his assistant’s; he should call it if he needed help.

As he watched Richard drive away, a corner of Aoyama Xiu Xin’s mouth curled up, holding the piece of paper with the number.

Then he called Yehua Yiren.

"Prepare one million US dollars in cash for me."

He didn’t believe Richard could withstand that kind of test.

If he really could, then just offer more money!

By the time he returned home, it was already midnight, and Aoyama Haruko surprisingly hadn’t gone to bed yet. She sat on the sofa watching TV, with the stunningly shaped Elena standing straight behind her.

"Sir," Elena bowed slightly to him.

Aoyama Xiu Xin gestured for her to go out and looked at his sister-in-law on the sofa, wrapped in her nightgown into a tiny bundle, asking, "Sister-in-law, why haven’t you gone to bed yet?"

"It’s your fault, scaring me on purpose yesterday," Aoyama Haruko glanced at him reproachfully and pouted her soft, moist red lips, "After watching a news story about another victim being dismembered and stewed tonight, I remembered what you scared me with yesterday. This house is too big, so empty; I was too scared to sleep. That’s why I asked Elena to accompany me."

"Then, I’ll accompany you to sleep," Aoyama Xiu Xin sat down beside her and said lightly.

Aoyama Haruko’s cheeks flushed red at once, and she kicked him lightly with her pale foot, puffing up her cheeks and pretending to be serious, "Don’t make such jokes!"

Detestable Xiu Xin, becoming more and more disrespectful towards me.

"What’s wrong?" Aoyama Xiu Xin showed an expression of aggrieved innocence, "Sister-in-law, what I meant was I’ll watch you as you sleep, and after you’ve fallen asleep, I’ll leave."

"Ah... oh, I see," Aoyama Haruko realized she had misunderstood and felt a bit embarrassed, carefully asking, "I didn’t kick you too hard just now, did I?"

"Yes, it hurts a lot," Aoyama Xiu Xin covered the spot where she kicked him, a pained look on his face.

Aoyama Haruko kicked him again, slightly annoyed, "You think I’m a fool? I barely put any strength in just now; don’t think you can trick me, Xiu Xin."

But Aoyama Xiu Xin quickly grabbed her foot.

Aoyama Haruko was delicate with even smaller feet, which he could hold in one hand, perfectly shaped and smooth touch, like a fine piece of art in his grasp.

"Xiu Xin, what... what are you doing, let go now," Aoyama Haruko, face red as a cooked shrimp, desperately tried to withdraw her foot in shock and embarrassment.

Seeing that she was almost frantic, like a mistreated little thing, Aoyama Xiu Xin finally let go of her.

"I... I’m going to rest now."

Aoyama Haruko took her foot back, suddenly not afraid anymore, put on her slippers, and hurriedly ran upstairs.

Aoyama Xiu Xin didn’t rush off to sleep, instead, he made a phone call to Vice Minister Suzuki Daohiro of the Tokyo District Court.

"Vice Minister Suzuki, this is Aoyama Xiu Xin."

"Oh, Mr. Aoyama, what can I do for you?" asked Suzuki Daohiro, his tone warm, because thanks to Xiu Xin’s mediation, his misunderstanding with his daughter Suzuki Junko had been cleared up, and he was grateful to him.

Aoyama Xiu Xin said, "I’m sorry to bother you late at night, but it’s urgent. My immediate superior, Police Chief Hattori, and Public Security First Class’s Dubian Xiang, are investigating me for some unknown reason. Meanwhile, I’ve been busy dealing with the case of the dismemberment murderer and have no time to attend to this matter. I hope you can help me; otherwise, I’m afraid I’ll end up in trouble."

Connections had to be used; otherwise, what’s the point of making them if one tried to handle everything on their own?

"Idiot! Mr. Aoyama, rest assured, I won’t let these two guys drag you down, and the Police Headquarters shouldn’t harbor such sneaky sorts who investigate their own colleagues!" Suzuki Daohiro said with righteous indignation.

He didn’t know Dubian Xiang or Police Chief Hattori and didn’t care whether they were good or bad, or why they were after Aoyama Xiu Xin. All he knew was that Aoyama Xiu Xin had helped him, and it was time to return the favor.

Aoyama Xiu Xin sincerely said, "I’m counting on you!"

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

"Ding-a-ling! Ding-a-ling!"

He was woken by the phone again in the morning.

Aoyama Xiu Xin thought there might be another dismemberment case, but it turned out to be Aoyama Sosuke calling.

"Xiu Xin, did the person we were using to set up Nipponjiro run away?" asked Aoyama Sosuke.

"How do you know?" Aoyama Xiu Xin asked in return.

He hadn’t told Aoyama Sosuke about this because since the plan against Nipponjiro had been carried out, Aoyama Sosuke’s part in the plot was over.

"I just received a letter containing only a phone number. When I called it, they said the person was in their hands and demanded I gather one hundred million yen by seven o’clock tonight for the ransom, or they’ll hand him over to Renping Kuniaki. They said they’d contact me again later to specify the location of the trade."

Hearing this, Aoyama Xiu Xin’s first reaction was to suspect that the Bearded Man was trying to stage another scam for more money.

But he quickly dismissed that suspicion.

After all, the Bearded Man knew both the identity of Congressman Aoyama Sosuke and the identity of Police Director General’s heir Nipponjiro, and was certainly clear that he couldn’t afford to offend either side and wouldn’t dare do such a thing.

"Sosuke, what do we do? We absolutely can’t let him fall into Renping Kuniaki’s hands. If he’s forced to change his testimony and accuse us of bribing him to frame Nipponjiro, we’re done for," Aoyama Sosuke said, a hint of anxiety and urgency in his voice.

After a moment of contemplation, Aoyama Xiu Xin said, "Given the situation, there’s not much we can do. You prepare the money first, wait for the criminals’ call, and keep in touch with me at all times. We’ll just have to play it by ear."

"Uh... I don’t have that much money," Aoyama Sosuke whispered almost inaudibly, sounding a bit embarrassed.

"Where’s the money we scammed from Nipponjiro? Did you spend it all?" asked Aoyama Xiu Xin.

"I spent it on cars, houses, and even made several donations. I just checked, and I only have a little over seventy million left," Aoyama Sosuke admitted with embarrassment.

Since the loss of Nipponjiro’s contributions, his spending had been restricted, and he missed Nipponjiro every day.

Aoyama Xiu Xin was speechless, "Then just take the seventy million. They’re not going to count it bill by bill, and seventy million isn’t a small amount for someone wanting to get rich."

"Right!" replied Aoyama Sosuke firmly.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, just as Renping Kuniaki was preparing for his morning run, he discovered a letter someone had slipped through his front gate.

He opened the letter and found a phone number inside.

Frowning, he returned inside to call the number, saying, "I am Renping Kuniaki."

"Director Renping, I’ve long admired your reputation."

"Cut the crap, what’s your sneaky purpose?" Renping Kuniaki said impatiently.

"Hoho, Director, you’re straightforward, so I’ll get straight to the point too. I have the man who accused your son of rape. How much do you value him?"

"What are you talking about?" Renping Kuniaki first was startled at the statement, then skeptical, "Why should I believe you? What evidence do you have to prove it?"

"You should remember his voice. I’ll let him talk to you." As he finished speaking, there was silence on the other line, followed by the voice that Renping Kuniaki hated to his bones, "Wuu wuu, Director, I was wrong. I was forced to... please save me! I don’t want to die!"

Renping Kuniaki’s face went through a range of expressions, wondering if Aoyama Xiu Xin was trying to scam him out of money with this stunt.

He probed, "How much do you want?"

"One hundred million yen. That’s a trivial sum for the Director, isn’t it?" came the voice of the kidnapper.

Renping Kuniaki confirmed that these weren’t Aoyama Xiu Xin’s people. After all, if Aoyama Xiu Xin wanted to set him up to get his money, he would never be so petty.

Suddenly, he recalled the phone call from Aoyama Xiu Xin on the night of the failed kidnapping. Now, reconsidering the details, was it possible that the man had escaped amid the chaos, and Aoyama Xiu Xin, fearing he’d find out, had been threatening him to mislead him?

After escaping that night, for some unknown reason, the Bearded Man ended up in the hands of his current captors, who, after learning from him about the situation, deduced that Renping Kuniaki would definitely be interested in retrieving him, so they used that information to try to get money.

Armed with this speculation, a smile broke across Renping Kuniaki’s face. Aoyama Xiu Xin, you’re finished.

"Alright! I agree. How do you want to do the trade?"

"Prepare the money before seven o’clock tonight. I’ll call you then with the trade location and details."