Tokyo: From Lawless Madpolice to Minister
Chapter 31 - 30: Admitting Mistakes and Returning, the Wanted Criminal (Request for Monthly Votes! Request for Followers)

Chapter 31: Chapter 30: Admitting Mistakes and Returning, the Wanted Criminal (Request for Monthly Votes! Request for Followers)

The arrest of Nozaki Masao went smoothly, but no one expected an accident along the way. Fortunately, the explosion only killed the four individuals in the car, with no police casualties; only one person’s leg was injured.

As for the specific cause of the vehicle explosion, it had been handed over to the relevant technical department for investigation, and Shinjuku Police Station would be notified as soon as the results were available.

With the explosion, the situation changed. Asai Youki rushed to the Police Headquarters overnight to see the Police Director General.

The interrogation of Nozaki Masao naturally fell to the Firearm and Explosives Division. Due to his special status, Chief Asai Ayumi, along with Aoyama Xiu Xin, personally conducted the interrogation.

"Idiot! You bastard! You took my 30 million yen, and now you are screwing with me?" Nozaki Masao, with a resentful look in his eyes, stared at Aoyama Xiu Xin. He knew he had been played by the other party. Then, turning his head to Asai Ayumi, he said, "I am denouncing him for bribery right now!"

Asai Ayumi frowned and looked toward Aoyama Xiu Xin.

"Slap!" Aoyama Xiu Xin slammed the table in anger and fearlessly met Nozaki Masao’s gaze, shouting forcefully, "Impudence! Nozaki! Even now, you still refuse to confess your crimes honestly and insist on causing trouble? I, Aoyama Xiu Xin, am an honorable man, incorruptible. You say I took bribes? What proof do you have! Believe it or not, I will sue you for slander!"

Becoming more agitated, Aoyama Xiu Xin stood up and roared righteously, "You can insult me, but you cannot insult my character, nor can you insult the professional integrity I uphold as a police officer of Japan!"

"I have a recording." Facing the emotional Aoyama Xiu Xin, Nozaki Masao simply said, lifting his head with a malevolent, mocking smile, "I always make a habit of recording when I give people money."

Aoyama Xiu Xin’s facial expression froze instantly.

Motherf*****, you son of a b****.

Then, regaining his composure, he burst into laughter: "Just kidding, you actually fell for it? You wouldn’t really think I’m a corrupt cop, would you? No way, no way, no way?"

"The reason I took that 30 million yen was to paralyze you, to gain your trust; otherwise, how would you be sitting here right now? That 30 million yen will add an additional charge of bribery against you."

Asai Ayumi silently rolled her eyes, having just seen Aoyama Xiu Xin’s fierce reaction, she actually believed that Nozaki Masao was making groundless accusations.

I’m really stupid, really.

"Indeed, he had reported to me about taking that 30 million yen." Although Asai Ayumi knew that Aoyama Xiu Xin was suspected of bribery, she still had to cover for him, "Nozaki Masao, Panasonic Junichi has been arrested and has confessed everything, we have obtained the evidence of your drug trafficking. Even if you don’t cooperate, we can still prosecute you. We are giving you a chance to make amends now."

At this, it was Nozaki Masao’s turn for his expression to stiffen as he stared at Aoyama Xiu Xin and gritted his teeth, "Damn! You’re really good at acting."

Aoyama Xiu Xin’s performance at the moment of accepting the money had completely deceived him, and he had actually believed that Aoyama was like the other corrupt officials he had bribed before.

"Thank you for the compliment." Aoyama Xiu Xin smiled unapologetically, lamenting the loss of his hard-earned 30 million yen, and he really wanted to curse.

Nozaki Masao spat, looking at Asai Ayumi and said, "I won’t say anything. If you want to sue, then sue. I want to see a lawyer."

"How so? Still think someone can save you? No one can save you now," Asai Ayumi taunted coldly.

Nozaki Masao closed his eyes and no longer responded.

"Chief, you go out, I’ll talk to him alone, let’s see if I can move him," Aoyama Xiu Xin looked at Asai Ayumi and suggested with a sigh.

Asai Ayumi stood up, left, and closed the door behind her.

Nozaki Masao opened his eyes, scornfully looking sideways at Aoyama Xiu Xin and sneered, "Give up already..."

"Bang!" Before he could finish, Aoyama Xiu Xin grabbed him, punched him hard in the abdomen, and Nozaki Masao’s body curled up like a cooked shrimp from the pain. Just as he was about to scream, Aoyama Xiu Xin covered his mouth, his facial features twisting as cold sweat the size of beans slid down from his forehead.

Aoyama Xiu Xin leaned into his ear and said slowly, "Bastard, making me lose 30 million yen for nothing, do you know how hard I work to earn money? Nozaki Masao, what will you use to repay me, huh?"

After saying that, he punched him again.

Nozaki Masao, pain causing his eyes to bulge.

Aoyama Xiu Xin let him go, turned around, and walked out, smiling at Asai Ayumi outside, "This guy is a tough nut to crack, my sincere punches didn’t move him. It’s getting late, let’s go back to rest, we’ll interrogate him again tomorrow."

In the interrogation room, unswayed but beaten and in pain, Nozaki Masao lay curled up on the floor, breathing laboriously, his body trembling continuously, sweat pouring down his forehead like rain.

Officials protecting each other, dark, it’s too dark!

They were even darker than the Black Society.

"You should go further, don’t take money you shouldn’t take," Asai Ayumi seriously reminded Aoyama.

Aoyama Xiu Xin promised, "Definitely next time."

This wasn’t his first time in office, and he still hadn’t mastered the core techniques, lacking experience in corruption and bribery.

Through this incident, he indeed learned a lesson; such mistakes should not be repeated, and he must correct them, so from then on, he would definitely only collect money on his own turf!

"Hand over that 30 million as soon as possible."

"Got it!"

Asai Ayumi took a few steps forward, turned back to look at Aoyama Xiu Xin, "What are you still following me for?"

"Ma’am," Aoyama Xiu Xin sincerely bowed.

Asai Ayumi’s pretty face immediately turned red with anger as she glared at Aoyama Xiu Xin. Beneath her uniform, her rounded abdomen heaved uncontrollably, like mountains gathering, and waves raging.

"Please, Inspector, do fulfill your subordinate’s wish." Aoyama Xiu Xin sincerely bowed again.

He exhibited his stubborn spirit to the fullest.

He might not yet qualify as a proper Japanese, but he definitely knew how to be a proper "Her man."

Asai Ayumi almost bit through her plump lips, her cheeks flaming red like rosy clouds, she fiercely glared at Aoyama Xiu Xin, opened her mouth about to speak, when suddenly her phone in the bag started ringing.

"Ding-dong ding-dong~"

Asai Ayumi pulled out her cellphone to answer.

"Moshi moshi."

"Ayumi, come to the Police Headquarters. The Director General wants to hold a press conference about the Noguchi Group’s drug trafficking and the highway explosion. I recommended you to speak at the podium," Asai Youki’s steady voice came through the phone.

"Okay!" Asai Ayumi hung up the phone, looked up at Aoyama Xiu Xin, "You see, it’s not that I don’t want to agree to your request; there’s a press conference I need to attend."

"Inspector, have you forgotten whose help enabled you to be at that press conference?" Aoyama Xiu Xin said with a faint smile, stepped forward to touch her cheek, "I’ll be waiting eagerly in a hotel room across from the Police Headquarters, waiting forcefully."

As his words fell, he took a step back, bowed to Asai Ayumi again, then strode off rapidly.

.........

Under the night sky, a small town beside the highway from Tokyo to Chiba Prefecture welcomed an unexpected visitor.

He was a twenty-seven or twenty-eight-year-old man with a crew cut, wearing a tracksuit, carrying two large parcels over his shoulder.

He walked up to a public phone booth, made sure no one was around, then took out a coin and dialed a number.

"Moshi moshi, this is Imamura Restaurant."

"This is Takeda Ichiro."

"Takeda... Takeda-san!" The person on the other end of the phone gasped, swallowed his saliva, and nervously lowered his voice, "May I ask what you need?"

"I’m in Tokyo."

"What! How dare you come back? The police are still after you! Isn’t 70 million yen enough for you?"

"..." Takeda paused for a moment before saying indifferently, "I’m just here to take back my money."

"What... what do you mean by that?"

"Arrange a car to pick me up." Takeda Ichiro didn’t explain further, reported the address, then hung up the phone.