Tokyo: From Lawless Madpolice to Minister
Chapter 452 - 398: A Simple Trick, Two Birds with One Arrow (Vote for Monthly Ticket)

Chapter 452: Chapter 398: A Simple Trick, Two Birds with One Arrow (Vote for Monthly Ticket)

The night fell, and small, silent snowflakes gathered on the ground to form a thick white blanket.

Despite the darkness and the slippery road, as a diligent fisherman, Aoyama Xiu Xin knew the principle of living off the land or sea, so he went out to fish in the middle of the night.

Due to the high tide at night, the sandy beach that had been dry during the day was now wet and slippery, and the disordered water plants blocked his view, adding to the difficulty of his harvest. But the starlight did not disappoint the traveler, and he pushed aside the water plants to find a clam that was still breathing.

Aoyama Xiu Xin was overjoyed, for he would not return empty-handed tonight. He started eating sashimi on the spot. When the ingredients themselves are fresh enough, even without any seasonings, there is a unique flavor.

The fresh clam was tender, juicy, and delicious.

Japanese people like sashimi, and when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

While Aoyama Xiu Xin was busy fishing, Ryosuke, the reporter, had an unexpected visitor.

After parting with Chiyoko, Ryosuke returned home intending to write an article. However, sitting in front of his desk, he was unable to start writing, involuntarily reminiscing about Chiyoda’s every smile and frown. He had even thought of names for their children; if it were a boy, Liang Yi; a girl...

"Ding-dong! Ding-dong!"

The sudden ringing of the doorbell interrupted his daydreams.

"Ah! Idiot!" Ryosuke cursed irritably, slamming his pen on the table before angrily getting up and yanking the door open. Then, he instantly became calm because four policemen stood outside.

Before he could react, two of the policemen had already pounced on him, pinning him to the ground.

"What are you doing? Why are you arresting me!"

Ryosuke was both shocked and furious, struggling to resist.

But it was in vain, for how could a man with a pen stand a chance against the restraint of two policemen?

Ikeda Hao stepped inside, one policeman closed the door behind him, and then stood guard outside.

"Why are you arresting me? That’s a good question," Ikeda Hao said with a slight smile, then he raised his foot and stepped on Ryosuke’s head, looking down from above. "There could be many reasons, like maybe you’re suspected of theft, or murder, or even rape. Which one do you like?"

They may not be up to the task of solving cases, but they had a hundred ways to frame an ordinary person.

If they couldn’t deal with the criminals, surely they could handle you?

"You... you’re framing me!" Ryosuke was furious and panicked, but still held on to a sliver of hope, trying to lift his head. "Why? Why!"

"Why? That’s not a very good question," Ikeda Hao shook his head, pressing down with his foot and grinding it a couple of times, speaking with a cold voice. "Because you’re meddling in things that don’t concern you! How many people died last night, what’s that to you? The victims’ families receive compensation, Sapporo City preserves its reputation, our police department and city hall officials keep their careers, a win-win situation. And yet, you have to come out and stir things up. Why couldn’t you have died last night?"

Ryosuke felt as if he had fallen into a pit of ice. He instantly thought of Aoyama Xiu Xin, his eyes reddening as he shouted, "Is it Aoyama Xiu Xin! That hypocrite! I should never have trusted the propaganda. And Chiyoko, what have you done to her, it’s me you want, let her go!"

"Miss Chiyoda is fine," Ikeda Hao interrupted him, smiling. "She will be better than ever before, an unprecedented kind of better, as our Minister has handpicked her to report on his personal affairs. She will become an exclusive reporter."

Ryosuke’s gaze went blank, his face went through several changes when he came to his senses, shaking his head and muttering to himself, "Impossible! Impossible! Impossible."

The implication of Ikeda Hao’s words was that Hashimoto Chiyoko had sold him out as a stepping stone to advancing her career. But he refused to believe it was true, Chiyoda wasn’t like that.

"Pitiful, so sad," Ikeda Hao tsk-tsked, shaking his head. He moved his foot away, crouched down, and grabbed Ryosuke’s hair. "You’d rather doubt the reputation of Aoyama Xiu Xin than believe that Hashimoto Chiyoko betrayed you. What, do you know her that well?"

Ryosuke was lost for words. He and Hashimoto Chiyoko were reporters from different organizations. They had met at a journalist gathering and often exchanged news information, but it had never developed further.

Investigating the real death toll of the stampede incident was the closest thing they had done together. He didn’t understand Chiyoda, and she didn’t understand him.

Yes, if it were Aoyama Xiu Xin, there would be no need for complications; the bodyguards at his house could have subdued them at that moment, avoiding any unnecessary trouble.

"Ah! Ow!" Ryosuke tried to roar out in frustration, but Ikeda Hao kicked him in the mouth, "Keep it down at night; don’t disturb the peace."

Then, with a wave of his hand, "Cuff him and take him away."

"Sir!" Two policemen forcibly cuffed Ryosuke, lifted him up, and dragged him out.

Ikeda Hao had one subordinate take Ryosuke back to headquarters to be detained, then he and the other two subordinates went to Hashimoto Chiyoko’s house, ready to play the next act.

Outside Chiyoko’s home, seeing the lights on in the living room and confirming that someone was home, he made a phone call to Nakamura Shinichi, "Senior Police Director, I’m outside Hashimoto Chiyoko’s house, about to move in."

"Hm," Nakamura Shinichi acknowledged.

After hanging up the phone, Ikeda Hao signaled to knock on the door.

A subordinate pressed the doorbell.

"Ding-dong! Ding-dong!"

"Who is it?" As a woman living alone, Hashimoto Chiyoko was very security conscious and didn’t rashly open the door but asked from behind it.

"It’s on the orders of Police Chief Aoyama."

Hearing this, Chiyoko, who had just left Aoyama Xiu Xin’s home not long before, opened the door without suspicion, "Does Police Chief Aoyama have any other instructions?"

"He didn’t have instructions, but our Minister does," Ikeda Hao said with a smirk.

Chiyoko suddenly realized the danger, her color drained from her face as she tried to close the door, but Ikeda Hao, quick as lightning, held onto the door frame, leaving her struggling in vain to shut it.

Two officers rushed forward, grabbed Hashimoto Chiyoko by the arms from both sides, and jerked them behind her back. They brutally dragged her into the living room and pinned her on the coffee table, rendering her unable to move.

Ikeda Hao did not close the door. With an arrogant look, he walked in with his hands behind his back, carelessly kicking aside a fallen teacup, "Why should a woman meddle in others’ affairs? How many people died last night, what does that have to do with you? You choose not to take the open road to heaven but insist on barging through the doorless hell."

"What have you done to Ryosuke!" Hashimoto Chiyoko, unable to worry about herself, asked about Ryosuke.

She had not been close to him before, but because of today’s events, she had developed a special feeling for him.

Loving someone and hating someone.

Sometimes it only takes one thing to trigger either.

"Still concerned about him?" Ikeda Hao revealed a mocking smile and said teasingly, "Even now, have you not thought about who reported you?"

"What do you mean?" Hashimoto Chiyoko’s face changed instantly as she asked urgently, "Idiot! What do you mean by that? Was it Ryosuke? No! It can’t be him, you’re lying to me, it can’t be him!"

"Then who else could it be? Aoyama Xiu Xin? Do you think it’s him?" Ikeda Hao asked with a derisive smile.

Hashimoto Chiyoko fell silent. She didn’t think it was Aoyama Xiu Xin because Aoyama Xiu Xin’s integrity was well-known throughout the country, and if he really wanted to stop her from investigating the truth, he could have controlled her earlier.

Eliminate all the impossibilities, and the remaining answer, no matter how unwilling she was to believe it, was the truth.

Hashimoto Chiyoko, filled with anger, pain, and with reddened eyes, cried out, "Idiot! How could he do such a thing! He was the one who first expressed doubts!"

"He didn’t mention that," Ikeda Hao chuckled, speaking apathetically, "He said you invited him to investigate together. Obviously, he was using you as a stepping stone." Ikeda Hao continued, "But rest assured, I will let the Minister know about this. Someone as cunning as him will not end well."

Hashimoto Chiyoko did not feel the slightest bit relieved. Betrayed, she was deeply hurt.

"Why is the door open? Let’s go inside and check!"

"Yes, sir!"

Just then, voices and a burst of hurried footsteps came from outside.

"Damn it! Forget about her, let’s escape through the window!" Ikeda Hao’s face changed, and he turned and ran towards the kitchen.

The two officers abandoned Chiyoko and followed him closely.

Hashimoto Chiyoko hadn’t even had time to react when several more police officers charged in, led by Nakamura Shinichi, who said, "There’s noise in the kitchen, they must have run that way. Send two people after them quickly."

"Yes, sir!" Two subordinates immediately gave chase.

Nakamura Shinichi only then had time to attend to Hashimoto Chiyoko, "Miss Chiyoda, are you alright?"

"Who are you..." Hashimoto Chiyoko was completely confused.

"I’m Nakamura Shinichi, Chief of Police Qing Mountain sent me here." As soon as Nakamura Shinichi finished speaking, he didn’t wait for her to voice the doubts in her mind; he immediately called Aoyama Xiu Xin, "Senior Police Director, I arrived just in time to encounter Miss Chiyoda in danger. The crooks fled in panic, and Miss Chiyoda is unharmed."

"Yes! Yes!" Then he handed the phone to Hashimoto Chiyoko, "Listen, the Chief of Police wants to speak with you."

Hashimoto Chiyoko pursed her red lips, took the phone, and softly said, "Chief of Police Qing Mountain."

"It’s fortunate that Miss Chiyoda is safe," sighed Aoyama Xiu Xin, his voice filled with relief.

Hashimoto Chiyoko, puzzled, asked, "What on earth is going on? How did you know I was in danger?"

"My confidant, Senior Police Director Nakamura Shinichi, happened to see Ryosuke being taken into the Minister’s office by his secretary while he was there to report to Minister Fujimoto Takayoshi," Aoyama Xiu Xin explained. "While Nakamura waited outside, he overheard my name mentioned inside and listened in a bit more. Although he didn’t fully understand, he informed me immediately. Upon hearing this, I realized what was happening and guessed that you might be in danger, so I sent him with men to protect you."

"That hypocritical bastard!" Hashimoto Chiyoko, just rescued, now firmly believed Ryosuke had betrayed her, and she felt like crying in anger, while at the same time overflowing with gratitude towards Aoyama Xiu Xin, "Thank you, Chief of Police Qing Mountain. If not for your rescue, I wouldn’t have escaped tonight’s peril."

"It’s all part of the job, but Fujimoto Takayoshi has become cautious, and I, being new here, am not a match for the local power cliques in a head-on conflict. The matter we want to investigate may not be pursued further," Aoyama Xiu Xin said with a feigned sigh, casually smoking.

"It’s all because of that villain, Ryosuke!" Hashimoto Chiyoko cursed through clenched teeth. She then suddenly remembered something, "The ones who broke into my home to hurt me were three police officers, I remember the face of one of them."

"It’s useless, without catching them red-handed, we can’t move against Fujimoto Takayoshi’s people. He has the ability to cover the sky with one hand at the Ministry," Aoyama Xiu Xin replied, before swiftly changing the subject, "However, not all is lost. I intend to negotiate with them, using the condition of not pursuing tonight’s matter, to ensure they don’t harm you again."

"Thank you, Chief of Police Qing Mountain, thank you." Although Hashimoto Chiyoko still felt unsatisfied, she knew this was the best outcome and didn’t want to trouble Aoyama Xiu Xin further.

He had done his best.

"Don’t mention it," Aoyama Xiu Xin perked up confidently, "Give me some time, I will return a clear sky to Hokkaido."

"Mhm, mhm, mhm, I believe you, and I hope to be of help to you, to stand by your side in this battle. Please don’t hesitate to ask for anything you need!" Hashimoto Chiyoko was inspired by Aoyama Xiu Xin’s confidence, her emotions stirred.

"Certainly, get a good night’s sleep tonight." Aoyama Xiu Xin hung up the phone, a meaningful smile curving on his lips, "A little trick, two birds with one stone."

Not only had he completely stopped Ryosuke and Hashimoto Chiyoko from continuing their investigation into the true number of casualties in the stampede incident, but he had also gained Hashimoto Chiyoko’s absolute trust and favor.

Now, he had not just an extra gun sleeve to use.

But also a trustworthy reporter at his disposal.

He casually snuffed out the cigarette butt and turned to go upstairs.

"Sister-in-law, let’s continue clamming!"