Tokyo: Rabbit Officer and Her Evil Partner
Chapter 94 - 16 Free is the Most Expensive

Chapter 94: Chapter 16 Free is the Most Expensive

"Mr. Sazaki is entertaining guests, please wait a moment."

The woman knelt at the far end of the nightclub, bowing slightly to apologize. She was dressed in a kimono, with gentle features that seemed out of place in the nightclub, like a modest wife accidentally wandering into a place of debauchery.

Ordinarily, such a gentle figure would attract a pack of hyenas, but around her was a five-meter radius of emptiness as no one dared to approach. Behind her stood a metal door, through the round glass window, two fierce-looking men were staring at Fushimi Roku and Kazama Tatsuya.

They were trying to break into the Dragon Pond and Tiger Cave, yet couldn’t even get through the door—a classic case of a failing mission.

With no choice, the two had to find a seat at the bar. Fushimi Roku suggested ordering a drink since entering without buying anything was truly disrespectful to the owner. Kazama Tatsuya intended to refuse, but before he could open his mouth, the bartender handed over the menu.

"Hawaiian Tropical Grass Skirt Craft Brew... what’s that?"

Fushimi Roku flipped open the menu, his gaze landing on the most expensive section, and couldn’t help but ask the bartender, "Could it be something served by two elegantly graceful girls in grass skirts, twisting their waists and carrying large mugs of malt beer?"

The bartender gave a mysterious smile: "You’ll know if you order it."

A craft brew for twenty thousand yen—Fushimi Roku wouldn’t be such a fool. He flipped further, looking for the cheapest yet most pretentious drink, only to hear the bartender suddenly say, "Tonight’s consumption is free for you two." Fushimi Roku quickly flipped the menu back.

Kazama Tatsuya pressed down on his hand, took out a 1,000 yen paper currency from his wallet, placed it on the bar counter, and solemnly said, "No need, just two Cokes."

"Then, I’ll have two ’Cute Awww Jumping JK Schoolgirl Love Drinks’," Fushimi Roku pretended not to notice Kazama Tatsuya’s expression: "One cup for each of us, thank you."

"What are you doing?" Kazama Tatsuya glared at him.

Spending large amounts at a nightclub run by the yakuza could be seen as accepting bribes, though how much and how is purely subjective. Now, taking advantage of the situation, if the manager came afterward with a sky-high bill to extort them, they could only consider themselves unlucky, perhaps even getting dragged down.

Fushimi Roku slightly turned his body, elbow leaning on the bar, and countered: "Do you want Watanabe Shun to survive, or do you want to continue being the good cop?"

"What does that have to do with you ordering drinks?" Kazama Tatsuya furrowed his brows.

"They’re giving us face, we should accept it. If you’re upright and honest, how could they ever release people? We must leave them with some leverage, right?"

With that, Fushimi Roku continued flipping through the menu: "The free drinks are just right, even if you ordered a billion-yen drink here, the police department wouldn’t bother investigating. Rest assured, this kind of shabby bar won’t use high-end liquor; it’s all industrial alcohol blended with flavoring, sold at high prices with pretty packaging and hostesses."

"There’s still good alcohol." The bartender interjected.

He was just a mixing service worker, definitely not qualified to offer complimentary drinks. The person in charge was clear to Kazama Tatsuya, and the free drinks were indeed a probing signal. He wanted to rebut, but after a moment of meditation, he felt that Fushimi Roku made sense.

Compared to Watanabe Shun’s safety, his personal reputation and career future were nothing.

Kazama Tatsuya retrieved the paper currency from the bar, snapped shut his wallet, and ordered the most expensive Macallan 25-year Single Malt Whiskey.

The bartender started chiseling ice with a loud clink, and while waiting for the drink, Kazama Tatsuya instinctively assessed Fushimi Roku, while the latter was curiously watching the fashionable gals twisting their hips on the dance floor. He thought this guy didn’t quite seem like a novice, but rather a veteran in the gray areas...

Fushimi Roku squinted, as though searching for prey. Before the bartender could serve the drinks, he stood up abruptly and said, "Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom."

"Now’s not the time to flirt." Kazama Tatsuya said.

"What do you take me for? I genuinely need to use the bathroom," Fushimi Roku looked innocent: "Rest assured, I know what I’m doing."

Kazama Tatsuya, helpless, only nodded in silent approval.

Fushimi Roku inquired about the bathroom location from the bartender and then quickly threaded through the dance floor, disappearing among the crowd.

"Seriously, one after the other, none of them are worry-free..."

Kazama Tatsuya sighed, taking out a cigarette pack from his pocket, tapping the bottom to extract a slender cigarette, and lit it protectively. However, the spark flickered for a while without igniting—a sign the lighter was out of fuel.

Click, there was a crisp metallic knock beside him.

Someone was standing by him, holding a metal lighter with a calmly burning flame. Kazama Tatsuya nodded gratefully, leaned his cigarette in to light it, and took a deep puff.

He raised his head, exhaling smoke, and recognized the man who helped him light the cigarette.

"What are you doing here?" Kaga Keido asked.

He and Kazama Tatsuya had been colleagues in the Police Department Investigation Division for quite a long time. Recently, while investigating the apartment massacre case, he frequently contacted the Inakawa Association, focusing on the suspected individual, Sazaki Gen, from a nearby branch.

The patrol police investigation work had always been coordinated by Kitahara Affairs Officer, causing Kaga Keido to seldom get involved. He was aware of Kazama Tatsuya’s demotion but hadn’t paid attention to the follow-up, so he didn’t know Kazama Tatsuya was now serving at the Sugamo Station front Patrol House as patrol police or that the latter was a collaborative investigating officer.

Kazama Tatsuya, for a while, found it hard to explain the situation, especially since he wasn’t certain of Watanabe Shun’s innocence. On top of that, privately negotiating with the yakuza was indeed sensitive if exposed.

After contemplating, he lied, saying he was there to relax and have a drink.

Kaga Keido, noting his absence of police uniform, patted his shoulder without prying further and took a seat beside him: "Since we’ve bumped into each other, shall we have a drink together? Do you have any recommendations..."

Before he finished speaking, two schoolgirls dressed in sailor suits approached. Each held a glowing neon sign, displaying their white bellies while their pleated skirts barely concealed the intriguing gap of skin. Amidst envious glances from the crowd, they trustingly pushed their chests towards Kazama Tatsuya.

Why the chest? They nestled the drink glasses in the cleavage, a unique service of Dug’s Underground Bar, pricier than the Hawaiian Tropical Grass Skirt Craft Brew.

"..."

Kazama Tatsuya didn’t dare to turn his head to see Kaga Keido’s expression, drooping his head to examine his cigarette while falling into a deafening silence.

"Sir, your Cute Awww Jumping JK Schoolgirl Love Drink is ready." The schoolgirl sidled up with a smile, teasingly tugging open her collar. The glistening liquid swayed in the plush flesh, waiting to be savored.

Seeing Kazama Tatsuya saying nothing, she fully exerted her professionalism, adhering to the principle of value for money, Tenderly offering: "Would you need Airi-chan to feed you? I could use my mouth to warm your drink."

"..."

Kazama Tatsuya felt a tingling sensation on his scalp.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.