Tokyo, in a private residence in the Hirakawa District.
"Done, killing two little flies will crush the truth, but kill a County Councilor and a Police Director General, huh, I don’t believe you can keep it quiet."
The white-skinned youth hung up the phone, toying with a recording pen in his hand, a cold smile spreading across his face.
They had never intended to take the money; they wanted the lives of Aoyama Sosuke and Renping Kuniaki.
The reason they asked for a hundred million was to lure the two n in, and that money would also serve as one of the pieces of evidence of their corruption, after all, which clean official could co up with a hundred million in one day?
Even if the two didn’t admit to their cris, with that hundred million in cash and the recent phone recording, their true faces would be laid bare.
"Let go, please let go, oh heroes, I have nothing to do with this!" the bearded man begged, crying out.
The dark-skinned youth jeered, stepping forward to grab his hair, "They’re not good people, but you falsely accuse others for money, you’re no good either."
To escape smoothly afterward, it was natural to kill the bearded man who had seen both their faces.
"Why, why are you doing this, what for?" the bearded man knew he couldn’t escape and broke down, his eyes red as he hysterically scread, "Isn’t it good to be alive? Why seek death?"
"What for? Good question!" The white-skinned youth laughed heartily, grinning, "Just for the thrill."
"Let tell you a story," the dark-skinned youth let go of the bearded man, sitting down on the couch and speaking slowly, "Once there were two idiots who believed in those naive slogans. After graduating, they joined the Police Headquarters with great enthusiasm and eventually worked in the County Police Headquarters Criminal Class, but then they slowly discovered that reality was nothing like the propaganda."
"They got a case where a worker was crippled by security at the request of his boss, but their superior told them to close the case as individual behavior by the security, unrelated to the boss. Dissatisfied, they found out later that their superior had been heavily bribed by the boss."
"They reported it upwards, but their superior learned of it the sa day. From then on, they were repeatedly made to wear small shoes at work, obstructed, sidelined, targeted, later even falsely accused of taking bribes, and stripped of their duties."
"And then... what happened next?" The bearded man had figured out that the story was about the two in front of him, and he wanted to know what happened afterward.
"Afterward!" The white-skinned youth picked up the story, laughing, "They got increasingly depressed, drowning their sorrows in alcohol daily, and that superior still paraded around mocking them for not knowing their place. One day, after waking up angrier than ever, they kidnapped him on his way ho and chopped him to pieces to feed to the dogs in the wild."
"Since then, they were enlightened; killing one or killing two, they decided to wander the country targeting corrupt officials. After killing, they’d dismber and cook the bodies to feed to wild dogs as a form of atonent, using their policing experience to kill three tis without leaving a trace, still at large and about to kill two more big wigs."
"Truly... truly two heroes of justice!" The bearded man stuttered.
The dark-skinned youth shook his head, "We’re no heroes, just seeking a thrill, after all, I have to kill you too in a bit, how can that make us heroes?"
He felt he had lived long enough.
"Then... just don’t kill ," the bearded man sobbed, crying, "I would never betray you, I keep my mouth shut."
"How tight your mouth is, only Erlang who’s tried it knows," the white-skinned youth said teasingly.
The dark-skinned youth laughed heartily.
The bearded man wailed even louder.
...
At noon, data about all police officers under the age of 50, excluding those who had left service due to disability or illness but for various other reasons, was transported from the Police Headquarters archive to the Special Investigation Headquarters at Police Headquarters.
"There are a total of five hundred people, scattered throughout various cities in the country, and each of you is responsible for a portion. Connect with local officers to investigate their current status, and if you find anything suspicious, go there personally and dig deeper. Got it?"
Aoyama Xiu Xin pointed to the stack of docunt bags in the middle of the conference table, addressing the people on both sides.
"Yes!" All stood and responded.
Having delegated the tasks, Aoyama Xiu Xin left.
Because Yehua Yiren had already got the one million US dollars ready, he was busy going to give a gift to Richard.
Aoyama Xiu Xin dialed the number Richard had given.
"Hello? This is Annie."
A pleasant female voice ca through the handset.
He hadn’t expected Richard’s assistant to be a woman.
A little sothing to do when busy, and sothing nice to do when not—right?
"Miss Annie, hello, I’m Police Chief Aoyama from Police Headquarters. I hope to et Mr. Richard at noon." Aoyama Xiu Xin said politely.
"Please hold." Annie probably went to ask Richard for permission; after a mont, she replied, "Team leader Richard invites Police Chief Aoyama to... have lunch together."
"Yes! It would be my honor."
After hanging up the phone, Aoyama Xiu Xin imdiately took the money and drove to the Western restaurant Annie had ntioned.
Upon reporting Richard’s na to the server, he was taken to a private room, where, upon entering, he saw a man and a woman already seated inside.
The man was naturally Richard.
The woman, in her twenties, tall and slim with a long blonde ponytail, wore a short crop top that revealed her midriff and waist, and denim hot pants showcasing her long, slender legs.
"Mr. Aoyama, please take a seat." Richard greeted Aoyama Xiu Xin, introducing the ponytailed blonde, "This is my assistant, Annie."
"Miss Annie," Aoyama Xiu Xin greeted.
Annie rely glanced at him and did not respond, continuing to silently eat her steak.
"She’s like that, don’t mind her," Richard shrugged his shoulders and called out to a waiter outside the private room, "Bring this gentleman the sa as mine."
His gaze then fell on the gift bag in Aoyama Xiu Xin’s hand and he smiled, "Is this a gift for ?"
Aoyama Xiu Xin glanced at Annie.
"Hey, don’t worry, friend, Miss Annie is very trustworthy," Richard laughed heartily.
Annie rolled her eyes, disdainfully glanced at Aoyama Xiu Xin, put down her knife and fork to stand up, "I can’t maintain a good appetite watching your dirty transaction, I am done eating, enjoy your al."
As she spoke, she walked out without looking back.
Aoyama Xiu Xin watched her incredulously.
An assistant with such an attitude?
Richard spread his hands helplessly with a shrug.
Aoyama Xiu Xin imdiately understood; this girl had connections and was only in Japan to add a feather to her cap.
"Mr. Richard, the information you provided last night was a great help to ; here’s a little sothing from , please accept it," Aoyama Xiu Xin handed over the gift bag.
Richard opened it and his smile brightened, "Wow, Mr. Aoyama, that’s quite a generous gesture. Do you realize you’re trying to bribe a US official? That’s illegal."
"No, no, no, I am not bribing a US official right now," Aoyama Xiu Xin shook his head with a smile, correcting him, "I’m just seeing a friend in financial trouble and lending so money to tide him over."
"Ha ha ha ha ha, I really like friends who are as generous as you," Richard accepted the money without hesitating and reached out to shake Aoyama Xiu Xin’s hand, laughing.
Aoyama Xiu Xin turned out to be the most generous Japanese person he had t, giving away so much the first ti, surely the future gifts wouldn’t be less than the first.
Aoyama Xiu Xin shook his hand, his smile undiminished, "As you get to know better, Richard, you’ll find I’m not only generous but also considerate. I never let friends help for nothing; after all, I can’t stand seeing my friends struggle for my sake without receiving anything in return—that would be my fault."
"Mr. Aoyama, please call Richard. Drop the ’Mr.’; it feels a bit too distanced."
"Alright, Richard, my dear friend."
Money is always a good tool to deepen relationships.
Their conversation was more pleasant this ti, but Aoyama Xiu Xin cited work obligations and didn’t stay for the al. After chatting for a bit, he left first.
Stepping out of the private room, he found Annie leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smoking. Her tender red lips held a slim cigarette proficiently exhaling smoke rings.
"Miss Annie, until next ti."
Aoyama Xiu Xin nodded his head with a smile in farewell.
Annie ignored him, released a puff of smoke and turned back into the private room, clearly looking down on him.
But Aoyama Xiu Xin was poised and did not take offense, he casually walked towards the elevator with one hand in his pocket.
Back at Police Headquarters, he imrsed himself back in his work.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
At four in the afternoon, the door to his office was knocked.
"Co in," Aoyama Xiu Xin said, his head still down.
A mber from the Special Investigation Headquarters for the "Dismbernt Serial Killer Case" entered with several files in hand and spoke, "Police Chief Aoyama, I think these two are very suspicious. They were dismissed for corruption a year ago, and the supervisor who had suppressed them mysteriously disappeared six months later, still unaccounted for."
Aoyama Xiu Xin took the files handed to him.
Two n, one with pale skin nad Xiao Chi Pinggu, and the other with dark skin nad Shanshang Cheyun, both 29 years old.
They were once police officers at the Aichi Prefecture Police Headquarters.
"I called the Aichi Prefecture Police Headquarters to learn more. These two are close friends and their dismissal might’ve been due to their supervisor pulling so strings. After their supervisor disappeared, Aichi Prefecture Police Headquarters also listed them as suspects but found no clues."
"I’ve also had local police visit their hos; neither has been ho for about a month," the reporting officer continued.
"Go to Aichi Prefecture and investigate," Aoyama Xiu Xin put down the files and looked at the officer in front of him.
These two were indeed suspicious, and now no clue could be dismissed—hit the trees and see if any dates fall.
What if the dates really fall down?
"Yes, sir!" The officer bowed and left.
After work, most people still didn’t leave, continuing to work overti at Police Headquarters. By around 7 p.m., few were left, but Aoyama Xiu Xin and Renping Kuniaki still hadn’t gone, not because they were more dedicated.
It was because they were both waiting for a phone call.
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