Not a detective

Page 101

Asakawa Riku could only pretend not to hear. He looked at the gazes and whispers of the people around him and felt increasingly uncomfortable, feeling like a kept man.

The seats were very comfortable, as if they enveloped the whole person. Compared to the luxury sedan that Dongyun's family had picked up before, which gave a business-like and comfortable feeling, this one felt more sporty. However, he didn't have the mind to savor it. He just fumbled around the dashboard and a bunch of buttons in front of him, trying to find out where he could close the convertible top before starting the car.

He certainly didn't want to be paraded through Tokyo and publicly executed.

...Where is it? He was completely clueless. Having never driven a car before, these buttons were like gibberish to him. He didn't dare to press them randomly, afraid that he would accidentally launch the car into the air.

"it's here."

A hand grabbed him, guided his hand, and pressed the correct button.

She was very close, smiling, and instead of pressing the button directly, she grabbed him and pressed it together.

The car roof slowly covered them from behind, blocking out the sunlight. The sports car wasn't very spacious, but it left just enough room for the two of them to be close together.

The moment the doors clicked shut, Asakawa Riku's heart inexplicably raced; he didn't feel like he'd actually gotten into the car...

Instead, they found themselves in a trap.

...

The dark blue 911 entered the traffic ramp and sped through the streets of Tokyo. The roads were actually very congested on the holiday, but Kirisame Aoi's driving skills made up for it.

She drove this luxurious machine like an arrow streaking across a blue trail, skillfully avoiding obstructing other vehicles while maintaining high speed. Although Asakawa Riku had never personally tried "driving," he felt that this skill was also a manifestation of physical ability, testing hand-eye coordination and control, enough to demonstrate this guy's extraordinary nature.

As for the issues of speeding and dangerous driving, since this guy is a policeman himself, he has no right to criticize anything.

He enjoyed the feeling of speed, the wind whistling past his ears; the gravity was nothing to him. He used the opportunity to begin thinking—

Actually, Asakawa Riku had something to say to Shinonome Suetsuki, but he didn't have time to tell her.

For a moment, he worried that Kirisame Aoi, the person from the Inspection Department, had come to investigate the "Shinonome Suetsuki poisoning incident."

He worried that Kirisame Aoi, as a special agent, might have special listening devices or some kind of superpower that would allow her to eavesdrop on conversations, so he didn't tell the detective and kept it to himself.

To briefly recall, Shinonome Suetsuki attended last year's family Christmas party in order to investigate the truth behind her biological mother's early murder and to take revenge on those involved.

She poisoned four people: successful agent Miwako Maeda, renowned director Kiyoshi Murakami, Kyoto yakuza leader Masao Furukawa, and Tomoya Shinohara, the head butler of the Shinonome family.

The method of poisoning was not particularly sophisticated, and the so-called alibi trick of "changing the time" was only aimed at Asakawa Riku.

Logically, if the police wanted to investigate, it shouldn't have been difficult to find out. Even if these four weren't big shots, they were still prominent figures in society, outsiders who could get involved in the Dongyun family gathering; their connections and influence must be extraordinary. Yet, after their incident, there was absolutely no follow-up, and it was simply swept under the rug without any incident…

Asakawa Riku has several guesses about the reasons:

First, Shinonome Suetsuki didn't poison them; he only used a special drug that "prompts amnesia and causes dementia." This might be considered a natural mental problem, like amnesia, but the fact that four people fell ill at the same time in the same place, coupled with their special identities, is enough to raise concerns... This possibility is unlikely.

Secondly, Higashino Kosuke, as the patriarch of that conglomerate and a local tyrant, tacitly approved of his daughter's revenge and provided cover for Suetsuki.

When the detective recounted what happened back then, she always felt that the old man was the real mastermind behind her mother's murder. Maeda Miwako and Murakami Seiji were the ones who pushed the actress into the wolf's den, while Furukawa Masao and Shinohara Satoshi were the ones who carried out the dirty work. Their only connection and relationship was with Shinonome Kosuke.

Even Riku Asakawa felt that if Kosuke Shinonome hadn't left early that Christmas, Sueki would have definitely poisoned his father as well.

Therefore, this possibility must also be ruled out.

Ultimately, Riku Asakawa came to the third possibility, which he considered the most likely.

That is, [the Dongyun family was so busy protecting the Dragon Palace that they neglected these unimportant soldiers].

Spring of the Item: Chapter Nine - Misty Rain Sunflower

The superpower research institute "Ryugu Palace," led by "Ibuki Ren," conducts inhumane human experiments, killing many innocent people.

Her crime deserves to be punished, and even being ground to dust cannot atone for it. Perhaps based on this consideration, the Inspection Department chose to let Chizuko-senpai go... Asakawa Riku can understand.

However, it's obvious to anyone with eyes to see that the benefactor behind the Dragon Palace Palace is the Shinonome family.

For some reason, none of the investigation reports about that research institute mentioned the "Dongyun family" at all.

Without such massive financial support, without the grand and imposing "Sake Heaven Pavilion" as a cover, and without underground facilities filled with high-tech equipment, it would be impossible to conduct such cutting-edge superpower research. Even if Ibuki Ren were a genius, he could not have created the earth-shattering "God's Poison" potion. This is an indisputable fact.

But the supervisory department did not crack down on the Dongyun family, did not collect evidence, did not investigate, did nothing, as if they were ignoring the elephant in the room.

Anyone with common sense would know that if Higashino Kosuke wanted to research superpowers and create that kind of drug, he must have some terrible plan or idea.

If Asakawa Riku and his team hadn't barged in and destroyed all the raw materials and manufacturing equipment shortly after they finished, the collapsed buildings and falling rocks that day would have basically destroyed all the computers and servers. It's unknown whether the data can be recovered, but the researchers who knew about the research technology were basically all wiped out by Chizuko-senpai's spell.

Therefore, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the miracle of [Divine Poison] should not be able to be replicated. Even if it could be replicated, according to Mr. Akihisa, without the blessing of the legends of the Dragon Palace and Mount Oe, and no longer being the injector of the original liquid, he would not possess the terrifying mutation and power of "Shuten-dōji," and Asakawa Riku would not have been caught in such a bitter battle.

It was all a product of chance that Asakawa Riku encountered the strongest yokai, and the legend of the Heian period was revived.

But Asakawa Riku was very glad that he went at the time, otherwise, if that drug had been mass-produced... even if he could handle one or two, it would have caused a huge disaster.

However, this only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause.

He didn't know if all the researchers were present at the time, or if there were field agents like Suzuki Sho who also knew about the research. He didn't know if the construction of the underground facility destroyed all the data and equipment, or if there were any backups or other drugs left behind. He didn't know if the Non-World Surveillance Department was trustworthy. What if, during their search of the Dragon Palace Palace, an insider secretly hid some evidence and it was leaked? Was there a risk of the research being replicated?

Asakawa Riku had many worries, but he knew that as long as the Dongyun family was destroyed, the root of everything could be cut off.

There are many geniuses in this world, and more will continue to emerge, but without the support of substantial funding and facilities, no research can be conducted, and all materials are just waste paper.

He believed that the Oversight Department, being such a mysterious, global organization, could not possibly lack intelligent people who could see through this.

However, he was very disappointed that the Ministry of Supervision did not take a hard line against the Dongyun family, and even adopted an attitude similar to "protecting" them.

The Shinonome family is so powerful that even the Ministry of Inspection, which represents public authority, has to be wary of them and dare not offend them.

Or did the Ministry of Supervision feel that it should not alert the enemy and should not act rashly before it has fully grasped the evidence? Faced with such a powerful enemy, it should wait for the right opportunity?

There are two possibilities. Asakawa Riku doesn't know what their internal discussions are like. Perhaps there are always different voices in a large organization, and there are probably two factions.

Looking at Ms. Kirisame Aoi, who was driving happily and humming a song beside him, he really wanted to ask her what her attitude was towards this matter.

"..." But the words were on the tip of his tongue, and he swallowed them back down.

If it's one of these two reasons, then no matter how you ask, the other person won't answer, so it's best not to bother them.

"what happened?"

It seems that Kirisame Aoi has a very keen eye; while maintaining her stunt driving skills, she was still able to notice Asakawa Riku's subtle expressions.

Asakawa Riku simply replied, "It's nothing. How much longer until we arrive?"

"It'll only take five or six minutes, we'll be there soon. We're just going to Shinjuku."

Wu Yu Kui replied, her right hand on the steering wheel, her left hand taking out a cigarette case from inside her trench coat, picking out a slender women's cigarette with her fingernail, and putting it in her lips.

Her left hand moved with remarkable dexterity, making it almost impossible to tell whether she was left-handed, right-handed, or ambidextrous. She then produced a metal lighter, which flicked open with a clink.

Do you mind if I smoke?

She opened the driver's side window wide, and the wind blew her short hair, making her look dashing and beautiful.

"mind."

Asakawa Riku quickly replied, "Smoking is harmful to your health. It will shorten your lifespan, destroy your cardiopulmonary function, reduce your oxygen supply capacity, and weaken your endurance."

The subtext of his words was quite clear: since you are also someone who pursues martial arts, whether it's fist techniques or swordsmanship, you should take good care of your weapons.

This is also a philosophy that Asakawa Riku has always believed in. He has always cared a lot about his health, even to the point of being as meticulous as an athlete in terms of nutrition.

"Okay."

Wu Yu Kui paused for a moment, then laughed. She snapped the cigarette in half with one hand and threw it out the window along with the lighter: "Then I'll quit starting today."

Asakawa Riku was stunned. He didn't know whether to be surprised that she agreed so readily or that she littered.

The second question was quickly answered. The cigarette box and lighter in the air moved with the wind and inertia, and fell precisely into the trash can on the side of the street with a thud.

This was a calculated trajectory! And she even spotted the trash can flash by and calculated the force while driving at high speed!

Even Riku Asakawa was surprised by the display of this skill; he even wondered if it might be a superpower.

Then I wondered if he could do it himself...

Asakawa Riku quickly arrived at the answer, so he didn't panic or look foolishly ignorant. Instead, he calmly said:

"Are you serious? I was just making a suggestion, not telling you that you absolutely have to do it."

"Of course, you're right."

Kirisame Aoi smiled easily, as if quitting smoking wasn't a big decision for her: "Besides, you said it yourself, so I'll definitely keep my word~"

"Don't be so ambiguous. I'm not some shy little boy who would agree with anything I say."

Asakawa Riku sighed. He couldn't stand the other party's attitude anymore. Although the inspector was very friendly and it felt good at first, being too friendly made it feel strange.

He emphasized, "If I really asked you out on a date and proposed to you, would you say yes to everything?"

"of course."

Kirisame Aoi's answer was very quick, but it didn't sound like a joke. On the contrary, judging from the look in her eyes in the rearview mirror, it was surprisingly... direct.

If there were a brake on the passenger side, Asakawa Riku would definitely slam it down.

Spring of Pieces: Chapter 10 Shinjuku Kabukicho

Although Kirisame Aoi is a strange person, it's hard to figure out what she's up to.

However, regardless of the circumstances, this indirectly reflects the current attitude of the Inspection Department, which is relatively friendly towards Asakawa Riku and his group.

Not only did they let Chizuko go, but they also didn't pursue the matter of Shinonome Suetsuki's poisoning.

On one hand, due to the "laissez-faire policy" of the Inspection Department towards the Shinonome family, Suezuki, being a member of the Shinonome family, was naturally included, and her crimes were not investigated.

On the other hand, the Dongyun family was busy severing ties with the Dragon Palace, and that local tyrant simply abandoned the matter, so the family did not pursue Dongyun Moyue's responsibility.

Both sides actually let her go, allowing the detective to complete a "perfect crime" with extremely clumsy methods that went unpunished.

It's truly absurd and bizarre; it's a product of multiple coincidences, almost a miracle...

But perhaps, a chilling thought popped into Asakawa Riku's head:

What if this isn't a miracle?

Perhaps all of this was a result that Shinonome Suetsuki "foresaw." Unlike Chizuko, she didn't have the ability to actively plan things out, but her superpower was the ability to predict the future.

This means she can foresee the situation and adjust her actions in advance based on changes. Therefore, hiring Asakawa Riku to disrupt things might also be a result of her deliberate influence.

If that's the case... that's truly terrifying...

She cleverly used the relationships between all parties and the psychology of everyone to rehearse, piecing together the only "future" with the most illogical coincidences.

This is a completely different style from Chizuko's steady and methodical approach. It is more extreme, ethereal, and unconventional, seemingly precarious, but in reality, only she knows if it is feasible.

Is this the "item"...? Asakawa Riku remembered the yokai he had heard of who could foresee the future.

She seems like a crazy rich girl, a grumpy and eccentric woman with a terrible personality, but in reality she has such a deep and scheming mind.

Asakawa Riku didn't know which "she" was the real one; he only felt that the women around him, including Kirisame Aoi, were all attractive to him—

None of them are normal people.

"We can think about the proposal speech another time. I want to hear the kind that's really, really heartfelt. Get out of the car, we've arrived."

Misty Rain Kui stopped her car by the roadside.

"I wasn't thinking about that."

Asakawa Riku replied helplessly. Just as expected, five minutes later, the two arrived at the bustling Shinjuku district.

...

Shinjuku Kabukicho has been Tokyo's undisputed entertainment center since the 1970s and 80s.

Back then, cinemas, arcades, bars, and other establishments were bustling with people from late at night until dawn, making it a true city that never sleeps. The glamorous hostesses didn't need to stand on the roadside soliciting customers, because customers with pockets full of money would flock to them on their own. They indulged in debauchery in this money pit, and the pungent smell of perfume and alcohol seemed to reach the heavens.

This celebratory atmosphere will continue until late at night, around three or four in the morning, with long queues forming on the streets as people wave large bills and compete for taxi seats.

After the bursting of the bubble economy, the entertainment venues in Kabukicho were hit hard. In addition, the Anti-Organized Crime Law was enacted in 1992, and after the beginning of the new century in 2000, the enactment of local security regulations, the strengthening of patrols, and the crackdowns became more severe than before, which severely damaged the local yakuza organizations, making them unable to afford the expenses of manpower and venues.

Finally, to ensure absolute security for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Metropolitan Police Department cracked down on Kabukicho, known as Asia's largest red-light district, finally bringing this chaotic area back to life. However, the disappearance of the yakuza did not mean the demise of the sex industry. As long as there is money to be made, it remains a symbol of Tokyo's "entertainment."

Now, this place is home to more than 3000 cinemas, bars, brothels, nightclubs, and love hotels, and is known as the "labyrinth of desire" and the "sleepless town". Asakawa Rikuko can see the neon signs lining the streets, which are lit up even during the day, and male and female escorts standing there soliciting customers with smiles on their faces and working very hard.

Kirisame Aoi led him through the famous "Kabukicho Ichiban-gai" sign, which reminded him of a classic scene from Yakuza.

However, since they arrived during the day, the street wasn't as brightly lit and extravagant as they had imagined, lacking a bit of atmosphere. Instead, they could see tour groups visiting the area during the day, suggesting it was an important tourist destination. He also heard many familiar languages, but with people around him, he couldn't easily approach them to strike up a conversation.

Asakawa Riku saw many videos online and heard that absurd scenes from "Shenren TV" often take place here at night. Sometimes, people would wrap themselves in blankets and start sleeping in the street, and fight each other at the slightest disagreement. The only difference was that the protagonists had changed from the brutal struggles of the underworld to teenagers with nowhere to vent their desires.

...It seems the cleanup efforts for the Tokyo Olympics didn't last long, and the place has become almost like Gotham again.

That makes sense, people are usually too repressed, especially teenagers who are going through rapid emotional and self-awareness changes, they need a space to vent.