Tokyo: Rabbit Police and Her Evil Partner

Chapter 458 Mysterious Basement

Based on team member Fushimi Shika's deduction, team leader Minamoto Tamako thoroughly planned the direction of the investigation, dispatched peripheral prospective team member Abe Rokuro to re-investigate the social circles of the 'drug addicts', and personally led a team to the home of the suspect in the "street face-biting case" to conduct investigation and collect evidence.

Minamoto no Tamako thoroughly enjoyed being the captain. Whenever they went out, she had to walk in front of Fushimi-kun. Fushimi-kun couldn't walk too fast. If he passed her, it would be considered disrespectful to the captain. She was subtly showing off her long legs while discriminating against the captain's relatively short legs. Her body and leg proportions were fine, but relative to Fushimi-kun's 1.8-meter height, her legs were definitely not as long as Fushimi-kun's. This was the theory of leg relativity.

Fushimi Shika could only slow down and walk behind her, looking like a little follower behind a young lady.

The guy who bites his face lives in Arakawa Ward, a relatively remote area on the outskirts of Tokyo. It's not very developed, and you can still see large tracts of farmland there today... The story of "Arakawa Under the Bridge" is set under a bridge in Arakawa, because Arakawa is so remote that you can't see a single person for half a day.

The two took a taxi to the suspect's house. Upon arrival, they got out of the car one after the other, giving off the vibe of a rich young lady and her bodyguard.

Sigh, things are getting worse and worse.

Fushimi Shika shook her head and sighed inwardly. Minamoto no Tamako's ahoge radar detected her dissatisfaction, and she turned around abruptly. Fushimi Shika immediately put on a sincere smile.

Genji was filled with suspicion, wondering if her sixth sense had been wrong? Had Fushimi-kun been clamoring behind her back?

She kept turning back to look at him, but Fushimi Shika didn't even bother to change his expression, maintaining his professional fake smile. He had been demoted from bodyguard to eunuch, and if this continued, he would probably become a servant soon.

The case must be solved as soon as possible!

Fushimi Shika's motivation to solve the case had never been stronger. He wished he could rush into the suspect's house, search it thoroughly with his sharp eyes, find the decisive clue, and expose the mastermind behind the case.

Unfortunately, investigations can't be rushed.

Looking around, the roadside was overgrown with weeds, with a few low bungalows scattered along the roadside. A few sparrows perched on the telephone poles, and the scorching summer sun made him feel like he was about to take flight.

Fushimi Shika wasn't this sensitive to heat before. Ever since he was poisoned by Nue, he's disliked sunbathing. Before, he was anxious every day, wondering how to get rid of the poison. Now that he knows sunbathing can cure it, he's no longer in a hurry to get rid of the poison.

It's good that things continue like this. If Genji knew he wouldn't die, his personality might change drastically.

"How much further?" Fushimi Shika stretched out his suit jacket, like a high school student using his school uniform to shield himself from the rain and sun.

"We're almost there. Do you see that little house?" Gen Tamako pointed to a detached house not far away. The front door was surrounded by a fence, and there was a porch in front of the house. It was a typical Japanese rural house and looked quite nice.

Fushimi Shika subconsciously quickened his pace, wanting to go inside to cool off. He inadvertently forgot Captain Tamako's order that he couldn't walk past the captain just because of his long legs, and he left Minamoto Tamako behind.

Gentama started jogging, but when she realized she couldn't catch up with Fushimi Shika, she stopped and walked slowly, sulking to herself.

Seeing this, Fushimi Shika turned around and found that Genji was pouting again. Something hardened on his body, not his younger brother, but his fists.

It's not his fault he has long legs. Does Minamoto Tamako like dating men who are only 1.5 meters tall? Would Minamoto Tamako recruit hobbits as team members? She wants team members with long legs, but doesn't allow them to walk normally. What a hypocritical woman!
Thinking of the unclaimed grand prize, Fushimi Shika suppressed his anger and made up a story: "I'll go ahead and scout the way for you, just in case the suspect has accomplices who suddenly appear and attack the captain, that would be bad."

Yuan Yuzi reluctantly accepted this explanation, nodding and saying, "That's right, your loyalty is commendable, and you have gradually come to understand how to be a good team member... but young people are prone to being too impatient, and you still lack some experience."

"..."

Fushimi Shika hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "What's lacking?"

Gen Tamako held up one finger, shook it back and forth, and walked past him with her head held high: "You need to consider that the captain isn't afraid of being ambushed by suspects..."

As she spoke, Yuan Yuzi patted the pistol at her waist. Ever since the attack on the man who bit her face, she had been carrying her pistol every time she went out on a mission, just in case: "With the captain's marksmanship, if a suspect were to attack, he would definitely not return alive! As a team member, you cannot underestimate the captain's strength! There is absolutely no need to do things like scouting."

"...It was my oversight."

Fushimi Shika discovered that this guy was even more narcissistic than he had imagined, even rivaling him. No wonder Minamoto Tamako liked him; they were kindred spirits after all.

"I'll let it go this time, but there won't be a next time." Yuan Yuzi was very satisfied. The scorching sun felt like a cool breeze on her body, so comfortable that she squinted her eyes and couldn't help but smile.

"Oh."

Fushimi Shika could only continue to obediently follow behind her.

With her hands behind her back, Yuan Yuzi turned around and glanced at him sideways, saying, "Oh what? Forgot the rules again?"

Fushimi Shika silently repeated "Tamako's cerebellum is underdeveloped" a thousand times in his mind before suppressing his displeasure and shouting according to the rules, "...Yes, Captain!"

“Great!” Gen Tamako took a chocolate out of her pocket and handed it over: “Here, this is your reward.”

Fushimi Shika didn't accept the offer. He had already used this method to tame Gentama through reward feedback. The last time he fed her was when they went to Izu Town to soak in hot springs... Later, Fushimi Shika felt that this method of taming was too troublesome, and it would be better to just use atonement tickets to get rid of Gentama, so he shelved the taming plan.

Looking back now, it seems that laziness really led to big problems.

Not only did Genji fail to tame him, but he also collected enough redemption tickets and turned around to try to tame him using his own techniques. It was a complete reversal of the natural order!

Thinking of this, Fushimi Shika pouted and said, "I don't like this chocolate."

Genji frowned and scolded, "You dare not eat the chocolate the captain gave you? Are you questioning the captain's taste?"

"I didn't mean that."

"Then eat it!" Gen Tamako shoved the chocolate in front of him. To prevent him from worrying that it was a cheap chocolate, Gen Tamako added, "This is from a specialty store. I've tasted it, and it's delicious! Otherwise, why would I give it to you as a reward?"

Fushimi Shikashin thought, "Why not eat it if it's free?" So he picked it up and put it in his mouth. After chewing it for a while, it was indeed delicious. The outer shell was dark chocolate, and the inside had a sugar filling. It was sweet but not cloying, and very tasty.

"Any more?" Fushimi Shika reached out, wanting another one.

"No, I'll reward you when you do well." Gen Tamako secretly gloated, thinking that Fushimi-kun had so many clever ideas, and they were all surprisingly effective. She thought that when she became a police inspector, she would use this method to manage her subordinates. Fushimi Shika, however, wasn't interested. He didn't want to become a prisoner of chocolate, so he subtly inquired, "What brand is this? Generic brands have poor quality control; there might be cockroaches in the chocolate, and it could easily give you diarrhea."

"Huh? Is that so?" This was the first time Yuan Yuzi had ever heard of it.

As they chatted, they approached the small hut and stood outside the fence. Fushimi Shika peeked out; the yard was overgrown with weeds, looking like it hadn't been mowed in a while. He casually replied, "Of course, there are cockroaches crushed on the chocolate production line that blend into the melted chocolate... You don't usually watch the news, so of course you wouldn't know."

Gen Tamako imagined it: the gears in the factory workshop rumbling and crushing cockroaches, squashing them until they burst and mixed with chocolate paste, eventually ending up in her mouth... Ugh! How disgusting!

She decided to do some research in the future to avoid buying unclean chocolate. As for the remaining chocolate in her pocket, she would give it to Fushimi-kun. After all, he was dying soon, so diarrhea wouldn't be a big problem.

"It's a big brand, you...you can eat it without worry." Yuan Yuzi lied, a little nervously.

Fortunately, Fushimi Shika didn't pay any attention. He looked around like a monkey for a while, and then, thinking that there was probably no one in the house, he called out, "Moshi moshi? Is anyone there?"

The courtyard was quiet except for the chirping of birds and the sound of cicadas in the sweltering summer heat.

“Looks like no one’s here,” Fushimi Shika thought to himself this time, and instead of climbing over the fence, he waited for Minamoto Tamako to leave first: “Captain, please.”

Genjiro felt that the chocolate had an immediate effect and couldn't help but smile with satisfaction. She took out another chocolate from her pocket and handed it to Fushimi Shika: "Not bad, not bad. You know how to give way to the captain. Here's a chocolate for you."

Fushimi Shika didn't bother to argue. As he always said, "If you don't eat it, you might as well eat it." He popped it into his mouth and chewed it with relish, waiting for Captain Tamako to come into the house to investigate.

Yuan Yuzi braced her hands on the edge of the wooden fence, trying to climb over, but the fence swayed violently and seemed unable to support her weight. If she forced herself to climb over, she might fall flat on her face, so she dared not make any rash moves.

"What's wrong, Captain? You can't get over the fence, can you?" Fushimi Shika asked gloatingly from the side.

Minamoto Tamako was displeased. She was no longer the Minamoto Tamako of the past; she was now the captain of the detective squad. In the words of an elementary school student, she had become "darkened" and would not tolerate any sarcastic or mocking behavior from her team members!
She coughed lightly, stood up straight with her hands behind her back, and said, "Actually, I wanted to test your initiative as a team member. I pretended that I couldn't get over it and saw if you would offer to help... Sigh, your performance was very disappointing."

"..."

How could Fushimi Shikakoro say something like that? You used to stutter when you lied, how come you're so fluent now?
Could it be that Minamoto no Tamako is telling the truth? Is she really testing me in this way?

Whether it was an act or not, Fushimi Shika had to take it as real. He bent down, took Genji's arm, and said, "It was my oversight. Let me help you."

"Do I need your help?" Yuan Yuzi reverted to her old ways.

Fushimi Shika couldn't take it anymore and said, "If I get heatstroke and collapse here, you'll have to carry a 160-pound adult all the way back to the station... I don't care, I trust the captain won't leave me behind, right?"

Seeing that he was sweating profusely and his face was pale, Yuan Yuzi felt a little guilty and quickly climbed up the wooden fence, saying, "Give me a hand."

Fushimi Shika reached out to lift her heart-shaped bottom, but unexpectedly, Minamoto Tamako took the opportunity to push off with her foot, stepping onto Fushimi Shika's shoulder and successfully flipping over the wooden fence.

Gen Tamako landed steadily with her arms outstretched, looked around briefly, and said in what she thought was a professional tone:
"Safe! Hurry up and keep up!"

Fushimi Shika, like a gangster, easily flipped over the wooden fence with one hand and entered the yard. Minamoto Tamako was extremely envious, thinking that having long legs was a great advantage, allowing her to flip over hurdles higher than others.

The two entered the house without incident and knocked on the door, but there was still no response. Yuan Yuzi suggested climbing through the second-floor window. They were there to investigate the murder case, and since the homeowner had been detained, they had emergency search rights and it wouldn't be considered trespassing.

Fushimi Shika didn't say anything. He took the police badge off Minamoto Tamako's chest, used a pin to pry open the door lock, and then put it back on Minamoto Tamako.

"When did you learn to pick locks?" Yuan Yuzi asked in shock.

"I didn't learn it; I learned it on my own," Fushimi Shika said, making it up.

He put on gloves, a head covering, and shoe covers, and the first thing he did upon entering was look for the air conditioner remote. Unexpectedly, the old house didn't have air conditioning, only a ceiling fan, and a straw mat was laid on the floor; it seemed the man who chewed his face usually relied on calming himself down to stay cool.

Yuan Yuzi, dressed neatly, followed her in. The room's curtains weren't drawn, so the lighting was quite good. The furniture was rather retro, reminding her of her grandfather's old house in the countryside.

After searching for a while, the two found the suspect's household registration book. His name was Nishino Ritsuta, a salesman whose parents had passed away. He also had a younger sister named Nishino Touna... Minamoto no Tamako and Fushimi Shika exchanged a glance. The former had a bad feeling and quickly called the police station to ask if the patrol officer in charge of the aftermath had seen Nishino Ritsuta's family.

The patrol officer replied, "No, I've called several times, but no one answers. I even went there in person, but no one was home..."

Genjitama hung up the phone, her face filled with anxiety: "Oh no! Could Nishino Touna have starved to death at home like that dog...?"

“Kids aren’t dogs. Their birth dates are written on the book. They’re twelve years old. If they’re hungry, they can’t go out and find food. The area may be remote, but it’s not uninhabited. They won’t starve to death.” Fushimi Shika closed the household registration book and said, “Keep searching. If we don’t find a body, we’ll ask the nearby residents.”

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yuzi became extremely alert and began a thorough search and investigation.

Fushimi Shika circled around several times but found nothing. He neither found the body nor any clues. Judging from the furniture and household items, Nishino Ritsuta seemed to be an ordinary person with no strange hobbies.

He was about to ask Gentama to make the visit when he turned around and saw Gentama standing in the corner of the entrance hall, staring blankly at a wall.

"What's wrong?" Fushimi Shika asked, leaning closer.

“The thickness of this wall is different from the volume of the outside,” Yuan Yuzi reached out and knocked on the wooden wall, and a thumping echo came from inside. “And it’s hollow... There must be a secret room or a secret passage.”

For this kind of reasoning puzzle, Minamoto no Tamako was more adept. She groped along the wall and found a pull ring at the bottom of the shoe cabinet. She pulled hard, but couldn't budge it. Fushimi Shika came over to help, and that's how she finally managed to pull up the floor door.

This type of door is actually quite common, usually installed under stairwells, often used in homes to connect to basements. Ritsuta Nishino designed a shoe cabinet around this door, making it blend seamlessly into the furniture.

The two peered down and saw a wooden staircase with a hollow center, which looked flimsy. The bottom was pitch black, and they couldn't see anything at all.

Just then, from deep within the basement, a timid voice suddenly rang out:
"Brother? Is that you back?"

(End of this chapter)