Tokyo: Rabbit Police and Her Evil Partner

Chapter 513 The Kujo family is now in your hands!
Fushimi Shika sensed something was amiss and felt that Kujo Mutsu was setting a trap. He tentatively asked, "Since it's a case to investigate, why not entrust it to Tamako?"

Kujo Mutsu replied, "I've heard Yui mention Tamako's personality. I heard that she inherited Yui's flaws and is particularly serious about everything. There are some things that are not convenient to talk to her about."

"What is it?" Fushimi Shika asked.

Kujo Mutsumi fell silent, so Fushimi Shika urged, "You can't just blindfold a horse and let it run, can you?"

“That’s true,” Kujo Mutsumi sighed. “You should know that Hokkaido has several islands that border another country…”

"Oh!" Fushimi Shika immediately understood: "That northerner, he's from that country, right?"

Kujo Mutsu nodded, then added, "She's still my daughter-in-law, and her family isn't easy to mess with, otherwise I wouldn't have let my son marry her."

"I see." Fushimi Shika already sensed how troublesome this case was.

What a coincidence! It just so happened that this happened right when they returned to see Kujo Mutsuki...

“Yes, things haven’t been peaceful in the north lately. People probably married their daughters off here to have a backup plan. But now my daughter has died in a foreign land. How am I supposed to explain this to people?” Kujo Mutsu said.

Fushimi Shika nodded, then asked, "Is there a suspect?"

"I don't know," Kujo Mutsu said.

Fushimi Shika suspected that Kujo Mutsu was hiding something, but he didn't expose him. He caught another carp and decided to take on the case.

On the one hand, it was to build a good relationship with Gentama's family, just to fool his father-in-law; on the other hand, it was to find something to do in the boring countryside. Gentama had said beforehand that he would be staying here for a week, and if he didn't find something to do, he would definitely be bored to death.

"Then who should we ask to take on this case?" Fushimi Shika took off his fishing hook and put away his fishing rod.

“Go to the Otaru Canal, there’s a place called ‘Mizutani Fish Shop.’ Go find the owner and tell him I recommended it,” said Mutsumi Kujo.

"Eh, don't you have any keepsake?" Fushimi Shika asked.

“No one here would dare impersonate a member of the Kujo family.” Kujo Mutsu added, “When you go, it’s best not to let Tamako know.”

Fushimi Shika suspected he was bragging and that the other party would definitely call to confirm, but Fushimi Shika didn't say anything more. He put down his fishing rod, changed the subject, and mentioned that he was a good cook and could help prepare the carp.

Kujo Mutsuya felt that they had talked enough. He stood up, leaning on his cane, and asked his servant to lead Fushimi Shika to the kitchen. He would be in charge of preparing lunch for the day, as a way of showing his closeness.

Even in wealthy families, there are specific customs surrounding meals. A family feast is one where the chef cooks the meal himself. It is considered an honor to eat the food prepared by others as a way of expressing closeness. Otherwise, who can guarantee that the food hasn't been poisoned? Eating itself carries risks.

Once Fushimi Shika had gone far away, Kujo Mutsu, no longer appearing old and frail, strode back with great speed. He hurried back to the Japanese-style room, sat down again in front of Minamoto no Tamako, and pretended to cough twice.

Gen Tamako patted his back to help him breathe easier and subtly inquired about how his grandfather's conversation with Fushimi Shika went.

Kujo Mutsumi shook his head and sighed, looking utterly disappointed. Minamoto Tamako's heart leaped into her throat, and she quickly asked, "What's wrong? Did Shika-kun say something wrong? He's usually a bit direct..."

"Sigh, it's really nothing."

The more Kujo Mutsu said this, the more Minamoto Tamako wanted to know what was going on.

She kept pressing for answers, and Kujo Mutsu hesitated for a moment before finally sighing and saying, "It's like this, I have a daughter-in-law who recently had an accident... The police and the yakuza are both at a loss. I heard that Mr. Shika is very capable in solving cases, so I wanted to ask him for help, partly to test him out."

Upon hearing this, Minamoto no Tamako recalled her old stereotypes and assumed that Fushimi Shika had refused because she found it too troublesome.

Gen Tamako quickly tried to cover for Fushimi Shika, saying that Shika-kun had just finished a major case and needed to rest, and that she could handle the matter and would definitely be able to bring the real culprit to justice!
"Give it to you? That's not a good idea..." Kujo Mutsu looked hesitant.

"I am, after all, a member of the Kujo family. Please allow me to do my part for this family!" Gentamako bowed slightly and said, "Consider this my apology on behalf of Shika-kun. I only hope that you can accept Shika-kun!"

Kujo Mutsumi slapped his knee, looked up, and sighed, "Family scandals shouldn't be aired in public..."

These words were beyond Yuan Yuzi's emotional intelligence, and she looked up at her grandfather with a bewildered expression.

Kujo Mutsu could only cough and add something she could understand: "Lu-kun is ultimately an outsider. I've heard Yui mention his personality; he's always stirring up trouble, so there are some things that are not convenient to tell him."

Minamoto no Tamako wanted to say a few words in defense of Fushimi Shika, but Kujo Mutsu interrupted her in advance: "You're not even married yet, and you're already siding with outsiders? Once you're really engaged, he won't be an outsider... Right now, you have to understand your grandfather's concerns."

When the topic of engagement came up, Yuan Yuzi's face turned a little red. She felt that her grandfather's words seemed to be hinting at something, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Hmm, Grandpa seems to be more understanding than Mom described...

“I understand. As long as you don’t tell Lu Jun, I can investigate the case on my own.”

Yuan Yuzi sat up straight. She had gone to great lengths to get her family's support for this relationship. She would be even happier if she could get this case: "Please rest assured, I will definitely not let you down!"

"This is no simple murder case; it concerns the life and death of the Kujo family!"

Kujo Mutsu deliberately exaggerated the seriousness of the matter, casually patted her shoulder, and said solemnly, "To be honest, I should be asking you for help, Tamako. Can I entrust this matter to you? If it can be resolved smoothly, I believe you will be able to control your own life and will no longer have any objections to your free love."

"We will not fail in our mission!"

With her hands on the ground, Yuan Yuzi bowed slightly, a sense of sacred responsibility welling up in her heart.

She suddenly began to accept the identity of the eldest daughter of the Kujo family. The Kujo family was on the verge of collapse... Regardless of how dire the situation was, the head of the family had spoken personally, so how could it be false? In short, in such a critical situation, only the eldest daughter of the Kujo family could step forward to turn the tide and save the family from ruin!

The grandfather and granddaughter were overcome with genuine emotion, but Ping Yingzi's blank stare was a bit of a mood killer.

Having done all the pretense, Gen Tamako inquired about the specifics of how to handle the case. Kujo Mutsumi took a sip of tea and said, "Go to the Otaru City Police Station, find the head of the Criminal Investigation Division, and tell him that you are the eldest granddaughter of the Kujo family and a serving detective with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, and that you want to assist in the investigation. They will agree."

"Okay, okay." Yuan Yuzi nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

Great! I can investigate cases again. What an unexpected bonus! It's just a pity I can't bring my own subordinates.

The two chatted about various things, such as how Minamoto no Tamako was living in Tokyo and what kind of business her grandfather used to do... until Fushimi Shika had prepared lunch, at which point they got up, left the Japanese-style room, and headed to the restaurant.

Fushimi Shika made sweet and sour carp, braised carp, carp and tofu soup, steamed carp with chopped chili peppers... The Kujo family's seasonings were quite complete, and some of them had never been opened before, as if they were collections, which allowed him to thoroughly enjoy cooking.

Everyone at the table ate with great relish, and Hira Sakurako's chopsticks never stopped moving. Even Kujo Mutsu praised his granddaughter for her good taste in finding such a boyfriend, whose cooking skills were better than those of a high-end chef.

Unfortunately, Yuan Yuzi had to maintain her noble demeanor and couldn't actually eat. Her stomach was so tightly bound by her belt that there wasn't a single gap left, so she could only take a small bite of the fish to taste it, watching others feast while she sat to the side, staring blankly, all while maintaining a polite smile.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Kujo Mutsumi pretended to invite them to rest.

Gen Tamako waved her hands repeatedly and winked at her grandfather, saying that she had something to do and would come to bother him another day; Fushimi Shika thought she was tired and echoed her.

“In that case, I won’t keep you any longer. Ryusuke, go and see them off,” said Kujo Mutsu.

The butler nodded and led Fushimi Shika and the other two away, personally driving them back to the old house.

As soon as Minamoto no Tamako entered the house, she unbuckled her belt and took off the beautiful torture device on her body: "Ugh, it's killing me, I never want to wear this dress again..."

As she spoke, she carefully folded the clothes neatly, sealed them in a plastic bag, and prepared to return them to her mother later.

Hira Sakura had already unbuckled her belt, and she took off her clothes as well, casually placing them on the tatami mat. While waiting for Gentama to collect them, she went straight back to her room to find some change, intending to go to the convenience store by the sea to buy some chilled drinks.

In the blink of an eye, the two girls went from being delicate girls to being "dried fish girls" (a derogatory term for women who are not sophisticated or refined), walking around the old house in their lined pajamas.

Fushimi Shika, on the other hand, was doing as usual. He could wear his suit as everyday wear, as Japanese people usually wear suits to work or for daily tasks.

"I'm getting ready to go," he said, quickly packing his things—nothing much, just his briefcase and some change—to look like he was going out on business. "Is there anything you need to take?"

"Eh?"

Minamoto no Tamako had just packed away her two kimonos and hadn't yet come up with an excuse to go out alone when Fushimi-kun stepped out first: "What are you doing out there?"

“I want to buy ingredients. I’d like to go to the seafood market in Otaru,” Fushimi Shika paused, and to make the lie sound more believable, he added, “Your grandfather recommended that I buy ingredients there when he was fishing. He said I could find good stuff there, and everything was very fresh.”

"Ah, that's it."

Minamoto no Tamako was a little anxious. If Fushimi-kun left, wouldn't there be no one at home to look after Hira-sakura?
She gripped the doorframe, pleading, "Why don't we just buy it nearby... why go so far?"

Fushimi Shika assumed that she was just reluctant to part with him, and continued to make up a story: "Actually, it's not far. Anyway, there's nothing to do. You've been hungry all day and haven't eaten yet, so stay home and rest. I'll go buy some groceries."

After saying that, fearing that Yuan Yuzi would pester him, he hurriedly changed his shoes and left.

"What should I do now?"

With a sour look on her face, Yuan Yuzi looked at Ping Yingzi, who was sitting to the side counting her change, and asked, "I still want to go to the police station to investigate the case."

"Go ahead, it's perfect while he's not around," Hira Sakura said dismissively. "But there's no one to take care of you," Minamoto Tamako said, realizing how difficult it is to raise a child.

No wonder Mom didn't attend her graduation ceremony. She must have had more important things to do. You can't have both family and career!
Ping Yingzi wanted to say that she didn't need anyone to take care of her, but now that she didn't have a police gun, she felt a little uneasy being alone in the old house.

It's a pity that Minamoto no Tamako didn't have the good habit of bringing her police gun home, otherwise she would have a spare and wouldn't be in such a passive situation...

Speaking of which, hasn't anyone at the police station noticed that Fushimi Shika is missing his gun yet?
Hira Sakurako's thoughts were wandering until Gen Tamako started complaining again, at which point she came back to her senses and said, "It's okay, I'll go with you."

“Eh? That’s not a good idea…” Gen Tamako hesitated.

“You’ve taken me to crime scenes before, so consider it as gaining experience.” Hira Sakura didn’t actually want to go out, but she didn’t want to put Minamoto Tamako in a difficult position.

“That’s right, the deduction team still needs fresh blood,” Minamoto Tamako said happily, reaching out to pat Hira Sakurako on the shoulder: “From today onwards, you are the fourth member of the deduction team!”

"Yes." Hira Sakurako nodded.

Excellent! General Yuzi has gained another fierce general!
Yuan Yuzi hurriedly changed her clothes. Her main purpose in coming here was to see the head of the family, so she did not prepare a business suit. Since she wanted to go to the police station to handle a case, the most appropriate thing to wear was a tracksuit.

Ping Yingzi didn't have any formal attire to wear. As usual, she wore overalls and a short-sleeved shirt. She loved overalls because they could hold a lot of things, and there was a pocket in the front of her stomach, like Doraemon, where she could pull things out.

With everything ready, Genjiro Yuko, accompanied by Hira Sakurako, strode out with great pride and confidence.

"Now that you've joined the deduction team, you should call me captain. Investigating cases is no child's play; you'd better be prepared!"

On the way to the police station, Gen Tamako took the opportunity to educate her team members and consolidate her dominant position within the reasoning squad.

"No, then I'll quit." Ping Yingzi was also stubborn and didn't want to be a team member.

Yuan Yuzi was taken aback and a little unhappy. She said, "The Deduction Team is not a vegetable market where you can come and go as you please. If you want to quit, you have to write a 10,000-word withdrawal application first. You can only quit if I approve it."

"What will happen if I don't write it?" Hira Sakurako asked.

Gen Tamako was too embarrassed to say 'nothing will happen,' so she could only exaggerate the situation to make it more serious: 'Then you will lose the right to investigate the case. These days, countless people are vying to investigate a single case, and you might not even have the chance to do so!'

"Is that so?" Hirayuko asked, half believing it.

“Of course! Otherwise, how could I be the captain? Didn’t you see that my grandfather personally entrusted me with this case? There are so many people in the Otaru Police Station, and they haven’t even had a chance to investigate this case yet!” Minamoto Tamako raised her head, and her steps became much lighter.

“But I don’t want to be a team member.” Hira Sakurako remained steadfast in her principles.

Yuan Yuzi didn't force the issue and offered a compromise: "Then you can be the vice-captain and my assistant, and you'll be my equal from now on."

Hira Sakurako reluctantly accepted: "Okay, then I'll be the vice-captain."

She planned to wait until she got back tonight and have Fushimi Shika call her vice-captain. Even a minor official is still an official, and it's better than being a team member.

……

Meanwhile, team member Shika Fushimi is taking a train to the seafood market in Otaru City.

The seaside pier was considered an intermediate stop, so there were still empty seats on the tram when he boarded. After about ten stops, the tram became crowded.

The train was full of office workers in suits, men and women, young and old, all kinds of people. When Fushimi Shika mingled among them, the train felt like a 'metal can of office workers'.

It seems like the work pressure in Hokkaido is quite high...

As Fushimi Shika squeezed off the tram, the sea breeze, carrying a strong smell of sea salt and fish, hit him.

Low, gray-blue corrugated steel warehouses lined the dock, their silver ventilation ducts constantly spewing white mist. Crane booms hung above rusty trawlers, the names of the seafood companies emblazoned on their hulls.

Stacks of foam plastic boxes were visible everywhere on the road. Melted ice water mixed with fish scales accumulated in potholes, forming small pools. Workers wearing rubber aprons were shoveling silvery mackerel into refrigerated trucks.

Several seagulls were pecking at pieces of fish entrails on the ground when Fushimi Shika passed by, and they flapped their wings and took flight.

It lacked the refreshing atmosphere of Otaru City depicted in TV dramas. His first impression was that it was dirty and chaotic. The fishmongers even had tattoos on their arms, making it seem like no tourist attraction.

"Hmm, Mizutani Fish Shop... Mizutani Fish Shop..."

Fushimi Shika muttered to himself as he passed by a series of seafood shops, finally stopping at a shop with a freestanding sign that read "Mizutani Fish Shop".

The cedar countertop was covered in knife marks and water stains, and the remaining fish scales shimmered silver in the sunlight. White styrofoam boxes piled against the wall were filled with crushed ice, and mackerel tail fins were half-exposed beneath the ice.

A curtain hangs over the shop door, revealing a faded accounting board inside, with chalk writing scribbled down the names of fishing grounds such as "Thousand Islands" and "Ishikari".

Dark red blood was dripping from the cast iron tank in the corner, and the bottom of the tank was covered with sticky fish entrails.

The boss was gutting a fish with a sharp knife, wearing a black plastic apron, with a full beard and a muscular build. He glanced at Fushimi Shika and asked, "What do you want?"

Fushimi Shika, carrying his briefcase, took a step back to avoid getting fish blood splattered on him.

"Kujo Mutsumi sent me." He peeked around and asked, "Who's in charge here?"

Upon hearing this, the fishmongers around them all stood up, fish-cleaning knives in hand, and surrounded them. Mr. Mizutani slammed his knife down on the cutting board, rolled up his sleeves to reveal his full-arm tattoos: "It's me. What's wrong? Who are you?"

Fushimi Shika didn't bring his business card, otherwise he would have truly become a typical working-class person.

He initially considered taking out his police ID from the lining, but then felt it wasn't appropriate, since these people were all from the underworld and there was no guarantee they wouldn't react aggressively.

To avoid accidentally injuring friendly forces, Fushimi Shika had no choice but to start reciting the menu, beginning with the names of the soldiers according to Freljord custom:
"Do you know Takamasa Ishii? No... What about Gen Satake? You don't know him either? You must know the Yamaguchi-gumi... You're not familiar with that either? What about Chunshu Zhao?"

"Oh! You know Old Zhao! That's great, we're all on the same side. I heard Mr. Chunshu used to run a restaurant in Hokkaido, and you had business dealings with him, right?"

"How about I give him a call... Moshi Moshi? It's me... Nothing much, just going back to Hokkaido... Let's skip the dinner, have you heard of Mizutani Fish Shop?"

"The Northern Association? Never heard of it... Oh, a union similar to those for unemployed fishermen and seafood workers? It's a violent gang too, I see..."

"Why don't you talk to them? Just exchange a few pleasantries. They're standing right next to me, holding knives... Okay, I'll give him the phone."

The owner of the Shuigu store took the phone, turned his back, went into the water stall, and chatted with Zhao Chunshu for about ten minutes.

When he returned, his attitude softened considerably. He handed the phone back to Fushimi Shika and asked, "Are all the people in Tokyo this polite? The yakuza dress like office workers."

Fushimi Shika followed up, saying, "Times have changed. Haven't you heard of the Organized Crime Act? Now gangs are all trying to whitewash themselves."

The owner of the Mizutani shop didn't seem to care. He lifted the curtain and led Fushimi Shika to the fish stall to sit down. The other seafood shop owners didn't leave but instead gathered around, coldly staring at Fushimi Shika.

Next comes the usual self-introduction segment. The owner of the Mizutani store is surnamed Mizutani, and his full name is Junichiro Mizutani. He is currently the chairman of the Hokuho-kai, and has more than eighty people under him.

Just hearing this number might not give you a sense of its significance; you might think that only eighty people could cause any trouble.

In reality, taking the criminal gangs in Dongda as an example, they typically consist of a few to dozens of people. Family gangs usually have five to thirty members and can dominate the village. Cross-village gangs usually have twenty to fifty members and can monopolize more than 90% of the local construction projects.

Japan is a small country, and a yakuza group of more than 80 people, if its core members include bureaucrats and zaibatsu, is already enough to compete for power in Hokkaido.

There's no comparison to violent gangs like the Yamaguchi-gumi, which have thousands or tens of thousands of members. They're the top gang in all of Japan, so they should act like one. You can't compare yourself to the number one in everything.

When you're out and about, you give yourself an identity. Fushimi Shika lied and said that he was an executive of the Inagawa-kai and the future son-in-law of the Kujo family. He claimed that he was invited by his fiancée's grandfather to handle the murder case.

The reason for using such a vague term as "that murder case" is that Fushimi Shika does not yet know the name of the deceased or the specific details of the incident; he only knows that someone has died, hence this description.

After listening, Junichiro Mizutani scratched his forehead, feeling that this guy had quite a background. Whether it was the Inagawa-kai or the Kujo family, they were both behemoths that he couldn't afford to offend.

"Actually, we already have some leads..."

Junichiro Mizutani planned to offer some excuses, not wanting to appear incompetent in the North, since they still made a considerable amount of money from the Kujo family every year.

When he took on this murder case, he boasted that he would catch the murderer within three days. Now that a week has passed and the Kujo family has sent someone to take over, he has to show some progress.

“Then let’s start talking,” Fushimi Shika said patiently, taking out a black notebook from his pocket. “Let’s begin from the beginning and tell you how this murder happened.”

Meanwhile, Minamoto no Tamako sat in her office at the Otaru City Police Department, with case files spread out in front of her.

She said the same thing to the detectives handling the case: "Please describe the details of the incident."

(End of this chapter)