Tokyo: Rabbit Police and Her Evil Partner

Chapter 514 Rumor Deduction
The deceased was named Svetlana. She was Caucasian, with striking features, and quite pretty in the photos. After marrying into the family, she adopted a Japanese name, taking her husband's surname, and became known as Kujou Yuka.

According to a yakuza investigation—which was really just harassing people door-to-door or asking old women for gossip—Kujou Yuka opened a flower shop as a side business in her spare time, but she had to close it down recently due to health reasons.

Her husband was named Kujo Hikaru, the eldest son of Kujo Mutsu.

It's worth mentioning that Kujo Yui is the eldest daughter, born first, and is Kujo Hikaru's older sister.

The couple had already been separated for three years.

Kujo Hikaru lives away from home most of the year, partly for work and to manage his family business, and partly for a life of pleasure and romance, as he is said to have kept many women on the side.

Kujo Yuka has said she wants a divorce every year, but it's always just talk. Perhaps due to considerations of family interests, she has never openly discussed the matter.

Junichiro Mizutani has a stereotype of the Russian people, believing that women in the north are very open and that perhaps the woman runs the flower shop to screen customers. He thinks she has probably cheated on her husband a lot, which is why the couple is estranged.

More than a month ago, Yuka Kujo died in a residential alley. The exact time of her death was 11 o'clock.

There were witnesses at the time of the incident. A waiter was cleaning on the second-floor balcony of the hotel when he looked down and saw a man walking hurriedly out of the alley. He was wearing a mask and glasses. Because of his suspicious behavior, the waiter remembered him.

The above are the confirmed findings of the Northern Association's investigation. In addition, there are some inaccurate, unsubstantiated, and unrelated findings.

For example, in the north, they found a courier whose build and appearance resembled the suspect. They went to the suspect's home and beat him half to death, only to find out that he had gone out of town to deliver packages that night.

For example, someone from the North might find out about a guy who "supposedly" saw the murderer's face, only to discover after paying a large sum of money for the information that he had been tricked and that the other party was just a fraudster.

For example, in the north, it might be discovered that another murder occurred that day, though not in Otaru City. The victim was also stabbed in an alley, suspected to be the work of a serial killer...

Fushimi Shika listened quietly from beginning to end, filtering out irrelevant information, and began to ask, "How was this precise time of death determined?"

Junichiro Mizutani scratched his neck again: "That's what the police said."

Fushimi Shika let out a 'boom' and then asked, 'Do you know the direction of the detectives' investigation?'

Junichiro Mizutani didn't know either. He scratched his neck and nose, then said, "I'm not quite sure."

Fushimi Shika finally asked, "It's been a month and a half, and we still haven't found a suspect? That's enough time for the murderer to travel around Japan by train."

Jun'ichirō Mizutani started scratching his butt again, looking restless and itchy all over: "This...we did our best..."

Upon hearing this, Fushimi Shika knew that continuing to ask would not yield any valuable information and would only embarrass the other party.

He exchanged contact information, got up to take his leave, and instructed that he would contact the Northern Association at any time if needed in the future, and hoped that Mr. Mizutani would cooperate.

Jun'ichirō Mizutani had assumed Fushimi Shika was there to reprimand him, but instead, Fushimi Shika prepared to leave after asking his questions, which made him uneasy. He quickly stood up and said, "Mr. Fushimi, why don't you have a meal before you go..."

"I'm not eating anymore, the case is more important."

Fushimi Shika planned to go home for dinner, concluding his investigation for the day. However, he still had to pretend to be diligent and conscientious, so that when the news reached Kujo Mutsuki's ears, it would appear that he had worked tirelessly and devoted himself wholeheartedly.

He bought some seafood along the way, but it wasn't really a purchase; it was something Junichiro Mizutani insisted on giving him without charging him any money, which was a form of bribery... Tuna and king crab aren't cheap, and they even sent someone to deliver them, so the water-cooled shipping costs alone were a considerable expense.

On her way home, Fushimi Shika called Kujo Yui: "Moshi moshi? It's me..."

Kujou Yui's voice came through the receiver, accompanied by the sounds of footsteps and turning pages of documents, showing how busy she was since becoming the Superintendent General of Police: "What's wrong?"

"Did you know beforehand that someone in your family had died, which is why you agreed to let me take Yu Zi back? Now look what's happened, your old man wants me to investigate this stupid case, is this considered a vacation?"

Fushimi Shika realized what was going on. He discovered that Kujo Yui had been using various methods to entice him to work for a week, often urging him to do so on the condition that he take Minamoto no Tamako back to Hokkaido to see the head of the family... As the eldest daughter in the family, Kujo Yui had no reason not to know that her sister-in-law had died.

If you know something but don't tell, what are your intentions?
Kujo Yui didn't take it to heart and casually said, "Don't you like investigating cases? It's something that comes easily to you, and it also proves your abilities. Isn't that great?"

She paused, her voice becoming slightly muffled, probably because she moved the microphone further away: "Is there anything else? If not, I'll hang up."

"Don't rush me," Fushimi Shika said, sitting on the train with one hand holding a styrofoam cooler containing king crab, while the tuna was transported by a special refrigerated truck. "No matter what, this is your family matter. Why are you pushing it onto an outsider like me?"

Kujo Yui remained silent, then continued, "You're using me as a pawn again, aren't you?"

Kujo Yui asked, "Why do you think that?"

Fushimi Shika said, "Your brother killed his wife, and even if the police know, they won't dare to say it openly. Kujo Mutsumi wants to protect his son but also has to give his daughter-in-law's family an explanation... So you asked me to help clean up the mess, right?"

Kujou Yui's voice became clearer, and there was no more noise around her. She guessed that she had changed rooms, and her tone became much more serious: "You're half right."

Even if Fushimi Shika is only half right, I'd be satisfied. He's just making things up to highlight that Kujo Yui is inhuman and is targeting him at every turn. Whether he's wronged or not, he has to make a fuss, which is a kind of negotiation tactic.

Fushimi Shika always investigated cases in this way, speculating in the most likely and darkest direction, but Minamoto Tamako insisted that this was not deduction.

Right now, he casually asked:

"Which half?"

Kujo Yui said, "Ah-Kuang is indeed a suspect, but it's not clear whether he killed the person; Dad may not intend to protect him either, and there are more than one son in the family, so if necessary, Dad might clean house."

Fushimi Shika wiggled his butt, feeling his legs go numb from the pressure of the freezer: "So, your family still hasn't figured out exactly what's going on?"

“The situation is complicated.” Kujo Yui said it seriously, but her tone was very relaxed, and it was clear that she didn’t really care about it: “Otherwise, Dad wouldn’t have needed to entrust this matter to you.”

"Then doesn't this count as working overtime?" Fushimi Shika's focus was different from hers.

"Yes," was all Yui Kujo could say.

"Is there overtime pay?" Fushimi Shika asked again.

"No." Kujo Yui finally snapped: "Go ask whoever asked you to do the favor for money."

Fushimi Shika developed an "Anti-Demon Evil Chant" specifically for Kujo Yui, and he shouted excitedly, "You tricked me into coming back! You used me as a pawn! I've shed blood for the Metropolitan Police Department, I've contributed to the fight against terrorism! I finally got a break to recover from my injuries, and you still make me clean up your own mess! Kujo Yui, don't push your luck!"

Kujo Yui paused for a moment, then asked, "What do you want?"

Fushimi Shika continued shouting, completely ignoring the strange looks from the passengers on the train: "I've shed blood for the Metropolitan Police Department! I've done my part in the fight against terrorism! I've shed blood for the Metropolitan Police Department! I've done my part in the fight against terrorism!"

The sound of Kujo Yui taking deep breaths came through the receiver, probably suppressing her anger: "If you keep this up, I'm hanging up."

Fushimi Shika continued his spellcasting: "Is this how you treat a meritorious official? Tomorrow I'll call the Tokyo Shimbun and tell them that the newly appointed Superintendent General of Police is eliminating dissidents, being jealous of talent, and forming cliques..."

Kujou Yui felt that this guy was really capable of doing such a thing, so she had no choice but to soften her tone and say, "I'll give you an extra month of paid leave, is that alright?"

"Do you think I need your two stinking coins?" Fushimi Shika cursed, thoroughly satisfied.

"So what exactly do you want...?"

"I've shed blood for the Metropolitan Police Department, I've contributed to the fight against terrorism! I—"

"Alright, alright, alright, I'll call Dad later and talk to him about it," Kujo Yui said again.

"Who does that old geezer think he is? What business is it of his if I'm dating Tamako!" Fushimi Shika immediately switched to his foul-mouthed mode.

"I've removed the surveillance cameras from your house. I won't interfere in your affairs with Tamako anymore," Kujou Yui's tone hardened. "I'm warning you, don't go too far."

Fushimi Shika, knowing when to stop, quickly regained his composure and said, "Thank you, I think that's fine. I'll do my best to investigate the case. That's all for now, I won't disturb your work any longer."

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

Hmm, not bad. He gets an extra month of paid leave, and his mother-in-law can help him persuade her... Most importantly, his mother-in-law has said that she won't interfere in his and Yuzi's affairs anymore.

Does this implicitly condone premarital sex?
Fushimi Shika pondered all the way home. When he arrived at his doorstep, the water-cooled transport workers were unloading a box of tuna and carrying it into the yard.

Meanwhile, Minamoto no Tamako had just returned from the police station. Afraid of missing Fushimi Shika's return home, she hurried home with the case files after learning about the case, but she was still a step too late.

Not only were they a step too slow, but they also bumped right into Fushimi Shika.

The two women stared at each other across the unloading workers, while Ping Yingzi walked by nonchalantly, unlocked the door, and led the way for the movers.

"I... I took Sakura to town for a stroll."

Feeling guilty, Yuan Yuzi offered an explanation and hid the case file behind her back.

Fushimi Shika sensed that this guy was hiding something, but he didn't press the matter. He waved his hand and said, "I'm fine. Have you eaten?"

"not yet……"

As Yuan Yuzi passed by the workers unloading goods, she looked at the heavy boxes and couldn't help but ask, "What did you buy?"

“Seafood,” said Fushimi Shika.

The unloading workers placed three large crates and a freezer side by side in the old house's living room, took out documents for Fushimi Shika to sign, and politely nodded and took their leave. Hira Sakurako stood beside the crates, looking them over curiously, occasionally tapping them with her hand. She wasn't interested in the contents, but she did want the three crates.

"Are you sure you can finish eating all this?"

Yuan Yuzi felt it was going to be tough; the box was almost taller than her.

"If we can't finish it, we can just give it away. We have so many neighbors, why are we worried about wasting it?" Fushimi Shika stuffed the styrofoam box into the refrigerator and began to deal with the three wooden crates on the ground.

He pried open the lid, revealing a pile of crushed ice inside. In the very center lay a large tuna, which he estimated to be 1.67 meters long, taller than Gentama, and weighing at least 100 kilograms.

There were several pieces of paper attached to the box, indicating where the fish came from, when it was caught, and how many tests it had undergone... Yuan Yuzi went over to take a look and said that it had just been caught two days ago and was quarantined and frozen yesterday, so it was very fresh.

Junichiro Mizutani was quite thoughtful; knowing that the refrigerator wouldn't be able to hold it all, he gifted Fushimi Shika a freezer.

Fushimi Shika pried open the lids one by one, carried the three fish into the freezer, poured in all the crushed ice, and refrigerated them to keep them fresh. He was covered in sweat from the effort, so he took a shower first. As soon as he came out of the bathroom, he saw Minamoto no Tamako sneakily hiding something.

"What are you hiding?" He asked, drying his hair with a towel as he leaned closer.

Just as Minamoto no Tamako lifted the tatami mat and stuffed the case file inside, Fushimi Shika's shout came from behind her, startling her and making her hair stand on end.

"No, nothing..."

She quickly turned around and pressed her bottom against the tatami mat: "Cleaning, haha, hahahaha."

Fushimi Shika narrowed his eyes. This guy's smile was so fake; it was as if the words "I'm lying" were written all over his face.

"Eh...Is that so?"

Fushimi Shika didn't expose her. He planned to wait until Minamoto no Tamako was away, then lift the tatami mat to peek, and then morally condemn Minamoto no Tamako for lying.

After going back and forth like this, half a day had passed. As the sun set and began to set, Master Lu started preparing dinner for the day.

He spent a long time in the kitchen making five dishes and a soup: steamed king crab, garlic crab roe tofu, pan-fried tuna, tuna stew with tofu, and king crab miso soup.

The meal consisted entirely of shrimp and fish, and the three of them happily enjoyed a gout-inducing meal.

During the meal, Yuan Yuzi seemed a little absent-minded. She kept eating, but her mouth drifted off to other things: "Speaking of which, while I was shopping today, I overheard people talking about a murder case..."

Fushimi Shika thought she was meddling again and said, "One should not speak while eating or sleeping."

“Dinner is for chatting, otherwise why get together for dinner?” Yuan Yuzi made up an excuse for herself and continued, “That case is very interesting, I’m sure you’ll be interested to hear about it.”

Fushimi Shika looked suspicious. He put down his chopsticks, chewed something, and glanced up at Minamoto no Tamako: "What murder case?"

“A woman was stabbed to death in the streets and alleys at night.” Yuan Yuzi felt a little guilty and didn’t dare to look people in the eye, but she couldn’t help but want to share it with her teammates and listen to their reasoning.

This murder case is really troubling her. It wasn't in an enclosed space, and more than a month has passed since the incident. Even if she were to do profiling, she might not be able to find any valuable clues.

As soon as Minamoto no Tamako opened her mouth, Fushimi Shika immediately knew what was going on.

He not only guessed what Genji was hiding, but also what that old bastard Kujo Mutsu was planning.

This old man actually said the same thing to his own granddaughter...

Fushimi Shika realized that the Kujo family was full of schemers, with more tricks up their sleeves than a hornet's nest.

He really wanted to curse, thinking that birds of a feather flock together, and Kujo Mutsu was even more cunning than Kujo Yui... Minamoto no Tamako's simple-mindedness was 100% inherited from her father and had nothing to do with the Kujo family.

Fushimi Shika maintained a nonchalant demeanor, feigning ignorance and following up on Minamoto Tamako's words with, "Oh? That's interesting. And then?"

"The most interesting part is yet to come!"

Gen Tamako was secretly delighted, thinking that Fushimi Shika hadn't noticed. She quickly wrapped her arms around the chair, like a turtle's shell, and took small, quick steps around the dining table to sit down next to Fushimi Shika: "The police initially identified her husband as the suspect because she and her husband didn't get along and their relationship was very bad..."

"Is the reason for identifying the suspect so hasty?" Fushimi Shika took a sip of crab roe.

"There's no other way, we have to find a breakthrough first." Yuan Yuzi had already come to understand this method of investigation.

"Aren't there any witnesses?" Fushimi Shika asked, glancing sideways.

“No, if it were true, it wouldn’t be so hard to find!” said Yuan Yuzi.

Fushimi Shika sensed something was off. After thinking for a moment, he said, "When I was buying fish, I think I heard a similar rumor. It was about a woman being stabbed to death in the street, but the story you told me is different. Someone witnessed the suspect fleeing the scene..."

"Huh? Really?" Minamoto Tamako truly believed it.

She watched as Fushimi Shika brought home a bunch of seafood, and subconsciously felt that Fushimi Shika wasn't lying.

“Really?” Fushimi Shika feigned surprise. “We’re not talking about the same case, are we?” Then, he waved his hand and laughed. “Impossible, impossible. What a coincidence… Let’s eat first. I’m starving.”

Yuan Yuzi held her chopsticks, but didn't pick up any food.

She was so anxious that she scratched her head, trying to confirm whether Fushimi Shika was talking about the same case, but she couldn't just ask directly if the deceased was Kujou Yuka... If she asked too many questions, wouldn't that reveal that she had read the case file?
But what if we don't ask, and it turns out to be the same case?
If there are witnesses, it means the investigating police officers have overlooked something! This is a crucial clue, and we must find out the truth!

"Ah, ah, that's true," Minamoto Tamako stammered, her mind racing as she tried her best to lie, using all the lying tricks she had stolen from Fushimi Shika: "But, but it's also possible... there are differences between the rumors! Some people heard that there were no witnesses, while others heard that there were witnesses... that's also possible!"

"Oh, indeed." Fushimi Shika pretended to be indifferent.

Gen Tamako then asked, "Do you have any details that can confirm whether we are talking about the same case?"

Fushimi Shika picked up a piece of crab meat, mashed it with his chopsticks, and mixed it with rice. He looked like he was recalling something and said, "I think I heard that the woman was a foreigner, and her husband was quite rich, which is why she attracted so much attention..."

"It's the same case!" Yuan Yuzi was so excited she almost jumped up, and asked, "Who was the witness? What exactly did they see? Tell me quickly!"

"I forgot, it was just something we were chatting about on the roadside, who would remember it so clearly..." Fushimi Shika said, feigning indifference.

"Think about it quickly!" Gen Tamako said anxiously, shaking Fushimi Shika's arm.

"It seems to be... a hotel employee? I saw a suspicious man on the balcony, wearing a mask and sunglasses..." Fushimi Shika pretended to recall: "That's all."

Gen Tamako was surprised: "Huh?! But the police asked the hotel staff in the vicinity, and they all said they didn't see anything!"

After saying that, she quickly covered her mouth, looking like she had let something slip.

Fushimi Shika kept his eyes down, pretending not to see anything, staring at the crab meat in the bowl, his eyes saying, "This crab meat is really something." He continued, "What's wrong with that? It's common for witnesses to hide things to avoid trouble, which is why the police have to question them again and again."

"Yes, that makes sense."

Genji patted her chest, thinking how close she had come to disaster. Luckily, Fushimi-kun was too busy eating to notice. She'd better be more careful next time.

Fushimi Shika guessed that she had gone to the police station, obtained the case file, and then asked, "And then? What's interesting about this case? It sounds like an ordinary murder case."

Upon hearing this, Minamoto no Tamako's detective spirit ignited, and she longed to discuss the matter in detail with Captain Fushimi, but unfortunately, she couldn't. She could only speak indirectly:
"Didn't we just mention that the police had identified the husband as the suspect? But after investigation, they discovered that the Sapporo Police Station in the neighboring city was also investigating a murder case, and the suspect was also... that husband."

She almost let something slip again, but thankfully she managed to catch herself in time and prevented Fushimi from noticing.

Fushimi Shika thought for a moment and said, "It's not uncommon for one person to commit two murders. I still don't see what's interesting about it."

Yuan Yuzi snorted twice, looking smug. If she had a pipe, she would have lit it up to pretend to smoke: "The interesting thing is that the two victims died around the same time. It's impossible for one person to commit crimes in two places at the same time, right?"

Fushimi Shika suddenly realized, pretending to be hearing this for the first time: "In other words, if he killed someone in Sapporo, it's impossible for him to have killed someone in Otaru at the same time, and vice versa, right?"

"That's right!"

Minamoto no Tamako really wanted to learn how to snap her fingers like Fushimi Shika, but she couldn't. So she just rubbed two fingers together and made a sound with her mouth, flicking her tongue in her mouth to make a 'thud' sound.

Fushimi Shika slowed his chewing and asked, "Who was the other dead person?"

“She’s her husband’s lover.” Minamoto Tamako quickly added, “I heard that too. That’s how it is in Hokkaido. Everyone loves to gossip, haha.”

Fushimi Shika continued to feign ignorance, smiling as he said, "I understand. You want to play a 'rumor deduction game,' trying to deduce the truth of the murder from just a few words of information, right?"

"...Uh? Yes, yes, that's it!"

Yuan Yuzi suppressed a smile, thinking to herself that Lu Jun was really easy to fool. They say love makes people stupid, and it seems that Lu Jun has completely fallen in love and become a fool who is devoted to her. Wahahahaha!
Fushimi Shika then began to analyze: "In other words, there are three possibilities. First, the husband killed his wife; second, the husband killed his lover; third, the husband didn't kill anyone, and the perpetrator is someone else."

Gen Tamako felt he was talking nonsense: "Isn't this obvious?"

Fushimi Shika countered, "Then which situation do you think it is?"

(End of this chapter)