Tokyo: Rabbit Police and Her Evil Partner

Chapter 564 Pandora’s Box

There was no one in the urinals in the toilet.

Abe Rokuro was certain they were in the restroom, and since there was no other exit, they were probably hiding in a stall.

He bent down and peered through the crack in the door at the bottom of the cubicle.

No...no...no...

found it.

Beneath the crack in the door to the third cubicle, there were two pairs of feet. One in front, one behind. Abe Rokuro imagined what position two grown men would be in, embracing each other, squeezed into one cubicle…

Was Horie Kei helping Fujiwara's younger brother urinate?
Abe Rokuro shuddered, went into the next stall, stepped onto the toilet, climbed up into the stall, and peered down, just in time to see Horie Kei strangling Representative Fujiwara by the neck with his tie.

In his younger days, Representative Fujiwara was a skilled kendo practitioner and also held a high judo rank. However, now that he is middle-aged, he is no longer as strong as he used to be. His body has been depleted by alcohol, women, wealth, and power. In addition, he had been drinking a lot of alcohol, which led to him being strangled and unable to break free.

Abe Rokuro was terrified and quickly climbed into the cubicle to grab Horie Kei's arm.

Unexpectedly, Horie Kei suddenly released Fujiwara, pulled a folding knife from his pocket, and stabbed Abe Rokuro in the neck.

Abe Rokuro reacted quickly, reaching out to block him immediately, but he failed to grab Horie Kei's wrist, resulting in a knife piercing through his palm.

"Ugh!"

Abe Rokuro was afraid of pain, and he forgot all about solving cases, getting promoted, the Metropolitan Police Department's honor, and his seniors' instructions. His hands were covered in blood, and he screamed in agony, "Help! Help me!"

Representative Fujiwara collapsed to the ground, suffocating from lack of oxygen. His chest was still rising and falling, but he was unconscious.

Horie Kei didn't expect his first reaction to be to call for help, so he quickly reached out to cover Abe Rokuro's mouth.

Abe Rokuro flailed his arms wildly, trying to block Horie Kei's hand, shouting as he struggled, "Help! Something's happened to Representative Fujiwara!!"

Seeing that he couldn't stop him, Horie Kei turned around and poked Representative Fujiwara.

Abe Rokuro grabbed his arm and let out a pig-like scream. The bodyguards guarding the door heard the commotion and rushed into the toilet, kicking open the stall door, only to be shocked by what they saw inside.

Abe Rokuro waved his blood-dripping hand, splashing his own blood onto Horie Kei in an attempt to block the enemy with water-style techniques. Horie Kei was unharmed, but he was covered in blood, and a lot of it dripped into his eyes. He couldn't see clearly for a moment and could only swing his folding sword wildly.

The two men faced off in mid-air, waving their hands.

The bodyguards snapped out of their daze, restrained Horie Kei, and planned to escort Representative Fujiwara to the hospital as soon as possible.

Before the group even left the restroom, Representative Fujiwara was jolted awake. He hugged the urinal and vomited violently, bringing up all the food and drinks he had eaten that evening.

"What happened... what happened?"

Representative Fujiwara looked up groggily, and his bodyguard quickly explained the situation to him and advised him to seek medical attention immediately.

"I'm fine..."

Representative Fujiwara pushed aside his bodyguard, stood up, and made a few phone calls, contacting old acquaintances at the Metropolitan Police Department. Then, he looked at Horie Kei and Abe Rokuro, both covered in blood, a testament to the intensity of the fight.

He imagined a scene of two young men fighting hand-to-hand, their blows landing squarely, each exchange of injury for another, and a chill ran down his spine.

Before the Metropolitan Police Department detectives arrived, Representative Fujiwara had already privately learned the details of the situation.

When he learned that Rokuro was helping his senior monitor suspects outside of work, he immediately felt a deep respect for this brave young man.

Therefore, Representative Fujiwara made a firm promise that he would definitely make Abe Rokuro's wish to become a detective come true.

This young man is qualified; his efforts deserve the reward.

As for the murderer, Representative Fujiwara showed no mercy.

He had his bodyguards empty the men's restroom, hung a sign saying "Under Cleaning" on the door, and subjected Horie Kei to waterboarding, repeatedly drowning him in the toilet to force him to confess and tell him where he got his itinerary.

Horie Kei may look thin and frail, but he's a tough guy. Facing waterboarding time and time again, though he's utterly disheveled, he still maintains his indomitable will.
"You owe me."

Horie Kei only ever replied with this one sentence.

When the police arrived, Horie Kei was already unconscious, lying motionless in the toilet, completely soaked. They were all veteran detectives; a single glance from Fujiwara was enough for them to understand what had happened, so they tacitly kept quiet.

The detective assigned to investigate immediately thought of the serial murder case targeting politicians. He first brought everyone at the crime scene back to the police station to take statements, temporarily detained Horie Kei in the detention center, and then reported to the Special Investigation Division immediately.

The elite members of the Special Investigation Division initially didn't care, as Horie Kei's name wasn't on their long list of suspects.

It wasn't until Kei Horie himself admitted that "Heavenly Punishment Face" was his creation that the Special Investigation Division took it seriously.

……

Abe Rokuro went to the hospital for emergency treatment. He was fine, and the doctor bandaged his wound and let him go.

He rushed back to the police station, and just as he entered his office, he ran into the Special Investigations Division gathering.

A large group of middle-aged men in black suits walked in through the door. They all had solemn expressions and an aura that seemed to say, "They owe me eight million dollars." Their eyes looked like they wanted to kill me.

Abe Rokuro felt a surge of tension. He was still in civilian clothes and was afraid of being mistaken for a suspicious person. Just as he was about to reveal his identity as a patrol officer, the Special Investigation Division members hurriedly passed by him without even glancing at him.

He was ignored.

Abe Rokuro turned around and found Kawada Sanae. They had previously eaten yakiniku (grilled meat) together at Fushimi-senpai's house, so they were quite familiar with each other.

"What's the situation now? Where is the suspect I caught?" Abe Rokuro asked.

"Did you catch that young man? Section Chief Kinoshita is interrogating him... You've done a great job; he might be the real culprit in the serial murder case." Kawada Sanae said with a hint of envy, "If you get promoted, remember to treat everyone to a meal."

"No problem, no problem..."

Abe Rokuro couldn't stop smiling. He remembered Representative Fujiwara's promise and was overjoyed.

He saved Representative Fujiwara's life tonight; this is an immense favor, and no amount of repayment is too much.

Representative Fujiwara invited Abe Rokuro to his house for dinner, but Abe Rokuro declined, as he was still concerned about closing the case, so he rushed back.

Oh right! I haven't informed Fushimi-senpai yet!

This is the suspect they were supposed to be keeping an eye on. Now that the suspect has been caught red-handed while committing the crime, they should have been informed!
The surveillance wasn't entirely his doing; without Fushimi-senpai and his shift work, he couldn't have kept watch 24/7 by himself.

Ultimately, he was just lucky; he happened to be the one keeping watch when Horie Kei committed the crime.

Abe Rokuro, feeling grateful, immediately called his senior, Fushimi.

After listening to the whole story, Fushimi Shika glanced at Minamoto Tamako, who was still sleeping, and replied, "I understand." Without waiting for Abe Rokuro's reply, he hung up the phone.

hiss……

How should I explain this to Gentamako?
Fushimi Shika clasped his hands together, placed them on his forehead, rested his elbows on his knees, and fell into deep thought.

He never expected that Horie Kei would commit the crime knowing that someone was watching him.

...Could it be that Abe Rokuro's tracking skills were too good? So much so that Horie Kei didn't notice?

Never mind, that's not important. What's important is that the suspect has been caught, but it has nothing to do with Fushimi Shika.

The man was arrested by Abe Rokuro, and the case is being handled by the Special Investigation Division. Representative Fujiwara isn't stupid; he recognizes his savior. Even if we take a step back, Section Chief Kinoshita is still working overtime in the interrogation room... With so many people watching, even if he were a sharp needle, he couldn't squeeze in.

Or you could say you suddenly needed to pee and asked Abe Rokuro to cover for you for a while?

No way, there are pee bags in the car, and there's a partition too, so this reason doesn't hold water at all.

Or should I say that I fell for a diversionary tactic and was lured away by Horie Kei's accomplices?
That won't work either. Minamoto no Tamako will definitely take it seriously and report it to the Special Investigation Division. Then a bunch of detectives will keep interrogating Horie Kei to reveal his non-existent accomplice. Just thinking about it makes Fushimi Shika realize that this is a huge problem.

Before he could come up with an excuse, Yuan Yuzi suddenly turned over and sat up groggily: "Who were you talking to on the phone?"

"Abe Rokuro."

As soon as Fushimi Shika finished speaking, a thought flashed through his mind, and he knew how to explain it to Minamoto no Tamako: "There's something I need to tell you."

"what?"

Yuan Yuzi has regained her senses. Every time Shika-kun says something like this to her, it means there is bad news to announce.

"I saw Horie Kei leave the apartment with a folding knife, seemingly about to commit a crime." Fushimi Shika lied, half-truthfully.

"What?!" Yuan Yuzi exclaimed in shock, sitting up abruptly. "Where is the suspect now? Did you follow him in your car?"

"No," Fushimi Shika said in a very serious and frank tone. "I didn't do anything. I just sat in the carriage reading comics."

"Why...why?"

Even Yuan Yuzi was stuttering; her first thought was that Shika-kun was slacking off again.

But when she saw Fushimi Shika's serious expression, she subconsciously felt that there seemed to be another reason for this.

"You should know that Liulang has always looked up to us and wanted to become an outstanding detective, just like you did back then."

Fushimi Shika said in a heavy tone:
"He is an excellent young man, kind-hearted and upright, but he lacks an opportunity. He has been a patrolman for three years now, but he still sees no hope of getting promoted."

The last sentence was fabricated by Fushimi Shika to highlight Abe Rokuro's unfulfilled potential and to create an image of someone who is frustrated in life.

"You know how tough it is to be a patrol officer for three years."

Fushimi Shika sighed deeply: "I really can't bear to see him squander his youth in Koban, his edges being worn down little by little by reality. Perhaps in a few years, he will be forced to give up his dream of becoming a detective."

Yuan Yuzi felt a little sorry for her. She had also risen through the ranks from a patrol officer and knew what it was like to be a patrol officer in Sugamo Koban, as well as how hard it was to pursue one's dreams.

But she wasn't stupid; she didn't get swayed and steered the conversation back on track: "But what does that have to do with you not keeping watch..."

Fushimi Shika raised a finger, interrupting, "Don't rush, we're about to get to the point."

He tilted his head back at a 45-degree angle, revealing a look of difficulty in making a decision: "The moment the suspect appeared in my field of vision, I had two voices in my mind."

"A voice said, 'If we catch the suspect, you and I will get promoted, your dreams will take another step forward, and I can also reverse the housing market and make a fortune.'"

"Another voice said: Give Liulang a chance, he needs this opportunity more than we do."

At this point, Fushimi Shika patted Minamoto no Tamako on the shoulder, looking guilty, and sighed deeply: "I'm sorry, I didn't respect your wishes..."

Minamoto no Tamako's eyes widened: "You mean..."

Fushimi Shika nodded: "That's right, I gave the chance to catch the culprit to Abe Rokuro."

He paused, then continued, "I know this is selfish. You put in so much effort to catch the suspect, and in the end..."

As he spoke, he seemed to be choking up: "Hit me, scold me, that will make me feel better."

Yuan Yuzi was shocked. She quickly comforted Shika-kun, patting his shoulder with her small hand: "It's alright. If it were me, I would have done the same!"

Upon careful consideration, Lu Jun made the right choice. He had helped her in the same way before, so now it was her turn to help the younger generation.

Gen Tamako said earnestly, "If Rokuro can catch the suspect and prove himself, I will be happy for him! Promotion and merit are not important; justice is the most important thing!"

Fushimi Shika looked up at her: "Really?"

Yuan Yuzi nodded emphatically: "Really! Absolutely! The police station has gained another righteous partner, I'm overjoyed!"

Fushimi Shikata revealed his true colors: "Then you're not blaming me? I didn't keep watch; I sent Abe Rokuro to monitor the suspect..."

“It’s not your fault,” Gen Tamako said with great satisfaction. “Shika-kun has become more understanding and considerate of others. How could I blame you?”

Fushimi Shika wiped away non-existent tears, straightened his back, and said, "Then you can start thinking about your congratulatory message now. Just now, Horie Kei attempted to assassinate Councilor Fujiwara, but was caught red-handed by Abe Rokuro. He not only stopped the assassination but also captured Horie Kei."

Gen Tamako felt no jealousy whatsoever; a weight had been lifted from her heart. "See? I told you my reasoning was right! My investigation was on the right track! The elites of the Special Investigations Division are all idiots... Don't tell anyone else that!"

After saying that, she collapsed onto the bed, relieved that her exhausting surveillance work was finally over: "Now that the murderer has been caught, I'm going to get some sleep..."

Her voice grew softer and softer as she drifted off to sleep once more.

Fushimi Shika sat on the sofa, looking at Minamoto no Tamako's profile, lost in thought.

He recalled the first time he met Horie Kei, who was locked in a dark shipping container, trembling with anxiety.

Did I influence him?
Fushimi Shika might not be able to say for sure, but when he saw the words "Heavenly Punishment," he vaguely had this idea—perhaps the so-called "heavenly punishment" act did not bring justice to this world.

This is just a Pandora's box, containing both hope and calamity.

The thought was fleeting, and Fushimi Shika didn't dwell on it.

He didn't care about such things at all, because he had Minamoto no Tamako, and that was something Minamoto no Tamako should worry about.

(End of this chapter)