The Tokyo Police Journey Begins with the Ability to See Evil Thoughts

At the end of April, the cherry blossoms in Shibuya bloomed.

It's the perfect time to admire the flowers, but the people in the police station are clearly not sophisticated enough to appreciate them; no one is paying any attention to the cherry blossoms fluttering outside the window.

Except for Kamiya Gen.

To make it more comfortable to enjoy the flowers... or rather, to kill time, he took advantage of the recent change of desks and chairs in the criminal investigation class and moved his seat to the window.

Of course, Kamiya Gen believes there are other benefits to moving here as well.

For example, as soon as someone is brought to the police station, he can sit here immediately and observe the criminal's evil intentions through the system, whether they are easy to deal with, and if it is simple, he will intervene.

If it's difficult... then it's better to leave it to someone else.

"Kamiya Police Department supplement."

The sudden sound interrupted Kamiya Gen's thoughts. He looked up and saw that it was Takeuchi Takayuki sitting opposite him, calling him softly.

"What's wrong, Inspector Takeuchi? Just say what's on your mind, why are you being so cautious..."

As Kamiya Gen spoke, he changed his tone, sat up straight, and said seriously, "I'm sorry, Inspector Takeuchi, I have other cases to handle."

—Damn it, that expression of his... could it be that when I almost dozed off, Inspector Sakamoto... no, I should call him Superintendent Sakamoto now, he's been nominated and will be promoted soon... could it be that he came up behind me?!

Seeing Takeuchi Takayuki's "good luck" look, Kamiya Gen thought to himself, and could only pick up the files on the table again.

Even if it's just for show, it's not too late to do it now...

However, to his surprise, a woman's voice came from behind him:

"Kamiya-kun, what were you doing just now?"

Kamiya Gen breathed a sigh of relief, turned around and saw that it was Kiha Yuzu. He wondered what was wrong with Takeuchi. Did she have to give him a meaningful look just because she was here?

"I was just looking at the case I was working on. What's up?" Kamiya Gen asked in return.

He and Muheyou had been sharing an apartment for some time, but no one in the police department knew about it, mainly because the other person kept their "work" and "life" very separate.

If it weren't for the fact that Kamiya Gen had to cook for two people every day, he would have doubted whether Kiha Yu was actually living under the same roof as him.

By the way, I've cooked a meal for three twice.

Because Miyazawa Yuzuki had been there twice before, both times she was forced to go by Kiha Yuzu, the girl looked embarrassed and restless when she arrived, but she ate without any hesitation.

As soon as Kamiya Gen finished speaking, he saw Muhe You's gaze fall on the file in his hand, and she raised an eyebrow slightly: "Looking at the case? Kamiya-kun, you're holding the file upside down."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kamiya Gen paused slightly and looked down—the dossier in his hand was indeed facing down, and the printed bold text was all upside down.

He calmly turned the case file over, cleared his throat, and tried to save face:

"I was just about to turn it over and take a closer look."

Across from him, Takeuchi Takayuki had already buried his head in his chest, his shoulders trembling slightly, struggling to suppress his laughter and barely able to breathe. He only dared to secretly glance at Kamiya Gen, giving him a look that said, "I warned you a long time ago."

Kamiya Gen was speechless—it's just that Muhe Yuzu came, why did she have to make that face like the sky was falling?

He was so nervous for nothing, thinking that Inspector Sakamoto was really standing behind him.

Muheyou seemed oblivious to the subtle tension between the two, casually pulled up an empty office chair next to her, and placed the brown paper folder she was holding on the corner of the table.

"Stop pretending, you were just dozing off."

Muhe You's voice was very low, only the two of them could hear it. His tone was calm, yet it accurately saw through his pretense, "I've been standing behind you for almost half a minute, and you've practically buried your head in the table, without reacting at all. If Inspector Takeuchi hadn't given you a signal, you'd still be asleep."

"No way."

Kamiya Gen immediately retorted, flipping through the case files in his hand with a rustling sound, putting on a serious work appearance, and stubbornly said, "I was just thinking about those cases from a few days ago, I was so engrossed in thinking about things that I didn't doze off. Besides, how could I possibly slack off and sleep during work hours?"

He himself felt a little guilty saying that.

He's been staying up late these past few days watching live football league matches, and this morning he was only able to stay awake thanks to coffee.

I was sitting by the window, basking in the warm sun and smelling the cherry blossoms wafting in from outside, when I suddenly became drowsy and almost fell asleep.

There's one more thing I have to mention. Damn the timeline! I clearly remember that yesterday's Champions League semi-final was Aston Villa 1-0 Bayern Munich, but the result was reversed.

Last night they actually made it to the penalty shootout, but in the end I only lost by a small margin of 50,000 yen...

Thank goodness I didn't buy too many; "Parallel Worlds" really is a killer.

……

Muheyou ignored his excuses and simply looked out the window.

The location chosen by Kamiya Gen is excellent, directly facing the main street of Shibuya below the police station. When the wind blows, pink and white petals drift down from the sky, and you can see the spring scenery of the whole street just by looking up.

The streets were bustling with people. Female students in sailor uniforms walked by in twos and threes, laughing. Well-dressed young girls went to the coffee shop next door together. Even the people standing in front of the convenience store downstairs could be seen clearly.

Her gaze fell on the bustling street, but she couldn't help but mutter to herself.

They said the lighting here is better and will make working easier.

Ultimately, he just found an excuse to move his workstation to this window so he could openly slack off and watch the girls passing by on the street.

Otherwise, why would they choose this location that faces the main road?

In the entire criminal investigation department, from his position, he could see the pedestrians on the street most clearly, and even the length of the skirts worn by girls could be seen at a glance.

He used to say things like "the house is rented, but life isn't," and he kept the rented apartment in perfect order. So, during work hours, all he could think about was slacking off and watching girls pass by?

Thinking of this, a strange, inexplicable feeling of unease welled up in Muheyou's heart, and she even found Kamiya Gen's feigned composure somewhat displeasing.

She quickly suppressed this inexplicable emotion and tried to justify it to herself—she didn't care whether he looked at girls or not, she just couldn't stand that as a policeman, he didn't do his job properly during working hours and only knew how to make excuses to slack off.

Yes, that's all.

She cleared her throat, shaking off the jumbled thoughts in her mind, and pushed the brown paper folder on the corner of the table in front of Kamiya Gen, bringing the conversation back to the main topic:

"Stop pretending to flip through files, we have something important to discuss with you. We just got a call from the Fuchu City Police Department. They said a person who filed a report is a signal officer from the Japan Horse Racing Association named Miwa Shiraishi. She reported that someone was cheating in the horse race. Fuchu checked the information and asked us to arrest someone in Shibuya."

"Who to arrest..." Kamiya Gen knew he was in for a rough time.

"It's not exactly an arrest, but rather an investigation into the winner of a recent horse racing betting event."

Muheyou gestured for him to open the folder.

After opening the app, Kamiya Gen scanned the screen and immediately remembered the so-called horse racing betting.

……

This is the spring final of the All Japan Horse Racing Grand Prix, which was held at the end of March by the Japan Central Horse Racing Association in conjunction with Fuji Television.

As the first national-level horse race without riders at the start of the year, this race is not only broadcast live nationwide during Fuji TV's prime time slot, but the total prize pool for a single race has also exceeded 2.7 billion yen, setting a record for the highest amount for a similar race in the past five years.

For a full month before and after the start of the competition, sports newspapers and social news outlets across Japan followed the event closely, and even the televisions in police station cafeterias repeatedly played promotional videos for the event.

What truly ignited the nationwide discussion surrounding this event was this unprecedented winning record—someone used a single 400,000 yen winning ticket to accurately predict an underdog horse with odds of 1,200 to 1,200, ultimately winning a prize of 400 million yen.

This is the record for the highest single bet amount, the highest odds, and the most outrageous winning amount in the history of Japanese horse racing. The day after the race, the Asahi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun both put this news on their front pages. In izakayas and convenience stores on the streets, everyone was talking about this "millionaire lucky guy" who appeared out of nowhere.

A few days ago, when Kamiya Gen was buying breakfast, he flipped through the newspaper in the convenience store and even glanced at this news. At the time, he just thought it was some ordinary person who had hit the jackpot and didn't pay much attention to it.

The document included a complete police report from the Fuchung City Police Department. The complainant, Miwa Shiraishi, was the on-site signal officer for the event.

Kamiya Gen's fingertip slid down the document, turning to the page displaying the winner's information. The winner's name, address, and occupation were clearly printed in black and white:

Kenji Ide, 45 years old, makes a living by running a ramen shop. His business is located at Ide Ramen Shop, Ebisu Nishi 1-chome, Shibuya Ward.

Ebisu Nishi 1-chome, Ide Ramen Restaurant?

The moment the address and shop name caught his eye, Kamiya Gen's hand holding the document paused slightly, and the image of that ramen shop hidden in an alley, with its exceptionally rich tonkotsu broth, flashed through his mind.

Several times, when he and Muheyou got off work late, they would always go there to eat a bowl of ramen, and he could even clearly see what the owner looked like.

"It turns out... it's the owner of that ramen shop we always go to?"

Kamiya Gen suddenly felt a pain in his chest.

It's acidic.

This is so illogical! I'm a time traveler, and I lost 50,000 yen gambling on football last night. But this noodle shop owner looks like an ordinary person. How could he win 400 million?

Heaven is unjust! Heaven is truly unjust!

Wait... does he have a system?

As Kamiya Gen was thinking this, he heard Kiha Yuzu say:

"Yes, the investigation over there confirmed he was infected. You... what are you doing?"

"I'm wondering who the real protagonist of this world is."

Kamiya Gen looked at the cherry blossoms outside the window and said bitterly.

Muheyou was speechless, thinking that this guy was so narcissistic that he was almost insane.

Then she said, "We need to investigate whether there's anything wrong with this..."

"There's definitely something wrong!"

Kamiya Gen stood up. "Let's go, let's get going. I have to find out what it is about 'Ide' that guy who won such a big prize. He doesn't look like a rich person. A few days ago, we were just a little late, and look at him... like he disturbed his closing time. This kind of troublemaker should be arrested and interrogated properly."

Muheyou was stunned; it was the first time she had ever seen Kamiya Gen so enthusiastic.

And they even said that this was so inconsistent with the police inspector's application for a new identity...

"This... we're just investigating, so we're not sure..."

"Yes, let's go investigate. I really need to investigate him thoroughly," Kamiya Gen said, picking up the car keys from the table.

……

Ten minutes later, the police car came to a steady stop at the entrance of Ebisu Nishi 1-chome.

Kamiya Gen pulled out the car keys, opened the door, and got out of the car. Kiha Yu followed behind him, casually tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Her gaze swept over the noren hanging at the entrance of the alley for "Ide Ramen Restaurant," and then she turned her head to look at Kamiya Gen, who had stopped beside her. There was a hint of doubt hidden in her eyes.

He was the one who was banging on the table in the office demanding to check who was being investigated, and now he's dawdling at the door—that's him too.

"Let's go inside."

"Mm," Muheyou replied.

The two lifted the curtain and entered the shop. The lunch rush had just passed, and the shop was empty, with only three or four empty tables. The usual hustle and bustle of people leaving get off work was gone.

Behind the counter, a woman wearing an apron was wiping dishes with her head down, her hands covered in dish soap foam.

Hearing the curtain rustle, she quickly looked up, her face first breaking into her usual smile. But when she saw that it was Kamiya Gen and Kiha Yu, her smile relaxed and became a little awkward.

This is Kenji Ide's wife, Sachiko Ide.

Kamiya Gen and Kiha Yu came many times and recognized her.

Welcome!

Sachiko wiped her hands and came out from behind the counter. "Are you two still the same as before?"

Instead of directly revealing his police identity and saying he was investigating a case, Kamiya Gen pulled up a table by the window and sat down, gesturing for Kihara Yuzu to sit as well. Only then did he look up and smile at Sachiko.

"Yes, two bowls of tonkotsu ramen, both with eggs. Thank you, ma'am."

Sachiko nodded in agreement and turned to go into the kitchen.

Muheyou was somewhat puzzled. She lowered her voice, her brows furrowing slightly as she looked at Kamiya Gen:

"Didn't you say you were coming to arrest and interrogate someone? Why did you order ramen first?"

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Kamiya Gen's face. He raised his hand to scratch the back of his head and lowered his voice even further:

"That's just talk. There's no reason to come up and reveal your identity to arrest someone right away. You'll definitely come to greet them first and find out what's going on."

As he spoke, his gaze swept across the corners of the shop.

"Besides, look at this family, they haven't had it easy either."

Kamiya Gen's voice softened a bit, the previous indignation gone. "You know perfectly well that the couple has three children to support. Their eldest daughter just started junior high, and they have two sons in elementary school. They also have an elderly person who is bedridden all year round. The noodle shop was almost going to go under before, and they were heavily in debt. Otherwise, why do you think he was always looking so worried?"

"This... I really didn't know. How do you know so many details?"

Muheyou followed his gaze and saw the certificates of merit on the wall and the children's supplies in the corner. She hesitated before she could say anything and didn't refute him.

She had only thought the ramen tasted good and hadn't paid any attention to these other things.

"I have an extremely accurate eye for people. I don't need to ask for a lot of information; I can know it just by looking at them," said Gen Kamiya.

Mu Heyou curled her lips, feeling that he was still as unreliable as ever.

The sound of boiling water cooking noodles came from the kitchen, and the aroma of pork bone broth slowly wafted over.

Sachiko came over with two cups of barley tea and placed them in front of the two of them.

Kamiya Gen then asked, "Boss lady, isn't Mr. Ide in the shop today?"

Sachiko's hand paused slightly, her smile faded a little, and she nodded:

"Yes, he went out to pick up his two younger children from school and to deliver some medicine to the elderly at home."

Kamiya Gen picked up his barley tea and took a sip. His tone was calm and relaxed, like that of a regular customer chatting casually. He didn't touch on any sensitive topics, but simply followed up on her question:

"Is the old man still not in good health? I heard the owner, Mr. Ide, mention it when I came to eat noodles before."

Sachiko was taken aback, not expecting him to know about her family's trivial matters. She sighed and said, "It's an old ailment. We just got through winter, but with the fluctuating temperatures in spring, my cough has gotten worse. I can't live without medicine every day, and I can't be left alone. I can't leave my shop, so I have to have my husband make two trips a day to deliver the medicine and some cooked porridge."

"Are the three kids doing alright?"

Muheyou chimed in, her gaze sweeping over the certificates of merit on the wall. "Looking at the certificates on the wall, the children all have excellent grades, which has saved you a lot of trouble."

When the children were mentioned, Sachiko's tense shoulders finally relaxed, and a genuine smile appeared on her face: "They are quite sensible. My eldest daughter is in junior high school. After school, she helps me watch the shop and supervises her younger brothers' homework. Although the two younger ones are naughty, they don't cause trouble."

As she spoke, she turned back to the stove, lifted the lid of the noodle pot, and a cloud of steam instantly billowed out.

She used long chopsticks to stir the noodles bubbling in the pot, her movements practiced, yet she couldn't help but mutter to herself, her tone filled with an overwhelming sense of bewilderment and helplessness:

"I'm not afraid to admit it, but for the past six months or so, my husband and I have been on edge every day, and we haven't been able to sleep soundly."

Kamiya Gen and Kiha Yu exchanged a glance, neither interrupting nor asking any inappropriate questions, maintaining the relaxed atmosphere of casual conversation among familiar guests.

"Two new chain ramen shops have opened around here. They're newly renovated and have lower prices. Our old shop, which has been open for over ten years, is seeing business get worse every day."

Sachiko's voice came through the steam, light and airy, yet heavy with weariness. "The rent went up once last year, and the ingredients are expensive this year too. Every day we open the shop, it's money, but the income is getting less and less every day. After the lunch rush, there are only a few tables of customers left. Sometimes I stay up until ten o'clock at night, and I still can't sell more than a few bowls of noodles."

She scooped the cooked noodles into a colander to drain the water, paused for a moment, and then said in a low voice, "The three children need money for school, the elderly need money for their medicine all year round, and money is needed everywhere. My husband and I have been working hard for more than ten years, just keeping this shop afloat, but now it looks like we can't hold on any longer. We worry about this every day, but we can't think of any solutions. He's not good with words and just keeps it all to himself. Lately, he often sits in a daze and doesn't hear us when we call him several times. I know he's also very worried."

After she finished speaking, she brought out the ramen with the broth she had prepared and handed it to the two of them. The two bowls of noodles were steaming hot, topped with char siu and soft-boiled eggs, and the portions were as generous as ever.

But there was no smile on her face, only an unconcealable worry, and not a trace of the ease one would feel at receiving a windfall.

Kamiya Gen looked at the noodles in the bowl, somewhat puzzled.

According to the case file, Kenji Ide won a full 400 million yen. Not to mention making up for the losses of the noodle shop, he could even buy up all the shops on the street. How could he still be worried about rent and food costs?

Forget about living a low-key life. Even if you want to keep it a secret from outsiders, you can't keep it a secret from your wife who shares your bed. With the family on the verge of starvation, you still hide the 400 million yen so well that you don't even take out a single penny to help them out of their predicament.

Muheyou obviously realized what was going on too. She picked up her barley tea and took a sip. Under the cover of the cup, she quickly exchanged a glance with Kamiya Gen. They both saw the same thing in each other's eyes—this proprietress knew nothing about winning the lottery, and probably didn't even know that her husband had bought horse racing tickets.

At this moment, a deliveryman arrived at the store on a motorcycle and called the proprietress to come out and get the goods.

"You two enjoy your meal, I'll go get some things."

"Okay, okay," Kamiya Gen replied with a smile.

After the other person left the store, Mu Heyou spoke first: "What do you think?"

"That makes sense, actually. If I won the lottery, I wouldn't tell anyone..."

"You are a public official."

Muheyou rolled her eyes at him, picked up a noodle and took a bite. "If you really won the lottery, why are you keeping it a secret? Isn't it because you're afraid of other people coming to your door to borrow money? But it doesn't make sense for Boss Ide. His noodle shop is almost going to go under. If he really won 400 million yen, how could he not tell his wife a single word? He can't just leave the money unused and let his family worry every day, can he?"

"Of course I know that."

Kamiya Gen nodded, looking at the proprietress carrying goods outside the shop, and continued, "It is indeed very strange. Let's wait for that boss to come and call him away for questioning. Anyway, I don't believe that an ordinary noodle shop owner would suddenly spend 400,000 yen to buy horse racing tickets, and even buy tickets with odds of 1,200 times. It doesn't make any sense..."

—Unless he has a system…

Kamiya Gen added in his mind.

……

Just then, the noren curtain at the door was suddenly lifted by a gust of wind, followed by two clear children's voices. Two little boys carrying the same canvas backpacks ran in one after the other, their faces flushed. They were the two sons of the Ide family.

Following closely behind was Kenji Ide, still wearing his faded old jacket, carrying two children's water bottles and art supplies in his left hand, and clutching a paper bag with a pharmacy logo in his right.

The other person had a thin layer of sweat on their forehead, and their eyes still showed that unyielding weariness, just like the previous times they had come to eat noodles.

"Slow down, don't bump into the guests."

Kenji Ide instinctively reached out and grabbed the two children who were running too fast. He looked up and saw Gen Kamiya and Yuzuki sitting by the window. He paused slightly, and a polite but awkward smile appeared on his face, just like always. "Why did you two come at this time today?"

Sachiko, who had just finished unloading the goods and entered the house, hurriedly went to greet her husband, first taking the bag of medicine from his hand, and then asked in a low voice:

"How's it going over there? Did you take your medicine on time?"

"Still the same, coughing badly. The doctor said to take the medicine for another week and see, if it doesn't work, I'll have to be hospitalized."

Kenji Ide's voice was also very low, his brows furrowed instantly, and his tone was full of worry. After speaking, he patted his two sons on the back, "Quickly say hello to your uncle and aunt."

The two little boys timidly greeted "Hello, Uncle" and "Hello, Aunt" and were led by Sachiko to a back room of the store to put down their schoolbags and wash their hands. The store immediately became quiet.

"You must be tired after picking up the kids."

Kamiya Gen smiled and raised his hand. "We got off work early today, so we came over for some noodles. I've always said, boss, your noodles are the best on this street."

"Oh, it's just a skill to make a living."

Kenji Ide quickly waved his hand, pulled up a chair next to him, and picked up the teapot on the table to refill their empty cups. "Business has been bad lately. Two new shops have opened up around here, and they're both on the verge of going out of business. I don't know how much longer I can keep this craft going."

As he spoke, he sighed again, his eyes filled with even more sorrow, looking as if he were being overwhelmed by life's pressures. He showed no sign of the relief and joy one might feel after winning a 400 million yen lottery prize, and not even the slightest hint of anything unusual. He was no different from any other middle-aged man struggling to make a living on the street.

Mu Heyou glanced at him and followed up on the conversation, saying, "Looking at the certificates on the wall, both children are doing very well academically. The eldest daughter is also sensible and can help support the family. They've finally made it through."

"The child is sensible, but he suffers because of us."

Kenji Ide scratched the back of his head, a forced smile on his face. "We can't even afford to buy the kids new clothes. We're useless; all we can do is run this little shop. We can't give the kids anything good."

His tone was sincere, and his eyes were open. Apart from the lingering fatigue and anxiety, there was not a trace of guilt or anything unusual about him.

If it weren't for his name and winning information clearly written in black and white on the case file, no one would believe that this man, who was struggling to make ends meet at his noodle shop and worrying about medical expenses for his elderly parents, was the winner of the 400 million yen lottery that all of Japan was looking for.

Just then, Sachiko's voice came from the inner room, calling for the children to wash their hands.

Just as Kenji Ide was about to get up and go over, Genichi Kamiya, who was finishing his noodles, put down his chopsticks, picked up a napkin from the table to wipe his mouth, looked up at him, and spoke in a calm tone:

"Mr. Ide, there's something I'd like to discuss with you privately."

Kenji Ide abruptly stopped in his tracks, his smile instantly freezing on his face.

He looked up and met Kamiya Gen's gaze. A fleeting look of panic flashed across his previously open eyes, so quickly it was almost impossible to catch.

But he quickly suppressed his unease, nodded, and replied in a slightly strained voice, "Okay, just a moment."

He turned and called out to the inner room, saying he was going out to say a few words to the guests and asked Sachiko to watch the children. Then he followed Kamiya Gen, lifted the curtain, and walked into the alley outside the shop.

"You're looking for me..." Kenji Ide said in a low voice, taking a cigarette out of his pocket and handing it to Gen Kamiya.

Looking at the cheap cigarettes he offered, Kamiya Gen shook his head: "Boss, you know I don't smoke... Besides, given your current situation, there's no need to buy something so cheap, is there?"

Kenji Ide paused, then could only ignite his own fire: "Am I... really that obvious?"

"It's not really obvious, but normally if I called you out, boss, you would definitely have expressed your doubts in the store."

Kenji Ide then realized where he had given himself away, and said helplessly, "You are a police officer, after all... how could I not be afraid when I see you?"

"Boss, what do you think, should we talk here, or go to the police car?" Kamiya Gen asked.

"Can we go to the alley over there?" Kenji Ide pointed to the side.

Kamiya Gen hummed in agreement and turned to indicate that Muhe You could stay in the shop.

The two then walked to the side.

Kamiya Gen said, "Boss, you can just tell us directly. We have information that you won the lottery. The higher-ups are investigating. After all, it's too bizarre for you to spend 400,000 to buy a lottery ticket with odds of 1,200. Why would a normal person do something like that?"

"Officer... I didn't win the lottery... Besides, I can't even afford next month's rent, and I can't even pay for my elderly relative's hospital stay. How could I possibly come up with 400,000 yen to buy that thing?"

Kenji Ide, smoking a cigarette, recounted the whole story.

Just a few days ago, a few men suddenly came to his noodle shop. They approached him after lunch when no one was in the shop, saying they wanted to discuss a collaboration.

The other party knew his family situation very well—he owed six months' rent, his elderly relative was bedridden and needed medication, his three children needed tuition fees, his noodle shop was about to go out of business, and he couldn't even afford to buy new schoolbags for his children.

The cooperation is simple: just use his identity to buy lottery tickets, then let him redeem the prize, and afterwards give him a kickback of five million yen.

The only requirement is that you must not reveal a single word to anyone, including his wife and children. After the prize is claimed, you must not touch the kickback for a month, and you must not flaunt your wealth.

"They said... if I dared to utter a single word, or spend a single penny recklessly, they would harm my family..."

Kenji Ide's voice trembled slightly. "I had no choice, officer. My elderly relative is waiting for money for medical treatment, the noodle shop is about to be taken away by the landlord, and my three children can barely afford their school fees... This money could solve my family's urgent problem. I... I was out of my mind and agreed."

Kamiya Gen frowned as he looked at his distraught appearance:

"How did you transfer the prize money? What method did you use?"

"It's a trust bank..."

Kenji Ide quickly looked up. "On the day I claimed the prize, JRA gave me a registered check from Mitsubishi Bank, which could only be deposited into my newly opened account. Those two people followed me the whole time. As soon as the money arrived, they took me to the Shibuya branch of the Trust Bank that afternoon."

They had arranged this with the person at the window beforehand. All I had to do was sign and stamp the documents, and the remaining 395 million yen, after the 5 million yen deduction, was divided into more than a dozen transactions and transferred to more than a dozen designated money trust accounts.

He swallowed hard, his voice lowering even further: "They said that by transferring the money this way, no one could find out where it went. I didn't even know who opened those accounts or where the money ultimately went. From beginning to end, all I did was sign a few papers and take a five million yen fixed deposit certificate."

"Did you touch that money?" Kamiya Gen asked again.

No! Absolutely not!

Kenji Ide immediately shook his head, his voice rising several decibels in urgency, as if afraid I wouldn't believe him, before quickly lowering it again. "They repeatedly told me I couldn't touch it for a full month, or they'd target my family. I hid that deposit slip under the floor in the noodle shop's kitchen; even my wife doesn't know. I haven't dared to spend a single penny! Officer, I really don't know what they're up to. I just thought they were rich people who didn't want to flaunt their wealth, using me as a cover. I really didn't know it was illegal..."

Kamiya Gen didn't respond; any normal person would know that this was definitely illegal.

If he were in the other person's position and faced with that family situation, he would definitely agree to "cooperate" as well.

"I haven't been able to sleep these past few days. I'm afraid they have other plans, and I'm also afraid that you police will find out. I haven't dared to say a word to my wife. We can only pretend that nothing happened. We're still worried about the rent and medical bills every day... If I had known this would become such a big deal, I would never have agreed to it..."

Listening to Kenji Ide's rambling, Gen Kamiya waved his hand:

"What did those two men who were looking for you look like? Did they leave any clues that could be found?"

Kenji Ide looked up, his eyes red and he tried desperately to recall, but in the end he shook his head in despair: "They were always wearing sunglasses and speaking in hushed tones. I had no idea who they were. They didn't leave their phone numbers or names. They all came to me on their own initiative. After I redeemed the prize, I never saw them again."

Kamiya Gen fell silent. Wasn't this a complete loss of clues?

"Officer, will I be arrested...? How long will I be sentenced...?"

Hearing this, Kamiya Gen glanced back at the shop, and considering the situation with Mokuha Yuzu, he thought for a moment and then said:

"Go back to the shop first. Don't worry, even if something happens, there won't be a judgment... I'll help you find a solution, but it's best not to use that money for now."

Just then, the cigarette on Kenjiro Ide's hand finished burning.

Kamiya Gen gestured for him to go back, and then waved for Mokuha Yuzu to come out.