Chapter 109: Pure and Blameless, Attention from the Koreans

I spent some time planting a seed in the field last night, which caused Aoyama Hidenobu to wake up a bit late this morning.

"Good morning, sister-in-law." Aoyama Hidenobu walked downstairs in a silver-grey suit and greeted Aoyama Haruko.

"Good morning, Hidenobu." Aoyama Haruko's expression was somewhat unnatural, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. After hesitating for a moment, she couldn't help but ask, "Last night... my clothes..."

"Oh, I took them off for you. You kept complaining about the heat." Aoyama Hidenobu's mind flashed back to his sister-in-law's beautiful, naked body, but he maintained a nonchalant expression on the surface and asked in return, "What's wrong, sister-in-law?"

"You..." Upon hearing this answer, Aoyama Haruko felt a flash of shame and annoyance, but seeing Aoyama Hidenobu’s calm, clear-eyed demeanor, she began to doubt if she was being too sensitive. In the end, the words that came out were, "Don't do that next time... it's not quite right."

The mere thought that a body seen only by her late husband had been laid bare to her brother-in-law made her feel consumed by shame and anger.

"What's wrong with that?" Aoyama Hidenobu looked genuinely confused, saying matter-of-factly, "You were drenched in sweat from the heat and couldn't get them off yourself, so what was I supposed to do if I didn't help you? Besides, we’re family. You help me by doing the laundry, cooking, and taking care of me; what’s a little help with taking off your clothes in return? It was just a small favor."

What could he possibly have done wrong? He was just trying to show his gratitude.

"I..." Aoyama Haruko was momentarily speechless, her small fists clenched, her face flushed red. *Does Hidenobu even understand what I mean?* She said in a low voice, "Men and women should keep their distance, and we are brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Hidenobu..."

"What are you thinking, sister-in-law?" Seeing her momentum fading, Aoyama Hidenobu grew more confident and composed. He stepped forward, placed his hands on her shoulders, and looked her straight in the eyes. "Who would gossip about us when we are innocent? And you don't think I have ulterior motives, do you? Sister-in-law, am I that kind of person in your eyes? That really breaks my heart."

"No, it's not—of course not!" Aoyama Haruko denied it hurriedly and emotionally, firmly adding, "Of course I believe Hidenobu wouldn't take advantage of me or do anything inappropriate."

"Then there you go! As long as we are innocent and have nothing to be ashamed of, what’s a little help with taking off clothes?" Aoyama Hidenobu said with a slight smile.

Not showering together was already considered keeping their distance.

Aoyama Haruko bit her lip and nodded slowly, hesitating. *That's right! Hidenobu just ignored the boundaries between men and women because he treats me like family; he simply wanted to help. How could I guard against him? How could I let my mind wander? That is truly inappropriate.*

*The one with the dirty mind is not him, it's me!*

Having figured it out, Aoyama Haruko felt much lighter. She let out a breath and looked at Aoyama Hidenobu, saying, "If you don't eat breakfast soon, it'll get cold."

"Then I'll dig in." Aoyama Hidenobu smiled, took his hands off her shoulders, and sat down. His heart, which had been hanging in the balance, finally settled. His sister-in-law really had no defenses against him; she even believed such nonsense.

However, he was proud of his own restraint for not actually "planting a seed" in that field last night.

Aoyama Hidenobu suddenly remembered something and got up to turn on the television. Sure enough, the news reported that Kurosawa Shin had been taken away by the Special Investigation Department. The reason given by the department was that Kurosawa Shin had been caught accepting a bribe of 500 million yen from a courier company. He would be prosecuted for bribery.

In addition to the news from the Special Investigation Department, the broadcast also released a series of scandalous photos featuring Kurosawa Shin—the very same set Aoyama Hidenobu had submitted.

While bribery might only force Kurosawa Shin to resign, the addition of a sex scandal was enough to completely kill his political career. In a capitalist country, the public was incredibly tolerant of politicians; whether it was greed or lust, one could always make a comeback after an apology and a period of silence. After all, what was a little corruption? *I've already apologized, what more do you want from me? Do you want me to die?*

But if one were exposed as both corrupt and lecherous, the hatred would be doubly compounded. Especially now, with the economy in a downturn and everyone living a hard life, seeing someone live so well off of corruption—how could they stand it?

Aoyama Haruko sighed deeply and said with indignation, "These politicians are truly outrageous. People are living such hard lives, and they do nothing to solve it, only caring about satisfying their own pleasures."

His sister-in-law basically represented the public's reaction.

"Indeed, it's truly outrageous." Aoyama Hidenobu nodded in agreement. *These corrupt dogs have finished draining the people's money, leaving the citizens as paupers. If he rises to power later, what will be left for him to take? Therefore, corruption and bribery must be severely cracked down upon! Unless, of course, they take him along for the ride.*

After finishing breakfast, Aoyama Hidenobu headed to the Metropolitan Police Department. On the way, he received a call from Yamada Yuno.

"Aoyama-kun, Kurosawa Shin... he's really finished." Yamada Yuno still sounded somewhat incredulous. Before today, Kurosawa Shin had been a titan who could influence the nation's direction, a man he feared like a tiger, but overnight, he had been reduced to a prisoner. Beyond the shock, he felt mostly relief.

With Kurosawa Shin finished, his cronies and minions would face setbacks and exclusion. Even if they weren't removed, their prospects for promotion would be severely impacted. By jumping ship early, he had become a hero in bringing Kurosawa down, not only avoiding the fallout but also potentially reaping rich rewards.

Aoyama Hidenobu was calm, one hand on the steering wheel, the other holding the phone. "I told you to trust me, didn't I? How about it, Yamada-kun?"

"It is all thanks to you, Aoyama-kun." Yamada Yuno was thoroughly convinced, then added, "Aoyama-kun, I hope to join the Special Investigation Department. There will certainly be a few vacancies now, and I would appreciate your help."

Kurosawa Shin surely had his own people in such an important place as the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's Special Investigation Department. Now that he had fallen, those positions would naturally be vacated.

"Don't worry, Yamada-kun. That is the reward you deserve, isn't it? I will speak to that big shot." Aoyama Hidenobu agreed immediately, confident that Hikokawa Noritomo would not refuse such a request.

After this, Yamada Yuno could be considered his closest ally. The better the other man fared in the Prosecutors Office, the more beneficial it would be for his own development. Now that he had a reliable partner in the Prosecutors Office, it would be best to find one in the courts and the political arena as well. With allies in the police, prosecutors, courts, and politics, the "four wheels" would not only make him faster, but also more stable.

He also needed the media, banks, or conglomerates; after all, public opinion and funding were also vital. If he could assemble such a small team, even if their individual positions weren't high, the power they could exert would be impossible to ignore.

Although Aoyama Hidenobu currently had the Hikokawa and Asai families as his backers, their resources were undoubtedly intended for Hikokawa Noritomo and Asai Sawaki; he could at most feed on the scraps. Moreover, he didn't want to remain a lackey for Hikokawa Noritomo forever—why shouldn't he be the leader himself?

In politics, even family members don't always share the same stance. What if his position clashed with the Hikokawa or Asai families in the future? Therefore, while those two families were still fully backing him, he had to use their resources to improve himself and build a faction with himself at the core.

"Yes! Once it's done, I'll treat you to a drink, Aoyama-kun." Yamada Yuno's tone sounded much lighter. He laughed and added, "If I could become a Deputy Chief, that would be best, but if I can't secure that, I'll take a position as a Supervising Investigator for the Mobile Investigation Unit."

The Special Investigation Department had nearly a hundred people, but the leadership team consisted of only seven: the Chief, four Deputy Chiefs, and two Supervising Investigators.

"Then please book a restaurant for your promotion celebration in advance, Yamada-kun," Aoyama Hidenobu laughed.

"Yes! Everything is left to you, Aoyama-kun."

Just as he ended the call with Yamada Yuno, another one came in. In this day and age, mobile phones didn't have contact lists, so one never knew who was calling. Every call had to be answered.

"Moshi moshi, this is Aoyama Hidenobu."

"Aoyama-kun, I've been waiting for you for days. I didn't expect you to be so heartless—pulling up your pants and refusing to recognize me. It’s truly heartbreaking."

Hearing that delicate, seductively bone-deep voice, Aoyama Hidenobu immediately knew who was on the other end.

"It is precisely because I broke your heart last time, Tamiya-shacho, that I didn't want to disturb you, so you could have a good rest!" Aoyama Hidenobu said with a chuckle.

Tamiya Keiko naturally understood that he was teasing her about their last encounter. She was so angry she could grind her teeth. That brute really hadn't treated her like a human last time—damn, the Japanese really were all perverts. Although she was furious, she couldn't show it. She pouted playfully, "You're still saying that? You were too much last time, Aoyama-kun. Well, forget it, let's not dwell on the past. Would you do me the honor of having a drink tonight?"

"A drink... I've been using myself quite frequently lately, so I might not have a 'drink' left in me," Aoyama Hidenobu said with a troubled tone. "So, let's skip it."

"Aoyama-kun, I'm being serious. Let's have a drink tonight," Tamiya Keiko persisted.

"I'm being serious too. I don't have time these next two days. Next time, definitely next time. That's all." Aoyama Hidenobu hung up.

Tamiya Keiko had been quiet for days, and now that Kurosawa Shin had been taken down, she was calling him. It was clear that those desperate Koreans had discovered his involvement, realized his potential, and wanted to rope him in early. Aoyama Hidenobu knew his own potential too. He didn't lack money or backers. He didn't mind using the Koreans to stir up trouble for others, but he would not get entangled with them himself. What could they offer him? Nothing but money, women, and the resources of the politicians they secretly funded—none of which he currently needed.

"Aish!" Tamiya Keiko cursed through gritted teeth and looked at an elderly man with silver hair on the sofa opposite her. "He refused."

"Keep approaching him. According to the information we've gathered, the scandalous photos of Kurosawa Shin were likely provided by him to the Hikokawa family. He is deeply trusted and valued by Hikokawa Noritomo and is in close contact with the Asai family's daughter. His future is worth our investment."

The old man paused, sighed, and continued, "If we want to achieve equality with the Japanese, we must recruit more politicians, especially young Japanese talents like Aoyama Hidenobu who have potential but haven't fully grown yet. The more we invest in his growth, the greater our influence over him will be."

"Men, especially young men, only care about beautiful women. We have a saying in Korea: 'Heroes cannot pass the beauty trial.' I think it's very true. Keia, you need to put more effort into this. I don't believe he won't take the bait."

"Yes!" Tamiya Keiko replied in Korean.

...

On the other side, Aoyama Hidenobu was only one intersection away from the Metropolitan Police Department. When he reached the crossing, the light turned red, and he stepped on the brakes.

Then, with a loud *clatter*, he felt a strong jolt as his body was thrust forward. Thankfully, he had his seatbelt on, or his face would have slammed into the steering wheel.

Aoyama Hidenobu was startled, thinking he was being assassinated—after all, he had done plenty of bad things and felt guilty. But he quickly realized he was overthinking it; an assassination would have involved a dump truck.

"Baka!"

Although he realized it was just an accident, Officer Aoyama was still furious. He cursed, slammed the door, and stepped out of the car.