Chapter 120: I Accept the Gift, but That Does Not Mean I Agree

"Thump, thump, thump!"

No sooner had Nakamura Shinichi finished tidying up the documents and left than another knock sounded at Aoyama Hideyoshi’s office door.

"Enter," Aoyama called out casually.

Asai Aya, looking quite alluring in her uniform, pushed the door open. Since her promotion to Superintendent, she rarely had to lead scenes unless it was a major case, so she mostly worked from the office, which necessitated wearing the uniform. Furthermore, she no longer carried a sidearm.

Trailing behind her was a man in his late twenties, roughly 1.7 meters tall, with a lean, medium build. His face was ordinary, and he wore a stiff, humorless expression.

"Superintendent!" Aoyama stood up and saluted. Although she was his fiancée, he maintained professional decorum while on duty.

"Inspector Aoyama, there's no need for such formalities," Asai Aya said with a faint nod. She gestured toward the man beside her. "This is Inspector Asano Hirofumi, who will be your deputy from now on. I have already introduced him to the other colleagues in the First Division, so you two should get acquainted as well."

"Inspector Aoyama, I look forward to your guidance!" Asano Hirofumi bowed deeply, his voice firm and clear.

Aoyama returned the bow, stood up, and said with a smile, "Inspector Asano clearly looks like a capable and elite officer. With you here, my workload will be much lighter. Let us look out for one another."

Asano bowed again without responding.

"Alright, Inspector Asano, go and organize your workspace first. I have some matters to discuss with Inspector Aoyama," Asai said coolly.

"Yes, ma'am!" Asano bowed to both of them, turned, and left, pulling the door shut behind him.

The moment the door closed, Asai Aya’s rigid expression melted like an iceberg. She smiled and asked, "How does it feel to finally have your own private office?"

"It’s a shame I don't have a female secretary," Aoyama said, sinking into his chair and shaking his head with a touch of regret. He needed to reach a rank that entitled him to a secretary as soon as possible. After all, a secretary should be there to handle the work, and when there's no work, well...

"You really are insatiable," Asai rolled her eyes. She sat on the sofa, crossed her legs, and asked, "Do you know who the mastermind behind your hit-and-run was?"

Her uniform skirt was long, completely covering her thighs and revealing only her slender, shapely calves encased in black stockings, ending in black high heels with red soles.

"I don't know, and I don't care," Aoyama lied, putting on a facade of nonchalance. "In our line of work, we make plenty of enemies. It’s not so easy to track them down. This is simply the price of serving the people and upholding justice."

"Sigh, just be more careful from now on," Asai could only sigh helplessly at his words.

Aoyama teased, "Afraid of becoming a widow?"

"I'm afraid that if you die, the surveillance footage of me intentionally killing Okita will be made public by whoever clears out your belongings," she retorted sharply.

Aoyama smiled without speaking. There was no such footage; he had used a single lie to fool this woman for a lifetime. He truly felt brilliant.

Asai found his smile lecherous and irritating. She stood up to leave. "I have a meeting. I'm going."

"Wait," Aoyama stopped her and asked, "What’s the deal with Asano Hirofumi?"

"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. He was transferred from the National Police Agency. I heard the bosses over there just found him annoying," Asai said with a schadenfreude grin.

Aoyama felt a headache coming on. If even the bosses at the National Police Agency found Asano annoying, he and the man were unlikely to see eye-to-eye. Things were going to be troublesome.

Asai waved her hand. "I really have to go."

"Please take care, Superintendent," Aoyama bowed.

Asai walked away, holding up her middle finger behind her back. Based on her understanding of Aoyama Hideyoshi, his usual displays of respect for her rank were merely to make his dominance during their private moments more thrilling—the total pervert. Her rank had become nothing more than a tool for his stimulation.

*Bam!* The door slammed shut.

*Ring-ring!*

Aoyama’s cell phone rang. He picked it up and answered, "Moshi moshi."

"..." There was a moment of silence on the other end before a cautious voice spoke. "Inspector Aoyama, this is Matsumoto Chieko. I told Aoi Haraichi exactly what you taught me. Editor-in-chief Aoi told me that the next time I’m in bed with you, I should gather evidence to accuse you of rape."

Aoyama let out a cold laugh. *Ninpei Taro is quite ruthless. He was plotting something big without making a sound. A silent dog really does bite the hardest.*

Matsumoto Chieko was a journalist, and he was a police officer. If this plan were to succeed, their positions would be enough to make the rape accusation a hot topic. Coupled with Aoi Haraichi’s ability to use the influence of the *Asahi Shimbun* to manipulate public opinion, he would be ruined once the scandal broke. If he hadn't been cautious enough to look into Matsumoto, he truly might have fallen for this honey trap, dying without ever knowing who had struck him.

Hearing the cold laugh, Matsumoto trembled. The memory of that night at the slaughterhouse had become an eternal nightmare; even now, closing her eyes made her feel like she could hear the roar of the meat grinder. She was terrified of Aoyama to her very core.

"Just find an excuse to stall for now," Aoyama instructed. Once he brought down Aoi Haraichi, he could use him to strike back hard against Ninpei Taro. He would show them that he was like a hedgehog—anyone who dared to touch him had better be prepared to get covered in their own blood. Moreover, since Ninpei and Aoi didn't know that he was already aware of everything, he held the advantage of being in the shadows while they were in the light.

"Yes!" Matsumoto replied obediently.

Aoyama hung up and called Fujimoto Ryoichi. "Do you have a plan for Aoi Haraichi yet? I need to control him as soon as possible."

"Yes! I have some ideas. Please rest assured, Inspector; I will implement them immediately!" Fujimoto replied.

"Good, Ryoichi-san. I’m counting on you."

"Yes! It is my duty."

That evening, Aoyama drove to Kanagawa Prefecture for his appointment with Hori Masao. Worried about potential danger on the road, he had Yamakawa Ichijo arrange for an escort. Having yakuza thugs act as bodyguards for a police officer perfectly exemplified the "close bond between the police and the people."

On the way, he received a call from Mrs. Nohara.

"Mr. Aoyama, congratulations on your discharge from the hospital. I have invited the sisters Nakayama Miho and Nakayama Shinobu to my home tonight. Are you free to come over and meet the new spokeswomen for our company's products?"

Nohara Izumi had promised Aoyama the chance to get intimate with the Nakayama sisters, but she had delayed for some time. Presenting them tonight was the perfect gift to celebrate his recovery. Compared to hotels or clubs, her home was safer; after all, the Nakayama sisters were well-known public figures, and it would be bad if they were photographed. Nohara Izumi had even prepared a room specifically for Aoyama’s pleasure, as she knew this wouldn't be a one-time arrangement.

"I have business tonight, so I might be a little late," Aoyama said, though his heart raced with anticipation.

"Yes! I will have them wait for you."

"Hm." Aoyama hung up, feeling physically lighter and full of expectation.

In truth, the Nakayama sisters might not be inherently more beautiful than Asai Aya or Mrs. Nohara, but their status as high-profile celebrities made the prospect of defiling them all the more enticing. Using his power to trample upon the goddesses held in such high regard by the common people was a pleasure in itself.

Upon arriving at Hori Masao’s villa, Aoyama left the men from the Yamakawa family waiting outside and entered alone. He was led into a Japanese-style room.

Hori Masao and another man, in his fifties with a medium-to-plump build, dressed in a blue-striped kimono, were already seated inside. The latter was undoubtedly Inagawa Hiroshi.

"President Hori," Aoyama bowed to Hori Masao, pointedly ignoring Inagawa.

"Aoyama-kun, no need for formalities. Come, come, sit down," Hori said, waving him over warmly.

Inagawa Hiroshi watched him quietly, holding a sake cup. Aoyama kicked off the wooden clogs he had put on at the entrance, entered the room, and knelt on the cushion.

"Aoyama-kun, let me introduce you. This is Chairman Inagawa Hiroshi," Hori said, gesturing toward the middle-aged man.

Only then did Aoyama look at him, his tone unfriendly. "Chairman Inagawa, I’ve heard much about you."

"Likewise, likewise. I have also heard much about Inspector Aoyama," Inagawa replied coldly.

"Aoyama-kun, I know you hold a grudge against Chairman Inagawa, but it was all a misunderstanding. That fellow Aota Tetsuno acted on his own initiative; the Inagawa-kai was a victim as well!" Hori said earnestly.

Aoyama remained noncommittal. "Wasn't Aota Tetsuno a member of the Inagawa-kai? I nearly died!"

"Yes, yes, of course he was!" Hori repeated the word three times before changing his tone. "That is why the Inagawa-kai bears responsibility, and it is because Chairman Inagawa realized this that he arranged this small gathering tonight. He hopes to compensate you for the grievances you’ve suffered. Let us turn our swords into plowshares—after all, harmony brings wealth."

"Yes! Aoyama-kun, Aota has already paid the price for his stupidity with his life. Please accept this small token of my sincerity. I hope we can build a deep friendship from this day forward." Inagawa picked up a file folder from beside him and handed it to Aoyama.

Aoyama took the folder and opened it to find a property transfer contract and several keys. The house was located in Shinkawa 1-chome, Chuo Ward.

"I heard you are still living with your brother and sister-in-law, which must be quite inconvenient," Inagawa said with a slight smile, unaware that Aoyama was actually enjoying himself. "This is a villa I purchased years ago. It sits right by the canal, and you can overlook the water from the second floor. I believe you will like it."

Given the location and the fact that it was a villa, the property was likely spacious and certainly not cheap.

"Since it is Chairman Inagawa’s kindness, I will accept," Aoyama said with a bow.

Free gifts were not to be refused. Accepting the gift meant accepting certain conditions—that had been the consensus among everyone since ancient times.

The atmosphere in the room lightened significantly. Hori Masao raised his glass and laughed, "The misunderstanding is cleared. Come, let us all have a toast."

...

While Aoyama Hideyoshi exchanged drinks with the two underworld bosses, Fujimoto Ryoichi’s plan against Aoi Haraichi was already being set in motion. Aoi, completely unaware of this, walked toward his car, reeking of alcohol after his own social engagements.