Chapter 98: A High-End Hunter, a Thief Has Entered the House

The woman chosen by Aoyama Hidenobu looked to be around twenty-six or twenty-seven, the very age when a woman was at her most alluring.

Any grown man knew that women like her were the real prize.

She stood around five feet seven, with cascading burgundy curls spilling down her back. She wore a tight red strapless minidress that exposed her shoulders and a generous expanse of snow-white skin, its cut emphasizing every curve of her figure. Beneath the hem, long legs wrapped in black stockings stirred the heart. Standing there, she resembled a mass of red flame capable of scorching a man to ashes.

She was the kind of woman who looked like she was trouble from the moment you saw her.

After Aoyama made his choice, silence descended upon the private room.

Then Yamada Yuji and Morishita Isamu burst into laughter at the same time.

“Hahahaha! Hahahahaha!”

The woman Aoyama had chosen was laughing too.

Aoyama immediately realized that he had probably chosen the madam herself. On the surface, however, he put on a blank, bewildered expression.

“What… what’s going on?”

He really could not be blamed for choosing incorrectly.

The madam herself was every bit as captivating.

“Hahahaha! Aoyama, you certainly have good taste. Do you know who she is?” Morishita slung an arm around Aoyama’s neck and pointed toward the red-haired woman. “She owns this club—Miss Kim Hye-ah. You’re not actually expecting President Kim to personally climb into bed with you and entertain you, are you? Aren’t you being a little too greedy?”

“Now, now, Morishita. What if President Kim and Aoyama fall in love at first sight and she doesn’t mind keeping him company?” Yamada teased with a grin. “After all, Aoyama isn’t like us. He’s young and handsome.”

Aoyama deliberately put on an embarrassed, awkward expression. Looking flustered and at a loss, he rose and repeatedly apologized to Kim Hye-ah.

“Ah! President Kim, I’m terribly sorry. That was extremely rude of me. I’ve offended you…”

Kim Hye-ah had initially found the situation merely amusing, but when she saw his expression, she suddenly became intrigued.

The men who came here to enjoy themselves were either wealthy or powerful, seasoned veterans of the pleasure quarters. Even in a situation like this, they would simply tease her a few times to ease the awkwardness.

But Aoyama displayed a kind of innocence she had never seen before—the purity of a college student who had only just entered society.

And yet this same man had recently shot dead Inoue Miya, a vicious criminal, making himself the most talked-about young elite in the entire police force.

The contrast was so striking that she could not help but grow curious.

Men liked persuading fallen women to return to virtue, or dragging virtuous women down into depravity.

Women could have the same inclination. Many women who had seen too much of the world enjoyed seducing innocent young men.

That was why Aoyama was playing precisely to her weakness.

“There’s no need to be like that, Inspector Aoyama. As the saying goes, ignorance is no sin. Besides, I’ll take it as a compliment to my charms. It seems I’m still quite attractive to men after all.” Kim Hye-ah touched her cheek and gave a coquettish laugh. Then, in her high heels, she sauntered over to Aoyama and extended a hand. “Let’s properly introduce ourselves. Rather than the name Kim Hye-ah, I prefer people to call me by my Japanese name: Keiko Tamiya.”

There were many Koreans living in Japan. Since Korea had once been colonized by Japan, many Koreans in Japan possessed two names and used their dual identities to conduct business between the two countries with great success.

However, as far as Aoyama knew, these Koreans were not content to remain as they were. For years, they had sought the same social status and privileges as Japanese citizens.

But accomplishing that required political influence.

Japanese law prohibited politicians from accepting financial support from foreigners or foreign capital. As a result, these Koreans could only secretly ally themselves with certain politicians and have them lobby on their behalf, like rats lurking in the sewers.

They had even established an organization called the Korean Residents Union in Japan, dedicated to improving the status of Koreans living in the country. Given that Kim Hye-ah operated such a large club, she was probably a member herself.

“Hi, President Tamiya.” Aoyama shook her hand, then hurriedly let go.

“But you can just call me Keiko, Inspector Aoyama.” Tamiya Keiko smiled seductively. Taking him by the hand, she guided him to the sofa and sat him down. Then she waved toward the other women. “What are you all waiting for? Go and keep Section Chief Yamada and Superintendent Morishita company.”

“So President Tamiya really does see our Aoyama in a different light,” Superintendent Morishita sighed. “Young and handsome—what a wonderful thing that must be.”

He rubbed his broad, fleshy face, then casually put an arm around a woman approaching him.

“I was young once too, you know.”

“Are you implying I was already old when I was young?” Yamada Yuji added.

The remark sent everyone into laughter.

Over forty years old and living an irregular life, Yamada had only just relieved himself, yet at that moment he was acting like a perfect gentleman, not laying a finger on either of the two women beside him.

That was why those polished, respectable men could behave with perfect propriety in public: they had already released all their desires in private.

Keiko Tamiya pressed her delicate body tightly against Aoyama Hidenobu.

Pretending to be embarrassed, Aoyama slowly edged away. The corners of Tamiya’s lips curled upward. She sensed the thrill of the hunt and gradually followed him, inch by inch, until she had forced him to the edge of the sofa. Her body nearly sprawled into his arms as she tilted her head up at him and spoke in a sweet voice.

“This is your first time here, isn’t it, Aoyama?”

“Yes.” Aoyama sat rigidly upright.

Tamiya’s interest intensified. Her slender fingers traced along his thigh as she gazed at him through half-lidded eyes.

“You seem so nervous, Aoyama. You’re acting as though I might eat you. Are you afraid of me?”

“N-No…”

Aoyama did not dare look directly at her. He could only drink his liquor in silence, secretly thinking, You little temptress. Just wait until I sweep the whole store clean.

Morishita and Yamada exchanged a glance. With perfect understanding, they each put an arm around a woman and rose to their feet.

“We’ll go take a look outside. President Tamiya, make sure you entertain Inspector Aoyama properly. He’s a new customer of yours.”

Both men knew Aoyama was about to get his fill.

“Don’t worry. I would have done so even without your reminder.” Tamiya gave them a bright smile, then added, “And all the drinks for the two of you tonight are on Keiko.”

“Looks like we’re benefiting from Aoyama’s presence,” Morishita said with a suggestive wink and a lecherous grin. “In that case, we’ll have to leave the bill to Aoyama too.”

Yamada burst out laughing as he left the private room.

Once the door closed, only Aoyama and Keiko Tamiya remained inside.

Aoyama hurriedly stood up. “I’ll go look around outside too.”

“What’s so interesting out there?”

Tamiya seized his hand and pulled him back into his seat. With a twist of her waist, she settled herself on his lap. Her lotus-root-like arms slid around his neck as she gazed at him with a smile, her breath fragrant against his face.

“Am I not more fun?”

The more embarrassed Aoyama acted, the more upright and proper he appeared, the more Tamiya wanted to devour him.

“Gulp.”

Aoyama swallowed and struggled to push her away.

“President Tamiya, please show some restraint.”

“Do you dislike me because I’m too old?” Tamiya pouted sadly. Resting her chin against his chest, she looked up at him while constantly nibbling at her red lips. “That really hurts my feelings.”

Aoyama’s breathing quickened slightly, but he continued to act like a man who valued his chastity. He leaned his head back as far as he could.

“President Tamiya, don’t do this. I have a fiancée. We’re about to get engaged.”

“Is that so?” Tamiya became even more excited upon hearing this. She had never encountered a man like Aoyama at this club. She greatly enjoyed the thrill of dragging a respectable man down into the mire.

Clinging to him, she slowly slid down like a snake until she was kneeling on the floor. Then she swept her hair back and looked up at him.

“Leave everything to me.”

“President Tamiya, don’t… let me go.”

“President Tamiya, stop!”

An hour later, Keiko Tamiya lay sprawled across the sofa, her cheeks flushed like rosy clouds and her eyes unfocused. Her mind was in disarray. Her dress was in disarray as well, one high heel hanging precariously from her toes before finally dropping to the floor.

“Slap, slap, slap, slap!”

Fully dressed, Aoyama Hidenobu patted her delicate cheek and revealed a wicked smile.

“Thank you for your generous hospitality, President Tamiya.”

He picked up the glass on the table and took a sip to moisten his dry throat. Then he poured the remaining half-glass into Tamiya’s mouth. Liquor spilled from the corners of her lips and ran down her cheeks and neck.

Reduced to complete helplessness, she could only let him do as he pleased.

Keiko Tamiya glared at him with humiliation and fury in her eyes, as though she wanted to tear him apart and swallow him whole.

Damn it. She had been deceived!

She had thought herself the hunter, only to discover that she was the prey. If she had known Aoyama was not some innocent gentleman, she would never have taken an interest in him. All of it had been an act.

What an insufferable bastard!

“President Tamiya, let me teach you one more thing. The finest hunters often appear in the guise of prey.”

“Hahahahahaha! Hahahahahaha!”

Aoyama abandoned her and left the room laughing.

There was no denying that Keiko Tamiya was an exquisite woman. And since she was not his own car, he had no need to worry about wear and tear. He could drive her as hard as he pleased and enjoy himself however he liked.

Aoyama Hidenobu was not merely an experienced driver; he was also a master chef of the highest order. Using Korean ingredients, he had successfully prepared a Japanese-style cream puff with a molten center.

“Damn it!”

A feeble curse echoed through the private room.

…

Unable to find Morishita Isamu and Yamada Yuji in the lobby, Aoyama decided to leave first.

His car was still at the police station, so Inspector Aoyama decided to experience the way ordinary people traveled.

He took a taxi.

After all, in his mind, even the poorest ordinary person could only be reduced to this level of transportation.

Taxis were everywhere.

Surely everyone could afford to take one.

Inspector Aoyama already possessed the prerequisites for becoming a great man. At least in terms of his understanding of the world, he had already reached their level.

Sitting in the taxi and watching the streetcars stopped along the roadside, he secretly decided that he would occasionally make time to ride one himself.

He had once enjoyed playing a game called Streetcar Wolf. Perhaps he could experience a live-action version.

By the time he arrived at the location for the second half of the evening, Fujimoto Ryoichi, Nakamura Shinichi, and Asai Aya had already started eating.

When they saw him arrive, Ryoichi and Shinichi immediately rose to greet him. Asai Aya remained seated.

“All right, all right, no need to stand on ceremony. Sit down.” Aoyama waved a hand and naturally took the seat beside Asai Aya. He picked up his bowl and chopsticks and began eating. “I haven’t had a single bite of food tonight.”

“Not a single bite?” Asai Aya caught the scent of another woman’s perfume on him and replied with a smile that did not reach her eyes, “You must have eaten something. It just didn’t fill your stomach.”

She had never thought much of it before. But now that she was going to marry Aoyama Hidenobu, the thought of eating food that other women had already tasted every night made her angry and helpless in equal measure.

Aoyama pretended not to understand the implication.

“What food? I did nothing but drink. Forget it. Come on, everyone, let’s raise a toast to Ryoichi and Shinichi.”

Asai Aya merely gave him that one pointed remark and did not pursue the matter. She lifted her glass along with the others.

“Thank you, Inspector Aoyama and Inspector Asai. Without the two of you, Shinichi and I might never have been able to enter the Metropolitan Police Department. Shinichi and I would like to toast you.”

“Don’t just drink. Eat something too. Come on, dig in.”

The four of them were longtime colleagues, already familiar with one another and sharing countless topics of conversation. Laughter continued amid the clinking of glasses and the passing of dishes.

“Ring-ring! Ring-ring!”

A telephone suddenly began to ring.

The private room fell silent.

“Mine.” Aoyama gave the others an apologetic look and answered the call. “Hello?”

“Hidenobu, come back quickly! Someone broke into our house!”