Chapter 48: At This Moment, the Two Were as Innocent as Children

After Tanaka Norifumi proposed his plan, the reason Nakayama and Yamamoto became excited was not because they finally had a way to deal with Hidehito Aoyama. Rather, it was because they now had a method to beg for Aoyama’s forgiveness—by betraying Tanaka Norifumi.

After all, these two weaklings could never muster the courage to face Aoyama’s vengeance head-on. In their eyes, their chances of winning were far too small. Aoyama had even killed Toshitomi Sato; what chance did minor figures like themselves have? Rather than relying on Tanaka’s plan to eventually succeed, it seemed far more reliable—and cost-effective—to simply sell him out in exchange for Aoyama’s mercy.

So, when Hidehito Aoyama received a call from his sister-in-law notifying him that someone wanted to see him and hurried home, what he found were two of his former subordinates sitting uneasily in the living room.

“Inspector!” The two hurriedly rose, bowing with anxious reverence.

“Oh, I wondered who it was—so it’s Nakayama and Yamamoto. It’s been so long, I almost missed you.” After changing into slippers and removing his coat, Aoyama spoke with a sarcastic lilt, “So what wind blew you two here? Besides, I’m not an inspector anymore.”

Faced with Aoyama’s mockery, the two men remained in a ninety-degree bow, silent.

“Hidehito, give me your coat,” Seiko Aoyama stepped forward to take his coat. As she drew near, she wrinkled her nose at the smell of alcohol on him, then softly said, “Let me make you some soup to sober up.”

“No need to trouble yourself, sister-in-law,” Aoyama gently stopped her. “I haven’t drunk much, and it’s late. You should go upstairs and rest. I’ll entertain these two myself.”

In front of his sister-in-law, he had to maintain his humble, gentle, harmless persona. If he didn’t send her away first, it would be difficult to reveal his true nature later.

“Alright!” Seiko glanced at the bowing Yamamoto Yo and Nakayama Tani, then went upstairs.

Once she was gone, Yamamoto Yo and Nakayama Tani collapsed to their knees with a thud, pressing their hands to the floor and bowing their heads in apology. “Inspector, we know we were wrong.”

“Wrong? No, you weren’t wrong.” Aoyama shook his head, seated himself on the sofa and crossed his legs, saying seriously, “The mistake was mine—I misjudged people. Don’t blame yourselves; blame me.”

The more he spoke like this, the more terrified Nakayama and Yamamoto became; their faces turned pale, sweat poured down as they crawled on their knees to sit beside Aoyama, bowing their heads once more.

“Inspector, no, we were wrong. We were ungrateful, we betrayed you…”

“Enough! Silence!” Watching them endlessly confess and repent, Aoyama impatiently cut them off, his voice cold. “If you’re only here to spout this nonsense, you can leave.”

Were they truly repentant? No—they were simply afraid.

Their pleas for mercy ceased abruptly.

“No, no, we… we came to inform you.” Nakayama Tani raised his head to gaze at Aoyama, his voice stammering.

“Yes! Yes, exactly!” Yamamoto Yo echoed, swallowing nervously as he met Aoyama’s gaze. “It’s Tanaka! That guy tried to rope us into a plot against you. He was the one who urged us to betray you in the first place. We don’t want to make another mistake, so we’re here to confess everything.”

“Yes, it’s all Tanaka!” Nakayama quickly shifted all blame onto Tanaka Norifumi, crawling forward two steps and bowing his head heavily. “We truly know we were wrong. Please, Inspector, give us a chance to atone for our sins. We beg you!”

“We beg you!” Yamamoto Yo echoed, bowing his head.

Looking at the backs of their heads, Hidehito Aoyama couldn’t help but show a mocking expression. Truly two cowards—stabbed him in the back once, now stabbing Tanaka Norifumi.

“Is that so? Sounds like Tanaka is quite the villain, isn’t he?” Aoyama commented leisurely, leaning back and resting his legs atop their heads, speaking slowly. “In that case, let’s hear about Tanaka’s plan. I’m quite curious.”

“Yes!” Feeling Aoyama’s legs pressing down on their heads, the two remained perfectly still, afraid to move lest they disturb him, staring at the carpet as they took turns revealing Tanaka Norifumi’s scheme in detail.

The plan was actually quite simple: Tanaka Norifumi intended to use Aoyama’s interest in his wife to set up a honey trap, creating an opportunity for Aoyama to come to his house and assault his wife. Then, as Aoyama made his move, the three would burst in, catch him in the act, photograph the scene, and report him for attempting to rape a former subordinate’s wife.

This would ruin Aoyama’s reputation and prevent his return to the Metropolitan Police Department.

“Bastard! So Tanaka really is malicious—utterly rotten!” Aoyama exclaimed, then lowered his head and lightly kicked their faces with his feet, saying airily, “But on the other hand, how do I know this isn’t part of your plot? Maybe you’re trying to gain my trust this way, only to strike a mortal blow later! Why should I trust you?”

“Great Amaterasu above…” Nakayama Tani began to raise his hand to swear an oath.

Aoyama cut him off brusquely, his gaze turning fierce and cold. “I don’t trust Amaterasu; I only trust the knife in my hand. So either you hand me your own dirt, or go home and wait for my blade at your throat!”

He already believed their story, but how could he let them off so easily?

One must be fair.

All three must pay for their betrayal.

Venturing his anger was secondary—what mattered was setting an example. If betrayal carried no consequences, then anyone could dare to do so in the future.

So he had to retaliate fiercely.

Especially against Tanaka—that man, ha! Now bold enough to plot against him to protect his new wife, how commendable.

Tsk, tsk—truly moving.

Since that was the case, he’d destroy what mattered most to him.

Aoyama’s handsome, pale face twisted into a cold, cruel smile that chilled the blood.

“Uh…” Nakayama Tani and Yamamoto Yo, sensing the implication in Aoyama’s words, exchanged uncertain glances. Neither wanted to hand their weakness over to another, knowing it would leave them too vulnerable.

Aoyama understood them well and had anticipated this, knowing they would ultimately compromise. He snorted coldly, “If I really wanted to deal with you, could you stop me? It’s just futile struggling. Give me your dirt, and I’ll let bygones be bygones—your last chance.”

These words broke their resistance.

Yes, even if they didn’t hand over their secrets to Aoyama, weren’t they already exposed and powerless?

They never had the courage to resist.

“Inspector, are… are you serious?” Nakayama Tani asked nervously, his gaze innocent as a child.

Aoyama stared at him blankly, not answering.

Nakayama quickly lowered his head again, pressing himself to the floor. “I’m willing to hand over evidence of my bribery to prove my sincerity and earn your forgiveness.”

“I… I’m willing too.” Yamamoto Yo hesitated only briefly before agreeing.

The moment they chose to betray Tanaka, their weakness was revealed. The stronger Aoyama acted, the more they would yield.

“Very well.” Aoyama removed his legs from their heads, stood, and walked upstairs without turning back. “I expect to see your sincerity after breakfast tomorrow. You can leave.”

“Yes!”

Nakayama and Yamamoto answered, waiting until the footsteps faded before rising to their feet, quietly turning off the living room lights, and leaving, closing the door behind them.

…………………………

Time quickly passed to the next morning.

“Sister-in-law, good morning.”

Aoyama stretched lazily as he descended the stairs.

“You’re up early too, Hidehito.” Seiko smiled at him from the dining table, then frowned slightly. “By the way, Hidehito, those two were waiting at the door first thing this morning. I invited them in but they refused. Who are they?”

“Don’t worry about them,” Aoyama replied casually, offering no further explanation. He approached the table, sniffing the air, and exaggeratedly said, “Ah, sister-in-law, it smells wonderful.”

“It’s ready to eat,” Seiko replied, feeling a sense of accomplishment from Aoyama’s eagerness—a perfect compliment to her cooking.

He quickly sat down, picked up knife and fork, and announced, “Then I’ll begin.”

After breakfast, he left for work.

“Good morning, Inspector!”

Nakayama Tani and Yamamoto Yo, already waiting outside, straightened and bowed.

“Where’s the stuff?” Aoyama asked.

Still bowing, Yamamoto and Nakayama each handed him an envelope.

Aoyama opened them on the spot, and after confirming everything was in order, put them away.

With evidence of their crimes in hand, he could now trust their story completely. And once they’d served their purpose, he could easily destroy them.

Such pitiful, weak fools.

“Excellent! Nakayama, Yamamoto, all past grievances are erased. Report to the Metropolitan Police as usual, keep Tanaka Norifumi steady, and then…”

Yamamoto and Nakayama observed a moment of silence for Tanaka, but still agreed without hesitation. “Yes! Rest assured, Inspector—we’ll ensure he never suspects.”

Forgive us, Tanaka.

“I trust your abilities.” Aoyama nodded, then strode toward his car.

“Safe travels, Inspector!”

Yamamoto and Nakayama stood, bowing in farewell.

Only when the tail lights vanished from sight did they straighten up, exchange glances, and sigh in relief.

They’d survived this ordeal.

Ring ring~ ring ring~

Just then, Nakayama’s phone rang.

He answered, “Hello… Tanaka? Meet? Now? Alright.”