Chapter 168: Eight Years

From the window of the Criminal Division’s office, Tsukida could still see reporters from various TV stations gathered outside the Metropolitan Police Department’s main entrance, waiting since early morning. It seemed that being part of the so-called paparazzi wasn’t an easy job after all.

“It looks like this situation is only getting bigger,” Tsukida said with a wry smile.

“Well, if anyone wants to be famous, all they have to do is go down there and shout, “I’m Ayano Eiko’s subordinate, and I was there too.” I bet the reporters would swarm them right away, and they’d be famous in no time,” said a police officer sitting next to him, glancing at his newspaper.

“I still can’t believe something like this happened. That there are people doing live human experiments right here in Tokyo, a major metropolis,” another officer in his thirties muttered, astonished.

“I really don’t know what that woman was thinking. To expose something like this, Japan’s reputation is completely ruined now. I even doubt she’s really Japanese,” sneered an older officer in his forties.

Hearing his words, the other officers exchanged glances but remained silent.

The man continued, “Just wait and see. The higher-ups will never let her get away with this. I’m curious to see how her story ends.”

“Mada, that sounds a bit too harsh. Sure, she can be a bit ruthless, but she’s still our superior,” Tsukida said.

Mada looked up and shouted at him, “What has that woman done for you? Do you really think what she did was right? People with even a shred of patriotism wouldn’t make such a public scene that shames the country. This is outright treason. If this were before the war, she would have already been executed. Even you, the accomplice defending her, wouldn’t have a good ending.”

“I’m just discussing the matter objectively. Stop calling me an accomplice. Can you be more careful with your words, senior?” Tsukida scoffed.

“Japan is degenerating because of people like you—without an ounce of patriotism, just seeking pleasure.”

“And Japan is the way you describe it because of people like you—stubborn, always talking about patriotism but never doing anything,” Tsukida shot back.

“You’re asking for it. Say that again.”

“You think I’m afraid of you?”

“Enough, you two!” Seeing the tension between them escalate, the other officers quickly intervened and pulled them apart.

Meanwhile, in the conference room on the third floor of the Tokyo Police Headquarters, the atmosphere was equally tense.

After a series of interrogations from several police chiefs, the Superintendent, sitting in the center, looked at the cold-faced female officer, Ayano Eiko. “Inspector Ayano, I am deeply disappointed with your unilateral actions. Why did you choose to reveal this matter to the media without notifying headquarters? Your behavior violates police protocols and is considered serious insubordination. The Commissioner is very concerned about this issue and expects you to express your remorse and accept the appropriate punishment.”

Ayano Eiko, dressed in her formal police uniform and sitting in front of the officers as if she were a suspect, spoke in a cold tone. “After encountering the escaped experiment subject from the lab, I was preparing to investigate when my former superior, the recently dismissed Superintendent Yokonori, ordered me not to pursue this case. It later became clear that he was one of the officials implicated in this live human experimentation. I didn’t know how many high-ranking officials within the police were involved at the time. To ensure the truth came to light, I revealed this matter without notifying headquarters. I was merely fulfilling my duty as a police officer. If that is considered a mistake, I have nothing more to say.”

The senior officers were taken aback by her sharp words and found themselves momentarily at a loss for words.

After a moment, the Superintendent cleared his throat, and the other chiefs quickly snapped back to attention.

“Inspector Ayano, no matter what your motives were, your actions this time were still an abuse of power. Furthermore, it has caused a tremendous uproar in society, which is an undeniable fact. As for what kind of punishment you will receive, we will inform you after further deliberation. What we want to know now is the specific information about the men who helped you escape from the basement.”

The female police inspector sighed inwardly. As expected, they were asking this question. “I’m sorry, but I really don’t know who they were. They were all masked, and apart from knowing their gender, I have no other information.”

“Inspector Ayano, please don’t use such excuses to brush us off.”

“I’m telling the truth. Whether you believe it or not is up to you,” she said, her tone turning cold again.

“You…” The police inspector who had questioned her had never been challenged so directly, and he stood up in anger.

“Inspector Yuyama, please calm down. Inspector Ayano, think carefully and let us know if you remember anything. We have high expectations for you and hope you don’t disappoint us,” the Superintendent said with a kind smile.

“Thank you. If there’s nothing else, I’d like to leave now.”

“Rest at home for a few days until the disposition is decided.”

“I understand.” Ayano Eiko was not surprised by this outcome at all.

After she left, one of the police chiefs said to the Superintendent, “Mr. Mutada, why don’t we just remove her from her position? This woman is too despicable.”

The Superintendent shook his head. “Not yet. Everyone knows of her existence now, and if we remove her, people will think it’s revenge and that the higher-ups in the police are also involved in this matter. This is something the Commissioner specifically instructed us to handle with caution.”

“I understand, Mr. Mutada.”

※※※

For several days, no matter what time it was, turning on the TV would reveal widespread coverage of the live-body experiment. Its viewership ratings surpassed those of adult programs for the first time, prompting more and more TV stations to report on it, even if they were just copying others.

Although the basement was only a temporary storage space for experimental equipment, the journalists, who were used to taking things out of context, treated it as the actual laboratory for the live-body experiments. In addition to countless pieces of equipment, the police also rescued many undocumented immigrants who had been locked up in the basement. They were emaciated, their clothes torn and tattered, eliciting further sympathy.

As for the “patriotic official” loved by many citizens, the current head of Tokyo, Ikeyama Toshi, he had been missing ever since he was taken away by the Public Security Bureau.

The tape, said to be a recording of Ikeyama Toshi speaking, and the list of officials implicated in it caused even more shock in Japan’s political sphere than the events that had taken place.

In no time, various political parties stood up to denounce and berate the situation, as opportunities to strike at a fallen figure like this were rare. Despite some lawmakers loudly claiming that the tape was fabricated, such voices grew weaker in the face of strong public outcry. Experts confirmed that the voice on the tape was indeed that of Ikeyama Toshi, though no one knew the identity of the man asking him questions.

Amid the wave of strong opposition, all implicated officials were removed from their positions and subjected to investigation to quell public anger. The number of officials and different political parties involved was unprecedented in Japan’s political history and even in world history.

One could open a newspaper or turn on the TV and see the verbal sparring between political parties. The current state of Japan’s government and public life could only be described as chaotic.

But no matter how much the lawmakers caused a fuss, ordinary people still had to go to work as usual. They just had more topics to talk about or subjects to curse in their free time.

“Who would have thought something like this would happen?” Naoko, lying on Lei Yin’s chest, sighed as she watched the continuous coverage on TV.

“Stop watching these kinds of programs. The more you watch, the worse you’ll feel,” Lei Yin said as he picked up the remote and changed the channel.

“Mm.” Naoko turned her head back and rested it against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

“I’m sorry for not being able to visit you these past few days. I’ve had some things to take care of,” Lei Yin said, stroking her silky hair that felt like fine silk.

“Don’t say that, I understand,” Naoko said, propping herself up slightly and looking at him gently.

Looking up at her beautiful face framed by her flowing hair and the soft, water-like gaze in her eyes, Lei Yin suddenly had an epiphany: the reason he had been reincarnated in Japan might be to meet this woman before him.

“Naoko, do you believe in destiny?” Lei Yin said softly as he reached out with his right hand to touch her cheek.

“I didn’t believe in it before, but ever since I met you, I started to believe,” she replied.

“Why is that?”

Her voice, gentle as water, answered, “I feel like I was born into this world to wait for you.”

Lei Yin’s pupils dilated as he sat up slowly and gently pulled her head toward him. Finally, their foreheads pressed together.

“Do you know? I thought the same thing,” he said before leaning in and kissing her crimson lips.

The beautiful woman responded to her lover’s kiss with gentle passion. A tear slipped from her eye and slowly traced down her clear, smooth skin.

Their body temperatures rose steadily with the intensity of their kiss. At some point, Lei Yin’s hand slid under Naoko’s clothes and skirt, moving with a subtle touch. Under the strong stimulation, the mature beauty lying beneath him grew as hot as fire, and her exposed skin took on a pink glow. Her soft, breathy moans echoed throughout the hall.

Everything was happening so naturally. But just as Lei Yin unbuttoned her blouse, a jarring ringtone blared through the room.

Lei Yin tried to ignore it, but Naoko, whose face was flushed like she might bleed, couldn’t help but laugh softly.

“Answer it. It might be something important,” Naoko said, breathing slightly faster.

Lei Yin sighed, kissed her cheek, and picked up his phone from the table.

He looked at the caller ID. “Hello, is this Maeda? What’s the matter?”

“You called me just to invite me to dinner?”

“Come on, what do two grown men need to meet for?”

“Forget it, I’ll come find you in a bit.”

After hanging up, Lei Yin turned to Naoko, still flushed, and said, “Maeda’s at a nearby restaurant. He wants me to join him for dinner. Are you coming?”

“He probably wants to talk about something. I’ll stay here,” she said.

“That guy’s just nearby; it’s not a big deal. You must be hungry too, so come with me.”

“Mm.” Naoko smiled sweetly. After not seeing him for so long, she didn’t want to be apart from him, even for an hour.

At the restaurant, Lei Yin noticed that aside from Maeda, who was interrupting his “plans,” there was a woman sitting with him. Lei Yin recognized the woman immediately; it was Ayano Eiko.

If he’d known she would be there, Lei Yin would not have come. Although he had covered his face with a black cloth that night and deliberately altered his voice, it was still easy to identify a person by their physique, especially since it had only been a few days. He could only hope she wouldn’t notice anything.

“Masashi, over here,” Maeda said, waving at him as he stood up.

After sitting down, Naoko immediately greeted Maeda and Ayano Eiko.

Maeda, surprised that Naoko had come along, returned the greeting.

Lei Yin looked at Ayano Eiko before speaking, “I didn’t expect Inspector Ayano to be here too. Are you handling some official business?”

“No, I was just passing by when I ran into Inspector Ayano, who had just left the police headquarters, and we decided to have a meal together,” Maeda explained.

“I see. Have you ordered yet?” Lei Yin asked, feeling a bit hungry.

“Not yet. You go ahead and order,” Maeda said.

“Then I’ll be straightforward. Naoko, look through the menu and see what you want to eat.” Lei Yin placed the menu in front of her, resting his hand on his chin.

“Let Mr. Maeda order. I’m easy,” Naoko said, blushing. Seeing Lei Yin being so considerate in front of Maeda made her feel both sweet and slightly embarrassed.

Seeing her reaction, Lei Yin smiled. “You’re so nervous; how will Maeda ever dare to invite you to a meal again? How about we just order a set meal? I can’t be bothered to think too much.”

“Mm.” Naoko nodded, her face red.

Although Maeda Ryutaro had always thought the six-year age gap between Naoko and Masashi would be an obstacle after learning she had once been his teacher, watching them interact now, he began to wonder if it was truly a problem. Maybe Masashi was just unusually mature. Compared to him, Naoko, who was so shy, seemed even younger.

The lunch continued in a relaxed atmosphere. However, Ayano Eiko had remained mostly silent, only responding politely when addressed by Maeda.

Lei Yin, wanting to learn more about her recent situation, casually said, “Inspector Ayano, with the major case you solved, I wonder if the higher-ups are giving you any rewards, like a promotion or raise?”

At his words, the female inspector’s face darkened, and Maeda Ryutaro shot him a sharp look, silently urging him to stop.

Surprisingly, Ayano Eiko did not remain silent but spoke up instead. “Maybe they’ll give me an extended vacation,” she said with a cold laugh.

It turned out she was merely being sidelined, Lei Yin felt relieved. Although this woman had a bad temper, he had used her to expose the case, so if she had been demoted, it would have weighed on him.

Not pressing the issue further, Lei Yin continued to ask Maeda about Rumiko and Rumi’s situation. He hadn’t been home for nearly two weeks due to the investigation, and it worried him a bit.

At that moment, Ayano Eiko suddenly asked, “Mr. Maeda, does your stepson practice kendo?”

Hearing the question, Lei Yin’s mind raced with alarms. He quickly answered, “No, Inspector Ayano, why do you ask all of a sudden?”

“It’s nothing, just that you remind me of someone,” the female inspector said, looking up into his eyes.

“Really? It’s normal for people to resemble each other,” Lei Yin said, lifting his glass and taking a sip as he subtly avoided her gaze.

“Masashi, I heard from Rumi that you often teach her kendo at home?” Maeda Ryutaro asked, puzzled.

Damn it, if you don’t speak, nobody will take you for a mute, Lei Yin cursed inwardly.

“It’s not really teaching; it’s just that Rumi thinks an observer sees things more clearly, so she asked me to watch,” he replied. “By the way, is Rumi taking any tutoring classes now? I remember she said she was planning to.”

“Uh, I’m not sure, sorry.” Maeda Ryutaro felt guilty about being away from home so often because of work.

Lei Yin didn’t press the issue any further and casually asked about other things. While talking with Maeda, he felt an uncomfortable prickle, sensing Ayano Eiko’s eyes on him the whole time.

***

After returning home, Ayano Eiko lay on the bed, feeling a bit tired. It wasn’t physical exhaustion, but an emotional sense of powerlessness.

It was finally over. After eight years of waiting, it seemed to have come to an end.

Just as she had avoided thinking, her father had indeed died, and in an unremarkable way.

But in the end, her father had redeemed his conscience in his final moments.

She had never told anyone about her father’s situation except for that one person. After some thought, she decided to tell her mother; she deserved to know.

Knocking gently on her mother’s door, she called out, “Mom?”

“Eiko? Come in.”

Pushing the door open, she saw her mother, Ayano Akiko, knitting a sweater.

“Eiko, what’s the matter?” Akiko looked up, surprised that her daughter had entered her room for the first time in years.

“Mom, I need to tell you something.”

“Come sit down and tell me. What is it?” Akiko set her yarn aside.

Looking into her mother’s eyes, Ayano Eiko felt a lump in her throat.

After a moment, she took a deep breath and said, “Mom, Dad… he’s… dead.”

To her surprise, Akiko did not show the expected shock. She simply said, “I see.”

Seeing her mother’s indifferent expression, a surge of anger welled up in Eiko. How could a wife be so unresponsive to the news of her husband’s death?

Just as she was about to stand and leave, Akiko spoke words that left her stunned.

“I actually knew your father was dead a long time ago.”

“What did you say?” This time, she stood up not out of anger but out of shock.

Akiko continued, “One night, a year after he disappeared, I suddenly received a call from him. His voice was very agitated, almost like he was drunk. He spoke in broken sentences, and I didn’t understand what he was saying at the time. Only now, after seeing the TV reports, do I finally understand.”

“And then what? What did he say?”

“He told me not to wait for him any longer and to find someone else to remarry. I asked where he was, but he refused to tell me. In the end, he said he was going to atone for his wrongs with his life. Then he hung up the phone.”

“After that call, I contacted the police, but we didn’t find anything. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry, and I still hoped he’d come back. But now, it seems he really is gone.” Tears streamed down Akiko’s face as she spoke.

Seeing the woman who had waited eight years for her husband, Ayano Eiko couldn’t find the words to comfort her. Instead, she embraced her mother tightly and cried.