Turns out, the face of a criminal police officer is just the insole of the financial conglomerates.
When Fushimi Roku showed his badge, he could see two kinds of reactions: one of respect from ordinary people and the other of disdain from the conglomerate families.
Four or five bodyguards flooded into the hospital room, along with a lawyer, who shoved immunity documents and a psychological evaluation report in Fushimi Roku’s face. He was about to say this kind of document has no legal validity, when with a glance, he saw the signature of the police chief at the end.
The lawyer said that if Fushimi Roku and others insisted on harassing his client, he would sue Mr. Fushimi in court for suspected misconduct, and would also call the Nakagawara Police Station chief to ask what was going on.
Fushimi Roku really wanted to club him in the head and tell him why the flowers are so red; or perhaps push him into an outhouse while he was using the bathroom... as long as he wasn’t found out, the police department usually doesn’t want to deal with such civil disputes, letting this half-baked shyster know that the law isn’t omnipotent.
But Minamoto Tamako was watching from behind, so Fushimi Roku had to temporarily retreat; there wasn’t much Tamako could do either; she glared at the shyster, made a vicious remark, "We will be back," then marched out behind Fushimi Roku.
The two returned to the corridor corner, looking like a pair of villains, whispering to discuss countermeasures.
"I actually guessed right, she’s also a wealthy heiress." Minamoto Tamako said, propping her chin with her thumb and forefinger.
"Why did you say ’also’?" Fushimi Roku leaned against the wall.
"Because I am too." Minamoto Tamako wore a proud expression as if saying, "You’re lucky to be with me."
"Where’s your bodyguard? Where’s your lawyer?" Fushimi Roku said, suddenly realizing, "Oh—I see..." He suddenly understood what Kujo Yua was plotting.
No wonder Kujo Yua made a special trip to Nakagawara Police Station and specifically asked to meet with him.
Minamoto Tamako thought Mr. Fu Jian was mocking her, and she immediately patted her small chest, proudly claiming, even though she was a young lady, she always stood on her own feet, never causing trouble for others, and unlike those hothouse flowers, she didn’t need the protection of bodyguards and lawyers!
Fushimi Roku chuckled slightly, glanced at her with a caring gaze reserved for fools, and changed the subject to discussing how to approach Uesugi Shion.
Minamoto Tamako felt it would be best to report it, utilize the Police Department’s strength, and thoroughly investigate the Cat Island incident; Fushimi Roku merely dismissed it, stating, "In China, there’s an old saying: Know thyself and know thy enemy, only then can you fight a hundred battles victoriously."
They didn’t even know who Uesugi Shion was, how would they interact with her?
Minamoto Tamako found this reasoning sound; the two readily agreed, deciding to split up, using their respective networks to gather information on Uesugi Shion’s background.
Fushimi Roku didn’t want to leave the hospital mainly because he didn’t want to be in the sun. He hid in the men’s bathroom and called Sazaki Gen, asking whether Sazaki Gen had ever heard of Uesugi Shion—if necessary, he could offer a reward for purchasing Uesugi Shion’s personal information.
"Haven’t heard of her, but I suggest you send a commission; it’s more reliable than offering a reward. My people are more professional."
Business was knocking, Sazaki Gen naturally wouldn’t refuse. To recoup his initial investment in Fushimi Roku, he made an exorbitant offer, quoting three times the market price, while falsely claiming he was giving Fushimi Roku a substantial discount.
Fushimi Roku didn’t know what the ’market price’ was, but he wasn’t lacking money now, only life expectancy, and time was of the essence, so he happily agreed, even offering to pay extra for faster results.
On the other side, Minamoto Tamako borrowed the hospital’s phone to call Mama-chan, her most reliable and powerful ’connection’ at the moment. She proactively explained her purpose, and Kujo Yua pretended not to know anything, quietly listening to her, then said she would help check the Police Department’s archives.
Both received satisfactory answers, now all they needed to do was wait.
"Alright, what next?"
Minamoto Tamako was full of energy; she wanted to seize every moment to solve the Nue Poison afflicting Mr. Fu Jian, to prevent him from suddenly becoming fatally ill like that morning, dying just like that.
"Just sit and rest." Fushimi Roku found a place in the corridor to sit, casually picking up a brochure from the rack to flip through aimlessly.
Minamoto Tamako couldn’t bear his time-wasting attitude, knowing that having been poisoned by Nue, Mr. Fu Jian’s lifespan was ticking away in her ear like a countdown.
Wasting time , what if they missed the optimal treatment window?
She wanted to urge Mr. Fu Jian to work, but didn’t know what else they could do now, so she anxiously paced back and forth in the corridor of the hospital, praying inwardly that Mama-chan would call back soon.
To relieve her anxiety, Minamoto Tamako borrowed Fushimi Roku’s phone to call Taira Sakurako, wanting to confirm where she was and if she was safe.
The phone rang four or five times before Taira Sakurako picked up, her voice especially soft: "Moshi moshi?"
"It’s me," Minamoto Tamako said on her routine check-up, "Where are you now? Who are you playing with?"
When she used to go out to play, she’d always have a small phone dangling on her neck. Some friends would be envious and often surround her, wanting to play with her little phone. Embarrassed to refuse, she’d let them play till the battery died, missing calls and getting scolded at home... Being checked up on by parents was a rite of passage growing up, something Minamoto Tamako felt Sakurako should also experience.
"I’m at the National Science Museum..."
Taira Sakurako hadn’t even finished speaking when another girl’s coquettish voice interrupted: "Wow! Sakurako, who are you talking to?"