CHAPTER 806: CHAPTER 665: ISN’T THIS ALSO FIGHTING SIDE BY SIDE? MISJUDGING THE SITUATION

"Chief, please think thrice! As the leader of all the police officers in Hokkaido, you are responsible for so many people. You cannot risk your own life!"

"Indeed! I urge the Chief to prioritize the Police Headquarters, the citizens, and your own safety!"

In the meeting room, Yamashita Kogoro, Nakamura Shinichi, and others were anxiously trying to persuade Aoyama Xiu Xin to abandon his risky decision.

Leaving emotions aside and talking only about interests, everyone’s prosperity and wealth were tied to Aoyama Xiu Xin. If anything were to happen to him, what would they do?

Therefore, a qualified leader must not expose themselves to danger; it is not only irresponsible to themselves but also to their followers.

"Gentlemen, listen to me," Aoyama Xiu Xin raised his hand to interrupt everyone, and calmly scanned the room before speaking indifferently, "Precisely because I prioritize the Headquarters and myself that I must take this risk. If I don’t go, the police image will plummet, and I will suffer a reputational backlash. This matter is not open to discussion."

He then quickly added, "However, my goal is to rescue people and maintain the image of the police and myself, not to meet my end. Hence, I must go, but I will definitely not go unprepared."

"I have already arranged for the money to be prepared. Shortly, I will drive alone from headquarters to the Spirit Garden. Mr. Yamashita should mobilize several elite officers in plain clothes from various police stations around the city to the Spirit Garden to cooperate with my actions when the opportunity arises. Also, investigate the identity information of Imamura Masafumi’s accomplices through the surveillance near Nanako’s home. Imamura Masafumi is a lone wolf, but surely his two accomplices are not."

The situation was urgent, and complexities arose. Aoyama Xiu Xin didn’t have time to make more thorough arrangements, so he spoke of whatever came to mind. After hastily organizing matters, he drove alone with money to Takino Spirit Garden at ten o’clock.

Along the way, he could sense a car tailing him without concealment. He knew it was surely a tail set by Imamura Masafumi to confirm he was going alone, without help.

He stopped at the entrance of the Spirit Garden and looked in the rearview mirror; the car following him also stopped.

Aoyama Xiu Xin dialed the number on the note.

"I’ve reached the entrance of the Spirit Garden."

"Heh, Chief Aoyama is indeed a brave man, daring to come alone," Imamura Masafumi chuckled sinisterly, then continued, "Hand over the car keys to the person in the car behind you, then enter alone. Keep walking inside, and you’ll see me."

"No, Imamura Masafumi, I want a pawn-for-pawn exchange," Aoyama Xiu Xin coldly refused.

"Hmph! Aoyama Xiu Xin, you are not in a position to bargain!" Imamura Masafumi dismissed him contemptuously.

Aoyama Xiu Xin was silent for a moment, "Fine."

"Why not say so earlier? Do you still think you’re at your Police Headquarters? I control the tempo now!" Imamura Masafumi said and then hung up the phone.

A man under forty in a brown leather jacket got out of the car that was following Aoyama Xiu Xin. He strode over confidently and said with a forced smile, "Long time no see, Chief."

"Who are you?" The tone suggested familiarity, but Aoyama Xiu Xin couldn’t recall such a person, furrowing his brow in confusion.

The man in the leather jacket snorted and said sarcastically, "Of course, such a big figure like you wouldn’t remember a small-time police inspector like me. I was a policeman for over ten years, and you dismissed me with just one sentence. Aoyama Xiu Xin, you really are ruthless."

"So are all of Imamura Masafumi’s accomplices people like you?" Aoyama Xiu Xin already knew the identity of the man and why he harbored such animosity. He was a henchman of Yokoji Guangnan.

"Yes, thanks to you. Since I couldn’t be your teammate, I can only be your opponent now. In a way, it’s still fighting alongside you." The man shrugged and extended his hand, "Hurry up, give me the keys."

Aoyama Xiu Xin handed over the keys.

The man in the leather jacket grabbed them, opened the trunk to check the money, confirmed there was no issue, then proceeded to search Aoyama Xiu Xin. Not finding a gun around his waist, he called Imamura Masafumi, "The money is fine; he isn’t carrying a weapon either."

After hanging up, he grinned maliciously at Aoyama Xiu Xin, "Leave your phone and go rescue them, big hero."

"How many of you are there?" Aoyama Xiu Xin asked instead of hurrying into the Spirit Garden.

He had dismissed more than a dozen people, including police inspectors and superintendents at the time. If all these individuals were incited by Imamura Masafumi to participate in this incident, his chances of getting away smoothly would be smaller, as they were all seasoned police professionals.

"Do you think I’ll tell you?" The man in the leather jacket snorted, his eyes filled with mockery, "And what kind of tone is that? Do you still think I’m your subordinate? Aoyama Xiu Xin, you really are arrogant. If you kneel and beg me, I might tell you."

He spread his hands, "Hand over your phone and enter the Spirit Garden, stop dawdling."

"You were once a policeman; don’t you feel ashamed doing this now?" Aoyama Xiu Xin handed over his cell phone while trying to morally coerce him into a conscience response.

He disliked being morally coerced, but it didn’t stop him from morally coercing others.

"Screw you!" The man in the leather jacket shouted angrily after hearing this, snatching Aoyama Xiu Xin’s phone, gritting his teeth, "If you hadn’t broken your promise and dismissed me, would I be on this path now? It’s all thanks to you! This money is the compensation you owe us. Don’t look down on me with your superior tone. After all, your fight with Governor Henglu is just a power struggle, nothing more than you winning right now!"

Seeing that moral coercion didn’t work, Aoyama Xiu Xin resorted to blaming his wrong decisions, "It seems that dismissing you was correct. People who would do something like kidnapping aren’t fit to be police officers; I wasn’t wrong."

Having spoken, he turned and walked into the Spirit Garden.

"Damn!" The man in leather jacket cursed furiously at Aoyama Xiu Xin’s departing figure, feeling somewhat defenseless and infuriated.

Walking into the Spirit Garden, looking at the tombstones on both sides, Xiu Xin was no longer so worried, because through the recent conversation with the man in a leather jacket, he determined that these people’s main purpose was money, at most to humiliate him to vent their anger, but should not kill him.

After walking for about seven or eight minutes, he saw Imamura Masafumi from a distance—a person he hadn’t seen for a long time. There were three slightly weathered men beside him, and a little girl with bound hands and feet sitting on the ground.

"Xiu Xin, long time no see."

Imamura Masafumi greeted with a faint smile.

"Secretary Imamura, I’ve come. Let the child go." Xiu Xin stopped about ten meters away and said.

"Of course, my aim is always you, unrelated to anyone else." Imamura Masafumi nodded, decisively pulling out a gun and firing directly at Xiu Xin.

"Bang!"

His shooting skills weren’t good; the bullet didn’t hit Xiu Xin but hit a tombstone beside him, causing a piece of stone to cut a line on Xiu Xin’s hand. Horrified, he rolled to the ground, dodging behind a tombstone, while two more bullets flew past his head as he rolled.

"Bang Bang!"

Xiu Xin’s heartbeat accelerated, feeling confused. He had misjudged the situation; Imamura Masafumi was clearly out to kill him, without any unnecessary words.

"Mr. Imamura, what are you doing! Didn’t we agree on just money and a severe lesson for him?"

The other three accomplices were also confused, with one of them stepping forward, grabbing Imamura Masafumi’s gun-wielding hand and questioning him.

Their main objective was money, never considering killing Xiu Xin, because the difficulty of leaving with money would be much higher after killing him.

"Let go!" Imamura Masafumi shook off the accomplice and, breathing rapidly, said, "Help me kill Xiu Xin. I don’t want any of the money; it’s all for you four. The gunshot has been heard; the police will arrive soon."

"Damn it!"

The three exchanged glances, all annoyed by Imamura Masafumi’s extra trouble, but with the current situation, they could only change their plans—kill Xiu Xin before the police arrived and then leave with the money.

"Xiu Xin! I specially chose this place as your cemetery. It’s the best cemetery in all of Hokkaido. How about it? Do you like it? Come out!"

Imamura Masafumi shouted, spitting as he fired randomly at where Xiu Xin was hiding.

"Bang Bang Bang!"

Xiu Xin was drenched in sweat, crouching and moving slowly, using the tombstone for cover, not daring to show himself.

"Come out, Xiu Xin! Aren’t you the Tiger of the Police Headquarters? I think you’re just a coward!"

Imamura Masafumi tried to provoke Xiu Xin into coming out.

Because the longer it drags on, the worse it will be for him.

"Xiu Xin! If you don’t come out, I’ll kill this little girl first!" Imamura Masafumi grabbed Guangzi, tearing the tape from her mouth, and said through gritted teeth, "I’ll count to three. If you don’t come out, I’ll shoot her in the head. Remember, this five-year-old girl will die because of you!"

"Waaaaah! Mommy! I want my mommy!"

Guangzi burst into heart-wrenching sobs.

Xiu Xin behind a tombstone had an uncertain look, clenching his fists; the girl’s crying was unbearably piercing, and a force within him urged him to stand up, but reason told him not to.

He wasn’t a hero, just an opportunist.

He couldn’t bring himself to die for others.

A Japanese man using another Japanese person’s life to threaten him—it would be insane to fall for such a trick.

Xiu Xin always knew who he was and what he wanted.

He wanted prosperity, high rank, not an untimely death, nor heroic sacrifice.

Moreover, he believed that if he showed he didn’t care about the girl’s life, she wouldn’t die.

Because if Imamura Masafumi found he couldn’t use her to threaten Xiu Xin, he wouldn’t have a reason to harm her.

"1! 2! 3!" Imamura Masafumi counted to three, word by word, but the surroundings were silent, and he didn’t shoot. Instead, he laughed, "Ha! Hahaha, Xiu Xin, you’re indeed just a coward afraid of death! You’re a coward! It’s a pity there’s no one else here to expose your true, hypocritical nature to the world, you phony!"