CHAPTER 720: CHAPTER 589: BLACK AND WHITE STRANGULATION, TANAKA NORIAKI’S DYING STRUGGLE

Tanaka Noriaki perfectly embodied what it meant to be tenaciously clinging to life. Surviving a major car accident without dying, then waking up from a vegetative state—either event on its own was a miracle, yet he managed to claim both.

This guy was truly hard to kill.

"Mr. Tanaka, Mr. Tanaka," you said you’ve barely escaped death and instead of getting some good sleep, what are you awake doing? Causing trouble for both me and yourself, sigh, really, why bother?"

Aoyama Xiu Xin shook his head and muttered to himself.

Then he dialed two numbers.

One to Yamakawa Ichiro, the other to Nozaki Cangjian, who had returned to his post at Police Headquarters. They were to investigate Tanaka Noriaki, dead or alive, from both the underworld and the law enforcement side.

Tanaka Noriaki had been in the hospital for over a year, and his connections had essentially been severed. Aoyama Xiu Xin didn’t believe he could escape the trap he had laid.

However, he somewhat failed to comprehend the psychology of Tanaka Naoko. Risking herself to stay with her husband, now a comatose man, for over a year, and yet, as soon as her husband awoke, she betrayed him to him. What was she thinking?

But Aoyama Xiu Xin didn’t want to delve deep into her psyche.

He simply wanted to exploit her inner core purely through his manipulative tactics.

Then he thought of something and immediately called Tanaka Naoko, "Madam..."

At this moment, Tanaka Noriaki, escaping from the hospital, hid in an alley, gasping for breath. His plan was completely disrupted, and he found himself mired in momentary confusion.

Unsure what to do next.

But he was clear about one thing. Aoyama Xiu Xin would soon learn of his awakening and would come after him to snuff him out. He was too weak on his own to survive from Aoyama’s hands.

To live on, he needed the protection of a powerful backer.

Originally, he thought that Aoyama Xiu Xin, in his ambition to climb higher, must have offended many. By obtaining evidence of Aoyama’s humiliation of his wife and giving it to his rivals, he could not only take revenge but also secure a decent payoff for himself.

But now the evidence was gone, and his own value had greatly diminished. Even Aoyama’s enemies wouldn’t shelter a minor character like him.

Tanaka Noriaki’s face was clouded with thoughts, his mind whirling. He soon thought of a desperate course of action—full of risk, but without taking this risk, he might not live another three days.

First, he had to survive this immediate crisis, then worry about the future.

Tanaka Noriaki quickly made up his mind.

Looking up, he spotted some clothes hanging outside a window. He stole them without hesitation, replacing his conspicuous hospital garments, then snuck away, his neck retracted.

Arriving at a street-corner phone booth, he glanced around before stopping an elderly man who had just finished a phone call and bowed, "Excuse me, sir. May I borrow some money to make a call? I’m from Kyushu, and I’ve just arrived in Tokyo looking for work, but my wallet was stolen. I need to contact relatives here."

The elderly are easier to fool, and more likely to be sympathetic.

"Ah, that’s really unfortunate," the old man looked Tanaka Noriaki over with a face full of sympathy, shaking his head.

Tanaka Noriaki’s heart stirred, and he quickly bowed again, his face filled with gratitude, "Please, I ask for your help!"

He knew he had chosen the right person.

"No way!" The old man’s expression turned cold as he dropped those two words and walked away, cursing as he left a shocked Tanaka Noriaki behind, "A Kyushu guy just arrived in Tokyo speaking better than I do; I am old but not a fool, damn it, scamming the elderly, you idiot!"

Tanaka Noriaki’s face was an ashen mix of green and white. He cursed the miserly old man under his breath then stopped a young woman, bowing as he approached, "Could you lend me some money to make a call, beautiful miss? My wallet has been stolen, please help me!"

This time, he was wiser, refraining from adding any fictitious background.

"I didn’t bring any money," the woman casually refused.

Tanaka Noriaki bowed again, "Please."

"Ugh, just take it and go." The young woman, originally trying to avoid him, found herself embarrassingly stopped by Tanaka Noriaki and irritably pulled out some change to give him.

"Hey! Thank you!" Grasping the change, Tanaka Noriaki bowed to the woman’s retreating figure, then took a deep breath and quickly went to a phone, inserting coins and dialing.

During the half-year since his awakening, only one person had come to visit him—an informant named Nakajima Toshihiko he had recruited when he was a police officer. Though his visit was just a conveniently timed one while getting treatment at the hospital, the gesture meant a lot to Tanaka Noriaki. So, now, it seemed that the only one who might help was probably only Nakajima.

"Mosi Mosi?" The call connected quickly.

"Is that you, Mr. Nakajima? I am Tanaka Noriaki."

"Tan..." Nakajima Toshihiko was clearly baffled at first, then exclaimed incredulously, "Officer Tanaka, you... you... you..."

"Yes, I’m awake," Tanaka Noriaki knew what he was trying to say and interjected to confirm it himself, then quickly asked, "Are you available to meet, Mr. Nakajima?"

"Of course! Come straight to my house; I’ll be there shortly," Nakajima Toshihiko replied without hesitation.

There was a moment of silence before Tanaka Noriaki sheepishly said, "Would you mind coming to pick me up?"

"Ah?" Nakajima Toshihiko was taken aback, as confused as a monk with a headache. He was grateful, though, as Tanaka Noriaki had helped him onto the right path. Despite the peculiarity of the request, he didn’t refuse out of inconvenience, "I’m on my way to the hospital."

"I’m not at the hospital..." Tanaka Noriaki said, pausing to look around to ascertain his exact location, "I’m in a public phone booth next to a convenience store on XX Street in the Chuo District."

"Hey! I know where that is. I’ll drive over now. If there’s no traffic, it should take about ten minutes. Please wait a moment, Officer Tanaka," Nakajima Toshihiko said.

Tanaka Noriaki let out a sigh, "Thank you!"

After hanging up the phone, he was overwhelmed by an indescribable emotion. Even his wife had betrayed him, yet Mr. Nakajima still remembered the favor he owed him.

He stood in the phone booth holding the receiver, pretending to make a call, occasionally glancing outside. After about ten minutes, he finally saw Nakajima Toshihiko parking his car on the roadside, looking around anxiously.

Seeing Nakajima Toshihiko ready to make a call, he immediately ran out, "Mr. Nakajima, I’m here."

"Officer Tanaka," Nakajima Toshihiko put down his phone and approached with a smile, "I never thought you would wake up. It must be the blessing of Amaterasu..."

"Mr. Nakajima, let’s talk in the car," Tanaka Noriaki, who was feeling extremely insecure, cut him off and hurriedly got into the car.

Nakajima Toshihiko felt confused and frowned as he got into the car, "Officer Tanaka, is something wrong?"

"I’m about to die," Tanaka Noriaki said.

"What!" Nakajima Toshihiko was startled and asked with a look of confusion, "Why would you say that, Officer Tanaka? You look just fine. How could you... die?"

"Aoyama Xiu Xin wants to kill me," Tanaka Noriaki said, watching the expressions change on his face.

"Chief of Police Aoyama Xiu Xin?" Nakajima Toshihiko was even more shocked, disbelieving, his mind muddled, and felt that he was about to discover some terrible secret, "Why does he want to kill you? Officer Tanaka, what on earth is going on?"

"Mr. Nakajima, becoming a vegetative state was thanks to Aoyama Xiu Xin!" Tanaka Noriaki said, weaving a half-truth, half-lie, "Originally, I discovered evidence of his crimes, so he planned a car accident to silence me. Little did he know that I would survive the catastrophe. He will soon learn that I’ve woken up and will surely try to kill me."

"What? This... this..." Nakajima Toshihiko’s mouth fell agape, stunned, the revered and admired Aoyama Xiu Xin also had a dark side.

Tanaka Noriaki grabbed Nakajima Toshihiko’s shoulder with a grave tone, "Mr. Nakajima, please help me."

"I... how could I possibly have the ability to help you?" Nakajima Toshihiko said helplessly.

He was just an ordinary person, after all. While he wanted to repay the favor, if the request was beyond his abilities, then he was powerless.

Seeing this, Tanaka Noriaki knew he had implicitly agreed and relaxed a bit, moderating his tone, "I need a place to stay to avoid Aoyama Xiu Xin’s henchmen, and I need you to help me spread a message on the street that I have evidence of Aoyama Xiu Xin’s crimes."

Even though he had no evidence in his possession.

But he needed this false message to attract the attention of Aoyama Xiu Xin’s enemies and opponents, so they would take the initiative to contact him, to protect him.

The search Aoyama Xiu Xin conducted for him would make them believe the fake message he spread was true. Otherwise, why would Aoyama be looking for him?

As for deceiving and using those people, he had no time to consider the consequences now. He had to deal with the threat Aoyama Xiu Xin posed before he could think about what came next.

"If that’s all, then I can help you," Nakajima Toshihiko promised.

Tanaka Noriaki gratefully gripped his hand tightly and said, "Mr. Nakajima, I can’t thank you enough! I will never forget this great kindness."

"You’re too polite. If it weren’t for you choosing me as an informant, I might still be in prison, not to mention getting married and living a comfortable life," Nakajima Toshihiko shook his head and withdrew his hand, "You can stay at my house for now. I’ll take you back to rest first, then I’ll immediately go spread the message. Although I haven’t made a name for myself over the years, I’ve met all sorts of people."

"Alright, I’m counting on you, Mr. Nakajima! You’re not just saving me, you are saving the citizens deceived by Aoyama Xiu Xin’s facade!" Tanaka Noriaki nodded emphatically, speaking with conviction.

Nakajima Toshihiko scratched his head with a somewhat embarrassed smile, "I don’t have such grand intentions; I simply want to repay a favor."

Then Nakajima Toshihiko drove Tanaka Noriaki in his old second-hand car back to his home, a single-family house in the Shinbashi District Second District that seemed quite old but was well-maintained.

"Officer Tanaka, right this way," Nakajima Toshihiko said, leading the way and pressing the doorbell.

"Ding dong! Ding dong!"

"Husband, you..." A young woman of average looks opened the door and hesitated for a moment when she saw Tanaka Noriaki behind Nakajima Toshihiko, stuttering, "Husband, do you have a friend over?"

"Hey!" Nakajima Toshihiko responded, quickly introducing Tanaka Noriaki, "Mikko, this is Officer Tanaka, my friend. He has run into some trouble recently and needs to stay with us for a few days."

"Friend of My Husband"

A timeless classic theme.

"Hey! Come on in," Mikko said, though she seemed reluctant, bowed politely, and offered to take their shoes, "Please change into slippers."

"Hey! Mrs., I’ll do it myself!" Tanaka Noriaki bowed in return and apologized, "Mrs., I’m truly sorry to trouble you! I’ll move out as soon as possible."

"No, not at all, Officer Tanaka. You’re a friend of my husband, which makes you my friend. Please don’t be polite. Make yourself at home here," Mikko said with a smile, waving her hands dismissively.

Nakajima Toshihiko did not enter the house but stood at the door, "Mikko, please take good care of Officer Tanaka for me. I have to run out for a bit."

"Hey! Don’t worry, husband, just remember to buy some groceries on your way back," Mikko said with a slight smile.

Nakajima Toshihiko nodded, bowed to Tanaka Noriaki advising him to rest well, and then left to spread the message on the streets.