Chapter 337

I'm back~

Ikeda Erena opened the hotel door, and unlike before, the usually energetic tall beauty was now utterly exhausted; wearing her winter coat and pants, she struggled to open the door, saw Uesugi Muneyuki, and immediately threw herself onto him, clinging tightly and inhaling his pleasant pine scent with force.

Supplement Uesugi Energy!

"What's wrong, Erena-sensei?" Uesugi Muneyuki felt her desperately sniffing his scent, couldn't help but chuckle: "What's going on? Didn't the headquarters and Minami say they'd fully protect you?"

"Well, that's what they said—" Erena pouted, tears welling up as she buried her face in Uesugi Muneyuki's chest: "But I'm so tired, really so tired! I'd rather face a hundred disciples alone than go through this!"

Today's nonstop questioning, review, and evidence organization truly exhausted Ikeda Erena.

Indeed, the Metropolitan Police Department had resolved to protect Erena, but precisely because of that, starting this morning, the Supervision Officers of the Police Affairs Department began interrogating her, repeatedly probing every detail of the matter until she was worn out in body and mind.

After confirming every detail, the Chief Supervisor then cross-examined Erena based on existing evidence and various accounts, specifically teaching her which parts to say how, how to answer which parts, to claim ignorance on certain trap questions, and to simply say that certain questions would be answered by headquarters personnel.

Next came reviewing the answers.

To the Police Affairs Department Supervision Officers, this part was simple—just rote memorization.

But for Erena, this part was the most difficult.

Memorizing answers to the point of wanting to cry, she even managed to annoy these highly educated, high-IQ Supervision Officers enough.

Haruki Okochi, Police Superintendent and esteemed Chief Supervisor of the Police Affairs Department's Career Track, had become like an elementary school language teacher, silently waiting for Erena to recite her text.

Thus both sides suffered: Erena tormented by endless recitation, Okochi tormented as supervisor, yet skipping it wasn't an option.

More importantly, Uesugi Muneyuki wasn't by her side.

Without Uesugi Muneyuki nearby, Erena felt a void in her soul; she had grown accustomed to his presence, his support, his guidance on what to do.

As it turned out, today Uesugi wasn't there, and neither was Minami.

Oh no—without Uesugi by her side, wada sai!

Thus, after being tormented all day, Ikeda Erena was completely burned out, leaving only white ash.

I desperately, desperately, desperately need to supplement Uesugi Energy right now!

"The hot water's ready—go take a bath, change your clothes." Feeling Erena's hand already sliding around his waist and quietly moving downward, Uesugi Muneyuki chuckled, gesturing for her not to rush: first take a bath, eat, then talk: "Dinner's almost ready."

"Pfft~ not really, not that urgent either"" Ikeda Erena blushed deeply at Uesugi Muneyuki's words,

The tall beauty's eyes had already begun to haze, but his comment made her flustered; otherwise, she truly did want it, and wanted it now!

After all, it's still this man who gives her an experience truly beyond compare.

After eating, Ikeda Erena changed into a comfortable cashmere winter home outfit; having shed certain restrictions, her striking figure was unmistakable in her home near Sakata Bridge, especially when she slightly trembled, causing Saito Asuka, who was tidying bowls and chopsticks nearby, to burst into tears again, unable to stop.

She's been from 14 to nearly 17 years old, her height and build basically unchanged, yet daily she endures Ikeda Erena's relentless onslaught—the girl truly can't cry, tears won't come.

Saka-Yui Bridge chanced upon an overweight girl, gave it her all but couldn't win.

Moreover, this overweight girl differs from Minami-senpai—Minami-senpai usually just takes two sips of soup and shouts she can't take it anymore, Ikeda save me—while Asuka is confident she could easily outdo Minami-senpai, but this overweight girl is basically a marathon expert!

When will it be my turn, Mr. Uesugi? Hmm, I mean, when I turn 18!

The girl watched Ikeda Erena slip into a pair of pearl-luster 8D Lycra one-piece suspenders and white silk stockings, sitting in Uesugi Muneyuki's arms acting spoiled, and felt indignant inside.

Meanwhile, Uesugi Muneyuki held the freshly bathed, fragrant, soft Erena, helped her find a comfortable position in his arms, and read aloud various online comments and leaks to her, line by line.

Unexpectedly, Erena had no opinion on these online discussions; when past events were brought up, she only felt greater joy from her current happiness; when the net mentioned Uesugi Muneyuki, that deadbeat scoundrel running a harem, she merely gave a faint smile—especially since, wearing an eye mask and seeing nothing, she could only express mild annoyance by kicking his pant leg with her white silk jade feet; in the room's clear light, the tall beauty's white silk jade feet, from heel to toe, exuded an alluring jade hue, wrapped in a thin layer of pearl luster, shining extraordinarily.

Until Uesugi Muneyuki read that Japanese citizens began suspecting whether the Metropolitan Police Department was a "brothel district," "Uesugi Selection Mansion," or "Sakurada Gate Great Harem," demanding Erena be transferred, Erena's delicate body trembled,

She clung tighter to Uesugi Muneyuki: "Muneyuki, if the headquarters transfers me, what should I do?"

"Impossible." Uesugi Muneyuki shook his head with a smile: "Don't worry!"

"Yeah, I believe you!" Ikeda Erena pressed her lips together and nodded; she had unconditional trust in Uesugi Muneyuki.

Actually, today's series of events caused some shift in Erena's mindset.

She suddenly felt that if upholding justice and protecting citizens always left her bound and helpless—forced beforehand, then subjected to heavy scrutiny afterward—then being a police officer seemed rather meaningless.

Indeed, compared to being a police officer, I still prefer Uesugi·

Thinking this, she couldn't help but feel a stirring.

Thus, while Uesugi Muneyuki read online commentary and teasing, Ikeda Erena was in midstream striking water, waves surging, vast and magnificent.

This day also marked the start of her New Year holiday; after completing the internal investigation, the Police Affairs Department placed her on leave to rest at home, awaiting further notice on what to do next.

Days of clinging to Muneyuki in joyful times are about to begin!

When December 30th arrived and public opinion began to ferment further, the Metropolitan Police Department had already conducted an extremely detailed sweep of the entire Kabukicho district.

You wouldn't know unless you looked—but once you did, you'd be shocked.

In the total of up to 47 host clubs inspected, the total number of various "tab" records uncovered reached as high as 540

hundred million yen!

And that's only what could be found—many more bad and dead accounts remain undiscoverable.

This figure alone shocked even the well-informed, widely experienced Japanese Public Security Police.

But the situation currently known goes even further.

According to Japanese Public Security's foreign investigations, over the years, among women who stumbled in host clubs, at least 400 were introduced by host clubs to other sex work industries, using earnings from such work to support hosts, completing a great economic internal cycle.

The covert investigation at Ōkubo Park also confirmed that roughly 20%-30% of street prostitutes and hosts there have direct financial transactions.

Subsequently, the Organized Crime Control Department police uncovered an even more significant lead.

The Giyōkai, Kabukicho's largest violent group, has in recent years cooperated with some Southeast Asian gangs; at least 30 women, due to crushing debt, were introduced to Southeast Asia to perform indescribable work, at least half of whom vanished completely after one year on the job, with no further contact possible.

Of course, this is only what we can currently uncover; in reality, there may be dozens or even over a hundred more.

There's nothing we can do—Japanese culture is just like that; in reality, only about seven in ten Japanese adults maintain fixed contact with their parents after age 30; many, after marrying, see their parents only once or twice a year, and many go years without contact—so much so that being sold to Southeast Asia might go unnoticed.

Besides this, 12 people were also sold to Seattle, USA, to engage in similar work—but this point is under discussion within the Japanese Police, debating whether to seek U. S. help; not seeking help means Japanese Public Security's influence in the U. S. makes thorough investigation difficult, but seeking help risks exposing family shame.

The National Police Agency and Metropolitan Police Department feel uncertain about this.

Subsequently, the host industry's loopholes were gradually exposed, brought into broad daylight.

Put simply, in postmodern society, everyone lacks love, everyone longs to receive others' care and attention,

However, he did not want to pay too high a price.

The host clubs greatly satisfied this emotional void, and their tactics were also carefully designed.

They usually invite women to the store for free or at an extremely low price for the first time, and this first-time consumption of only 1000-5000 yen greatly satisfies emotional value, thereby guiding women to consume again in the store, and in the store, women with ordinary appearance, bad personality, and low income can enjoy being treated like a "princess," receiving the adoration of countless stars and endless praise and care, thus beginning to repeatedly visit the store.

Here, she is the heroine of the novel!

At this time, the host's tactics also gradually begin, for example, the reduction in consumption amount starts to decrease, for example, the host's enthusiasm wanes and he openly shows that other customers are offering higher prices for more expensive drinks, at this point, women who have fallen for the trick often rush to restore the previous intimate relationship, thus beginning to spend more real money.

Until their savings are exhausted, then comes the tab, the host club allows tab consumption, and at this step, the nature of the matter begins to change, such as violent groups collecting debts, hosts introducing familiar hostess club jobs, proposing to introduce overseas quick money schemes.

As the Japanese Public Security Police have gathered more and more materials, 13 members of the National Diet have already been involved in this case one after another, they have more or less been proven to have close ties with the capital behind various hostess clubs and host clubs in Kabukicho, or regularly receive "consultation fees" through indirect means from here.

Also precisely because of the investigation by the Public Security Police and the Organized Crime Division Officers, some people have begun to feel danger!

"We can't go on like this! We can't let them continue investigating!"

"We must counterattack, counterattack immediately!"

"Start from that female detective's murderous behavior and Uesugi Muneyuki's decadent private relationship, counterattack the Metropolitan Police Department!"

"Contact Weekly Bunshun and Weekly Gendai, and those tabloids, let them take action, smear them, ruin them, force them to stop!"

"Go now!"