Not a detective

Page 179

That's absolutely insane.

It has become a very favorable breeding ground for cults, and at this point, it should be nipped in the bud by the "visible hand".

But that's exactly what they didn't do.

For example, top-level Japanese politicians are precisely the most loyal customers of cults. Once they establish a good relationship with a cult, they gain a very reliable voter base—how could they not be tempted?

The case of Tetsuya Yamashita is the best illustration of this.

According to statistics, a total of 117 members of parliament, accounting for one-seventh of all members of parliament, received assistance in their elections from the culprit "TY cult," indicating that they have been deeply infiltrated.

After the Tetsuya Yamashita incident, the Japanese government applied to the court for a decree to dissolve the TY cult. Does this mean that they have finally decided to crack down on it?

Quite the opposite.

If we turn back the clock to 1995, we'll see that this wasn't the first time something like this had happened.

The infamous "Tokyo subway gas attack" by the AMZL cult is quite well-known. Its members released chemical gas into the Tokyo subway during the morning rush hour, causing a tragedy that killed 14 people and injured 6300. In the aftermath, a police search of the cult's headquarters also uncovered 300 automatic rifles, ammunition, and even a military transport helicopter...

Logically speaking, with such a serious terrorist attack, the AMZL cult should have been completely eradicated, right?

That's a wrong way of thinking.

At the time, the Tokyo District Court also applied for the exact same "dissolution order," but this dissolution order did not have the legal effect of prohibiting or restricting the religious activities of believers.

To put it bluntly, it's just a piece of waste paper.

In other words, members of cult organizations and those in management positions who were not involved in terrorist attacks continued to sing and dance as usual.

In 2000, the AMZL cult changed its name again and continued its activities under the name Aleph. Even after the leader who planned the terrorist attack was executed, he was still worshipped by his followers.

This is sufficient proof that the Japanese government's attitude towards cults is all bark and no bite, and it is impossible for them to take any strong and decisive measures.

It's just a bunch of snakes and rats.

Just like the case of Tetsuya Yamashita, the TY cult extorted 100 million yen from his mother and later claimed that 50 million yen had been "returned." In reality, Yamashita's mother donated the money back in other ways. When interviewed by the media, she even said, "I'm so sorry for causing trouble for the church." This shows that the harm that cults inflict on people is profound.

The blind faith of the public, coupled with the government's leniency, has led to the rampant cult situation in Japan.

Thinking about this, Asakawa Riku deeply felt how happy and at ease he was to have lived in a country that severely cracked down on cults.

At least, there is absolutely no risk of a hidden bomb hanging over Tokyo.

...

Although this world is not the same as the one before I traveled here, these historical events still exist here.

It could even be said that the rules of "consciousness, influence, and reality" in this world are far more dangerous than in the original world.

The "sarin gas attack" and the "Tetsuya Yamashita incident" in this world may be hiding an even more serious crisis.

Riku Asakawa didn't have any ideas about "saving Japan and changing society," but he at least wanted to protect the people around him.

It is intolerable that such evil people are running rampant outside, wielding dangerous weapons without restraint.

But here's the problem: this chaotic state of affairs made it impossible for him to investigate when faced with so many cults.

Take his own experience as an example. Sometimes he would be stopped on the street, and sometimes someone would knock on his door at home, suddenly a believer would come to preach.

At first, Riku Asakawa would politely refuse, but later he started speaking in Chinese, pretending not to understand Japanese.

There are just too many... Finding the one he's looking for among all these messy cults is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Just then, Yumiko Ezaki arrived with important intelligence.

The moment she mentioned "the supreme God," it caught Asakawa Riku's attention. At first, he thought the word sounded familiar, but then he suddenly remembered that he had heard it before.

Yes, it was in those complex and chaotic memories of reincarnation that he remembered the name of the object of faith that the believers and crew members had mentioned!

It seems... my intuition tells Asakawa Riku that the cult he's investigating is very likely the quagmire that Ezaki's parents are deeply mired in.

If we can thoroughly investigate and eliminate it, we might be able to kill two birds with one stone!

"Thank you for your engagement. We will notify you when there are results. Please take care of your personal safety and be sure to answer any calls from the firm."

At this moment, Hoshino was already standing at the door seeing off Yumiko Ezaki. It seemed that during the time that Riku Asakawa had been thinking, he had already asked all the questions he needed to ask.

Just then, Dongyun Sueyue seemed to have finished resting as well. She stretched and sat up straight.

He still had that sour face, as if everyone in Japan had died, and his first sentence was:

Are you really going to take this job?

Winter of the Gods: Chapter Six - Mobilization

"It was my own decision."

Although Asakawa Riku said this, his attitude remained firm: "If you feel that the agency is not good at taking on this case, I will take it on in my personal capacity."

He did not consult the detective herself, but it is normal to have concerns about cults, and there is no need to put Moyue and the others in danger as well.

"Miss, me too."

However, Hoshino quickly stood next to him and said, "Miss Ezaki is very pitiful. I want to help her with whatever I can."

Indeed, if she hadn't had such a kind heart to save others, she wouldn't have become the island that protects everyone.

"The way you're saying it makes me sound like the villain."

Higashino Suetsuki sat in the chair, pouting in dissatisfaction.

She reached out, picked up the cup of coffee that had long since gone cold, and took a sip.

Riku Asakawa realized that she never drank cold coffee, but rather drank it when it was piping hot, completely disregarding whether it would burn her throat.

This shows that Mo Yue wasn't uninterested in the request, but rather had been listening quietly all along.

Then, she took out the medicine bottle, shook it, and once again, in her classic move, swallowed two pills with coffee, accompanied by muffled chewing and swallowing:

"But... have you ever wondered why she didn't call the police but instead came to us?"

"She probably found our firm's business card from Ms. Takagi, so she followed the trail here."

"This is just the process, not the cause."

Suezuki gave a negative evaluation to Asakawa Riku's answer, slamming the medicine bottle on the table: "The answer is, she should have already run into a wall at the police station once."

Asakawa Riku frowned: "How did you know? Did you investigate beforehand?"

If it were a year ago, he wouldn't have asked this question. Back then, he genuinely believed that Moyue had the ability to see into the past.

But it has now been proven that this superpower does not exist, so why can we be so sure?

"Because when most people encounter this kind of situation, they will call the police immediately, rather than hiring some unreliable private investigator."

"To actually evaluate oneself like that... one really does have self-awareness..."

Asakawa Riku was somewhat helpless: "But this is just speculation. We can't be sure if she went to the police station. After all, her mental state is unstable; she's not a normal person."

If you put yourself in Yumiko Ezaki's shoes, you might already be drowning. At that point, you would grab any straw you see as a lifeline without hesitation.

"wrong."

Mo Yue shook her head: "Don't forget, she was rescued by the police once, from that cellar. When faced with something like this, did she have any other choice?"

"That's right—"

Not only was Asakawa Riku stunned, but Hoshino, who was standing next to him, also made a surprised and enlightened sound.

Yes, we forgot to consider her past... If she had such an experience, she would definitely seek help from someone in need immediately when facing difficulties...

“In other words…” Asakawa Riku’s expression darkened: “Ezaki went to the police once, but he was probably brushed off or rejected, so he came to us.”

This connects the dots: why did she look so desperate and worried about hitting a wall again?

Just like his understanding of the current state of cults in Japan, the politicians and police who have been infiltrated are naturally in no better shape, so how could there possibly be any solutions?

They'll probably just brush it off with excuses like "we can't interfere with religious activities" or "donations are voluntary." Ezaki definitely won't get any results there.

One can imagine how desperate Yumiko, who once regarded the police as her saviors, must have felt...

"That's why I said that the power behind this cult may be much greater than you imagine."

Mo Yue licked her lips like a cat, then leaned back and lay down on the luxurious chair: "Going to investigate might just get you into trouble, you know?"

"Even so, I'm going to go."

Asakawa Riku's eyes were firm. This obstacle would only make him feel more challenged, but it could not stop him from moving forward.

"Me too! I should be able to protect myself! I won't be a burden to you, Miss!"

Xingyu hesitated for only a moment before nodding vigorously.

"Okay! Great!"

Suddenly, Shinonome Suetsuki jumped up from her chair, and not only that, she jumped onto the luxurious table, kicking the "Detective" sign off.

She quickly put on a smiling face, spread her arms wide, and seemed to be almost touching the ceiling:

"That's right! Detectives should have this kind of courage and demeanor. You've qualified! In that case, this great task is entrusted to you! Go and uncover the truth!"

"Great--!"

Xingyu clapped loudly in support, feeling that she was born to be this guy's follower.

Asakawa Riku had already seen through him, and said helplessly, "You just want to stay in the office and slack off, don't you..."

...

And that's exactly the case. When we first met this woman, all that talk about "only dogs, detectives, and perverts doing field investigations" was just her sophistry. Don't take it too seriously; Shinonome Suetsuki is simply lazy. She became a so-called armchair detective so she wouldn't have to leave the house.

Asakawa Riku was in charge of the on-site investigation, while Hoshino was in charge of the online search. Once her two assistants had retrieved all the information, she would then proceed with the deduction.

Ideally, the case should be solved without ever leaving home; this is the detective philosophy that Shinonome Suetsuki adheres to.

The only two exceptions were the first time in the winter of her first year, when the Dongyun family held a "Christmas party" because she had to go in person; there was no way she could refuse.

The second time was a few months ago in the autumn. It was only after Asakawa Riku used his connections to ask her to help with the school's "top battle" that this big shot was brought out.

Besides her, there's probably no one else who can persuade her to do it.

"Such a heavy responsibility is entrusted to you, which can also be considered a test of your abilities."

Just like now, she's standing with her hands on her hips at the highest point of the room, her neck held high like a swan's, spouting nonsense with a straight face:

"If you can complete this successfully, then you will have graduated."

"Who would accept you as their teacher..."

Asakawa Riku gave her a disdainful look, then turned around and began issuing tasks to Hoshino without turning back:

"Xingyu, based on the intelligence you've obtained, conduct as much searching as possible of that church. Send me the findings directly to my phone, and I'll go and investigate first."

"Yes!" Xingyu stood at attention, saluted, and answered in a clear and loud voice.

Xingyu is an expert in online searches; if you give her just a little clue, she can probably uncover a lot of information.

At the same time, Riku Asakawa also wanted to visit the church in person, something only he could do on such an adventurous occasion.

...I just happened to get an address.

Some things cannot be concluded without seeing them with one's own eyes.

Winter of the Gods: Notice Regarding Future Updates and Bounties

From what I've seen, it seems that most readers still prefer to save up a volume and read it all at once.

I can understand that. After all, I would do the same if I were reading it myself; it's really frustrating not to see the answer right away.

But as an author, I think it's necessary to put in some effort to boost subscriptions. Sometimes you don't know how much you can write until you push yourself.

I'd also like to see a second character design illustration.

So, starting tomorrow, updates will become three times a day, with one extra chapter each day. This is free and requires no reward or votes.

Furthermore, the reward rules are as follows:

One extra chapter for every 100 monthly votes.

One more blade for every 100 blades.

One extra chapter for every 10000 Cat Coins donated.

Silver treasure chest, five more watches.