Chapter 478: Chapter 347: You’re Moldy
Could it be a hypnosis tape that induces erotic dreams?
Fushimi Roku naturally wouldn’t confess the truth, and he lied, claiming it was just an ordinary sleep aid tape.
Minamoto Tamako didn’t believe it; one erotic dream could be a coincidence, but what did two mean? It meant there must be some trick!
"Then let me ask Senior Kazama," she took out a pink flip phone, ready to text Senior Kazama, "He surely knows more about these tapes than you..."
"Let’s just not do that."
Fushimi Roku hurriedly pressed down her hand, asking her to spare Senior Kazama’s dignity.
What if this tape was used for some unspeakable illness or had some weird effect? How could Senior Kazama bear to speak of it to a junior?
Minamoto Tamako thought it made sense, but after listening, she became more suspicious of Fushimi Roku, claiming that after work, she would go find Doctor Arima to find out what this hypnosis tape was for.
"Suit yourself."
Fushimi Roku feigned indifference, continuing to question, "In your dream, what was Uesugi Shion like? Did she seem mentally stable?"
Minamoto Tamako thought for a moment, frowning, "It’s hard to say."
"What do you mean hard to say?" Fushimi Roku pressed on.
"You two were in bed, aside from that, there wasn’t any other interaction." After saying this, Minamoto Tamako was unhappy again, deliberately quickening her pace, fists clenched as she briskly walked toward the police station.
Fushimi Roku pretended not to notice her anger, carefully probing, "So she didn’t talk to you? Or rather... uh, did she show any normal human reactions?"
"No, no, no!!"
Minamoto Tamako suddenly stopped, a wave of jealousy exploding, turning to question why Fushimi Roku was asking this.
Fushimi Roku lied, claiming that subconsciousness in dreams could reveal a lot of information. If Uesugi Shion in Minamoto Tamako’s dream was a sensible, cold woman, it was very likely indicating Uesugi Shion was pretending to be mad—subconsciousness captures information that surface consciousness does not notice, ultimately reflecting in the dream.
Regarding whether Uesugi Shion was pretending to be mad, Minamoto Tamako had thought about it beforehand. Since Fushimi Roku brought it up, she took the opportunity to mention her plan:
"Professional matters should be handled by professionals... Once the search team finds Uesugi Shion, I’ll figure out a way to take her to see a psychologist, and then the truth will naturally be revealed."
Fushimi Roku shrugged, "Psychologists’ diagnoses aren’t necessarily accurate."
His psychological diagnosis was still in the bedside drawer, stating results like ’sunny and cheerful, enthusiastic and lively, broad-minded, extremely creative.’
"Inaccuracy is due to lack of professionalism," Minamoto Tamako had a calculating plan, "I think Doctor Arima is quite professional; we can seek his help for a diagnosis then."
Fushimi Roku instinctively wanted to dissuade her, but on second thought, felt it might be a good idea.
If dreaming together didn’t reveal the other’s mental state, it’s better to seek a professional for a second diagnosis... provided the person is genuinely highly professional.
A psychologist strongly recommended by the head of psychiatry at the National Hospital should be more professional than the head of psychiatry.
Once their conversation ended, it was just the right time to walk to Nakagawara Police Station to start their respective shifts.
Minamoto Tamako as usual handled paperwork and archives, while Fushimi Roku couldn’t slack off; the search team was short-staffed, and he was reassigned to conduct investigations to help locate Uesugi Shion.
Kinosaki Shoujin assigned him to search in Sugamo Apartment, reasoning that Fushimi Roku lived there and was more familiar with the local residents, transients, and building environment than other officers.
Fushimi Roku couldn’t decline and had to investigate himself.
The morning’s work was quite normal, like interviewing residents and searching for possible witnesses; by afternoon, he confirmed no one around Sugamo Apartment and its vicinity had seen Uesugi Shion, so he relaxed and headed home to rest, planning to report back just before the end of the workday.
Another boring day.
When work ended, Fushimi Roku submitted the residents’ statements and refused to work overtime; Kinosaki Shoujin had no choice but to let him go.
Meanwhile, Minamoto Tamako didn’t stay for overtime either; she hurried home, intending to find Uesugi Shion as soon as possible to cure Fujimura-kun’s Nue Poison.
Feeling lazy and bothered by the summer heat, Fushimi Roku took a taxi home, arriving before Minamoto Tamako.
"I’m back."
He casually called out from the entrance, and a rapid series of barefoot pitter-patters came from the living room.
Uesugi Shion appeared wearing a loose man’s shirt, running towards Fushimi Roku, shouting:
"Papa! Hug!"
Fushimi Roku startled, thinking it was a new assassination technique, he thrust forward with his right foot that had taken off the shoe, landing it squarely on Uesugi Shion’s face, sending her flying backward, sliding several meters across the floor.
"..."
"Waaah..."
Uesugi Shion picked herself up, her lovely face now bearing a footprint, reverting to the pitiful expression she wore in the underground warehouse, lowering her head as she slipped back into Fushimi Roku’s room.
Fushimi Roku stood stunned for a few seconds, finally processing what happened.
"Seems like finding a psychologist is urgently needed..."
He muttered quietly, lying on the living room sofa, fishing out Doctor Arima’s business card from his wallet, intending to call for an appointment.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
Hearing the noise from outside, Uesugi Shion peeked out her head from the room, sneakily observing.
Assuming it was a salesman, Fushimi Roku initially didn’t plan to answer, but then his phone suddenly rang—it was Yazaki Momo calling, asking if he was free, as there was something important she wanted to discuss in person.
"You’re not standing at my door, are you?" He got up from the sofa.
"You really are something, Detective Fushimi, how did you deduce that?" Yazaki Momo complimented with feigned admiration.
Fushimi Roku opened the front door, sourly replying, "Because I’m home."
Yazaki Momo was a bit surprised, having visited at the exact time the police station got off work, thinking Fushimi Roku wasn’t home when no one answered earlier...but Fushimi Roku neither worked overtime nor socialized, and didn’t even open the door for guests.
...Seems even more of a shut-in than before.
Yazaki Momo wasn’t alone; with her was Ono Ken, standing just behind her. Once Fushimi Roku opened the door, she bowed politely.
Fushimi Roku didn’t invite them inside, blocking the doorway, directly asking what brought them there.
"Well, Princess Nakako would like to ask for your help..."
Before Yazaki Momo could finish, Fushimi Roku was already about to shut the door, "Not interested."
Ono Ken hurriedly braced against the door, claiming it was very important, and Princess Nakako truly needed a competent professional’s assistance, offering him any reasonable payment he’d like.
Fushimi Roku was already bothered; he still hadn’t resolved the Nue Poison on himself, how could he have the mindset to solve others’ problems? Besides, he contracted this Nue Poison precisely because he helped Princess Nakako!
Last time, he nearly lost his life; who knows what he’d lose this time.
He leveraged his weight against the door, steadily pushing Ono Ken out, off-handedly saying, "Can you offer the means to cure Nue Poison as payment?"
Ono Ken was taken aback, "You drank Nue Tea again?"
"What do you mean, again?" Fushimi Roku thought the maid had a screw loose, "I drank Nue Tea last time, and the poison was never lifted."
"One cup isn’t a problem," Ono Ken also didn’t understand, "It’s only long-term use over more than a month that causes organ damage..."
She had later found out about the origins of the tree man and learned from Yazaki Momo regarding Doctor Fukuyama’s lab. The latter had snuck in to review the experimental data, which she didn’t comprehend but could sort of recount.
"One cup isn’t a problem?"
Fushimi Roku unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the ghost claw marks, questioning what that was about.
Ono Ken was silent for a moment, saying, "Perhaps the subcutaneous tissue was affected by fungi, but just sun exposure could eradicate it..."
She paused, couldn’t help but ask, "Haven’t you sunbathed in these three months?"
"..."
Fushimi Roku’s first instinct was to keep it a secret from Minamoto Tamako.
As for the ghost poison on himself, he had no idea if he would ever get out of it.