Tokyo, the shady intelligence of private detectives

Masahiro Hanyu paid close attention to Takao Sato's subtle expressions and discussed the matter with him in a humble yet assertive manner.

Throughout the negotiations, he maintained control over the pace and his emotions, gradually guiding Sato to make concessions.

After nearly an hour of increasingly amicable negotiations, the two finally reached an agreement.

The commission distribution is as follows: Sato Takao gets 25% for each client he introduces, Hanyu Masahiro gets 25%, and the remaining 50% is used to pay off debts.

When Sato Takao left, he no longer had a stern face, because he had already prepared to return empty-handed, but Hanyu Masahiro gave him 1000 yen for travel expenses.

Although the amount of money was small, it represented sincerity and improved Sato's mood considerably, indicating that their relationship had shifted from antagonism to cooperation and mutual benefit.

After seeing Sato off, Masahiro Hanyu felt much more at ease, knowing he wouldn't have to worry about being repeatedly chased for debt in the near future.

The 25% commission is more than what President Sha Yue is currently giving him. A man can't get rich without side jobs; only by taking on more freelance work can he possibly pay off his debts.

In particular, he has an intelligence network, and he can get rewards for completing investigation commissions, which makes Masahiro Hanyu full of expectations.

Lying in bed, he planned to rest for a few hours before going to the "Misty" bar in Shinjuku.

Suddenly, there was a "clang" sound, and the sound of something falling to the ground came from next door again. This time, the woman's scream was obviously restrained, so it was faint.

Masahiro Hanyu was puzzled. What was his female neighbor doing every night? Why did things always fall to the ground?

However, since it didn't concern him, he had no interest in getting involved.

The room wasn't soundproof, so the female neighbor next door probably heard his conversation with Sato Takao.

Masahiro Hanyu was thinking about these things when he unknowingly fell asleep.

The alarm clock rang, and he opened his eyes. It was exactly 23 PM, the time he had set.

Masahiro Hanyu dressed neatly, left the apartment, and headed to the Golden Street in Kabukicho 1-chome, Shinjuku.

This is a unique neighborhood, consisting of narrow alleyways and densely packed low-rise wooden buildings.

The neighborhood is home to about 200 mini-bars, each no larger than 12 square meters.

It was already past midnight, and the sweltering heat of Tokyo night had not yet dissipated.

Masahiro Hanyu squeezed into the narrow alley, barely wide enough for two people to pass side by side, and found the wooden sign that read "Misty Color" among the rows of light boxes.

He glanced at his watch; it was 12:45 a.m.

Pushing open the light blue wooden door, the aroma of sake and smoky yakitori mingled together and wafted towards you.

This bar is only about 10 square meters. The bar counter is made of a single piece of nanmu wood and is estimated to be three to four meters long.

Behind the bar stood a woman wearing a burgundy satin halter dress, wiping glasses with a soft cloth.

The neckline of the long dress was extremely low, revealing her full collarbones and a deep cleavage on her chest.

The skirt was cut extremely narrow, hugging the curves of the waist and hips, making the waist slender and tight. The side slit went all the way to the top of the thigh, and the fair skin swayed alluringly in the red satin.

What a beautiful figure! Masahiro Hanyu couldn't help but glance at the woman's waist a few more times.

Hearing the door open, the woman looked up.

She was probably in her mid-twenties. Her long, dark brown hair was styled in an updo, her features were delicate, and the corners of her eyes were slightly upturned, making her appear even more radiant and charming.

This woman must be the bar owner, and a friend of President Satsuki.

It's rare to see such young and charming women in a bar in a place like Golden Street.

"Hello, welcome!" The woman's smile had a captivating charm, and her voice was a slightly husky, smoky tone.

Masahiro Hanyu nodded politely and sat down at the bar.

President Satsuki's female friend is so beautiful!

Yuzuru Masahiro thought of the relationship between Kuroki Eimi and Hojo Kana, and then of Satsuki Yui's lack of a boyfriend, and couldn't help but glance at the boss a few more times.

The proprietress maintained a polite smile. "Sir, what would you like to drink?"

Masahiro Hanyu's gaze swept over the liquor rack at the bar, which was filled with all kinds of drinks. He actually wanted to drink whiskey, but the price was too high.

When you're short on money, you have to curb your desires, especially since he's here to work, not to relax. "Give me a Kirin draft beer, small."

The proprietress readily agreed, "Okay, please wait a moment!"

Yuzuru Masahiro sniffed lightly. The proprietress exuded a faint, sweet fragrance that was refreshing and invigorating.

There are only two customers in the bar right now.

At the far end of the bar sat a middle-aged man wearing a gray linen suit, his hair meticulously combed.

A glass of whiskey sat in front of the man, half of the ice in it had melted.

After Masahiro Hanyu entered, the man glanced at him casually before looking away. He held a pen in his hand, writing something, though it was unclear.

This state suggests a writer is going to a bar seeking inspiration.

In a booth in the corner of the bar, sat a woman who looked to be in her mid-thirties.

Wearing a beige shirt with the cuffs buttoned up tightly, sporting neat short hair, and stroking a glass of "lemon soda" with his fingers.

After Masahiro Hanyu entered, the woman's eyes held a scrutinizing gaze before she looked away and stared at her wine glass.

Her identity was not immediately apparent to Masahiro Yuzuru.

The proprietress poured a glass of amber-colored beer and gently pushed it towards Masahiro Hanyu.

"Sir, please enjoy your meal!"

Masahiro Hanyu picked up a beer, took a small sip, and found it refreshingly cool with a strong aftertaste.

He glanced at the old-fashioned wall clock; it would be one o'clock in five minutes.

President Satsuki's instruction to pay attention to the thoughts of the bar patrons at one o'clock must have some deeper meaning.

But are these just the two of them? Or will there be other guests? The time hasn't come yet, so he waited patiently.

On one side of the bar, the entire background wall was designed to resemble an old-fashioned cassette tape cabinet.

Hundreds of cassette tapes were neatly embedded in the grid, most of the covers were black and white, and some were faded and curled at the edges.

An old-fashioned radio cassette player stood in the corner, playing a song with a soothing melody like a midnight sigh.

If he remembers correctly, it should be a song by Momoe Yamaguchi, "Cosmos".

At that moment, the bar door was pushed open, and a young man wearing a black short-sleeved shirt and slim-fit trousers walked in.

He looked to be in his early twenties, with short hair, neatly trimmed sideburns, and a half-exposed dragon tattoo on his neck.

With just one glance, Yuzuru Masahiro knew that this young man was probably a member of the Yakuza, and his identity was probably that of a mid-level core member.

"A whiskey, on the rocks, please!"

The proprietress smiled politely, "Mr. Ono, please wait a moment."

The man called Ono sat down and nodded politely. "Thank you for your help, Ozawa-san."

It turns out the proprietress's surname is Ozawa, and this yakuza member must be a regular at the bar.

As Masahiro Hanyu pondered, the bar door opened again, and a man wearing a printed short-sleeved T-shirt and ripped denim shorts walked in.

"Ozawa-san, Asahi, large cup!"

The man was in his early thirties, with a denim camera bag slung across his shoulder. Judging from his attire, he was probably an underground gravure photographer operating in Shinjuku's Kabukicho district.

Yuzuru Hanyu checked the time; it was past 1 a.m. It seemed that these were the people he needed to observe.

A middle-aged writer, an unidentified woman, a yakuza member, and this portrait photographer.

After the group sat down, they all drank in silence. Yuzuru Masahiro was in a bit of a predicament; how could he possibly figure out what they were thinking?

After a moment's thought, Masahiro Hanyu decided to start flirting with the proprietress, Ozawa!