"10th Up to Bat" is the tenth chapter of the Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens manga and the fourth chapter in volume 2.
Synopsis[]
Ryuuji Munakata and Reiko Asakura inspect Hisashi Ivanov's body in the Kakyuu Association offices in disbelief, while behind them, Zhang expresses his disappointment. By reviewing security camera footage, they see Xianming Lin leaving with Zenji Banba.
After loading Ivanov's body into their car, Munakata receives a call from Yusuke Harada, who wants another girl. Noting her partner's mood, Reiko handles him before Munakata explodes.
When Lin wakes up in the Banba Detective Office, he has been patched up, and Banba is watching him closely. Hironobu Shigematsu visits the office, and Banba shows him the similarities between Lin's bruising and the marks on Detective Takeda's neck in his autopsy photos. They both conclude that the strangulation was performed by the same man, and Shigematsu hands them information on Qiaomei's supposed killer, Kazuki Saitoh.
After Shigematsu departs, Enokida pays Banba a visit and shows the pair hotel camera footage from the night before of Reiko, dressed like a hostess, half-carrying a drunk Saitoh to a hotel room. They recognize her as one of the mayor's hitmen, and not long after the pair are out of sight, Munakata exits the hotel elevator with a suitcase large enough for a grown human. Lin is becoming increasingly enraged by the mounting evidence, but Banba and his fresh wounds prevent him from moving. They conclude that Saitoh was framed for the rape and murder and deduce that the real culprit is likely the mayor's son, Yusuke Harada. Banba promises to help Lin in avenge his sister in exchange for five years' worth of pollock roe.