Chapter 1015

Watanabe Eiji frowned tightly, looking at the third document in his hand.

This document came from the Okinawa Prefectural Police Headquarters, and its content was also very simple.

The ex-wife of Investigation Division 1 Chief Sugishita Ukyo of the Metropolitan Police Department, Miyabe Tamaki, was arrested by the Okinawa Prefectural Police.

The charge was violating the Cannabis Control Act; Miyabe Tamaki cultivated and possessed approximately fifty-five grams of cannabis in Okinawa Prefecture, and was also confirmed to be one of the core members of the "Cannabis Legalization Advocacy Group," having long posted online statements supporting cannabis legalization and organized multiple small-scale gatherings.

Miyabe Tamaki has been fully committed to promoting cannabis legalization and medical use.

While handling a civil complaint, the Okinawa Prefectural Police accidentally discovered her cannabis cultivation greenhouse facility, and subsequently seized approximately fifty-five grams of finished cannabis dry leaves from her residence.

Person and goods both seized, evidence is conclusive, leaving no room for defense.

This is actually a minor matter; Japan is extremely strict on drugs, and facing drug traffickers is one of the few situations where Japanese police dare to directly open fire. However, the problem lies in the fact that Miyabe Tamaki is Sugishita Ukyo's ex-wife, and Sugishita Ukyo is the Investigation Division 1 Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, the face of the Metropolitan Police Department. Watanabe Eiji's evaluation of Sugishita Ukyo is: a man renowned within police circles for "not going with the flow, only pursuing the truth"; he and Sugishita Ukyo have interacted several times, and he knows this guy "is capable but difficult to manage."

TMD Uesugi Muneyuki is also difficult to manage.

The system inherently dislikes talented and individualistic people, but there does indeed exist an exception: "specialized talent," because theoretically the system can idle, but ultimately some matters need someone to handle them.

Now Sugishita Ukyo's ex-wife has become a symbolic figure nationwide for promoting the cannabis legalization movement, and was arrested for cultivating and possessing cannabis. If this matter is magnified by the media and linked to Sugishita Ukyo himself, even though they have been divorced for many years, it will become a public relations disaster.

What's more troublesome is that this matter coincides with the peak of national attention on the Hirate case.

Watanabe Eiji could already imagine how the evening news headline would read: "National Idol Suspected Murder Case Unsolved, Metropolitan Police Department Investigation Division 1 Chief's Ex-Wife Arrested on Cannabis Charges."

When these two matters are placed together, public attention will be drawn to "What exactly is the police system doing?"

Watanabe Eiji took a deep breath and inwardly cursed: Why are things in Japan always so terrible?

He only managed to make a phone call: "Director General Kamishiro? I am Watanabe from the National Police Agency; can you come over?"

Ten minutes later, Kamishiro Souichirou arrived at Watanabe Eiji's office, he furrowed his brows and glanced through the document: "I had originally already planned to let Sugishita Ukyo step down as Division 1 Chief, this matter is just... but does Sugishita know?"

"No, but he should find out soon." Watanabe Eiji said: "The Okinawa Prefectural Police reported it directly according to procedure, without going through Sugishita himself. But the news won't be suppressed for long. At most this afternoon, the media will start contacting Investigation Division 1 for a response."

Kamishiro Souichirou remained silent for two seconds: "Onoda told me that Sugishita Ukyo and his ex-wife's relationship has been severed for many years. Logically speaking, this matter should have nothing to do with him personally."

"Is it Onoda Kimiaki?" Watanabe Eiji fell silent for a moment; Onoda also died nearly a year ago.

"Just logically speaking." Watanabe Eiji repeated, he gave a wry smile and said: "But the media won't go by logic. They will write 'Investigation Division 1 Chief's ex-wife arrested on drug charges.' Then netizens will start asking 'Does Sugishita Ukyo also support cannabis legalization?', 'Does he know what his ex-wife is doing?', 'Are there enablers of drug problems within the police system?' These things don't need evidence, only headlines." Director General Kamishiro leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and rubbed his forehead: "... Then Commissioner Watanabe, how do you want to handle this?"

"Cold handling, immediately arrange for Sugishita Ukyo to be transferred to another post, to serve as... Deputy Secretary-General of the National Police Agency, with the rank of Police Superintendent, and then facing the outside world, regardless of whether Sugishita Ukyo knows or not, we will all say we don't know; when asked how to handle it, we will all say this is Okinawa Prefectural Police's affair, and our National Police Agency fully respects the autonomy of the Okinawa Prefectural Police, and will not interfere." Watanabe Eiji said.

Kamishiro Souichirou nodded, Sugishita Ukyo this is to be moved to the second line; normally for those in the career track, reaching this step allows direct application for early retirement, preparing to seek secondary employment elsewhere.

The endless Yangtze River flows eastward, waves washing away heroes.

The era of Onoda and Sugishita Ukyo is gradually passing, falling cherry blossoms scattered and varied, the era of the previous generation of heroes and champions is successively drawing to a close.

And just at this moment, Kamishiro Souichirou suddenly spoke: "I have an idea."

"Huh?" Watanabe Eiji raised his head: "Any other issues?"

"Regarding the Okinawa Prefecture case..."

Uesugi Muneyuki knocking on Watanabe Eiji's door occurred ten minutes after Director General Kamishiro left.

"I understand the situation in Nagoya; when do we depart?" Uesugi Muneyuki said without beating around the bush with Watanabe Eiji, he opened the door and got straight to the point.

Watanabe Eiji sat behind his desk, did not immediately answer, he furrowed his brows, glanced at Uesugi Muneyuki, then pushed the third document toward Uesugi Muneyuki: "Take a look at this first, Muneyuki."

"Okinawa?!" Uesugi Muneyuki picked up the document and glanced through it.

"Yes, Miyabe Tamaki, Sugishita Ukyo's ex-wife. She was arrested by the prefectural police in Okinawa this morning. Cultivating and possessing fifty-five grams of cannabis, and simultaneously a core member of the Cannabis Legalization Advocacy Group. Person and goods both seized, evidence is conclusive, with no room for maneuver."

Uesugi Muneyuki was even more puzzled: "... What does this matter have to do with the Special Mission Division?"

"And it has a personal connection to you." Watanabe Eiji said this while his gaze did not avoid him: "Director General Kamishiro specifically assigned the Special Mission Division to handle this. His reasoning is that the case involves relatives of Metropolitan Police Department personnel, and having the Special Mission Division, a department independent of Investigation Division 1, liaise with the Okinawa Prefectural Police can avoid the perception of 'investigating oneself.' Additionally, Miyabe Tamaki's activity network in Okinawa is relatively complex, involving multiple civilian groups and local political circles, requiring someone with cross-regional coordination ability to go on-site and clarify the situation. You are the most suitable candidate."

"Ah? Father, what do you mean by this?" Uesugi Muneyuki was amused: "Not going to Nagoya, seeing your meaning, is it that you want me to go to Okinawa? 'Yes, I want you to go to Okinawa, because the Okinawa Prefectural Police Headquarters has applied for assistance from the National Police Agency.' Watanabe Eiji leaned back in his chair and said. 'Father, you reformed the Police Law, your National Police Agency possesses the power to directly guide local headquarters!' Uesugi Muneyuki said displeased: 'This is for you to guide the Hirate case, not for you to guide Okinawa over a woman growing cannabis, I am a forensic pathologist, I am not an agronomist nor do I grow cannabis, what does this have to do with me?'"

"Is that so? Then take a look at this?" Watanabe Eiji took out another document.

This is the document transferred from the Aichi Prefectural Police Headquarters Hirate Case Special Investigation Headquarters to the National Police Agency, namely the report detecting LSD on Hirate's person. LSD?!

"The LSD detection result in Hirate Sarina's body, Aichi Prefecture submitted a preliminary report to the National Police Agency through secret channels, I just received it." Watanabe Eiji fell silent for a moment, organized his language: "Muneyuki, I ask you, what is your current identity?"

"Chief Medical Examiner of the Special Mission Division of the Metropolitan Police Department."

"What did you just do?"

Uesugi Muneyuki did not answer. He knew what Watanabe was going to say.

He had called Park Yoo-chun.

"You just identified a Korean entertainer involved in drugs on a live broadcast program, then sent his nail sample to the U. S. military for testing, and finally in court got an Asian Heavenly King to publicly confess guilt. This matter has already been overturned by you in the East Asian public opinion sphere. Media in Japan and South Korea have continuously reported for nearly a month, Park Yoo-chun's fans are still calling the National Police Agency to report you, and now." Watanabe Eiji said helplessly: "If right after this another piece of news breaks out about a National Female Idol having LSD in her system at the time of death, what do you think the outside world will think of Japan? 'Japanese police arrested a Korean entertainer for drugs, yet their own National Idol is also a drug addict!' Once this headline appears in Korean media, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs there will have no way to respond. Do you know what this means?"

Uesugi Muneyuki was left speechless: "Father! If you inhaled, you inhaled; if you didn't inhale, you didn't inhale!"

"Yes, inhaling means inhaling, not inhaling means not inhaling! But Hirate is already dead!" Watanabe Eiji said impatiently: "This is different, do you understand? The Japanese mentality is just like this; if at this time you keep holding onto this matter with a dead person, public opinion will instead endlessly sympathize with Hirate! She is dead! Been assaulted first then...!"

"Alright, I know, in our East Asian culture dead people always have privileges." Uesugi Muneyuki understood: "So you are planning to let me go to Okinawa first?"

"Not first go to Okinawa, but rather arrange for you to go to Okinawa during this period." Watanabe Eiji corrected his wording: "Nagoya side, temporarily led by the Aichi Prefectural Police Headquarters. Headquarters Chief Shimada is a steady person, he has the capability to handle this case. After you go to Okinawa, if Nagoya has new developments, I will have someone synchronize the information to you."

"But you cannot currently appear at the Hirate case scene. Your face has been hanging on all media for a month. If you appear in Nagoya, reporters will immediately link your appearance to the Park Yoo-chun case, then start writing 'Uesugi Muneyuki again sets his sights on an entertainer' 'This time it's a National Idol' and similar reports. That would be of no benefit to case detection and the Metropolitan Police Department's image."

"Muneyuki, any action within the system is essentially resource exchange and interest exchange; modern government does not care about good and evil, only about order and chaos; you beat Park Yoo-chun and felt great, right? But we have to clean up after you, and of course I also know that beating Park Yoo-chun was a request from the Cabinet... so this is also to protect you, the appropriate timing for entry is far more important than mere ability."

"Is that so? It seems Aichi Prefecture has some things they don't want us to know." Uesugi Muneyuki pinched his chin.

"Yes." Watanabe Eiji nodded: "So let us see what happens next, but regardless, at this time we should still avoid getting involved and stirring up trouble, as long as we do nothing, we won't make mistakes! We won't become the target of public criticism, I really like the coaching style of French superstar Zinedine Zidane, he always coaches at the right time and leaves at the right time."

"Alright." Uesugi Muneyuki still cared about Hirate's situation, but Watanabe Eiji convinced him: "Then I will go to Okinawa for a trip, and report any progress to you immediately."

Watanabe Eiji also breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself that this son-in-law is becoming increasingly difficult to manage.

What matters he is suitable to investigate, what matters he should not touch, need to personally oversee.

Otherwise he could simply overturn the heavens of my Great Japan—one metropolis, two administrations, forty-three prefectures!

Uesugi Muneyuki returned to the Special Mission Division of the Metropolitan Police Department, notified everyone that he was going to Okinawa for a trip.

Aichi Prefectural Police Headquarters, Headquarters Chief's Office.

"Yes, deeply grateful! Thank you very much for your help! Kamishiro, we, are lifelong comrades!" Headquarters Chief Shimada put down the phone. Afterwards Nagase Ren was called into the office by Shimada Masahide.

"Nagase, I have secured five days for you." Headquarters Chief Shimada said softly.

Nagase Ren stood by the desk, for a moment not understanding the meaning of those words: "Five days?"

"Starting today, within five days, the Hirate Sarina case must be solved." Shimada Motonobu's tone was firm, as if he wanted to create a new history for Nagoya: "Just five days!"

Nagase Ren felt his scalp go numb.

Five days, just five days?!

Shimada Motonobu nodded, Tokyo had already called to ask about progress, the pressure from the media side was increasing every day, Akai Saka's fans gathered quietly and dispersed quietly in Nagoya's urban area, that kind of quiet was more unsettling than noise.

Everyone was waiting for the result, waiting for the case to be solved.

"I told the National Police Agency side, this case is currently led by us Aichi Prefecture, we have the capability to solve it independently, we don't need external support. I've already said it. If we can't produce results within five days, I'll have to hand the case over to Tokyo, and when they come, it will be people from the Metropolitan Police Department, who exactly I don't need to say—you know." Shimada Motonobu said sternly: "This is already the best treatment I can secure for you! Nagase!" Nagase Ren knew.

Uesugi Muneyuki.

The man who overturned the Asian Heavenly King with a single fingernail. The man who doesn't need to apply for a search warrant, doesn't need to wait for approval, just calls a US Army general and can have three institutions test samples overnight.

Yeah, when he comes, the lid flips open, everyone's doomed!

"When that man comes, we're done! Aichi Prefecture is done, you and I, and the entire Aichi Prefecture Police Headquarters won't just have our honor swept away! And... once the scandal is exposed, my fate will be nothing more than early retirement, but you, Nagase Ren, what will happen to you and your colleagues who've worked hard with you? Don't make me say more?!"

Shimada looked at Nagase Ren's expression, his voice slightly lowered: "I'm doing this to help you, and to help ourselves. You must understand! I'm doing this for your own good! I've bought you time!"

You bought me time?

But only five days! Just five days!

Nagase Ren nodded painfully, he really wanted to say, are you really doing this for my good?

However, Shimada Motonobu is already over fifty, he at most will take early retirement, himself is still under thirty, in the career track, has a bright future! He doesn't want to go to Hokkaido, nor to Aomori to see the forest, nor to Tokushima to see the sea!

When he turned and walked out of the office, he happened to bump into a Forensic Identification Division technician walking briskly from the other end of the hallway.

The technician held in his hand a freshly printed report, his face paler than usual.

He handed the report to Nagase Ren, voice low and quick: "Inspector, the detailed DNA analysis of the Kyoya sample is out." "What?!" Nagase Ren instantly became excited, he immediately took the report and flipped it open.

If there could be DNA………

However, the result disappointed him.

The STR testing was incomplete.

The technician explained softly beside him: "Due to the corpse being exposed in the garbage dump for a long time, the sample is severely degraded, the number of complete genetic loci that can be restored is limited. We screened all available comparison samples in the database, found no fully matching individual."

"In the partially degraded sample, one showed genetic traits that were extremely complex, Portuguese, Indian, East Asian Japanese-Korean, Southeast Asian, also including Caucasian, African or Middle Eastern, Latin American lineage. Currently unable to determine specific nationality or ethnic affiliation, only able to say this person's genetic makeup is extremely mixed, possibly multi-generational admixture, or possibly from a region where mixed populations are concentrated."

"That is to say, according to ancestry analysis, the perpetrator is very likely a mix of Amerindian, Caucasian, Aryan, Micronesian, Indian geographical, and Negroid races, Mongoloid race!"

Nagase Ren: "???"

"And we confirmed, multiple Kyoya antigens exist at the scene, meaning the perpetrators are not only extremely likely to be multiple, but also possibly accomplices, they are very familiar with the nearby terrain, and besides the DNA database being unable to match, mixed DNA also due to severe degradation from corruption, and further contaminated by the garbage dump's environment, in this situation, even if Uesugi Muneyuki came, he would be powerless!"

At the same time, another police officer came running.

"Inspector, we found some witnesses from that time, they indeed saw several suspicious individuals during the time Hirate went missing, but..." one officer came running over.

"But what?!" Nagase Ren was even more numb.

"But the accounts of multiple witnesses differ, some say they saw Middle Easterners, some say they saw several Latin Americans, some say they saw a mixed Black person, some say they saw someone from South Asia or Southeast Asia, some say there were several drunks from our local izakayas, we investigated according to circumstances... Inspector, this area nearby is Japan's largest industrial zone, dispatched workers are countless and are replaced in large batches every 1-3 months, we Japanese don't have ID cards, and the nearby dormitories and barracks don't enforce ID registration, so..."

"Ah ah ah ah ah!!!" Nagase Ren, after hearing this, painfully squatted on the ground.

He knew this was the Nagoya urban area, Japan's largest automotive industrial zone, and under the prevalence of outsourced dispatch, personnel turnover is extremely frequent.

How, how is this to be investigated??

"And we also have another discovery...... that is the source of LSD......"

"What?!"