Chapter 107: Insubordination!

"Advisor Uesugi?"

"Advisor Uesugi?!"

In a certain moment, just as Uesugi Muneyuki uttered the term Homomorphic Revenge, he sensed a trace of energy from the Inner World, but when he tried to locate the source of this power, he only sensed a single pale-pink cherry blossom petal dissipating in the air.

"Uesugi!" Watanabe Minami, beside him, truly could not watch any longer; she punched Uesugi Muneyuki: "What are you doing?"

Only then did Uesugi Muneyuki realize that over a hundred reporters in the audience and a large group of high-ranking officials from the Metropolitan Police Department and the National Police Agency, including the Commissioner and the Superintendent General, were all looking at him.

"My apologies, I drifted off; I am a bit tired." Uesugi Muneyuki smoothed things over unhurriedly and made an apologetic gesture: "When I heard the main headquarters needed me, I got out of bed in the middle of the night, performed an Autopsy at dawn that day, didn't have time to rest, and performed another Autopsy in the morning; my days and nights are flipped and I'm running on fumes."

After finishing, Uesugi Muneyuki added with a touch of humor: "Superintendent General Watanabe, I think I need a paid Golden Week mini-vacation."

"Hahahaha~" With Uesugi Muneyuki saying that, laughter erupted on and off the stage. Watanabe Eiji naturally had no objections, and the Superintendent General said in a low voice with a half-smile: "Focus your attention on the press conference first; once this matter is over, Advisor Uesugi, you will naturally get your compensatory mini-vacation."

"Excuse me, could you repeat the previous question?"

Interrupted like this, Uesugi Muneyuki had completely lost the chance to trace the source of the Inner World power; he could only continue the press conference.

"Advisor Uesugi, may I ask what your evaluation is of the Public Security's performance in this case?" a reporter below asked: "Just as you said, at the beginning, the Public Security investigated in the completely wrong direction. Is this really something that a minor like Girl C could have thought of? Is there a possibility that during the investigation, because Girl C actively exposed her own mental issues, it influenced your judgment of the real culprit?"

Good question.

Uesugi Muneyuki thought to himself that this question was actually quite malicious.

In short, the reporter was asking: Did you, with the help of the Public Security, find a minor with mental issues and use the Great Memory Recovery Technique and assisted evidence fabrication to frame her?

If not, then where is the evidence?

Uesugi Muneyuki smiled slightly, nodded, and said: "Regarding this matter, there are indeed points worth doubting."

"Eh?!" The crowd below was in an uproar; the entire press conference scene was boiling over.

Advisor Uesugi actually took the initiative to admit that there were hidden circumstances in this case?!

His statement also gave the police a fright.

Hey! Don't talk nonsense!

This was supposed to be a scene where we, the Japanese police, won a massive victory!

You, an advisor, are you trying to commit insubordination?

Department Manager Mouri and Division Chief Mikasa of the Criminal Investigation side stood up on the spot, while Counselor Kobe on the Public Security side gave a cold smile and sat firmly in his seat, unmoved.

"I am not saying that Girl C's commission of the crime is problematic; in fact, the chain of evidence is already very complete." Uesugi Muneyuki signaled for everyone not to be anxious: "But there are two points I still cannot figure out."

"According to what I learned from consulting an old detective in the Organization Countermeasures Department, putting a threatening note into a victim's mouth is a very ancient method of intimidation. How did Girl C know about it?"

"And, after Girl C was arrested, she repeatedly mentioned the existence of a 'him.' Although she was vague, it seems that committing the crimes could please 'him'."

By the time Uesugi Muneyuki said this, everyone at the Metropolitan Police Department scene was already sweating profusely.

"So I recalled that in the Public Security's investigation, it was mentioned that a strange man around 30 years old was active in Chiba Prefecture between the first and second cases, and his identity remains unknown. Perhaps Girl C had contact with him and was influenced by him. However, it is also possible that this person 'him' is just a fabrication, something Girl C imagined herself. Even, Girl C might have multiple personalities, and who she spoke of was herself." Uesugi Muneyuki held up the documents in his hand: "As of now, what I can confirm is that all three cases were committed by Girl C, and there is no doubt she is the principal offender. But whether there is a mentor behind her, I am not certain."

"Advisor Uesugi, can't you give a definitive conclusion?" The reporter was clearly very unconvinced.

"Everyone, I am just a Forensic Pathologist. What I need to do is clarify the facts." Uesugi Muneyuki said coldly: "I have already told you all the possibilities. As for which tendency it is, that involves the Metropolitan Police Department's scene and subsequent investigation. I did not participate in that, I do not know, and it is not my responsibility."

As his voice trailed off, everyone at the Metropolitan Police Department breathed a sigh of relief. Miss Minami, beside Uesugi Muneyuki, glared at him and snatched the microphone from Uesugi Muneyuki's hand as if grabbing it: "According to the Metropolitan Police Department's subsequent investigation, there is no evidence to prove that Girl C had a mentor or accomplice behind her. We did not find any strange communication records or suspicious persons having other contact with Girl C. Therefore, this headquarters judges that Girl C committed the crimes alone, which is consistent with her confession, her journal, and the Forensics Division's data."

Insubordination is something this young lady does not allow! Uesugi, you guy must obediently be ridden by this young lady!

The reporters below were about to ask more, when suddenly everyone realized the logic had closed the loop again.

Not a frame-up—mental issues cannot be falsified—evidence is conclusive—not a frame-up—mental issues cannot be falsified............

So unless new evidence appears, the existing evidence is enough to close the case. And since the culprit has mental issues, even if she said something, it cannot be verified. Just as Uesugi Muneyuki said, it ends here.

Yes, it ends here!

"Thank you all for your participation. We at the Metropolitan Police Department are honored to have solved the Chiba Prefecture Serial Murder Case. We will, as always, do our utmost to protect the lives, property, and physical safety of all citizens!"

Finally, Superintendent General Watanabe Eiji led all the police officers at the scene to bow to the reporters who had come.

NHK, the five major television stations, and hundreds of media outlets looked at the triumphant current Superintendent General Watanabe Eiji and sighed in their hearts.

Under this person's leadership, the Metropolitan Police Department has really become different!

The press conference ended. Tokyo, Chiyoda Ward, Masumiso Ryotei.

A proprietress wearing a Tomesode Kimono walked through the brown corridor and respectfully pulled open the screen. Behind her, three kimono-clad waitresses dragged exquisite Kaiseki cuisine along the floor.

Inside the antique-style tatami Ryotei room, Commissioner of the National Police Agency Kaneko Takuro still had lingering fears. He personally poured a cup of sake for Superintendent General Watanabe Eiji: "Iya, that scared me to death!"

The room was scented with ambergris; floor lamps and pendant lights complemented each other. Outside the door were a small bridge, flowing water, bamboo forests, and mountain rocks; inside were heaters, screens, hanging scrolls, and flower arrangements.

"Why did that Uesugi suddenly say that at the end! It scared me to death!" Commissioner Kaneko muttered: "I almost thought he didn't want to close the case!"

"That kid Uesugi is like that." Watanabe Eiji laughed, reached out to receive the sake, took a small sip, and smacked his lips: "To use him, you have to accept his shortcomings. Commissioner, if it weren't for him, we would all be finished this time."

"Hehehe, it would be me who is finished, not you. After all, the Chiba Prefecture matter had nothing to do with Tokyo." Commissioner Kaneko laughed happily: "Regardless, let me toast you, Ten Thousand Years~ Ten Thousand Years!"

"Ten Thousand Years~ Ten Thousand Years!"

The Commissioner of the National Police Agency and the Superintendent General clinked glasses, sake splashed, and they each drank a cup.

Solving the case in over a week, the Japanese police had staged a fierce comeback this time. All news and website headlines were about tonight's press conference. On YouTube, it had a million views in less than an hour. The case as explained by Uesugi Muneyuki himself was mesmerizing, and 2ch had already reached 106,000 posts on this topic.

Uesugi Muneyuki's inexplicable, imaginative judgment, the way he drew the target after shooting the Arrow to profile the killer, was incredibly fascinating.

This is not orthodox at all!

But this is truly brilliant!

"Dong dong~" Just at this moment, the voice of the kimono-clad waitress outside suddenly sounded: "Excuse me, the guest you previously invited has arrived!"

"Guest?" Watanabe Eiji frowned, looking at Kaneko Takuro with a face full of confusion.

Two middle-aged men walked in. One was Director of Security Kudo Tsuyoshi, and the other was Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat Onoda. He was tall with a square face, small eyes, and a bald head. He looked to be in his fifties and had just transferred from being the Head of the Imperial Guard, with heavy eye bags.

Hmm? The Superintendent General was thoughtful; he quickly understood something.

After Director of Security Kudo and Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat Onoda sat down, there was a long silence in the Ryotei. Finally, the leader of the Public Security faction, Kudo Tsuyoshi, slowly knelt on both knees toward Watanabe Eiji and bent his waist: "For this incident, thank you for your care."

"I am the one who should thank you Public Security for your care, Director Kudo." Watanabe Eiji waited for a while before saying slowly: "Regardless, you Public Security can be considered to have helped a lot this time. Let the past be the past."

"I am deeply grateful." Kudo Tsuyoshi lowered his head in frustration; someone had to take responsibility for this major misjudgment by Public Security.

This responsibility naturally had to be borne by him, the leader of Public Security; after all, he was the one who had promised Commissioner Kaneko that Public Security would handle it.

Fortunately, Public Security immediately adjusted its strategy and made significant contributions to the follow-up of the case, which helped make up for quite a bit.

As the price, Isayama, the Secretary who had been kicked to the ground by Kudo and no longer dared to act as the mouthpiece for the Metropolitan Police Department, took the initiative to shoulder all the blame; he stated publicly that he had proposed the direction of the investigation, and as the price for the failure, he resigned from his post as Secretary to the Security Department Chief and transferred to become a director at the Japan Guide Dog Association, with an annual salary of 5 million yen.

"However, if you disregard our opinions like this again in the future, that simply won't do!" Watanabe Eiji raised the issue sternly but let it go lightly: "I hope Department Manager Kudo will cooperate more with our operations in the future; this time was quite good."

"But... we in Public Security also have our reputation to consider." Department Manager Kudo's aura was not what it used to be.

"I know." Watanabe Eiji nodded, a subtle smile flashing across his dignified face: "As for Mouri and that group of people, I will suppress them for the time being; I won't let them affect the normal operations of Public Security."

Hearing Watanabe Eiji say this, a shadow flashed across the faces of the Commissioner, the Director of Security, and the Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat in the room.

After this major case, the Metropolitan Police Department, under the leadership of Superintendent General Watanabe Eiji, gradually engaged in insubordination, turning the tables to suppress their superior agency, the National Police Agency.

The entire Japanese police force was gradually falling under the control of the Superintendent General before them.

(End of chapter)