Chapter 108: Comrades for Life!

Late that night, on the streets of Chiyoda Ward, Commissioner of the National Police Agency Kaneko Takuro and Superintendent General Watanabe Eiji were taking a walk in the park to sober up and digest their meal, while Security Department Chief Kudo Tsuyoshi and Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat Onoda Kimiaki had left separately.

Sixty-two-year-old Commissioner Kaneko gazed across the night sky toward Nagatacho and sighed deeply: "This time, I owe it all to you, Eiji. That guy Kudo is truly unreliable; he clearly said he could handle it, but in the end, a third case still popped up. Eiji, do you know how scared I was this time?"

"Heh heh, the Commissioner is joking." Watanabe Eiji despised Kaneko Takuro in his heart; this kind of Kantei Puppet was always like this—he had absolutely no experience in handling any police affairs, let alone criminal investigations.

When Watanabe Eiji was young, he had personally gone to catch wharf smugglers and broken out into a gunfight.

"Hmm." Kaneko Takuro and Watanabe Eiji chatted and laughed a few more times. Seeing that the situation was about right, the Commissioner of the National Police Agency weighed his words and began: "Eiji, I want to ask you for a favor."

"Ah, Commissioner, if you want me to help, even if you asked me to fly to the sky right now and pluck two stars for you, it wouldn't be a problem!" Watanabe Eiji's heart stirred, and he said very sincerely.

"Hahaha, you, the stars on your shoulders and mine are already enough." Commissioner Kaneko laughed heartily after hearing this and said meaningfully: "The Commissioner of the National Police Agency's epaulets have five stars, and the Superintendent General's epaulets have four. If you pluck two more stars, that would be six stars! Do you want to have one more star than MacArthur?"

"Hahaha, a metaphor, just a metaphor." Watanabe Eiji laughed a bit awkwardly.

"I really must thank you for this matter; you saved my face." Commissioner Kaneko gave his subordinate a proper nudge and continued: "My term has one year left. Next year I will be 63, and it will be time for me to retire."

"Commissioner, have you chosen your next step?" This situation was very normal in Japan, and Watanabe Eiji said naturally: "Returning to school or..."

"Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha's Yokohama Wharf needs a director to be responsible for managing government relations." Commissioner Kaneko nodded and said: "So I will absolutely not cling to my position; when my term ends, I will step down directly from my current post."

Both men stopped walking at this point and gazed together at the brightly lit Nagatacho in the distance.

"Next," Commissioner Kaneko paused and said slowly, "it will be your turn!"

Huh?!

After hearing this sentence, Watanabe Eiji's mouth opened slightly and his pupils dilated. The Superintendent General raised his head and looked straight into the eyes of the Commissioner of the National Police Agency, wanting to confirm if he was joking or...

"Commissioner, I didn't mean it like that..."

"Hahaha, no need to quibble, Eiji." Commissioner Kaneko shook his head and smiled: "I know, you people have always looked down on Kantei Puppets like me, and I really don't know the first thing about criminal or economic investigations. Now that I see you are so capable, I can rest easy."

"Eiji, for the last year remaining, can you let me retire in peace?" Commissioner Kaneko asked calmly.

"Commissioner, it is truly great that you can entrust this to me!" Watanabe Eiji immediately expressed his loyalty: "Please rest assured, I will definitely do my utmost!"

"Hahaha, come, Eiji!" Commissioner Kaneko took the initiative to reach out toward Superintendent General Watanabe: "Then I leave it to you!"

"It is this subordinate's honor!" Watanabe Eiji reached out his hand and gripped Kaneko Takuro's tightly. At first, it was just a standard business handshake, but it slowly changed into a raised-fist grip. After that, the sixty-two-year-old Commissioner of the National Police Agency and the fifty-year-old Superintendent General locked fingers, enjoying the spring water by the banks of Hibiya.

"You and I are truly comrades for life!" Commissioner Kaneko received a satisfactory answer: "Together?"

"Together!" Under the not-so-bright and not-so-clean night sky of Tokyo, Watanabe Eiji answered firmly.

Their fingers were tightly locked.

Having reached the deal, Commissioner Kaneko then whispered a few things. After he retired, he could recommend a successor to the Cabinet, but he could not guarantee some things; the environment would change, and the Cabinet would rotate. The only thing he could guarantee was that the successor he recommended would be a comrade for life whom he trusted.

The two chatted for a while and then parted ways. In the car on the way back, Watanabe Eiji breathed softly. He used his hand to tidy his hair, only feeling as if there were a layer of mist over his eyes; he wiped it away and it returned, wiped it away and it was there again.

Commissioner Kaneko is truly a kind man!

Talented, capable of getting things done—he really is a rare, good Commissioner. To be able to meet such a good Commissioner during my tenure is truly my honor, Eiji!

There is a bottomless chasm between Administrative Officials and Political Officials.

Now, he had finally taken a step across it.

The future is bright!

Time regressed slightly. Just as Commissioner Kaneko and Superintendent General Watanabe were locking fingers and saying "together," Chief Kudo and Secretariat Director Onoda also found a teahouse to sit down and confer in secret.

"It is fortunate that this matter was remedied well afterward, otherwise it wouldn't be as simple as Isayama resigning," Secretariat Director Onoda said coldly.

Onoda Kimiaki is the younger brother of Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda Kimiaki, a graduate of the Tokyo University Faculty of Law. He previously served as the Metropolitan Police Department's Director of the Public Security Bureau, later transferred to be an Aide to the National Police Agency Secretariat and Head of the Imperial Guard, and is now promoted to Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat, belonging to the Public Security faction.

"What I am worried about now is that Watanabe Eiji will use this matter to reach his hand into the regions." Chief Kudo was both ashamed and annoyed; that kneeling meant that for this term, Public Security had bowed its head to the criminal side.

"It's not a worry; it has already happened," Secretariat Director Onoda said flatly: "Otherwise, why would I have come?"

"What?"

"The Cabinet is very satisfied with the case Watanabe Eiji handled. Since the Metropolitan Police Department can handle things so well and so efficiently, then in the future, if there are major murder cases in the regions that cannot be handled, let the Metropolitan Police Department provide guidance," Secretariat Director Onoda said coldly: "In the future, I will serve as the bridge coordinating between the various regional police headquarters and the Metropolitan Police Department."

"Hey? What is going on here?!" Chief Kudo panicked upon hearing this news: "The Metropolitan Police Department is a regional branch! If it's like this, wouldn't it be the other way around, affecting the National Police Agency's affairs?!"

"Isn't this your own doing?" From within his thick eye bags, Secretariat Director Onoda's small eyes looked coldly at the Security Department Chief before him: "The Cabinet has already agreed to this plan for the sake of their approval ratings."

"If you are unwilling, you can be free of office, Chief Kudo."

Secretariat Director Onoda took out a few banknotes, placed them on the table, and left, leaving behind the silent leader of Public Security.

The future is completely screwed!

…………

At the same time, in a high-end KTV private room.

Metropolitan Police Department General Affairs Department Public Relations Division Chief Togasaki Tomonobu held his Kirin beer high and laughed loudly: "Total victory!"

"Total victory!" In the private room, a large group of police officers in suits and leather shoes raised their beers and laughed to their hearts' content.

The press conference for the Chiba Prefecture Serial Murder Case had come to a victorious end. Uesugi Muneyuki had originally wanted to run away once it was over, but he was grabbed by Miss Minami and Togasaki Tomonobu, who wouldn't let him leave, and was forcibly dragged to a nearby KTV private room to celebrate the victory.

Besides Chief Togasaki, there were Shiratori, Okada, Miss Minami, and Uesugi Muneyuki, several unmarried Career Track and Associate Career Track officers, as well as a group of female police officers from the Public Relations Division called over by Togasaki Tomonobu.

As everyone knows, the Metropolitan Police Department's headquarters has beautiful women everywhere. This kind of office job, where one is dressed brightly and decently without having to take specific responsibility, naturally attracts beautiful women. Marrying a "police flower" is considered a face-saving thing among the middle class.

The Public Relations Division is naturally the one facing citizens and the media, so there have always been many beautiful women there. It even has its own band and gymnastics team. After Togasaki Tomonobu arrived, he often called himself the "General Manager of the Metropolitan Police Department Theater," and the beauties of the Public Relations Division also called Togasaki Tomonobu "Daddy," forming a very strange relationship. He also often acted as a matchmaker within the Metropolitan Police Department.

This old lecher, however, didn't dare to make a move on the female police officers anymore. He had been warned by Watanabe Eiji: "If anyone reports you again, you will be punished and dismissed, the kind without a pension."

The Akimoto Foundation saved him once, but they wouldn't save him a second time, especially since Watanabe Eiji was now a Superintendent General with real power.

Uesugi Muneyuki was helplessly dragged along. He actually wanted to go find someone to play Princess Connect, but Miss Minami wouldn't give him the chance. Even worse, Shiratori Sho and Okada Masayoshi kept pouring him drinks. After drinking too much, he gradually became excited.

The major case was finally solved, and he had collected a massive amount of soul energy, so he was naturally happy.

"Senior, I'm going to sing!" Uesugi Muneyuki took the initiative to pick a song.

Inside the KTV room, a burst of powerful shamisen music rang out.

Hmm?

Upon hearing this melody, Miss Minami's eyes lit up.

"I wish everyone present that the next time you return to the countryside to help your grandfather, you will meet a white-haired Shrine Maiden, a lewd ninja, a green-haired flat-chested girl, and a yellow-haired international student." Uesugi Muneyuki raised his fist excitedly, saying words that were understandable separately but not quite understandable when strung together.

"A song, 'Love Connection', dedicated to everyone!"

"Is it Heaven's malice, teasing the world of men?"

"A miracle? Fate? The sleeves brushing together is truly inconceivable."

"Who would have thought to hide amidst the swaying flowers?"

"The Spring Breeze blows upon my heart."

"Do not tease me anymore, I must ask for the secret to love~"

"Water vapor gradually dampens my cheeks, my wishes drift away with the night wind~"

Uesugi Muneyuki was singing with great enthusiasm on stage, while his mobile phone kept flashing.

Sitting next to his seat, Miss Minami snuck a glance and was overcome with joy.

It was a message from Ikeda.

I am going to interrupt your spellcasting! Miss Minami was getting excited.

I know this song!

So, when Uesugi Muneyuki was halfway through the song, Miss Minami suddenly went up on stage, grabbed another microphone, and sang along.

Her action left Uesugi Muneyuki stunned.

This song, Miss knows how to sing it?

At this moment, he did not want to think too much about it, so this golden boy and jade girl sang loudly together on stage.

"Come, let us turn into dancing butterflies and flowers."

"With clothes soaked through, let us perform an exorcism together."

"Ah, this detestable filth of the heart~"

"Then let us turn into a Sword and a shield."

"To protect these feelings~"

"You have already walked toward this gate of love~"

To be frank, the singing level of these two fellows was not very good; it was all emotion and no technique, yet in this duet, they achieved a strange, unified harmony, resonating with each other and ascending together, a peculiar palpitation following the singing.

Once the song was finished, the crowd below cheered endlessly; Uesugi Muneyuki was the protagonist of the day, so everyone would have cheered regardless of how he sang, let alone the fact that the duet was actually quite decent.

"Miss Watanabe, you know this song?" Uesugi Muneyuki was extremely surprised.

"Hehe! Didn't expect that, did you?" Watanabe Minami chuckled like a gleeful little mouse: "The things boys play, I have also dabbled in occasionally!"

"Hahahaha ah hahahahahaha!" Uesugi Muneyuki laughed out loud; he had actually never played a galgame in this life, he had played them in his previous life.

To run into this here too!

This world, that world, this life; a sense of confusion left Uesugi Muneyuki with a thousand thoughts.

Love Connection, perhaps Miss Minami really is a gift sent to him by Heaven!

As soon as the song ended, a policewoman from the Public Relations Division rushed up: "I want to sing a duet with Uesugi-san too!"

Before Uesugi Muneyuki could react, Miss Minami instantly grabbed Uesugi Muneyuki's hand and said with a grin: "Dame yo~ dame dame~"

"Uesugi-kun is my Partner, Ikkyu's Partner!"

"Mm, Ikkyu-ni!" Uesugi Muneyuki had drunk quite a bit, and as the alcohol hit him, he began to sway his head.

"Ugh, Watanabe-san is so cunning!" The policewoman could only pout aggrievedly and glanced at Old Man Togasaki.

This is not what was agreed upon!

Old Man Togasaki also laughed loudly, his arms around a hostess on each side, shaking his head repeatedly.

He had wanted to introduce someone to Uesugi Muneyuki, but it seemed that was no longer necessary.

At the same time, Uesugi Muneyuki's phone was still ringing.

"From Ikeda Erena"

"99+"

(End of this chapter)