Chapter 308: The Todai Kinbyo-gumi of the Metropolitan Police Department

From Watanabe Eiji's tone, one could sense that even within the Metropolitan Police Department, there was some indecision regarding the punishment for Kashiwagi Jin.

First, Kashiwagi Jin had indeed violated discipline, which was indisputable; second, going to question the person directly without evidence was a foolish act, which was also indisputable, and it was not the first time he had done such a thing.

Combining these two points, Kashiwagi Jin's outcome should have been a transfer to a branch station or even exile to a regional division.

However, the core issue of this case was that Kashiwagi Jin was not shooting at shadows; in fact, anyone who had read the file understood that it was highly probable Kazama Yumi had committed suicide out of anger because her boyfriend had stolen her technical achievements, or at the very least, it had a certain influence, and Kashiwagi Jin's judgment was correct.

Secondly, there was the new discovery regarding Ishihara Mikoto—there was a problem with the chain of custody for evidence, a portion of the past evidence was missing, and this case had been directed by the former Director General Hakuba to be handled by the former-former Division Chief Mikasa.

There was no need to think about it; it was definitely Fujitsu exerting pressure.

If one were to dig deeper along this line, it would inevitably affect the organization's honor and image.

Moreover, Kashiwagi Jin himself was from the University of Tokyo Career Track, and other University of Tokyo Career Track members within the organization would inevitably protect him.

"Muneyuki," Watanabe Eiji said earnestly, "You are also officially joining Tokyo University next year. To use our Showa Era parlance, you are also a Gold Watch Group member. You also know that Kashiwagi's deduction was not wrong..."

Gold Watch Group was an old-fashioned term for the Career Track, but it specifically referred to those who graduated from Tokyo University and passed the national senior public servant examination; they were the Career Track among the Career Track, and the group at the very pinnacle of the Metropolitan Police Department's pyramid, almost always promoted immediately once their time-in-grade was met.

But this method of promotion and recommendation inevitably led to some useless people being promoted to high positions. As everyone knew, being able to pass exams and get into a good university ≠ being able to handle cases or being skilled at investigation and intelligence, so later on, there were fewer mentions of the Gold Watch Group.

"I know what you want to say, Father-in-law." Uesugi Muneyuki frowned; he understood Watanabe Eiji's hidden meaning: "But I don't want to help him. That's right, I had a grudge with Kashiwagi Jin before, and later, seeing him work so hard on some matters, I did say we were even, but that doesn't mean I intend to help him. And as I said, the evidence that this case was a suicide is conclusive, and the body has already been cremated. How am I supposed to help him?"

"Besides, Fujitsu isn't anything good either." Just at this moment, Okada Keibu also spoke up. He crossed his arms and said impatiently: "We all know that Fujitsu is the leading enterprise that provides IT support to our Metropolitan Police Department, but the software they make is actually garbage outsourced layer by layer. It freezes, disconnects, and errors out at every turn. And do you know? Fujitsu once made accounting software for the British government's Treasury, and as a result, the data audit had problems, the cash balances didn't match, and hundreds of people were subsequently imprisoned, with only 90 being acquitted later."

"If it weren't for the scale of the miscarriage of justice being too large and involving too much money, with the British suppressing it tightly, Fujitsu would be waiting to fight a bunch of international lawsuits!" Okada Keibu said quite disdainfully.

The room was silent for a while, then Minami-ojousama suddenly said: "Since that is the case, Father, what do you hope we do?"

"It's simple. Do you remember Shimakawa Ren who came to the engagement ceremony that day?" Watanabe Eiji saw his daughter finally speak up to help him, so he said: "Shimakawa Ren has an extremely good relationship with Odagiri Ryuji, and you, Muneyuki-kun, have a very good relationship with Shimakawa."

"Muneyuki, use this connection to go and have a word with Odagiri. That should be enough. Who doesn't know what he actually did? Our Metropolitan Police Department is not a soft persimmon that anyone can knead at will! Kashiwagi was indeed wrong to take the initiative to go find him, but is he really a white lotus? While we might not be able to sanction him criminally, that doesn't mean the headquarters will accept the complaint."

Watanabe Eiji said in a deep voice: "As for the headquarters side, Muneyuki, you do us, the Gold Watch Group, this favor, and I will be able to convince all the Department Managers and the National Police Agency side to promote Minami to Police Management Officer... You know, even counting until next year, Minami will only be 24 years old!"

"Furthermore, this second appraisal was also judged by the Forensic Assistant Ishihara Mikoto, whom you introduced into the department..." Watanabe Eiji finally said with a half-smile: "You went to Hakone to have a great time; you have to solve some problems when you come back, right?"

"So you've all planned it out, haven't you?" Uesugi Muneyuki lowered his head, thinking.

Kashiwagi was actually not a bad person, but his methods were too direct and too crude, and he was superstitious about orthodox deduction, which was why he caused big trouble one after another—grabbing him was one, and going to point the finger directly at Odagiri was another.

"Then how do you intend to deal with Kashiwagi?" Uesugi Muneyuki asked.

"The promotion to Superintendent is off the table; at the very least, he will continue to work in the Police Inspector position for five years." Watanabe Eiji laughed: "Also, how about transferring him to the Third Investigation Division?"

"The Third Division?!" Uesugi Muneyuki laughed; he suddenly felt a sense of vengeful pleasure.

The First Investigation Division was responsible for criminal cases, the Second Investigation Division was responsible for financial and political cases, and the Third Investigation Division was responsible for theft, robbery, and bicycle lock-picking cases.

A dignified University of Tokyo Gold Watch Group member going to a place where those small fries in the Third Investigation Division were... and the Third Division Chief's rank was only a Superintendent!

"You might as well kill him." Uesugi Muneyuki remarked.

"Only in this way can he learn a lesson." Watanabe Eiji said meaningfully: "And only by doing this can we see who else is behind him."

"By the way, you can also understand how the inside of the Metropolitan Police Department operates."

……………………

"Things have blown up to this point, who is going to take responsibility?! Huh? Who is going to take responsibility? Who allowed this?"

At the same time, Uchimura Kanji, the Criminal Investigation Department Chief, was roaring inside his office. Opposite him, Investigation Division 1 Chief Sugishita Ukyo and the center of the storm, Kashiwagi Jin, both kept their heads slightly lowered. The "Frankness" on the wall had been replaced with "Ancient Tracks," but what remained unchanged was Department Manager Uchimura's hatred for Sugishita Ukyo.

"Hi, Department Manager, this case..." Sugishita Ukyo said calmly: "As long as you have read the file, you will know..."

"I don't care about any files or any suspects. I'm asking you, I'm asking you, was Kazama Yumi really a suicide? Is there no new evidence to prove it was homicide?" Department Manager Uchimura stood up and said.

"…………" Sugishita Ukyo and Kashiwagi Jin both lowered their heads, not responding.

"Without evidence, you dared to go to the door and question them face-to-face?" Department Manager Uchimura roared. He grabbed Kashiwagi Jin by the collar: "You, have you ever heard of Big Pot Braised Dishes, Yellow River Carp, Tiramisu, or Soufflé?"

"What?!" Kashiwagi Jin did not understand. He gripped his fists tightly; he still felt that his judgment was not wrong.

Key evidence had been destroyed!

If one followed this line to investigate, one would definitely be able to find the truth!

"Oh, it doesn't matter if you haven't heard of them; anyway, you can soon go to the street to set up a stall and sell them." Department Manager Uchimura said in a sour tone, then turned to Sugishita Ukyo: "As for you, as the Investigation Division 1 Chief, you are hard to absolve of blame. Just wait!"

"…………" Sugishita Ukyo just quietly watched Department Manager Uchimura; that gaze seemed to want to ask if he was really a Detective.

Facing Sugishita Ukyo's gaze, Department Manager Uchimura felt a bit guilty and shifted his eyes away calmly: "Good, I now announce that, in my capacity as the Metropolitan Police Department's Criminal Investigation Department Chief, I am temporarily suspending you both to accept an internal investigation! Until this matter..."

Department Manager Uchimura dreamed of letting Sugishita Ukyo get out; he had finally found an opportunity!

Before he could finish his sentence, the phone on the desk rang.

"Yes, this is the Criminal Investigation Department... Ah, Chief Cabinet Secretary?!"

Hearing the three words "Chief Cabinet Secretary," Sugishita Ukyo breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Kashiwagi Jin with a gaze full of relief.

You are safe... for now.

Ten minutes later, National Police Agency Headquarters, Chief Cabinet Secretary's office.

"Chief Cabinet Secretary, how long are you going to protect that guy Sugishita?" Facing Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda, Department Manager Uchimura finally could not help but say it.

"You don't need to ask about this matter anymore." Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda signaled that Department Manager Uchimura could leave: "I have my own way of handling it, and I will also smooth things over with Fujitsu."

"This..." Department Manager Uchimura was still hesitating.

"As for Eiji, I will go talk to him." Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda signaled that Department Manager Uchimura could get out: "Is there any other problem?"

"No, nothing else." Department Manager Uchimura could only sullenly indicate that nothing had happened.

The Gold Watch Group is indeed good; it really is officials protecting officials.

After Department Manager Uchimura left, Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda frowned and soon dialed another phone number.

Just like that, the entire Metropolitan Police Department began a new round of reshuffling because of this matter.

And Kashiwagi Jin, who was at the center of the storm, was ordered to go home and be temporarily suspended, waiting for the results of a new round of investigation.

And when he returned home, he was stunned to find that his wife was already home, and was sitting in the living room waiting for him.

Kashiwagi Misa was born in Okinawa Prefecture and was a typical mixed-race Japanese-American. In the room where light and shadow intersected, the face of the previous generation's Face of the Metropolitan Police Department was like a rare gemstone meticulously carved by the Creator. The steep, Greek-sculpture-like bridge of her nose broke through the air, drawing a clean golden ratio line on her soft oriental bone structure. In the shadow cast by her brow ridge hid two pools of melted amber—those were the light brown pupils inherited from her American bloodline, flowing with a honey-like luster in the sunlight.

Her figure was very slender and graceful; at 167 cm, she was already considered a tall woman in Japan. Her long black-brown hair was smooth and delicate, her face was extremely cold and beautiful, and those sharp eyes still carried a bit of scrutiny.

"Dear, you're back?" The previous generation's Face of the Metropolitan Police Department gestured for her husband to sit down, as she had something to tell him.

"Meisa..." Facing his wife, Kashiwagi Jin appeared very unnatural.

"Dear, I think we need to have a good talk."

(End of chapter)