Chapter 414: , police and people one family

PS: Today there's a match, so I'll post one update first; the remaining update will be made up tomorrow!

Minami Watanabe's rank is Police Superintendent, which is equivalent to Vice Bureau-level.

The promotion sequence in the police organization is: Police Superintendent, Police Superintendent Senior, Police Superintendent Chief, Police Superintendent Supervisor, Police Superintendent General, and Director-General of the National Police Agency. You can match them accordingly—for example, Police Superintendent Senior is equivalent to Section Chief Sugishita Ukyo of the First Investigation Division, corresponding to Bureau-level; Police Superintendent Supervisor corresponds to the Director of a Provincial Public Security Bureau in the celestial dynasty, i. e., Bureau-level; the Director-General of the National Police Agency and the Director-General of the Financial Services Agency are of the same rank, equivalent to Bureau-level (harmonized); above that are State Councilors and the Four Greats plus the Premier.

However, the actual authority of the Director-General of the National Police Agency is less than that of the Director-General of the Financial Services Agency; in some sense, since the National Police Agency only coordinates and does not directly command operations, whether the Director-General or the Police Superintendent General has more real power often depends on who holds the position and their personal connections and influence within the police force.

Nevertheless, the Director-General of the National Police Agency ultimately possesses one thing that the Police Superintendent General does not: as previously mentioned, the Director-General is already part of the political official sequence, while the Police Superintendent General remains merely an administrative official.

The dignified Director-General of the Financial Services Agency came over to show friendliness and weakness to a mere Police Superintendent, directly making Minami Watanabe ecstatic.

"Wah, that's nice~" Indeed, Kai Kyō couldn't help but say: "This person actually behaves like this—what a good father, unlike that person, cold and heartless; since I came to the Special Missions Unit, he hasn't said a single word to me."

Uesugi Munesetsu snorted upon hearing that.

Your old man, Kōsuke Kai, Deputy Secretary-General of the Ministry of Justice, is pretty much the same—except he forced me to follow him into the restroom and entrusted you to my care.

After a moment of silence, Uesugi Munesetsu gestured for us to go check on Okada first.

Minami gently knocked on the door, then pushed it open; Ikeda Erena, Igarashi, and Kai followed closely behind. The atmosphere in the ward remained somewhat stagnant after Okada Ryō left; Okada Yoshimi was still lying prone, eyes closed, but his furrowed brow and slightly rapid breathing indicated he had not fallen asleep, and his emotions had not yet calmed.

"Mr. Okada." Uesugi Munesetsu's voice was calm and gentle, carrying a barely perceptible concern, breaking the silence.

Okada Yoshimi opened his eyes, seeing Uesugi and Minami and others, struggling to sit up: "Section Chief! Forensics Officer! And Mina-san?"

"Don't move!" Kai Kyō took a swift step forward, lightly pressing his shoulder, his motion bearing the distinctive efficiency of a detective, yet not losing: "Stay lying down! If the wound reopens, it'll be trouble!"

He wore a cheerful yet concerned smile, carefully examining the bandages on his back: "Tsk, just looking at it hurts. But you kid, you've got a lucky life! If that knife had been off by just a bit more, it would've been trouble!"

"Section Chief Tai, you must get well!" Igarashi felt deeply guilty for not having contributed much at the time.

Uesugi Munesetsu walked to the bedside, his gaze sweeping over the exquisite snack box on the bedside table, then glancing at the pile of expensive supplements on the desk, finally settling on Okada Yoshimi's pale face; he pulled over a chair and sat down, his tone calm and firm: "How do you feel? What did the doctor say?"

Okada Yoshimi's voice was somewhat hoarse, tinged with fatigue; he struggled to stay alert: "The doctor said no vital organs were injured—just deep flesh wounds, significant blood loss, needs rest for a period, temporarily unable to move."

"Then that's good." Uesugi Munesetsu nodded, his eyes showing unreserved approval: "Okada-san—you did very well this time, truly excellent. Not everyone in such a moment could make such a choice. You didn't just save the lives of those two children; you also upheld the dignity of the police profession in the public's heart. The Metropolitan Police Department honors you; the Special Missions Unit honors you!"

This direct affirmation from the legendary forensic expert carries more weight than any official commendation.

Okada Yoshimi's eye sockets warmed slightly; he lowered his gaze and whispered: "I merely—did the only thing I could do at that moment."

"The only thing you could do?" Kai Kyō sat down on the chair beside the bed, arms crossed, tone carrying a hint of teasing, yet his eyes utterly serious: "Do you know how fast you lunged? We've watched the surveillance footage—it was like—"

He seemed to be searching for the right word: "Like a fearless lion! Even that madman froze for a moment! Bought us crucial time!"

He was referring to Uesugi Munesetsu leading the team into the sewers to apprehend the suspect.

"Haha, we're all comrades who entrust our backs to each other—no need for such formality, Yoshimi-brother, Munesetsu brought you something nice!" Minami, the young lady, didn't want the ward so solemn; she laughed and patted Ikeda Erena's shoulder.

Erena rolled her eyes, placing the condolence gift Uesugi Munesetsu gave Okada Yoshimi on the table.

A whole box of Wangzai milk, a large pack of Wangwang gift set, and an entire tin box of Xu Fu Ji candy gift set.

What is all this? Erena muttered inwardly, thinking: Section Chief injured like this, and Munesetsu still does this?

However, the actual situation left Erena stunned.

Okada Yoshimi appeared to greatly enjoy Uesugi Munesetsu's gift; after a few sips of sweet milk and candy, he instantly felt his wounds weren't as painful.

Uesugi Munesetsu and Minami exchanged a smile; in fact, Yoshimi Tai loves sweets, but at home he's not allowed to eat any, and at the Police Agency it's inappropriate—most he can have is a sip of ice cola. Now it perfectly satisfies his small sweet craving, and the doctor also noted Okada has significant blood loss and mild low blood sugar, so eating something sweet is acceptable.

After a few words, Okada Yoshimi began to concern himself with the disposition of Satoima Kaido.

This point interests not only Okada, but Erena, Igarashi, and Kai as well.

"The Public Security Police side means he's an extreme evil-doer! He cannot be allowed to live out his years in an ordinary death row cell; he must be confined to a special isolation cell next to the SAT training base, under 24-hour surveillance, with all external contact cut off! Except for lawyers, all visits must be strictly controlled by us! Absolutely cannot let his 'killing because of happiness' nonsense be heard by the victims' families!" Uesugi Munesetsu said softly.

"But excessive isolation would invite attacks from human rights groups, becoming an excuse to delay trials. The real approach is to monitor as strictly as possible within legal limits, without distorting judicial proceedings." Minami, the young lady, then said softly: "The death penalty is a bit too lenient for him, but it's already the highest punishment."

"Hah, the death penalty—will I live to see the day he's executed?" Erena pouted, the tall beauty unconvinced.

"You should thank our country for still retaining the death penalty; like South Korea, I think they haven't actually carried out an execution since 1997?" Kai Kyō sneakily sipped the section chief's coconut juice, then belched.

Uesugi, Minami, and Okada all laughed simultaneously.

Kai is right: although South Korea theoretically retains the death penalty, no actual executions have occurred since 1997; over these years, abolitionist factions have repeatedly proposed that the death penalty is unconstitutional and demanded its total abolition, but the National Assembly has consistently upheld "death penalty constitutionality," refusing to amend the constitution.

However, the momentum of the abolitionist faction has rendered actual death penalties meaningless in sentencing and execution—South Korea's Supreme Court generally sentences to death with reprieve or life imprisonment; even if forced to impose a death sentence, no one carries it out, so South Korea has many "death row inmates" uniformly detained somewhere, many already imprisoned for 20 or 30 years, destined never to see execution day.

Japan, however, retains the execution process for the death penalty; although it also involves long waits, it's still fair to say that execution day will eventually come.

Tai Yoshimi remained silent for a long while, then suddenly said: "I don't want to be disturbed by that man's actions anymore. I hope the trial begins soon, ends quietly, and we send him to prison and onto the defendant's bench—that's our duty. Moreover—does the death penalty really mean anything for him?"

Uesugi Munesetsu fell silent upon hearing that.

Although Uesugi Munesetsu personally insists on retaining the death penalty, one must admit that while abolitionists are often seen as "holy mothers," some of their points are not without reason: the death penalty cannot truly solve problems; it merely ends the issue by killing the perpetrator.

A typical example is Satoima Kaido: he knows the family massacre is so heinous he will certainly be sentenced to death, so he killed four people—killing two more police officers is still killing; even if he went further and shot up a nursery, killing several more children, what difference would it make to him? Anyway, it's all just one death, so he dared to do such a resolute act, causing such a huge commotion.

Another typical case is human traffickers: many like to say traffickers should get the death penalty, and buyers too—but in practice, this not only fails to truly solve human trafficking, but instead becomes: if you sentence everyone to death, then I can just let loose and do whatever I want; rather, appropriately retaining some leniency to give traffickers room to surrender might sometimes save the lives of sold children.

Precisely for this reason, not only South Korea but the entire world has realized that in the postmodern process, the existence of the death penalty cannot truly solve problems; thus, even the most steadfast retainer of the death penalty, the celestial dynasty, sees its Supreme Procuratorate presenting death penalty rulings with increasing caution, and the trend of longer detention before execution is growing.

So sometimes we need the power of Mai Gakusha! Uesugi Munesetsu thought to himself.

Minami's attention then shifted elsewhere; she said to Okada: "Okada-brother, since he—has come, then this afternoon there should be an arrangement—"

"I—" Okada Yoshimi immediately felt the unavoidable big hand of his father, and, angry, wanted to retort: "I don't want that!"

"Shut up!" Minami snapped fiercely: "Haven't you heard the ancient saying from the celestial dynasty: 'Heaven does not grant, yet brings disaster; when the time comes not to act, yet brings calamity'?"

"Is your honor something he forced upon you? Isn't it something you earned yourself with blood and courage?"

"What's yours is yours! What does that have to do with him? What's yours, you just endure it—show some spirit!"

"——" Okada Yoshimi faced Minami's reprimand, and for a moment found himself unable to retort.

How could anyone not like flowers, honor, and applause?

Even if so, Okada Yoshimi is not that kind of person.

"I understand." The Special Missions Unit chief finally nodded; as an elite bureaucrat from a professional background, he's too skilled at this.

"By the way, where's Miki-san?" Minami only then remembered: what about Okada's wife?

"Miki—she went on a trip to Europe with her friend, just saw the news—I told her on LINE I'm fine, she said she'll come see me after her trip." Tai Yoshimi said with a bitter smile: "Last-minute plane tickets are very expensive."

"Hah?!?!?!?" The entire ward fell silent as if sparrows had vanished.

Possibility of Mei Ji's situation

There was no choice, in the end only Uesugi Muneyuki and Watanabe Minami stayed behind to take care of Okada Masayoshi, while Eirina was in charge of serving tea.

Indeed, as soon as Okada Masahide left in the morning, things changed immediately in the afternoon.

The parents of the little girl saved by Okada Masayoshi, along with several other parents who were also at the scene and still shaken, came to the hospital in person; the mother of the little girl Kawabata held her daughter, while the father held a large bouquet of bright sunflowers (symbolizing children and hope).

When they appeared, the atmosphere instantly shifted from heavy sorrow to a tearful gratitude for having survived the calamity.

The little girl's parents walked straight up to Watanabe Minami and Uesugi Muneyuki, and in the astonished gazes of everyone, they suddenly knelt down while holding the child!

The father immediately performed a standard prostration, his voice choked with tears streaming down his face: "Thank you! Inspector Okada saved my daughter's life! All of you from the Special Mission Unit—protected us! This kindness will never be forgotten!"

The mother also wept tears like rain, collapsing into loud sobs, tightly holding the bewildered girl who seemed to sense the atmosphere and quieted down: "Mr. Okada, please—please recover! You are this child's lifesaver!"

Several other parents also gathered around, bowing repeatedly in thanks, their voices choked.

"Red mud avocado! San!"

"Okada San, your kindness to my family is unforgettable forever!"

"Please get well soon, San!!!"

"At that time, my child was also in kindergarten! The police came—we were truly saved! Truly, thanks beyond words!"

Uesugi Ando and Minami quickly stepped forward, personally helping the kneeling parents of the girl to their feet.

Minami's eyes also became moist: "The child's safety is more important than anything. Inspector Okada will surely recover too. This is exactly the meaning of our existence as police, as the Special Mission Unit."

Uesugi Muneyuki then crouched down, gently stroking the girl's head; this noble of the Peerage spoke with unprecedented softness: "—It's all right now, come, eat candy, eat candy!"

The parents of the rescued children spontaneously organized, bringing the children and carefully prepared food, and came to Okada Masayoshi's presence.

Red bean rice symbolizing blessings, handmade rice balls, grilled sea bream symbolizing recovery, handmade wagashi, thank-you cards drawn by the children, origami (paper cranes), and small handicrafts arrived for a visit.

The principal and teacher representatives of Odaiba Seaside Nursery School presented a bouquet and a thank-you letter signed by all staff and students.

No, not just the nursery school—all residents near Odaiba also sent gifts to express respect to the Special Mission Unit.

Okada Masahide solemnly accepted all handmade cards, drawings, origami, and small handicrafts.

These gifts embody the children's pure gratitude, which money cannot measure, and also fully comply with police ethical regulations; Okada carefully read each card and placed the children's handmade works in a prominent spot in the ward.

He symbolically took a small sip of the home-cooked food brought by the parents and said sincerely: "This is delicious! Thank you very much!"

Then he explained that according to the Police Law, he cannot accept excessive food gifts, as this might trigger regulations regarding police accepting disguised bribes, but these foods will not be wasted; they will be forwarded to the officers of the Metropolitan Police Department and the numerous medical staff in the hospital to share.

Here, the weight of sacrifice and the preciousness of protected lives quietly yet intensely intertwine, forming a perfect scene of police and civilians as one family.

And just inside and outside the ward, seven or eight cameras were simultaneously recording this scene; their professional standard, speed, and sensational reporting made Uesugi Muneyuki, who was in the ward, somewhat unable to suppress a smile.

Parents' love for their children then plans for the distant future.

The great hand of Financial Services Agency Commissioner Okada Masahide is now exerting force fiercely!

Domestic and international reactions to this unprecedented frenzied pursuit and the breakthrough of a 15-year cold case, while also accompanied by painful costs and sacrifices, will also evaluate how the Metropolitan Police Department and the Special Mission Unit are judged?

Uesugi Muneyuki took out his mobile phone.

Looking forward, looking forward~