Chapter 419

PS: Today is a typhoon day; Tenshi went out to farm and got trapped outside by a torrential downpour, plus this part requires looking up a massive amount of reference material and is extremely difficult to write, so today I'm releasing a combined 5,400-character mega-chapter first; hope all readers enjoy~

Hearing the 87% failure rate, everyone on the scene was struck dumb.

Not 87% pass! It's that 87% all failed!

The conclusion brought by the Security Department Chief was horrifying beyond measure.

Of the bulletproof vests the Metropolitan Police Department procured from Daiwa Bōgu over the past 10 years, a full 87% were unqualified!

"Impossible, this is impossible!" Watanabe Eiji felt utterly baffled by this result; he said in a low voice: "If the failure rate is this high, at least several thousand police officers have worn bulletproof vests over the past 10 years, and among them there should have been at least dozens of live-fire tests — why was nothing discovered?"

"That's because..." Security Department Chief Idete told Watanabe Eiji their findings with a bitter smile, as well as Uesugi Muneyuki and Watanabe Minami standing beside Watanabe Eiji.

Following Watanabe Eiji's instructions, the Security Department collected several hundred bulletproof vests from various warehouses and different batches from Daiwa Bōgu across Tokyo under the pretext of inventory sorting and supplementary allocation; the result showed that, except for the bulletproof vests supplied to Public Security Police and those supplied to SAT SWAT teams, almost all other bulletproof vests were unqualified!

Moreover, the problems were exactly the same as what the Forensic Science Laboratory discovered: insufficient Kevlar layers, substandard internal nylon, chaotic lamination, and uneven, corner-cutting resin coating.

But why have the Japanese Police never discovered this problem?

Logically speaking, even if Japanese Police experience extremely few gunfights, even if inspections are mostly routine, even if live-fire shooting is not mandatory, an 87% failure rate absolutely could not have waited until 10 years after supply to explode!

"Idete, did you make a mistake?" Watanabe Eiji said in a low voice.

"No, Director General, no mistake — we... we were all played by Daiwa Bōgu!" Department Head Idete broke out in a cold sweat.

He told Watanabe Eiji why the Japanese Police never discovered the bulletproof vests had problems.

Because Daiwa Bōgu used an extremely exquisite trick on the bulletproof vests, fooling the entire Japanese Police!

The reason lies in the Japanese Police's standard-issue handguns.

The Japanese Police have three standard-issue handguns: the New Nambu M60 small revolver, the SW360 small revolver, and the SIG P290 subcompact pistol; all uniformly use. 38 caliber police ammunition!

Why choose these handguns? It's the same reason domestic and foreign SWAT teams favor the M4A1 and MP5 — many people like to mock those two guns' stats as inadequate and power insufficient, not realizing that insufficient power is exactly what's wanted! Because the primary purpose of police, including SWAT, using firearms is not to kill!

Controlling firearm power to prevent accidental killing, power overflow, and ricochets harming innocent crowds is a problem the police system must consider.

And Daiwa Bōgu's trick lies right here!

Even if Japanese Police really conducted live-fire tests on substandard bulletproof vests, small-caliber. 38 police ammunition handguns like the New Nambu, SW, and SIG P290 likewise cannot penetrate the corner-cutting bulletproof vests!

Because police handguns are inherently weak; take the SW small revolver — beyond 20 meters shooting distance, a direct fatal shot is basically impossible.

This means that even if police occasionally conduct live-fire tests on bulletproof vests, and even if they encounter gun-related situations on duty, Japanese Police could never discover the bulletproof vests have problems.

Until this time, they truly encountered the Ikebukuro Phantom Guest, who truly had a. 45 caliber M1911 handgun, and who truly fired at police — only then did Daiwa Bōgu's trick accidentally spring its trap!

Bulletproof vests can stop very weak police compact handguns, but can only stop police compact handguns! Not to mention the regulatory standard of stopping AK47 7.62 and. 45 AP armor-piercing rounds — they can't even stop ordinary. 45 standard rounds!

What the hell kind of NIJ Level 3 bulletproof vest is this? Its bulletproof capability is basically equivalent to Level 1 civilian bulletproof vests!

But the Metropolitan Police Department procured them at Level 3 bulletproof vest prices.

"Afterward, we switched to. 45 caliber handguns for testing; this is the test report."

Uesugi Muneyuki and Watanabe Minami leaned in; although both are laymen, Minami Ojou-sama entered the Metropolitan Police Department as a career-track officer but joined the Police Affairs Department Personnel Division and actually never carried a gun; later, after transferring to Special Mission Unit Chief, although she was issued a handgun, Minami Ojou-sama never used it for a single day.

Uesugi Muneyuki is even more so — he knows absolutely nothing about firearms; if not for Mikoto-nee's forensic experience from studying in the United States, he wouldn't have been able to tell.

This is also why Daiwa Bōgu acted with impunity.

The United States has about 40,000 gun deaths per year, of which 30,000 are firearm suicides, just over 10,000 are firearm homicides (plus one or two thousand undetermined suicide/homicide/accidental discharge); averaged out, over 100 people die of gunshot wounds every day, so American forensic pathologists are all masters of examining gunshot wounds, having accumulated extremely rich gunshot wound dissection experience.

It's the same principle as Japan being masters of parasites and geriatric diseases, a certain country's Shonan Province being masters of oral cancer, and the Sichuan region being masters of esophageal, gastric, and colorectal surgery.

Conversely, the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Forensic Medicine's 8 dissection groups — not to mention one per group — consider it "good luck" if they dissect one gunshot fatality corpse in a year; more often than not, there isn't a single one in a year.

The Security Department urgently inspected 100 sampled bulletproof vests.

Inspection results:

Heart-area fiber density < 70% of standard value: 89% of bulletproof vests; evaluation: high-risk penetration rate.

Adhesive coverage in critical areas < 50%: 79% of bulletproof vests; evaluation: interlayer delamination failure.

Live-fire test:

7.62 caliber rifle round test: 100% penetration rate; evaluation: instant fatality.

. 45 caliber handgun round test: 68% penetration rate; evaluation: Russian roulette with life.

Comprehensive failure rate: 87%.

Only an extremely small number of submitted samples, Public Security Police-issued bulletproof vests, and SAT bulletproof vests passed.

After these words, the Superintendent General's office fell into silence; outside the window, the pitch-black night, the brilliantly lit Tokyo neon lights flickering under midnight shone into the Superintendent General's office; the "Political Clarity and Harmony" on the wall was covered under a mass of pitch-black shadow; only the medal on the cabinet, which Watanabe Eiji earned after a fierce gunfight with a violent group at the jetty when he was Investigation Division 1 Chief, reflected light.

"Pfft!" Watanabe Eiji discovered that people really do laugh when speechless: "I remember theoretically, testing bulletproof vests generally uses standardized weapons, not personal weapons, right?"

"Yes... but using standardized weapons for test procedures is very troublesome; procedures are cumbersome and require signing large amounts of documents; once a problem arises, there's cascading accountability; our country's gun control is extremely strict; taking out standard-issue firearms requires the Equipment Section Chief, General Affairs Department Head, and Superintendent General — three signatures; so everyone finds it troublesome and fears responsibility... they just switched to personal weapons for testing."

To put it bluntly, it's the Metropolitan Police Department's long-term internal peace and Japan's strict-to-the-point-of-perversion gun control that made using standardized weapons extremely cumbersome; over time, everyone just used personal weapons to cope.

"TMD, how did the country become like this?!"

Watanabe Eiji furiously slammed a fist on the table, cursing in rage.

Security Department Chief Idete Saneatsu trembled, sweating profusely: "Director General, what do we do now?"

"............" Watanabe Eiji signaled him to withdraw first; he needed some time to think.

Security Department Chief Idete Saneatsu left; only Uesugi Muneyuki and Watanabe Minami remained in the room.

"Look, Sōsetsu, Minami, this is the Japanese Police." Watanabe Eiji's voice was cold and barbed: "The Police Agency and Metropolitan Police Department's inspection reports every year write 'equipment management proper.' Result... just this?"

"The bulletproof vests that should have worked instead became murder weapons; we all killed him." Uesugi Muneyuki said coldly: "What should we do next? Do we charge straight at Daiwa Bōgu?"

"No, impossible!" Minami Ojou-sama hurriedly said: "Uesugi! Doing just that is useless!"

"Huh?!" Uesugi Muneyuki was stunned; useless? What kind of joke is this?!

"Minami is right, Sōsetsu; just doing it like that is useless." Watanabe Eiji forced himself to calm down at this moment: "Do you think that if we take the problematic bulletproof vests to confront Daiwa Bōgu, Daiwa Bōgu's executives will just collectively face a firing squad?"

"Otherwise?" Uesugi Muneyuki was clearly also furious; "Cardboard bulletproof vests — this is criminal-level fraud, beasts! These beasts, they deceived all of us!

"Useless, Sōsetsu." Minami Ojou-sama immediately grabbed Uesugi Muneyuki's hand; she knew Uesugi Muneyuki didn't understand Japanese law and prosecution procedures well, and immediately said: "If it's just this, then Daiwa Bōgu would at most apologize, admit fault, promise compensation, and push out a few scapegoats to take the blame."

"Yes, with just this one forensic report, we fundamentally cannot truly punish those beasts at Daiwa Bōgu!" Watanabe Eiji gritted his teeth, eyes bloodshot; he picked up a wet wipe from the desk and vigorously scrubbed his cheeks: "And, Sōsetsu, Minami, for Daiwa Bōgu to dare do this, there is absolutely a massive interest chain upstream and downstream; within Headquarters, and even within the Police Agency, there are absolutely many people taking their money; if we cannot grasp sufficient evidence and rashly strike, not only will we fail to achieve results, but... I'll be finished too."

"............" Uesugi Muneyuki fell silent for a moment, finally understanding the meaning behind it.

Daiwa Bōgu became the official supplier for the Metropolitan Police Department, and even the Japanese Police, 10 years ago; among this there was absolutely no lack of transactions and operations, and 10 years later, even Watanabe Eiji himself, as Superintendent General, did not know these things, merely routinely accepting some year-end goods from Daiwa Bōgu — this shows that Daiwa Bōgu already had great confidence, no longer needing to pay tribute to the Superintendent General.

"Then, is it Tanaka, General Affairs Department Head?" Minami Ojou-sama asked tentatively.

"No... it can't be Tanaka. Do you know why I put Tanaka in the position of General Affairs Department Head? It's because this kid was timid from the start; what he should take, he won't take less, but what he shouldn't take, he never takes a single cent more. This person can't solve cases, can't investigate, and isn't good at analysis, but he is very capable in handling clerical affairs, so I arranged for him to serve as General Affairs Department Head." Watanabe Eiji said in a deep voice: "He's only been in this post for a year and a half; his word should still be trustworthy."

"If Tanaka Department Head has no problem, then the problem should lie with the Equipment Section Chief below, the Allocation Section Chief, the Supervision Officer in the Police Affairs Department responsible for the equipment portion, the Warehouse Management Chief, the Forensics Division Technical Department, and the Forensic Science Laboratory Chief; at the same time, the equipment officers at major local police stations and subordinates of the Security Department are also suspects." Minami Ojou-sama, worthy of her personnel division background, instantly found the key nodes.

"It should be so. The General Affairs Department Head only reviews the 'clean' reports submitted by the Section Chief, while the Supervision Officer reports directly to the Police Affairs Department Head (bypassing the General Affairs Department)." Watanabe Eiji also frowned tightly: "There is only one reason — these positions responsible for equipment storage and review are all from the previous Superintendent Tabuchi or even earlier; the money was collected by them layer by layer, they manipulated things top to bottom, an iron plate; if we go investigate now, we won't find a single problem."

"Historically, those involving Metropolitan Police Department bidding and procurement are all lucrative fat posts with huge interests, and this part involves relatively professional knowledge; we people are busy handling cases on the front lines every day, how would we think of it? When really encountering equipment problems, it's nothing more than thinking our luck is bad and asking Logistics to replace it; and facing Investigation Division 1, the Logistics side would also try their best to give us good goods."

"I understand." Uesugi Muneyuki understood; he couldn't help but laugh: "So to put it bluntly, half of the entire Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's safety and resource allocation is pinched in their hands; if Sakuradamon wants to do something, the warehouse's main gate can only be opened by them?"

"So you understand now why we cannot directly declare war on Daiwa Bōgu. With only an unqualified report, at that time they would cooperate from inside and out; the Headquarters would not only be thrown into confusion, and if a single strike misses, the District Public Prosecutors Office would intervene." Watanabe Eiji nodded: "Once the District Public Prosecutors Office intervenes, Muneyuki, we are finished."

"The police organization will collapse, and I will be forced to resign in responsibility; the Special Mission Unit will be disbanded; all our efforts up to now will come to nothing."

"We cannot hand the initiative to the District Public Prosecutors Office! Those people dream of dismembering our police organization!" Minami Ojou-sama also grew anxious.

"But the current problem is, as the number of people who know this matter increases, we cannot keep it secret for long." Watanabe Eiji turned his gaze to Uesugi Muneyuki: "With my current absolute control over the Headquarters, I can keep it secret for 72 hours at most! Even only 48 hours! And if we let Public Security assist us, the secrecy time might be even shorter... Muneyuki, do you have any ideas?"

"............" Uesugi Muneyuki thought for a moment, then suddenly said: "Come to think of it, isn't the Equipment Management Department Head of the General Affairs Department the wife of Third Division Chief Kashiwagi Jin, Police Inspector — Kashiwagi Misa, Assistant Police Inspector?"

"Right! It's Meisa Jie!" Minami Ojou-sama also remembered; she reacted even faster: "Would Meisa Jie know something?"

"Most likely not." Uesugi Muneyuki and Watanabe Eiji shook their heads simultaneously; Watanabe Eiji added: "Moreover, she was promoted to Equipment Management Department Head only after the last procurement."

Uesugi Muneyuki had even less of an idea; based on his few interactions, that woman's level was just doing some clerical work.

Huh?!

Thinking of this, adoptive father and son and Minami suddenly looked at each other with a tacit understanding.

Level not too good — that's right!

It's exactly that her level isn't good! Because her tenure is short, Kashiwagi Misa most likely still doesn't know the problems in the procurement, and because her level isn't enough, there's an extremely high probability she hasn't gotten a share in this interest chain.

This is instead a point that can be utilized!

"I'll handle it!" Uesugi Muneyuki said immediately: "Have Kashiwagi Misa take the bulletproof vest report and go talk to Daiwa Bōgu! Not to discuss the problem, but to demand money! This way we can make Daiwa Bōgu hard-pressed to respond, and understand the layout of the entire interest chain!"

"This is very reasonable! With such a big incident, as Equipment Management Department Head, Kashiwagi Misa cannot escape blame, and might even have to serve prison time; even if she knows nothing she cannot escape responsibility, and she is also the most likely person to discover the problem, so it's very reasonable for Kashiwagi Misa to discover the problem; at this time she proactively comes seeking protection and demanding benefits, demanding to understand the whole situation or else she'll blow the whistle to Daiwa Bōgu — that's also perfectly logical; this way we can figure out the internal situation of the Headquarters through Kashiwagi Misa!"

Uesugi Muneyuki grew more excited as he spoke; he immediately stood up: "Tomorrow morning we'll do just that! Me, as the dissector and pursuit battle party, noticing the problem during the dissection and appraisal process — that's also very reasonable!"

"Leave it to me, Adoptive Father, Minami!"

Watanabe Eiji and Watanabe Minami listened to Uesugi Muneyuki's plan, their eyes growing brighter and brighter.

There's potential! And it's very reasonable!

Worthy of being my adopted son / fiancé — to think of a method like this? Hajiki Yuki, is there anything you and your Special Mission Unit can't do?

But when they heard Uesugi Muneyuki planned to appear personally, the father and daughter almost simultaneously stopped him: "No! Absolutely not?"

"Ah? Why?" Uesugi Muneyuki was stunned.

"Muneyuki! Do you know how many people you would offend doing this?" Minami was so anxious she almost jumped up; she tightly grabbed Uesugi Muneyuki's arm: "This involves 130,000 bulletproof vests across all Japan and a 10-year supply chain; the amount involved alone exceeds 10 billion, not even considering other police equipment problems!"

"An entire interest chain — how many people and enterprises divide the money among them; millions of workers' livelihoods depend on it. Meisa Jie doesn't matter; giving up is just giving up — she was originally a clerical staff female police officer in the General Affairs Section with no prospects; we'll just protect her. But you can't, Muneyuki; you absolutely cannot appear! Doing this would offend to death countless people inside and outside the Headquarters!"

"Ritual Phrase! No! Absolutely not!" Minami understood Uesugi Muneyuki's temper; she shouted in a panic: "As long as I live, I will never allow it! Muneyuki! If you won't consider yourself, consider me, consider your Master, and Asuka who waits at home for you to return every day!"

"But..." As expected, Uesugi Muneyuki hesitated.

If he himself went to charge, this point naturally didn't matter; he could sacrifice his own interests, but how could he be generous with others' interests?

Just at this time, Watanabe Eiji spoke; the Superintendent General interlaced his ten fingers on his stomach, buried his face in the room's shadows, leaned back, and said meaningfully and leisurely: "Let Kashiwagi Jin appear."

"?" Uesugi Muneyuki and Minami both stopped their movements.

"Let Second Division's Kashiwagi appear; he is Misa's husband, would know the bulletproof vest problem — very reasonable." Watanabe Eiji said blandly: "We kept him for this very moment, didn't we?"

"Moreover, Muneyuki, you've bailed him out twice already, right? This time, it's his turn to sacrifice for us; we can't always be the ones wiping his ass — he doesn't have to do anything, right?"

"I think this guy Kashiwagi is definitely willing, and extremely willing; after all, this is an opportunity to make a name nationwide, even overseas! Isn't that what he dreams of? As the saying goes, seek benevolence and obtain benevolence — Kashiwagi Jin wants it, so we'll satisfy him!"

Uesugi Muneyuki and Watanabe Minami's eyeballs turned.

Right!

This is probably what you call a win-win?

(Chapter End)