Chapter 426: Culprits and Loot Caught Red-Handed!

Unfortunately, the underground secret facility was a place completely cut off from outside communications, but precisely because of that it also cut off its own communications.

Daiwa Bōgu and the others recorded a video of Kashiwagi Misa illegally brandishing and firing a gun as "evidence of guilt," and only then was it finally confirmed she had been bound to their chariot; as promised, they displayed exactly who within the Metropolitan Police Department were "their own people."

Top-level protection layer: Police Affairs Department Sasaki Kansatsukan (Police Superintendent).

Deliberately ignored audit anomalies: suppressed subordinate whistleblowing, provided false "clean reports" to the General Affairs Department, annual tribute ¥80 million.

Decision manipulation layer: Equipment Division Chief Ijuuin (Police Inspector): assisted "Daiwa" in winning bids, falsified technical specifications, instructed warehouse spot-check fraud, annual tribute 60 million monthly.

Procurement Section Chief (Police Inspector): forged bid-rigging documents, received/distributed kickbacks, threatened questioning suppliers, annual tribute 60 million.

Warehouse Management Chief (Assistant Police Inspector): falsely signed off compliant goods, swapped test samples, destroyed problem complaints, annual tribute 40 million.

Technical collusion layer: Technical Appraisal Chief (Technician): issued "complies with NIJ III Level" report; tampered with X-ray inspection data, annual tribute 30 million monthly.

Local diffusion layer: Major local police station equipment officers: cooperated with Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department to cover up local complaints; coerced police into using inferior products, annual tribute 5–10 million monthly varying.

Besides these there is also the Forensic Research Institute Chief, annual tribute approximately 30 million.

The scene before her eyes made Kashiwagi Misa feel shocked to the core; she truly had not expected that those seemingly friendly colleagues, those seniors who called her "junior" with every breath, those superiors who enthusiastically paid the bill at organizational gatherings, and the Technical Appraisal Chief who always gave her convenience and technical support, were all taking money on this profit chain.

Yet she herself knew nothing at all!

Moreover, what made Kashiwagi Misa even more fearful was: once these people were exposed, how would she and her husband gain a foothold in the Metropolitan Police Department afterward?

At this moment, the iceberg mixed-blood wife, the former Face of the Metropolitan Police Department, finally understood why Uesugi Muneyuki had Kashiwagi Jin act as this whistleblower.

One must admit, Jin is the kind of person who would do this sort of thing, and—extremely suitable at that!

And because the underground facility was extremely soundproof, Yamamoto Shachou and the others hadn't even heard the commotion upstairs.

"The General Affairs Department Head's price is probably around 100 million; that's too much money, so we haven't approached the current General Affairs Department Head yet—we'll see when he notices; as for the madam, please also cover for us more." Yamamoto Shachou said with great interest.

"Then what is the going rate for a typical Superintendent General?" Kashiwagi Misa probed tremblingly.

"For a Superintendent General it's actually uncertain; our company's highest rank is Fire Department Commissioner Yuki, who took a lump sum of 240 million yen from our company before retirement." Yamamoto Shachou said casually: "So madam, do you know? Is the household money all managed by the husband?"

Kashiwagi Misa: "... —·

Just then, a sudden burst of explosion sounds came from outside.

Bang! Boom! Crack—!

Tatatatata! Bang! Freeze! Police!

Deafening explosion sounds, dense assault rifle fire, bulletproof shields violently slamming door frames, glass shattering, terrified screams, stern shouts—like a surging tide they instantly poured into this dim basement from upstairs, from the hallway entrance! Sounds from far to near, chaotic yet efficient.

Kashiwagi Misa abruptly lifted her head, her turbid eyes erupting with incredulous light.

They're here!

Immediately after, the heavy basement door was blasted open by some explosive device! Blinding flashlight beams pierced in like sharp swords,

instantly dispelling the darkness.

Amid the swirling smoke, several figures clad in pitch-black tactical gear, night-vision goggles on their helmets, wielding fine assault rifles, burst in like ghosts! They moved swift as cheetahs, tactical movements clean and precise—precisely the Special Assault Team Unit the Metropolitan Police Department prides itself on!

"Secure!" "Target acquired!" "It's Assistant Police Inspector Kashiwagi!" Concise, powerful comms voices transmitted in helmet headsets: "Protect hostage safety! Lethal force authorized if necessary!"

Almost simultaneously, another squad in plainclothes but with equally fierce bearing rapidly entered the scene; their eyes sharp as hawks, they quickly scanned the environment, controlled each of the business firm members who had been knocked down or surrendered—they were Public Security Police, specializing in counterterrorism and organized crime.

"What?!" Yamamoto Shachou hadn't even reacted before Fifth Squad Leader of the Special Assault Team Unit pinned him to the ground, gun pressed to his forehead!

And at this very moment, the slides and bribery specifications on the wall, the records—they hadn't even been swapped out.

This time, both the culprits and the loot were caught red-handed!

Seeing reinforcements had finally arrived, Kashiwagi Misa's legs finally gave way and she collapsed to the ground, heart full of lingering fear and panic.

She was safe.

Uesugi that guy's guarantees and vows still had some credibility.

But this damn bastard, he toyed with her again!

If it weren't for Jin, weren't for her husband.

Kashiwagi Misa involuntarily compared her husband and Uesugi Muneyuki once more, thinking of that man who always lurked behind the scenes yet controlled the whole situation, and her own husband who she let wait outside only to get captured; she could only smile bitterly, covering her warming lower abdomen.

It seems... there's no going back—

Meanwhile, aboveground.

A Special Assault Team Unit member swiftly cut the ropes on Kashiwagi's body, another carefully helped him up: "Assistant Police Inspector Kashiwagi! Hang in there! Medical team arriving shortly!"

Kashiwagi leaned weakly against the member, violent coughing tugging at his electrically numbed neck; he stared in shock at everything before him, his cerebrum a total blank.

What happened? Why would the Special Assault Team Unit and Public Security deploy simultaneously? And locate this place so precisely? This scale—it's practically the level for dealing with vicious terrorists!

Amid the chaos, Metropolitan Police Department Public Security Bureau Superintendent Ichijo strode up to Kashiwagi carrying a Barrett sniper rifle, his face bearing an expression mixing admiration, excitement, and relief. He slapped Kashiwagi's shoulder hard, making Kashiwagi grimace, overflowing with emotion: "Assistant Police Inspector Kashiwagi! Brilliantly done! Too thrilling! But you succeeded!"

"Succ—eeded?" Kashiwagi Jin's voice was hoarse and dry, completely baffled.

"Yes!" Superintendent Ichijo's voice rose with excitement: "This is simply a perfect plan; your actions were too critical! Too timely! You two as a couple have given too much for the Metropolitan Police Department! We've already rescued your wife from the underground secret facility, and collected the most detailed organized-crime bribery fund flows, armory locations, key member lists, even audio recordings of their recent illegal transactions! Evidence stacks like mountains! With these key pieces of evidence, the Special Assault Team Unit and Public Security's thunderous strike finally bet right! This time our police organization caught both culprits and loot! In one sweep we uprooted Daiwa Bōgu, this parasite festering on the police organization!"

Superintendent Ichijo pointed at several large boxes under tight guard by Public Security Police; inside lay long and short firearms, bundles of cash, and large quantities of documents.

On the other side, Special Assault Team Unit members were escorting the dejected Yamamoto Shachou and a group of black-suited men.

"Ah?! I didn't, I just—" Kashiwagi Jin instinctively tried to explain, he instinctively looked around.

The busy Special Assault Team Unit members and Public Security Police, hearing the commander's words, also turned gazes of incomparable respect toward Kashiwagi. Their eyes were filled with reverence for the heroic lone wolf.

"Assistant Police Inspector Kashiwagi, you went in alone!"

"Too amazing! Infiltrated the tiger's den to obtain key evidence!"

"Simply defied the heavens! Worthy of a career-track elite!"

"National hero! Deservedly so!"

Praise surged toward Kashiwagi like a tide. Every "hero," "went in alone," "defied the heavens" was like a heavy hammer, ruthlessly striking his abnormally sensitive heart wracked with shame.

Kashiwagi Jin was utterly dumbfounded.

What plan? What went in alone? What key evidence?

Nani?!

Me——did I succeed? Did I become a hero?

A massive sense of absurdity and intense shame instantly submerged him; he clearly remembered how he had fallen into a trap because a woman nearby was having her bag snatched, his sense of justice exploded leading to a judgment error, and how he was miserably captured.

And the distress call and the deployment of SAT Public Security Police had nothing to do with him! He not only failed to achieve merit, but instead committed a major blunder sufficient to end the career he took pride in——captured due to a slip-up.

But. Now everyone is convinced it was him who did it.

How the backup arrived so "perfectly," so "flawlessly" explained the reason for his "solo infiltration" and the "successful" outcome.

His mouth opened and closed, wanting to say you've got it wrong, yet he couldn't utter a word.

Admit the truth of his capture? That he was electrically stunned on the spot by a simple loophole?

That would nail him to the Public Opinion Pillar of Shame, his career instantly collapsing, making him the laughingstock of the entire police world, worse than death. He, Kashiwagi Jin,

His glory as the representative of the Investigation Division 1 Star Inspector, the elite image he had painstakingly cultivated for years, would be utterly shattered.

Face, reputation, the pride of the Career Track, were the cornerstone of his survival, to him even more important than life.

Under the focus of everyone's scorching, expectant, respect-filled gazes, Kashiwagi Jin's facial muscles twitched slightly, uncontrollably. He could feel his cheeks burning, not because of injury, but because of a massive, indescribable embarrassment and guilty conscience. The glory he yearned for beyond measure now draped over his wounded body like a stolen, overly heavy ceremonial robe. He wanted to speak in denial, but his throat felt clamped by an invisible hand.

Finally, he laboriously, extremely slowly, averted his gaze from the eager eyes of Ichijo Keishi and the others, giving an extremely slight nod. The movement was so small it was almost imperceptible, more like a sway caused by weakness.

But in the eyes of those around him, this was undoubtedly tacit admission! The humility of a hero before immense merit and risk!

"Look! Inspector Kashiwagi admitted it!"

"So low-key!"

"Amazing!" "Subarashii!" "Kakkoii!" "Sukoku ichi!" "Yabai ichi Akashi ne~"

Even more enthusiastic praise rang out.

Yet Kashiwagi Jin only felt a burning pain on his face, worse than the wounds on his body; he lowered his head, his heart filled with unprecedented massive shame and a kind of joy immersed in glory. He dared not look at those colleagues who sincerely admired him, only letting that "hero" halo that didn't belong to him, scorching hot, roast him until he had nowhere to hide. He became the most pitiable prisoner under the lock of his own honor, a "hero" about to be swallowed by a massive lie.

But he couldn't refuse! In any sense, he absolutely couldn't refuse!

Isn't this exactly what he dreamed of?

"Inspector Kashiwagi, recover well! The rest is handed over to us." Ichijo Keishi, seeing his complexion flickering between bright and dark, thought he was badly hurt and hurriedly added another sentence, a trace of admiration flashing in his eyes again, but quickly covered by the busyness of the scene and the joy of success: "We must rush back to the Metropolitan Police Department; this matter is too serious, we need to immediately bring all involved personnel under control! Someone else will be arranged to take you and your wife to the hospital."

"Yes." Kashiwagi Jin could only squeeze out a hoarse, faint voice from deep in his throat that even he felt was false: "-Hai (Yes)——. Thanks for your hard work, everyone."

Just what is going on? Why is Kashiwagi Jin's mind full of questions, yet when he saw the entire SAT and all Public Security Police at the scene line up and salute him, those doubts and confusion were temporarily thrown to the back of his mind, an indescribable heat current surging violently from the deepest part of his heart, from the core of vanity carefully cultivated and desperately yearning for recognition as a "Career Track elite," rushing upward! It was so swift, so scorching, instantly sweeping through his whole body, rushing straight to the top of his head.

These praises that previously made him want to hide, now automatically echoed in his heart, yet carried a completely different, intoxicating tone. He seemed to truly see his own heroic image of "penetrating the tiger's den," "outwitting for evidence," "turning the tide."

The corner of his mouth, at an angle no one noticed, extremely subtly, uncontrollably, curved upward slightly.

Did you see? Uesugi, you're not the only one fighting; there's me in the police force too!

You will never walk alone!

I'm worthy! I'm also worthy!

【88】 I'm worthy, of course I'm worthy!!!

I certainly deserve it!!!