Chapter 429

At the Metropolitan Police Department press conference venue, the entire scene — over 200 media outlets and several major TV stations facing the bulletproof vest dissection and X-ray analysis diagrams displayed on the on-site slides — fell deathly silent.

Although nobody really understands police equipment or bulletproof vests, the images the Metropolitan Police Department displayed were simple enough for an idiot to grasp: compared to a normal NIJ Level III Kevlar bulletproof vest, the vests worn by the two fallen Inspectors Kikuchi Fūma and Yamada Yuki had massive problems!

"Everyone across Japan, it is with deep regret that Headquarters must inform you in this manner; Headquarters is deeply grieved by the line-of-duty deaths of Inspectors Yamada Yuki and Kikuchi Fūma, therefore Headquarters has resolved to give the deceased and the entire Japanese public a full accounting — and when the cause-of-death investigation was conducted on the two fallen Inspectors, the Forensics Division and the Forensic Science Laboratory discovered a problem."

Public Relations Division Chief Togasaki Tomonobu picked up the bright yellow. 45 caliber bullet inside a sealed evidence bag: "Before the incident, we had always assumed the perpetrator Sakuma Kaito used special AP armor-piercing rounds."

"But during the Forensics Division's autopsy, the bullet we found was merely the most ordinary. 45 caliber standard round."

"This matter far exceeded Headquarters' expectations; therefore, after examination by the Forensic Science Laboratory and Equipment Management Department Head, Assistant Inspector Kashiwagi Misa, we uncovered an extremely, extremely grave fact!"

"Namely, although the two fallen Inspectors' bulletproof vests came from different batches and different warehouses, they exhibited an almost identical problem!"

"Therefore, Headquarters conducted a comprehensive inspection of all bulletproof vest inventory across the entire Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, and the inspection result was."

Behind Togasaki Tomonobu, the Metropolitan Police Department Security Bureau's investigation results appeared.

Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department bulletproof vest inventory non-compliance rate — 87%!

87%?

The entire venue held its breath.

87%...

The entire venue fell deathly silent.

87%!!!

Immediately afterward, the whole venue erupted like fresh flowers adding brocade to fire cooking oil; the figure 87% fell like a single spark into a TNT bomb — an explosion within an explosion!

The Metropolitan Police Department blew up! And it was a self-detonation!

An 87% non-compliance rate, an 87% bulletproof vest non-compliance rate — this heaven-shaking, ghost-weeping discovery is enough to destroy all of Sakuradamon, indeed the entire Japanese police world!

How dare the Metropolitan Police Department do this? They actually dared to expose it themselves? Aren't they afraid of dying?

The reporters on site, countless media outlets, even the tens of millions of Japanese nationals in front of their TV sets were all struck dumb.

"May I ask if this is the reason for the sudden deployment of large numbers of SAT and Public Security Police yesterday?"

"Section Chief Togasaki! Could you explain this matter in detail?"

"The Metropolitan Police Department has had this happen — what do you plan to do about it?"

"Section Chief! Section Chief! Why wasn't this discovered before? Why was it discovered by the Metropolitan Police Department this time?"

"How many people at Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters are involved in this matter? How does the leadership plan to handle it?"

"Who are the main personnel responsible for procurement at the Metropolitan Police Department these years? Which company is the supplier — can that be made public?"

On site, countless questions surged like a rolling flood; the reporters went mad, all rushing forward, vying to ask questions.

【The cockroaches are so noisy.】 Arimura Hana commented: 【Makes you want to stomp them all to death!】

【Spray spray spray, if I were still alive the headline would definitely be mine!】 Hironaka Mariko still can't let go of her anchor career.

【I'm just a simple comedian, it's got nothing to do with me — entertainers' biggest taboo is taking a stance on political issues!】 Miyahara Toru avoids it like the plague.

"Quiet, quiet!" Section Chief Togasaki signaled everyone to quiet down; he spoke into the microphone: "This part isn't a press conference,

it's a briefing! Please wait until I finish! If the timing permits, we'll consider calling on one or two reporters for questions!"

Only then did the whole venue quiet down.

"After Equipment Management Department Head Kashiwagi Misa discovered this problem, she realized the matter was not simple; Headquarters had dealt with supplier Daiwa Bōgu for 10 years without any inspection failure records, so they dared not make a scene — she told her husband, Investigation Division 1 Third Section Inspector Kashiwagi Jin!"

"Through the joint efforts and activity of the husband-and-wife pair, Headquarters finally uncovered the truth within!"

Having said that, the Metropolitan Police Department side laid bare the entire interest chain involving Daiwa Bōgu and the Metropolitan Police Department's interior, uprooting it completely!

This part was already told in the previous text, so it will not be repeated here.

Daiwa Bōgu does not deal directly with the General Affairs Department Head; the interest chain between the two sides is connected through Metropolitan Police Department mid-level cadres — Daiwa Bōgu directly establishes contact with the General Affairs Department's middle and lower levels; Section Chief level acts as the execution layer directly interfacing with the supplier; Division Chief level takes money and forges documents; Prosecutor and Counselor level profit through relatives as white gloves, and by forging various documents and guiding the establishment of firewalls, they prevent the General Affairs Department Head from discovering problems.

And the condition for realizing this firewall is the participation of "technical bureaucrats" — namely, Forensic Science Laboratory Chief Inoue Yūri.

To this point, a long, long corruption list has been made public by the entire Metropolitan Police Department.

Police Affairs Department Prosecutor Sasaki Police Superintendent and his department — annual gain 100 million yen!

Equipment Division Chief Ijuuin Police Inspector and his department — annual gain 80 million yen!

Forensic Science Laboratory Chief Inoue Police Inspector and his department — annual gain 60 million yen!

Procurement Section — annual gain 40 million yen!

Warehouse Management Section — annual gain 30 million yen!

And local police station Forensics Division equipment appraisal technicians and technical chiefs, plus various Metropolitan Police Department officers large and small involved in this interest chain — the long list numbers over a hundred people!

This series of ultra-long lists is shocking to behold.

"Through the efforts and struggle of Inspector Kashiwagi Jin and Assistant Inspector Kashiwagi Misa, Headquarters successfully grasped key bribery evidence and launched emergency searches according to law; SAT successfully breached Daiwa Bōgu headquarters and seized the following ironclad evidence!"

Metropolitan Police Department General Affairs Department Public Relations Division Chief Togasaki Tomonobu proudly displayed partially redacted evidence.

Evidence One: All coded accounts — ironclad proof of the specific bribe-receiver list and flow of funds for the Metropolitan Police Department and the entire upstream/downstream interest chain!

Evidence Two: Audio recordings and video recordings — 200+ secret talks recorded over 10 years, and numerous hidden cameras, openly filmed judicially admissible audiovisual evidence!

Evidence Three: Overseas accounts and money-laundering accounts established in the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands — transnational corruption evidence with recipients including relatives of the Police Affairs Department Supervision Officer and others!

"As everyone can see, through raids and emergency interrogations, Headquarters has already grasped ironclad criminal records for over a hundred police officers headed by Supervision Officer Sasaki; Japan Headquarters will now hand over all evidence and suspects to the prosecution — whether they are guilty or not will be decided by the prosecution, whether to indict!"

"Finally, Headquarters wishes to express heartfelt gratitude for Inspector Kashiwagi Jin's fearless courage; he practically wagered his life as the stake to win back these crucial decisive pieces of evidence for us — this corruption pyramid built of paper armor finally detonated prematurely, before a deeper darkness could collapse, by a single silver bullet fired into the void."

"He is our — War God! Superman of the Universe! Ultraman!"

"Although Inspector Kashiwagi cannot be here today due to injury, please let us offer this hero our most thunderous applause!"

Finished speaking, the Public Relations Division Chief led the applause.

Uesugi Muneyuki also clapped along, tears in his eyes.

So great, Old Ren!

Watanabe Minami beside Uesugi Muneyuki was also moved to tears.

Too heroic, Old Ren!

Minami Ojou-sama knows how heavy this pot is.

This wave will see at least 100 police officers violently dismissed and held criminally liable, and preliminary estimates suggest that, in addition to these 100 officers who will be sentenced, at least 500 officers will be implicated and forced to resign voluntarily, while over 1000 officers, though not compelled to resign, will have their files and career prospects severely impacted by this incident.

A rough count shows as many as 1600 police officers having their career prospects explode in place and spiral upward to heaven, and the tragic part is that at least a small fraction of them have some background; even those without background, who doesn't have relatives or friends?

Even so, you press forward fearlessly for the justice in your heart—would you not regret it even if you died nine times? Hikari Ren, you madman, you are truly amazing!

Thunderous applause filled the hall.

Is this the Metropolitan Police Department under Watanabe Director?

Equipment, deployment, perfection—unity, precision, swiftness.

In just over a day, they already grasped the ironclad evidence of the entire profit chain!

Too strong!

And amidst the thunderous applause, Superintendent General Watanabe Eiji, Deputy Superintendent-General Ooyama Ren, Metropolitan Police Criminal Bureau Director Uchimura Kanji,

Police Administration Chief Ide, General Affairs Department Head Tanaka, and others rose and bowed collectively.

"We, the entire Metropolitan Police Department, apologize for the nationwide social impact and negative effects caused by this incident, and to the families of Martyr Shan and Ju, Red Bean Paste Private Mosaic!"

After Superintendent General Watanabe Eiji bowed deeply and rubbed his brow, he lifted his head—his eyes now devoid of hesitation, only the resolve to burn his boats and fight to the death: "Our headquarters will not conceal the facts; we will face the achievements and shortcomings, as well as—our attitude of confronting the truth of the deaths of the two martyred inspectors, Shan and Ju,

and present it to the nation."

"Regarding Sakuma Kaito, the department will implement the strictest surveillance within legal limits, and will respect the wishes of the bereaved to the greatest extent."

"Regarding the posthumous treatment of the two martyred inspectors: approve the General Affairs condolence plan. Furthermore, in the name of the sacrifice that should not have been bestowed upon the two posthumously promoted inspectors, immediately launch a fundamental reform of the police equipment testing and procurement system!"

"Regarding the bulletproof vest issue: the department will immediately file criminal litigation and seek damages against 'Daiwa Bōgu'."

"All procurement department personnel responsible, on charges of death by professional negligence and bribery suspicion, shall be transferred to the Police Affairs Department (internal investigation) and promptly handed over to the prosecution! Together with all personnel of Daiwa Bōgu!"

"Implement nationwide emergency full inspection of police equipment (especially bulletproof vests). Defective items shall be scrapped immediately and replaced."

"Introduce external audit supervision of procurement procedures, abolish spot checks and enforce full batch inspections, shift tender standards from price-oriented to quality-oriented, and make this the top priority of this meeting!"

Watanabe Eiji straightened his waist, his gaze sweeping over each face—shocked, ashamed, or angry: "Gentlemen, the price of victory is too heavy, but our department will not let this price go to waste; we will transform it into the cornerstone of the Metropolitan Police Department's rebirth, and we, the entire Metropolitan Police Department, shall embrace the resolve to perish utterly!"

Thus, dubbed Japan's first corruption case after the millennium, the curtain rose!