Chapter 622

Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters, Sakurada-mon, Tokyo, a certain stairwell.

"Kashiwagi-san, this is for you." Uesugi Muneyuki handed a thick stack of documents to Kashiwagi Jin.

"What is this?" Kashiwagi Jin accepted the documents with a face full of suspicion. He glanced dubiously at Uesugi Muneyuki and suddenly said with a hint of displeasure: "Come to think of it, Uesugi, you really do have deep connections with the District Public Prosecutors Office and Headquarters, don't you."

Uesugi Muneyuki: "?"

"I'm saying, same kind of incident, when it happens to you, the District Public Prosecutors Office gives you a non-prosecution decision at light speed, but when it happened to us last time, which one wasn't dragged out for months?" Kashiwagi Jin's face showed both envy and jealousy as he said in a low voice: "Many years ago, Assistant Police Inspector Kurobe, the one who brought me into the police force, he fought with a thug to save a girl, and because he struck the other party with a police baton causing a cerebral hemorrhage and death, he underwent a full six months of judicial proceedings review. Even though the girl herself and surrounding witnesses came forward to testify, in the end he still had to transfer to Mitaka Police Station because of 'minor professional negligence'."

"There's such a thing?" Uesugi Muneyuki's expression turned somewhat desolate. He thought to himself, indeed, this is why Japanese police don't like to use violence, especially shoot, because the post-incident review is simply too troublesome.

"Chief Uesugi, you're from a noble family after all, you really are high and mighty!" Kashiwagi Jin said disgruntledly. Only then did he reach for the document bag: "So what exactly is this?"

"Regarding Miss Nagase Arisu————"

Kashiwagi Jin's footsteps abruptly halted, as if seized by an invisible hand.

He suddenly spun around, his gaze shooting toward Uesugi Muneyuki like lightning, his previous restlessness instantly replaced by a kind of extreme, focused sharpness.

"You just said, Arisu, right???"

"Arisu? Arisu! Where did Arisu go? Wait, why would you know about Arisu?" Kashiwagi Jin muttered with his head down. He quickly realized that his and Arisu's matter had been exposed!

This guy Uesugi, how does he know everything about me?

Could it be, he's a stalker? Or, does he have special thoughts about me?

Damn it, I know I'm handsome, but I'm a straight-as-steel man!

"Uesugi, you bastard! What exactly do you know???" Kashiwagi panicked, grabbing Uesugi Muneyuki by the collar, speaking with both fear and tension: "What did you do to Arisu! You pervert!

You wouldn't...?"

"She is currently at Harakawa Nishiyō Iin, Intensive Care Unit, Room 604." Uesugi Muneyuki spoke at a steady pace, but every word was incomparably clear. "Vital signs temporarily stable, but the situation————is very grim."

Kashiwagi Jin's pupils suddenly contracted, the blood draining from his face somewhat. He seized Uesugi Muneyuki's arm, his grip strength revealing his inner shock: "What happened to her?! Why is she in the ICU?"

"The specific cause is inconvenient to detail, it involves————a very complex background, it's all in the documents, read them yourself." Uesugi Muneyuki looked at him with deep eyes, his tone carrying a warning: "Kashiwagi-san, I know you care about her, but the waters behind this matter run very deep, the implications are enormous. You————must be extremely careful in your actions."

"As for your matter, it was her younger sister Nagase Shishi who told me, she mentioned you."

This implication was already clear enough.

Kashiwagi Jin is an extremely intelligent person. He immediately realized Arisu's ordeal was by no means an ordinary incident. Connecting it to her previous work environment and some unusual things he had vaguely sensed, a terrifying conjecture formed in his mind.

However, worry and anger overwhelmed his caution at this moment.

He released his hand, his gaze turning cold and resolute, carrying a trace of displaced anger at Uesugi Muneyuki for knowing but not telling him earlier: "Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

He did not wait for an answer, or rather, he didn't need an answer at this moment at all.

He gave Uesugi Muneyuki a deep look, that gaze complex and inscrutable, containing gratitude, reproach, and a kind of do-or-die determination.

"Many thanks." Kashiwagi Jin forced out two words from between his teeth, then without any further hesitation, turned and rushed down the stairs at an even faster speed than before, his footsteps echoing urgently in the empty stairwell, quickly fading away.

Uesugi Muneyuki stood in place, listening to those receding footsteps until they completely disappeared.

He slowly raised a hand, straightened the collar that Kashiwagi Jin had wrinkled grabbing him, his face expressionless, only in the depths of his eyes flashing a trace of an extremely faint, complex emotion mixed with pity and ruthlessness.

He had successfully guided this "sharp sword" toward the direction it should go, but whether this sword would ultimately cut through the fog, or injure itself, or even implicate more people, no one could predict.

A barely audible sigh finally dissipated in the silent stairwell.

Thinking about it carefully, Old Ren is still pretty badass.

Hayakawa Nanami charges everyone money, only Old Ren doesn't have to pay.

Nagase Arisu also charges money, but Old Ren still doesn't have to pay.

Fortunately Kashiwagi Misa doesn't charge her own money either, otherwise Uesugi would really feel a bit psychologically unbalanced.

He suddenly felt very wronged.

Uesugi Muneyuki examined his conscience. He indeed didn't have a very clean private life, he indeed couldn't be called grassroots-born, but ever since he awakened the Dead Soul ability, he had been dedicated to clarifying facts, proving innocence, defending the living's right to speak for the dead. For this he not only had to bear many risks, but also had to be deeply mired in troublesome matters.

How hard it is to accomplish anything.

Just like a certain workplace drama he watched, the villains used every means to strike at the protagonist, all kinds of vicious and ruthless moves coming out one after another, but what the protagonist and his friends could do was just steal documents, steal documents, steal documents.

Really fucking stifling!

And now this case is stuck on the CIA side, so he has no choice but to use other methods.

But if he uses the Inner World's power————wouldn't he become the same as Takigawa Tsubasa?

When Uesugi Muneyuki went up a few floors, preparing to return to the Special Mission Unit, he was startled to discover the Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat, Public Security Police leader Onoda Kimiaki, standing waiting for him in the corridor.

"Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat?"

"Oh, Uesugi-kun." Onoda Kimiaki tossed him a red can of Cola personally selected by the big boss, laughing: "Is this really okay?"

"His and Arisu's matter would be discovered sooner or later. Rather than passively taking a beating, better to take the initiative." Uesugi Muneyuki knew Onoda was talking about Kashiwagi Jin's matter.

"True, and what's very important is, Arisu was willing. This would deal us a fatal blow in judicial proceedings, but you found the blind spot, Uesugi-kun. I guess probably with Kashiwagi, Arisu was also willing, right? That completely reverses it. Well done, just not very honorable~"

"Otherwise if the other side raised this point, our Metropolitan Police Department would be passive." Uesugi Muneyuki's complexion looked a bit bad. The pressure from N Network, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the CIA, and the Inner World weighed on him, heavy as mountains.

Onoda Kimiaki stared at Uesugi Muneyuki for a while.

"Uesugi-kun, if you have time, come with me for a bit."

A dozen minutes later, on a certain terrace of the Police Agency, Onoda Kimiaki and Uesugi Muneyuki stood together, gazing into the distance at the Metropolitan Police Department. The Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat chewed gum: "You've been wronged, pinching gesture~ Uesugi-kun, does it feel very painful?"

"Count it as such." Uesugi Muneyuki pulled open the Coca-Cola aluminum can, cursing inwardly that Japan's prices keep rising more and more severely. A 300ml bottle of Coca-Cola actually costs 150 yen (165 yen with tax).

"Nothing to feel wronged about. I'll tell you, Uesugi-kun, I've worked in the Public Security organization for decades. This kind of thing is too common. Sometimes the precious data we painstakingly investigated for ages gets ordered to be completely sealed just because of X days of friendly relations during this period. Sometimes the intelligence informants exchanged their lives for gets suddenly ordered destroyed because the higher-ups took advantage of a policy change." Onoda Kimiaki said indifferently: "In the face of the nation's great righteousness, all we can do is obey, pinching gesture~"

"National great righteousness?" Uesugi Muneyuki pinched the aluminum can, couldn't help but say: "This thing called great righteousness, truly is an elusive thing."

"Indeed." Onoda Kimiaki nodded: "Just like this matter. Before, I didn't let you investigate N

Network for the sake of national great righteousness. Now we investigate N Network also for the sake of national great righteousness. Miss Arisu's matter, we investigate to protect her is national great righteousness. But we temporarily don't let her be exposed and also have to hand her younger sister to you to temporarily protect so she doesn't speak out is also great righteousness."

"So the so-called national great righteousness is just a little girl dressed up at will?" Uesugi Muneyuki couldn't help but smile wryly: "What do you expect that group of people who shout for blood on social media all day to think?"

"Yeah." Onoda Kimiaki's gaze looked far into Tokyo's sky: "Having seen too much darkness, people stop believing in light. For us police, being police comes down to two kinds. One is 'whores'—nothing else, just serving the current masters. The other is 'wives'—dealing with superiors and Diet bigwigs above, dealing with children, the citizens, below. Doing their utmost to attend to both sides, bearing the blame and taking the abuse, sweating and tearing to the end, and still not being understood in the end."

"Sōsetsu, you're lucky. Whatever happens, Watanabe Eiji shields you. You can be a good 'wife'. But you must have felt it too, right? Some things even Eiji can't help you shoulder."

"You're not a god, you can't change everyone, you're good at solving cases, but the country isn't just about solving cases, you don't need to feel guilty or wronged for things you can't handle, as long as you've done your best in something, a clear conscience is enough." Onoda Kimiaki said with a smile: "Have you heard from Ukyo about the embassy tragedy back then?"

"No." Uesugi Muneyuki said softly.

Thus Onoda briefly recounted the event from his youth when he and Investigation Division Chief Sugishita Ukyo faced criminals who had seized the embassy, an incident previously mentioned; at the time, Onoda was a Public Security Management Officer and Sugishita Ukyo was a Chief of the Second Investigation Division, with criminals having taken over the embassy and issued demands, leading the two to be entrusted in crisis and form a small team with several SWAT members.

Sugishita Ukyo tried every means to negotiate with the criminals and made some progress, but as the U. S. Secretary of State visited Japan, the Cabinet believed they should display a firm stance and consider the diplomatic impact of appearing weak toward terrorists, ordering Onoda to launch a strong assault, which ultimately resulted in heavy casualties among the staff, with multiple embassy family members dead and many more seriously injured.

At that time, Sugishita Ukyo firmly opposed and refused to comply, causing chaos at the scene and angering the superiors; after this incident, Sugishita Ukyo transferred to the Life Safety Division, while Onoda enjoyed smooth career advancement, rising all the way to Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat.

"As the saying goes, Seven Lives for the Nation from the Five, Left and Right Leaping General." After listening, Uesugi Muneyuki uttered a classic Japanese joke.

"Ukyo remains troubled by that incident to this day, but I understand that national righteousness is not always justice, nor even always fairness—it's that simple." Onoda Kimiaki nodded: "There are plenty of people to take the management post if you don't, and plenty to pull the trigger if you don't fire; afterward, I, this brutal man who disregards justice and hostage safety, am instead seen as a patriotic model, while Sugishita Ukyo, who truly pursues justice and the safety of hostages and staff, becomes an anti-nationalist."

"The more suffering the lower class endures, the more likely they are to exhibit strong xenophobic emotions." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded: "The state is essentially a violent tool of class rule, yet many regard it as their own father."

""

"Yes, when a person lacks the ability to change their own life, they place their sense of power in collective strength—this is compensatory identification." Onoda Kimiaki said wistfully: "They dare not pay attention to reality, because even if they did, it would be useless; reality matters more than anger, survival more than dignity, so silence becomes a rational choice."

"Outward anger carries a cost, such as possibly losing one's job, but inward anger has no cost and can even earn public opinion rewards and moral superiority."

"Inward governance is difficult → outward focus is easier to build consensus; every nation operates this way, with politicians in the Diet constantly teaching you hand-in-hand to hate the United States, hate South Korea, hate the celestial beings of Three-Body, and hate reptilian humanoids." Uesugi Muneyuki smiled bitterly but still acknowledged Onoda Kimiaki's view: "The information environment amplifies emotions; for price-sensitive citizens, attacking others is easier than facing reality."

In his mind's eye, he seemed to see a Vehicle Power Giant waving its arms in the Diet, provoking all surrounding nations, with support rates rising steadily in frenzy, while no one realized they would ultimately be the ones paying the bill.

"Exactly, we shouldn't mock or look down on these people; they're just like us, merely trapped by the times, only able to rage in distress seeking comfort—the illness isn't theirs, but society's." Onoda Kimiaki didn't dwell further: "So, Uesugi, you don't need to impose such great psychological pressure on yourself; if your pressure is this high, shouldn't we public security police be meditating in temples daily, seeing psychologists, and rinsing our impurities under waterfalls?"

"Learning to become like you, the Director, a moral vacuum—is that it?" Uesugi Muneyuki said thoughtfully.

"Moral vacuum? What a fine term, Uesugi—you're already qualified to be an excellent civil servant." Onoda Kimiaki's small eyes, hidden beneath his heavy eye bags, gazed meaningfully at Uesugi Muneyuki.

"Director, are you scolding me or praising me? I'll just pretend to be Mongolian for now." Uesugi Muneyuki exhaled deeply: "Back then, why didn't you apply to the University of Tokyo Medical Department?"

"Hehe, although I didn't get into the University of Tokyo Medical Department, I often go to the affiliated hospital to give friends honeydew melons!"

"No sweetness, no charge, right?" Uesugi Muneyuki laughed.

After being reassured by Director Onoda like this, he felt much better.

"You have many things you can't let go of? To live freely, work is work, life is life." Director Onoda nodded, seeing that Uesugi Muneyuki had taken it in, he said nothing more and prepared to return to work.

"Director, what is it that you can't let go of?" Uesugi Muneyuki suddenly became interested and pressed further.

"Me?" Director Onoda, after hearing this, seemed dazed: "My family life is happy, I lack nothing in food or clothing, my annual income is 13 million yen, and nearly all my living expenses are covered without me spending a penny; I have two grandsons and one granddaughter, and if I truly have something I can't let go of, it's Ukyo."

"Huh?!" Uesugi Muneyuki was stunned.

The Director's unresolved attachment is actually to Division Chief Sugishita? These two together are over 110 years old?!

What a sunset-red CP?

"No way, Ukyo is the man I want no matter what." Director Onoda nodded: "I'm just worried about him—if I'm gone, what will he do?"

"Director, are you planning to retire soon due to age?" Uesugi Muneyuki raised his eyebrows.

"Hehe, just joking—I don't intend to stop here—however, if this foreign minister affair isn't handled well, then I really might be forced into retirement." Director Onoda said seemingly indifferently.

Uesugi Muneyuki's expression grew heavy; after thinking repeatedly, he finally decided to reveal a little: "Don't worry, Director, I've made arrangements!"

"Oh?!" Director Onoda's pupils slightly dilated, and instantly a flame of excitement flared in his eyes: "Uesugi, are you serious? Then I'll go back and wait for your good news."

Having said that, this old sly and formidable public security leader didn't wait for Uesugi Muneyuki to regret, immediately turned and ran, leaving only Uesugi Muneyuki on the terrace, slightly squinting his eyes.

Another old fox!

This fellow Onoda is not truly a "moral vacuum"; he likewise has his own ideas and blueprint, but he strives to present himself to superiors as a "moral vacuum" so that behind the scenes on certain matters he can avoid being a "moral vacuum"!

But after Onoda's words of reassurance, Uesugi Muneyuki felt much lighter in heart.

Indeed, there's no need to trap oneself—monks can touch it, why can't I?

Minister Akimoto, I'll give you a big, big surprise—click!