Chapter 756

After finishing the tasks at hand, Uesugi Muneyuki checked the time—it was almost time to get off work—and walked toward the Superintendent General's office again.

Uesugi Muneyuki stopped in front of the heavy wooden door bearing the "Superintendent General" nameplate and lightly knocked twice.

"Come in."

Pushing the door open, the spacious office was filled with the fresh aroma of high-quality sencha; outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the setting sun dyed the western sky of Tokyo Metropolis a warm orange-red, with the outline of Tokyo Tower clearly inlaid within the halo of light.

Behind the desk, Superintendent General Watanabe Eiji was taking off his reading glasses and rubbing his brow.

He is fifty-three this year, but his back remains straight and his hair jet black; his finely trimmed sideburns are immaculate, and the cherry blossom and star insignia on his shoulder boards gleam with a subdued light in the sunset's afterglow—this is his fourth year as Superintendent General, normally a two-year term, but thanks to his outstanding command ability, political balancing skills, and activity in a series of major cases, he has been granted an exception to serve again, becoming one of the longest-serving Superintendent Generals after the war. "Ah, it's Muneyuki!" Watanabe Eiji pointed to the chair opposite him: "Sit. Is Minami done over there?"

Uesugi Muneyuki sat down in the chair, respectful yet unconstrained: "She's still in a meeting at the National Police Agency side, the new department's affairs are myriad. I came over first—you said earlier you had something to discuss?"

"Hmm." Watanabe Eiji lifted his teacup and took a sip, his gaze falling on his son-in-law's face, carrying a hint of the scrutiny and satisfaction unique to an elder: "How's the liaison going on your end regarding that 'Hand of God' TV drama?"

"Fuji TV has already sent over the preliminary proposal," Uesugi Muneyuki said, taking a file folder from his briefcase: "The filming schedule is expected to take several months, with the Special Mission Division serving as one of the primary shooting locations. Shirakawa Mai's side has already confirmed they will arrive two weeks early to familiarize themselves with the environment and interact with real detectives, plus some outdoor shoots; I will have a fixed cameo of ten minutes per episode, which won't affect work too much, but I'll still need to carve out some time."

Watanabe Eiji took the file folder, flipped through it casually, and nodded: "This matter is highly prioritized above. The Cabinet Secretariat side specifically gave a heads-up, saying they want to treat it as a key project to showcase the National Police Agency's positive image."

"A drama criticizing the government is the second most boring kind." Uesugi Muneyuki smiled: "While the first most boring kind is one that praises the government." "Haha~ but the National Police Agency's reputation has been quite good these past few years thanks to you." Watanabe Eiji glanced at Uesugi Muneyuki, a hint of a smile in his eyes: "I've already had the Public Relations Division and General Affairs Department fully cooperate—all floors and departments needing on-location shooting get the green light. I, the Managing Director Deputy Chief, and the Kanchoukanbou will also appear in the documentary featurette at the beginning of the series, talking about the National Police Agency's history and current investigative philosophy." "You yourself aren't appearing, are you?" Uesugi Muneyuki asked—this is an excellent opportunity to promote his personal image and strengthen public memory.

Watanabe Eiji waved his hand and laughed: "Putting this stern old face of mine on TV, viewers would switch channels before they could even react. But then..."

He paused, a hint of mischief and amusement in the corner of his eye: "The production team has made a request, hoping I'll have one or two 'cameo' shots in the main feature—roughly walking into the office or presiding over a meeting from a distance. Consider it leaving a behind for the Superintendent General. That I can accommodate." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded; strictly speaking, civil servants participating in filming really isn't appropriate, especially for a position as sensitive and important as Superintendent General—in theory, they shouldn't appear extensively, but showing up briefly is still acceptable.

"No problem—when the time comes, there'll be frame-by-frame analysis on YouTube, scanning every frame, and they'll find your father-in-law." Uesugi Muneyuki laughed. "If you don't mind copyright warnings, then go ahead." Watanabe Eiji smiled, took another sip of tea, and shifted the topic: "By the way, the personnel side just finalized a few adjustments—you know about that?"

"What do you refer to?"

"The new subsection chief of Investigation Division 1's Third Subsection." Watanabe Eiji set down his teacup, his eyes carrying a hint of examination: "Kameyama Kaoru, who officially reported for duty today, with the rank of Police Inspector."

Uesugi Muneyuki froze for a moment, then wore an expression of disbelief: "Kameyama Kaoru? That... Sugishita Ukyo's old partner? Didn't he resign over ten years ago?"

"Thirteen years." Watanabe Eiji nodded: "According to regulations, rehiring after more than three years of resignation requires special approval; after ten years, it's nearly impossible. But this Kameyama Kaoru..."

He stood up, walked to the window, his back to the sunset, his voice tinged with emotion: "During these years of resignation, he did nothing else—he's been a volunteer with international humanitarian organizations. Gaza, you know that place, right?"

Uesugi Muneyuki frowned slightly: "I've heard of it—war-torn region, the Middle East."

"Not war-torn, but hell on earth." Watanabe Eiji turned around, his gaze deep: "At the end of the year before last, the refugee camp in northern Gaza was hit by an airstrike, with dozens of children buried under the rubble. Kameyama Kaoru happened to be there delivering medical supplies at the time—alone, without any armed protection, he braved the ongoing airstrikes and pulled seven children out of the debris. Later, during evacuation, their convoy encountered an ambush by militants; he used his body to shield a box of antibiotics, took two bullets to the back, but he was wearing a bulletproof vest, and this time he was lucky—the bulletproof vest actually worked." Uesugi Muneyuki raised an eyebrow: "A bulletproof vest should be bulletproof by definition! Father-in-law, what are you talking about?"

"Several years before that, during the worst period of the Congo situation in Africa, he drove an ambulance through gunfire for three weeks, sleeping only two or three hours a day, transporting medicine and food that saved countless people—he himself can't even count how many."

Watanabe Eiji returned to his seat, his tone calm as if reporting work: "The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East awarded him a commendation, and over in the EU, several people wrote him thank-you letters—just think about what that means."

"Truly a warrior." Uesugi Muneyuki also laughed: "I'd call him a true... peerless in Africa!"

"So Onoda interceded for Kameyama, and I agreed right away." Watanabe Eiji nodded: "Nowadays, those who enjoy wealth and honor are many, but those who strategize and plan are few. If someone like him can't be allowed to wear this police uniform again, it's the National Police Agency's loss, not his."

"Gaza alone has over two million people, and the employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East number nearly fifteen thousand..." Uesugi Muneyuki couldn't help but complain: "The staff are almost as numerous as those needing relief, and I know many students from American Ivy League schools like Harvard or Yale want to get in via recommendation letters—best to just pad their resumes, work a bit at the Near East Relief Agency, or some African refugee volunteer group, or some Zimbabwean wildlife protection organization—these organizations look good on a resume, hey hey hey~ big big hey hey!"

"Bingo! Of course, if it's a skiing queen who won several Winter Olympics gold medals, that works too, or if someone cooked up some new-concept art or served as a person in certain social action organizations—anyway, there are many ways, the old leftist strongholds of European and American universities just love this!" Watanabe Eiji burst out laughing, his laughter echoing in the spacious office: "You little brat, you've got statistics memorized backward and forward—exactly, that's how it is, everyone's just there to gild the lilies or line their pockets, that group of white folks really can't be said to have none who personally roll up their sleeves like Kameyama, but the proportion won't exceed thirty percent." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded, unable to deny his father-in-law made sense.

"But you just mentioned the Relief Agency's staff being numerous..." Watanabe Eiji shifted gears, his eyes taking on a deeper meaning: "Do you know Arafat?"

"Former leader of Fatah." Uesugi Muneyuki replied concisely.

"Right." Watanabe Eiji leaned back in his chair, hands folded on his knees: "After his death, outside estimates put his personal assets at around two billion US dollars. Do you know where this money came from?"

Uesugi Muneyuki raised an eyebrow slightly: "It surely couldn't be that he earned it by working in a factory himself."

"The vast majority." Watanabe Eiji said, word by word: "From international society's aid funds for Palestine. Governments of various countries, UN agencies, all kinds of humanitarian organizations—year after year, decade after decade, they've poured money there, claiming to help refugees, aid construction, and foster peace. The result? Two billion US dollars, unaccounted for. How much did his widow and daughter finally receive? Apparently fifty million US dollars, and they had to actively pursue it, going through endless hassle and lawsuits to get it back."

"Just like the UN's massive aid funds poured into the Near East Relief Agency and then vanished, Arafat's money soon vanished too—Gaza is a bottomless pit, the Near East Relief Agency with its over ten thousand employees is also, everyone's busy splitting the money, but the UN has no oversight, so in the end it all comes to nothing—no wonder the US jumps up and down, unwilling to pay its dues."

"After WWII, the world collectively aided Africa with over seven hundred billion US dollars." Uesugi Muneyuki also said, laughing: "But it seems there's been no essential change..."

"That's why Kameyama Kaoru is so precious." Watanabe Eiji said earnestly: "If conditions permit, we should help him appropriately—we can't let heroes bleed and cry."

"Hmm." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded.

"Well, the Kameyama matter... let's leave it here for now." Watanabe Eiji crossed his hands on the desk surface, his gaze falling on Uesugi Muneyuki's face; in those eyes that have weathered countless storms, there now appeared a few more degrees of the solemnity that only surfaces when facing close kin.

"Muneyuki." He spoke, his voice lower than during the earlier small talk: "There's something I need you to know."

Uesugi Muneyuki, who had already prepared to take his leave, sat back upright upon hearing this, his body leaning slightly forward: "Father-in-law, please speak."

"Prime Minister Oowada will finish his term this year and certainly have to resign—or say that managing to complete this term is already a miracle." Watanabe Eiji spoke slowly, each word as if carefully weighed: "After that, the party presidential election, or even the prime minister nomination election, there's a name you'd better keep in mind ahead of time."

"Who?"

"Yuasa Masamichi."

Uesugi Muneyuki's brow twitched slightly—this name was certainly not unfamiliar to him: "Isn't it said that the party secretary general cannot run for prime minister, that it's just a position for those unsuitable to be prime minister?"

"The interesting part lies right here." Watanabe Eiji shifted gears, the corner of his mouth lifting in a hint of a meaningful arc: "Precisely because he was demoted from secretary general to general affairs, he now has the qualifications to run for prime minister."

"What does that mean?"

Watanabe Eiji leaned back in his chair, gaze toward the ceiling, as if recalling something: "The secretary general position—power is great, but it's also a target. Whoever sits there has to take the fall for the party head and the cabinet; if Yuasa had been secretary general back then, he naturally couldn't have become prime minister. Now he's become general affairs—on the surface it's a demotion, but in reality, one he moved from the bullseye to the periphery, gaining breathing room, and also gained the opportunity to rebuild his network." He withdrew his gaze, looking at Uesugi Muneyuki: "More importantly, he's kept a very low profile these years, visiting constituencies everywhere, working with grassroots party members, drinking and chatting with the heads of all factions. To outsiders, he looks like a defeated old man, but in reality..."

Uesugi Muneyuki picked up the thread: "In reality, he's laying the groundwork for this election."

"Exactly." Watanabe Eiji nodded: "Once Prime Minister Oowada steps down, those few party factions will surely fall into chaos. At that point, we'll need someone who can balance all sides and get everyone to reluctantly accept him. Yuasa Masamichi, with his past secretary general credentials and these years of 'lying on firewood and tasting gall' image, actually has an edge over those who've just been sitting on the stage."

The office fell silent for a few seconds.

Uesugi Muneyuki spoke slowly: "If he really gets elected... then we father and son will indeed have trouble."

"That's precisely why I'm telling you this." Watanabe Eiji said solemnly: "We people are like the daughter-in-law in a household—we'll play both ends against the middle, and likewise suffer from both ends, but sometimes we can't attend to it, so we'd rather let the children suffer than let the parents be wronged; otherwise, there are plenty of people who won't hesitate to take your place, no doubt—Muneyuki, you and I are both members of Minister Onoda's faction, but when facing Yuasa's side, you don't need to overly offend him; he's not trying to prop up Hirate, is he? You might as well yield a little—when he shows you goodwill, don't stubbornly resist."

Uesugi Muneyuki fell silent for a moment, then gave a light laugh: "Understood. So what you mean is?"

Watanabe Eiji looked at his smile, a hint of satisfaction flashing in the depths of his eyes—this son-in-law, the very thing he admires most is this composure in the face of affairs: "My meaning is, no matter how strong Yuasa gets, he'll still need someone to solve cases, right?" Watanabe Eiji stood up, walked to the window, his back to Uesugi Muneyuki: "Minister Onoda rising to power would be best; Minister Hanzawa rising would also be barely acceptable, but if it really comes to Yuasa rising to power, you'd better keep it in mind. Preserve the evidence that should be preserved, maintain the friendships that should be maintained. Politics—you never know when you'll need it."

Uesugi Muneyuki stood up, nodded solemnly: "I understand."

"All right," Watanabe Eiji waved his hand.

Uesugi Muneyuki gave a slight bow, turned, and left.

The office door closed softly behind him, leaving only Watanabe Eiji alone, gazing out at Tokyo's glittering nightscapes, lost in thought.

Wearing this Superintendent General's uniform for the fourth year, I'm getting a bit tired of it!!

Time to change into something else.

Next morning.

Tokyo Odaiba, Fuji TV Headquarters Building.

This modernized building standing by Tokyo Bay is normally a popular spot for tourists to check in, and today it is exceptionally lively. In the square in front of the building's main entrance, several large broadcast vans are neatly arranged, with staff bustling about, transporting various equipment. The red "月9" sign is visible everywhere, indicating the significance of this project.

Uesugi Muneyuki got out of the car and was immediately greeted by a waiting staff member.

"Professor Uesugi! Thank you for your hard work!" The staff member is a young person in their twenties, wearing glasses, with an enthusiastic face: "I'm Yamada from the Production Department, and I'm responsible for receiving you today. Please follow me; the director and others are already waiting in the conference room."

The two walked through the lobby, and the elevator went directly to the production center on the tenth floor.

Along the way, busy staff members, carts piled with props, and racks full of costumes could be seen everywhere. Several extras in police uniforms were gathered together rehearsing lines; upon seeing Uesugi Muneyuki pass by, they all nodded in greeting—these are all active police officers dispatched by the Metropolitan Police Department, naturally recognizing this renowned Chief Medical Examiner.

The door of the conference room was pushed open, and inside, people were already seated in a circle.

"Professor Uesugi, welcome welcome!" Seated in the main seat is a man in his early fifties with long artist's hair, a middle-aged man, namely the general director of this production, Miyake Shinichi. He stood up to greet him, warmly shaking Uesugi Muneyuki's hand: "Finally, we've got you here! With you holding the fort, the 'authenticity' of our drama is guaranteed!"

"Director Miyake, you're too kind." Uesugi Muneyuki smiled in response, his gaze sweeping over the conference room—along the long conference table, seated were the screenwriter, producer, art director, and other main creators.

The whiteboard on the wall was covered with storyboards and scene designs, while the screen on the other side was cycling through test footage of the Metropolitan Police Department's outdoor shoot. Producer Kinoshita Hiroko, a capable middle-aged woman, took over the conversation: "Professor Uesugi, we can say we've 'moved' the Metropolitan Police Department to Odaiba this time. The Special Mission Division's scene there, we've replicated it one-to-one according to the blueprints you provided, down to the placement of the desks and the model of the filing cabinets being exactly the same. You can go take a look later; if there's anything wrong, just let us know and we'll fix it anytime."

"And the scene of the evidence identification room," the art director added: "We specifically borrowed a batch of decommissioned equipment from the Metropolitan Police Department; although it can't be used, its appearance is completely consistent. Shirakawa Mai will have several key scenes in that setting when she arrives."

Upon hearing the name "Shirakawa Mai," the atmosphere in the conference room subtly became lively.

Uesugi Muneyuki knew in his heart the national female star Shirakawa Mai, the lead actress of this production, and also its biggest selling point.

And the first act of "Hand of God" is the Gunma outdoor shoot, and moreover, it is being filmed together with a variety show and a television drama.

Fuji TV really will latch onto anything!

The outdoor shoot of the first act is Uesugi Muneyuki and Mai Xuejie's first encounter at Gunma Tokiwa Middle School and their high school promise as the opening! It's just short of openly riding on the gossip and heat between him and Mai Xuejie, hinting that these two were childhood sweethearts in high school, only to have the wicked heaven-sent system's young lady Minami swoop in and steal love away.

But who exactly is stealing from whom? Minami, do you have anything to say!

Kameyama old dog, I curse you immortals!!!