Chapter 778

Opposite the Metropolitan Police Department is the National Police Agency.

The highest authority of the Japanese police system.

The Metropolitan Police Department falls under the jurisdiction of the Tokyo Metropolitan Public Safety Commission, while the National Police Agency oversees all police nationwide, including the Metropolitan Police Department.

Above that is the National Public Safety Commission, then the Cabinet.

Kameyama Kaoru followed behind Sugishita Ukyo, passing through the lobby of the Metropolitan Police Department, exiting the front gate, walking down that familiar road, and entering the office building of the National Police Agency. All along the way he dared not ask who he was going to see, until the elevator stopped at a certain floor and Sugishita Ukyo knocked on a door with no markings. "Please come in."

Pushing open the door, Kameyama Kaoru saw the expected person.

Onoda Kimiaki.

Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat of the National Police Agency.

It had been years since they last met, and Onoda had risen to an ever higher position. When Kameyama first left, Onoda was still a Management Officer in the Public Security Division of the National Police Agency, and it was said he would be promoted to Counselor in the Public Security Division or become a Section Chief in the Security Department, but now he had become Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat of the National Police Agency. Moreover, the Onoda family were true nobles in the political circle—his older brother was Onoda Kimiaki, Chief Cabinet Secretary, who called the wind and summoned the rain in politics. One brother controlled the police system, the other handled cabinet affairs, and together they nearly controlled the nation's order machinery.

"Sugishita-kun?" Onoda Kimiaki lifted his head from behind his desk, a hint of surprise on his face: "How do you have time to come see me?" He looked relaxed, leaning back in his leather chair, holding a document, his suit neat, his hair perfectly in place. A man in his fifties, well maintained, his eyes bore the calm of long tenure in high position.

Onoda's face showed pleasure.

He liked Ukyo the most.

What he liked even more was when Ukyo had a difficult matter and had to proactively ask him for help—it made Onoda feel very pleased. I just like forcing you.

Sugishita Ukyo bowed slightly: "Director, there is an urgent matter I need to report to you."

"Urgent?" Onoda Kimiaki raised his eyebrows, his gaze shifting to Kameyama Kaoru, his eyes brightening: "Oh, this isn't Kameyama-kun? You've been in Africa and the Near East for over ten years—you've aged too. I originally wanted to assign you to a driving school, but you didn't want to go."

"Hah, you call that an arrangement? That's exile, Director." Kameyama Kaoru said with some resentment.

"Haha, I just wanted to exile you and Ukyo to a deserted island, otherwise you two would keep causing me trouble, especially Ukyo—you tell me, how many times has he obstructed the entire police system 'heaven'?" Onoda Kimiaki said half-smiling, clearly not truly blaming them.

The term "heaven" means "transfer," a specific term in the Japanese system, as previously mentioned: after mandatory retirement, police high-ranking officials immediately go to large corporations, local autonomous bodies, and various corporate entities to serve as executives, leveraging police-era connections and resources to exchange benefits with these organizations.

"Director, we came today because we have an urgent matter to say..." Sugishita Ukyo had no interest in joking with Onoda.

"Oh, that's really a pity—I still wanted to chat with you, Ukyo, about next year's matters." Onoda Kimiaki nodded, his tone casual as if discussing family affairs: "Have a seat. What's so urgent?"

The two sat down on the sofa.

Onoda Kimiaki walked out from behind his desk, sat facing them in a single sofa, crossed his legs: "Shi bu ke, an de ke li!" Kameyama Kaoru glanced at Sugishita Ukyo, who nodded back at him.

This police officer, who had weathered countless storms, took a deep breath and began to speak.

From the covert filming on the tram in Wuyu County, to discovering corpse photos during an apartment search, to over a hundred female corpses, not limited to the thirteen years of experience in the Forensic Identification Division, to the dark web trafficking suspicions, then to his conversation with Section Chief Yamada, and the gag order he issued.

He spoke slowly, trying not to omit any detail.

At first, Onoda Kimiaki still wore a smile, occasionally nodding, as if listening to an interesting but irrelevant story.

But gradually, his smile froze.

He uncrossed his legs.

Leaning his body forward.

His gaze turned sharp, his eyes still holding some disbelief.

When Kameyama Kaoru finished speaking, the office was so quiet one could hear the hum of the air conditioning.

Onoda Kimiaki stared at Kameyama Kaoru, his expression complex beyond words—shock, disbelief, and something else Kameyama Kaoru couldn't quite grasp: the look of someone accustomed to controlling everything, suddenly realizing things had slipped from control.

Sugishita Ukyo waited quietly for Onoda Kimiaki's reaction.

Onoda Kimiaki, the Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat, remained silent for a long time.

"Kameyama-kun."

"Are you here to end the Japanese police?"

Kameyama Kaoru froze, he opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but realized he didn't know how to answer.

End the Japanese police? He had never thought of that. He had only caught a voyeuristic pervert, then discovered something he shouldn't have. But looking into Onoda Kimiaki's eyes, he suddenly understood what that sentence meant.

Once this matter is exposed, not just the Kanagawa Prefectural Police will fall.

The credibility of the entire Japanese police system!

The national trust accumulated over a hundred years!

The very foundation of the police profession's existence in this country!

"Director," Sugishita Ukyo spoke, his voice calm as if discussing the weather: "Kameyama-kun merely did what he was supposed to do. It wasn't him who discovered the problem."

Onoda Kimiaki glanced at Sugishita Ukyo, took a deep breath, stood up, and walked to the window.

Outside the window was the Tokyo cityscape.

The Metropolitan Police Department's office building stood opposite, its police emblem on the roof gleaming in the sunlight.

That was what he guarded, and also what he was about to lose.

He was originally supposed to take over the Metropolitan Police Department next year, but now...

Onoda Kimiaki painfully closed his eyes.

How has the Japanese police world had so many calamities and misfortunes these years?!

And this matter also didn't involve Uesugi at all! It was entirely Kameyama's doing...

The funniest part is, Kameyama could return only because he specifically greeted his elder brother, Onoda Kimiaki, Chief Cabinet Secretary.

Now it's truly a case of lifting a stone only to drop it on one's own foot!

Onoda Kimiaki's actions were swift.

That afternoon, the Kanagawa Prefectural Police Headquarters Chief was urgently summoned to the National Police Agency.

That evening, the Metropolitan Police Department Criminal Investigation Department Chief and Police Administration Department Chief each received a call, with the same content: Control your people, control your mouth, not a single word may leak outward.

The next morning, an urgent gag order was issued in the name of the National Police Agency to all prefectural police headquarters.

The wording was vague, only saying: "Regarding a certain matter under investigation, strictly prohibit anyone from leaking information externally without permission." No one knew what this "certain matter" was, but everyone felt the atmosphere was off.

On the Kanagawa Prefectural Police side, a special inspection team was quietly established, large groups of public security police rushed to the frontline, and the Kanagawa Prefectural Police headquarters actually fell into a standstill. For a time, Kanagawa Prefecture buzzed with discussion, but everyone still didn't know what had happened.

Watanabe Eiji liked to read the newspaper for a while after dinner.

This was a habit he had cultivated since his days as Director of Criminal Investigation at the National Police Agency.

The news in the newspaper was more detailed than on television, more reliable than on the internet.

He liked the feeling of turning the pages one by one, liked the tactile sensation of the paper and the smell of the ink.

We old Shōwa people, this is just our cup of tea!

And Watanabe Eiji himself had been rather pleased with himself these past few months; since the New Year no major cases had occurred, the Sekizenkan case had nothing to do with him, Hand of God was about to air, the Special Mission Division could already be put into use, his term had less than a year left (March of next year). Calm rivers and peaceful seas, singing and dancing in peace, the country prosperous and the people safe, official fortune flowing smoothly.

How could life be this beautiful!

A few cherry trees were planted in the courtyard; at this season the flowers had already fallen completely, but the fresh green leaves were lovely to look at, his wife Watanabe Michiko was watching television in the living room, the volume turned very low, not disturbing his newspaper reading.

Watanabe Eiji turned to the social section. No major news. One page, two pages, three pages one

He turned to the international section, preparing to see what movement there was on the United States side.

"Eiji."

His wife suddenly called out to him.

"Hm?"

"Look at this."

Watanabe Eiji raised his head.

Madam Michiko pointed at the television, the expression on her face very strange — surprise, confusion, and a trace of something he couldn't read... fear?

He put down the newspaper, looked toward the television.

CNN news footage, an American woman was crying, a man stood beside her, saying something to the camera. English subtitles scrolled; Watanabe Eiji's English wasn't too good, but he could barely understand by reading the subtitles.

"My name is Hanshen-Fulanqin-Bilige, of German descent... my cousin, three years ago died in Japan... Japanese police took nude photos of her corpse... selling them on the dark web..."

Watanabe Eiji's hand stopped in midair.

The footage switched. A photograph appeared on the screen, key parts mosaicked, but that number placard one

He made out the characters on the number placard.

Kanagawa Prefectural Police, Forensic Identification Division, date.

Our country???

"Our FBI scout, Lunuo-Shiji-Hutuhu, in a covert investigation involving child pornography, discovered that on the dark web someone is secretly selling these photos taken by Japanese police during autopsies and judicial evidence collection, for use by certain groups with special fetishes."

The footage switched again, a Western-suited American official stood at a press conference: "... Our state government has already lodged a formal protest with the Japanese government through diplomatic channels... This is a desecration of the deceased, a trampling of human rights... We hope the Japanese government will thoroughly investigate this matter, pursue the responsibility of relevant personnel..."

Watanabe Eiji's vision blurred for an instant.

He looked at his wife. Michiko was looking at him, her eyes full of worry. She wanted to say something, opened her mouth, then closed it again.

Watanabe Eiji lowered his head, both hands covering his face.

It's over, it's all over.

United States???

"Eiji?" Watanabe Michiko's voice was trembling: "Just what on earth is, what's going on?"

Watanabe Eiji did not answer.

"Eiji, look quick! Eiji!" Michiko called out again.

Watanabe Eiji barely managed to pull his hands away.

It was United States Secretary of State Rigen-A'ertan-Lubuluke: "The federal government attaches great importance to this matter, if the Japanese side cannot give a satisfactory reply, does not rule out submitting this matter to the United Nations Human Rights Council..."

Watanabe Eiji's fingers trembled slightly.

He suddenly thought of one thing — in those photos, just how many foreigners were there? Besides this American woman of German descent, were there people from other countries? Britain? France? Australia?

Once all these countries get involved, it will no longer be Japan's internal affair.

It's a diplomatic issue, an international issue, an issue of this country Japan's credibility.

"Eiji..." Michiko's voice was very soft, carrying a tremor.

Watanabe Eiji did not answer.

He just sat there, watching the television, motionless.

Outside the window, the night at Gotokuji was very quiet. The cherry blossoms had already fallen completely, fresh green leaves swaying gently in the night wind.

No one knew, the Metropolitan Police Department's highest Commissioner, was witnessing the end of his own career.

No.

Not just his career.

This will be the end of the entire Japanese police!