Chapter 806

September, Tokyo, Chiyoda Ward, Sakuradamon Metropolitan Police Department, the high-speed car bank robbery case, Special Investigation Headquarters.

After confirming the investigation direction, Kashiwagi Jin finally arrived at his area of expertise.

Authentic deduction + interpersonal relationship investigation.

He keenly noticed an illogical point in the entire case—why exactly did the Cadillac owner get his car robbed at the same time as the bank robbery???

This is definitely a long-planned scheme!

Our Old Ren excels at this! Guilty deduction + authentic deduction + interpersonal relationship screening!

Stupid pig! Arigatou 3Qieie thought you!! crossover very yo ho!

Start the operation! I'll take charge of blocking the bridge!

Then came a week of continuous investigation, and Kashiwagi Jin lost five kilograms.

Shiratori Sho said his chin had become pointed, he looked in the mirror and confirmed it was indeed pointed, but his spirit was still fine.

The Special Investigation Headquarters staff worked in shifts; he was the Chief Commander, couldn't take shifts, slept only four hours a day, and upon waking would throw himself onto the map and documents. He drank an unknown number of iced Americanos, smoked twice as much as usual, the office ashtray was emptied then refilled repeatedly. Shiratori Sho once came in to deliver a report, frowned, opened the window without saying a word, but that action itself spoke volumes.

Today finally brought a major breakthrough.

At three in the afternoon, Shiratori Sho pushed the door open and entered, holding a report, his expression showing the first sign of relaxation in this week. Kashiwagi Jin was reviewing the Cadillac owner's statement, looked up, his eyes bloodshot but bright.

"Found it?" he asked.

Shiratori Sho placed the report before him: "We traced this guy through the car owner's interpersonal relationships—Chiba Prefecture, Urayasu City, an auto repair shop. The Cadillac owner went to Disneyland last month, on the way back his car had a minor issue, so he stopped at this shop for inspection. The mechanic who received him was Konno Fumihiko, forty-two, former Self-Defense Official, from the 1st Division of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, originally in an ordinary infantry company, served three years as a mechanical maintenance technician. After discharge he worked at several auto repair shops, transferred to this shop last year. His skills are excellent, but he doesn't like to talk, his relations with coworkers are average." Kashiwagi Jin opened the report and quickly scanned it.

Konno Fumihiko, no prior record, no yakuza background, resides in Chiba Prefecture, Funabashi City.

The photo shows an ordinary-looking middle-aged man, buzz cut, eyes somewhat fierce, but that fierceness isn't malicious—it's the hard, unapproachable sternness common among former soldiers.

"What's suspicious about him?"

Shiratori Sho pushed his glasses: "The car owner recalled that while waiting for his car to be repaired that day, he chatted a few words with Konno about his car." "The car owner is a car enthusiast; once he starts talking, he won't stop, saying he always goes to that gas station every Wednesday afternoon to refuel because it has a promotion—28 yen off per liter—and he remembers recommending that gas station, seemingly saying he usually fills the tank. At the time he didn't think anything of it, but looking back now, he might have inadvertently leaked information."

"But when we investigated, we learned that shortly after that repair, Konno resigned, and his current whereabouts are unknown." Kashiwagi Jin closed the report, stood up, and walked to the whiteboard.

The whiteboard was covered densely with photos and sticky notes; he used a marker to write "Konno Fumihiko" in four characters in the blank space and drew a circle. "Keep an eye on him." He said: "Investigate his movements, call records, and bank flow from the month before the incident. Also, his service records from his Self-Defense Force days—who he interacted with, who he still contacts after discharge. Among these people there's a speedster; his skill level couldn't possibly be that of a mechanic like Konno. Konno is merely the informant, not the core. But following this lead, we can reach something bigger."

Shiratori Sho nodded, turned, and went out to make arrangements.

Kashiwagi Jin stood before the whiteboard, gazing at the newly written name, feeling a long-lost sense of solidity in his heart.

Not the solidity of solving the case, but the solidity of finally having a direction. He picked up his phone to message his wife Meisa, typed a few characters then deleted them. Meisa seems busy lately too; they haven't had a proper conversation in days, though Meisa has always been in good spirits, seeming even more beautiful than before, though he doesn't know why, but none of that matters now.

He put down his phone and continued reviewing the documents.

At eight in the evening, Investigation Division Chief Sugishita Ukyo called: "Kashiwagi-kun, you must rest today—you've worked ten days straight; if you keep going like this, your body won't take it."

Old Ren wanted to say he was fine, but the words died at his lips—he really was a bit tired, exhausted to the point that words would swim when reading documents, exhausted to the point that his fingers trembled slightly when lifting a coffee cup.

After all, he's not twenty anymore; one night's sleep can't fully restore him.

Go home?

No, our Old Ren stood in place, dazed for a while, then decided to go to a place where he could fully recover his energy and release stress. Going home would only make him more exhausted!

He drove for an hour, from the Metropolitan Police Department to Adachi Ward, squeezing into a narrow alley only wide enough for one vehicle.

At the alley's end stood an old-style detached house, with a not-so-vigorous osmanthus tree planted by the door.

Kashiwagi Jin parked his car by the roadside, turned off the engine, sat in the car for a few seconds, he looked at the lit window, his lips unconsciously curved. This is his mother's house; his mother moved back to the countryside last year, the house stands empty, he hasn't rented it out nor sold it. The keys are only his and that person's.

That person!

The door opened, without waiting for him to press the doorbell.

Nagase Arisu stood in the doorway, wearing a loose T-shirt and home shorts, feet in a pair of plush slippers, hair casually tied back, a few strands falling near her ears, face without makeup, but that face is beautiful even without makeup.

She is also twenty-one this year, her eyes large and bright, when she smiles her mouth corners stretch outward, revealing neat white teeth, the kind of beauty that makes you want to smile along, utterly non-aggressive.

She and he met through Hayakawa Nanami's introduction, and together they've experienced much; nowadays in private they dress very casually—Arisu at home is just T-shirt, shorts, and slippers, hair messy, eats without reservation, laughs loudly, and Kashiwagi Jin thinks she is a hundred times more beautiful than his wife Meisa.

Unlike Uesugi, Old Ren is a bare-legs faction.

"Come in?" She took his coat, hung it on the hallway coat rack, moving naturally as if she'd done it for years: "Everything's ready, just waiting for you." Kashiwagi Jin changed shoes, walked into the living room.

On the low table already lay: one can of iced Kirin beer, condensation beading the glass jar, a bowl of Ambassador-soaked tamagoyaki, sliced thick, golden egg rolls stacked together, lifting with chopsticks still slightly trembling, a bowl of kelp salmon tea-soaked rice, rice topped with fresh salmon sashimi, sprinkled with nori strips and sesame, hot tea slowly poured from the pot's spout, fragrance instantly filling the whole room. Arisu sat opposite him, palms supporting her chin, gazing at him, eyes curved.

"You've worked hard." She said: "My hero~"

Kashiwagi Jin picked up the beer and took a big gulp; the icy golden liquid poured down his throat, his whole body felt as if drenched in a basin of cold water, but that cold was pleasant, the first sip of beer after extreme exhaustion bringing a refreshing sensation spreading from gut to limbs.

He exhaled a long breath, leaned back in the chair, feeling for the first time in this week that he had truly come alive.

"Is it good?" Arisu watched him wolf down the tea-soaked rice, couldn't help but laugh.

"Mm." Kashiwagi Jin's mouth full of rice, he mumbled an affirmation.

On the TV was playing "EVA": at this moment the Power Angel had already defeated Unit Zero, spat its head onto the ground, Rei Ayanami was in despair, while Shinji Ikari watched helplessly, eyes wide, displaying hysterical despair and ferocity, Shinji Ikari didn't know what he should do, what else he could do, how to save Rei—he could only lift his head, gaze at the huge, ugly Apostle above, then raise his right hand: "For Rei, use the Spacium Beam on it!"

The Beta Rod glowed dark red in his palm.

"Transform."

Shinji Ikari pressed the button.

No dazzling effects, no ear-splitting BGM.

Just a flash of light, ten thousand times brighter than the sun, but lasting only 0.3 seconds; after the flash faded, a red-and-silver giant stood before the Apostle.

Giant of Light, standing firm on the earth!

The first Ultraman shattered the Power Angel's AT Field with one punch, then crossed his hands, light gathered along his arms to his fingertips, then fired the 500,000-degree Spacium Beam—the Power Angel instantly vaporized.

The cross-shaped halo rose high, crimson and fervent.

"This seems a bit different from the EVA I used to watch." Old Ren couldn't help but complain.

"Ah, it's starting, starting, it's about to start!" Arisu glanced at the TV, her eyes lighting up instantly.

She lowered her hand from her chin, sat upright, switched the TV to Fuji.

"It's time, it's time!" Her voice suddenly turned excited, contrasting sharply with her earlier quiet watching of Kashiwagi Jin eating. At 8:58, the theme song of "Hand of God" began, the scene cut to that sponsor list recited every episode for over a minute, Tei Reiji's speech speed so fast it sounded like a tongue twister.

Kashiwagi Jin still had tamagoyaki in his mouth, mumbled: "You're watching again."

"Of course I have to watch! The cliffhanger from last week's episode got stuck at a crucial point—I've been thinking about it all week!" Alice hugged a pillow and curled up on the sofa, eyes glued to the screen, her expression serious as if she were watching important news.

The opening ended, and the main feature began.

Shirakawa Mai's face appeared on screen, wearing that light blue police uniform, skirt, stockings, and high heels, reporting the case to the management official played by Tsumabuki Satoshi.

The camera gave a medium shot, just capturing her pair of long legs, the stockings emitting a delicate sheen under the office's fluorescent lights. Alice suddenly let out a "pfft" laugh.

Kashiwagi Jin looked at her: "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing," Alice covered her mouth, "just thinking about what Shi Shi said."

"What did Shi Shi say?"

"She said Professor Uesugi just likes this." Alice mimicked her sister's tone, adding an exaggerated expression.

Shi Shi is what? Old Ren thought of this and felt somewhat pleased, also somewhat honored to participate.

Looking at it this way, I and Uesugi are... brothers-in-law?

The two watched a while of Hand of God, both getting somewhat absorbed, until the ads started, when the face of Aragaki Yui, the endorser for Meiji Snow Kiss chocolate, appeared on screen, and only then did they shift their attention.

"But, your case—any progress?" Alice brought the topic back, her expression turning more serious: "The news says they still haven't caught anyone."

Kashiwagi Jin leaned back in the chair, his fingers rubbing the edge of the beer can, hesitating for a moment.

These things logically shouldn't be told to outsiders, but Alice isn't an outsider—she's his "lover," one of the few people he can relax and speak freely with.

He briefly mentioned Kondo Fumihiko's matter, without details, just saying he'd found someone possibly related to the robber gang and was still investigating. "Is that person a former Self-Defense official?" Alice seized on the key point.

"Former Self-Defense official, First Division of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force."

"Wouldn't that be troublesome?" Alice looked a bit worried: "By the way, why don't you ask Uesugi for help? I recall the Special Mission Division has a former Self-Defense official named Date?"

Kashiwagi Jin fell silent for a few seconds.

To be honest, he had actually thought about it.

But if he proactively went to Uesugi Muneyuki for help, wouldn't that make him look useless? Metropolitan Police Department's Absolute Dual Pride—he, Kashiwagi Jin, is also one of the Dual Pride, yet he only spent a week on the case before going to ask another pride for help—his pride couldn't take it.

"It's not impossible," he said slowly, his tone carrying a subtle kind of reluctance, "but..."

"But what?"

"But if I go to him, doesn't it look like I can't solve it alone?" He glanced at Alice, then looked away: "When has Kashiwagi Jin ever needed someone pointing fingers at his case?"

Alice looked at him and burst out laughing with a "pfft."

"What are you laughing at?"

"I believe you can handle it alone, Jin." Alice said with a smile: "But your case is being watched by all of Japan—solving it sooner is better, and solving it sooner is your skill. After it's solved, who will care whether you solved it yourself or got help? The news will only write 'Keiji-chōsa san-kachō Kashiwagi leads the Special Investigation Headquarters in cracking the 2 billion yen case,' not 'Keiji-chōsa san-kachō Kashiwagi asked Professor Uesugi for help.' Besides," she paused, her eyes shifting: "If you don't want to go yourself, why not send your wife?"

Kashiwagi Jin startled: "Meisa?"

"Yeah, isn't your wife close with Professor Uesugi Muneyuki's wife? Have Meisa go talk to Uesugi Minami, then Uesugi Minami can tell her husband—this way it's bypassed? It's not you asking him, it's his wife talking to your wife, who casually mentions it, and he casually helps—what does that have to do with you, Kashiwagi Jin?"

"When the sun rises, you two are still the Absolute Dual Pride, you're still the First Division Inspector of the Investigation Department, my hero!"

"Jin, you really aren't inferior to Uesugi! You just excel in different fields—asking him for help doesn't prove anything."

Kashiwagi Jin looked at Alice, his gaze slowly changing.

Not that kind of "you're so smart" amazement, but that "why didn't I think of that" realization, mixed with a hint of unwillingness.

Exactly—I'm not asking him; he's interested in the case and came to me voluntarily to discuss it!

Exactly!!!

He picked up his phone and sent a message to Meisa, sent it, and waited a long time with no reply.

Meisa is probably already asleep, but it's fine—he's resting tomorrow too.

He put his phone on the table and continued eating the already-slightly-cold tea-soaked rice.

Alice didn't speak again, quietly watching the final plot segment. When the ending theme played, she stretched, her T-shirt hem lifting to reveal a sliver of waist, and Kashiwagi Jin's gaze happened to fall there—there was a dull scar on it.

"What are you looking at?" Alice put her hand down and glared at him, but her eyes were full of laughter.

Kashiwagi Jin felt a pang of heartache, he didn't speak, just reached out and pulled her over: "You've worked hard."

Alice leaned into his shoulder along his pull, her hair brushing his chin, ticklish.

On TV, the preview for next week began playing—Shirakawa Mai and Uesugi Muneyuki appeared together again, standing at the crime scene, one in police uniform, one in white coat, shoulder to shoulder, the image freezing on two lines of large text: one one come tune tun, book sideways escape U na〈！

"Jin, can we still watch together next week?" Alice whispered: "I really like this..."

Kashiwagi Jin's chin rested on her head, he hummed in agreement.

Outside the window, cicadas still chirped, the early September night wind seeped through the gaps in the screen door, bringing a hint of dampness, the breath of summer's end. Tomorrow I'll go talk to Meisa about this. Have Meisa go talk to Uesugi Minami. Have Uesugi Minami go talk to her husband.

Then the case will be solved, the 2 billion yen recovered, the speeding driver caught, the bank robbers arrested.

And he, Kashiwagi Jin, remains the one who never asked for help—the Metropolitan Police Department's Star Inspector!

Perfect!

Kashiwagi Jin closed his eyes, the corner of his mouth slightly lifting.

Can Meisa do it?