Chapter 861

Uesugi Muneyuki felt hesitant about this.

He didn't mind if it blew up, but without a clear target, such an explosion would be meaningless—it wouldn't even harm the person who actually made the decision, and... everyone who understands knows it would make him a "target" for the current upper echelon to take out their frustrations on.

He had been used by the Public Security Police again and again in this case!

"Let's wait a bit." Uesugi Muneyuki thought for a long time: "Wait until the uproar from the United States side passes, then write an anonymous letter to report it. No matter what, we cannot act before the situation becomes clear."

"That's really the only way." Okada Masayoshi sighed: "By the way, do you know? Uesugi? The Tamura Chief of the National Police Agency has officially resigned, and the next chief will be... Watanabe Director."

"I know." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded. His father-in-law and also his father-in-law by marriage being promoted was undoubtedly a good thing.

But this would make his police attributes on him even thinner. Could this father-in-law of his still stand firmly by his side as before? Uesugi Muneyuki wore a playful expression, thinking he now didn't even need Watanabe Eiji's full protection.

The meeting was held in the main conference room of the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters.

A higher-level, more core meeting room that fewer people have the chance to enter.

The room wasn't large, but every inch of space was soaked with power. The long table was made of dark brown rosewood, its surface smooth as a mirror. The chairs were black genuine leather, with armrests polished by countless elbows.

On the walls hung the names of past Superintendents General, from the Meiji-era first Superintendent General "Great Police Commissioner" Kawaji Toshiyoshi to the previous Superintendent General Hakuba, each Superintendent General silently gazing from their frames at those seated at the table.

Both sides of the long table were filled with people.

Deputy Superintendent, Criminal Investigation Department Chief, Police Administration Chief, Organized Crime Countermeasures Bureau Chief, General Affairs Department Head, Security Department Chief, Public Security Bureau Chief, Communications Director, Regional Affairs Director, Livelihood Safety Director.

Minami Ojou-sama sat at the very end of the long table, right next to the door.

As Special Mission Division Chief and Police Superintendent, she was permitted to step into the threshold of this meeting room. Before her lay an open document, in her hand she held a steel pen, its tip hovering above the paper.

Minami Ojou-sama scanned the list and found no trace of her own name.

My name isn't on the list.

Watanabe Eiji sat in the main seat at the long table.

His uniform was pressed without a single crease, the four cherry blossoms on his shoulder insignia gleaming softly under the indoor lights, his expression the calm, emotionless composure honed in countless meetings. But he was no longer that important now, for everyone knew the person sitting to his left was today's true protagonist.

Onoda Kimiaki sat to Watanabe Eiji's left, wearing a dark navy-blue suit, white shirt and jacket three-piece set, deep blue tie, no uniform, yet his presence surpassed that of every uniformed person in the room.

He opened the document before him, the paper rustling in the silent meeting room with a sharp, knife-like sound against skin.

"Personnel transfer plan for the National Police Agency; Metropolitan Police Department, XX fiscal year, now announced."

Onoda Kimiaki's voice was not loud, but each word struck like a nail into the ears of everyone present.

Watanabe Eiji, transferred to National Police Agency Director General.

Several members of Watanabe Eiji's faction also had their respective destinations: some were transferred to chiefs of police headquarters near Tokyo Metropolis, some to the National Police Agency, some remained in place—here we won't pad the word count.

But the fates of others were not so fortunate.

Deputy Superintendent Hasegawa Soun transferred to the National Police University, not as president, but as Student Affairs Administrator. From the second-in-command of the Metropolitan Police Department, he became the university official in charge of student life logistics.

Communications Director Matsushita transferred to Tokushima Police Headquarters.

But not as chief, rather as deputy chief.

Regional Affairs Director Suzuki transferred to Hokkaido Police Headquarters.

Also not as chief, but as deputy chief.

Public Security Bureau Chief Harada transferred to the Cabinet Intelligence Investigation Office as secretary to the Administrative Vice-Minister.

Security Department Chief Ide transferred to the Japan Police Support Association, a public interest corporation, as deputy director, responsible only for liaison with local enterprises. One name after another was called out, one position after another announced.

"Hey, what the hell is going on?!" someone shouted angrily.

"Are you trying to kick us all out?"

"What kind of joke is this? Transferring so many people at once—are you trying to paralyze the entire Metropolitan Police Department?"

"How arrogant can the National Police Agency be? They don't even take our opinions seriously!"

Onoda Kimiaki half-closed his eyes, glanced at the Official Residence Secretary behind him, who stepped forward: "I suppose the chiefs may not accept this right away? But I think everyone should understand, after all, the Self-Defense Forces caused such a big incident—if we strictly trace responsibility, doesn't everyone here bear unavoidable blame?"

Everyone fell silent.

The former Self-Defense Forces' attack on the United States Secretary of State was too horrifying.

During interrogation afterward, Furukawa et al. admitted they wanted to attack the "United States Secretary of State" to achieve "national normalization," elevate the Self-Defense Forces to a "National Defense Force," completely change the postwar reality where the Self-Defense Forces have always been discriminated against and treated as second-class citizens, and promote national "awakening." Of course, they never considered the aftermath, for they had already resolved to die—after I die, let the flood rage on? They only hoped that through this series of actions, Japan would return to the right path, no longer rely on U. S. stationed troops, and need independent national defense.

This incident prompted the National Police Agency and Metropolitan Police Department to immediately launch a large-scale search of the Ground Self-Defense Forces, and the impact was extremely bad—international society judged Japanese people as "per capita lunatics" and "per capita Showa-era terrorists."

No bureaucrat would step forward on this issue to play the mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Onoda Kimiaki closed the document, lifted his head, and swept his gaze over everyone present.

"That concludes the full content of this personnel transfer. If there are objections, please submit written appeals through the proper channels to the National Police Agency Personnel Division." "If there are no objections..." Onoda Kimiaki stood up, intending to walk toward the outside of the meeting room.

"Wait!" Miya Department Head rose from his chair, his chair sliding back and bumping into the wall with a dull thud. As he was the last on the list and the only one not "transferred" but "dismissed for misconduct."

He would no longer have a new uniform, a new office, a new business card. His name would be permanently deleted from this system's roster starting today! "Dismissal for misconduct. I am dismissed for misconduct." His voice trembled—not performative trembling, but a surge from deep within his body, a shudder that blood vessels and muscles could not suppress: "Why? Why am I the only one dismissed? Others are transferred, why am I the only one fired?"

Onoda Kimiaki did not stand up. He leaned back in his chair, hands crossed on his abdomen, gazing at Miya Department Head, his expression not cold, but a mocking "You still have the nerve to ask why?"

"Miya Department Head. You ask me why. Fine, I'll tell you." Onoda Kimiaki gestured to his subordinate.

The Official Residence Secretary immediately spoke of Miya Department Head's past deeds.

For example, a certain Diet member's son drove drunk, ultimately dismissed as "unclear surveillance, cannot confirm driver," receiving only an internal warning. A certain National Police Agency high-ranking official's relative cheated on an internal exam at the Metropolitan Police Department, someone helped him obtain the questions in advance, the investigator was him, and the investigation report concluded "poor question storage, not human leakage."

Another example: a disastrous theft-turned-brawl, ultimately classified as "minor offense," Miya Department Head's final handling was merely "detention for fifteen days," and because the individual had a medical condition, they were released on medical parole after just three days.

One by one, item by item.

Criminal Investigation Department Chief Uchimura lowered his head, covering his face: "Truly embarrassing..."

Miya Department Head stood dazedly in the meeting room, he did not retort, for he could not retort, his face shifting colors several times, then suddenly shouting: "I was just following orders from above," "That wasn't my decision," "I still have superiors above me."

These words scattered in the meeting room like seeds thrown to the wind, not a single one falling on soil where it could sprout.

"Tsk!" The Superintendents General all turned their gaze away.

I don't know this guy, I'm not acquainted with him, and it's none of my business!

Miya Department Head's face flushed from red to pale, from pale to waxen yellow, like a water-soaked old newspaper slowly fading—he knew he had misspoken.

But he couldn't help it, for before this meeting he was still a non-professional-group hero! But now he had become everyone's laughingstock, the laughingstock of those "dismissed for misconduct" (in the Japanese system, such a thing is extremely rare)!

One thought heaven, one thought hell!

"I still have family! I still have children! Fired, what do I do? How do I handle the mortgage? How do I handle the children's tuition? This is unfair. Is it just because I'm not in the career track? Because I'm non-career track, when it's time to take the fall, am I the most suitable person?" He grew anxious, continuing to say, both frightened and angry: "Can't you, can't you think for me? With you doing this, how am I supposed to face my wife and children, my relatives, those subordinates who trust me, how am I supposed to face..."

Onoda Kimiaki looked at his eyes, which held no anger, no mockery, no excess emotion.

"It has nothing to do with whether you're career track or non-career track. It's because you did those things. Those documents bear your signature, those reports bear your seal. No one forced you to sign, no one forced you to stamp. You did it, you bear the responsibility. This is police regulation. You should have known this regulation from your first day on the job."

Miya Department Head stood in the conference room, and everyone on the long tables on both sides remained motionless.

Minami Ojou-sama let out a soft sigh, but also did not speak up to help; she knew when to speak and when to learn to stay silent. "Indeed. I'm not career track, so I'm the pawn that can be thrown away. You people, you career track people, you never know what we, those who climbed up from the grassroots, have gone through!" Miya Department Head roared angrily: "Back then, Minister Tōni told me, if you don't want to do it, there are plenty who will! I did it! Now I'm not just useless, I'm a stain that needs to be dealt with?!"

"You brought this on yourself; you should have thought, if you hadn't done those things back then, you wouldn't be facing disciplinary dismissal now." Onoda Kimiaki said lightly: "An ancient saying: excessive injustice inevitably leads to self-destruction!"

And now you're telling me this?

Miya Department Head not only failed to get the explanation he wanted, but his scalp went numb!

Do you think I want to do these things?!

There are plenty willing to do it if I don't! If I don't do it, I have no background and I'm not career track—could I, as a non-career track person, rise to the position of Police Commissioner?

Miya Department Head very much wanted to say that, but in the end he said nothing, merely letting his head droop in dejection.

Fifty years of life, like a dream, likewise an illusion.

Ten minutes ago he was still the sole non-career track superintendent of the Japanese Police, the idol of over 300,000 non-career track police nationwide.

Ten minutes later, he had nothing.

Nothing at all.

Gone.

Seeing everyone had no objections, Onoda Kimiaki prepared to leave.

"Wait!" Deputy Director General Hasegawa called out to him, his voice not loud but loud enough for everyone to hear.

Onoda Kimiaki, who had reached the doorway, stopped his steps. He did not turn around, merely tilted his head slightly, indicating: anything else?

"Onoda, what's the difference between you doing this and that group of former Self-Defense Force madmen? They wanted to use bombs to change this country, you want to use personnel reassignment to change this system. Different means, same purpose—one by one breaking the rules. But once the rules are broken, who will define the next rule?" Deputy Director General Hasegawa said in a low voice: "Your actions amount to handing over the noble mission of protecting the people to politicians—this is sheer nonsense!" Onoda Kimiaki turned around, his gaze calm: "No official, light body—this is already nothing you need to consider."

He pushed open the door and walked out.

The conference room fell silent.

Deputy Director General Hasegawa stood in place, slowly lowering his head, he glanced once more at the transfer order, intending to say something to Watanabe Eiji, but ultimately closed his mouth.

Miya Department Head stood facing the direction of the conference room door, his face at this moment already showing a look of collapse, tears, mucus, and saliva mixed together sliding down his face, he didn't know how to face his former colleagues and all the subordinates of the entire Metropolitan Police Department, as well as the tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of non-career track people who regarded him as their idol.

Japanese people care deeply about dignity!

And Miya Department Head, this idol within the system, is even more concerned with dignity than anyone else!

"Then, dismissed." Watanabe Eiji rose and left, everyone followed and dispersed, leaving only Miya Department Head still standing in place, twitching. "Father." In the hallway outside, Minami Ojou-sama quickened her pace two steps, catching up to Watanabe Eiji: "What exactly does Onoda want to do?" Watanabe Eiji saw it was his daughter, sighed, his gaze wavering between light and dark.

"Onoda he;. …….",