Chapter 867: , Eiji Era, Boiling Expectations! (Combined 6000-word mega-chapter!)

PS: A combined 6,000-word major chapter! I thought about it and decided to write it all in one go as the key part of the Onoda arc, and then I'll slowly plan the next major plot and case—yeah!

Alas, the first snow of December in the year IIXX came later than usual.

The front of the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters building displays two rows of flags—one the Japanese national flag, the other the Metropolitan Police flag—gently fluttering in the morning breeze, the metal balls atop the flagpoles catching the low-angle sunlight with a cold, sharp gleam.

A deep crimson carpet stretches from the entrance steps deep into the main hall, with honor guard members in full dress uniforms and white gloves standing on either side, their polished shoes gleaming like mirrors in the morning light, the cherry blossom insignia on their shoulder tabs trembling slightly in the frost-laden wind.

Onoda's death delayed Watanabe Eiji's appointment as Commissioner of the National Police Agency; out of some unspoken understanding, whether it was the Cabinet, Watanabe Eiji, or Kamishiro Souichirou, all moved with remarkable speed to advance the investigation and prosecution of Director Miyake, and in perfect silence, none mentioned anything related to the "Police Bureau," "military police system," or "national normalization."

It was purely personal grudges—Director Miyake, having seriously violated regulations and privately accepted gifts among other offenses, was discovered by the righteous Onoda, who then enforced disciplinary dismissal, causing Miyake to lose face and harbor resentment, leading him to commit such a deranged act.

Everyone mourned the unexpected passing of Comrade Onoda Kōken; the Cabinet posthumously awarded him the title of "Commissioner General of the Metropolitan Police," treating him as having died in the line of duty, allowing his family to receive survivor's benefits and pensions equivalent to those of a Commissioner General—amounting to over 80 million yen.

After handling all matters, Watanabe Eiji formally assumed office as Commissioner of the National Police Agency, while Kamishiro Souichirou was appointed Commissioner General of the Metropolitan Police upon Watanabe Eiji's recommendation.

This is a rare grand ceremony in the history of the Japanese police.

On the same day, the Commissioner of the National Police Agency and the Commissioner General of the Metropolitan Police both officially assumed their posts.

Watanabe Eiji stood in the grand hall of the National Police Agency headquarters, before him a podium holding a microphone adorned with the Japanese flag. He wore the formal uniform of the National Police Commissioner—a black tailcoat, white bow tie, and chest decorations flashing red, white, and blue under the lights.

His hair was darker than a few months ago, meticulously combed; the wrinkles on his face rose and fell slightly with each syllable as he read his inauguration speech, his eyes shining with bright light.

At nearly 54 years old, he had finally crossed the nearly insurmountable divide in the Japanese system between administrative officials and political officials! He had officially assumed the role of Commissioner of the National Police Agency!

The hall was filled with various-level officials of the National Police Agency, guests from provincial ministries, members of parliament, and prefectural police headquarters chiefs who had come from across the country; the front row center left one seat empty—originally meant for Cabinet Secretary Onoda Kōaki.

He did not come.

He sent a secretary with a congratulatory telegram, which, when read aloud, left the hall silent for a moment.

So it goes: literature has no first, martial arts no second—when one general achieves triumph, ten thousand bones wither! I bloom, and a hundred flowers die!

Watanabe Eiji's voice came through the speakers—steady, clear, devoid of any unnecessary emotion.

"On this occasion of my appointment as Commissioner of the National Police Agency, I hereby announce, effective immediately, the following reforms to the current police system: First, abolish the existing ten major regional bureau system and implement vertical management of the national police organization. Second, based on authorization from the Diet, the Commissioner of the National Police Agency shall exercise guidance authority over criminal investigations conducted by all prefectural police headquarters nationwide. Third, reorganize the command system of the public security police, strengthening the National Police Agency's direct supervision over public security police." He did not say, "This is Onoda Kōken's idea."

But many in the hall silently added those words in their hearts.

Those who were demoted to Shikoku, Hokkaido, the National Police University cafeteria, or foundations during Onoda Kōken's personnel reshuffles now sat expressionless in corners—or did not appear at all.

Some felt gratitude toward Onoda, some hatred, some believed he died justly, some felt his ambitions remained unfulfilled.

Yet every word of Watanabe Eiji's reform proposal was written by Onoda Kōken. Onoda Kōken cleared the obstacles to reform with his death; Watanabe Eiji reaped its fruits with his life.

History is written this way—not by one person alone, but by the living and the dead working in relay.

And then, Uesugi Sōsetsu rolled his eyes and nodded, thinking, It's about time this changed.

What exactly were the ten major regional bureaus supposed to do? It was never really clear.

This bureau divided all of Japan's police headquarters into ten regional bureaus, each responsible for liaising with several local headquarters. As everyone knows, Japanese local police enjoy high autonomy; the National Police Agency only has "planning, coordination, and liaison" authority over localities—if local headquarters don't request help, the Metropolitan Police cannot intervene, and the National Police Agency can only "recommend," not directly command.

So the question arises: does the existence of these ten major regional bureaus serve any purpose?

Answer: none whatsoever. But adding one regional bureau allows for hiring over a dozen more senior police officers and over a hundred junior ones, plus creating a "Police Superintendent" position. The Japanese police, originally capped at just over 30 fixed Superintendent positions, increased to over 50—this is how it happened. These positions, in turn, reflect the struggle and compromise between the National Police Agency and local police, as well as the gradual growth of a bureaucratic system that is increasingly large yet increasingly inefficient.

Such stacking of bureaucratic layers—seen too often in history: permanent institutions becoming ceremonial, secretarial bodies gaining real power, temporary bodies becoming permanent, dispatched bodies becoming localized, oversight bodies becoming administrative.

Originally, the Qin dynasty had only commanderies and counties; Emperor Wu of Han established provinces to strengthen central control, and provincial governors, initially central inspectors, gradually evolved into the highest local officials.

By the Tang dynasty, to strengthen local oversight, they began adding offices like the "Dismissal and Appointment Envoy" and "Investigation Envoy" to the governor's base, eventually leading to the rise of the military governor (jiedushi).

The Song dynasty further added Pacification Envoys and Strategic Envoys… until finally appearing the Transport Commissioner.

The Yuan dynasty simply dispatched "Branch Secretariats" to each province—originally central institutions, but each locality ended up installing one that became a symbol of local administrative power.

By the time of the Ming dynasty's early Hongwu era, seeing insufficient local control, the Hongwu Emperor again added Provincial Administrators, then Patrol Commissioners, and finally Governors-General.

By the Qing dynasty, even a small Jiāngsū could simultaneously host the Governor-General of Liangjiang, the Jiāngsū Provincial Governor, the Jiāngsū Provincial Administrator, the Jiangning Commander, the Grain Transport Governor-General, imperial envoys supervising various matters, and the Emperor's personal guards—all theoretically independent but all directly subordinate to the emperor. This is bureaucratic layering.

But Watanabe Eiji doesn't need any of this.

Having already effectively controlled the Japanese police establishment and Uesugi Sōsetsu's situation, he no longer needs these bureaucratic layers to achieve his goals. For there cannot be two suns—he, Eiji, is already the sole sun of the Japanese police!

Taking advantage of the tailwind from the Onoda incident and this major historical opportunity, Watanabe Eiji carried out a comprehensive abolition and reorganization of the ten major regional bureaus! He purged a large number of meaningless bureaucrats who were just going through the motions, and outwardly claimed, "This is Onoda's arrangement—I'm merely executing it," adding that since someone had died and caused such a major incident, no one dared to speak up.

Someone must take responsibility—these people can only accept their bad luck, opt for early retirement, medical leave, or resign for personal reasons. Kamishiro Souichirou's inauguration as Commissioner General of the Metropolitan Police took place at the same time and place.

He wore the uniform of the Metropolitan Police Commissioner General—a black formal coat, gold sash, and cherry blossom insignia on his shoulders gleaming under the lights. His face was younger than Watanabe Eiji's, but his eyes were older and more resolute.

Onoda is dead; he is now the leader of the public security faction. He has spent too long in dark places, witnessed too much that cannot be written in reports. He accepted the appointment letter as Commissioner General, turned around, faced downward, and saw former Deputy Commissioner General Hasegawa in civilian clothes sitting quietly in the guest section's corner, watching him silently—his face showing some reluctance, some indifference.

You won, Onoda.

But did you really win?

Kamishiro Souichirou gave a faint smile—he never imagined he could become Commissioner General of the Metropolitan Police!!

If Onoda hadn't died, this position would not have come to him before Onoda's term ended, no matter what.

He betrayed Onoda, and worse, betrayed the entire public security faction that had pushed for the National Police Agency's elevation!

But if you don't learn to betray, what's the point of politics? The goal of a "Police Province" has long faded into the horizon, but the Commissioner's throne is within reach! So when Watanabe Eiji said, "We've already decided in meeting—you'll be the next Commissioner General," Kamishiro found himself with no reason or desire to refuse—what professional wouldn't want to bear four stars on their shoulders, marching proudly through the crowds of Kabukichō?

Serve as the Commander of the Imperial Guard!

Moreover, Kamishiro Souichirou gained a huge bonus: Onoda, before his death, had already transferred a batch of public security faction directors out, vacating numerous key positions.

Deputy Commissioner General of the Metropolitan Police, Criminal Affairs Director, Police Affairs Director, Organized Crime Countermeasures Director, Livelihood Safety Director, Communications Director, Regional Director—these posts are now waiting to be filled.

Kamishiro Souichirou holds in his hand a list of over a dozen names—his longtime subordinates from the public security system, who've followed him for over a decade.

The vacancies left by those Onoda transferred out are just enough for him to place each of them one by one—everyone gets the position and promotion they wanted. Police Province? What's that? Onoda? May he have a smooth journey on the Yellow Springs Road!

Watanabe Eiji gained vertical management authority over the national police and investigative guidance rights.

Kamishiro Souichirou gained full personnel authority over the Metropolitan Police Headquarters—no conflict arose between them on this matter.

Watanabe Eiji does not intend to compete with Kamishiro Souichirou for control of the Metropolitan Police Headquarters; he only needs Kamishiro not to oppose him on public security police matters.

From their respective positions, they looked past each other—not at the back of the other's head, but at the olive branch extended toward them, needing no handshake to know it would not be withdrawn.

Long live friendship!

You and I have thus ended the conflict between the Police Bureau and the Defense Bureau! Ended the struggle between criminal and public security!

And during the grand proceedings of the inauguration ceremony, in the Investigation Division One office of the Metropolitan Police Headquarters building, the curtains were half-drawn, sunlight slipping through the gaps to cast a long, diagonal beam across the floor.

Investigation Division 1 Chief Sugishita Ukyo sat at his workstation, a cup of red tea that had gone completely cold placed before him, a dark ring of tea stain on the inner wall of the cup. His desk had an open notebook spread out, the page blank, not a single word written.

Sugishita Ukyo did not attend the inauguration ceremony, the notice having long been placed on his desk; he glanced at it, then put the invitation into the drawer, merely saying he was unwell and therefore did not go.

"Kanchoukanbou..." Sugishita Ukyo lowered his gaze, truly not knowing what feeling it was in his heart.

Outside the window, the Imperial Palace, on the moat's water surface floated a few fallen leaves, slowly turning in the breeze.

Onoda Kimiaki is already dead.

His grand plan, Watanabe Eiji is both successor and terminator.

In fact, those Police Agency reform clauses, one by one abolished—sectionalism, vertical management, investigative guidance authority—one by one, were all written by Onoda Kimiaki.

When Onoda Kimiaki wrote these clauses, what he wanted was the Police Agency.

But Watanabe Eiji did not want the Police Agency; he merely wanted a unified, efficient national police force under his sole command. He did not want to be a dictator, nor did he want interference from Cabinet politicians, nor did he want any National Diet member to insert a hand between him and his police. Onoda Kimiaki pursued the "politicization" and "militarization" of the police, while Watanabe Eiji wanted the "efficiency" and "centralization" of the police. Two people starting from the same point arrived at two completely different endpoints.

Kanchoukanbou, you... will you accept it?

Sugishita Ukyo lifted the cup of tea that had gone completely cold and took a sip.

The tea, once cold, was more bitter than when hot; he did not put down the cup, but took another sip. His favorite English Darjeeling red tea, at this moment, was tasteless to him.

The words Onoda Kimiaki said in the Police Agency underground garage echoed repeatedly in his mind.

"I always thought I would die at your hands, Ukyo. Fortunately, we ultimately did not become enemies." He did not ask Onoda Kimiaki, "If our roles were swapped, would you also do this to me?" Because he knew the answer.

Onoda Kimiaki would.

If Sugishita Ukyo dared to come out and stop him, exaggeratingly speaking, Onoda Kimiaki would without hesitation stab Zwilling into his stomach (of course, in reality, it should be exiling him to Hokkaido or Shikoku, Kagawa, Aichi, these places), because as long as that was a necessary step to realize the Police Agency, Onoda Kimiaki would without hesitation sacrifice anyone, including himself.

His death, on the operational level, was an accident—Miya Department Head's knife was not part of his plan—but on the strategic level, his death was not an accident.

A person who regards himself as fuel for the苦迭塔 will eventually burn out.

But why, why is it so heartbreaking?

Sugishita Ukyo bit his lip hard, memories of all his past with Onoda flooding his mind.

From now on, no one will be able to understand his righteousness again, no one will be able to argue with him to the point of near-death, then sit down after work to eat conveyor-belt sushi together, no one will be able to, when he goes locally to investigate privately, first fly into a rage, then remind him to bring back some swimming crab specialty, and no one will be able to speak for him when he is always between legal and illegal investigation.

"Kanchoukanbou... without you, what will become of... in the future?" Sugishita Ukyo closed his eyes, tears glimmering in his eyes. "Kanchoukanbou..."

The door of the Police Agency Director General's office opened after the inauguration ceremony ended.

Watanabe Eiji walked into that office, he looked at that chair.

"Police Agency Director General."

A brand-new nameplate: Police Agency Director General Watanabe Eiji.

This deep, unsmiling man, who had spent a full thirty years finally reaching this day, finally could not control himself; he reached out his hand to stroke the chair, gazing at the Police Agency emblem behind him and the two flags hanging down, as if caressing his own treasure, unable to resist revealing an intoxicated smile.

Fifty years of life, like a dream, like an illusion~

Afterwards, Watanabe Eiji carefully pulled out the chair, stood before it, first bracing his hands on the armrests, slowly, slowly, lowering his body until he touched the soft, comfortable chairback and the pliable, pleasant cushion.

"Ah~" Watanabe Eiji involuntarily let out an exclamation.

"Ah~" he tightly pressed his lips, light in his eyes,

"Ah ah ah~" he tilted his head to glance at the ceiling, emitting a moving sigh, then rather relaxedly swayed left and right twice, shook his hair, and contentedly narrowed his eyes.

Using Kao, that's how confident"

But just at this moment, the Kanchoukanbou knocked on the door.

Watanabe Eiji immediately put away his smile, hastily straightened his suit and tie, feigning solemnity: "Come in!"

But this solemnity quickly dissolved upon seeing the two people who entered.

Minami Ojou-sama stood at the door, Uesugi Muneyuki stood behind her.

Both held a cup of champagne in their hands, Uesugi Muneyuki smiling and saying: "Congratulations, Father, congratulations on your appointment as Police Agency Director General!" "Dad! You're the best!" Minami Ojou-sama even more excitedly embraced Watanabe Eiji.

"Hahahaha~ Watanabe Eiji being able to reach today is all thanks to your strong support, especially Muneyuki, you are simply my Li Jing Cao Bin Xu Da!" Watanabe Eiji's voice was not loud, but very steady, his expression the kind that in any situation would not waver, just right—neither making people feel distant nor overly intimate.

"Oh, not Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Kusunoki Masashige, and Akechi Mitsuhide then?" Uesugi Muneyuki raised his eyebrows: "Then Father is my Yoritomo, Emperor Go-Daigo, and Lord Nobunaga!"

"Hahahahaha~" The Police Agency Director General's office instantly burst into joyful laughter.

Laughing enough, Watanabe Eiji slightly nodded his head.

"Muneyuki, Minami, there are two people you need to meet."

He picked up the phone on the desk, dialed an internal extension, and said a few words.

Not long after, the office door was knocked on,.

When the first person entered, Uesugi Muneyuki's gaze was drawn to that pair of hands.

Fingers long, joints prominent, nails trimmed neatly, having held guns, held pens, held scalpels.

Former Nagano Prefecture Police Headquarters Chief, also the newly appointed Police Agency Security Bureau Chief.

Graduate of Tokyo University Faculty of Law, passed the National Civil Service Exam comprehensive category, Gold Watch Group, Uesugi Muneyuki had seen this name on Tokyo University's alumni roster, but had never seen the person.

Morokoshi Buchou's face is the kind that in a crowd is handsome to the point of bubbling over, and once noticed, can never be forgotten; facial contours soft, but gaze sharp.

His gaze moved from Watanabe Eiji's face to Uesugi Muneyuki's face, and during that movement, Uesugi Muneyuki felt a sense of being scrutinized, but without any malice.

"Uesugi Chief, long admired."

His voice was not loud, but each word was bitten out very clearly, like a lawyer making a final statement in court.

Uesugi Muneyuki slightly bowed: "Very pleased to meet you, Morokoshi Buchou."

When the second person entered, Uesugi Muneyuki's first reaction was not to look at his face, but to look at his way of walking.

This person walks not like a police officer, not like a Self-Defense Forces member, not like a high-ranking bureaucrat, but is another entirely different kind, with extremely low center of gravity, each step as if taking root on the ground, like a tree moving.

Ootori Gen, former Police Agency Kanto District Bureau Chief, newly appointed Metropolitan Police Deputy Superintendent, fifty-ish, hair black, no dye traces, his face is the kind forged by scorching sun and sea wind, rough, but every inch of skin radiates vitality.

"This is the newly appointed Ootori Deputy Superintendent, this is Uesugi Muneyuki." Watanabe Eiji introduced: "My son-in-law adopted."

Ootori Gen looked at Uesugi Muneyuki, extended his hand: "Pleasure to meet you."

Uesugi Muneyuki grasped that hand. Palm rough, joints large, grip astonishing, but his strength is contracted, controlled, like a male lion retracting claws and teeth when not needing to hunt, coldly gazing around.

"Uesugi Chief, I've heard your name many times. From now on, working together, please look after me." His voice was low and deep.

Uesugi Muneyuki bowed slightly, and the two released their hands.

Ootori Gen's gaze passed through the office window and landed on the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters building opposite; he stared at the top floor of that building, which was the Commissioner's Office.

He would be the second-in-command at Sakuradamon, next only to the Commissioner General.

Besides, there was also Mouri Takayoshi, who had already been promoted to Criminal Investigation Bureau Director of the National Police Agency earlier.

The gazes of several people met on the glass for a moment, then they all looked away simultaneously.

From today onward, the highest command echelon of the Japanese Police consists of these few people.

Watanabe Eiji is at the National Police Agency, Shinzou Kamiya is at the Metropolitan Police Department, Mouri Department Manager is at the National Police Agency Criminal Investigation Bureau, 【blank】 Department Manager is at the National Police Agency Security Bureau, Ootori Gen is at the Metropolitan Police Deputy Superintendent's Office, Uesugi Minami is at the Special Mission Division, and Uesugi Muneyuki is at the Special Mission Division.

Carrying the wills of the living, carrying the legacies of the dead, carrying all those "great causes" that have been realized, abandoned, forgotten, altered, inherited, and betrayed, we continue forward.

Eiji's era, boiling anticipation!