Chapter 88: , Special Investigation Headquarters!

It's over!

This was Watanabe Eiji's first reaction.

But it wasn't completely over!

This was Watanabe Eiji's second reaction.

Even the Superintendent General couldn't fathom how the perpetrator managed to commit another crime in Tokyo, given that the entire Chiba Prefecture was under martial law, the streets were filled with self-organized patrol squads, everyone was on edge, and any adult male stranger on the street would be noticed.

This was trouble.

However, danger often contains opportunity.

One had to know that Chiba Prefecture was not under the jurisdiction of his Metropolitan Police Department to begin with, and with the Special Investigation Headquarters in Chiba Prefecture taken over by Public Security, he had absolutely no excuse to intervene!

But if the crime occurred within Tokyo, the nature of the matter would be completely different!

He, the Superintendent General, could then legitimately intervene in this serial murder case that was attracting attention from all over the country and abroad, and which had left the entire Kanto Region in a state of constant panic.

Just like the Fuji TV Case, this was another opportunity for him to make a real name for himself.

Besides, if one calculated it carefully, what responsibility could he, as Superintendent General, possibly have? He couldn't manage Chiba Prefecture, and his offer to help had been rejected by Public Security; what responsibility could he have?

Just as he was thinking this, his cell phone rang again.

It was a call from Commissioner of the National Police Agency, Kaneko Takuro.

Thirty minutes later, Chiyoda Ward, Kasumigaseki.

"What kind of nonsense is this?! You look for yourselves, what kind of nonsense is this?!"

Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda Kimiaki was furious. Behind his antique, luxurious office desk, in front of filing cabinets filled with dossiers, and in front of the two rows of national flags and the giant chrysanthemum crest behind him, he slammed a stack of documents onto the floor.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda was under sixty, not tall, with a slightly gaunt square face, small eyes, and thick eyebrows. He had a dignified, square appearance and wore heavy, rimless glasses. His hair was quite thick with no signs of balding, and he always maintained the look of a high-ranking bureaucrat with a scholarly air. That he was so angry today was truly because the situation had become too outrageous.

"The situation in Chiba Prefecture has already attracted international attention, the elementary school student from the second case is not even cold in the grave, and now? The third case has actually erupted within Tokyo!"

"What is the National Police Agency doing? What is the Metropolitan Police Department doing? What on earth are you police officers doing? Is this how you do your jobs with the 280 billion yen budget allocated to you every year?"

"If this continues, our country will become the laughingstock of the international community!"

"The two of you, if you can do the job, do it; if you can't, get out!"

Facing the fury of the Chief Cabinet Secretary, the National Police Agency Commissioner Kaneko Takuro and Superintendent General Watanabe Eiji, who were standing opposite him, could only bow deeply at 90 degrees. They were scolded mercilessly and didn't dare to utter a single sound.

The appearance of the Chief Cabinet Secretary represented that the situation had become extremely serious. One must know that within the Japanese system, the Chief Cabinet Secretary is the highest official of the Cabinet Secretariat and the number two figure in all of Japan, second only to the Prime Minister. In addition to assisting the Prime Minister in managing the Cabinet, the Chief Cabinet Secretary can also act on behalf of the Prime Minister when the latter is unable to perform their duties.

Many Prime Ministers had previously served as Chief Cabinet Secretary.

This time, the matter was so serious that the Chief Cabinet Secretary had summoned the highest officials of the National Police Agency and the Metropolitan Police Department in the middle of the night, and it had even dragged Watanabe Eiji into being scolded as well.

Throughout the process, Watanabe Eiji did not argue that the matter had nothing to do with him, but instead followed closely behind Commissioner Kaneko, taking the scolding together and taking the Chief Cabinet Secretary's spit to the face together.

This was the Japanese system. In a scolding session, when the leader is angry, regardless of whether it has anything to do with you, your first reaction must be "I am sorry," "I am truly sorry," "All the faults and mistakes are mine."

This was not just a matter of attitude, but a skill of the officialdom.

Because the other party held the absolute power to decide your life or death with a single thought, the only thing to do at this moment was to sincerely admit fault regardless of what the other party said, so that the leader would stop scolding. The consequences of words spoken in a fit of rage could be very serious; by admitting fault first and taking the blame steadily, it was possible for these words to become "angry venting" rather than an "imperial decree."

Sure enough, after a round of venting, Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda calmed down slightly. He suddenly sneered: "Kaneko-san, if this were the Edo Period, you would likely have to prepare for seppuku, wouldn't you?"

The National Police Agency Commissioner shivered and lowered his head, remaining silent.

"You really have entered a good era," Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda said coldly: "It is said that Superintendent Watanabe previously asked you whether to establish a Special Investigation Headquarters; is that true?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you agree?"

"Because Chiba Prefecture and Public Security... believed they had the ability to handle the problem."

"And now, has it been handled?"

"…………"

Seeing that Commissioner Kaneko dared not answer, the Chief Cabinet Secretary turned his gaze to Watanabe Eiji: "Superintendent Watanabe?"

"Yes."

"Last time with the Fuji TV Case, your reputation in Nagatacho was quite good, but people have their ups and downs, and the moon has its brightness and darkness; past glory is just the past, do you understand?"

"Yes."

Ten minutes later, National Police Agency Commissioner Kaneko Takuro and Superintendent General Watanabe Eiji came out together.

"Really, Department Manager Kudo, what on earth is he doing!" Commissioner Kaneko had been scolded terribly today. As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he immediately poured out his grievances to Watanabe Eiji: "What exactly is Public Security doing? They've dispatched so many people, I've almost grown tired of signing off on the latest firearm usage permits, how did they let a murderer run into the city?"

Heh, the Kantei Puppet is just like this.

Watanabe Eiji looked down on his direct superior from the bottom of his heart, and having been scolded along with him today, he was in no mood to listen to his complaints: "This matter must be ended as soon as possible, otherwise we are all finished. Commissioner Kaneko, please grant me the authorization to form a Special Investigation Headquarters immediately."

"That goes without saying," Kaneko Takuro nodded immediately: "We must hurry, we must solve the case as soon as possible!"

The sixty-two-year-old hand gripped the fifty-year-old hand tightly: "Everything is entrusted to you, Eiji!"

Finally, after the third case erupted, Watanabe Eiji received the authorization he had wished for.

An order was immediately transmitted from Nagatacho to the National Police Agency, and then to the Metropolitan Police Department.

Authorization granted; from this moment on, the Special Investigation Headquarters is established!

…………

Uesugi Muneyuki was the first to receive the notification from Miss Minami.

"What, the third case has erupted?" Hearing this news, Uesugi Muneyuki jumped straight up from his bed. He looked agitated, while at the same time feeling truly speechless about the Japanese system.

Did it really have to come to this? Did it really have to take a third life before the bigwigs in Nagatacho would agree to intervene?

Could only blood and public opinion move this group of people who stood so high above?

"Yes, the third case has erupted, the location is Edogawa Ward in Tokyo, the ward adjacent to Chiba Prefecture," Miss Minami said on the phone: "The specific details are unclear, in short, Father has already obtained the authorization from Commissioner Kaneko to form the Special Investigation Headquarters. Uesugi-kun, from now on, we can officially intervene in this case!"

"Finally!" Uesugi Muneyuki punched the air fiercely at home: "I'm heading to the Metropolitan Police Department right now!"

"No need," Miss Minami immediately denied it on the phone.

"Huh?!" Uesugi Muneyuki widened his eyes.

There was an eerie silence on the phone for a moment, before Minami-sama's slightly brisk, teasing voice came through: "I mean, you don't have to go yourself; I'm also heading toward the Metropolitan Police Department right now, so I'll give you a ride on the way!"

What the?

Uesugi Muneyuki breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, while at the same time, a strange sense of annoyance rose in the bottom of his heart.

I actually got teased by Minami-sama?

And she even seized the initiative in the entire conversation, leading my emotions around by the nose.

Damn it!

In today's exchange, Minami-sama has won the first small victory.

However, Uesugi Muneyuki firmly believed he would soon get his own back, because what followed was his domain: "Fine, I'll wait for you downstairs."

"Mm, remember to bring a few extra sets of clothes; we might be staying at the Joint Special Investigation Headquarters for the duration." Minami-sama always gauged the scale of her joking perfectly, never letting it delay serious business.

"We?" Uesugi Muneyuki couldn't help but retort: "You, from the Personnel Section of the Police Affairs Department, are going too?"

"Of course," Minami-sama said as if it were only natural: "We are Partners, after all. I am responsible for all your affairs at the Metropolitan Police Department from start to finish, so of course I have to go to the Joint Special Investigation Headquarters as well."

"…………" Uesugi Muneyuki understood; Minami-sama was coming along to sponge off the credit.

"Besides, Uesugi, you're the type who easily gets into trouble; it won't do without me keeping an eye on you," Minami-sama emphasized quite proudly: "Furthermore, within the Metropolitan Police Department, how many people do you know at the Edogawa Ward Police Station? Which actions are compliant and which aren't, where you need permission, where you need to communicate, where you need to apply for assistance—could you really manage all that alone without me?"

"We are Partners, remember? Didn't I say before, you only need to focus your attention on your own matters, and leave the rest to me."

That was true.

Uesugi Muneyuki suddenly had a strange feeling; how did he become Ikeda, and Minami become him?

The world turned upside down?

But this feeling made Uesugi Muneyuki very comfortable. As for sponging off the credit, he really didn't care; someone had to sponge off the credit, so it might as well be the Face of the Metropolitan Police Department.

【She has a thing for you.】 Hironaka Mariko beside him laughed in a twisted way: 【Do you know? Little Brother Uesugi, if a woman has no interest in you, it is impossible for her to consider things from your perspective.】

【Then who have you considered?】 Uesugi Muneyuki retorted directly.

【Nakai from Johnny's, I've considered him.】 Hironaka Mariko grinned hideously: 【He holds so many eponymous programs by himself and has even hosted the Kohaku; if he proposed to me, I would really consider it!】

【Too bad it's just for fun, right?】 Uesugi Muneyuki twitched the corner of his mouth.

【The female anchors waiting to be with him are lined up.】

Hironaka Mariko vanished. Having possessed him for over a month, her Cursed Grudge was gradually dissipating. Uesugi Muneyuki judged that in three or four months at most, her attachment to the mortal world and the consumption of her Soul Power would reach their end, and she would be ready to pass on to the Pure Land.

Uesugi Muneyuki quickly packed his luggage at home, went downstairs, and waited for Minami-sama, who had driven over. Without another word, the two immediately headed toward the Metropolitan Police Department under the cover of night.

However, when the Toyota official vehicle drove to the Metropolitan Police Department, Uesugi Muneyuki realized he seemed to have forgotten something.

"Wait, what about Ikeda?"

"Huh?" Minami-sama looked puzzled and confused.

"Didn't you say you never felt happy being partners with Ikeda?"

I never felt happy playing in a band

——Mutsumi of Abemujika

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(End of this chapter)