Chapter 936

The Police Commissioner's office is deep inside Kasumigaseki, the hallway walls are dark gray, the lighting is warm yellow, and the air is filled with a smell unique to bureaucratic institutions—a mixture of paper and old carpet.

In the fifth year of Uesugi, mid-January, after handling the aftermath of the Kansai Kobe Chrysanthemum Case, the Special Mission Division officially withdrew from Tokyo.

The newly appointed Police Commissioner Watanabe Eiji sat behind his desk, the computer screen in front of him lit up, displaying a personnel adjustment draft for the Hyogo Prefectural Police that he had already looked at many times.

His tie was loosened by one button, his cuffs rolled up, revealing the edge of a white shirt and a small section of his wrist.

This is a rare posture; usually he is always meticulous in the office, but today he seems not to care so much about those details. 「glory」glory」manunited」

「glory」glory」manunited」」

Watanabe Eiji hummed a song, and in the corner of the computer screen there was the Premier League lion logo.

Dong dong~

The office door was pushed open.

Uesugi Muneyuki stood at the door, knocked twice and walked straight in, still carrying the winter chill from Kansai on his shoulders; Watanabe Eiji lifted his head and glanced at him, his gaze not angry, but a kind of "Oh, you're here, son?" realization.

At the same time he was humming: "Ryan Giggs Ryan Giggs straight down wing~Teddy Teddy Teddy Sheffield~You are my Solskjaer~My only Solskjaer" Oh Roy Keane, our wizard~"

Uesugi Muneyuki listened for a few seconds: "Manchester United? Father-in-law, you also watch the Premier League?"

"Joking, I've always been a Manchester United fan and an admirer of that red-nosed Scottish hairdryer old man, back then George Best and Cristiano Ronaldo flew on both wings to defeat Bayern, I still remember it to this day, please call me Watanabe☆Football Expert." Watanabe Eiji laughed.

"Too bad, I've always been a Real Madrid fan, Cristiano Ronaldo Karim Benzema Gareth Bale give it to grandpa!" Uesugi Muneyuki laughed: "Need me to sing haMadrid? Or shall we compare the number of Champions League titles?"

Watanabe Eiji stopped humming, leaned back in his chair, hands crossed on his abdomen: "I don't need you to tell me what song to hum. You, on the other hand, stirred up Kansai into chaos. The Hyogo Prefectural Police's senior personnel reshuffle, Ikematsu resigned, the Criminal Investigation Department Chief took early retirement, the Forensic Identification Division Chief was transferred to General Affairs. Now the entire Kansai faction is in a mess. Are you satisfied?"

Uesugi Muneyuki walked to the desk and sat down in the chair opposite: "What do you mean by causing trouble for Father-in-law? I'm giving you a big gift. The Hyogo Prefectural Police personnel adjustment—isn't it exactly giving you an opportunity to place your people? That position in the Kansai faction, you've wanted to move it for a long time, just never had the right reason. Now the reason has come knocking, and you're still not satisfied?"

Watanabe Eiji did not answer immediately, his gaze lingered on his son-in-law's face for a moment, then the corner of his mouth twitched: "Continue, I'm listening." "The new appointee for Hyogo Prefectural Police Headquarters Chief, who do you plan to send? The Kansai faction won't let you just stuff in a random Kanto person, but if you choose someone not too close to either side, you can break the Kansai faction's long-term dominance without causing too much backlash. Moreover, after this incident, the Police Department can naturally establish a supervisory body within the Hyogo Prefectural Police, reporting directly to the Police Department. These were things you couldn't do before this incident, but now you can all do them." Uesugi Muneyuki said somewhat impatiently: "Of course, even Minami can see this." Watanabe Eiji's eyes flickered slightly, not only with approval after being persuaded, but also with a confirmation of "You really hit the mark": "This matter has a greater impact than you imagined. The senior personnel reshuffle of the Hyogo Prefectural Police, I have already drafted a preliminary plan. The Headquarters Chief position will be filled by an externally transferred Assistant Commissioner, with little connection to the Kansai faction. The Criminal Investigation Department Chief and Forensic Identification Division Chief will also be appointed directly by the Police Department. The supervisory body will be established within two months, reporting directly to the Police Department."

His fingers lightly tapped twice on the desk surface: "This matter not only has an impact within the police system, but also caused a tremor on a larger scale. The Hyogo Prefectural Police's torture during interrogation has already drawn widespread attention from the National Diet and media. I need to join forces with Okada Jimukan of the Ministry of Finance, Nishikawa Souchou of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, and Kai Mineaki, Vice Minister of Justice, to handle the ensuing public opinion and legal coordination. Otherwise, just compensation and litigation would keep us busy for a while."

Okada Masahide, West River Noble Teaching, Kai Mineaki.

Very good, they're all our own people.

The Ministry of Finance, the District Public Prosecutors Office, the Ministry of Justice, and the Police Department are all mine—how dare you oppose me?

Sorry, the red card suspension will be delayed by one year in implementation!

TMD, how did the country become like this?

Uesugi Muneyuki raised his eyebrows.

After Watanabe Eiji finished speaking, he leaned back in his chair, his gaze returning to Uesugi Muneyuki's face: "I've already nearly finalized the plan. It will be officially announced in a few days. Your matter is settled; from now on, I'll handle it."

After speaking, Watanabe Eiji waved his hand, indicating you may go enjoy your holiday.

The Special Mission Division's habit differs from other divisions of the Metropolitan Police Department; after finishing a major case, they take a few days off because Uesugi Muneyuki needs to rest. Outside, outside, alien~ electricity electricity electrolyte

I'm Mbappe, hydrating!

Watanabe Eiji hummed a few bars, and from the tune one could tell he was in high spirits, but after humming a few bars he didn't hear the sound of Uesugi Muneyuki leaving, so he lifted his head and found Uesugi Muneyuki still sitting opposite: "Anything else?"

Uesugi Muneyuki adjusted his sitting posture: "There's still one matter, Asō Kōta."

Watanabe Eiji's expression at that moment showed an extremely subtle change, as if touched by a topic he'd rather not discuss. His finger paused on the desk: "Asō Kōta. Distant nephew of the Asō family. Twenty-five years old, police academy graduate, non-professional group, other data all fine, that influential lady called my private number, demanding he join the Special Mission Division. She said that boy has always regarded you as his idol, and won't go anywhere but the Special Mission Division."

"Father-in-law agreed?"

Watanabe Eiji lowered his head to look at his fingers. "She gave me a condition I cannot refuse."

"What does that mean?" Uesugi Muneyuki frowned: "Money? Father-in-law isn't short of money? Position? The only promotion beyond Director General is Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission? Is Father-in-law preparing to run for National Diet member?"

"Not money, not position. It's support for next year's Police Department budget proposal. During the Diet deliberations, the Asō faction will fully support the Police Department's budget plan, setting up no obstacles. This is not something I can refuse. You also know, the Police Department's budget every year must go through multiple rounds of deliberation in the Diet, and even a slight slip will result in a large chunk being cut. If the Asō faction is willing to support, next year's budget will go much more smoothly." Watanabe Eiji hesitated for a few seconds, then said.

"Ah, essentially, within the system it's also all kinds of resource exchange." Uesugi Muneyuki shook his head: "This condition is indeed very favorable. But have you considered, if he's just a useless person who got in through connections, trailing behind shouting 'Mr. Uesugi,' I'd find it hard to focus on work."

"Muneyuki, you're wrong to think that way." Watanabe Eiji could sense Uesugi Muneyuki's resistance, he thought for a moment, then suddenly said: "Plato said in the Republic, that a sea voyage..."

"Flocks cannot do without shepherds, vines without trellises, Mediterranean voyages relying on the Pope?" Uesugi Muneyuki replied instinctively. "No! A sea voyage must rely on experienced captains with sufficient seniority, not let noisy young sailors casually vote to decide, or sooner or later the ship will end up in a ditch—you think that way, right?" Watanabe Eiji said in a deep voice.

Uesugi Muneyuki nodded: "Amateurs relying on instinct to shout wildly will ruin public affairs that should be carefully managed by professionals."

"Then why, after generations have undergone countless painful lessons one by one, have they largely not followed Plato's path?" Watanabe Eiji asked. Uesugi Muneyuki pondered, then shook his head involuntarily: "Because this path has an unavoidable deadlock: who determines qualifications? Who draws that line, this side qualified, that side not? You say one needs at least a knowledge reserve, but who sets the standard for that knowledge reserve? The person setting the standard, on what basis does he himself definitely qualify?"

"History has demonstrated countless times the outcome of this: every regime claiming only the qualified may participate in politics ultimately slides into a situation where a few self-proclaimed qualified monopolize power and permanently define everyone else as unqualified. Once the threshold is established, it ceases to be a knowledge threshold and quickly becomes a power threshold—those in power always have ways to prove that those opposing them happen to be unqualified. The logic of excluding amateurs from politics almost inevitably leads to the reality of excluding dissenters from politics."

"Correct, so what gives you the right to reject Asō Kōta?" Watanabe Eiji said earnestly: "Legal reform is good, good in that every person can find in legal reform what they want to see, but the ultimate outcome of legal reform is the emergence of Napoleon this French Emperor."

"If it weren't because other revolutionary factions were truly too abstract, saying Napoleon is a betrayer of the revolution would not be an exaggeration, but ultimately only this emperor protected most of the revolution's achievements and acknowledged the property changes and established facts after the French people's systemic reform, this is the French people's historical choice……" Uesugi Muneyuki pondered again: "Well, you've convinced me."

Watanabe Eiji waved his hand: "Asō Kōta is not that kind of idler. Although his police academy grades weren't top-notch, his physical strength and endurance are very good. Moreover, he truly admires you and wants to learn from you. Such a person, with a little polishing, might not fail to become a useful subordinate."

Uesugi Muneyuki fell silent for a moment: "Since that's the case, then I'll train him my way. As long as I don't kill him, you won't have any objections, right?"

Watanabe Eiji leaned back in his chair, the corner of his mouth finally showing a slight arc: "Do as you please. As long as you don't kill him, the Asō family side won't say anything. Go ahead and use him, train him however you like."

"We cannot refuse these connection hires, but we can turn them to our own use!" Watanabe Eiji laughed: "And what we need to do now is, endure! Be patient! Just think it through, stand firm, and turn what is disadvantageous to ourselves into our own advantage! Subdue these second-generation heirs, make them our swords and shields! But before that, endure! Be patient!"

"Endure! Be patient!" Uesugi Muneyuki responded.

Father and son exchanged a smile.

In an ordinary apartment building in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, 25-year-old Asō Kōta was sitting on the bedroom floor, with two or three large suitcases spread out in front of him.

The large box contained not clothes nor daily necessities, but row upon row of Korean entertainment female idol albums sealed in transparent protective sleeves. Each album cover had a small label attached, indicating purchase date and version number.

From the second-generation idol group Girls' Generation to KARA and Tara.

Third-generation idol group APINK to Twice and AOA.

Fourth-generation idol group Red Velvet.

Fifth-generation idol group Asepa and IVE, plus NewJeans.

He picked up one of Jang Won-young's autograph slips, looked at it, then put it back, carefully closing the box lid.

He stood up, walked to the full-length mirror in the corner of the room, and the mirror reflected a young face, not handsome but very pleasant to look at.

The eyes are not large but very spirited, the jawline very clean.

The biggest problem is his height, only about 1.63 meters, placing him among the shortest in any peer group. But he doesn't mind, he has never felt inferior because of his height.

Short people have their own advantages: low center of gravity, agile, not easily noticed.

He turned around and walked into the living room. The television in the living room was on, playing a segment of an interview video, a clip of Uesugi Muneyuki at the Kobe press conference. He stood behind the podium, facing the camera, his voice steady, his expression calm.

In his words, the content about the Kobe Dahlia case unfolded smoothly, with one reversal after another, and finally a second reversal—the culprit turned out to be an Olympic champion! Asō Kōta had watched this clip many times; he could even recite every line Uesugi Muneyuki said when he made a cameo appearance in *Hand of God*. He usually loved shipping Uesugi Shiro and Mai, but unfortunately Shirakawa Mai is Japanese—if she were Korean, he would definitely be the leader of her fan club.

I am a Level Ten scholar of Uesugaku!

His gaze lingered on the person on the screen for a moment, then he turned off the television.

"To cultivate peerless martial arts~ one must endure the pain ordinary people cannot bear~"

He hummed a tune, tidied up his things, and prepared to report to the Special Mission Division of the Metropolitan Police Department the next day.

"The tea the Section Chief likes to drink is oolong~"

"He loves wearing clothes in Asahi Red~"

"No matter whether it's scorching summer or freezing winter, I always long for the sky beyond the mountain gate."

"Still waiting for me to come down from the mountain in Kasumigaseki—my name is Koizumi."

He turned around and picked up the police badge placed on the shoe cabinet.

The badge was new, still bearing the crease from its wrapping paper; he pinned it to the chest pocket of his coat.

Looking at the reflection in the mirror—the figure wearing a police coat, short in stature, young, with eyes blazing like fire—his mouth opened and closed, as if silently reciting a phrase very important to him.

"No matter what I face, I must endure. If Uesugi thinks I can't do it, I will prove him wrong. If the seniors in the Special Mission Division think I'm just a connection hire, I will use action to prove I'm not. As long as I endure, as long I persevere, one day they will acknowledge me. What I must do now is endure! Persevere!"

His starting point was low, and his problems were many—he was plain-looking and short in stature, not from a prestigious school nor part of the career track, and more importantly, although he was a close branch of the political gate, he was not highly regarded.

"Endure! It means being able to let go, to stand firm, and to turn what is unfavorable to oneself into one's own advantage! As long as I can squeeze into the Special Mission Division, gain everyone's recognition, appear in major cases and earn achievements, I believe I will soon be able to squeeze into Uesugi Muneyuki's circle!" Uesugi's circle now includes prosecutors, judges, old nobility, new political dynasties, top financial families, university cliques, grassroots elite officials, local power brokers, and even the US Forces Japan.

It was too dark.

"As long as I can squeeze into this circle, Asō Kōta still has a chance to turn things around!"

That year, on the eighteenth, in the Asō Kai, standing like a lackey.

At that time I swore, everyone, you must see me.

Asō Kōta clenched his fists, fire on his face, light in his eyes.

This battle, for Irene!