Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 301, The Gold Watch Group of the University of Tokyo

From Eiji Watanabe's tone, one could sense that the Metropolitan Police Department was also somewhat undecided about how to punish Jin Kashiwagi.

First of all, Kashiwagi Ren did indeed violate the rules, there's nothing to say about that. Secondly, it's a stupid thing to go to his home and question him without any evidence, there's nothing to say about that either, and this isn't the first time he's done it.

Based on the above two points, Kashiwagi Jin's fate should be to be transferred to a branch office or even exiled to a local branch.

However, the core issue in this case is that Kashiwagi Jin was not making baseless accusations. In fact, anyone who has read the case file knows that Kazama Yumi most likely committed suicide because her boyfriend stole her technological achievements, or at least that had some influence on her. Kashiwagi Jin's judgment is correct.

Secondly, there is a new discovery regarding Mikoto Ishihara—the chain of evidence has been compromised, some of the old evidence is missing, and this case was handled by former Director Hakuba at the behest of former Section Chief Mikasa.

It's obvious that Fujitsu exerted pressure.

If we delve deeper into this line of inquiry, it will inevitably affect the organization's honor and image.

Moreover, since Kashiwagi Jin himself is a member of the University of Tokyo's professional group, the other members of the University of Tokyo's professional group within the organization will definitely want to protect him.

"Zongxue," Watanabe Eiji said earnestly, "you'll be officially joining the University of Tokyo next year. In Showa-era terms, you'll be part of the 'Gold Watch Group.' You know, Kashiwagi's prediction wasn't wrong..."

"Gold Watch Group" is an old-fashioned term for a professional group, but it specifically refers to those who graduated from the University of Tokyo and passed the national senior civil service exam. It is the most professional group among professional groups, and the top group in the Metropolitan Police Department's pyramid. They are promoted almost immediately after their term expires.

However, this promotion and recommendation method inevitably puts some useless people in high positions. It is well known that being good at exams and getting into a good university does not equal being good at solving cases and being good at investigation and intelligence. Therefore, fewer people were promoted to the Gold Watch Group later on.

“I know what you’re trying to say, Father.” Uesugi Muneyuki frowned, understanding Watanabe Eiji’s hidden meaning: “But I don’t want to help him. Yes, I have a grudge against Kashiwagi Jin, and I did say we’d call it even after seeing how hard he worked on some things. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to help him. And as I said, the evidence of suicide in this case is conclusive, and the body has already been cremated. How can I help him?”

"And Fujitsu isn't exactly a good company either." At this moment, Inspector Okada spoke up, arms crossed, impatiently saying, "We all know that Fujitsu is the leading company providing IT support to our Metropolitan Police Department, but the software they make is actually garbage outsourced layer by layer. It crashes, disconnects from the network, and makes mistakes all the time. And did you know that Fujitsu once made accounting software for the British Treasury? As a result, there were problems with the data audit, the cash balances didn't match, and hundreds of people were imprisoned because of it. Only 90 people were acquitted."

"If it weren't for the sheer scale of the wrongful conviction and the enormous sums of money involved, and the fact that the British were holding firm, Fujitsu would be facing a mountain of international lawsuits!" Inspector Okada said dismissively.

After a moment of silence in the room, Miss Minami suddenly said, "In that case, Father, what do you want us to do?"

“It’s very simple. Do you remember Shimakawa Ren who came to the engagement ceremony that day?” Watanabe Eiji said when his daughter finally spoke up for him. “Shimakawa Ren and Odagiri Ryuji are very close, and Muneyuki-kun, you are also very close to Shimakawa.”

"Zong Xue, you can use this connection to say hello to Odagiri, that's enough. Everyone knows what he's done. Our Metropolitan Police Department isn't some pushover! It's wrong for Kashiwagi to come to him, but does he really think he's a saint? We may not be able to criminally punish him, but that doesn't mean our department will accept the complaint."

Eiji Watanabe said in a deep voice, "As for the headquarters, Muneyuki, if you help our Gold Watch Group with this favor, I can persuade all the ministers and the National Police Agency to promote Minami to Superintendent General... You know, even if we count to next year, Minami will only be 24 years old!"

"Furthermore, this second examination was also conducted by the forensic assistant Ishihara Mikoto, whom you introduced to the department..." Watanabe Eiji concluded with a half-smile, "You went to Hakone for a good time, so you should have some issues to resolve when you come back, right?"

"So you all planned this out, didn't you?" Uesugi Muneyuki pondered, head bowed.

Kashiwagi isn't actually a bad person; he's just too direct and brutal in his methods, and he's obsessed with classic mystery novels, which is why he keeps causing big trouble, like arresting himself and coming to Odagiri's door.

"So what do you plan to do with Kashiwagi?" Uesugi Muneyuki asked.

"His promotion to superintendent is off the table, but he'll at least stay in his inspector position for another five years," Watanabe Eiji chuckled. "Also, how about transferring him to the Third Investigation Division?"

“Three lessons?!” Uesugi Muneyuki laughed, suddenly feeling a sense of vengeful pleasure.

The First Investigation Division is responsible for criminal cases, the Second Investigation Division is responsible for financial and political cases, and the Third Investigation Division is responsible for theft, robbery, and bicycle lock picking cases.

The prestigious Tokyo University Gold Watch Division went to search the place where those little Karami from Section 3 were... and the Section 3 chief's rank was only a police inspector!
"You might as well just kill him," Uesugi Muneyuki retorted.

“That’s the only way to teach him a lesson,” Watanabe Eiji said meaningfully. “And only by doing this can we see who’s behind him.”

"By the way, you can also get a sense of how the Metropolitan Police Department operates internally."

........................

"Things have escalated to this point, who's going to take responsibility?! Huh? Who's going to take responsibility? Who gave permission for this?"

At the same time, Chief Inspector Uchimura of the Criminal Investigation Department was roaring in his office. Opposite him, Chief Inspector Sugishita Ukyo of the First Investigation Division and Jin Kashiwagi, the center of the storm, both had their heads slightly lowered. The word "open and honest" on the wall had been replaced with "ancient path," but what remained unchanged was Chief Inspector Uchimura's disgust for Sugishita Ukyo.

"Hey, Minister, about this case..." Sugishita Ukyo said calmly, "Once you've seen the case file, you'll know..." "I don't care about the case file or the suspicion, I'm just asking you, did Kazama Yumi commit suicide? There's no new evidence to prove it was murder?" Minister Uchimura stood up and said.

“…………” Sugishita Ukyo and Kashiwagi Jin both lowered their heads and did not respond.

"You dare to come here and question me face to face without any evidence?" Minister Uchimura roared, grabbing Kashiwagi Jin by the collar. "Have you ever heard of braised dishes, Yellow River carp, tiramisu, or sorbet?"

"What?!" Bai Muren didn't understand. He clenched his fists tightly, still believing that his judgment was correct.

Crucial evidence has been destroyed!

If we follow this line of investigation, we will definitely find out the truth!

"Oh, it's alright if you haven't heard of them. Anyway, you'll soon be able to set up a stall on the street and sell them," Department Head Uchimura said sarcastically, then turned to Sugishita Ukyo: "As for you, as the head of the First Investigation Division, you are to blame. Just wait and see!"

"..." Sugishita Ukyo simply stared quietly at Chief Uchimura, his eyes seeming to ask him whether he was a policeman or not.

Department Head Uchimura, feeling a little guilty under Sugishita Ukyo's gaze, subtly looked away: "Alright, I hereby announce that, in my capacity as the Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Metropolitan Police Department, I am temporarily suspending you from your duties pending an internal investigation! Until this matter..."

Minister Uchimura had been dreaming of getting Sugishita Ukyo out of business, and now he finally had his chance!

I was only halfway through my sentence when the phone on the table rang.

"Yes, this is the Criminal Investigation Department... Ah, Chief Cabinet Secretary?!"

Upon hearing the words "Chief Cabinet Secretary," Sugishita Ukyo breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Kashiwagi Jin with eyes full of relief.

You're safe... for now.

Ten minutes later, at the National Police Agency headquarters, in the Chief Cabinet Secretary's office.

"Chief Cabinet Secretary, how long are you going to protect that Sugishita guy?" Chief Cabinet Secretary Uchimura finally couldn't help but ask Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda.

“You don’t need to concern yourself with this matter anymore.” Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda gestured to Minister Uchimura that he could leave: “I will handle it myself, and I will also take care of things with Fujitsu.”

"This..." Minister Uchimura was still hesitating.

"I'll talk to Eiji about that." Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda gestured for Department Head Uchimura to leave. "Any other questions?"

"No, it's nothing." Minister Uchimura could only awkwardly indicate that nothing had happened.

The gold watch group is really something, there's always some protection between officials.

After Minister Uchimura left, Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda frowned and quickly dialed another phone number.

And so, the entire Metropolitan Police Department began a new round of reshuffling because of this incident.

Meanwhile, Kashiwagi Jin, who was at the center of the storm, was ordered to go home and temporarily suspended from his duties, pending the results of a new round of investigations.

When he returned home, he was surprised to find his wife already there, sitting in the living room waiting for him.

Meisa Kashiwagi was born in Okinawa Prefecture and is a typical American-Japanese mixed-race. In the room where light and shadow intertwine, the face of the previous generation of Metropolitan Police Department's leader is like a heterochromatic gemstone carefully sculpted by the Creator. Her steep nose, like that of a Greek sculpture, cuts through the air, drawing a clean golden ratio line on her soft Eastern face. In the shadow cast by her brow ridges are two pools of melting amber—light brown eyes inherited from her American blood, which shimmer with a honey-like luster in the sunlight.

She had a very slender and graceful figure. At 167 cm tall, she was considered tall for a woman in Japan. She had long, smooth, dark brown hair and an extremely cold and beautiful face. Her sharp eyes also carried a scrutinizing quality.

“Darling, you’re back?” The former Metropolitan Police Department’s leader gestured for her husband to sit down, as she had something to tell him.

“Mingsha…” Kashiwagi Jin seemed very uncomfortable in front of his wife.

“Honey, I think we need to have a good talk.”

(End of this chapter)