Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 385, Ikeda's Fury, Minami Suffers
Leaving aside Onoda's situation for the moment, on the Sakurada Gate side, as Uesugi Muneyuki emerged from the Superintendent General's office, his mood was a mix of heaviness and relief.

The serious part is that, just as he expected, the case has been investigated to such an extent that it is beyond his level of authority, and even beyond the Metropolitan Police Department's authority. Representative Suo probably never imagined that by appointing him to investigate, he would ultimately shoot himself in the foot.

But as soon as the matter began to unfold, it immediately attracted the intervention of the public security police, making Uesugi Muneyuki realize that the matter was deeply involved.

This is probably why Mai-senpai didn't tell him the truth. As mentioned earlier, no matter how many times someone teaches you, they may still not understand. But if you teach someone something, they will understand it after just one lesson. Mai-senpai probably knew about Uesugi Muneyuki's stubborn side, so she simply let him experience it for himself.

On the other hand, Uesugi Muneyuki is now practically a member of the police organization. There are some things that Mai-senpai thinks are better left unknown to him, because ignorance allows for leeway and avoids certain things that could cause him to feel guilty.

I'm completely under the thumb of this cunning and shrewd senior!
Uesugi Muneyuki thought to himself that he should talk to Mai-senpai about this later.

The Special Missions Unit was still brightly lit in the early hours of the morning, with everyone waiting for Uesugi Muneyuki and the others to return. When Uesugi Muneyuki returned and announced that the case was temporarily suspended and had been handed over to the Public Security Police, and that everyone had been given two days off, the reactions of the people were quite different.

Igarashi simply thought, "Great! The public security police have been mobilized, and any evil will eventually be brought to justice!"
Date Chomatsu didn't care at all whether the police accepted it or not; what he cared about was, "Yay, two days off!"

Mikoto Ishihara didn't have a full understanding of the case, and the forensic expert simply sighed and said, "Since I'm not going to be of any use anymore, that's fine."

Only Kai Toru shook his head meaningfully: "Now I understand why the old man put me here. Uesugi-san, your investigative abilities are simply amazing... I don't even know what to say. Normally, if you want to investigate a bar with problems, the police station where I used to work would have to start by forging an identity to gain trust, which would take at least three months. After becoming a regular customer, you would have to carefully wait for opportunities, such as internal conflicts, curiosity and information exchange, in-depth contact, and accidental discovery of some evidence or clues."

"Of course, there are also the expense receipts that are incredibly difficult to reimburse afterwards, and the one or two 'rest days' that you get after months of hard work to finally solve a case. It turns out that this is the first time I've realized that the Special Missions Unit actually pays overtime! And they actually give you time off after solving a case!" Kai Toru couldn't help but complain, "Is this what they call an elite department?"

Minami and Okada smiled upon hearing this.

Japanese police are supposed to be the guardians of the law, but the first thing this wall does is trample on the "labor law." The work of police officers, especially front-line criminal investigators, is so demanding that when they get busy, they work 996 (9am-9pm, 6 days a week) and even sleep on the floor in the police station for a week straight. Many young police officers come in full of enthusiasm and passion, but after a few years, they are worn out and their eyes lose their sparkle. Even if they don't resign, most of them learn to be silently resilient. The eyes of veteran police officers are filled with the marks of time.

After completing a major case, the biggest reward from the boss is usually a group dinner "reward party" and a "Let's all go home and rest early today" or "You can be a little late tomorrow (around nine o'clock in the morning)". Overtime pay is out of the question.

As for the so-called "rest day," it's even more ridiculous. "Rest day" doesn't refer to a holiday, but rather to "not being assigned extra tasks and going to work and leaving get off work on time," meaning that you can go home around 5 or 6 pm according to the legal working hours.

This can be considered "secret language" among grassroots police officers.

As for why the Otsuka Police Station was able to leave work on time before, the reason is actually quite simple.

Because Uesugi Muneyuki had taken on the vast majority of criminal cases, he had nothing left to do and naturally left work on time.

Therefore, being a grassroots police officer is a job that is not very self-serving but is especially beneficial to those around you.

Of course, this refers to Japan and has nothing to do with other countries.

"If you don't want it, you can transfer back to the Nakagen Agency!" Miss Minami said impatiently. "If there are no objections, Special Missions Division, disband!"

"Oh oh oh!"

"Wait!" Just then, Erina Ikeda spoke up, the tall beauty's eyes filled with tears, as she angrily raised her hand: "I object!!!"

"Protest denied, disperse!" But to everyone's surprise, Miss Minami ignored her.

So on the way back, Erena pouted and looked angry. She first took Mikoto to her dormitory, and then the three of them went back to the Sakata Bridge Tower together.

It was already 2:30 a.m., and Asuka was already asleep. The light in the entryway wasn't even on. The three of them practically burst through the door, exhausted and feeling depressed.

The door slammed shut with a loud bang, making the walls vibrate. Without even taking off her high heels, she rushed to the center of the living room like an angry lioness trapped in a cage.

"Damn it! Those bastards from the Ministry of Public Security!!" Erena's roar exploded in the quiet apartment, completely devoid of her usual calm and sassiness. She slammed her purse onto the sofa with a dull thud. "What national security! What international criminal network! It's all bullshit! High-sounding but utter nonsense!" She trembled with rage, her knuckles white from clenching her fists. She paced back and forth, each step seeming to pierce the floorboards. Under the light, her eyes, reddened with anger and extreme repression, were particularly noticeable.

"Who are they protecting? Huh? Zongxue! Minami! Tell me! They stormed in, taking all our clues like robbers! They dismissed us like 'go back to rest'! What about the girls? What about the girls who were bought and sold like commodities, drugged, and wantonly abused?! What will happen to them?!" Erena's voice rose higher and higher, filled with tearing pain and helplessness. She suddenly stopped in front of Watanabe Minami, her eyes burning as if she wanted to burn an answer out of him. "We were so close... so close! Those VIP lists, those transfer records... Public Security Police Security Planning Division! Kinoshita Toru! His deadpan face! And that shady 'Security Chief' behind him! They're all accomplices!!"

"I quit being a police officer!!!" Erina Ikeda grabbed a cushion from the sofa and slammed it against the wall. Her arm fell limply to her side, her chest heaving, her rapid breathing punctuated by suppressed sobs. "What kind of police are we...we can't even save the victims..."

"Really? Erena, are you really going to resign?" Minami was also very tired at this moment. She casually took off her shoes, picked up one of Erena's high heels and put it back, and glanced at Uesugi Muneyuki's expression.

Uesugi Muneyuki watched Erina vent her anger, her face filled with heartache, helplessness, and the same resentment.

He was about to say something when Minami gestured for him to shut up and said, "I'll speak."

As the wife of the Imperial Household Agency, it is my duty to suppress the concubines! Kora!

"Erina, you promised me!" Minami smiled and grabbed Erina's small hand. "If you don't do it, you won't be able to see Muneyuki-kun anymore, and my previous sharing contract will automatically become invalid!"

Erina's shoulders twitched, but she stubbornly refused to respond.

“I know you’re feeling wronged, Erena.” Minami’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was unusually clear, carrying a weight she rarely showed. “I know how deep our anger and helplessness are right now. I also wish I could… I wish I could rush back and argue with them, and take back the evidence… Don’t even mention you, I’m a superintendent-level officer, and I’m being treated like a rag doll, being rubbed into the ground by a police inspector?”

“…………” Erena’s movements slowly came to a stop.

“But, Ikeda, calm down and think about it. Are we really out of options?” Minami said seriously. “Muneyuki and I have already gone to see Father about this. We’re not out of options; we’re taking a long-term approach. We’re just small fry and can’t fight back against orders from above. That’s the reality. But we’ve still found a lot of things and a lot of evidence. This has already attracted direct intervention from above. Believe me, Ikeda, this won’t end so easily.”

"…………" Erena was still not satisfied with the result, but her agitated emotions were clearly relieved.

"You don't trust me? Don't you trust Uesugi?" Minami continued to coax her. "If we confront them head-on now, it will only cause us to lose our posts, and then we really won't be able to do anything. Erena, believe me, and believe in our instincts and perseverance as police officers. This case... won't end like this, we all know that, don't we?"

As Erina listened to Minami's various attempts to change the subject, the anger and grievances churning in her chest finally deflated like a punctured balloon. She no longer vehemently retorted, but simply lowered her head, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"I'm tired, I need to rest." Minami always used tricks on Erena, but no matter how many tricks she used, Erena, no matter how stupid, eventually realized that Minami was trying to shift the blame. However, she was not good with words and did not know how to refute it. Deep down, she was unwilling to leave her police post and it was impossible for her to leave Uesugi Muneyuki.

But she had to vent her anger!

After thinking for a while, Erina Ikeda suddenly had an idea.

"I'm tired and need to rest, Muneyuki. I won't be spending time with you and Minami tonight," Erena suddenly said.

"?"

Minami didn't understand what Erena meant at first, but then she heard Uesugi Muneyuki shout "Hey!" behind her, and then a pair of strong arms immediately swept her up in his arms. Minami then realized that something terrible had happened: "Wait! This can't be! Erena, you can't abandon me!"

"Wait!" Minami screamed as Uesugi Muneyuki scooped her up in a princess carry. Petite and physically weak, she was exhausted after a long day sitting in the office. "Wait! Ikeda! You can't do this! I can't do this alone! I'll die! I'll die!!!"

"Bang!" The door closed, and Erina finally revealed a smug and happy smile before going into the bathroom to run a bath.

Who is truly indispensable to whom?

Zong Xue is yours, but she is also mine!

(End of this chapter)