Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 386, A Brawl Erupts at the Metropolitan Police Department!
PS: I'm really tired after such a long season. I'll just combine two chapters into one long 4600-word update today. The Emperor needs a rest!
The light footsteps of Ikeda Erena returning home came from the entrance hall, mixed with the smell of her sweat. As always, Erena would do her morning exercise routine whenever she didn't have field duty, working up a good sweat. Especially after being hit by the police's Nissan truck yesterday, Erena had been venting all her extra energy on weightlifting and punching bags.

This punch, once unleashed, is devoid of thought!

When she got home, Saito Asuka had already gone to school, while Minami was curled up on the large sofa in the living room, like a cat whose bones had been melted by the sun. She was only wearing an old shirt by Uesugi Muneyuki, which was loosely draped over her thighs. Underneath the shirt, her legs, which were encased in soft, matte black stockings, were limply crossed, and her toes were slightly curled up, sinking into soft, fluffy orange cat slippers.

Hearing that Erena had returned, Minami struggled to open her eyelids a crack. Her once sweet, tangerine-like almond eyes were now veiled in a dark cloud, thick with an overwhelming weariness. There were faint bluish shadows on her eyelids, and her whole being exuded a delicate and tired feeling as if she had been overexerted. When she saw Erena Ikeda appear at the door, Miss Minami subconsciously wanted to display the dignity of her legal wife, but her waist went weak. She only moved symbolically for a moment before returning to her original position, letting out a barely audible groan filled with deep weariness.

“Erina…traitor!” Her voice was soft and hoarse, like a feather brushing past, carrying a hint of barely perceptible dependence and grievance: “Insubordination…shameless…”

Erena put down the bag of clean clothes, her gaze immediately falling on the languid and fragile "Lady Odaido" on the sofa. A hint of amusement and mockery flashed in her beautiful brown eyes, which were both amused and annoyed, before being replaced by amusement. She walked over gracefully: "Tsk, where did your smugness go? My manager? What happened to our plan for the long term?"

Miss Minami tilted her head slightly as she was poked, a faint blush rising on her cheeks. She didn't deny it, but buried her head in the soft cushion and complained in a muffled voice, "I almost...died...died...so many times, so many times."

Her voice was soft and gentle, more like a coquettish complaint than an accusation. Her body was weak and listless, and her expression was drowsy. Where was the smug, arrogant, and manipulative first wife who used to be?

Reina Ikeda was both amused and annoyed. She chuckled, but her fingertips slid down naturally, gently massaging Minami's sore areas with a soothing touch. Her technique was professional, after all, she was a black belt in karate and judo and an athletic enthusiast: "Now you know you can't do without me, right? Who needs whom here?"

Miss Minami sighed comfortably as she was being massaged, her body like a kitten that had been tamed by a cat. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation, reluctantly admitting, "Damn it...doesn't this make me look weak?"

"Pfft!" Rena Ikeda was amused by Minami. The young lady was soft from head to toe, but her mouth was stubborn. The two had been sisters for several months, so she simply grabbed Minami's hand and teased, "With your small frame, being a sports failure and lacking exercise... I'll talk to Muneyuki later and ask him to be a little gentler on you."

"Hey hey hey hey? Wait a minute? Erena, you're not going to help anymore?" Minami was startled and struggled to shout, "No! You! Can't!"

"Help, help, let's buy all of Bondori in one go!" Erena said with a smile, then changed the subject: "Where's Muneyuki?"

"He said he'd go to the University of Tokyo Hospital to check it out," Minami exclaimed, then buried her face in Erena's broad chest. "Ah, I want to lie here and not wake up~~~"

Uesugi went to the University of Tokyo?

Reina Ikeda had some doubts in her heart. The tall beauty and Muneyuki Uesugi were almost inseparable, but only at the hospital would Muneyuki sometimes ask her not to accompany him. She understood that there were some things Muneyuki Uesugi didn't want her to be involved in, but... she still felt that something was missing without Muneyuki Uesugi by her side.

I've completely taken on the shape of Muneyuki...

Zong Xue, when will you be able to come back?
Looking at Minami, who had fallen into a deep sleep in her arms again, and feeling the bright sunlight gently enveloping the sisters on the sofa, Erina was filled with emotion.

It was so great to meet Uesugi Muneyuki and Watanabe Minami!
........................

Meanwhile, around 10 a.m., at the Sakurada Gate of the Metropolitan Police Department, the First Investigation Division of the Criminal Investigation Department.

The large office was stagnant and oppressive, making it hard to breathe. The humiliation from yesterday still lingered. Inspector Kashiwagi Jin, in his cubicle, tapped his fingers unconsciously on the desk, extremely agitated.

Although Kashiwagi Jin is also in the Gold Watch Group, his status is naturally far inferior to that of Uesugi Muneyuki, who has the authority to "reach the highest levels of authority" and can directly see the Superintendent General whenever needed. He knows far less, and he threw a tantrum after returning home yesterday. Kashiwagi Meisa comforted him for a long time. The former Metropolitan Police Department's "Face" said that she didn't know much and advised him to consult with Section Chief Sugishita Ukyo and Forensic Officer Uesugi if he had any problems.

Why is Meisa talking about Uesugi too?

Although Kashiwagi Jin felt a little strange, he didn't pay much attention to it. After all, we are the two most outstanding members of the Metropolitan Police Department, so it's reasonable for Meisa to admire Uesugi.

He analyzed the situation for a long time last night, and his analysis was similar to what Watanabe Eiji had given. First, the Metropolitan Police Department itself does not have the authority to investigate members of parliament. This step has already exceeded the scope of a legal search, so it immediately aroused vigilance. The prosecutor's office did not issue a search warrant. Second, they must have already found out about certain high-ranking officials, financial backers, or allies, which is why the public security department was able to move out so quickly.

Hmph~ If you won't let me investigate, I'll investigate myself! Bai Muren felt a sense of humiliation, but also a secret joy, when he thought about how the police had a gun to his waist last night.

The evidence wasn't completely taken away! He had copied the data from the phone onto a USB drive beforehand and handed it over to Shinichiro Kosaka of the First Department.

There's still a chance! If there are other unnoticed parts of the data on the phone, perhaps further evidence can be found!

Thinking of this, Kashiwagi noticed that Kosaka seemed absent-minded, even avoiding eye contact. Remembering that the crucial backup USB drive (containing chat logs and transfer summaries) was still in Kosaka's hands, a sense of foreboding gripped him. He abruptly stood up, strode to Kosaka's desk, and said in a low but undeniably authoritative voice, "Inspector Kosaka, give me the USB drive, now."

Kashiwagi Jin stretched out his hand, his eyes sharp as a hawk's, staring intently into Kosaka's eyes.

Kosaka's body jolted violently, as if struck by lightning. He looked up, his face even paler, his lips trembling, his eyes filled with panic, guilt, and a profound helplessness. He avoided Kashiwagi's gaze, his voice dry and hoarse: "Kashiwagi... Kashiwagi-san... let's... let's talk in the stairwell..." The fire door shut out the outside world. Under the stark white emergency light, Kosaka leaned against the cold wall, as if all his strength had vanished. Kashiwagi stood before him, his tall figure exuding an invisible pressure, his eyes burning piercingly: "Where's the USB drive?"

Kosaka took a deep breath, as if using all her strength, before she could barely lift her head to meet Kashiwagi's gaze. There was no cunning in that gaze, only a deep sense of humiliation, resentment, and profound apology.

"I...I'm sorry, Inspector Kashiwagi..." Kosaka's voice choked with sobs, each word seeming to be squeezed out with difficulty, "The USB drive...is gone, I...I deleted it...I completely formatted it..."

"What?!" Kashiwagi's pupils shrank, a chill ran from his feet to his head. He took a step forward and grabbed Kosaka by the collar, the force almost lifting him off the ground. "Say that again?! Who told you to delete it?! That's life! That's the lives of those girls!" His voice was ripped apart by extreme shock and anger.

Kosaka didn't struggle, letting Kashiwagi pull her along, her face a mixture of pain and numbness, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks: "It's...it's the Public Security Bureau! Inspector Kinoshita Touya, no, it's the person behind him, the one who gave the order directly from the Security Department of the National Police Agency! Just this morning! He found me, and he said he knew you had a copy with me..." Kosaka's voice was filled with fear and helplessness, "The Public Security Bureau of the Security Department told me...if I don't destroy it myself immediately and make sure there are no other backups, then...then not only me...but you...even Chief Sugishita Ukyo of the First Division...even the entire First Division...will be in big trouble! They will investigate us for keeping secrets and disobeying orders! Kashiwagi-san! That's the Security Department Chief! The newly appointed Superintendent Jinshiro Souichirou! One of the highest-ranking officers in the National Police Agency! What can we do against them?!"

Kosaka's pain was tinged with genuine fear and helplessness, but at the end, a barely perceptible glint of his own shrewdness and self-preservation flashed in his eyes: "Besides, and Inspector Kinoshita is right... What's the point of keeping it? If we keep investigating, we'll only be crushed! Kashiwagi, I'm a layman, a layman! Do you know how much I've sacrificed to get to this point? With Forensic Examiner Uesugi around, I'm sure I could... I'm sorry, Kashiwagi, I really... can't... I have a family too, I have a wife and children to support!"

As Kashiwagi listened to Kosaka's confession, his hand gripping Kosaka's collar trembled violently. He understood, he understood everything. It wasn't Kosaka who betrayed him; rather, a larger, colder power machine had crushed this faint hope! The Security Department… the Security Chief! Like an insurmountable mountain, it was suffocating, especially for Kosaka. He had always dreamed of becoming the head of the First Investigation Division; it was his lifelong dream, and now he was steadily moving towards it. Not to mention the pain of a middle-aged man—he had elderly parents and young children to support, all relying on his annual salary of 850 million yen!

However, in that instant, "understanding" was instantly overwhelmed by raging anger and despair! The terrified and helpless faces of those girls, the unimaginable atrocities that might be happening, the only clue, the only hope, were in the hands of this weeping man before him, and he himself... under orders from his superiors... deleted them! For his "future"? To avoid "trouble"?!

This is not the justice I want!

"No choice?! Future?!" Kashiwagi's voice was no longer a roar, but a cold, piercing scream from the depths of his soul, filled with extreme irony and despair: "So... you gave in? You personally extinguished the last hope of those girls?! Is this your 'no choice'?! Is this what you want to 'support your wife and children'? You became a policeman just to support your wife and children?"

Looking at Kosaka's face, filled with helplessness, fear, and a hint of contemptible self-preservation, thinking of the victims desperately waiting for rescue in the darkness, thinking of the immense humiliation of being a police officer but being powerless to help, thinking of the disgusting power of the Security Department's Public Security Police... the string of "reason" in Kashiwagi's heart completely snapped!
An uncontrollable torrent of justice, anger, despair, and destructive impulse overwhelmed him!
"You coward!!! You idiot!!!"

With a roar like a trapped beast on the verge of death, Kashiwagi gathered all his strength and poured all his grief and anger into his right fist, which, with a whistling sound that tore through the air, slammed hard and without reservation into Kosaka's face!

"Bang—!!!" A heart-stopping muffled sound exploded in the narrow space!

The force of the blow sent Kosaka flying backward, crashing heavily against the fire door with a deafening thud. His slight expression of shame shattered instantly; a cracking sound seemed to echo from his nose, and blood gushed from his nostrils and mouth. Before he could even utter a cry of pain, he slid softly down the door, curling up in agony, groaning and convulsing. Blood quickly stained the ground and his clothes. The last thing he saw was Kashiwagi's blood-red eyes, burning with a destructive flame.

It hurt terribly, but Kosaka smiled. He turned his head away, avoiding Kashiwagi Jin's eyes, and forced a smile: "If you think hitting me will work, then hit me. If hitting me really works, then that's good... that's good..."

"Tsk! I..." Kashiwagi Jin stomped his foot in exasperation. He knew that hitting Kosaka was useless, but... was this the end of it?
What a joke!
However, without evidence and clues...

The loud impact and the roar of the cypress tree startled everyone.

"Oh my god! The stairwell!"

"Kashiwagi Police Department! Kosaka Police Department!"

Inspector Shiratori from the Second Division and Inspector Shimano from the Fourth Division once again rushed to the front, forcefully pushing open the door, only to be stunned by the sight before them:
Kosaka lay curled up in a pool of blood, convulsing and groaning in pain, half of her face a bloody mess, a truly gruesome sight.

Kashiwagi stood there like a statue burned red by rage, his clenched fist dripping blood mixed with the blood from Kosaka's and his own knuckles. His chest heaved violently, and his bloodshot eyes were fixed on Kosaka on the ground, his gaze empty and desperate, as if his soul had been ripped out.

"Stop! Kashiwagi!" Inspector Shiratori, though confused about what had happened, rushed forward and grabbed Kashiwagi's arm. "You should never hit someone! We're from the Metropolitan Police Department, we're comrades in arms! Have you forgotten the days we worked together on cases?"

Inspector Shimano of the Fourth Division was originally a subordinate of Inspector Kosaka of the First Division. He was promoted to Inspector due to his performance in the Tokyo University case and his seniority. When he saw his old superior being beaten, he was so angry that he trembled and turned pale. He clenched his fists tightly and was about to throw a left hook to make Kashiwagi Jin taste the pain of bleeding!
"Wait!" Just then, Kosaka grabbed him from behind. He shook his head with a bitter smile, repeatedly saying, "Don't...don't hit me. It's my fault, it's my own fault, but I can't help it...I can't help it..."

Kashiwagi was held down by Shiratori and his other police colleagues. He stopped struggling and roaring, but stared intently at Kosaka, who was covered in blood on the ground. Then he slowly raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the ceiling and landing on the unreachable, cold and ruthless Sakuradamon higher-ups. His expression wavered, and he finally gave up the attack.

Superintendent Higurashi and Section Chief Sugishita Ukyo, who rushed to the scene upon hearing the news, witnessed the horrific scene. Sugishita Ukyo's face was ashen, his eyes filled with shock, heartache, and profound helplessness. He knew what had happened (pressure from the Public Security Bureau), he knew Kosaka's helplessness, and he knew that behind Kashiwagi's devastating punch was a desperate indictment of the entire unjust system and his own powerlessness! This was no longer a simple internal brawl, but a tragic outburst of humanity under the crushing power of the Public Security Bureau.

He knows everything, but there's nothing he can do. Even if he's promoted to head of the First Investigation Division, an organization is an organization, and we, as members of an organization, ultimately cannot prevent these kinds of things from happening.

Onoda, you've won again.

(End of this chapter)