Conan: Rice Flower Spring

Chapter 445, Page 439: Shiratori Finally Gets a Promotion

Shiratori Ninzaburo's words almost made Ryoma Hayashi lose his composure. "Hey buddy, I'm talking to you about serious matters and you're gossiping with me?"
Can this be right?

"My relationship with Prosecutor Kujo is purely professional!" Ryoma Hayashi emphasized this point to avoid any misunderstanding from Ninzaburo Shiratori.

"Hmm," Shiratori's eyes were saying, "Guess whether I believe you or not?"

It's plausible that a detective like him and Reiko Kujo have official business together, but how can you, the chairman of a consulting firm, have official business with a prosecutor?

Man, you can fool yourself, but why are you even fooling your brothers?

"Believe it or not! In short, I and Prosecutor Kujo are not what you think." After realizing that explaining the matter was making things worse, Ryoma Hayashi simply gave up.

"Alright, alright, I believe you, okay?" After teasing Ryoma for a couple of minutes, Shiratori asked seriously, "But do you really want me to hand over the information to Prosecutor Kujo?"

It's not that I'm reluctant to give it up, it's just that the more I investigate, the more I realize that this potentially criminal intermediary company really might exist.

And the water was unusually deep.

Through his own efforts and with the help of Ryoma, Shiratori, though unable to uncover the full picture of this criminal agency, actually found quite a lot.

This is a very dangerous criminal group, so dangerous that even though we've only investigated a small part of it so far, Shiratori is already being extremely cautious.

While the investigation into the criminal brokerage firm is undoubtedly a significant achievement, it's uncertain whether this achievement can be safely obtained.

Ryoma Hayashi completely understood what Shiratori meant; he was right, it was indeed "very dangerous." But this danger actually had nothing to do with the criminal brokerage company.

The international intermediary company wasn't even finished yet, so what leads could they possibly have? Back then, the leads Lin Longma gave Shiratori were all from the organization, weren't they?
How long has the Tokyo City Hotel, built by the motley crew of the executive branch led by Kiel, been open? How much destructive power could it possibly have?

Compared to organizations, Tokyo City Hotel is a small fry—unlike international agencies with extremely high ceilings, Tokyo City Hotel's ceiling is fixed.

A place that wants to run assassins and the black market, especially in the city, doesn't seem like a good ending at all.

Lin Longma genuinely didn't think about anything as trivial as Shiratori. In Lin Longma's eyes, gender was all the same.

He truly achieved equality in male-female relationships—people only categorize others as useful or useless; how can one prove their own usefulness?

All the clues, intelligence, and information have been given to Reiko Kujo. If she can find out the truth, she'll realize how significant this contribution is. Reiko Kujo herself has the education, reputation, and connections to be considered on par with Shiratori. As long as the contribution is sufficient, there are no barriers to advancement for her.

What's wrong with taking a little risk or danger for these achievements?
If we still can't find out after all this, then on another note, my mom won't let me hang out with good-for-nothings.

"This is the choice of the nine prosecutors themselves. If you want credit, you can't be afraid of danger. If you're really afraid of danger, then transfer the case to another prosecutor."

There are always prosecutors who are not afraid of danger, aren't there?

"But when that time comes, you can't blame me for not cooperating, right?" Ryoma Lin said nonchalantly, shrugging. He hadn't expected Reiko Kujo to do anything anyway.

If Reiko Kujo really manages to thoroughly investigate Kir, that would be a pleasant surprise for Ryoma Hayashi. If she finds nothing, Ryoma Hayashi won't suffer any loss.

It's like a free lottery ticket; winning the grand prize is certainly exciting, but if you don't win anything, it's not so bad, right?
It doesn't cost any money anyway.

After returning to the Metropolitan Police Department building, Shiratori Ninzaburo began to work on resolving Hayashi Ryoma's "request." He first contacted the Metropolitan Police Department's Public Security Division through departmental connections.

Through connections with the Ministry of Public Security, he eventually made contact with police officer Kazami Yuya.

In fact, Shiratori Ninzaburo has the ability to contact Kazami Yuya privately, but in order to show his attitude, this official approach is the best.

Sure enough, the intelligence had barely been handed over to the Metropolitan Police Department's Public Security Bureau when they began urgent verification. Kazami Yuya, as a key member of the investigation team targeting the Black Organization, immediately confirmed the authenticity of the intelligence from Shiratori.

According to Shiratori, this intelligence was provided to him by his informant, and because there was no concrete evidence, it could only be handed over to the public security authorities for verification.

Now, after verification by the investigation team members, it has been confirmed that Shiratori's intelligence was accurate and timely, and the explanations required by the American side have become much easier to obtain.

The organization is a transnational criminal group, which means that it also has members operating within America.

With this connection established, the Foreign Minister also had something to say to the American ambassador. Yes, it's true the man died on our territory, but how can you guarantee that the people who came to kill Robert didn't come from American territory?

It's worth noting that the FBI is also investigating this criminal group; they couldn't figure it out domestically, and they've already failed in their investigation in Japan.

Anyway, we've provided you with the information about the killer; whether you can arrest him is up to you. We would welcome your country's FBI to cooperate on cases again.

This wave of criticism focuses on individuals with good attitudes but poor abilities, which ironically makes the fact that Tokyo police are constantly being criticized a good thing.

The Foreign Minister isn't afraid to expose his own shortcomings. Look at how our people criticize the Tokyo police every day, saying they can't solve cases without police.

This is not an excuse; it is the truth.

Anyway, we're not going to catch the killer. If you want to avenge this "FBI agent," then other FBI agents are welcome to come.

The American embassy did not raise any objections to this, as they were well aware that the so-called FBI agents were just a front.

This person was actually a CIA agent.

Now they have a plausible explanation; their diplomatic staff aren't subordinate to the CIA. Any explanation that can be made to convince them will suffice. If you're not satisfied, you can investigate yourselves.

The assassination of the "FBI vacationing agent" ended without any further incident, and naturally, those who had dealt with this trouble deserved to be rewarded.

For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who deserves the most credit this time? Naturally, it's the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Public Security Bureau, which came up with a reason that left the American side speechless.

However, within the police force, especially the public security department, they were well aware that the source of this intelligence was not something they had discovered themselves, but rather something provided by their colleagues.

And so, Shiratori's file was placed on the desk of the higher-ups in the Ministry of Public Security.

Shiratori Ninzaburo's resume needs no introduction: he graduated from the law school of a prestigious university and passed the national first-level civil service examination.

With a proper professional background, he was definitely one of their own to the higher-ups in the Ministry of Public Security.

It's difficult for someone without a professional background to become a mid-level officer in the police force; they may be the backbone of the force, but they will never be a mid-level officer.

Salary and benefits can be improved; a police inspector's salary can even be higher than some police superintendents. But as for rank, without that background, you can forget about it.

All those who come from the professional class or the semi-professional class will maintain their class.

This is similar to the expansion of medical school enrollment on the neighboring peninsula. Doctors in hospitals, professors in medical schools, and even current medical students are all beneficiaries of this scarcity. Back then, I studied hard and spent a fortune to get into medical school, all for the sake of becoming a doctor—a highly coveted profession.

Now you're expanding medical student enrollment, what happens to all our past efforts? What do you take doctors for?

As for your point about the shortage of medical resources, that's nonsense. Of course they're in short supply. How else would we demonstrate the preciousness of our profession?

Now that you're expanding enrollment and making us precious, then try and see the power of a major strike in the medical industry!
There's nothing new under the sun. Compared to the still-floating peninsula next door, in Japan, having a background in the police force is everything.

In Shiratori's case, his background is correct, his family connections are a plus, and then there's his professional ability...
The higher-ups in the Ministry of Public Security suddenly realized that this Shiratori Ninzaburo was a breath of fresh air among the detectives in the Metropolitan Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division!

Among detectives who generally rely on detectives to solve cases, Shiratori doesn't really have any close detective friends. As for Isshin Consulting, which appears several times in case files...
I've already said they're a consulting firm; do they understand the concept of police-enterprise cooperation?

Doesn't this further prove Inspector Shiratori's excellence? In a capitalist country, having connections with large corporations and groups is never a disadvantage, but rather a plus.

In addition, although Officer Shiratori's investigative skills are mediocre, he is good at using informants.

These are definitely talents among public security police officers. Wouldn't it be a waste to put them on the rough and ready criminal investigators of the Metropolitan Police Department?

What puzzled the higher-ups in the Ministry of Public Security even more was that Inspector Shiratori's current merits were more than enough for a promotion beyond the usual level.

For officials who have risen through the ranks based on seniority, being promoted through connections is something they utterly despise. But if it's a promotion based on exceptional ability and substantial achievements, then that's a different story.

They were absolutely thrilled.

Especially when they are the superiors of such talents, it's as refreshing as drinking an ice-cold cola on a sweltering summer day.

Isn't this leadership achievement a merit?

Who wouldn't want a fully automated credit-boosting machine?

Since your Criminal Investigation Department is unwilling to accept it, then our Ministry of Public Security will not be so polite.

Less than a week after the incident, a commendation from the Ministry of Public Security was placed on the desk of Criminal Investigation Minister Toshiro Odagiri.

The commendation order lavished praise on Inspector Shiratori Ninzaburo, essentially implying that the credit for this achievement was all thanks to Inspector Shiratori.

Without Inspector Shiratori, we wouldn't have been able to get the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to give the American Embassy an explanation so quickly.

In short, everyone outside says that the credit belongs to us, but we know very well that the credit should go to Inspector Shiratori.

Additionally, if possible, we hope the Criminal Investigation Department can "reluctantly part with" Officer Shiratori and transfer him to their department.

The position and rank are easy to negotiate; as long as you come, you'll be given a police inspector position to start.

The Ministry of Public Security values ​​ability the most, so there is absolutely no phenomenon of waiting for seniority to accumulate.

Yes, in the eyes of the Ministry of Public Security, the reason why Shiratori has not been promoted yet is because he is accumulating seniority in the Criminal Investigation Department.

The words on the commendation order would naturally not be so straightforward; such straightforward words were promised by the Ministry of Public Security when they privately communicated with Shiratori.

To be honest, the promises from the Ministry of Public Security held little appeal for Shiratori.

Because the promotion paths for regular police officers and those for public security police are completely different things. Although both are police officers, these two types of police are inherently from two different systems.

While the regular police system has limitations on promotion based on years of service and seniority, there are many options for advancement to higher levels. Once Shiratori reaches a certain rank, he is perfectly capable of leaving the Criminal Investigation Department.

Police Department and Security Department are departments that Shiratori can choose from.

He could even take up a position at a local police headquarters, not just the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

In other words, while promotions are slower in the regular police system at the beginning, there are more vacancy opportunities later on.

But taking the police route is a different story.

Promotions might be quick and rapid in the early stages. However, while it's easy to get into the police system, it's difficult to leave. Plus, there are naturally fewer open positions within the system compared to other regular police departments.

Other people have many radish pits to choose from, but here they only have one or two, and they have to compete with a bunch of burly radishes.

For non-professional and semi-professional individuals, being a police officer is a shortcut to promotion. But for those with a professional background and considered "orthodox," this place is really quite ordinary.

Although Shiratori doesn't care about the Ministry of Public Security, the fact that they are willing to "speak out for justice" at this time is a sign of respect.

Shiratori simply thanked the Ministry of Public Security for recruiting him and let his subordinates in the Shiratori task force find out about it unintentionally.

A secret is no longer a secret once it is known to more than two people.

Therefore, the higher-ups in the Ministry of Public Security took a liking to Shiratori's abilities and gradually spread rumors within the Criminal Investigation Department that they wanted to transfer him there.

So what decision did Minister Toshiro Odagiri make at this time?

Should we readily agree to the Ministry of Public Security's request to transfer personnel?
Under normal circumstances, or even when Shiratori had just been promoted to inspector, this kind of going along with things would have been acceptable. One could even have gained a favor from Shiratori.

But now and then.

At that time, Shiratori hadn't made any significant contributions, so going to the Ministry of Public Security was a good thing; it was both a way to gain prestige and a path to rapid promotion.

For most people, it's easy to get into the police force but difficult to get out, but that's not the case for Shiratori. The Shiratori family's connections are not to be underestimated.

But now Shiratori has accumulated a lot of merit, and his goal is to get the position of superintendent of the First Investigation Division. If you take him away now, wouldn't that make an enemy?
As for why Shiratori hasn't been promoted yet, the reason is simple: the position of manager is essentially a vacancy with limited openings.

A custom-made radish pit.

Who would have thought that the sturdy white bird would directly block up the radish hole?

The radish that was originally supposed to be put into the pit couldn't get in, but it wasn't good to put the white bird into the radish pit so quickly. However, the commendation from the Ministry of Public Security was indeed an opportunity.

If it were just a matter of internal struggle within the Criminal Investigation Department, it might have continued for a while, but now there are external forces involved.

Odagiri Toshiro immediately instructed his secretary, "Notify the councilor and the head of the First Investigation Division to hold a meeting in an hour."

(End of this chapter)