Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Soon, under Onoda's leadership...

The three people joined the special investigation team.

Kiryu Yaya's gaze swept across their faces one by one, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Of these three people, I actually knew two of them.

Leading the way was Section Chief Ando, ​​the one I'd met once in the elevator, and Fushimi Sanae's superior.

After entering, he first gave a slight bow to Matsumoto Takahiro:

"Commander Matsumoto, excuse me. The General Affairs Department notified me to come and report for duty, saying that the investigation team needs to be reinforced."

Matsumoto Takahiro stood up and nodded slightly in return.

"Section Chief Ando, ​​you've worked hard. Please have a seat."

Section Chief Ando looked around, walked to a desk by the window and sat down. He placed his briefcase at his feet and looked very composed.

He also saw Kiryu Yaya.

However, his gaze only lingered on Kiryu Yaya for a moment, without saying anything. At the time, he had implied to Kiryu Yaya that there was no future in staying in the General Affairs Department, and that he should learn from Fushimi Sanae.

But to his surprise, Kiryu Yaya joined the special investigation team in the blink of an eye, completely overshadowing Fushimi Sanae, whom he had always admired.

This left him with mixed feelings.

And right behind Section Chief Ando was none other than Sanae Fushimi, who was also a trainee like Kiryu Yaya.

She had just been following behind Section Chief Ando, ​​and only after he walked away did Kiryu Yaya get a clear look at her outfit today.

Still sporting her neat and clean short hair, Sanae Fushimi wore a well-fitting light gray suit. Compared to when they met in the elevator, she was less flamboyant and sharp, but her back was ramrod straight.

Sanae Fushimi also saw Yaya Kiryu, and her expression subtly changed.

But she quickly looked away, walked up to Matsumoto Takahiro, bowed, and said:

"Matsumoto no Naka de, I am Fushimi Sanae."

"He was seconded from the Sales and Management Department."

Matsumoto Takahiro also said some polite words.

Kiryu Yaya was slightly puzzled by Fushimi Sanae's arrival. Normally, trainees like him and Fushimi Sanae wouldn't be qualified to be in the Special Investigation Team.

He himself was selected directly by Takahiro Matsumoto.

What about Fushimi Sanae?

Upon further reflection, Kiryu Yaya understood the deeper meaning behind it.

This guy is just trying to claim credit for his work.

If the special investigation team does produce results, and he is the only newcomer among them, then he will naturally be able to gain more attention from the bank as a newcomer.

However, if there are two people, the situation is different.

In other people's understanding, it is very likely that the core members of the special investigation team are in charge of the investigation, while these trainees are responsible for running errands and doing odd jobs.

Kiryu Yaya smacked his lips.

That's really malicious.

Needless to say, this could only be an order from the head of the General Affairs Department, or from Nakajima Konosuke, who was in charge of the General Affairs Department.

The head of the General Affairs Department seems to be surnamed Komori? He's quite the elusive fellow.

Having been in the General Affairs Department for so long, I still haven't met the head of the General Affairs Department.

But since I haven't seen it, it probably wasn't Minister Komori's doing, so it could only be the work of that guy, Konosuke Nakajima.

He knows both Section Chief Ando and Sanae Fushimi.

However, Kiryu Yaya had never seen the third person to enter.

He didn't bow to Matsumoto Takahiro when he came in; he just nodded slightly as a greeting.

Moreover, his tone was very calm, and his self-introduction was very concise:

"Inspection Department, Toru Kazama."

"..."

Matsumoto Takahiro's expression stiffened slightly, but those unfamiliar with him wouldn't notice.

After a pause, he nodded in a normal tone:

"Inspector Kazama came in person. It seems that headquarters is taking this investigation very seriously." Kazama Tetsu didn't reply.

He stared blankly at the only empty desk in the office.

All the other good spots have already been taken.

That table is at the very back.

It faces everyone perfectly.

Kazama Toru walked over decisively, placed his black briefcase on the table, and sat down in the chair without making any unnecessary movements.

Kiryu Yaya twitched the corner of his mouth.

Previously, their special investigation team took advantage of Nakajima Konosuke's inattention to capture Takagi Yusuke first.

But once Konosuke Nakajima realized what was happening, he immediately turned the tables.

If the previous sections chief Ando and Sanae Fushimi were just appetizers, then the inspector Kazama from the Inspection Department is clearly the main event.

The supervisory department holds a rather unique position within the bank.

Although nominally under the General Affairs Department, it actually reports directly to the Executive Board. Search "德旗" on Bing to see the latest chapter!

All prosecutors dispatched by the Ministry of Inspection possess two important powers.

First, it allows access to original documents from any department and at any time.

Second, they can halt any investigation process at any time, as long as they determine that there are problems with "procedural compliance".

Both of these permissions are very powerful.

"Konosuke Nakajima is really ruthless, directly shoving people from the Inspection Department into his team!"

Kiryu Yaya also found it troublesome:

"This is like planting a bomb right into the investigation team."

If something is found.

Kazama Toru can review your evidence collection process to see if it is compliant and legal.

It wastes time and annoys people.

If a suspect is found, Toru Kazama can then question the completeness of the chain of evidence from an auditing perspective.

Needless to say, this will definitely give the suspect and his accomplices time to react.

If you're lucky and the first two steps go smoothly, how do you proceed to the next step?

Therefore, Inspector Kazama could easily use the legitimate reason of "reporting to the Department of Inspection" to stall the investigation.

Nobody knows how long the waiver will last; it could be a day, or it could be a month.

But by then, the daylilies were too cold.

Of course, this is the worst-case scenario.

But now that Konosuke Nakajima has managed to get people in, he probably won't give up until he achieves his goal.

Kiryu Yaya looked at Kazama Toru.

He was sitting behind the table at the very back, looking relaxed, as if he had just come to the office to take a lunch break.

But his gaze kept sweeping across everyone's faces.

Kiryu Yaya was somewhat speechless. Clearly, this was a human-shaped camera.

……

that's it.

The first afternoon after the new member moved in.

There was no welcoming ceremony or warm greetings.

The atmosphere was worse than usual; it was cold and stiff, as if everyone was working in an ice cave.

None of the three new members spoke first.

Their attitude was unclear, but they were clearly up to no good, so the investigation team members did not rush to talk to them.

Section Chief Ando has the best seat; he can see out the window.

He seemed in no hurry at all, slowly surveying the office layout, paying particular attention to the filing cabinets and the copier.

After reading it, he slowly took out a document and began to read it.

Sanae Fushimi sat diagonally opposite Section Chief Ando, ​​with Yuri Chihaya sitting next to her. Yaya Kiryu sat across a long table from her.

The three of them sat in a row.

She arranged her notebook and pen, keeping her head down and looking at the documents in her hands.

That was the investigation team's work briefing.

Sanae Fushimi looked very serious, but Kiryu noticed that she turned the pages very slowly, clearly not absorbing much of what she was reading.

Of the three, the most intriguing was Kazama Toru, who didn't open any of the documents.

He didn't even take out his notebook; he just clasped his hands together and surveyed everyone as if inspecting his territory.

He examined everything closely, from Matsumoto Takahiro's face and Chihaya Yuri's writing hands to Kiryu Yaya's desk.

Finally, it was Takahiro Matsumoto who spoke up, breaking the strange silence.

He cleared his throat and said in a serious tone:

"Now that everyone is here, let me first update you on the progress of the investigation."

"The core clues of the Kanto International Development Project are currently focused on two aspects." "First, the discounted transfer of the old buildings in the East Garden of the Imperial Palace in 1942."

"Secondly, the assessment of the 30 billion yuan credit guarantee in April this year was falsified."

His gaze swept over the three newcomers; judging from their expressions, they already knew all this before they came.

Takahiro Matsumoto was not surprised.

He continued:

"At this stage, we have completed the initial inquiry with Yusuke Takagi of the Osaka branch. And just this afternoon, we had our first meeting with President Kurosaki of Kanto International Development."

"The task for the next week is to investigate the historical financial records of the Kanto International Development Bank."

"The focus should be on related-party transactions and off-balance-sheet financing during the period from the first to the third year of the Heisei era."

His explanation was very clear.

Even new members can understand it.

After listening, Section Chief Ando nodded:

"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Matsumoto. If you need to retrieve customer records from the Kanto region, I can help." "Then I'll have to trouble Section Chief Ando."

Matsumoto Takahiro then looked at Kazama Toru:

"Does the Ministry of Supervision have any additional requirements regarding the investigation team's procedures?"

This is what he is most concerned about now.

You don't have to help, but please don't dig holes or cause trouble.

Kazama Toru, who had been observing silently, finally spoke:

"There are no special requirements. I'm just here to observe, so please don't be nervous."

"Of course, if I discover any problems, I will immediately alert everyone."

His tone was flat, as if he were listening in.

But in Kiryu Yaya's view, things were clearly not that simple.

"He's saying he has no demands now, which is like lowering our guard, but he might do something big later."

Kiryu Yaya didn't look at Kazama Toru anymore, instead looking down at the old files of Kanto International, his mind racing as he analyzed the current situation. Kazama Toru's arrival.

This means they need to be more careful with every move they make afterward.

There must be no oversights in any step of the process.

Thinking of this, Kiryu Yaya suddenly had a thought.

If Kazama Toru was placed there by Nakajima Konosuke, then who is Section Chief Ando working for?

Kiryu's thoughts are in flux.

Section Chief Ando is a veteran of the Sales and Management Department, and the Managing Director in charge of the Sales and Management Department is Masahiro Yamazaki.

According to Matsumoto Takahiro, Yamazaki Masahiro is a key figure in the Kanto faction.

Section Chief Ando is definitely a member of the Kanto faction.

Naturally, they couldn't possibly be on the same page as the Kansai faction.

Kiryu Yaya noticed that Matsumoto Takahiro was looking at him. The two exchanged a brief glance and understood each other's meaning without saying a word.

"The situation is dangerous. We're surrounded by enemies. We must break this deadlock, or we'll be trapped and die sooner or later." The office fell silent again.

Everyone seems to have their own ideas.

Sanae Fushimi finally put down the briefing she was holding. She looked at everyone, and finally couldn't help but look at Yaya Kiryu.

Her lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she said nothing.

"Chief Matsumoto".

Sanae Fushimi asked Takahiro Matsumoto:

"Excuse me, I'd like to confirm something."

"Is there a clear timeline for this investigation into Kanto International? I mean, do we need to complete the preliminary evidence gathering within a certain specified timeframe?"

"I have a time plan."

Takahiro Matsumoto explained:

"Complete the sorting of key clues and secure evidence by the end of this month."

"This is the general direction of the investigation team. The specific timing will depend on the progress of subsequent file retrieval and interviews, which is beyond our precise control." "Does Fushimi-san have any good ideas?"

Fushimi Sanae was surprised that Matsumoto Takahiro would ask for her opinion so soon after she arrived.

Was it a test of her abilities, or a suppression and warning?

She thought for a long time before finally answering cautiously:

"I just reviewed the previous investigation report and found that Kanto International Development conducted an asset swap between Heisei 1 and Heisei 3."

"It wasn't a large-scale operation, and it was done through several affiliated companies."

"But I found that the timing of these asset swaps was very close to the time when the old buildings of the Imperial Palace were transferred."

"Perhaps we could investigate these related companies."

"If the investigation team needs it, I can access their business registration information."

"it is good."

Matsumoto Takahiro nodded:

"I'll trouble you to follow up on this lead." This is a good lead as well.

Compared to the other two, Fushimi Sanae was clearly less of a threat.

Kazama Toru sat at the very back and listened to the entire conversation between the two without offering any opinion, except for glancing at Fushimi Sanae.

Kiryu Yaya, who had been observing silently, took in everyone's reactions.

"If Fushimi Sanae is willing to take initiative, we can let her do it."

Kiryu Yaya thought:

"Kazama Toru is just one person with one pair of eyes. Although he keeps a close eye on us at all times, there are so many people that he can't possibly keep an eye on them all at the same time."

Just then, the system's semi-transparent text unfolded in front of him.

[Intelligence Retrieval - lv.3 Triggered (1/5)]

[Rare Information: Kazama Toru's Investigation Direction]

"It was indeed indirectly instructed by Konosuke Nakajima that Toru Kazama joined the special investigation team. However, Konosuke Nakajima did not explicitly tell him that he needed to stop the investigation, but gave him a more subtle instruction: to observe whether the investigation team would expand the scope of the investigation to old cases before 1945."

"Between 1960 and 1970, Mitsubishi Bank had a batch of credit files related to real estate development in the Kanto region that were sealed separately and not included in the regular filing system. The decision to seal these files was personally signed by Nakajima Konosuke, the then head of the General Affairs Department, on the grounds that 'the retroactive period had expired,' but the actual reason was deeply related to the subsequent asset formation process of Kanto International Development." "Kazama Toru's focus was on confirming whether the investigation team had discovered the existence of these sealed files, or whether they intended to extend the investigation to that period."

It turned out to be the case.

No wonder he kept an eye on everyone's every move.

They definitely came with a purpose.

Kiryu Yaya suddenly realized something. He remained calm on the surface and slowly drank a few sips of tea, but in reality, he was carefully pondering the new information he had just obtained.

"I remember that period was around the time the Plaza Accord was signed, probably between 1984 and 1985."

The Plaza Accord had a huge impact on the economy, affecting many businesses, but this point in time could very well be the time when Kanto's asset development was on the rise.

At that time, Kanto Asset Development may have already colluded with senior executives of Mitsubishi Bank and done something.

The files that Konosuke Nakajima sealed away on the grounds that "the retroactive period has expired" are traces left from this period.

Kiryu Yaya narrowed his eyes.

We've finally found Nakajima Konosuke's weakness.

Whether it's the transfer of the old Imperial Palace buildings, the Heisei asset restructuring, or this year's 30 billion yen credit line, all of these can be traced back to the archives; they are all matters that are out in the open. But the real crux lies in a batch of documents that were sealed separately between 1959 and 1960.

Kiryu Yaya realized that he needed to fabricate a reason so that Matsumoto Takahiro could legitimately access those files.

He glanced at Kazama Toru.

More importantly, it's about not triggering the guy's alertness.

Kiryu Yaya quickly came up with an idea.

Tomorrow is the weekend, and even if Kazama Toru is very diligent, he can't possibly keep an eye on the investigation team 24/7.

The archives sealed in 1959 (Showa 59) are stored in an underground vault.

He had been there several times and was very familiar with the place, so he could enter again without attracting attention.

However, he still needs an application, a formal request for his personnel file signed by Prime Minister Matsumoto.

This action must be completed before Kazama Toru can react.

This weekend presents the best window of opportunity.

However, Kiryu Yaya was also somewhat curious. What exactly was in the files that Nakajima Konosuke was currently hiding? Why was he going to such lengths to conceal it, even sending people into the investigation team to keep a close eye on things?

The meeting ended ten minutes later.

That's all for today.

Takahiro Matsumoto closed the document in his hand:

"Thank you all for your hard work. Please familiarize yourselves with the materials at hand. We will officially begin the investigation next Monday."

One by one, the people got up and left.

Section Chief Ando was the first to walk out of the office, with Sanae Fushimi following behind him as always.

However, before reaching the door, she quickly glanced at Kiryu Yaya, her eyes seemingly filled with complex emotions. After looking at him, she pursed her lips and left with Section Chief Ando.

Kazama Toru did not rush to leave.

He leisurely tidied up the tables and chairs, slowly unscrewed the thermos, took a sip of water, and then left, looking extremely relaxed.

Soon, only the three elderly members of the investigation team remained in the office.

After confirming that everyone else had left and the office door was closed so that their conversation wouldn't be overheard, Matsumoto Takahiro finally spoke, saying, "Our opponents are moving faster than I expected."

Chihaya Yuri gripped the pen tightly in her hand:

"They came fully prepared, especially Inspector Kazama Toru. Even if he does nothing, his presence in the investigation team alone is enough to slow us down."

Matsumoto Takahiro sighed, feeling somewhat troubled.

He then looked at Kiryu Yaya and asked:

"Kiryu-kun, what's your opinion?"

Kiryu Yaya leaned back in his chair, and after both of their attention was focused on him, he spoke:

"Deputy Minister, Chihaya-senpai, I've been thinking about something."

Matsumoto Takahiro raised his eyebrows slightly:

"What's the problem?"

"How exactly did Kanto International Development, the predecessor of Kanto Asset Development, come about before acquiring the former Imperial Palace building?"

"I think every behemoth has an initial stage." "The Kanto assets are no exception."

The two paused, then began to think.

This is indeed a very good idea.

The current Kanto International Development seems impeccable and difficult to deal with, but when Kanto Assets first started, it must have been very weak, and its methods were certainly not as watertight as they are now.

He put down his teacup and glanced between the two of them, as if waiting for them to process the weight of the question.

"The assets in the Kanto region did not appear out of thin air."

Kiryu Yaya continued:

"Our current investigation begins with the transfer in April of Showa 61 (1942). But Kanto Asset Development did not appear out of thin air. It existed before Showa 61 (1942), and already had assets, business, and bank credit records."

Chihaya Yuri's pen hovered over the paper, her gaze slightly narrowed:

"Are you saying that Kanto Asset Development may have already had dealings with Mitsubishi Bank before 1942?"

"Very likely."

Kiryu Yaya nodded, speaking slowly but with unusual certainty: "If Kanto Asset Development was already a credit client of our bank before 1942, then the asset restructuring after 1962 and the 30 billion yen credit line in April of this year are no longer two isolated events, but a financial chain that has lasted for at least six or seven years."

He paused, then added:

"However, the earliest archives we currently have only date back to 1942."

Matsumoto Takahiro didn't speak, but his expression clearly became serious.

Kiryu Yaya's deduction is reasonable and well-founded.

If that's the case, then it's definitely worth investigating.

Kiryu Yaya didn't continue. He had already given away enough information; the rest was up to Matsumoto Takahiro to decide.

"I think that makes a lot of sense."

Matsumoto Takahiro quickly sorted out his thoughts and said slowly:

"The starting point was 1945, but that wasn't the real beginning."

"Kiryu-kun, do you mean our investigation should extend backwards?"

Kiryu Yaya corrected his wording: "Vice Minister, the transfer of the old Imperial Palace building, the asset restructuring in the first year of Heisei, and the 30 billion yen credit line in April of this year are three consecutive events in time. However, if Kanto Asset Development had already established a relationship with the bank before 1942, then the transfer in 1942 was just a link in the chain, not the starting point."

At this point, Kiryu Yaya paused, his tone becoming serious:

"If our investigation only looks at the middle link, we will never see the whole picture."

The office fell silent.

Kiryu Yaya's words made the other two think about a new possibility.

After a moment, Takahiro Matsumoto made his decision.

He picked up the internal phone and dialed a number.

"Saved library, Hashimoto."

"Hashimoto-senpai, this is Matsumoto. The investigation team needs to retrieve a batch of old files, from 1956 to 1961, related to real estate credit records in the Kanto region. If you have any relevant files, please index them for me, and we'll go there tomorrow morning to confirm."

The second boom in Japanese real estate began in 1985, the 60th year of the Showa era, with the signing of the Plaza Accord.

If Kanto Asset Development really did have some kind of collusion with Mitsubishi Bank.

"If we go back three or four years, we should be able to find it." There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. Then, Yoshio Hashimoto's slow, deliberate voice came through:

"From 1956 to 1961... Okay, I'll look through the index first. You can come tomorrow."

Thank you.

Matsumoto Takahiro hung up the phone and looked at Kiryu Yaya:

"I'll sign the file transfer application first thing tomorrow morning. You'll come with me."

Kiryu Yaya didn't ask any further questions, he simply nodded:

"clear."

Matsumoto Takahiro didn't explain much, only adding one sentence:

"Don't think too much tonight. See you at the repository first thing tomorrow morning."

It was already 7 p.m. when Kiryu Yaya left the office.

It was completely dark outside.

Even as autumn approaches, the summer nights in Tokyo still carry a humid and hot feeling. On his way back to the staff dormitory in Sanbancho, Kiryu Yaya went over his tasks for tomorrow once more.

First and foremost, he absolutely must not voluntarily reveal that he is aware of the archives from 1959 (Showa 59).

This is the bottom line.

Secondly, if we want to find these files, we must avoid the sight of these people today.

Otherwise, the files might be transferred, or Konosuke Nakajima might realize what's happening.

Then all our efforts will be in vain.

However, he had already found the thread in the mystery and handed it to Matsumoto Takahiro. From now on, he didn't need to do anything else; he just needed to keep walking forward.

"Go to the repository tomorrow morning to confirm if the file exists."

He walked back, but his mind kept racing:

"Then we need to determine the contents of the file and what truth it hides."

Kiryu Yaya took a deep breath.

He had a vague feeling that those old archives sealed away in 1959 (Showa 59) would definitely be an important breakthrough.