Chapter 42: Approval from the Metropolitan Police Department

This unexpected questioning resulted in a crushing defeat for the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office. Before the three Special Investigation Department prosecutors even stepped out of the Metropolitan Police Department building, they could hear the gloating laughter of the uniformed and suited officers echoing behind them.

For the usually lawless Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, this was nothing short of deeply humiliating.

In Tokyo, they had always strutted around as if they owned the place!

As mentioned earlier, the predecessor of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office was the "Secret Hoard Special Investigation Department" established by General MacArthur.

In the aftermath of the war, MacArthur discovered that roughly 24.00% billion yen in materials and property—equivalent to about 350 to 400 million US dollars in the 1950s—had been covertly transferred elsewhere by former bureaucrats before the defeat, leaving them untraceable. Enraged by this, MacArthur believed that the entire old system was rotten to the core and required a heavy-handed response. Knowing that the intricate web of connections among the former Japanese bureaucrats would yield nothing if they investigated themselves, MacArthur recruited a group of individuals from Japanese-Americans with U.S. study backgrounds and from embassies in Japan and the United States to form the aforementioned Special Investigation Department. Backed by MacArthur, these special prosecutors wielded immense power, systematically cracking down on former high-ranking bureaucrats and large corporations to recover a massive sum of money.

This organization later evolved into the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office. Upon its inception, calling it a branch of the U.S. CIA would not have been an exaggeration.

As time passed and the 1970s arrived, following the revision of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan and the waning of convenient pretexts for direct intervention, American influence largely withdrew from the prosecution system. Though they no longer directly controlled the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, they still maintained considerable behind-the-scenes influence over it. Everyone who managed to secure a job at the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office was a super elite in the truest sense. For instance, among the twenty-three new recruits who passed the exams into the prosecutors' office this year, nine came from the University of Tokyo, eleven from Chuo University, and the remaining three were top-tier law students from the prestigious Imperial Universities. Precisely because of this American backing, even a Korean-female prosecutor was able to enter the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office—something that would have been utterly impossible in traditional, conservative Japan.

The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office had never deigned to look at other departments with anything resembling respect.

Regarding various crimes, as long as the prosecutors' office deemed it necessary, they possessed completely independent investigative authority.

This was precisely why the Metropolitan Police Department's Investigation Division 2 always found itself at a disadvantage when confronting the prosecutors' office, as these individuals answered solely to the Minister of Justice.

Yet today, they had actually suffered a setback at the hands of an ordinary forensic pathologist!

Managing to finally exit the Metropolitan Police Department building, Prosecutor Kamibayashi, the leader, saw that no one was around and flew into a rage, kicking a pile of pigeon feed on the front lawn of the Metropolitan Police Department so that it scattered wildly into the air. "Bastard monk!"

The faces of all three prosecutors were flushed a dark, liverish hue. Another Korean-female prosecutor was grinding her teeth in hatred, veins bulging on her forehead. Though her eyes were naturally small, she clenched her fists and grit her teeth so hard that her eyes narrowed into mere slits. "That unyielding dog! Let's drag him to a black site and detain him for a few days. I refuse to believe a mere forensic pathologist has no weaknesses!"

"Shut your mouth, Lin!" Prosecutor Kamibayashi barked. "The Metropolitan Police Department is right next to us!"

Only then did the Korean-female prosecutor realize she had lost her composure, though she remained unreconciled. "We cannot let this matter go! He is provoking us, provoking the prosecutors' office, provoking all 132 assistant prosecutors, and challenging the authority of the entire Ministry of Justice!"

"I said, shut! your! mouth!" Prosecutor Kamibayashi grew even angrier. "Do you even know who he is? That young punk is a scion of the Kazoku peerage; the Kasumigaseki Peerage Hall is right across the street from us! A University of Tokyo professor is his grandfather, the director of the Tokyo Cultural Exchange Center is his father, and Professor Okochi is his mentor. If you detain him without a reasonable justification, are you planning to challenge the entire peerage, the medical community, the cultural circles, and the Metropolitan Police Department all at once?"

"This..." The female prosecutor finally hesitated.

Striking at the Metropolitan Police Department was easy; they had intended to use Sueshi Sunezuki as a wedge against the Metropolitan Police Department all along. The primary mission of the prosecutors' office was to monitor both the political and business spheres. However, the prosecutors' office also had its reservations—they had to fiercely guard their reputation and social standing. The moment they became tainted with any blemish, their infinitely glamorous prosecutorial careers would immediately come to an end, and it went without saying what would happen once they lost that status.

"Then are we just going to let this matter drop?" another prosecutor asked, deeply resentful.

"How is that possible?" Prosecutor Kamibayashi said bitterly. "Let's just watch and wait for now."

"He is merely a forensic pathologist; there will always come a time when he makes a misjudgment. Once he makes a mistake, he's finished."

"Just wait."

Meanwhile, the atmosphere over at the Metropolitan Police Department was entirely different. With the prosecutors' office retreating in defeat, the three senior superintendents of the Metropolitan Police Department were all beaming with smiles.

"Little brother Sueshi, you were magnificent!"

"Sueshi-kun, you truly are formidable."

"The regional precincts always said you were not only exceptionally skilled in your work but also remarkably articulate in your reports. Today, our Metropolitan Police Department has truly witnessed it firsthand."

The three senior superintendents at the Metropolitan Police Department all gave Sueshi Sunezuki a thumbs-up. Among them, the inspector who had previously tried Sudo, Tanaka, Kuwano, and Takasaka took the initiative to signal Sueshi Sunezuki. "Let's properly introduce ourselves. I am Yanagisawa, an inspector from the Police Affairs Department. In the future, if you have any business at the Metropolitan Police Department, just come find me."

"Hello, Superintendent Yanagisawa," Sueshi Sunezuki greeted the inspector politely. "A pleasure to meet you; I look forward to your guidance."

Ikeda Erena noticed that although Sueshi Sunezuki had won a sweeping victory, his mood was far from pleasant.

Emerging from the conference room, Sudo was dragged off to verify statements, while Inspector Himura followed Sueshi Sunezuki outside. Beads of sweat dotted the inspector's forehead as he looked at Sueshi Sunezuki with a newfound sense of respect. "Magnificent, little brother Sueshi. I was genuinely worried earlier."

"Is the prosecutors' office always like this?" Sueshi Sunezuki's expression remained detached.

"They stir up trouble every once in a while," Inspector Himura sighed. "They targeted Division 2 a few times, and now it's our Division 1's turn. Their goal is to force Division Head Mikasa to bow his head and admit fault, so that he won't dare to defy the prosecutors' office for the rest of his tenure."

"A declaration of surrender?" Ikeda Erena asked angrily.

"Precisely. That's what waving a white flag means." Halfway down the corridor, Inspector Himura suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Before they knew it, Sueshi Sunezuki and Ikeda Erena suddenly realized they were surrounded by an army of suits!

Thirty to forty male and female detectives from Investigation Division 1, dressed in plain clothes and led by Inspector Himura, bowed in unison toward Sueshi Sunezuki to express their gratitude. "Thank you so much, Sueshi-kun. You helped us uphold the dignity of Division 1."

With that, these true elites of the Metropolitan Police Department lowered their proud waists in unison. "Thank! You!"

The pupils of the tall beauty dilated. At that very moment, she realized just how terrifying a feat Sueshi Sunezuki had accomplished.

To make the proud elites of Investigation Division 1 bow... Erena looked at Sueshi Sunezuki's back with a complex expression.

Once upon a time, she too had dreamed of entering Investigation Division 1 of the Metropolitan Police Department to punish evil and uphold justice on the front lines!

"If you truly wish to thank me, take me to the cafeteria," Sueshi Sunezuki said, neither servile nor overbearing, his every movement carrying an effortless, gentle elegance. "I hear the katsu curry at the Metropolitan Police Department cafeteria is quite delicious?"

"Right this way. And please make sure to try the unagi don as well."

The main cafeteria of the Metropolitan Police Department was vast, as it had to constantly cater to the needs of tens of thousands of personnel. The reference to katsu curry that Sueshi Sunezuki made was already an old trope within police circles.

As mentioned earlier, there was the "Demon Hachibei," the legendary Hiratsuka Hachibei of the Japanese police force, who once broke a major criminal's psychological defenses with a single bowl of katsu curry: a man had kidnapped a four-year-old boy and demanded ransom, and although the family paid, the boy was still murdered. After the criminal was captured, he stubbornly refused to confess, so Demon Hachibei bought him a bowl of deep-fried pork cutlet rice out of his own pocket.

Back in the 1960s, deep-fried food was a luxury dish. Breathing in the aroma of the katsu curry, the criminal was reminded of his impoverished childhood and the memory of sharing a pork cutlet he bought with wages among his eleven siblings. Tears streamed down his face as he ate and wept, ultimately confessing.

In reality, the authenticity of this story was questionable—Hachibei firmly denied it in his later autobiography, though some claimed that such actions violated police regulations and easily provided ammunition for critics (like the prosecution gods in the prosecutors' office) to ruin a veteran's reputation late in life.

In short, ever since then, katsu curry had become a recurring motif, similar in implication to drinking tea together.

Sitting down, Sueshi Sunezuki ordered a katsu curry and an unagi don. Sitting across from him, Erena could tell that his mood was still not particularly high. "Are you in a bad mood?"

"Yes. So, you see, Erena-shisho, just how difficult is it to accomplish things without offending anyone?" Sueshi Sunezuki offered a bitter, self-deprecating smile and shook his head. "The moment I achieve even a shred of success, the prosecutors' office tries to use me as a club against the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department tosses me out to deal with the prosecutors' office in turn. It's a good thing I'm just a doctor... I only ever wanted to state the facts clearly."

With that, the man wore a desolate expression and helplessly shook his head.

"We all want to state the facts clearly, Sueshi. Isn't the Metropolitan Police Department standing by you? Division 1 thanked you, and besides, there's me—Otsuka Precinct will support you too!" Seeing Sueshi Sunezuki looking like this, Ikeda Erena felt a pang in her heart and quickly comforted him. "It's not as terrible as you think. How could you possibly lose?"

Not knowing what else to do, the tall beauty simply used her fork to spear a large piece of eel from her own bowl and placed it in Sueshi Sunezuki's bowl. "Here, half of my eel is for you. Don't be upset, we are all on your side!"

"I only won, so they are on my side. If I had lost, well..." Watching Erena's clumsy attempts at comforting him, Sueshi Sunezuki couldn't help but chuckle, and his mood improved considerably.

Do you really trust me that much?

The essence of a police officer is bureaucratic; she was the only one who genuinely wanted to stand by his side.

What a foolish woman.

However, my dear Erena-shisho, have you noticed that throughout all of this, none of the Metropolitan Police Department elites even glanced at you or directed a single word toward you?

Sueshi Sunezuki thought to himself that after this incident, he should have secured the preliminary approval of the Metropolitan Police Department.

Still, it was far from enough; it could only be considered a good start.

Damn it, the reason he never wanted to join the Metropolitan Police Department in the first place was precisely because stepping foot inside meant being bogged down by all the tedious political nonsense between Division 1 and Division 2, Criminal Affairs and Public Safety, the police and the prosecutors—things completely unrelated to performing autopsies. Sueshi Sunezuki had no intention of participating in this dirty politics; what he needed was the platform of the Metropolitan Police Department to provide opportunities to trigger soul-binding contracts, gather more spiritual energy to strengthen his abilities, explore the truth behind his transmigration, and uncover the origin of the gemstone on the back of his hand.

Of course, if he could steadily rise through the ranks and achieve both fame and fortune in the process, that would naturally be even better.

"Let's change the subject," Sueshi Sunezuki said after a moment of contemplation, his mood much improved. Seeing his complexion brighten, Erena had no objections.

"Are you wearing your police uniform again today?" Sueshi Sunezuki stole a glance at the tall beauty's taut, full neckline. "It really suits you."

"Because I had to give a formal report today, so..." Ikeda Erena felt Sueshi Sunezuki's gaze, a ripple stirring in her heart. "I'm in field operations anyway; when do I ever wear a uniform every day? I only wear it for monthly meetings... Do you really think the uniform suits me?"

"To be honest, it looks fantastic!" Sueshi Sunezuki gave a thumbs-up. "I'd heard long ago that the Metropolitan Police Department is overflowing with beauties, and seeing it today proves the rumors are true. But I must say, even short hair pales in comparison to you, and very few with long hair could match you either."

One could easily tell whether a female police officer worked in the field or indoors simply by the length of her hair. Short hair didn't necessarily mean field work, but long hair definitely meant administrative or internal duties. The Metropolitan Police Department truly was a gathering place for beauties; along the way, Sueshi Sunezuki had spotted several whose looks were by no means inferior to Erena's. After all, Erena possessed foreign ancestry, which gave her facial features a slightly sharper line, making her not quite the absolute pinnacle in terms of pure facial aesthetics.

Yet when it came to figure, not a single beauty in the Metropolitan Police Department could compare to Erena. The typical Japanese women's traits—short legs, O-shaped legs, and a lack of defined waistlines—were completely eclipsed by Erena's 170-centimeter stature, long slender legs, and perfect waistline.

Was he actually complimenting her?

A faint blush crept across Erena's striking face, and her light brown eyes shimmered with ripples.

As expected of you, even your compliments are phrased in a way that makes it impossible to feel the slightest bit resentful!

It's just a pity this man so rarely utters sweet words.

If he really likes it, occasionally wearing it for him to see wouldn't be entirely out of the question...

"Though that beauty over there is also quite striking. I wonder which department she's from." Just as Ikeda Erena was attempting to guess Sueshi Sunezuki's thoughts, the man suddenly nudged his chin, gesturing for her to look across the room. "She seems to be peeking at us."

Hearing this, Erena looked in the direction indicated and indeed vaguely sensed a gaze lingering on them.

About fifteen meters away, opposite Inspector Yanagisawa—who had just participated in the prosecutors' interrogation—sat a young female police officer. She appeared very young, dressed in the standard female police commuting uniform featuring a pencil skirt, low heels, and flesh-colored tights. A cascade of loose, shoulder-length hair fell without any hair ornaments, and the intensely cold, formidable aura she naturally exuded formed an invisible barrier of deterrence that kept anyone from daring to approach her. Her expressive almond eyes were laced with indifference, and her soft yet sharply defined eyebrows seemed like drawn swords as she cast a look of curiosity and scrutiny toward their table.

Yet she was so youthful; her exquisite, naturally flawless facial features did not look aged by her cold demeanor; instead, one could faintly sense the playfulness and charm of a young girl. She possessed a lovely apple-cheeked face, and her relatively long mid-face, delicate nose, and thin lips involuntarily brought to mind the archetypal image of a Yamato Nadeshiko.

Unlike Erena's deliberate coldness and detached strength, this female police officer's pride, much like the refined nobility radiating from Sueshi Sunezuki, seemed to bloom from her very bones. She had already noticed that Sueshi Sunezuki and Erena were looking at her, yet her expression remained completely unruffled, her entire being radiating an aura of seasoned observation.

Damn it! The moment Erena saw that female police officer's face, she knew her own looks were definitely inferior to the other woman's.

Is this guy still looking?

The tall beauty regretted it instantly; she should never have changed the subject!

"Is that him?"

Fifteen meters away, the female police officer was questioning Inspector Yanagisawa.

"Yes, it's him," Inspector Yanagisawa said in a low voice. "However, to be able to tightly lock down the existing evidence in a circular self-defense so that the prosecutors' office couldn't find a single breakthrough under those circumstances... considering his talent, perhaps he is a true monster."

"The prosecutors' office only targeted my father because he recently took office, hoping to use this guy to strike at him," the female police officer said coldly. Bathed in natural light, her fair skin carried a rosy tint, accentuating the faint smile on her face. "Being from a distinguished scholarly family, having some competence is to be expected."

"That phone call from Minato Ward earlier..." The female police officer recalled something.

"Yes. Minato Ward reported a fall from a height case. It might be a criminal matter, and Investigation Division 1 is preparing to send people to investigate," Inspector Yanagisawa described the situation.

"Have Section Chief Himura go, and call him and that woman along as well," the female police officer commanded faintly. The police badge on her chest denoted the rank of Police Inspector, yet she dared to give direct orders to a Senior Superintendent as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"I only believe in seeing things with my own eyes."