Chapter 48: Riichi from the Sidelines!

At 7:00 PM, at the National Police Agency located in Kasumigaseki Sakuradamon, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.

The National Police Agency and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department are two neighboring buildings. The former is a national-level police administrative organization, while the latter is a direct local agency. Generally speaking, the National Police Agency is entirely staffed by bureaucratic positions; in other words, there are none of the previously mentioned "field-promoted" officers, only administrative bureaucrats.

Sixty-three-year-old Commissioner-General of the National Police Agency, Kaneko Zanduro, was walking slowly on a treadmill until a subordinate brought him urgent news.

"What? The Metropolitan Police Department actually demanded a lockdown of Fuji TV?" Upon hearing the news, the elderly Commissioner-General hurriedly pressed the stop button, took a cup of water and a towel from his secretary, and looked puzzledly through the window at the Metropolitan Police Department building across the street. "Such a thing has actually happened?"

The Director of the Commissioner-General's Secretariat, standing nearby, nodded, his expression completely calm: "It is said that a female announcer went missing inside the Fuji TV Odaiba building. After investigation, the Metropolitan Police Department believes she might still be inside the building, and possibly already... therefore, they decided to lock down the building."

"The matter has actually been escalated all the way here?" The Commissioner-General was advanced in age, his energy far from what it used to be. Hearing about such troublesome matters immediately filled him with aversion. "This is a major incident; the entire Kanto region will be paying attention. What on earth is the Metropolitan Police Department doing?!"

"Yes, which is why we are here to ask for your opinion, Commissioner." The Secretariat Director bowed slightly. "Fuji TV has also notified Dentsu, Hakuhodo, and Nippon Life Insurance."

"Tsk!" The Commissioner-General felt the matter becoming increasingly troublesome. He directly interrupted the Secretariat Director: "I have already gone to sleep."

"Commissioner?" The Secretariat Director hesitated for a brief moment before nodding. "As you command."

"As for matters at the television station, let Fuji TV resolve them themselves. As for matters in Tokyo, they should naturally be resolved by the Metropolitan Police Department." Commissioner Kaneko raised his graying eyebrows. "I have already fallen asleep. Before the Metropolitan Police Department officially submits its report, I know nothing about this matter."

"Understood."

"However, considering the possibility of complications, you should first draft a report to be submitted to the Cabinet."

"Understood."

While the National Police Agency was making its decision, the Metropolitan Police Department also received a report from Superintendent Hanawa.

On the desk in the office of the Superintendent-General sat a large wooden "Matsunomi" style bento box. Superintendent-General Eiji Watanabe was eating his dinner. Placed flat across the wooden box were two grilled eels, beneath which were rice and side dishes, accompanied by a bowl of miso soup, chilled Japanese tofu sprinkled generously with condiments, and a cup of barley tea.

Knock, knock.

The door was knocked, and two men entered, bowing together to the Superintendent-General.

One of them was younger, serving as the dedicated driver for the Superintendent-General (namely, the chauffeur), with the rank of Superintendent, while the other was the Head of the Criminal Affairs Department of the Metropolitan Police Department, Mouri, holding the rank of Senior Superintendent.

"What did they say over there?" Eiji Watanabe asked unhurriedly.

"Commissioner Kaneko said he has already gone to sleep," said Mouri, the Head of the Criminal Affairs Department, with a slight trace of mockery. "It is truly rare for an elderly person to sleep so soundly."

"Total-General, isn't Hanawa's request for a lockdown far too rash? He has no qualification to represent our headquarters." The driver, Okada, was quite young, only twenty-six or seven years old.

"Based on current intelligence, Hanawa's decision is correct." Eiji Watanabe frowned. He put down his chopsticks, walked over to the window, and stared at the National Police Agency building opposite. "As for that person at the National Police Agency, it's quite normal, isn't it? Heh heh."

Both Department Head Mouri and Superintendent Okada let out a few muffled chuckles from the bottom of their hearts.

Residence puppets are always like this.

As mentioned previously, candidates serving as the Superintendent-General can be divided into three major categories: the Criminal Affairs faction, the Public Safety faction, and the Residence Puppets. The same applies to the Commissioner-General of the National Police Agency.

So, what is a Residence Puppet?

In short, taking the Commissioner-General of the National Police Agency as an example, before Zanduro Kaneko assumed office as Commissioner-General at the age of fifty-nine, he had never engaged in any work related to police affairs or criminal investigation, nor did he understand anything about the field. He graduated from the Department of Marine Science at the University of Tokyo and had previously worked in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Lacking both prestige and competence, it was destined that this Commissioner-General must tightly cling to the Cabinet's thighs and obey the Cabinet's commands unconditionally. Similarly, lacking a loyal faction and professional knowledge, it meant this Commissioner-General could only delegate power downward because he understood nothing about criminal investigation, espionage, or police affairs; whatever his subordinates told him was what he believed.

Although Eiji Watanabe hailed from the elite career track, he had worked his way up step-by-step from Assistant Inspector. From the bottom of his heart, he despised such Residence Puppets who knew nothing yet could still become Commissioner-General and act as his direct superior.

However, no matter how much he despised the Commissioner's lack of competence, Eiji Watanabe knew that the position of Superintendent-General was the pinnacle of his own career. Barring any accidents, he was destined to be a notch below Commissioner Kaneko for the rest of his life.

The reason for this is extremely complex, involving Japanese history, culture, and bureaucratic systems. To put it in the simplest terms, the Superintendent-General is the highest rank among "administrative officials," representing that this level still deals with specific affairs. The Commissioner-General of the National Police Agency is already a "political official," and at this level, one is only responsible for management and the formulation of general directions and policies, no longer dealing with specific affairs.

Administrative officials adopt the "appointment system," meaning they require a Cabinet Minister to represent a ministry, nominate them, and seek the Prime Minister's consent before being appointed.

Political officials adopt the "imperial appointment system," meaning they are directly appointed by the Prime Minister of the Cabinet.

Reaching the level of Superintendent-General already hits the ceiling for administrative officials; there is no mechanism for further upward promotion. Theoretically, during his tenure, Eiji Watanabe should already be contacting local autonomous corporate bodies, large conglomerates, or key industry associations to secure his post-retirement placement. Positions such as senior corporate advisors, industry association directors, or local group representatives would be waiting for him. Even if he continued in politics, he would mostly be relegated to the sidelines and transferred to other nominal sinecures.

However, Eiji Watanabe was not resigned to this!

He was only fifty years old this year, which made him a prime, vigorous member of the younger-to-middle generation in Japan's environment. Precisely because he was young, he still had a full fifteen years until the mandatory retirement age of sixty-five!

A single term as Superintendent-General lasts about two and a half years. Could he really just muddle through and waste the next thirteen years like this?

Yet, if he wanted to continue climbing upward, he had to achieve extraordinary accomplishments to break this convention and be considered by the Cabinet.

Hanawa probably took this point into consideration as well.

"Inform Hanawa that the Metropolitan Police Department approves his request for a lockdown, and the Investigation First Division will be dispatched immediately. As for the television station..." Eiji Watanabe thought for a moment and revealed a slight smile, knowing what Fuji TV was afraid of. "The Metropolitan Police Department can agree to live broadcasting for the station, but only after the body of Ms. Hironaka has been found."

"Superintendent!" Department Head Mouri was startled upon hearing this demand from Eiji Watanabe and quickly said, "Making such a condition means there is no intention to negotiate at all! Superintendent, does this mean the lockdown will continue as long as the person is not found for a day?"

"I trust Hanawa's judgment. The person is definitely still inside the building. As for who is anxious, Fuji TV will be much more anxious than us," Eiji Watanabe said coldly. "Kameyama will find a way. We'll see how to handle it then. Make an exorbitant demand, and bargain on the spot."

"Understood."

Seeing the expression on the Superintendent's face, Department Head Mouri and Driver Okada knew that Eiji Watanabe intended to take responsibility for this matter. For a moment, they felt both excitement and worry—danger and opportunity always coexist.

The notification from the Metropolitan Police Department was extremely swift, and Fuji TV was immediately informed of the department's conditions.

Live broadcasting was permitted, but only after the Metropolitan Police Department found the body, and any questions raised by the television station had to be vetted by the Metropolitan Police Department in advance.

"Are you kidding me!" President Kameyama was beside himself with anger, roaring at Superintendent Hanawa: "Is this your attitude toward negotiations? Immediately have Superintendent-General Eiji Watanabe speak with me personally!"

"This is the headquarters' attitude, conveyed to me precisely by Criminal Affairs Department Head Mouri," Superintendent Hanawa said, feeling immense pressure as well. "The search operation is to be broadcast live, and the headquarters must also bear the pressure of the public. Afterward, the headquarters may even have to personally explain to the Cabinet."

"That is still out of the question!" President Kameyama flatly refused. "You are done here, Superintendent. I will speak with Superintendent Watanabe myself."

"Understood."

Superintendent Hanawa withdrew. Helpless, the senior executives of Fuji TV immediately dialed a few special phone numbers.

Over at the Metropolitan Police Department, after Eiji Watanabe waited briefly, the telephone on his desk rang once more.

How about that? Didn't I say so? The Superintendent signaled his subordinates with his eyes and picked up the phone.

However, upon hearing the voice on the other end, Eiji Watanabe immediately stood up. Even though they were not face-to-face, he slightly bowed his upper body, wearing a look of apprehension: "Yes, yes, I understand. No, the headquarters is not deliberately making things difficult, but this matter is of grave importance and must be considered with utmost caution. Please also understand the headquarters' position... Yes, very well, I will notify the First Division to depart right now."

The heavy black office doors swung wide open. The Superintendent-General, the Criminal Affairs Department Head, and the driver appeared. The numerous clerical personnel working outside the office immediately stood up and bowed. As Eiji Watanabe's footsteps crossed the corridor—whether they were desk clerks, duty officers, colleagues chatting in the hallway, agents buying items from vending machines, or police officers smoking in the smoking room—they gathered as if guided by a premonition. Several people, dozens of people, hundreds of people, they bowed to the Superintendent-General and shifted along with Eiji Watanabe's movement, collapsing like dominoes. The dark clouds formed by suits and uniforms weighed down like a crushing black cloud, blotting out the sky with a single thought.

Until the Superintendent-General stopped in the center of the lobby, a full three hundred-plus people bowed to him once more, like stars orbiting the sun.

"Deploy!"

At the same time, Susumu Uesugi and Erena Ikeda finished their dinner in the restaurant of the Odaiba building and prepared to return home respectively.

"What a fulfilling day it's been. Morning at the District Prosecutors' Office, autopsy at noon, touring Fuji TV in the afternoon, and tonight..." Susumu Uesugi said easily to his partner, "Thank you for accompanying me all day, Master Erena. See you tomorrow."

"Mm, see you tomorrow." Erena Ikeda felt a lingering reluctance, but thinking that the two of them had already spent an entire daytime together, the tall beauty felt quite satisfied. With a slight smile, she let the guy off.

She truly disliked wearing the police uniform and hated wearing stockings even more. A police uniform skirt was simply not designed for fieldwork; movement was restricted, making it inconvenient even to raise one's arms, and running in a skirt was impossible—she could only walk in short, hurried steps.

Moreover, because she was too tall, the crotch of her stockings always kept sliding down, forcing her to secretly pull them up whenever Susumu Uesugi wasn't looking. The sensation of pantyhose wrapping around her legs made Erena very uncomfortable.

She much preferred her usual business suit with trousers and leather shoes—that felt far more liberating.

Of course, it wasn't without its perks; at the very least, she had caught Susumu Uesugi's gaze drifting toward her calves over a hundred times.

If he liked it, she didn't mind wearing them for him to see. The moment she got home, she would definitely take them off first thing!

Erena clenched her fists. Susumu Uesugi was the only reason she would ever voluntarily wear stockings.

When the two of them descended to the first floor of the Fuji TV Odaiba building, the scene before them startled them both.

The lobby on the first floor of the Odaiba building was packed with hundreds of people. The dark, dense crowd was huddled together, the clamor interspersed with the wailing of police sirens. People gathered in groups of three or five to discuss what had happened, many staff members in suits were anxiously making phone calls, and some artists were even still wearing their stage costumes, a riot of colorful hues.

"Why won't you let us out?"

"We still have scheduled appearances! Let us out!"

"What is the Metropolitan Police Department doing?"

"Why are they locking down the building? What happened?"

At the main entrance, a row of police officers stood with their hands behind their backs, blocking the exit. Roadblocks were set up at the door, and police cars with flashing lights blocked the way out. No matter how the crowd surged or questioned, the police officers at the entrance remained silent.

"What's going on?" Susumu Uesugi frowned. He reached out and grabbed a visibly anxious staff member who clearly looked like an artist's manager: "What happened?"

The staff member was quite young. Having just finished a phone call, his face was flushed red with anxiety. He stomped his feet hard, and seeing someone asking what had happened, he immediately treated Susumu Uesugi as a pressure valve: "How would I know? They suddenly prohibited entry and exit, and the police at the door don't know what's happening either. What am I supposed to do about my next two scheduled appearances? If I miss the appearance at NHK, I'm dead, dead, dead! And there's also an interview with a big-shot; if we cancel at the last minute, it will be mutual casting ban (NG) from now on, ahhhhh!"

"It's all over, my life is completely finished here, ahhhhh!"

"Mutual casting ban" is an entertainment industry jargon referring to two incompatible artists who, due to personal grudges, internal company struggles, or corporate conflicts, are unable to appear on programs together.

"Ikeda, go ask," Susumu Uesugi said, roughly understanding the situation, as he gave her a gentle nudge with his elbow. "You're a police officer, after all!"

Instead, Erena Ikeda grabbed Susumu Uesugi's wrist in return: "If we go, we go together!"

The two of them shoved through the crowd blocking the entrance, and Erena Ikeda displayed her police notebook: "I am Erena Ikeda from the Otsuka Station Criminal Affairs Division. Could you tell me what has happened?"

The police officers at the entrance already knew Erena and Susumu Uesugi, so they pulled them aside.

"There are some complications with the missing person case, and Superintendent Hanawa deems it necessary to elevate the investigation level."

"Now the First Division is sealing off the entire Odaiba building, and reinforcements from the Metropolitan Police Department are already on their way," the police officer said in a low voice, barely looking at Erena as he stared intently at Susumu Uesugi.

"How long will the lockdown last?" Susumu Uesugi asked.

"Who knows? We have to wait until reinforcements from the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters and branch offices arrive," the First Division detective said helplessly, indicating that things had blown up. "Locking down the Odaiba building... Hanawa really..."

"We'll help out too!" Erena Ikeda immediately felt a surge of drive, the tall beauty thinking to herself that it was finally her turn to shine!

"Branch office personnel, please stand by in place!"

The First Division detective's attitude toward Erena Ikeda was very stern. Having long heard rumors of Erena's notorious reputation, he snapped harshly, "Please do not add to the trouble of our work! Inspector Ikeda from the Otsuka Station!"

"Uesugi-kun, you two might have to trouble yourselves by staying inside the building for a while. We'll notify the security department here and arrange a decent place for you." After scolding Erena, the First Division detective put on a completely different face, amicably signaling Susumu Uesugi to quickly take this troublesome woman away. "We are currently short-handed; once the matter is dealt with, we will definitely let you leave immediately."

"Mr. Uesugi, Ms. Ikeda, please come with us," the building's security guard indicated for Susumu Uesugi to follow them.

Having volunteered to help only to be rejected, the tall beauty turned pale with anger, her fists cracking as she clenched them on the spot.

One moment they claimed to be short-handed, and the next moment they wouldn't let her participate.

This was blatant discrimination. Seeing that Erena was about to explode right then and there, and just as the First Division personnel finished speaking and turned away to converse with other celebrity managers, Erena immediately raised her fist.

A punch!

Susumu Uesugi hurriedly wrapped his arms around the tall beauty from behind: "Alright, alright, let's go, we'll go right now."

Just like that, the man embraced the woman from behind.

The sensation of tightly wrapping his arms around Erena from behind was indescribably comfortable. It was yet another moment where Susumu Uesugi felt the magnificent stature of the tall beauty's figure. He hugged her waist tightly, feeling her resilient yet toned and perfect body from behind.

Susumu Uesugi's hand brushed against her, and he instinctively nudged closer, only to hear Erena let out an involuntary, soft gasp, her ears flushing a brilliant, vibrant crimson.

Erena was also stunned to find herself embraced. Such a rare, dazed expression was actually quite adorable, possessing a moving charm distinct from her usual aloof or sharp demeanor—though Susumu Uesugi, standing behind her, could not see it.

Just like that, the tall beauty was dazedly held around the waist by Susumu Uesugi as he turned her away from the entrance. After walking a few steps, her scattered focus gradually coalesced, and a brilliant, blazing red like the sunset surged across her face. Clenching her teeth, she shook off Susumu Uesugi's embrace, glaring at him with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance, and muttered under her breath, "Have you prepared your last words, Uesugi-kun?"

"I surrender!" Susumu Uesugi quickly raised his hands.

"Hmph!" The tall beauty was quite exasperated. She knew Susumu Uesugi had done that for her own good, but he had still taken advantage of her!

If it were anyone else, all nine of her lives would have been shattered by her signature oversized outer-trip throw!

...This was no ordinary pervert; heavy punches must be dealt!

With a swing of her punch, a precise inside thrust struck Susumu Uesugi in the stomach—just enough to make him feel quite a bit of pain while ensuring no physical harm was done. Seeing the man groan and double over in pain, the tall beauty's anger finally subsided considerably.

The security guard nearby was dumbfounded.

"Don't mind it, I'm his karate master, and this is a master instructing a disciple," the tall beauty said coldly. "Now, lead us to the resting area."

"Ah, right, this way please." The security guard cowered, submissive and terrified, fearing he might be shattered into pieces by this Amazon.

Walking through the lobby, people were everywhere—in the corridors and elevators alike. Rubbing his stomach, Susumu Uesugi was pulled along by the wrist by Erena, looking somewhat battered: "It seems this missing person case is not as simple as it looks."

Erena Ikeda gritted her teeth, her light brown eyes cold and sharp: "Don't change the subject! Uesugi-kun, how do you plan to apologize?"

"A meal of tempura?"

"That was already promised to me!"

"Then, two meals of tempura, plus four days off accompanying you on your activities?"

"Four days off." Erena Ikeda pouted her lips with grievance, thinking to herself: *I'm already tolerating you this much, you could at least yield a little more to me.*

"Deal."