Chapter 95
Looking at the utterly bewildered Shiratori Ninzaburo, who seemed to be questioning life itself and even doubting his colleagues, Usuha Izuki was deeply moved.
Indeed, unfamiliar police officers were much more generous when giving suspicion values.
His few acquaintances in the Mobile Investigation Unit, except for Officer Shima who seemed to have some kind of paranoia due to unknown psychological trauma and didn't trust others or even himself, had gradually gotten used to his shocking statements and occasionally suspicious behavior.
This time when he shot at criminals, everyone was just startled for a moment before starting to help him figure out how to fool the higher-ups. Only Officer Shima was still intermittently giving him suspicion values... Looked like he was still thinking about his case during overtime. How hard-working.
Because he could squeeze less and less suspicion value from others, Usuha Izuki looked at Shiratori Ninzaburo with particular satisfaction.
Excellent! Very spirited! Keep it up!
Indeed, he shouldn't limit himself to the Mobile Investigation Unit—he needed to meet more outsiders.
He'd been thinking wrong before, always feeling the Mobile Investigation Unit encountered more cases per day so he could farm more suspicion values. Now it seemed the Mobile Investigation Unit had too many trivial matters, plus sitting in cars all day being bumped around. Criminal Investigation Division One might have fewer cases on average, but at least he wouldn't have to sit in cars so exhaustingly! Plus it filtered out useless small cases—starting baseline was assault cases. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
Usuha Izuki released the police officer in his hands and looked at the surrounding people as if viewing cows that would continuously produce suspicion values for him.
Everyone shivered under his gaze.
Especially Shiratori Ninzaburo, who gave the most suspicion values, felt his hair stand on end.
This feeling of being targeted...
Shiratori Ninzaburo forced a smile, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere: "So we're all on the same side. Sorry, we were a bit sensitive since something just happened..."
Hagiwara Kenji also cooperated with high emotional intelligence: "It's fine. Little Shinryu overreacted a bit too."
Usuha Izuki didn't expose them, nodding aloofly to acknowledge this explanation.
The partner who'd tried to sneak attack earlier grimaced as he got up, rubbing his arm and waist. He pocketed the handcuffs that had somehow been unlocked and consciously stood beside Shiratori Ninzaburo, trying to make up for his mistake with enthusiastic conversation: "So are you two from Organized Crime Countermeasures Division Four?"
Organized Crime Countermeasures, abbreviated as "sotai," liked recruiting burly men and police who looked like bad guys to send as informants to various yakuza organizations.
Though these two had a different vibe from the Division Four people he'd seen before, now that yakuza were looking for educated talent, it was normal for police to follow trends and not just recruit stereotypical people.
The partner convinced himself and felt his offered olive branch was perfectly timed—he was such a master at easing tension.
However, hearing this, Hagiwara Kenji's smile froze: "............"
The officer who'd come to defuse the situation coughed, saying with exasperation: "Well, Hagiwara used to be in our Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit and now teaches at the Police Academy. Samukawa seems to be with the Mobile Investigation Unit..."
Others: "............"
The partner's innocent guess made the barely eased atmosphere awkward again.
If he'd guessed right, they could have used flattery like "Worthy of Division Four people" to smooth things over. Now it was like emphasizing "you don't look like good people" again.
Fortunately, Matsuda Jinpei finally finished understanding the situation and emerged from the police tape, seeing the commotion here and asking with confusion: "What's going on? Why are your guns all drawn? Did you find the culprit?"
Hagiwara Kenji weakly laughed: "There was a small misunderstanding."
Matsuda Jinpei quickly figured out what happened.
Since only the car exploded this time and no one was hurt—much better than he'd expected—he was somewhat relaxed and in the mood to joke: "I told you that staying with this guy makes you look like a military advisor, but you didn't believe me."
Hagiwara Kenji covered his face.
Matsuda Jinpei greeted Shiratori Ninzaburo, who was still sizing him up: "Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Matsuda Jinpei. We three happened to be nearby and came to check when we heard the commotion."
Shiratori Ninzaburo still had some elite detective pride and didn't like outsiders interfering with his case: "Since you're still on vacation, you don't need to worry about this case anymore. Go enjoy your time off—our Criminal Investigation Division One will handle it."
This was said with high emotional intelligence, hinting that since the case had nothing to do with them, they shouldn't hang around.
And without asking anything else, he'd directly deduced from their different positions yet being together that they were on vacation—a small demonstration of his abilities.
Hagiwara Kenji, somewhat interested in this case, glanced at Matsuda Jinpei.
Only Matsuda Jinpei, as someone from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, had qualifications to request staying. If Matsuda Jinpei wanted to participate in this case, he could help persuade...
"Too many people." Usuha Izuki suddenly spoke. "Does this case need so many police officers?"
Shiratori Ninzaburo was startled, almost thinking Usuha Izuki was being sarcastic, but remembering his earlier demeanor when scanning the surroundings, he hesitated before answering: "Because the last case caused such a stir—targeting police, involving explosions—we called extra people as a precaution after receiving the report."
"...So that's why the criminal didn't booby-trap the corpse this time, but put the bomb on the car instead." Usuha Izuki looked thoughtful.
Shiratori Ninzaburo felt something flash through his mind but couldn't grasp it, asking urgently: "What do you mean? What do you know? What does this have to do with having many people?"
Matsuda Jinpei shared intelligence he'd just obtained: "This time, not only did the corpse still have a [HANDLE WITH CARE] label, but a nearby telephone pole also had one attached to a phone. When police received the call, the other side said garbage like 'It's not for money, just to let the whole world know how incompetent police are.'"
"Right, exactly."
Something seemed to activate a buff in Shiratori Ninzaburo—when people around him started deducing, he unconsciously joined in, even forgetting his original purpose was to get these non-Criminal Investigation Division One people to leave.
"The criminal extremely hates the police—wonder why. Could there be some wrongful conviction? Should we have someone check recently released..."
"No need."
Usuha Izuki interrupted him.
Shiratori Ninzaburo was confused and about to ask why when he saw the other suddenly brush past him and walk in a certain direction.
Though the young man was walking quickly, he still had an unhurried elegance, but as he advanced, the atmosphere around him gradually became sharp and dangerous, making everyone's hair stand on end.
Shiratori Ninzaburo was completely stunned—looking at it this way, Samukawa Shinryu had actually been in a relaxed state earlier. If he'd been like this from the start, Shiratori would never have dared be so reckless.
But why so suddenly? Had he already found the criminal?! So quickly?! He hadn't even gone to the crime scene! Just outside the police tape!
Under Shiratori Ninzaburo's disbelieving yet seeing-no-other-explanation gaze, someone in Samukawa Shinryu's direction suddenly seemed unable to bear the pressure and hurriedly turned to flee.
When everyone else was barely moving at most to make way, someone suddenly running in the opposite direction was very obvious and was immediately restrained by nearby people.
Samukawa Shinryu arrived just in time, pulled out handcuffs, and cuffed the person.
Hagiwara Kenji, who'd followed him over and was helping hold the person down, suddenly looked puzzled seeing his handcuffs: "Where did these handcuffs come from? Weren't you in such a rush leaving that you didn't even wear a coat?"
The handcuffs taken from that sneak attacker earlier was one thing, but how did another pair appear from thin air?
Samukawa Shinryu: "That Young Master's."
Shiratori Ninzaburo, who'd arrived a step late: "...???"
He quickly felt around his waist and found his handcuffs were indeed missing!
Ah! It must have been earlier! When brushing past! Such quick hands! He hadn't felt anything!
Even the mysterious Phantom Thief Kid who'd disappeared two years ago wasn't this good!
Did the Metropolitan Police Academy teach this now? He'd attended the National Police Academy and wasn't sure about this aspect.
The restrained suspect was still struggling: "Let go! Why arrest me! You have no evidence!"
Samukawa Shinryu stepped on his head, elbow on his knee, leaning forward to apply pressure: "Death throes."
The partner who'd only been normally kneed in the back earlier saw this scene and shivered, feeling his treatment had actually been quite good and he really had no reason to complain.
Hagiwara Kenji coughed: "There are outsiders here—restrain yourself."
Samukawa Shinryu withdrew his foot and stood straight: "It's him. He's not really police but wore a police uniform just to get close to police cars and plant bombs."
Shiratori Ninzaburo was completely dumbfounded... Was this how police operated?! And you, Police Academy instructor, just saying 'restrain yourself with outsiders around'?! Does that mean this is okay when no outsiders are present?!
The police were already shocked, but the criminal Samukawa Shinryu had stepped on was even more shocked.
The criminal's struggling froze for a moment, then he struggled even harder, and knowing he couldn't explain why he appeared at the scene in a fake police uniform with evidence surely waiting to be found at home, he simply gave up and shouted: "Why! Why can someone like you get into the Police Academy but I was rejected! Why!"
Hagiwara Kenji was greatly alarmed: "...Huh? You applied to the Police Academy?!"
This was bad—tomorrow's headlines wouldn't really be "Rejected by Police Academy, Promising Youth Turns to Crime," would they?!
"That's right! I used to want to be a police officer! But you rejected me... Hahaha... Forget it! Police aren't good people anyway—I don't even want to be one now..."
Shiratori Ninzaburo's pupils dilated as he looked at the criminal, then at Samukawa Shinryu beside him.
—What kind of people are applying to the Police Academy these days?!