Walking through the Metropolitan Police Department corridors, Wataru Takagi felt his colleagues' gazes carried traces of pity.
'So why did this end up requiring our field report...' Takagi swallowed hard, his unease growing as he addressed Miwako Sato, walking slightly ahead - the object of his secret affections:
"Sergeant Sato, I'm a bit nervous. What exactly is this SDS situation?"
"No idea."
Miwako Sato glanced back at Takagi's anxious face before continuing forward:
"I don't know the details either. It seems to be a department that only inspectors and above are briefed about."
"Inspectors and above?" As a sergeant, Takagi felt a pang of envy.
Not having entered the Metropolitan Police Department through Japan's Class 1 exam, becoming an inspector would take him at least five or six years—and that's assuming he passed both the assistant inspector and inspector exams smoothly.
At 26 now, he wouldn't make inspector until at least 32.
Miwako Sato, also a non-career track, was 28 this year. Having only become an assistant inspector two years ago, she'd need three more years before even qualifying for the inspector exam.
Just as Wataru Takagi was lamenting the difficulty of getting promoted, Juzo Megure, walking ahead of him, twitched his ears slightly before speaking calmly:
"Sato, give Takagi a bit of an introduction to the situation. It would be troublesome if he remains completely unaware of what's coming."
"Eh?" Takagi blinked in surprise.
Ahead of him, Miwako Sato wore an awkward expression: "Inspector Megure, I..."
"No need to explain, I know whose fault it is." Megure adjusted his hat with an exasperated look. "It's those loose-lipped bastards' fault."
"Loose-lipped?" Takagi glanced at Sato in confusion.
Taking a deep breath, Sato explained:
"Takagi, remember that young inspector we mistakenly arrested last week?"
"Ah, Inspector Sato, you mean that very young Inspector Luo?"
Takagi recalled their colleague from the Special Investigations Department who'd been accidentally detained as a suspect the previous week - that special inspector who seemed to work on covert operations.
Sato inhaled slightly before continuing: "I got curious about that young inspector's background, so I asked around among our colleagues."
Hearing this, Takagi immediately understood why Megure had mentioned people being indiscreet.
Given Sato's status as the Metropolitan Police Department's "flower", any hint of interest from her would have young inspectors and even superintendents tripping over themselves to share inside information.
'Wait... does that mean I'm the only one out of the loop?'
Just as Takagi realised he was the odd one out, Sato continued with a grave expression:
"That young inspector belongs to a powerful department operating within the Metropolitan Police Department called the Special Defence Section."
"When I asked Matsuda and the others about this office, they weren't willing to say much. Only that this department, abbreviated as SDS, stands above the Metropolitan Police Department as the true emperor."
"True emperor..." Takagi couldn't help but click his tongue at the description.
Megure, walking ahead, took pity on his subordinate and explained:
"They hold privileges including lethal force authorisation, the right to execute officers below superintendent rank without prior approval, authority to mobilise the Self-Defence Forces, and can even impose aerial lockdowns over Tokyo when necessary."
"With such powers, calling SDS the emperor above the Metropolitan Police Department isn't an exaggeration."
"Fortunately, they're few in number and rarely deployed, so we don't need to worry too much."
Takagi blinked in surprise: "But Inspector Megure, you just called SDS members mad dogs earlier."
Megure immediately stopped walking, turning around to glare darkly at Takagi:
"That was just a slip of the tongue, understand? A slip of the tongue, Takagi?"
"...Understood, Inspector." Realising his mistake, Takagi immediately lowered his head.
Megure sighed, turning back to continue leading the way while explaining:
"There are several special departments within the Metropolitan Police Department."
"Besides the jokingly-called 'Emperor Department' SDS, the one we interact with most is the Special Crimes Division, nicknamed the Yakuza Squad."
Hearing this, Takagi instinctively asked:
"Why is the Special Crimes Division called the Yakuza Squad?"
Beside them, Miwako Sato took the opportunity to explain to Wataru Takagi:
"Because most members of the Special Crimes Division have an overt yakuza identity, and some even disguise themselves as bōsōzoku."
"Though privately, they prefer to call themselves martial artists."
"That name seems to come from them all being skilled in combat techniques and blade usage."
"Well, that's roughly the idea."
Juzo Megure clearly didn't want to elaborate on the martial artist topic, so he quickly changed the subject:
"The Special Crimes Division gets all sorts of bad nicknames due to their special status, but fortunately, they're still considered 'our people'."
"'Our people'?" Wataru Takagi was confused again.
What kind of description was that?
Juzo Megure seemed very familiar with this and said directly:
"Simply put, Takagi, the Special Crimes Division has taken many field cases from you, right? And the case-solving bonuses still get paid out afterwards, don't they?"
"Oh, that's true." Wataru Takagi had been on the force for several years now, and that was indeed his impression.
If a case were taken over by the Special Crimes Division, they would still issue the case-solving bonuses as usual. As a result, many Metropolitan Police Department colleagues were happy to hand over cases to them.
"That's why they're called 'our people'."
At this point, Juzo Megure couldn't help but complain:
"When the Special Crimes Division takes over, we still get our bonuses. But if the case goes to the Disaster Countermeasures Office—that new agency the Ministry of Environment set up a few years ago—not only do we lose the bonuses, but the Metropolitan Police Department's budget gets cut too."
"The Onmyou Agency is even worse. Not only do we lose budget, but we have to give them some of our bonuses too."
"What about SDS?" Wataru Takagi asked curiously. If the Special Crimes Division was the best option, the Ministry of Environment was a loss, and the Onmyou Agency was a bloodbath, wouldn't SDS be even worse?
Juzo Megure glanced at Wataru Takagi and said calmly:
"They pay out bonuses like the Special Crimes Division, but the entire Metropolitan Police Department has to clean up their messes."
"Huh?" Wataru Takagi was stunned.
Clean up their messes? What did that mean?
Juzo Megure kindly explained:
"Do you think those mad dogs investigate cases like normal mad dogs?"
"Sniper rifles, mortars, attack helicopters, even missiles—that lot once fired a missile from a helicopter in the middle of the city."
"Especially one Inspector Inoue in SDS. She's even machine-gunned rioting civilians, more than once."
Juzo Megure was full of resentment by this point:
"Takagi, do you know who has to suppress these incidents and apologise to the public on their behalf?"
Juzo Megure's face was full of bitterness. As a frontline inspector, he'd barely met the threshold for those press conferences.
Thanks to the SDS, his fat waist had nearly broken from all the bowing two years ago.
"Oh..." Wataru Takagi suddenly understood.
So all those frequent terrorism apology conferences two years ago were for someone else's mistakes. No wonder Inspector Megure had barely smiled that year.
"So this crematorium case is being handed to SDS..."
Wataru Takagi finally understood why Juzo Megure had looked so devastated when he got the news earlier.
At first, he thought it was because Juzo Megure hadn't prepared the report properly, but it turned out he was already envisioning himself kneeling before the media to apologise at a press conference?
"Anyway, if the case had been safely handed over to the Special Crimes Division, that would've been fine. The Ministry of Environment's Countermeasures Office would've been tolerable too. Even the Onmyou Agency... we could've gritted our teeth and borne it. But if SDS takes it..."
Juzo Megure looked towards the manager's office not far away, his lips twitching slightly:
"I probably won't escape a scolding from Superintendent Kiyonaga Matsumoto. After that, it'll likely be Manager Hyoue Kuroda's turn for a thorough dressing-down, followed by reduced leave and bonus cuts..."
With a deep sigh, Juzo Megure led the silent Miwako Sato and Wataru Takagi to knock on Manager Kuroda's door:
"Reporting. Juzo Megure, Miwako Sato and Wataru Takagi here to debrief."
As soon as he finished speaking, a deep male voice sounded from inside.
"Enter."
Juzo Megure immediately took a deep breath and opened the office door.
The scene inside instantly came into view of all three officers.
It was at this moment that a surprised young male voice rang out.
"Oh? If it isn't Megure boy?"
Hearing this form of address, Juzo Megure's expression froze completely...