Chapter 540

Matsuda Jinpei was already very used to handling this kind of situation. He waved his hand and said, "There's no point in saying more. Why don't we just ask Miss Tachibana? What do you think, Miss Tachibana?"

What else could Tachibana Kyoko say?

She wanted to deny it, but the other person was a genius who sensed something was wrong after just one sentence from their first meeting and saw through her hidden secrets after reviewing the information. She felt that denying it would be pointless.

Kyoko Tachibana's mind was in turmoil. She'd been an assistant to the Japanese Public Security Bureau for so long, and nothing like this had ever happened before. An assistant's identity was supposed to be kept secret, but now…

But thinking about it carefully, it seems we can't really blame her. Even if the Japanese police came to question her, she could confidently say, "It was all guessed by Shinryu Kanakawa himself, it has nothing to do with me."

Who can continue lying under the watchful eyes of Hanchuan Shenliu? She certainly can't, and if her contact, Kazami Yuu, can, then let Kazami Yuu give it a try too.

So Tachibana Kyoko steadied herself, lowered her head to avoid eye contact with Hanukawa Shinryu, and whispered, "...I'm sorry."

That means acknowledgment.

The lawyer they hired to deal with the Japanese Public Security Bureau was actually a member of the Japanese Public Security Bureau. That's outrageous.

Eri Kisaki took a step back, her face grim. "What exactly does the Japanese Public Security Bureau want? What did my husband do to offend you?"

Their chances of winning such a public prosecution case were already low enough, and now the Japanese Public Security Bureau is sending people to sabotage them! This is an attempt to wipe them out! Isn't that going too far?!

Kyoko Tachibana couldn't possibly reveal her true intention to hinder them, so she could only use the mission initially assigned to her by the Japanese Public Security Bureau as a pretext: "No, the Japanese Public Security Bureau actually sent me here to help, to find a way to prove Mr. Mori's innocence..."

Fei Yingli: "???"

When did the Japanese Public Security Bureau become so kind?! They had previously analyzed that this whole thing was a setup by the Japanese Public Security Bureau! Why are they pretending to be good people now?!

Matsuda Jinpei, with his clear mind, suddenly interrupted when he heard this: "Wait a minute, I think there's something I need to clarify... Hanchuan, you clearly said before that she had a hateful attitude towards the Japanese Public Security Bureau, right? Isn't it strange that someone who assists the Japanese Public Security Bureau would hate the Japanese Public Security Bureau?"

Ran Mouri suddenly realized, "Oh right, there's such a thing..."

Hanchuan Fukari pondered, "It is indeed strange, but I can't be wrong... Does Miss Tachibana have any explanation?"

Ju Jingzi: “…………”

Her gaze darted around nervously, her mind racing, trying to come up with a plausible excuse.

But as she was thinking, she suddenly realized something.

By the way, Hanchuan Shenliu is so capable that he can see so much information at a glance. Maybe this opportunity can be used to overturn the case!

Anyway, now that her identity as an assistant to the Japanese Public Security Bureau has been exposed, the Japanese Public Security Bureau probably won't continue to use her, so she might as well go all out!

So Tachibana Kyoko composed herself, took a deep breath, and said, "My attitude towards the Japanese Public Security Bureau was originally quite normal, but what they did was utterly inhumane!"

These words immediately piqued everyone's curiosity.

Even Conan Edogawa put Kogoro Mouri's matter on hold—not because he didn't care, but because with Shinryu Samakawa present, he felt inexplicably at ease. Besides, there were only so many clues available, so there was no point in rushing. He should listen to Kyoko Tachibana's words first; perhaps she could reveal some inside information about the Japanese Public Security Bureau regarding this matter.

Matsuda Jinpei liked to hear this: "What has the Japanese Public Security Bureau done this time?"

His father's life was ruined because he was mistakenly arrested by the police as a murderer, so he has a strong opinion about the police who act recklessly. The Japanese Public Security Bureau is the kind of police that likes to act recklessly, and he is ready to eat his words when he hears about the Japanese Public Security Bureau.

"It's painful," Tachibana Kyoko said.

“Last year, I actually had my own law firm. This man named Haba Nizoichi was an employee of my firm. He was arrested for illegally breaking into a game company... But I believe he's not that kind of person! There must be some reason! I wanted to find out what happened, but after being interrogated by the Japanese Public Security Bureau, he actually committed suicide in the detention center... The Japanese Public Security Bureau's methods are so arrogant. What did they do during the interrogation that made Nizoichi commit suicide? And they didn't even let us ask what happened. A person's death just passed by with so many suspicious points!”

Han Chuan Shenliu searched for a moment: "You believe he's not that kind of person, but he was disqualified as a law student. Normally, he wouldn't go that far. Are you sure he's innocent?"

Everyone present, whether or not they had been law students, had been students.

Unless something goes too far, schools and training institutions usually turn a blind eye and won't easily issue punishments. Just look at those cases of school violence that resulted in hospitalizations, yet they still graduated as if nothing happened... If a punishment is given, then something definitely happened; everyone understands that.

“That’s not his fault!” Tachibana Kyoko hurriedly defended herself. “Because he failed his exams at the training institute and was disqualified from becoming a judge, he impulsively rushed up to the dean at the graduation ceremony to question why he wasn’t hired and demand an explanation… As a result, his behavior was seen as a self-satisfied loss of justice, and he can’t even be a lawyer anymore, let alone a judge…” (*Note)

A moment of silence fell over everyone.

Matsuda Jinpei opened his mouth, as if to say something: "...Never mind, I know I'm being rude, so I won't say anything more."

Hanchuan Shenliu sincerely stepped in as a mouthpiece: "That sounds like they deserve it."

Matsuda Jinpei acquiesced and did not cover Hanukawa Shinryu's mouth.

Ju Jingzi: “…………”

Eri Kisaki, who had also studied at the Judicial Training Institute, sighed: "Mr. Futaka Haba is probably just an ordinary person with no vested interests. The Dean wouldn't target a student and fail him for no reason. He must have discovered something about him that made him unsuitable to be a judge..."

Han Chuan Shenliu commented: "Making a scene at the graduation ceremony because he didn't pass the test, his unsuitability is probably his emotional instability. Being too emotional is not suitable for being a judge."

"...Mr. Hanchuan is right."

Kyoko Tachibana's face turned pale and then red, but she didn't dare to refute Shinryu Suzumiya. She could only try to save face for Fumiichi Haba by going around in circles: "But, but that's because he has too strong a sense of justice. Being a judge is his lifelong dream..."

"Unsuitable is unsuitable, it has nothing to do with dreams." Han Chuan Shenliu said expressionlessly. "Does he think that if he dreams of becoming the emperor, the emperor will abdicate in his favor?"

Matsuda Jinpei coughed beside him.

Even if the Emperor is just a mascot, he is still a symbol, and most Japanese people still respect him. It is rare to see someone like Shinryu Samakawa making fun of the Emperor directly.

There was absolutely no respect; one can only say that he truly lived up to his name, Hanchuan Shenliu.

"In short, he has a strong sense of justice! He would never steal from a game company without a reason!"

Kyoko Tachibana tried her best to defend Fumiichi Haba, not only because Fumiichi Haba was her former clerk, but also because Fumiichi Haba was someone she liked.

If you admit that Haba Nizoichi is the kind of person who would steal, wouldn't that mean you have terrible judgment when it comes to people?

“Hmm…it probably wasn’t without reason.” Hanchuan Shenliu pulled out a file from the pile of documents that Tachibana Kyoko had previously handled.

"This is a case you defended, about 'illegally hacking into NASA.' The perpetrator worked for a game company, and coincidentally, your clerk went to that game company for some unknown reason. Don't you think something's off?"

Kyoko Tachibana: "...Huh?"

At the time, when the incident involving Yuba Nizoichi happened, her mind was in a mess, and she hadn't really thought about it carefully... Now, looking at it again, it does seem a bit strange.

Matsuda Jinpei and Edogawa Conan had already guessed what was going on.

Relying on his status, Matsuda Jinpei took the document directly from Hanakawa Shinryu's hand. After glancing at it, he seemed to be deep in thought: "Haba Futaka... could he be working for someone else? Is he also an assistant?"

Kyoko Tachibana quickly regained her senses and said, "Impossible. The reason he came to work at my office is because the Japanese Public Security Police asked me to monitor him... If he were an assistant to the Japanese Public Security Police, there would be no need for such a fuss, right?"

"But this case is being investigated by the Japanese Public Security Bureau. If he's not helping the Japanese Public Security Bureau, then who is he helping?"

As Matsuda Jinpei spoke, he flipped through the papers with a rustling sound, while Edogawa Conan, standing at his feet, watched with envy.

Damn it, if he didn't look like a primary school student, he could openly ask Mr. Hanchuan for these materials to look at...

Hanchuan Shenliu thought for a moment: "Probably an assistant to the prosecutor."

Matsuda Jinpei was astonished: "Huh? Prosecutors have assistants? I've never heard of that before!"

"We can't guarantee there won't be any issues. After all, if it's discovered, it'll be a stain on our record, so confidentiality is essential, right?" Han Chuan Shenliu started making a phone call. "Let me ask."

Matsuda Jinpei: "Who are you asking? Is this something you can just call and ask?"

The phone call that Kankawa Shinryu made was to Kuroda Hyoue.

He had obtained Kuroda Hyōe's contact information when he was in Nagano Prefecture, but he had never used it. Now he could finally put it to good use.

Kuroda Hyōe answered the phone. Perhaps because the number was unfamiliar, his voice sounded cautious: "Who is it?"

"Hello, I am Hanchuan Shenliu," Hanchuan Shenliu said politely. "There is something I would like to ask you."

Kuroda Hyōe saw Samikawa Shinryū during the meeting and assumed that Samikawa Shinryū had made some discovery and wanted to confirm it with him, so he said normally, "Go ahead and ask."

Hanakawa Shinryu: "Was last year's [illegal hacking of NASA] case related to Haba Nizoichi? Was he an accomplice of the prosecutor?"

Kuroda Hyōe racked his brains, but he never expected that Kagawa Shinryū would ask this: "...??? What does this have to do with the current case?"

I think so.

This answer was truly capricious, without any explanation. Kuroda Hyōe was speechless, but after thinking about Samikawa Shinryū's illustrious resume, he decided to trust him one more time.

The prosecutor's assistant was rare, and it was the Japanese Public Security Police who were responsible for providing Haba Nizoichi with a false identity. Therefore, Kuroda Hyōe did have an impression of this case and could answer directly without asking Furuya Rei.

"……Yes."

Hanchuan Shenliu nodded: "Then he's not dead?"

Kuroda Hyōe became increasingly suspicious: "...What exactly are you investigating?"

"It seems he's not dead. Being forced to death by the Japanese Public Security Police is just a cover-up to escape and cover up the scandal that the prosecutor also had informants who were acting illegally."

Kuroda Hyōe dared not speak.

He didn't seem to say anything, did he? How did Hanchuan Shenliu arrive at all these conclusions?! And they're all correct!

I've seen it several times, but each time it's more outrageous than the last. Simply looking at the written information can't fully demonstrate how outrageous Hanchuan Shenliu is!

Even more shocking than Kuroda Hyoue was Tachibana Kyoko.

She repeated in disbelief, "He's...he's not dead? 231? He's still alive?! And he's even the prosecutor's assistant?!"

If all of this is true, wouldn't it make her hatred and revenge against the Japanese Public Security Police seem ridiculous?!

The Japanese Public Security Bureau didn't drive Haba Fumiichi to his death; in fact, they saved him! And here she is, trying her best to hinder the Japanese Public Security Bureau...

For a year, she had taken it all for granted, but now she finally realized that she had let Kazami Yuya down.

Shinryu Hakawa turned to Kyoko Tachibana and said, "You have the file on the case of Futaba Nizoichi, right? Find it for me."

Tachibana Kyoko didn't dare utter a sound. She didn't have any on her, so she directly opened the archive she had been saving on her phone to remind herself of what the Japanese Public Security had done and handed it to Kanakawa Shinryu.

Hanchuan Shenliu skimmed through his phone screen, his finger suddenly stopping on a name: "The chief prosecutor in the case of Hanba Fumiichi is Ms. Iwai Sayoko..."

Kuroda Hyōe finally came to his senses: "What exactly do these questions have to do with the Tokyo Summit case?"

"It's just a guess."

Hanchuan Shenliu said calmly, "If Ms. Iwai has recently encountered an accident, then it can probably be confirmed."

Kuroda Hyoue frowned: "It's still related to her? She..."

"Excuse me, I have something to attend to, I'll hang up now." Han Chuan Shenliu used polite language.

Kuroda Hyoue was speechless for a long time after the phone was hung up before he could finish speaking.

That kid, Hanchuan Shenliu, does he think using honorifics is enough to be polite?!

In the end, he wasn't even familiar with Hanchuan Shenliu, was he?! Using someone and then throwing them away like that is incredibly rude!

He considered calling back, but hesitated for a moment, then called his subordinate: "Keep an eye on Iwai Sayoko from the prosecutor's office..."

The subordinate was taken aback: "How did you know Ms. Iwai was in an accident? She was just put into an ambulance!"

Kuroda Hyōe: "?!?!?!?!"