Chapter 73

After dealing with this unexpected case, when he returned to his post, Officer Shimo was greeted with good-natured teasing from his colleagues.

"How did you end up being reported by a prisoner?!"

The headquarters announced the case directly through the internal channel of the Mobile Investigation Team, so everyone heard Officer Shima's reply, "This is Mobile Investigation Team 404. The suspicious vehicle mentioned by the complainant is our car."

People burst out laughing. Then Officer Shimo said he saw a suspicious person nearby, and the person who reported it might be a scouting party from a theft gang... In other words, their whole carload of police officers might have been reported by criminals.

And all the members of the mobile search team on duty heard about this...

Because no one was live-streaming the subsequent developments, everyone regrettably missed a part of it. When they heard the 404 machine search report again, they had already apprehended a theft gang. The others could only go back and look at the report for the part in between.

But those at the same base can immediately inquire about the situation and laugh at their teammates who have encountered such a dramatic turn of events.

Officer Shima had been on duty for 24 hours, dealing with a murder case during the day and a theft gang at night. He was so exhausted that he could barely keep his eyes open. He pointed directly behind him and said, "You should ask them, Brother Jinma."

Squad Leader Zhenma looked up behind him and said, "By the way, the timing keeps clashing. I haven't seen that new...person who came to our area yet..."

A young man with deep red hair and red eyes, wearing a military-style trench coat, walked in from the doorway. The lively atmosphere seemed to be suddenly disrupted, and instead, a chill swept into the room as he approached.

As soon as he entered the room, the atmosphere became inexplicably tense. In fact, the background music from the crime drama he had recently watched started playing automatically in Sergeant Zhenma's mind—the music that played when the camera turned to the crime consultant master in the drama.

The young man nodded to him: "Squad Leader Zhenma."

Squad Leader Jinma: "…………"

This is alarming! Moriarty is on an incognito visit... This outpost doesn't seem safe anymore; it feels like a case could break out at any moment...

—He now has only one question: with Han Chuan Shenliu in the car, where did that theft gang get the courage to report them?

Squad Leader Jinma's partner reacted first: "So it's you... Long time no see, Hanchuan-kun."

Officer Shima, who was about to fall asleep on the sofa, suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the speaker with shock, along with Sergeant Jinma: "You know each other?!"

“Yes, I met him last year during my police academy interview,” the man said, frowning.

Bo Yezaki looked at him suspiciously: "You are..."

The person pursed his lips in slight displeasure, but still obediently introduced himself: "...Citizen of the Nine Heavens, please take care of me."

Usoppei remembered.

Oh, with that surname, this guy must be a son of a high-ranking official. I vaguely overheard other people discussing this during the interview.

Koju Seijin's father is Koju Seijin, the director of the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the National Police Agency. And if he was interviewing last year... he should have gone to the National Police Agency's Police University for the interview. It's unlikely that this second-generation official failed. So the reason why he appeared in the Mobile Investigation Team is a bit worthy of consideration.

After all, it's different from the Metropolitan Police Department's Police Academy. The National Police Agency's Police University mainly trains officers. Even if they like to be on the front lines, they should at least become elite detectives in the First Investigation Division, right? Coming to the Mobile Investigation Unit is like being demoted.

"Han Chuan Shenliu," Bo Yezhaiji announced his pseudonym, then asked, "What are you doing in the Mobile Investigation Team?"

Jiuchong Shiren was a typical young nobleman. He seemed a little unhappy about being there, feeling it was beneath his status, but he still maintained basic politeness, not a bit more: "My father must have forced me in here. I also wanted to ask why you were here. I thought you hadn't made it to the police."

As his partner, Sergeant Jinma seemed a bit suffocated by this guy's emotional intelligence: "Ahem... Hanchuan-kun is a student in this year's class at the Metropolitan Police Department Police Academy, here for an internship. Didn't we talk about that in the meeting last week?"

“I didn’t notice,” Jiuchong Shiren said. “I’m not interested in interns.”

Because Kokujō Seijin has always been an elite since childhood and has always been successful, he was already a bit resentful about being assigned to the Mobile Investigation Team. He even looked down on Inspector Shima, who had retired from the First Investigation Division, at first, but later changed his attitude. So, although he seemed very polite, he did often show a contemptuous attitude.

Squad Leader Jinma was exasperated... This guy still can't speak properly. He'll probably only change after being taught a lesson by reality.

Ibuki Ai interjected, "You said you weren't interested, but you remembered Hanukawa-kun's name... On the contrary, Hanukawa-kun doesn't seem to remember you."

Officer Shima coughed twice, signaling to Ibuki Ran to shut up.

Ninefold World Man was silent for a moment, but didn't feel embarrassed: "...I just don't pay attention to interns, but Han Chuan-kun really impressed me. I didn't even know the intern was Han Chuan-kun until just now."

Bo Yezhai pondered for a moment: "Are you officially employed now?"

“Yes, the training period at the National Police Agency’s Police Academy is relatively short. This is already my second year on the job.” Jiuzhong Shiren frowned. “You should also continue to take the National Police Agency’s police academy exam, the Metropolitan Police Department’s police academy… Hmph.”

Although he didn't explicitly state his opinion of the Metropolitan Police Department's police academy, his meaning was clear.

In a country like Japan, which places great emphasis on seniority and whether someone comes from a prestigious school or an elite group, it's quite normal for Kokonoe Seijin to have this kind of attitude.

Despite his disdain for the Metropolitan Police Department Police Academy, Kokkon Seijin still reached out to Hanakawa Shinryu: "I never expected to work with you in this way. It's really beyond my expectations... Please take care of me in the future."

Bo Yezaki raised an eyebrow and shook hands with him: "Please take care of me."

After shaking it a couple of times, Bo Yezaki tried to let go, but Jiu Chong Shiren held on tightly: "Internship is internship, are you planning to join the Investigation Division later?"

Usakabe Saiki replied, "No, I think the Mobile Investigation Team is quite good."

Officer Shimo felt a sudden surge of pressure, but after thinking about it, he realized that once Han Chuan Shen Ru joined the team, he would definitely be reassigned a partner, and his bad luck would only last for two months. He immediately felt much better.

As a result, Officer Shimo calmed down, but the people of Kyuujou were dissatisfied: "Why? Staying in a place like this is meaningless for you. You should go to a higher place to display your talents."

Everyone was shocked.

Huh? Is this something this young master would say? Doesn't he look down on everyone in the Mobile Investigation Team indiscriminately?

Not to mention the person, even the system was shocked: [The "Shadow Aura" clearly worked, so why is he treating you like this...?]

[This guy admires the strong.] Bo Yezaki understood and couldn't help but sigh. [His attitude towards those he considers strong is quite good, no matter what aspect. As long as he feels he's inferior to others, he'll correct his attitude. In some ways, he's quite naive... And he's constantly giving me points for doubt. He wants to doubt, but he also admires the strong... So contradictory. I like this kind of person.]

Having clearly analyzed the personalities of the people in the Nine Realms, Bo Yezhaiji said calmly, "No wonder your father insisted on sending you here if you could say such things."

The people of the Nine Heavens were taken aback, and Bo Yezhai took the opportunity to pull his hand back.

"Wait, what did you mean by that? Do you know what my father is thinking?" The people of the Nine Heavens pressed for answers while frantically contributing points of doubt.

He didn't want to believe that a complete stranger he'd only met once knew more about his father's thoughts than he did, but he also felt that if it was Hanchuan Shenliu, it wouldn't be surprising if he could guess his father's ideas.

After all, the moment Han Chuan Shenliu's gaze swept over him, he felt as if he had been seen through.

Bo Yezhai, with a mischievous grin, didn't answer him. Instead, he skipped over him and asked Squad Leader Zhenma, "What did you want to ask, Squad Leader?"

"Huh? Oh..." Sergeant Jinma coughed, "I wanted to ask how you caught that theft gang. Did they say why they called the police?"

Ibuki Ai quickly answered, "I know that! Kagawa-kun said before that it was to eliminate potential threats and attract the police's attention!"

Squad Leader Zhenma hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

No, what I really want to know is, how dare they call the police after seeing Hanchuan Shenliu?!

Are thieves these days so brave? Or are they just completely brainless?

"Because I was sitting in the melon-selling cart, they thought I was sneaking around and doing something shady, so they thought reporting me would get me arrested and they wouldn't have to worry about retaliation."

Usakabe Saiki explained expressionlessly, "If I were sitting in a Rolls-Royce or a Maserati, they wouldn't call the police because they would think I have nothing to fear... I've encountered too many people like that, and I can guess their thinking is very simple."

His words left everyone present speechless.

Whether it's so naturally analyzing that the other person feels "no need to worry about retaliation" or calmly accepting that riding in a luxury car makes them feel like a tycoon, it can't compare to the last sentence.

"...How many times have you encountered this situation?" Jiuchong Shiren asked with mixed feelings.

"Several times, for example, during my first month at police academy, I was framed as a murderer by criminals because they thought I didn't come back to live here often, and that the house might be used to store some unspeakable things. If the police saw it, they would arrest me as a criminal."

Everyone: "…………"

This is something that would sadden anyone who hears it and sadden anyone who sees it—oh, let's not talk about the seers, the seers have some understanding of the prisoner's thoughts—!

Usoba Saiki continued to elaborate: "There are too many cases like this. I felt that I should definitely become a policeman. As long as I show my police certificate, I can avoid a lot of this trouble. That's why I went to take the police academy exam."

Officer Shimo had initially felt some sympathy for him, and even reflected on his own attitude, but upon hearing this, he suddenly realized something was amiss: "Huh? Didn't you say it was because you wanted to understand a policeman you knew?"

One reason is full of emotion, the other is full of reason. Which one is true? Or are they both true?

Upon seeing the suspicion level raised by his colleagues, Usakabe Saiki calmly said, "The fact that I realized becoming a policeman could solve most problems must be the last bit of help that policeman left me."

Officer Shima: “…………”

At that moment, Officer Shima suddenly understood what Kenji Hagiwara had once said.

—So this is also part of Hanakawa Fukami's twisted sense of humor?! Which of your statements is true?!

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Extra chapter added for exceeding time limit!

Don't worry about me, everyone. I feel much better after eating and taking a nap! I asked the doctor, and he said it's not a big problem, but it's best to be careful and wait two weeks before eating barbecue.

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The next chapter will focus on the organization's side of the story.

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Zhenma: They've sped up! They've spotted Moriarty on his incognito visit.

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Young Master Jiuzhong is quite adorable. He's capable of self-reflection and learning; he'll change after interacting with more people. His current personality is a direct result of his elite upbringing.

And he is the son of a high-ranking police official, although he is the head of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, not the Security Bureau where Zero works.