"Kindaichi, do you know what that sentence means?"
"You mean that 'muddy' thing?" Kindaichi, whose English was terrible, spread his hands, looking utterly defeated. "How should I know!"
"That's a special response from the police to the outside world under certain circumstances, which literally translates to 'no need to know.'"
"But the real meaning of this statement is that this incident involves personnel within the police force, and it is not convenient to disclose that information at this time."
"You were absolutely right! Those two shootings are related to something within the police force!"
...
Unlike the police's tendency to use "no comment" indiscriminately, "need not to know" carries a more specific meaning, similar to "don't say we didn't warn you," with a clear target.
Of course, it wouldn't be something like "take one more step and we'll blow your head off." When the police say something like that, it usually means there will be personnel changes.
"Isn't this basically like telling the media through a megaphone, 'There's a mole inside, stop the transaction'?"
Yoruichi Toyama complained to Saguru Hakuba about this.
When he heard Hakuba Saguru utter that police-specific line, he remembered which case it was.
Unfortunately, they found out too late; the two policemen who were shot were ultimately beyond saving.
Unable to be on call 24/7 to act as a bodyguard for all the victims, Yoruichi Toyama could only sigh regretfully.
Hakuba Saguru shrugged in agreement with his comment.
"There's no way around it. It's said that it was originally a trick that bureaucrats came up with to deal with the media. Later, it became a common practice and turned into a kind of explicit statement."
"So, if it turns out that it wasn't an inside job by a police officer, the Metropolitan Police Department and the media will probably breathe a sigh of relief."
Yoruichi thought to himself that, in terms of this case, it was as most people wished.
only……
Was there any connection between the two murdered police officers?
Despite the spoilers, Yoruichi Toyama couldn't skip the prophet, so she tried to keep the clues as concise as possible and guide the story in the right direction.
Hakuba Saguru's answer surprised him even more.
"Yes, Inspector Narasawa and Officer Shiba were both members of a team that reopened the investigation into an old case a year ago. Their murders are very likely closely related to that old case."
"besides……"
"What's wrong?" Yoruichi Toyama's brow twitched upon hearing this, a sense of foreboding creeping over him.
"You mean Zuo... no, are there other police officers who were killed?"
In his haste, he almost let slip that Officer Sato was the third person expected to be shot.
Hakuba Saguru nodded in agreement, without even questioning how Toyama Yoruichi had deduced it.
"It happened last night, so Mr. Itsuki probably hasn't found out yet."
"At the engagement party of Detective Shiratori's sister, Officer Shiratori of the Third Division of the First Investigation Department, Inspector Sato Miwako was shot and seriously injured. She is currently in the hospital receiving emergency treatment."
"What..." Yoruichi Toyama asked anxiously, "What about the others? Are the others alright?"
I was still planning how to stop Officer Sato from being shot, but it has already happened.
It's easy to imagine that Ran will also suffer from amnesia due to the shock of Officer Sato's injury, just like in the original storyline.
In this incident, no one who died or was injured could be saved.
This gave Yoruichi Toyama a feeling of helplessness.
As expected, Hakuba Saguru did not hide anything and told us that Ran and Officer Sato had collapsed in the toilet together. Although they were not injured, they seemed to have suffered too much shock and lost their memories.
"So, the two people who were most likely to have witnessed the murderer are now unable to speak!" Yoruichi Toyama said.
Now that things have come to this, the most important thing is to catch the real culprit as soon as possible.
Hakuba Saguru's expression shifted.
"So, the special advisor in the First Investigation Division has come up with another plan?"
...
Hakuba Saguru came under the guise of bringing Pengnosuke back, but of course, he had other motives.
The thought that the person she was entrusting with this task was none other than Superintendent General Hakuba himself, and that someone as audacious as Yoruichi Toyama could not help but feel a little nervous.
...Yeah, right.
"I think your dad just doesn't want to pay me a salary for nothing," he complained to Hakuba Saguru.
Hakuba Saguru smiled, remaining completely unmoved.
Compared to the person of the same age outside, this high school student was remarkably mature.
"The privileged class," huh...
Yoruichi Toyama looked at him and laughed.
"But what made Superintendent White Horse personally intervene in such a case?"
Not to mention the Superintendent General of Police, even the First Investigation Division of the Criminal Investigation Department, murder cases, or even shootings, are not uncommon.
That leaves only the possibility of "suspected insider crime among police officers".
“The current head of the Criminal Investigation Department, Toshiro Odagiri, was handpicked by my father,” Hakuba Saguru said.
It sounds completely unrelated to the topic, but Yoruichi Toyama, who has spoilers, knows that Chief Detective Odagiri is the key reason why the police are now forced to declare "need not to know."
"His predecessor, Yoshitsugu Saito, who resigned a year and a half ago, was not anyone's protégé, but he had always been very close to Deputy Superintendent General Moroboshi."
Upon hearing this information, Toyama Yoruichi was taken aback.
"Wait a minute, are you saying there are factions within the Metropolitan Police Department?"
"Your father and Deputy Director Moroboshi... are acting independently?"
Although Japan is a deeply rooted society with strong personal connections, and it is a government department, it is conceivable that high-ranking figures are supported by various powerful forces.
But coming from the mouth of Hakuba Saguru, a young boy, it just felt utterly absurd.
Did he turn out to be just a young detective who loved reasoning and solving cases, but was he also a member of that unshakeable group of superiors?
"It's nothing more than the privileged class suppressing the privileged class..."
"It's like gods are fighting back and forth..."
Suddenly, I remembered what Ai had said before.
It must be admitted that the young female scientist's angry remarks hit the nail on the head.
"So," Yoruichi Toyama asked weakly, her face betraying her disappointment, "your father... Superintendent General Hakuba, is trying to protect Detective Chief Odagiri?"
"In that case, I'm afraid I can't..."
Hakuba Saguru smiled and shook his head.
"If we're just talking about feelings, not only my dad, but many people probably hope that Minister Odagiri is alright."
"He is a very upright person, just like his predecessor, Minister Saito. He is decisive and strict with his subordinates, but he is also humane."
"None of this has anything to do with which faction they belong to."
"However, as the Superintendent General of Police, no, as a police officer, what my father wanted to know more was the truth of the matter."
"That should be the ultimate goal that every police officer pursues."
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