"I will coordinate the Kyoto side. The rest of you will handle the Big Dipper, the two remaining unmurdered targets, any other unprogressed clues, and the killer's psychological profile."
"Now, let's move out!"
"Understood!"
As Manager Matsumoto's words fell, a group of police inspectors tidied their documents and left with varying expressions.
Matsumoto Kiyochika glanced around the departing crowd, his heart heavy.
His speech just now was a blatant warning not to stir up trouble.
He just wondered how many of them actually listened.
These guys, he didn't care if they pulled jurisdictional turf wars on ordinary days, but now someone had mocked them right to their faces—a move comparable to slapping them in broad daylight... and they were still playing jurisdictional games?
Investigating cases should be the priority, and presenting a united front against outsiders was what actually mattered.
They were still clinging to that "pacify internal threats before external ones" nonsense, completely abandoning all shame?
He slowly looked over at Fujino, who had just stood up, walked over, and patted his shoulder. "Until we dig up some new clues, you'd better get some proper rest."
"Understood." Fujino nodded, naturally understanding what Matsumoto Kiyochika meant. "I never intended to work on this case with this bunch anyway."
"Good. Remember, the Metropolitan Police Department has your back."
Matsumoto Kiyochika wanted to say more, but he hesitated, ultimately leaving it at just that sentence.
The person he cared about most among this bunch was still Fujino, and all of these words were said entirely for Fujino's sake.
Fujino was a detective, and though he already had official backing, it was only from the Metropolitan Police Department.
With Superintendent General Hakuba at the helm, the Metropolitan Police Department was notoriously pro-detective, but as for other regions, that was well beyond their jurisdiction.