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"...Sato, focus on investigating all of Shimazaki Nobuo's recent contacts, especially those who may have a background in drugs or chemistry, or have a special interest in birds or jazz. Also, thoroughly investigate his early yakuza connections."
He had to act like a normal detective, following the normal investigative path.
But at the same time, he must resolve this matter perfectly as quickly as possible and erase any unnecessary traces from Gin.
Yuki Takada calmly put his phone back in his pocket, his fingertips still tingling with the cool touch of the text message he had just received.
“Inspector Takada?” Sato Miwako’s sharp gaze swept over him again, with a hint of inquiry.
Yuuki Takada took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the various images of the organization surging in his mind. His face quickly regained the solemnity and focus of a police inspector when faced with a difficult case, and he even appropriately revealed a trace of fatigue caused by the problem.
“I just suddenly thought of some things in the case…” He said calmly as he walked to the liquor cabinet, running his finger along the edge of the cabinet where he had just found the bright blue fragments. “This kind of bright blue stuff isn’t very common.”
"If it was left by the murderer, it might be residue from some special paint, dye, or even some kind of chemical reagent."
"Shimazaki Nobuo had a complicated yakuza background before his rehabilitation and had many enemies, but if it is someone with this kind of special material, the scope may be narrowed down."
He skillfully redirected Sato's attention back to the case itself, while the direction of the investigation he provided perfectly aligned with Gin's implied task of cleaning up the traces.
Medicinal chemistry background – possibly related to the organization's development of various bizarre poisons and chemicals.
Birds of interest—pointing directly to crows.
Jazz... He remembered Gin occasionally revealing a preference for a certain kind of retro jazz.
These clues are both verifiable and skillfully guide the police investigation.
but……
Fortunately, as a police inspector, Yuuki Takada was able to shift the blame for the current situation to the yakuza forces behind him, allowing him to identify and dispose of the evidence of the organization's existence first.
Upon hearing this, Sato Miwako nodded seriously: "Understood. I will immediately arrange for people to focus on investigating these areas."
She took out her phone and began making arrangements, efficient and decisive.
Yuki Takada turned around, his sharp gaze sweeping across the entire bar area once again.
Gin entrusting him with the cleanup work implies that there might be things left behind that shouldn't have been left at the scene.
That symbolic raven feather is a manifesto, but an organization never leaves behind just a romanticized symbol.
There must be more substantial evidence, which may involve the organization, of the specific methods used in this operation.
His gaze unconsciously swept slowly across the scene, passing over every bottle, every utensil, the cracks in the floor, and the corners of the ceiling.
He tried to recall the prisoner's actions—most likely Gin's own path: where did he sneak in from?
How to control Nobuo Shimazaki?
What method of execution should be used?
What's the way out?
His heart pounded heavily in his chest, but his mind remained unusually calm.
He had to find and dispose of that crucial piece of evidence before the police could conduct a large-scale investigation.
Suddenly, his gaze settled on a very discreet small trash can on the inside of the bar, below, used to collect discarded bottle corks.
The bucket was very clean, with almost nothing inside.
But on the inside of the barrel, close to the shadow, there is a slight reflection that is almost imperceptible.
While Sato was talking with his back to him, Yuuki Takada quickly put on semi-transparent gloves, squatted down, and pretended to continue inspecting the bottom of the bar.
He reached into the bucket with his fingertips and carefully removed the reflective object.
It was an extremely tiny, almost transparent piece of plastic with sharp edges, as if it had broken off from a larger container.
The fragments have a very special texture; they are not ordinary plastic. They feel harder and smoother to the touch, and there seem to be extremely fine markings remaining on the surface.
Yuki Takada's pupils contracted slightly.
He recognized it as a special type of plastic commonly used in some kind of high-precision poison delivery device within the organization.
This device is often used for the injection of minute amounts of poison that takes effect instantly, making it extremely difficult to detect after death.
Nobuo Shimazaki's sudden death is probably not as simple as it seems.
This fragment was likely left behind when the device broke accidentally during use or disposal.
For the organization, this is a dangerous mistake that must be rectified.
Without hesitation, he put the fragments into an evidence bag, but this time, instead of attaching a police label, he quickly and naturally slid it into another compartment in his inner pocket, completely separating it from the police's evidence bag.
After doing all this, he stood up, his expression unchanged, as if he had simply checked the situation under the bar once again.
“Sato…” Takada Yuki spoke again, his voice carrying a perfect balance of weariness and determination, “This will be handled by the Inspection Division as a routine matter.”
“We’ll split up. You go and coordinate the investigation of the network of contacts, and I’ll go and ask the surrounding shops to see if they heard or saw any unusual noises last night, especially… birds or unusual vehicles.”
Sato Miwako listened and nodded repeatedly in agreement: "Okay, Inspector Takada. Contact me immediately if you find anything."
Yuki Takada nodded and turned to walk out of the bar.
Each step was taken with a steady gait, as if he were simply a dutiful criminal investigator conducting an investigation.
Only he knew that the tiny, deadly shard in his inner pocket was burning his skin.
If it weren't for the favor he owed Gin on the Shinkansen train last time, he wouldn't have bothered to clean up Gin's mess this time.
Chapter 62 Clean up
As Yuki Takada stepped out of the bar, the evening breeze, carrying the coolness and hustle and bustle unique to the city, rushed towards him.
The neon lights stretched and distorted his shadow at his feet, just like his complex state of mind at that moment.
Yuki Takada did not immediately head towards the surrounding shops.
Instead, he turned into a nearby, relatively quiet alley, leaning slightly against the cold brick wall, briefly escaping the police's sight.
Yuuki Takada took out the evidence bag containing the special plastic fragments from his inner pocket, his fingertips rubbing the hard texture through the plastic film.
This is not the end, but merely the beginning.
This area is under the watchful eyes of many police officers.
Therefore, handling this fragment must be done flawlessly.
He quickly scanned his surroundings, and after confirming that no one was paying attention, he took out a miniature, powerful disintegrator, slightly larger than a thumb, from another pocket of his suit.
This is a tool issued by the organization to codenamed members for emergency handling of minor evidence.
He poured the fragments into the digester's groove, closed the lid, and pressed the button on the side.
After a barely audible buzzing sound, the highly acidic solvent inside will dissolve it completely within seconds, leaving no residue.
After doing all this, the huge weight in his heart eased slightly, but the pressure did not lessen.
Gin's message read, "The rest is up to you," implying that the cleanup work is not limited to this one piece of physical evidence.
He needed to ensure that the police investigation was completely misled and that the case was ultimately closed with a reasonable conclusion that was unrelated to the organization.
He took a deep breath, composed himself, and stepped back into the main street's lights, beginning to visit the shops near the bar one by one.
His questioning was professional and meticulous, focusing on unusual noises, suspicious vehicles, and people or objects that might have bird-like features. These questions not only aligned with his advice to Sato but also subtly reflected the organization's hints.
Most shop owners said there was nothing unusual last night until he walked into a convenience store that was open late.
The shop assistant on the night shift rubbed his sleepy eyes and recalled something.
"Ah... Come to think of it, last night around 2 a.m., I did hear a strange engine sound. It was very deep, unlike a normal car. It just sped by and I didn't get a good look at it."
"As for birds... I didn't see any, but a few days ago there was a customer who bought a lot of beer. When he paid, I saw a black bird-shaped tattoo on the back of his hand, which was quite scary."
The sound of an engine—it could be Gin's Porsche 356A.
Bird-shaped tattoos—a common design among yakuza members—perfectly point to Shimazaki Nobuo's past.
Yuuki Takada understood that this was likely a "clue" deliberately left behind by Gin.
Or it could simply be that the organization cleverly exploited the real experiences of convenience store employees.
He carefully recorded this information, as if he had grasped a key breakthrough.
“Thank you so much, this information could be very important.” He thanked the clerk, his expression one of perfectly measured excitement.
Just then, his phone vibrated again.
The number is still hidden.
【Clean it up - Gin】
The text message was still brief, but it carried a sense of cold, pressured release.
Don't cause me any trouble next time.
Yuuki Takada deleted the text message expressionlessly and looked up at the endless stream of car lights in the Tokyo night.
The sound of sirens grew louder as they approached, likely indicating the arrival of reinforcements from other departments.
He knew he had to "close the lid" on the case as quickly as possible.
Yuki Takada took out his phone and dialed Miwako Sato's number.
"Sato, I've made some discoveries."
"A convenience store clerk apparently heard the engine sound of a suspicious vehicle leaving, and also saw a man with a raven-like tattoo on the back of his hand in the vicinity a few days ago."
"Given Shimazaki Nobuo's yakuza background, the possibility of revenge from his enemies is rapidly increasing. It is recommended to immediately compile a list of yakuza organization members who have a history of grudges against him and who have tattoos, and to focus on investigating them."
Yuki Takada spoke quickly, with the decisiveness that came from discovering a crucial clue.
Miwako Sato on the other end of the phone immediately replied, "Understood! We have preliminary results on the screening list. There are indeed several key individuals who match the characteristics. I will immediately investigate this lead further!"
After hanging up the phone, Yuki Takada knew that he had successfully pushed the investigation onto the track set by the organization.
The truth will be buried, and the report will be filled with speculations about yakuza feuds.
He completed the "small favor" that Gin had assigned him.
As the night wind blew by, Yuuki Takada felt a touch of weariness, but even more so, a chill that penetrated to his very bones.
He strode confidently toward the police car, his figure blending into the urban nightscape where light and shadow intertwined. No one could see the dark secrets hidden beneath his uniform or the ever-present dual identity he carried with him.
Every "perfect" case resolution is just another step closer to the abyss.