Chapter Two: The Professional Division

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The professional group refers to officers who have passed the corresponding civil service exams. Across the entire East Island nation, only about 10 to 15 people pass each year! Most of them are graduates of East University, and the rest come from other prestigious universities. The difficulty far surpasses even that of the judicial examination. With such an extremely low pass rate, the corresponding reward is naturally a “bright future.” Upon entry, they start as assistant inspectors, a rank one level higher than Takagi Wataru’s current position as chief inspector. After several months to a year of field experience, they can be directly promoted to inspector, which is the same rank as Inspector Megure.

Generally speaking, these professional group inspectors are very likely to be assigned directly to the Police Headquarters. Even if they do not enter the headquarters immediately, they will be stationed at the Metropolitan Police Department or other regional headquarters, mainly handling desk work rather than frontline duties. The Metropolitan Police Department is the police headquarters of East City, while the Police Headquarters oversees all police departments nationwide, including the Metropolitan Police Department.

Moreover, before turning 30, members of the professional group have a significant chance of being promoted to superintendent, and with seniority, they can reach chief superintendent—ranks that frontline officers outside this group seldom achieve in their entire careers.

Although the professional group is part of the police system, they resemble “senior civil servants” and are often sarcastically called “bureaucrat police” or the “gold watch club” by frontline officers. Of course, Megure has no negative opinions about Kuro Shiraishi.

Six years ago, when Kuro Shiraishi just joined and was undergoing training in the Third Section of the First Investigation Division dealing with violent offenders, Megure initially found it troublesome—was the First Investigation Division the place where the “gold watch club” officers were sent for training? Could those office-bound types avoid causing trouble?

However, Kuro Shiraishi’s outstanding performance quickly changed Megure’s view of the “gold watch club.” Within ten months, due to his excellent field performance, imposing physique, and seemingly innate formidable presence, he caught the attention of Odagiri, the newly appointed head of the Organized Crime Countermeasures Division and became a key member of the expanded and reorganized division. (In this story, the division’s establishment is seven years later than in reality.)

Surprisingly, Kuro Shiraishi did not disdain frontline work at all. In the most frontline Third Section of the Organized Crime Countermeasures Division, he served as the chief of the Fourth Section and was promoted to section chief two years later, retaining the rank of inspector.

At this moment, Takagi, hearing Megure mention the “gold watch club,” was shocked. “The gold watch club?” Takagi looked at Kuro Shiraishi in disbelief. This guy looks like his muscles have grown into his brain, yet he’s part of the gold watch club?

Takagi’s thoughts were plainly written on his face.

Megure was speechless. He had just swallowed the word “gold watch club” when it slipped out, and now Takagi had to blurt it out anyway.

“Um… Officer Takagi,” Kuro Shiraishi looked at him seriously.

“Ah! No… I mean…” Takagi immediately panicked. This wasn’t just about rank or physique; it was as if Kuro Shiraishi was truly surrounded by an aura of intimidation.

“You can’t do that! Sometimes those who don’t look very smart are actually quite cunning… As detectives, you must not judge by appearances!” Kuro Shiraishi said solemnly.

“Yes! Thank you for the lesson!” Takagi hurriedly bowed ninety degrees, a depth of bow he had only shown before at Ida’s funeral.

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Meanwhile, Megure’s gaze toward Kuro Shiraishi grew serious. “Brother Shiraishi, I heard you’ve been investigating the Ministry of Justice… cough cough… That case, could it be that this time as well…”

“Hahaha, I’m on vacation!” Kuro Shiraishi laughed, diverting the topic.

Seeing Kuro Shiraishi’s smile, Megure became even more uneasy—mainly concerned for him, as the case he was involved in was no small matter.

Megure had also heard rumors; it was said that the Minister of Justice was secretly manipulating local violent groups and even colluding with foreign forces to launder money!

Of course, this was just “rumor,” and naturally, the case was ordered to be halted by “higher-ups.”

This case was originally discovered by the Third Section of the Organized Crime Countermeasures Division, and knowing Kuro Shiraishi as well as he did, Megure doubted he would simply obey the order and pretend nothing was happening.

Before Megure could ask further, Shinichi could no longer hold back and said, “Inspector Megure, that person over there is still dead…”

“I know that perfectly well! Really, we haven’t ruled out homicide yet, and if you mess around, it’ll trouble the police!” Megure scolded.

“Sorry! Inspector Megure, this guy’s reasoning has gone too far…” At that moment, a long-haired girl with a high side-swept fringe approached Megure to apologize.

“Hm? Ran? You’re already so grown up… Eh? You two actually…” Megure was quite shocked that high school students would travel together to America.

“I didn’t mess anything up! I had these older sisters watching me closely; I didn’t erase any traces or take anything. Also, it’s not that homicide hasn’t been ruled out—it’s definitely homicide!

“There’s a tiny puncture wound on the back of the victim’s neck, likely caused by injury to the cervical spinal cord. Also, there was a medicine bottle among the trash, so the victim was probably drugged first and then stabbed in the back of the neck with a sharp object,” Shinichi quickly explained.

“Eh?” Megure was momentarily stunned—it seemed he hadn’t expected such detailed examination from someone Shinichi’s age.

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