Detective Conan: Knifeman? I'm a good citizen of Beihua

When he returned to his workstation, Matsuda Jinpei was still thinking about Linlu Construction.

Linlu Construction...

He took out his cell phone, searched the name in the browser, and soon got the answer.

Linlu Construction Engineering Group, the largest construction company in Sakura, was responsible for the Chuanbai Stadium and Baihong Bridge...

Baihong Bridge???

Matsuda Jinpei suddenly sat up straight, staring at these words, and his dead memories suddenly awakened -

seven years ago.

"Gentlemen, it's not a good idea for you to keep blocking them like this." The person in charge looked at the two people in front of him with an embarrassed look on his face. "The court's verdict has already been issued. If you do this, it will only affect yourselves."

Matsuda Jinpei's face was stern as he stood guard at the door to the ward. His voice was cold and pointed: "Shirakawa is very weak now. He needs to rest. Do you really want to drag him out of bed and force him to pay compensation immediately?"

The person in charge said: "This is also his own fault. It's such a large sum of money, we can't just refuse to pay it."

"What you said is really funny. When did we say we wouldn't give it to you?" Hagiwara Kenji interrupted him speechlessly.

"We're just asking you to wait a few days! Besides, the court has already reclaimed all of the Shirakawa family's property, and you've all received some of it. Why haven't we given it to you? We can only communicate with you about the rest after he's better, right?"

"Or are you coming here to harass him every day just to force him to death? If he dies, you really won't get anything."

The person in charge said: "The main thing is that Linlu Construction has already started construction, and they have paid all the compensation themselves. It's not good for you to be so shameless, right? For such a large project, are you really going to let everyone work for nothing because of him?"

Matsuda Jinpei laughed indignantly. "A bridge that was built two years ago collapsed just like that. Is there something wrong with your company? Don't you have any idea?"

Person in charge: "Oh, what you said is wrong. The police never said it was our fault. The quality inspection report is normal. Who knows how your friend drove the car? It's great that our company can help him advance the compensation. What do you mean now? How can you not know what is good for you? You are still students of the police academy-"

Matsuda Jinpei was infuriated by this guy's shamelessness. Just as he was about to speak, he was stopped by Hagiwara Kenji: "Matsuda——"

Kenji Hagiwara had a cold expression and shook his head slightly at Jinpei Matsuda.

Matsuda Jinpei looked at Yu Junran and thought of the weak Shirakawa Akane in the ward. He took a deep breath and tried to suppress his anger.

In the end, Kenji Hagiwara asked Jinpei Matsuda to calm down, took the person in charge to the side, stuffed red envelopes into the person's pockets, and apologized repeatedly before finally asking him to leave.

Even after so much time has passed, Jinpei Matsuda still remembers it vividly when he thinks back on it.

He closed his eyes and thought deeply——

Nine years ago, the old section chief died in an abandoned construction site of Linlu Construction.

Seven years ago, there was a car accident in Shirakawa-no-Matsu, and the Baihong Bridge contracted by Linlu Construction collapsed.

A few days ago, Ryozo Tokita, who wanted to murder Shirakawa Akane, revealed the unusual nature of the old section chief's death before he died.

Is there any connection between these?

Jinpei Matsuda felt that he might have grasped the key point.

Since everything revolves around this Linlu Construction, it is probably impossible to say that it is innocent.

"Matsuda, we're having dinner together after get off work. Do you want to join us?"

Miwako Sato patted Jinpei Matsuda's shoulder.

Matsuda Jinpei raised his head and put away his phone: "Ah, I won't go, you guys go."

When Sato Miwako saw what Matsuda Jinpei did, she became even more confused, but given her current relationship with Matsuda Jinpei, it was not convenient for her to ask him, so she could only swallow her doubts and walk back to her workstation.

Gao Mushi approached cautiously: "How is it?"

Sato Miwako shook her head: "I don't know what's going on."

Takagi Wataru thought for a moment and whispered, "Matsuda, maybe you want to investigate Shirakawa-senpai's affairs?"

Miwako Sato was stunned.

"I've actually inquired about this matter, and it feels really strange." Takagi Wataru scratched his head. "It's said that Shirakawa-san was driving drunk and crashed into the Baihong Bridge. But according to my research, the bridge is very new, built less than two years ago. It's not something that could be easily destroyed."

"Besides, Senior Shirakawa was one of the outstanding students at the police academy before that. No matter how you look at it, he shouldn't have done something that would ruin his career..."

For this kind of thing, people usually just listen to what is said and believe it, and basically don't bother to verify the authenticity of the matter.

However, Takagi Wataru is a stubborn person. After coming into contact with Shirakawa Akane, he secretly paid attention to the previous events.

So, Takagi Shigeru gradually realized that something was wrong.

"Matsuda and Shirakawa-senpai have a good relationship, so I guess he knows more about the inside story and wants to help Shirakawa-senpai investigate it."

Sato Miwako also turned serious: "...There is some truth to that."

Matsuda had mentioned it to her before, but she hadn't investigated it carefully. Now that Takagi Shigetsu mentioned it, she vaguely got a hint of it.

So, what was the truth back then?

——If there really is a problem, then this is an internal problem of the police.

Takagi Wataru thought of Shirakawa-san, who had left a deep impression on him despite only a few encounters. He lowered his head and murmured in a complicated tone, "There was a case last time where Shirakawa-san uncovered an important clue. If that hadn't happened back then, he would have been an excellent police officer."

Miwako Sato was speechless.

"Instead of being like Senior Tsuneta..."

Takagi Shigeru stopped talking.

He still calls him "senior" just out of politeness, but it doesn't mean that he sympathizes with such people.

The Metropolitan Police Department has such police officers, but cannot accommodate better people.

Although Ryozo Tokita is dead, he has removed the veil of the Metropolitan Police Department, revealing its naked inner self, allowing these police officers who still have passion and dreams to reflect on themselves and the current situation in their hearts.

When did the Metropolitan Police Department become so populated by these good-for-nothings? Over the years, police inaction has become synonymous with the Metropolitan Police Department. Detectives have become trusted figures, while officers have become useless and incompetent.

Is this someone else's problem, or is there a problem within themselves?

Takagi Shigeru let out a long sigh.

So what? He was just a small police officer and couldn't change anything.

However, Sato Miwako suddenly patted Takagi Wataru on the shoulder and said, "Takagi, what do you think? Why don't we join Matsuda and the others?"

Takagi Wataru: “??? Eh??”

He opened his eyes wide in surprise and looked at Sato Miwako.

Sato Miwako's expression was firm and serious. She said earnestly, "Matsuda and Shiratori must be investigating this secretly without our knowledge. It's simply too much for them not to bring us along for this. We'll tell them later. At least we'll have more people and more resources."

Takagi Wataru looked at Sato Miwako and was attracted by her firm and powerful aura. For a moment, he was stunned.

Sa, Sato... so sassy!

"What? You don't want to?" Sato Miwako didn't get an answer from Takagi Wataru, so she thought he didn't want to. She frowned slightly, a little disappointed. "That's right, this matter looks very complicated, and it might be very dangerous. If you-"

"I do!!!"

Takagi Wataru immediately answered loudly.

Because of his excited voice, everyone around looked over.

"What?"

Several fierce-looking police officers stood up.

This brat is coveting their "Flower of the Metropolitan Police Department" again!

Damn guy.

Matsuda Jinpei, who was standing next to him, also glanced over and raised his eyebrows slightly. "Hey, a proposal?"

Gao Mushi waved his hands in fear: "No, no..."

However, the dangerous gazes around him became more and more ferocious.

Takagi Wataru: (；OдO)

Miwako Sato: (?д?;)

Everyone: (▼へ▼メ)