Chapter 323: Something Big Happened!

The delicious broth, coupled with tender chicken, made even Senichi eat a lot with an appetite, and he enjoyed it quite a bit.

Of course, besides the Mouri Kogoro group, there was also Kazuha's father, Ginshiro Toyama, among the guests this time.

Senichi didn't see him during the afternoon exchange meeting, thinking he wouldn't have a chance to meet him this time. However, they ended up meeting in the evening.

"Tomorrow, Mr. Senichi.."

"Right, let's go sightseeing in Osaka tomorrow!" Hattori Heiji proposed while enjoying crab mushrooms.

"Sure, it's a great opportunity to continue exploring the places we didn't get to visit earlier," Ran enthusiastically agreed and began discussing the places they wanted to visit tomorrow with Kazuha.

"What about you, Officer Senichi? Are you heading back tomorrow?" Hattori Heiji turned to Senichi and asked.

"Well... if there's nothing urgent, staying for another day should be fine." Senichi was on high alert as soon as he heard "Grim Reaper." There was no way he would let something slip by.

He had already decided to pay close attention to his surroundings tomorrow and see if he could prevent any cases in advance.

There were quite a lot of cases that can be triggered in Osaka, and without any hints, he didn't know which one might happen.

After a few rounds of drinking, Senichi, accompanied by Ginshiro Toyama and Mori Kogoro, had a fair amount of alcohol and was feeling a bit tipsy.

Just as he was sipping his tea and contemplating whether they might encounter any cases during their outing tomorrow, his phone suddenly rang.

Seeing the caller ID, Senichi's expression changed, and he had a bad feeling about it.

The caller was Haruka's current boss, the bald-headed big shot who had supported Senichi's rise in the Criminal Investigation Department, the one who had helped him stand in the limelight and had granted him numerous privileges – Yusuke Saitama!

This big shot has a very cheerful personality, but his shiny bald head confirmed that his work troubles were unrelated to his hair loss.

Speaking of this big shot, he was quite the formidable character in his youth. Although he came from an elite background, in his thirties, he happened to live through a turbulent era of reform.

Back in his younger days, he didn't oppose the reforms like most elites did. Instead, as a pioneer of the reformists, he repeatedly solved cases with his excellent deductive skills. He also led the charge in arresting criminals, displaying both intelligence and valor, earning the admiration of his fellow detectives.

As the reformists eventually triumphed, he rose through the ranks due to his accomplishments and prestige, eventually becoming the Superintendent Supervisor of the Police Affairs Department.

Some time ago, when Deputy Superintendent-General retired due to health issues, he leveraged his previous recommendation of Senichi and Senichi's subsequent outstanding achievements in reshaping the image of the police force. He was directly transferred from the Police Affairs Department to temporarily serve as the Acting Deputy Superintendent-General.

Although both positions held the same rank, considering rank alone, it appeared to be a lateral move. However, transitioning from the Police Affairs Department to the Criminal Investigation Department represented a significant shift in power.

Of course, if he could, Saitama also wanted to steadily climb the ranks and secure the position of Superintendent-General.

But there is no way, it is tempting, but the current Superintendent-General Hakuba held onto his position firmly. So, if he didn't take advantage of this opportunity for promotion, he might have to wait until he retired.

This time, he seized the vacancy for the Deputy Superintendent-General position and assumed the role of Acting Deputy Superintendent-General.

Although it was termed "acting," everyone knew it was just a matter of time until the previous Deputy Superintendent-General applied for retirement, making his position permanent.

As for Haruka Getsumei, she had also reached great heights. She was the one who proposed and executed the plan that allowed Saitama to earn this promotion. Now, she was directly under Saitama as a result of her achievement.

To describe it, although her rank was still Assistant Inspector (she hadn't reached the regular promotion time yet), her business card now bore the position of a direct superior. She had the kind of authority that came with a lowly rank but high influence.

Pulling out this business card could certainly come in handy when asserting authority.

Now, while Haruka was still considered a newcomer, she had already become the envy of countless individuals. Those with keen eyes could see that as long as she didn't make any mistakes and followed the usual progression, her promotion would be rapid.

To get back on track, big shots like him usually entrusted matters to Haruka and let the two young officers of the same generation handle things. However, the fact that he personally called was a clear indication of the unusual nature of the situation.

His thoughts flowed through his mind in just a few moments, and without any hesitation, Senichi apologized and immediately got up to answer the phone outside the room.

As expected, as soon as the call was answered, there came a rapid and urgent voice, quite different from Saitama's usual composed tone. "Senichi-kun, return to Tokyo immediately! We need you!"

"Later, you'll be briefed by Haruka. I've already informed her, and she's arranged the latest available flight ticket for you with the aviation department."

"I understand, Deputy Superintendent-General. I'm on my way." Senichi's expression became serious as he listened to the other person's hurried and somewhat angered tone. "What exactly has happened?"

The next moment, accompanied by the words from the other end of the phone, Senichi's pupils involuntarily contracted.

After a while, he hung up the phone and slowly exhaled. He walked back into the room.

"What happened?" Hattori Heizo and Ginshiro Toyama exchanged a glance when they saw Senichi's furrowed brow and serious expression, then asked.

"I assume the news will be in your ears shortly," Senichi exhaled slowly and then said word by word, "Chief Superintendent of the Metropolitan Police Criminal Investigation department, Itou, has been killed!"

"!!!"

"W-What?!"

In that instant, the usually narrow eyes of Hattori Heizo widened abruptly, revealing a hint of sharpness.

Ginshiro Toyama, on the other hand, was even more shocked, exclaiming in disbelief, "Itou... him..."

Mori Kogoro and Conan, along with others, also wore expressions of shock, clearly shaken by Senichi's news.

Even the two girls, Kazuha and Ran, who were not directly involved in police work, understood the magnitude of such an incident due to their family connections or daily interactions.

The murder of the Chief Superintendent of the Criminal Investigation department was no small matter. It was one of the highest-ranking positions in the Metropolitan Police Department, just below Superintendent-General, Deputy Superintendent-General and Superintendent Supervisor.

Apart from the top two bosses, the remaining high-ranking positions included the heads of various departments within the Metropolitan Police Department, such as the Police Affairs Department, Traffic Department, and Organized Crime Countermeasures Department.

Among them, the most crucial one was the Chief Superintendent of the Criminal Investigation department, who oversaw criminal cases.

And such a prominent figure was assassinated?

"Sorry, it looks like I won't be able to join you for dinner," Senichi said as he picked up his coat and started putting it on. "I have to leave."

"How are you leaving?" Hattori Heizo asked directly.

"By plane."

"Thanks to Ginshiro mentioning that we needed to discuss something later, he asked me to drive him back, so I didn't drink," Hattori Heizo said as he put on his coat and headed towards the door. "Let's go! I'll take you to the airport!"

Senichi was momentarily surprised by his offer but didn't hesitate. He followed Hattori Heizo out of the room.

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