A homicide might occur!
In cases like this, if not stopped in time, there's a high probability that it could escalate into a murder.
Through the course of repeated successful attacks, the perpetrator's violent tendencies will become more pronounced, and their aggression towards specific groups will also intensifies.
Hence, in cases of serial assaults, the assailant might, driven by anger, lose control and attack with lethal force, potentially leading to the death of the victim.
To prevent such an outcome, the case was transferred from the local precinct to Senichi's department, Division One of the Criminal Investigation Bureau Headquarters.
One reason was that the locations of the attacks spanned multiple areas, making it inconvenient for local precincts to handle since they only have jurisdiction in their respective regions.
Another reason was Senichi's consistent track record, which earned him the trust of his superiors. They hoped he could apprehend the perpetrator before any more victims fell.
If the media got wind that the police, with three victims attacked, hadn't managed to arrest the culprit, and worse, innocent lives were lost, it would undoubtedly trigger a media frenzy.
The media don't care about how challenging the investigation might be, whether it's like finding a needle in a haystack, or whether the perpetrator's attacks are random.
They'd just label the Tokyo Metropolitan Police as ineffective, accuse higher-ups of being self-indulgent parasites, and say they don't care about protecting the public.
If it came to that point, the reputation of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police would suffer a significant blow, impacting their credibility in society.
Upon taking over the case, Division One immediately paid serious attention to it.
Inspector Megure promptly gathered his team for a meeting to discuss the details and analysis of the case.
Firstly, the first victim.
The victim was a gyaru girl named Ryouko Mizutani. Two weeks ago, as she was passing an intersection and waiting for the red light, a car suddenly rammed into her car from behind.
Naturally, she got out of her car, fuming, intending to confront the driver for compensation after being rear-ended. However, before she could unleash her anger, she was surprised to find the person on the other side wielding a metal baseball bat, swinging it towards her head.
As for the second victim, she was attacked ten days ago. She was assaulted while she was at a park restroom late at night, having just exited the restroom when the assailant struck her head with a baseball bat.
And then there was the third victim, Ms. Michiko Ishiguro, who was attacked yesterday. She had just finished a call from a phone booth and was walking out when the perpetrator assaulted her.
While the second incident might have been considered coincidental, by the time of the third attack, the police officially concluded that the assailant was specifically targeting gyaru-styled girls.
Following this realization, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police shifted from enhanced patrolling to proactive measures and deployed officers from the esteemed Division One, who had a track record of success.
Their goal was to apprehend the perpetrator as swiftly as possible to prevent further victims as time went on.
As Senichi reviewed the profiles of these three victims during the meeting, a sense of familiarity emerged.
After a brief recollection, he quickly linked the current case with another case he had in his memory.
Considering that there had been an inexplicable attack on Sonoko, Inspector Megure getting injured with a head blow, and the intertwined "dog food history" during the period, Senichi's impression of those events was still fresh.
"Since the culprit is targeting females with gyaru-style appearances, that becomes our focal point of attention."
After the case details were presented, Inspector Megure looked at his team and said with a serious tone, "We can't wait for the perpetrator to attack innocent pedestrians. We need to take the initiative.
We'll assign additional personnel and conduct a thorough search in the vicinity of previous incidents before the perpetrator strikes again."
"Inspector Megure, we can't conduct such a needle-in-a-haystack search. It will be too late when the criminals attack innocent pedestrians."
Standing up, Officer Miwako Sato chimed in, "If the attacker is targeting females with gyaru appearances, how about I dress up like a gyaru and proactively engage?"
"A bait?"
Inspector Megure pondered for a moment and then nodded, "Alright, Officer Sato. Dress up as a gyaru and linger in the vicinity. Takagi, Shiratori, you'll be in the vicinity undercover. Make sure to ensure Sato Officer's safety."
"Don't worry, Inspector. It's no problem. You can count on us!" Officer Sato clenched her fist, radiating confidence, "Even if he is a man, the assailant is around 150 cm tall. Even if he faces a weaker woman like me, I guarantee he won't leave in one piece if he crosses me!"
"Don't worry, Officer Sato! I'll protect you for sure!"
"That criminal won't come within a meter of you!"
"Make that two meters!!"
"If the perpetrator dares to show up, it's his death sentence!!"
"That shorty? I can knock him out with just one hand!"
Hearing Officer Sato's words, the surrounding male officers began competing for her attention, each trying to outdo the other, like a group of proud peacocks displaying themselves, all hoping to catch the eye of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police's "flower of the force."
Meanwhile, as Senichi listened to the officers' attempts to flatter Sato, his mouth started twitching.
What nonsense, believing her modest words so seriously!
With Sato's skill set – impeccable marksmanship, exceptional driving, proficiency in throws and grappling – she could handle an eight-foot-tall man with ease. There was no need for their protection.
What a joke!
"Alright, enough! Quiet down, the meeting isn't over yet!"
Putting an end to this courtship farce, Senichi sighed, "And don't assume that the perpetrator is necessarily short. The assailant's height could be around 160 cm."
"Hmm?" Inspector Megure's expression turned serious upon hearing Senichi's words. "Senichi-kun, by saying this, have you possibly discovered some clue?"
"Yes, I've made a few observations."
Since he had coincidentally encountered a familiar case, and one that could be prevented in advance, Senichi naturally wouldn't let go of this opportunity to get a reward.
Facing Inspector Megure's question, Senichi nodded and entered "reasonable spoiler" mode.
"Looking at these testimonies, I've noticed that the heights of the three girls who were attacked are all mentioned, and they're roughly around 150 cm."
Senichi flipped to the page he was looking for, pointing at the records. "The key lies in the phrase 'similar height to mine.'"
"Is there anything strange about that statement?" Shiratori asked, raising an eyebrow.
"At first glance, it might not seem problematic, but the crucial point is, have any of you confirmed whether their recorded heights matched their heights at the time of the attacks?"
Upon hearing Senichi's words, except for a suddenly enlightened Officer Sato, the rest of the men present exchanged confused looks.
--------------------------------
🙏🙏Please consider supporting this translation project by becoming a P@treon member, if possible!
Your support is greatly appreciated!
Available on my P@treon page for just $4!!
Early access to the following translations:-
~⭐NEW⭐MCU: Druid's Adventures (MCUDA) - +26 advance chapters
~Marvel: Little Genius (MLG) (⭐COMPLETE⭐) - Total Chapter 450
~Famous Police Detective in Detective World (FPDDW)- +123 advance chapters & 2 Chapters/Day
p@treon.com/Lightreaper457
--------------------------------