Elder brother's garrison

Page 1331

"I can't believe this happened!" Yubari exclaimed in surprise. "What about the previous minister? Where did he go?"

"According to the suspect's confession, the previous minister was promoted more than ten years ago after handing over his work. Our people are investigating the minister's current work location and preparing to organize a team to arrest him," the middle-aged policeman explained. "Furthermore, according to the suspect's confession, in his more than ten years of work experience, apart from the female Kitchen Goddess, he did not embezzle a single penny, including the savings he extracted from the female Kitchen Goddess's salary, which were all deposited in this savings account."

"Huh? Doesn't he have a big gold watch? That must be expensive, right?" Yubari asked curiously.

"He saved up for six months with his own salary and then bought it. Everyone has the right to freely dispose of their own property, and we have no right to interfere with someone using their own salary to purchase luxury goods," the middle-aged admiral said.

"I go……"

"What exactly is going on?" Changchun, who was listening from the side, was a little confused and asked the middle-aged policeman.

“That’s how it is.” The middle-aged policeman put the passbook back, then picked up the interrogation record from Yubari’s hand, flipped through a few pages, and said to Yubari, “According to the suspect’s confession, his current job—that is, the position of director of the ship equipment research center—was obtained through nepotism with the previous director. Before the previous director was promoted, perhaps fearing that his dark history would be exposed, he specially cultivated the suspect to inherit his position.”

"Nepotism?"

“Yes. According to the suspect’s confession, a few days before he took over as minister, the previous minister specifically brought him to his office and told him about his continuous withholding of the female hearth goddess’s salary. Because this was a long-standing act of exploitation, the previous minister instructed the suspect to keep it a secret until the female hearth goddess resigned.” The middle-aged policeman said to Yubari, “The suspect had no intention of participating in such matters, but in order to smoothly succeed to the position, he agreed to the previous minister’s request and continued to withhold the female hearth goddess’s salary to conceal the matter until today.”

"Concealing it... If he didn't want to do it, why did he still exploit her? Why not just raise Miss Stove's salary back to normal?" Changchun asked curiously.

"According to the suspect, if he restored her salary all at once, it would inevitably attract the attention of the female Kitchen Goddess. So, all these years he has been waiting for the female Kitchen Goddess to come and ask for a raise because her salary is too low, and then he will slowly restore her salary to its original level," the middle-aged policeman said. "Unfortunately, the female Kitchen Goddess has never come."

“Uh…” Everyone looked at the female hearth goddess.

"No, don't look at me... I, I don't know either..." The female Kitchen Goddess awkwardly raised her hands, waving them frantically. "I, I didn't know the salary could be increased... I'm just making do with what I have, I never thought about asking for a raise..."

“Vestal goddess, you’re going to get a beating from society if you keep going like this,” Yubari sighed, patting the Venestal goddess’s head.

"Wh-what?! It wasn't me who was wrong!" The woman from the kitchen angrily slapped away Yubari's hand.

"So that's how it happened... But why did the previous minister target the Goddess of the Hearth?" Changchun murmured, then asked curiously, "Did the Goddess of the Hearth know the previous minister?"

"I don't know them." The Vesta looked puzzled as well. "I don't know many people at the Ship Equipment Center..."

"The suspect confessed that he had asked the previous minister why he was targeting the female hearth goddess. After all, for someone in their position, ignoring much more lucrative opportunities to target a lowly employee was a risky and unprofitable endeavor," the middle-aged policeman said. "However, the previous minister just mysteriously told him that he had his reasons and told him not to ask any more questions before leaving. He still doesn't know why."

"..." Yubari and the others remained silent.

The middle-aged policeman closed the interrogation record and placed it on the desk next to him.

"Then... what should we do now?" Yubari asked the middle-aged policeman, puzzled.

"The suspect cooperated well with the interrogation, and the interrogation is now over. Next, we will be responsible for investigating the former minister and will send people to search the suspect's home." The middle-aged policeman said to Yubari, "Regarding the return deadline for this bankbook that I just promised you... I'm very sorry, but due to the unexpected development of the case, it cannot be returned to you until the investigation of the former minister is completed."

"Oh..." Everyone nodded and silently looked at the female hearth goddess in the middle.

Strange to say.

The female Kitchen Goddess, who had been strangely excited and restless, trying to get her savings back, became surprisingly quiet after hearing the middle-aged policeman's words. She simply lowered her head and remained quietly in the crowd.

"Judging from this... it seems it's okay if we can't get it back for now," Yubari said to the middle-aged policeman when the female hearth goddess remained silent.

The middle-aged policeman nodded.

"If there are no further questions, please leave your contact information, and I will send a few people to take you back to the ship equipment research center. If there are any further developments, we will contact you as soon as possible."

"Thank you!"

Yubari and the three ship girls bid farewell to the middle-aged policeman, left the police station, and returned to the ship equipment research center in a police car.

The ship equipment research center was bustling with activity. Standing at the main entrance, one could see office workers in white coats spreading the news.

"Phew...you're back." Yubari stretched at the front door, glanced at the silent female hearth god beside him, and thought for a moment. "Well, don't be too sad. The police are still reliable. What's yours will be yours sooner or later."

“…No.” The hearth goddess was reminded by Yubari. She took a deep breath, let out a long sigh, and then shook her head at Yubari. “I’m not worried about the savings…I just thought of some things.”

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"Just now at the police station, didn't that old man say that the person who withheld my salary would be traced back to the previous minister's term...?" the goddess of the hearth said to Yubari.

"Yes... have you remembered what your relationship was with the previous minister?"

“No, I don’t have much contact with the people in the ship equipment research center.” The female hearth goddess pouted and shook her head. After a moment of silence, she added, “I was reminded by you guys, but it just suddenly occurred to me that something happened to me about twenty years ago, not long after I arrived here.”

The ship girls were drawn to the gaze of the goddess of the hearth.

"What is it?"

"For a while after I got the job at the Ship Equipment Research Center... there was a private mercenary group that kept trying to contact me, trying to get me to join their mercenary group, and the benefits they offered were much better than what I got at the Ship Equipment Research Center... But at that time, because I didn't want to disappoint the old man who helped me find the job, I didn't agree. Later, they pestered me for several years until one day they disappeared. For a while after they disappeared, I was quite puzzled as to why such a group of people who were usually so persistent would suddenly all disappear." The Goddess of the Hearth paused for a moment, "Actually, this matter has nothing to do with what just happened... But, just now I remembered... in terms of timing, it seems that the time when that mercenary group started to give up on inviting me was around the time when the previous Minister of Finance was promoted..."

The voice of the goddess of the hearth was ethereal.

The ship girls present were stunned.

Especially Yubari, who couldn't help but widen her eyes as she listened to the words of the hearth goddess.

"Could it be..."

Under the watchful eyes of the ship girls.

The goddess of the hearth covered her mouth and pondered for a while before raising her head and slowly speaking to the ship girls who were staring blankly at her.

"So I was thinking..."

"Is that matter... related to this matter...?"

Chapter 1709 Reason

The entrance to the ship equipment research center was quiet and peaceful.

After Vestal finished speaking, the other ship girls, except for New Jersey, stood quietly in place, pondering Vestal's words.

"Vestal Goddess, do you mean that from the time you first started working at the Ship Equipment Research Center until the then Finance Minister left, there was a private mercenary group that kept bothering you?" Yubari asked Vestal Goddess thoughtfully.

"Yes." The goddess of the hearth nodded.

"Are you sure the time when the mercenary group disappeared matches the time when the previous minister left his post?" Yubari asked further.

“I think the timing should be about the same… After all, the interrogation record just now said that the previous minister left office about ten years ago,” said the Goddess of the Hearth. “That mercenary group used to come to my house very often, so I was quite surprised when they suddenly disappeared. That’s why I have a deep impression of when they disappeared.”

"I see... If what you said is true... then this matter might be a bit serious..." After listening, Yubari stroked his chin and muttered with a somewhat serious expression.

"Sister Yubari, do you mean that the civilian mercenary group that Miss Vestal mentioned is colluding with the previous head of the finance department of the Ship Equipment Research Center?" Changchun asked Yubari after hearing her words.

“Smart.” Yubari patted Nagaharu on the head. “Although there is no direct evidence, I understand what’s going on based on the signs that the goddess of the hearth just told us.”

"what's up?"

"Actually, I was puzzled before. The finance minister, who is high and mighty, has plenty of opportunities to skim money, and if he wanted to embezzle, he would embezzle public funds. Why would he choose to deduct the salary of a low-level employee? After all, in terms of both benefits and risks, this kind of behavior is the least worthwhile."

Yubari addressed the crowd,

"Think about it. As subordinates, when they find out their boss is embezzling public funds, most of them would rather remain silent and protect themselves than report it. After all, their boss embezzling public funds doesn't actually affect their quality of life. If they report it, not only will they be retaliated against if the report fails, but even if they succeed, it won't benefit them. So, it's better to remain silent and live a life where they know nothing, right?"

Only when the reach of corruption extends too far, genuinely harming the vital interests of these numerous lower-level employees, will they risk everything to report it, thus increasing the risk of their superiors' corrupt activities.

"Oh……"

“That’s what I found most strange at first.” Yubari held up a finger to the ship girls. “After all, Vestal’s salary isn’t much. Given the Finance Minister’s money-making ability, he has absolutely no reason to take this kind of risk for such a small amount of money.”

"That's very rude of you!" the female cook said haughtily. "That's a lot, isn't it! More than ten thousand a month!"

"...The Finance Minister's basic salary is at least five times yours every month."

"Wh-what?!" The goddess of the hearth stared wide-eyed.

“That’s class.” Yubari shrugged and said to everyone, “I’ve been wondering about this for a long time, until just now when the Goddess of the Hearth mentioned that mercenary group that had been bothering her for twenty years, I suddenly understood. The reason why the previous minister withheld the Goddess of the Hearth’s salary was probably not for the money—or rather, not for the small amount of money withheld from the Goddess of the Hearth’s salary.”

"Uh... so is it really about money? What do you mean by that?" the ship girls asked, confused.

“Let me give you an example.” Yubari spread his hands. “Suppose I am a finance minister who is embezzling and breaking the law. One day, while organizing the data, I suddenly discovered that the security department, which should be full of humans, has the data of a ship girl.”

As everyone knows, the security department of the Ship Equipment Research Center is not officially part of the establishment and is the least valued department. Ship girls are among the rarest and most mysterious beings in human society—so, being someone who is extremely sensitive to money, when I saw this newly appointed ship girl security guard, a brilliant idea to make a fortune immediately popped into my head—do you know what it is?

"Uh... so, since we're not getting any attention... then how about cutting wages?" Changchun stood there for a moment, thinking carefully, before replying cautiously.

“Changchun, you really aren’t cut out to be a bad guy.” Yubari laughed at Changchun, patted him on the shoulder, and looked at the female hearth goddess. “If it were me, I would use my position at the Ship Equipment Research Center to contact a very wealthy civilian mercenary group, then find the leader of that mercenary group and say to him…”

"I want to sell you some really powerful ship girl information." Suddenly, New Jersey, who had been lost in thought, spoke up.

The ship girls looked at New Jersey in surprise.

“Ah… yeah. Yes.” Yubari nodded to New Jersey. “The Finance Minister contacted a mercenary group that could offer him a price that satisfies him. After discussions, they reached a consensus that the Finance Minister would be responsible for suppressing Vestal’s treatment at the Ship Equipment Research Center as much as possible. Then, this group leader would send someone to bribe Vestal with better treatment, so that Vestal would willingly resign and join the mercenary group that seems to offer better treatment at first glance, becoming their ship girl.”

"So that's how it is!" Changchun and the Kitchen Goddess covered their mouths, looking surprised.

“Yes… that’s the only possibility that can explain the previous sense of incongruity.” Yubari smiled helplessly as he said this. “But even that minister probably never expected that Vestal, despite earning such a low salary, could live in Kyoto for so long and even get promoted. Vestal is still working in the ship equipment research center. Her spirit of hard work and perseverance would make others weep.”

"Am I just imagining things? I feel offended."

"Haha, you're mistaken, you're mistaken."

"Uh... well, what happened to that mercenary group that had an agreement with the minister?" Changchun asked cautiously.

"I don't know. Maybe after that minister was promoted, he abandoned his previous duties. Seeing that no one was there to help him at the Ship Equipment Research Center, the mercenary group gave up on recruiting Vestal." Yubari said to everyone. "However... it's also possible that he just temporarily gave up on recruiting and is now observing Vestal's home instead."

"Oh..." The goddess of the hearth and Changchun exchanged a glance and sighed, "This matter is indeed complicated..."

"It's alright. The next minister has already been sent to the police station because of this. Once the police trace the matter back to the minister, they should soon find out what happened back then." Yubari said, hands on his hips. "According to the current minister's description, the previous minister was probably a corrupt old man with a lot of dark history. This time, he'll be settled all at once, and he'll be spending the rest of his life in jail."

"Seriously... they actually treated me like a commodity!" The goddess of the hearth stomped her foot angrily. "If I ever get the chance to see that former minister again, I'm going to smash him to pieces!"

“You can hammer it, you can hammer it. But more than that, I’m a little curious,” Yubari asked the goddess of the hearth, “Why didn’t you say such important information when we were at the police station? Why did you wait until now to tell me?”

"Hmm... I didn't say that before because it was all just my personal speculation, and I didn't have any evidence." The female hearth goddess blushed. "If I accidentally misled the police and caused them to take the wrong route, that would be so embarrassing."

“That’s true.” Yubari nodded.

"...Should we go back to the police station and tell the officers?"

“No need for that, don’t underestimate the police. They can find out this kind of information on their own.” Yubari said, taking out his phone. “Anyway, now that things are cleared up and your debt is on its way, Xiao Changchun and New Jersey-chan should come back to the artificial lake with me for ship equipment testing... Wait a minute, I’ll call the admiral to report the situation first, and then we can call it a day.”

"Oh haha."

A couple of days ago, Shiro took some time to exchange phone numbers with Yubari. Under the watchful eyes of the three ship girls, Yubari pressed the call button on her phone and dialed the number Shiro had left behind.

Yubari held the phone to her ear, quietly waiting for Shiro to answer the call.

"Drip-drip-drip-"

"Beep—beep—click. Sorry, the number you dialed is busy. Please try again later..."

After two beeps, the call ended.

Yubari, who was holding her phone, was taken aback when she heard this.

Yubari glanced at his phone screen in confusion, confirming that he had dialed the number Xiaobai had left behind.

"Huh? Is the Admiral very busy? Why isn't she answering her phone?" Yubari muttered to herself, then asked Nagaharu, "Nagaharu, is the Admiral usually like this?"

"No. The admiral usually... even if she's very busy, she wouldn't just hang up on us without saying anything," Nagaharu explained to Yubari.

"So the admiral is now..."

Yubari blinked, exchanged a glance with Nagaharu, and the two remained silent for a while.

Subsequently.

Changchun and Yuzhang frowned, their expressions somewhat strange, and at the same time, they took out their phones, lowered their heads, and dialed Xiaobai's number again.

Yubari and Nagaharu raised their phones, stared at the screens, held their breath, and listened intently to the voice on the other end of the line.

"..."

"..."

"Sorry, the number you dialed is currently switched off. Please try again later..."

This time, the sound from the other end of the phone was even stranger, more direct than before—it was the tone indicating the phone was off.

Yubari and Nagaharu stared blankly at each other, holding their phones.

suddenly.

A sudden realization dawned on me.

what……

broken.

Chapter 1710 Don't let them get away!

In a civilian residential area near the ship equipment research center.

In a corner at the edge of a dilapidated building, faint humming sounds, mixed with the rustling of clothes and the dragging of shoes, drifted in the damp and gloomy air.

The ship girl covered Xiaobai's mouth with one hand and wrapped her other arm around Xiaobai's waist, holding Xiaobai horizontally in her arms. In a dark corner of the corridor, she nervously peered out onto the road outside through a narrow gap.

"Mmm...mmm...uh...mmm..."