Ah, wait. No way, right?
Could I really be getting exposed in the very first chapter? Are these netizens all literal Sherlocks?
He clicked into the thread to take a closer look.
The system had mentioned before that any remarks involving his original body would essentially be filtered and blocked. Consequently, the vast majority of the text had been rendered directly into corrupted code, yielding nothing of actual value. Only a few harmless, trivial replies remained visible:
[OP, you're hilarious. Do you think just anyone can walk into the police academy? Don't they conduct background checks? This is way too absurd.]
[Exactly. Even if the Organization were planting a mole, they wouldn't make them this high-profile.]
[Ugh, even though that man is a total pleasure-seeker, he wouldn't exactly deliver himself right into the trap, would he?]
[Is disguise technique suddenly a dime a dozen now??? Vermouth is crying herself to sleep in the restroom.]
[There are plenty of characters with similar personalities, what's so strange about that?]
[Who doesn't love sweets? Some of you need to stop overreacting.]
Fortunately, barely anyone agreed with the theory; the vast majority dismissed the original poster's ideas as pure fantasy.
Even though Satoru Gojo didn't particularly mind his identity being exposed, it wouldn't be nearly as entertaining if the secret leaked out this early in the game.
Looks like I'll have to throw away a bit more decorum in the future to lower everyone's guard against this avatar.
"Therefore, officers must gather eyewitness testimony from the vicinity of the scene... Does anyone know the key precautions that need to be observed here?"
Instructor Onizuka tapped his piece of chalk heavily against the blackboard.
Furuya Rei raised his hand to answer: "Due to the stress and imagination of an eyewitness at a crime scene, combined with any leading questions asked by the police, deviations can easily occur in their testimony..."
"Consequently, one must not swallow the information whole without questioning it. Instead, it is absolutely essential to thoroughly verify the authenticity of the statement!"
Onizuka nodded. "Correct. Excellent."
As expected of Furuya, whom the superintendent had personally praised. Not only were his academic grades exceptional, but his learning attitude was incredibly proper.
However, Jinpei Matsuda, who was propping up his chin from the side, chimed in with a remark. "It's highly doubtful whether the people graduating from this police academy actually implement that point properly in reality."
Onizuka roared, "Hey, Matsuda! You rascal, what exactly do you take the police force for?!"
"Naturally, it is..."
To everyone's surprise, the moment Matsuda opened his mouth, a fluent, textbook-perfect response flowed out. He described the responsibilities and obligations of a police officer flawlessly, to the point where even the strict Onizuka couldn't unearth a single flaw.
Furuya Rei blanked for a fraction of a second, a small arc tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Fine, as long as you understand. Since that's the case..."
Satoru Gojo immediately forced himself to perk up. Is class finally about to end?
The curriculum at the police academy was dry and tedious, and he couldn't even drag someone into a game of Gomoku like he used to do during classes back in the Organization. If it hadn't been for the forum, he would have fallen asleep right on the spot.
Onizuka's sharp, knife-like gaze swept over to him. "Hisano! Let me ask you: when a police officer is questioning an eyewitness, what must both parties bear in mind?"
Well... I knew it wouldn't end that easily.
The black-haired youth lazily peeled his eyelids open. "When questioning an eyewitness, the police must strictly adhere to the principles of legality, propriety, and necessity, ensuring that personal privacy rights are not violated and that all actions are conducted within the framework of the law. Concurrently, it is necessary to clarify the purpose of the investigation and produce valid identification. Eyewitnesses should also retain evidence relevant to the incident, including audio or video recordings of the conversation, to facilitate subsequent usage and enhance the credibility of their claims..."
"...If the police are deemed to have engaged in improper conduct, the eyewitness retains the right to file a complaint with the internal supervision department of public security to hold them accountable."
"Not bad." Onizuka's expression softened slightly. He casually added another question: "Then, how should you handle a situation where an armed criminal has taken a hostage?"
Gojo tilted his head, his response utterly striking. "Hmm... blow the criminal's head off?"
A wave of phantom pain washed over Onizuka. "Say that one more time?" He hadn't forgotten how this kid had slammed him into the ground previously, nearly putting him in the hospital.
"It's a joke, of course." Gojo waved his hand, letting out a hearty laugh. "If it were me, I'd probably kick that gun away before the criminal could even utter their very first syllable."
"Nonsense! Do you think this is an action movie? The criminal might be carrying backup weapons, and there are civilians in the vicinity—"
"Which is exactly why one must strike pre-emptively. Hesitation means defeat, doesn't it?"
Onizuka frowned. "Have you considered what would happen to the hostage if you fail?"
"Though I don't believe such a possibility exists..." Gojo shrugged. "If no coercive measures are taken and the hostage ends up killed midway through, who takes the responsibility?"
"Justice delayed is justice denied, after all."
"..."
Onizuka fell silent for a second before speaking up once more. "Regardless, I cannot agree with your methods."
"The correct procedure should be: maintain distance, locate cover, assess the threat, and control the situation. You must avoid provoking emotional agitation in the criminal. If the criminal genuinely takes action that directly threatens another person's life, then you discharge your firearm depending on the circumstances. Understood?"
Gojo offered a perfunctory response: "Oh, right, understood."
"...I see you're completely letting it go in one ear and out the other!"
"I'm not. It's clearly Instructor Onizuka who doesn't believe I can kick a criminal's gun away." He muttered under his breath. Seemingly striking upon a brilliant idea, his tone pitched upward: "Why don't you give it a try, sir?"
"Try what?"
Gojo's eyes sparkled. "Try roleplaying as the criminal, or maybe the hostage?"
"...Go stand at the back of the classroom until the end of the period!" Instructor Onizuka gritted his teeth.
Gojo offered no resistance, promptly vacating his seat to stroll over to the corner. Leaning casually against the wall, he looked as though he were shooting a magazine cover.
Onizuka continued explaining the relevant material for a while longer. He didn't make things difficult for the youth for too long, announcing the dismissal of the class a few minutes later.
"Alright, that concludes today's lesson. Make sure to review thoroughly once you head back." The thick-browed instructor, whose appearance leaned toward fierce, narrowed his eyes. "Particularly you, Hisano!"
The moment he exited the classroom, the freshmen began packing up their textbooks, chatting and laughing amongst themselves. Gojo, however, remained where he was, scribbling furiously in a notebook.
Hiromitsu Morofushi and Furuya Rei exchanged a glance before walking over together.
"Are you alright, Nozomi-kun?" Hiromitsu scrutinized his expression, choosing his words carefully. "Actually, I think your perspective makes sense in its own right. However, when dealing with those ruthless criminals, you can't take too many risks. You have to be careful with snacks."
"Snacks? What snacks?" Gojo snapped his head up instantly.
"..." Hiromitsu Morofushi let out a sigh. "Fine. Since you're perfectly fine, do you want to head to the cafeteria together for lunch in a bit?"
"Sure," the other party agreed readily.
"What about Hagiwara?" Recalling what Gojo had mentioned at noon regarding some "wingman" business, Hiromitsu felt a bit hesitant.
"It's fine. I only join him occasionally at noon."
As Gojo spoke, his hands didn't halt their movements for a single second, prompting Furuya Rei's curiosity to spike.
Is he still taking notes from class? Don't tell me Hisano actually got motivated by being forced to stand, deciding to pour his entire effort into studying?
"By the way, I came over to thank you for the ointment." Furuya Rei cleared his throat slightly. "I already applied it at noon, and the effects are outstanding."
Gojo evaluated his handsome face. True to his word, those bruised areas had already begun to recover.
"It's nothing. If you truly wish to thank me, just make sure your injuries heal quickly."
"And then challenge you again, is that it?" Furuya Rei raised an eyebrow.
Gojo remained noncommittal.
The handsome youth with wheat-colored skin stole a glance over, only to discover that the notebook in Gojo's hands didn't contain a single actual word. It was entirely filled with childish doodles.
Two stick figures—bearing an uncanny resemblance to himself and Matsuda—were thoroughly beating up a giant cockroach. The most absurd part lay in the final panel. The character representing Furuya Rei suddenly transformed into a giant, rocketing into the sky. At that exact moment, he appeared to have literally become light.
[Ding! Impression Points from plot character Furuya Rei increased by 200 points!]
"What on earth are you drawing, Hisano?!" Furuya Rei complained. "You just can't let this cockroach thing go, can you?!"
"It was clearly Furuya-kun who chose to peek at my epic masterpiece first. How truly outrageous."
Gojo snapped the notebook shut, trading playful barbs with Furuya Rei all the way down to the cafeteria.
In reality, Hiromitsu Morofushi could faintly perceive that the interactions between them were growing increasingly natural. As a childhood friend, he had always hoped Rei would find more companions he could genuinely confide in, making him entirely pleased to see this development unfold.
Inside the bustling cafeteria, Jinpei Matsuda began to grumble. "Why on earth do I have to share a table with this fellow Hisano?! And Furuya, don't you think it's incredibly cramped?"
Despite his complaints, he didn't make any move to leave, merely burying his head to stubbornly scarf down his food.
A smile leaked from the corners of Hiromitsu Morofushi's lips. Inexplicably, he felt that this setup wasn't so bad after all.
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