Chapter 163: Reversal and Counter-Reversal

"I never expected you all to actually find something!"

At the Special Investigation Headquarters, Special Investigation Headquarters Chief Oshima listened to Police Inspector Kosaka's report with surprise: "So, you've discovered that Mrs. Tsuda's remains might be stored in the waste warehouse?"

"Yes, Division Chief. The situation is extremely urgent right now, please sign the search warrant immediately!" Kosaka Shinichiro showed Division Chief Oshima the evidence he had found.

Surveillance shows that for the entire PT Project team from May 7th to May 9th, only Professor Tsuda was active; he continued to diligently push his handcart as usual, entering and exiting the laboratory building with experimental data and equipment.

And the Special Investigation Headquarters' assessment is that, although it couldn't be seen from the outside, it is highly likely that Mrs. Tsuda's remains were hidden inside the handcart on May 7th!

"However, the PT Project involves national secrets and transnational research; if I sign a search warrant, it is very likely to invite displeasure from the University of Tokyo." Division Chief Oshima hesitated, seeing there was no smoking gun: "Kosaka, are you certain you can find concrete proof?"

Police Inspector Kosaka had not expected that Division Chief Oshima would actually be unwilling to sign the search warrant: "Division Chief?"

"Kosaka! This is the University of Tokyo!" Division Chief Oshima shook his head repeatedly: "What about Advisor Uesugi? Can Advisor Uesugi guarantee that concrete proof will be found?"

"It definitely can be; Advisor Uesugi's judgment has never been wrong!" Police Inspector Kosaka could only emphasize again: "Besides, Section Chief Watanabe of the Special Mission Unit also agrees with Advisor Uesugi's judgment! She is, after all, Superintendent General Watanabe's daughter!"

"Then let Superintendent General Watanabe issue the search warrant," Division Chief Oshima said calmly.

"Eh?" Police Inspector Kosaka looked at this old superior in disbelief: "Division Chief! Time is extremely urgent; it is already noon, the waste will undergo routine inspection this afternoon, and it will be processed in bulk tonight!"

"It's not you who is signing the search warrant, Kosaka!" Division Chief Oshima was finally provoked by Police Inspector Kosaka's attitude: "Do you have any idea what the University of Tokyo means to this country? And what it means for me to sign a search warrant? If there is no evidence, what will I face in the future? The person responsible is me! It's me!!!"

"Also, who gave you permission to act on your own? What if this angers the University of Tokyo or the District Public Prosecutors Office?"

"In short, I do not approve of signing the search warrant right now! If you must have me sign a search warrant, have the Criminal Investigation Department Chief, the Deputy Director General, or the Superintendent General call me!"

Having said that, Division Chief Oshima shook his head, indicating that he would not sign the search warrant.

This Special Investigation Headquarters Chief was even a bit annoyed, because according to Police Inspector Kosaka's report, they had not consulted him as Division Chief about these matters at all, but had only come to apply for a search warrant after they had already reached a conclusion.

Division Chief Oshima's refusal to sign the search warrant left Police Inspector Kosaka stunned.

Everything was prepared, just waiting for this final step, and yet the Division Chief actually disagreed?

This wouldn't do! Absolutely not! For this case, he had already risked almost everything; handling this case directly had put him on the spot. Regardless, he had already offended the University of Tokyo, and being transferred to the countryside after the case closed was almost inevitable. His only chance was to solve the case while muddying the waters, using the merit and the evidence in his hands to trade for the protection of the Metropolitan Police Department.

This was also the reason why he was so desperate and extreme in this case.

But now, at the final step, with only four hours left until the afternoon routine inspection and only eight or nine hours until the waste was processed at night, Division Chief Oshima wouldn't give him the search warrant?

Thinking of this, Kosaka Shinichiro knelt on both knees without hesitation: "I beg you, Division Chief Oshima, I beg you! Please consider the position of the Metropolitan Police Department, consider my position, and also consider your own position! Believe in Advisor Uesugi's judgment!"

Seeing his subordinate kneel in person, Division Chief Oshima was also somewhat moved. He turned around and looked at the sunlight outside the window: "I know, you are in a difficult spot, Kosaka, but we are all in difficult spots."

"Hehehe~ This is the Non-Career Track, isn't it? On this point, I am the same as you, Kosaka. When you ask me to understand you, who is there to understand me?" Division Chief Oshima was silent for a moment, then said: "I really can't do anything with you. How about this, give me some time to consider, okay?"

"Yes!"

Police Inspector Kosaka finally let out a long sigh of relief.

In the Japanese linguistic environment, when the phrase "I really can't do anything with you" comes out, it means the other party has chosen to compromise and agreed to your proposal.

……………………

On the other side, Uesugi Muneyuki and the others were also waiting for news from Kosaka's side. Among them, Police Inspector Shiratori was unaware of this matter and did not want to participate, while Police Inspector Okada voluntarily requested to recuse himself, so only Kashiwagi, Minami, Eirina, and Uesugi Muneyuki remained.

Not so unexpectedly, Uesugi Muneyuki and the others waited for nearly an hour before they finally waited for Police Inspector Kosaka, who came running all the way: "Advisor Uesugi! Everyone, the search warrant has been obtained!"

"Good, let's go!"

By this time it was already two in the afternoon. After obtaining the search warrant, Uesugi Muneyuki and the others finally rushed toward the waste warehouse behind the Agriculture and Forestry Department's biology laboratory building.

However, when they arrived at the waste warehouse, the scene before them made everyone's eyes widen.

The waste warehouse was surrounded by the District Public Prosecutors Office!

Over a dozen members of the District Public Prosecutors Office's Special Investigation Team in black suits stood with their legs apart, heads held high, and hands behind their backs, spiritedly sealing off all roads leading to the waste warehouse!

The District Public Prosecutors Office's Special Investigation Team?!

And just at this moment, Kirekawa Ryoichi, the Special Investigation Headquarters Chief of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, appeared with University of Tokyo President Komiyama, Agriculture and Forestry Department Manager Furuya, and Professor Tsuda and others.

And even Uesugi Muneyuki's grandfather, Uesugi Kuninori, was among them.

Uesugi Kuninori saw Uesugi Muneyuki from afar, his eyebrows furrowed into a knot, signaling him to come over quickly.

Behind them, a TBS Television program crew was carrying cameras and filming.

It even seemed to be a Live Broadcast.

It seemed things had taken a turn; Uesugi Muneyuki's expression was grim.

Uesugi Muneyuki and the others immediately caught up to the main group. The District Public Prosecutors Office members wanted to stop them, but the Special Investigation Headquarters Chief gestured: "It's fine, let the people from the Metropolitan Police Department come over too! It's just as well to let them witness it together."

Kirekawa Ryoichi's face carried uncontrollable joy, and he said very politely to President Komiyama: "I am sorry to trouble the President to come to such a place personally!"

"It is fine, Chief Kirekawa. Since you have invited me, as the President of the University of Tokyo, I naturally have the obligation to accompany you to the end, and also the obligation to see where this so-called 'evidence' actually is."

"That is truly admirable, as expected of President Komiyama!" Chief Kirekawa saw the Metropolitan Police Department group arriving, the Chief of the District Public Prosecutors Office's Special Investigation Team: "Just in time, the people from the Metropolitan Police Department have also arrived. This time it is truly the glory of both the prosecutors and the police! We have arranged for a TBS Television camera Live Broadcast; the next moment is the moment to witness a miracle."

After saying this, Uesugi Muneyuki saw Chief Kirekawa mouthing the word "Thank you" to him.

What did "thank you" mean?

Uesugi Muneyuki thought for a moment and suddenly realized something. He immediately cast his gaze toward Miss Minami beside him.

Damn it! There's a mole!

Miss Minami's reaction was much faster than his. Seeing Uesugi Muneyuki looking at her, she was both angry and anxious, and quickly shook her head, signaling that it definitely wasn't her, that she was always on his side, so how could she have leaked the information?

Then who was it?

Uesugi Muneyuki immediately cast his gaze toward Police Inspector Kashiwagi and Police Inspector Kosaka behind him.

These two police inspectors, one showing surprise and the other showing disbelief, both shook their heads immediately upon seeing Uesugi Muneyuki look at them.

As for Eirina, Uesugi Muneyuki had never even considered it was her, for the reason that he highly doubted Eirina had the ability to reconstruct his entire deduction process, and Eirina was the only one who had not left his sight for more than a minute the entire time.

The people from the Metropolitan Police Department understood: someone had leaked Uesugi Muneyuki's judgment and deductions to the District Public Prosecutors Office!

There is a traitor among us!

Damn it, all the searching and deduction of these past few days had been snatched by the District Public Prosecutors Office; they had done all the work for someone else.

But it was already too late now.

At this moment, even Uesugi Muneyuki's face revealed an anxious expression.

If the District Public Prosecutors Office seizes the initiative here, not only will the series of efforts made previously be in vain, but this group of people will very likely be held accountable by the University of Tokyo later!

But there is no other way; now one can only take it one step at a time.

In the end, this case has never had a body from the start, and Uesugi Muneyuki cannot use his own full capabilities, so compared to the District Public Prosecutors Office, he lacks a sufficient advantage.

"Please open the waste warehouse door, Department Manager Furuya?" Headquarters Chief Kirekawa signaled.

"There is nothing here that your District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Headquarters wants, Department Manager Kirekawa." Department Manager Furuya slowly took out the keys from his person: "I will emphasize this again, inside are all waste materials, samples, and radioactive substances; it is very dangerous."

"Open the door," Headquarters Chief Kirekawa said coldly.

"But... there really isn't anything inside that your District Public Prosecutors Office is looking for." Department Manager Furuya still wanted to persuade him.

"Open! The! Door!"

Seeing that persuasion was unsuccessful, Department Manager Furuya swallowed a mouthful of saliva, slowly inserted the key into the warehouse door handle, and opened the door.

The moment the warehouse door opened, Department Manager Kirekawa rushed into the warehouse first! He slapped the switch, and as a row of incandescent lights turned on, a warehouse of over four hundred square meters, piled with countless miscellaneous items, appeared before everyone!

And the first thing that caught the eye was the handcart that Professor Tsuda liked to push when commuting to and from work!

One could see two things placed on this handcart, which were two large cardboard boxes and a large wooden box underneath, and this large wooden box was exactly the one Professor Tsuda was pushing when he went to work on May 7th!

"Oh ho~" Headquarters Chief Kirekawa's eyelids lifted, overjoyed: "Isn't this your wooden box, Professor Tsuda? You really made us search hard for it!"

"Can you tell us, what exactly is packed inside this, hmm~"

After speaking, Headquarters Chief Kirekawa stepped forward quickly, flipped over the two cardboard boxes, and pried the large wooden box open fiercely.

Sure enough, a suitcase was revealed inside.

"Gotcha~" Seeing this suitcase, Headquarters Chief Kirekawa could no longer suppress his wild joy; amidst the horrified gazes of the crowd, he flipped the suitcase over, and the weight of the case was just about the weight of an adult woman.

"Can't say anything now, right, Professor Tsuda? It's a pity, the secret that you and the University of Tokyo have tried every possible way to hide is right here!"

Got it!

Tsuda's Wife, she is right here!

The zipper was pulled open.

Several self-sealing bags fell out.

"?" The scene before them once again made the whole place silent, and even the TBS Television host who was following behind to film stopped their movements.

The self-sealing bags contained soil, ground and dried plant powder, and some culture medium samples.

"Eh?"

There was silence throughout; Principal Komiyama, Department Manager Furuya, Uesugi Kuninori, Professor Tsuda, and others were all looking at the self-sealing bags that had fallen out of the suitcase.

Nothing?

And just at this moment, Uesugi Muneyuki raised his eyebrows; he lifted his right hand, and there was a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth, as well as a hint of relief.

No, there really is something!

"What is this stuff?!" Headquarters Chief Kirekawa looked at the large number of self-sealing bags falling out of the suitcase and screamed: "What is all this?"

Following his movements, more self-sealing bags all fell out: soil, samples, residue from failed cultivations, and even some disposable items like gloves, shoe covers, and masks!

The imagined Tsuda's Wife was simply not inside!

"This, this isn't right!" Headquarters Chief Kirekawa was somewhat uncomposed; he turned the entire suitcase over in one breath and discovered that there was nothing of value inside. The Special Investigation Headquarters Chief screamed and signaled for everyone to come over!

The District Public Prosecutors Office prosecutors swarmed in and began a frantic search of the entire warehouse!

All the waste and damaged equipment in the corners were moved aside; those scrapped instruments were handled by the prosecutors; on the shelves to the side, the trash inside every large box was opened and searched; and every single trash can in a row had its lid pried open by the District Public Prosecutors Office, with the trash inside thrown out everywhere!

Nothing! Nothing! Still nothing!

The District Public Prosecutors Office searched frantically in a circle and gradually fixed their gaze on the rows of iron drums at the other end of the warehouse!

"Search!"

Disregarding the danger of the chemical waste liquid, the District Public Prosecutors Office, right in front of the University of Tokyo's high-level officials and the Metropolitan Police Department personnel, opened the iron drums one by one. Inside were all scrapped, dangerous chemical waste solutions—yellow, green, cyan, turbid, and foul-smelling, making one feel uncomfortable. Every iron drum was inspected by the District Public Prosecutors Office; they even used steel tongs to reach into many of the drums and stir them a few times, wanting to see if there was any sign of Tsuda's Wife.

Nothing, nothing, still nothing!

Many prosecutors were left dizzy and nauseated by the fumes of the waste liquid.

"Impossible! This is impossible!" Headquarters Chief Kirekawa was a bit panicked now.

TBS Television was in the middle of a Live Broadcast!

"Headquarters Chief Kirekawa, what exactly do you want? We opened the warehouse for you, and we let your District Public Prosecutors Office see the things inside. Many of these items are radioactive; they are very dangerous!" Professor Tsuda said somewhat impatiently: "I really didn't hide anything. The warehouse is right here, and furthermore, because your District Public Prosecutors Office wanted to investigate, we already applied in advance to the testing agency you designated, and the results are out."

Professor Tsuda handed over a test list of the chemical waste liquid from a third-party agency: "No special components were found in the waste liquid."

"You!!!" Headquarters Chief Kirekawa's face was livid: "You, you must have hidden your wife secretly!"

"Kirekawa!" Just at this moment, Uesugi Kuninori spoke up. The University of Tokyo re-employed professor, the old professor who had been at the University of Tokyo for over fifty years, and the current Head of the House of the Yonezawa Uesugi said coldly: "If you didn't find her, then you didn't find her. As a member of the Peerage, did your ancestors teach you to become a slanderer who likes to presume guilt and create something out of nothing!"

"This is a smear against our University of Tokyo, and a defamation of this country's highest institution of learning." Uesugi Kuninori stepped forward: "If this continues, I am afraid I will have to bring this matter up at next year's Peerage Assembly in Kasumigaseki."

Headquarters Chief Kirekawa's face changed drastically.

The Kirekawa clan were descendants of Ashikaga Yoshiaki of the Ogawa Kubo of the Muromachi Shogunate and were descendants of Ashikaga Takauji. Tokugawa Ieyasu was quite accommodating to this branch of Ashikaga descendants when he opened the Shogunate in Edo; even though the Kirekawa domain's Stone Yield was only 9,000 koku, they were still granted the status of a 100,000 koku Daimyo, ranked alongside the Kanazawa Maeda Clan during the alternate attendance system, and were ranked as Viscounts among the Old Nobility after the Meiji Restoration.

So it is said that the very top level of Japan is actually always these same people, and it was only during the Meiji Restoration and the post-war economic take-off that a brief period of class mobility appeared.

Just as he was about to say more, Principal Komiyama of the University of Tokyo spoke.

"Headquarters Chief Kirekawa, we at the University of Tokyo understand that you want to help us, and we are also very grateful for your assistance, but relying on such presumption of guilt and rough searching will cause our University of Tokyo a lot of trouble. How about this, considering the contributions of the District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Headquarters to the citizens since the post-war period, we will not pursue this matter this time. Let's stop here for today, shall we?"

"Otherwise, if this is taken to the Ministry of Justice, the Cabinet, or even to the United States, we at the University of Tokyo will also file a complaint."

After Principal Komiyama finished speaking, he signaled for the District Public Prosecutors Office to give an answer.

Headquarters Chief Kirekawa's expression was ferocious. He looked back at the warehouse behind him, which had been turned into a mess, and at the iron drums with all their lids opened. The subordinate Public Prosecutors and Administrative Officials shook their heads one after another.

Every drum contained a large amount of waste liquid; Tsuda's Wife was not found.

"This matter is not over, Principal Komiyama. Although we did not find Tsuda's Wife, our District Public Prosecutors Office will continue to investigate the academic misconduct and financial corruption in your PT Project to the very end."

"Withdraw!"

Filled with hatred and helplessness, the District Public Prosecutors Office personnel retreated with a rumble.

Seeing the last of the District Public Prosecutors Office withdraw from the waste warehouse, run to the front of the laboratory building, and board a high-end black sedan to retreat, the entire upper echelon of the University of Tokyo breathed a sigh of relief; Principal Komiyama threw a fierce punch into the air and patted Uesugi Kuninori on the shoulder: "Senior, thank you for holding the fort."

Uesugi Kuninori did not speak, only shook his head.

Department Manager Furuya and Professor Tsuda nearby were even more exhausted, especially Professor Tsuda; even though he was wearing a suit, sweat stains were visible on the back of his suit jacket.

But everyone had smiles on their faces; after this incident, the Special Investigation Department of the District Public Prosecutors Office had suffered a crushing defeat and had even been caught in a minor transgression, so they surely wouldn't dare to be so arrogant in the future.

"Clap~"

Just at this moment, applause rang out from the waste warehouse.

It was Uesugi Muneyuki; he was seen clapping: "Subarashii! Truly, it is too subarashii! Principal Komiyama, Grandfather, and Professor Tsuda."

The expressions of the University of Tokyo's upper echelon changed slightly, and one School Board Member said: "The District Public Prosecutors Office has already left, why is your Metropolitan Police Department still staying here?! Do you want to receive a complaint from our University of Tokyo as well?"

"I certainly don't want to, but... earlier, you at the University of Tokyo also said that you do not accept presumption of guilt or baseless accusations, right?"

Uesugi Muneyuki casually picked up a steel clamp from the ground, walked quickly to the fourth iron barrel in the third row, and suddenly, right in front of everyone, thrust the clamp into the murky, foul-smelling waste liquid, closed the clamp, and lifted it up, pulling a fragment only the size of an index finger out of the waste liquid!

"Then this action of mine is not a presumption of guilt or a baseless accusation! It is hard evidence!"

Uesugi Muneyuki fished out the fragment, gave it a shake, and pointed at Professor Tsuda.

"Because Mrs. Tsuda is indeed right here!"

Crackle~ Swift as thunder, elusive as shadow.

Looking at the fragment Uesugi Muneyuki had clamped out, Professor Tsuda's legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground.

All the police and the University of Tokyo's upper echelon turned pale with shock.

(End of chapter)