Chapter 260: The Tragedy of a Comedian

Just as Miyano Hiroyuki said, today's incident is related to the Yokohama Case.

In the Yokohama Case, the Japan Public Security Police found the ledger of the Kudo-kai, which not only implicated the Kanagawa police and numerous figures in the business and political worlds, but naturally also involved quite a few people in the entertainment industry.

Miyano Hiroyuki was one of them.

His partner, Miyahara Toru, had known for a long time that Miyano Hiroyuki was "taking private jobs" on the side, because normally, all work done by a Comedian requires a cut to be taken by Yoshimoto; although the Umbrella Duo were already first-tier Comedians and Yoshimoto had already revised the profit-sharing regulations to lower their cut, who would ever complain about having too little money?

Miyahara Toru had been trying to persuade his partner not to do such things for several years, saying that relying solely on their current work, they could earn thirty to forty million yen a year, which already counted as the upper tier of the middle class, but Miyano would not listen.

Originally, this was nothing, however, all of this became a major problem during the investigation of the Yokohama Case.

The Japan Public Security Police investigated that Miyano had repeatedly done private work for the Kudo-kai to earn high remuneration and helped the Kudo-kai launder money through commercial performances; the Public Security Police gradually investigated Miyahara and entrusted someone to ask, "Are you aware of your Partner's actions? Was he actively helping to launder money, or was he passive?"

This was the reason Miyahara appeared at the TV station; he learned that his partner was coming to the TV station to record a program today, so he took the initiative to come privately to meet with his partner.

Miyahara wanted to persuade Miyano to turn himself in; first, to persuade him to turn himself in to the Public Security Police for his actions, and second, to turn himself in to Yoshimoto Kogyo for taking private jobs on the side to earn extra money.

As long as he turned himself in, it would be a minor offense; as long as he cooperated with the investigation, theoretically, he would not serve more than three years in prison, and the Public Security Police even had ways to ensure he would not have to go to jail.

But Miyano could not accept either of these two conditions.

Because no matter which one it was, it meant his entertainment career would end right there; once he accepted a Public Security investigation for involvement with organized crime, he would be soft-banned by all TV stations, and secondly, once he turned himself in to Yoshimoto, Yoshimoto Kogyo would inevitably impose fines and a long period of being put on ice.

Miyano crudely rejected all of his partner's demands and demanded that Miyahara assist him in keeping it a secret.

The two sides broke into an argument and both felt angry because of it.

At this moment, the conflict that had been buried between the two for a long time finally erupted.

As mentioned before, Comedians, especially those who debuted from the Yoshimoto Kogyo theaters, are often forced to form duos; after all, manzai requires two people to perform, and in that situation, many people just find someone to team up with temporarily, and as they keep teaming up, they debut, and once they debut and get busy, before they know it, they have been tied together for many years and can no longer separate.

One is a handsome guy and one is an ugly guy, one is responsible for the straight man role and one is responsible for the funny man role, one is responsible for improvisation and one is responsible for writing scripts, so despite their incompatible personalities, it could be considered a mutual need, and there had been no intense conflict before.

Until this moment, the conflict accumulated between the two erupted at this very instant.

Miyano stated, "If you still consider me your Partner, you should help me!"

Miyahara Toru angrily stated, "I didn't say anything when you were earning extra money on the side before, but now it involves gangs and money laundering, and the Public Security Police have even found me; how am I supposed to help you? You keep saying I'm your Partner, but you didn't share a single cent with me when you were earning extra money on the side!"

"Now that you've run into trouble, you start calling me your Partner?"

"You can't just treat me as your Partner only when you run into trouble!"

"I came to find you precisely because I treat you as my Partner; if you are unwilling, then I have nothing left to say, and don't blame me for taking the initiative to inform the Public Security Police and Yoshimoto Kogyo of what I know—about you taking private jobs, and about you actively helping the Kudo-kai launder money!"

"You don't want to be a Comedian anymore, but I still want to keep doing it!"

Just like that, this twenty-year duo completely tore off their masks.

And in the midst of the emotional agitation, Miyahara's asthma flared up; he anxiously went to look for his Emergency Inhaler, but his Partner, also in the midst of emotional agitation, snatched it away, ultimately causing him to die from a lack of oxygen.

This is the entire sequence of events.

【Why did things turn out like this?】 Miyahara Toru's Dead Soul is weeping: 【I know I'm ugly, I know someone like me has no talent, but I really worked hard, I really treated Miyano as my Partner; we started together from the theater, we were both very poor at the time, living in a semi-basement in the West District, eating together, bathing together, and thinking of scripts together; at that time, I was dreaming about performing manzai on stage.】

【At that time, after performing at the theater, we would drink draft beer that cost 200 a glass and eat chicken gizzards that cost 70 a skewer; we endured those days together, so why is it that now that we earn thirty or forty million a year, we can't go back?】

【I really cherished Miyano, I was very happy that he was willing to choose me; I know he looked down on me for being ugly and not knowing how to handle things, so I... sob sob sob~】

After finishing, like Miyano Hiroyuki, Miyahara Toru's Dead Soul also sobbed uncontrollably; he did not understand, clearly he was doing this out of consideration for his Partner, so why did it end up like this?

【You did the right thing, this is not your fault.】 Uesugi Muneyuki said to Miyahara Toru: 【It is easy to share adversity, but difficult to share prosperity; this is human nature. You have already exhausted all your efforts, you tried hard to get Miyano back on the right track... it's just that at this point, no one is willing to give up everything they have now.】

People all have a mentality of taking chances.

Miyahara knowing that Miyano was taking private jobs on the side but saying nothing was a mentality of taking chances; Miyano knowing that the Public Security Police had already investigated him but demanding that Miyahara help him hide it was also a mentality of taking chances.

【You treated him as a Partner, but he didn't treat you as a Partner.】 Hironaka Mariko commented: 【This is humanity; the old ghost Kameyama is the same. Many people treat him as a lover, but to the old ghost Kameyama, they are nothing more than a cup.】

Suddenly, Hironaka Mariko seemed to think of something and giggled: 【Speaking of which, Uesugi, your beautiful Detective and Judo expert Ikeda Erena treats you as the light of her life and the fire of her soul, but how do you see her? You wouldn't also just treat her as a cup, would you?】

【Tsk!】 Uesugi Muneyuki snorted with dissatisfaction, signaling for this female ghost to shut up, but he also felt a bit guilty, thinking that at the beginning it really was close to that, but after spending a long time together, getting closer, and having deeper feelings, Master Eirina still had a place in his heart: 【How could that be? She is my dear, tall, big-busted, beautiful-legged Master.】

【Also, a pervert like you who has a foot fetish, a leg fetish, and a pantyhose fetish, rubbing against your Master Eirina's pantyhose like a dog all day long—I've been watching for a year and you still haven't gotten tired of it.】 Hironaka Mariko laughed and scolded: 【It seems you are reluctant to let her go.】

If we are really talking about a cup... Uesugi Muneyuki glanced at Yamaguchi Maho, who was cautiously watching the scene from the crowd.

The girl had witnessed the battle of evidence between Miyano Hiroyuki and Uesugi Muneyuki with her own eyes, her face full of shock and infatuation; seeing Uesugi Muneyuki cast his gaze toward her, Yamaguchi couldn't wait to make eye contact with him, however, Uesugi Muneyuki quickly moved his gaze away and looked toward Bai Chuan and the Sakura in her arms.

Bai Chuan naturally made eye contact with Uesugi Muneyuki, the two exchanged information in an instant, and then the National Goddess smiled at the idol in her arms: "First time seeing Junior solve a case on the spot, right? Sakura, how does it feel?"

"It really is... the first time I've seen it... sob sob sob sob, it's so scary, it's really so scary, Mai-sama, why aren't you surprised?" Although Uesugi Muneyuki's imposing figure had entered Sakura's eyes, the girl was still somewhat shaken: "This is the first time I've encountered something like this... it's really so scary~"

"Don't be afraid, with Junior here, all evil will eventually be brought to justice!" Bai Chuan joked with a smile.

Sakura pouted; she suddenly felt that Mai-sama was also very scary.

Why can she be so calm?

Mai-sama, isn't this also your first... uh, second time encountering something like this?

And at the same time, Fuji TV had already recorded all the content.

As things have developed to this point, even the usually cold President Kameyama shook his head repeatedly, thinking that Miyahara was truly an idiot for thinking of Justice Cutter so late.

He should have cut ties long ago; the moment the Public Security Police came knocking, he should have cut ties ruthlessly!

However, this is no longer important!

What is important is that it was all recorded; Uesugi Muneyuki's deduction show, the entire process of the current forensic examination, and Miyano Hiroyuki's confession process were all recorded!

Amazing, Uesugi-kun, you really gave me a huge surprise!

President Kameyama's face was full of sadness, so sad that he was about to laugh out loud.

The only thing to consider now is that because it involves a corpse and a murder, for this episode to be broadcast, it must obtain the consent of Yoshimoto Kogyo, the deceased's family, the Ministry of Justice, and the Metropolitan Police Department.

This will certainly involve some exchange of interests and persuasion.

Yoshimoto Kogyo is not hard to deal with; in fact, Yoshimoto Kogyo is probably the party with the biggest headache right now—their own artist committed murder inside Fuji TV; it would be good enough if Yoshimoto Kogyo didn't have to kowtow to Fuji TV, and they still want to negotiate terms?

Watch me, Kameyama, punch your President Osaki's dog head to pieces!

Then the problem is the Ministry of Justice and the Metropolitan Police Department.

Hehehehe~ It's time to witness true technique!

President Kameyama thought to himself.

Not far away, Shitara and Himura of Banana Man looked at each other, their faces both reading "thank you for sparing my life," and they remained silently speechless.

However, these two did not debut at Yoshimoto Kogyo; they are artists from Horipro, and Himura actually debuted earlier than Shitara. The two spent several years struggling in their early days without success, and only after repeated contact did they form a duo, so their bond is much closer.

"I'm going to tell Sashihara about what happened here." Tsuchida was already composing a text message.

Sawabe of Haraichi, on the other hand, felt a lingering fear; it had happened twice now, where he had flubbed his lines at critical moments during the M-1 Grand Prix, causing them to miss out on the grand prize, and what was worse, it was actually his Partner who was responsible for writing their skits.

After going back, I should perform a dogeza to apologize!

Sawabe felt his back was covered in sweat.

Just as everyone at the scene was pondering what to do next, the sound of dense footsteps came from the hallway.

The Metropolitan Police Department had arrived!

Police Inspector Shiratori Sho of the Metropolitan Police Department's Investigation Division 1, Second Division, arrived at the scene with several Detectives, only to walk in and see Miyano Hiroyuki kneeling on the ground with his hands cuffed, Uesugi Muneyuki and Ikeda Erena standing to the side, and the expressions of shock that the group of people around them could not conceal.

Seeing this scene, Police Inspector Shiratori already knew what was going on: "What did you leave for us, Forensic Examiner?"

"Evidence... and the credit." Uesugi Muneyuki smiled broadly: "The person has already been cuffed."

And as this smile of his was recorded by the production team, this variety show recording, which could be called a miracle, officially entered its final stages.

No one expected that inviting Uesugi Muneyuki would have such a good effect, so much so that even President Kameyama felt it.

It was a bit too explosive.

(End of this chapter)