Chapter 353

Oogawa Gorou, an experienced but hot-tempered veteran, is responsible for managing weapon props and maintaining safety details, serving as the on-site props group leader for the Taiga drama production team.

Uesugi Muneyuki's identification caused an uproar throughout the scene, especially among the on-site staff.

This, this isn't right?

"Uesugi-san, did you get something wrong?" Indeed, the safety officer was the first to doubt, unable to hold back: "How could it be Group Leader Oogawa? If anyone on site is most concerned about safety, even to an excessive degree, it's Group Leader Oogawa!"

"Exactly, how could Group Leader Oogawa be the murderer? He's the most safety-conscious!"

"Group Leader Oogawa has always been diligent, staying on set for over sixteen hours a day, sometimes not even going home—how could he possibly be the killer?"

Upon Uesugi Muneyuki's statement, everyone present first reacted with disbelief.

As props group leader, Oogawa Gorou indeed has a short temper, being strict with everyone on site, and even the slightest disturbance triggers him to curse like PTSD, but everyone knows he does this for the safety of the entire production team!

Taiga dramas differ from urban dramas, often featuring many horseback riding and war scenes, although it's impossible to be like 《Violet Tokugawa Three Generations》, spending thousands on extras for the Battle of Sekigahara (in reality, these war segments are repeatedly reused in later N Taiga dramas on Japanese Sengoku themes), but fight and horseback riding scenes are absolutely essential, just like driving school instructors who love to yell at students while teaching—although some instructors yell harshly, generally we can understand they're doing it for your own good.

But life only has one chance!

When a car accident happens, each driver can only be responsible for themselves.

"Uesugi-san, did you get something wrong?" Producer Nakamura, listening to Uesugi Muneyuki's judgment, felt his scalp go numb: "Moreover, Uesugi-san, you don't even know Oogawa—how did you know his name?"

We can't let Uesugi Muneyuki keep talking!

We can't investigate everything—once Uesugi this guy starts digging, he won't stop, and he'll ruin NHK!

"What name?" Uesugi Muneyuki tilted his head: "Isn't Group Leader Oogawa's name written on his chest badge?"

"???" The on-site staff only then realized everyone wears a chest badge, but…… Uesugi Muneyuki is at least 20 meters away from Group Leader Oogawa right now, and NHK employees' chest badges are about the size of a driver's license—normally, beyond 5 meters, you can't see them clearly at all.

Is this guy's eyesight that good?

And…… thinking of this, everyone turned their gaze toward Oogawa Gorou's tabi socks……

【It's him! It's this guy!】 Beside Uesugi Muneyuki, Nishimura Yuzuru's dead soul screamed, so angry his whole face twisted and blackened into a spinning black vortex: 【It's him!】

Uesugi Muneyuki narrowed his eyes, gazing at all NHK variety show team staff, silent.

Nishimura Yuzuru was indeed killed by Oogawa Gorou; according to Nishimura Yuzuru himself, Oogawa Gorou lured him to a remote warehouse, then guided him onto the icy stairs, and kicked him from behind.

As for the murder motive……

This story is complex to tell, but in short, Oogawa, as props group leader, long engaged in substituting inferior goods, colluding with specific prop rental companies or suppliers, who issued invoices far above market price, Oogawa signed for receipt, then later collected high kickbacks from the suppliers.

And these props, easily damaged during filming, were then falsely reported as more severely damaged or costly to repair, colluding with repair crews to issue fake invoices, embezzle funds, and make a killing.

But was Nishimura truly innocent?

Not a damn bit!

Nishimura, as production assistant, was also making money hand over fist, and his method was inflating the extra performer payroll by adding fake names to the roster to claim wages; Nishimura and the extra performer team leader were both ruthlessly exploiting NHK, while actually paying the extras less than contractually agreed, deducting owed transportation subsidies, meal allowances, bad weather subsidies, etc.

Nishimura knew Oogawa was exploiting through these means, because as production assistant, Nishimura handled preliminary review of part of the purchase orders and organization/submission of reimbursement documents, and Oogawa needed Nishimura to "turn a blind eye" or help speed up processing these problematic documents.

Oogawa likewise knew Nishimura was skimming money from the extras.

The two were originally part of the same shared interest, but why did the little boat of friendship break apart?

The reason is very simple!

Uesugi Muneyuki silently looked toward the distant Producer Nakamura.

He is the root of the problem; Producer Nakamura, on 《Gunshi Kanbei》, overruled opposition and chose Okada Junichi as male lead, making the schedule extremely tense, forcing the production team to compress the shooting period.

Naturally, the production team's pressure was passed on to Group Leader Oogawa and Assistant Nishimura.

Oogawa originally managed to barely maintain by substituting inferior goods, but the shortened shooting schedule meant safety checks had to be reduced and all inventory used, leading to frequent prop problems, and as props group leader, Oogawa naturally couldn't escape blame.

Likewise, the rush issue among extras meant attendance and work hour tracking became lax, giving Nishimura more operational room.

Thus, one income increased, the other decreased—the friendship boat was already unstable; at this point, Oogawa believed he bore more risk (substituting inferior goods, severe damage) yet received less money, demanding Nishimura give him more benefits, while Nishimura believed he bore more risk (directly facing extras, handling documents), with no reason to give more.

I have a wife and kids too—I need to support my family!

If at this point, the two merely had a conflict, then later on set, a near-miss major safety accident occurred (production weapons nearly injured someone due to inspection negligence), drawing NHK higher-ups' attention and investigation, which completely broke the two apart.

Just before Uesugi Muneyuki arrived, Nishimura and Oogawa Gorou had an argument: Oogawa blamed Nishimura for rushing production and deducting extra pay, causing low morale and operational errors; Nishimura blamed Oogawa for buying inferior props and perfunctory safety checks.

【I told him, if higher-ups find out I took extra money, I'll expose you for taking prop kickbacks and using inferior goods—everyone sinks together!】 Nishimura Yuzuru shouted at Uesugi Muneyuki: 【I've collected evidence! I have a key reconciliation statement!】

【Oogawa this beast! He's not diligent—clearly, all those inferior goods are Sobu products! He's terrified of accidents, so he patrols everywhere sleeplessly, like a madman yelling at non-standard operations—is that diligence? No, he's just scared!】

【So how much did you embezzle?】 Uesugi Muneyuki retorted.

【I didn't take much—only 3.9 million total! The real benefits were all taken by that guy!】 Nishimura's dead soul, full of hatred, pointed at Producer Nakamura: 【The specific suppliers and rental companies are his connections—this, we all know!】

【Everyone's splitting the money—why should I die? Everyone's getting benefits—why am I the one responsible?】 Nishimura yelled furiously: 【And why did Producer Nakamura choose Okada Junichi, why deliberately compress the schedule to rush? Isn't it because the rushed schedule and tight timeline loosen financial oversight from above, making it easy to manipulate?】

【This is industry doctrine—why should I be the scapegoat?】

TMD, how is NHK Broadcasting Corporation this dark!

Uesugi Muneyuki looked at all NHK staff on set, his face twitching once.

"Group Leader Oogawa, do you have anything to say?" Uesugi Muneyuki ignored others' doubts, speaking softly: "You earlier, should have argued with Mr. Nishimura, right?"

"…………" Group Leader Oogawa still wanted to deny, but looking into Uesugi Muneyuki's eyes, for some reason he felt as if standing before Mito Komon seeing the Tokugawa holly crest, trembling, and like standing before the Tyrant Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune, watching him remove his straw hat to reveal the shogun's face beneath—he couldn't catch his breath, panted for ages, yet couldn't utter a single word.

"Although my current deduction has no legal force, the scene has forensics officers from Tochigi Prefecture Police, who will examine your tabi sock prints and Nishimura Mr.'s body, and I guarantee their results will match mine exactly." Uesugi Muneyuki stepped toward Oogawa Gorou: "That shoe print is yours—this is the most important evidence!"

Oogawa Gorou retreated three steps, already sweating.

"Next, they'll test Nishimura's corpse clothing and fingernail debris; if I haven't guessed wrong, Group Leader Oogawa, you should have had a fierce argument earlier—clothes and fingernail debris should reveal fibers not belonging to the fall path ground or stone wall, and these fibers undoubtedly come from your clothes, after all, as props group leader, your uniform is specially made super wear-resistant fabric, in a special color making you easy to recognize!" Uesugi Muneyuki stepped forward again.

Oogawa Gorou, in this cold weather, sweated nonstop, retreated five or six steps consecutively, and began to tremble.

How does this guy know everything?

"Finally, on set, you should have noticed today—these two guys were arguing!" Uesugi Muneyuki suddenly roared: "Among you, who saw it?!"

Uesugi Muneyuki's sudden attack caught NHK on-site staff off guard; several people instinctively raised their hands.

"Ah ha~" Uesugi Muneyuki took another step forward.

Oogawa Gorou at this point was so frightened he sat flat on his butt on the ground, finally unable to endure: "I didn't mean to! I truly didn't want to kill him! I didn't know you'd come today—I was…… he forced me, props broke—why should I be responsible? I didn't…… I only took what I deserved! I…… he threatened to expose me!"

NHK set props group leader Oogawa Gorou spoke incoherently, before Uesugi Muneyuki, he completely collapsed.

At that moment, the Tochigi Prefecture Police arrived with the attendance roster.

"Reporting, Inspector! Based on our investigation, especially following Uesugi-san's inquiry, we have made a discovery! ………………Inspector?"

"Speak." Inspector Wareki remained stunned.

Forensic Examiner Uesugi, is this how you usually solve cases?

Simply... invincible.

"According to the scene's response, after the incident, NHK here had already sealed off the entire set, but the extra roster clearly listed 78 people, while only 61 actually showed up, and moreover... according to the extras' feedback, their actual working hours did not match the times registered on the attendance sheet! Furthermore, some extras mentioned that the team leader demanded they deliberately make larger movements during performance, causing props to be damaged."

"Indeed." Inspector Wareki nodded heavily.

Henceforth, the motive to kill, witness testimony, physical evidence, and circumstantial evidence were all present.

Done for!

Upon hearing the police investigation, the NHK producer and director on set painfully closed their eyes.

Wait! At that moment, the producer and director finally realized what.

Eight camera positions, the most advanced filming equipment in the nation, had fully recorded this very scene just now!

"Don't record! I told you not to record, ahhh!!"