Chapter 357

Uesugi Muneyuki pressed the paparazzi against the railing, squinting his eyes.

Weekly Bunshun?

Could there be someone else behind him?

But Uesugi Muneyuki stopped there; if purely within the legal framework, Uesugi Muneyuki really couldn't do anything to this paparazzo.

Japanese law stipulates that citizens' privacy rights are fully protected, but only if the other party engages in "long-term stalking," "24-hour surveillance," or "intrusion into residence and private domain," where "long-term stalking" means you must discover and have evidence of the other party tailing you; first, a verbal warning; second, police intervene with a written warning; if the third time the other party continues stalking, then prosecution is possible.

This paparazzo is still just secretly filming and being discovered for the first time; all Uesugi Muneyuki can do is give a verbal warning.

And those guys from Weekly Bunshun are quite cunning!

"Did I secretly film and follow you? No!"

"I secretly filmed Kirekawa Buchou, head of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Unit! He is a public figure; as a civil servant, his privacy rights are less protected compared to non-public figures, because the Japanese Supreme Court believes 'public figures must sacrifice some privacy rights to guarantee public interest'; thus, many politicians and entertainment stars, as well as performers, facing covert filming and stalking can only endure it, unless the paparazzo sneaks into their home or even blocks the door for an excessively long time."

Weekly Bunshun are veterans at this; many times they secretly film so-called "non-public figures," claiming the reason is that they accidentally filmed them while tailing public figures.

Who would believe that?

But this tactic is indeed legal; Weekly Bunshun says whether you believe it or not, I believe it—I truly did it unintentionally.

Uesugi Muneyuki temporarily did not want to go all-out war; he still hasn't figured out who his enemy is, warned and threatened the paparazzo, saying if I catch you again, I'll send you a lawyer's letter from Weekly Bunshun, then let him go.

Yes, Uesugi Muneyuki still hasn't figured out who his enemy is; the enemy in the inner world is surely that Kansai New God, but what about the outer world?

Unfortunately, he currently sharp sharp waga milk.

Many people would subconsciously think that if a society's top layer opposes you, then he must surely jump out to challenge you to a duel.

But in reality, such things rarely happen, especially in Japan with its strict class system, rigid institutions, and strong feudal atmosphere—layer upon layer presses down; often one doesn't even know who is opposing you, who is deliberately obstructing you; if a high-ranking person wants to prevent someone from accomplishing anything, he has ten thousand ways through completely legal and compliant means to keep that person eternally spinning in困境.

For example, both graduated from Handong University Law and Politics Department; someone, having offended people, can only go to an obscure town as a judicial assistant; someone else can directly go to the capital to marry a female prosecutor from the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Unit, and even be dispatched locally to serve as Director of the Special Anti-Corruption Headquarters.

The funniest part is that both types of transfers are completely legal and compliant; no one can find fault with them.

In Japan, after experiencing the brilliance of the bubble era and the decline of the lost decade, and after the millennium when society began to see "invincible individuals," the true political gatekeepers have long understood "invisibility"; if one says prime ministers, ministers, and Diet members cannot personally appear in elections and attend events, but actually, aside from that, speaking only of Japan's wealthy—among Japan's top 50 richest, a full 35 people, aside from one name, don't even have a photo, let alone public personal information, which is extremely scarce.

You don't even know what they look like, nor where they usually move about, nor what they usually do; how can you hate a person who basically doesn't exist?

The same applies to Diet members; there's a joke saying why do Diet members need three secretaries? Because one is the designated successor, one is the mistress's family兼任 eating empty salary, and one is responsible for cutting off the tail to survive at critical moments to take the blame; and in the major cases Diet members have been involved in over the years, almost without exception, all are secretaries taking the blame, indicating the member himself is unaware, and the secretary acted alone.

Although Japan has a tradition of gekokujō, how much of it is truly secretaries acting alone is highly questionable.

Uesugi Muneyuki asked Kirekawa Buchou for help in investigation precisely for this reason; he needs to know who the enemy is.

Unexpectedly, just after separating from the prosecutors' side, he caught someone secretly filming him.

It seems some enemies in the dark have indeed set their sights on him.

While he was thinking, Rain Woman Princess Arimura Hana appeared beside him: "Why did you let that person go? Killing him would have settled it; I have many ways to remain undiscovered."

"No, as long as he dies, he will definitely be discovered." Uesugi Muneyuki bitterly smiled and shook his head: "Someone sent him here."

"…………That's how it is." Arimura Hana expressed understanding; the inner world is like that—only suspicion is needed; if she sends out a Frog Person who gets killed, she doesn't even need evidence: "The human world has indeed changed a lot, become so that I feel a bit strange……You in this Edo mud puddle have built a splendid city, its scale nearly comparable to the High Plain of Heaven."

"High Plain of Heaven?" Uesugi Muneyuki looked up at Tokyo's not-so-clear but colorful night sky, trying to ask further.

"…………That is a magnificent city built upon towering peaks, far more magnificent than Edo Castle." Arimura Hana said a few lines then furrowed her brow; she dislikes answering questions: "Tell me, Uesugi Muneyuki, what exactly happened in this city? And shouldn't the Living God reside in Kyoto Nijō Castle?"

"This matter would take a long time to explain……but the Living God……" Uesugi Muneyuki wanted to speak but held back; the Village Flower Palace dislikes answering questions unless she is in a good mood.

But Arimura Hana's words seemed to confirm something, namely that perhaps the ancient records of Que-shi Bada in the Kojiki are true; in ancient times, the Old Gods had not yet departed, there once existed Old Gods who liked humans, blessed by the Old Gods, the imperial lineage generation after generation are New Gods or at least anointed ones of the Old Gods?

Kansai, Kansai……Uesugi Muneyuki, while explaining to Arimura Hana Japan's history and how the capital moved from Kyoto to Tokyo, pondered in his heart.

The problem is, I currently dare not go to Kansai at all!

……………………

That night after driving away the paparazzo, the next day, news of a murder case breaking out on the set of 《Gunshi Kanbei》 instantly landed on the front pages of all Japan!

After interrogation by the Tochigi Prefecture Police Headquarters Criminal Investigation Division, the Forensics Division conducted analysis according to Uesugi Muneyuki's instructions, collecting shoe prints and fibers from Nishimura Sukezo's fingernail grooves; Ōhashi Group Leader confessed to the crime without reservation, and the internal corruption case of the historical drama dug out from this is even more earth-shattering.

All Japan erupted in an unprecedented trust crisis toward NHK!

NHK, as a public broadcasting institution relying on national viewing fees (essentially treated as a tax), actually had its flagship program expose corruption and murder cases; Japanese citizens felt a tremendous sense of betrayal.

"Was our money embezzled?"

"Where is NHK's supervision?"

"Citizens have had enough! Home inspections have had enough! We demand immediate abolition of the mandatory fee system!"

Citizens' anger surged wave upon wave; right there in front of NHK's headquarters in Tokyo, a demonstration march broke out.

And Fuji TV's famous female anchor Tei Reiji was still broadcasting live on site; the five major private TV stations seized this opportunity to wildly kick someone when they're down, and for unknown reasons, over a group of veteran female anchors, won this special reporting opportunity; the female anchor wore a well-tailored navy blue double-breasted winter suit jacket, inner ivory white silk V-neck shirt and same-color knee-length pencil skirt, brown long hair coiled at the back of the head, a pair of sheer beautiful feet stepping on 5CM standard nude pointed-toe high heels, facing the camera, displaying the indignant crowd behind her.

Before the headquarters, a sea of people, various slogans nearly reaching the level of needing to be blurred.

"Fuji Television, Fuji Television, this is Tei Reiji; we are currently outside NHK's main channel, and now waiting at NHK's main gate for the demonstration march are these people behind me, so many citizens." Tei Reiji solemnly said to the camera: "Everyone is waiting for NHK's explanation; although the case at the historical drama set is still under investigation, but it is quite obvious that as one of Japan's national cultural symbols, the historical drama actually erupted in such a scandal; citizens obviously need a satisfactory explanation……"

At this moment, the noisy sound from behind interrupted Tei Reiji's hosting.

Only see a refined and easygoing middle-aged man shouting emotionally: "Refund! Do you deserve us? Dani Ma! Refund!!!"

Tei Reiji handed the microphone to this middle-aged man; his face flushed red, veins bulging on his forehead: "Dani Ma~ Do you deserve us? We pay several trillion in TV fees every year! I came all the way from Kyoto Prefecture to here, Dani Ma refund!!!"

"Matsumoto Masayuki get lost! NHK Board of Directors resign en masse!"

"Shabi NHK!"

Tei Reiji quickly heard words more aggressive than bajiategulu; she hurriedly took back the microphone: "Then indeed, as we heard, the on-site demonstrators' emotions are very agitated; as everyone knows, the historical drama is our Japan's national drama; now this has happened, I want to ask everyone……"

"Very disappointed! Extremely disappointed!" Several white-haired elders on the other side, equally emotionally agitated: "I watch the historical drama every year; I have been a loyal viewer since age six; now I feel humiliated! I truly like 《Gunshi Kanbei》, NHK just won't think? Now how should this drama be handled? It has only aired one episode! Just one episode! I still want to see the later content!"

"Already ended~" Someone nearby immediately said: "Already ended~ With this kind of incident, how could this drama possibly continue broadcasting? I am so disappointed, truly disappointed in this country, just aired the first episode, already ended~"

"And with this kind of incident, can future historical dramas still be filmed? Can citizens still have confidence in their TV fees? Can we really still believe? Very blue~"

"NHK! You harmed 11 (Okada Junichi's nickname)! You harmed all of us! Sisters, flush NHK down the toilet ah ah ah ah!" Similarly, fans of the Kansai Johnny's Office V6 group also joined the assault; large groups of housewives and young female office workers frantically shouted, assaulting NHK's front gate.

The scene was so chaotic it's hard to describe specifically.

At the same time, Sakuradamon, Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters, Investigation Division 1 Special Mission Unit.

After the New Year holiday, the Special Mission Unit members returning to work watched TV, flipped through several channels, all showing this content, couldn't help but click their tongues in wonder.

NHK's The End Has Come!