Chapter 367

PS: This chapter is 5400 words, a double-length chapter, and Tenshi decided to write it all in one go, thanks to the readers' support desu, Orz.

Although Weekly Bunshun is a super gossip newspaper, its reporting and information-gathering capabilities are actually excellent, and if unprepared, the Bunshun cannon will not be fired lightly.

Regarding Uesugi Muneyuki, although Weekly Bunshun received instructions from some people, they had previously conducted a detailed investigation themselves; in fact, before the Kabukicho incident, Weekly Bunshun had already been secretly investigating Uesugi Muneyuki, including how many girlfriends he had and whether he had any improper relationships.

Naturally, the information Weekly Bunshun uncovered was that Uesugi Muneyuki maintained intimate relationships with his fiancée Watanabe Minami, colleague Ikeda Erena, and colleague Ishihara Mikoto, and he had not concealed this overly—for example, they had once gone together to Hakone hot springs, and even earlier matters had been dug up by Weekly Bunshun.

However, this is not explosive enough! And it's not illegal either!

The Bunshun cannon, as the name suggests, must be explosive to be called a Bunshun cannon; Uesugi Muneyuki is already an adult, and neither his police department nor forensic department has any "love prohibition regulations"; even if scrutinized, he is not a public figure, so there is no reason to surrender privacy rights to the public.

Therefore, if we are to explode, we must explode thoroughly; if we are to explode, we must explode cleanly!

Since there was no gain from Shirakawa Mai, Weekly Bunshun shifted its investigative direction, and after a period of surveillance, they finally found Saito Asuka in the vast crowd, with two pieces of evidence proving Saito Asuka cohabited with Uesugi Muneyuki: first, Uesugi Muneyuki once went with Ishihara Mikoto to pick up Asuka after school; second, after multiple surveillance and investigations, Weekly Bunshun learned that Asuka and Uesugi Muneyuki both live in Sakata Bridge Tower, and through some gray methods discovered they reside on the same floor.

Isn't that it?

Upon learning this, Weekly Bunshun became extremely excited; the Bunshun cannon, prepare to fire!

Naturally, Weekly Bunshun considered that someone as meticulous as Uesugi Muneyuki might have consulted a lawyer, and the adoption procedure would be unproblematic; they also considered that although the possibility of a minor living-in housekeeper is theoretically extremely low, what if Uesugi Muneyuki had considered it and actually implemented the extremely cumbersome regulations of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare?

This kind of thing is best if it hits, but if it doesn't hit, it doesn't matter.

Because Weekly Bunshun holds a trump card!

Uesugi Muneyuki absolutely has an affair with Saito Asuka! And this is something he absolutely cannot explain!

On this point, Weekly Bunshun has absolute confidence, after all, knowing Uesugi Muneyuki himself is a "lecher demon," investigation revealed he is the type who welcomes no woman unwillingly, and according to experienced investigators in Weekly Bunshun, Saito Asuka's gaze toward Uesugi Muneyuki is absolutely pure infatuation and absolute frankness after having seen each other naked.

As long as this is thrown out at the critical moment, although somewhat vulgar, it is absolutely a one-hit kill.

Home run!

But Weekly Bunshun never imagined that Uesugi Muneyuki actually never touched Saito Asuka!

This is the single thing in the entire matter that greatly exceeded Weekly Bunshun's imagination!

How could this be possible? Uesugi Muneyuki, who even eats edge grass (referring to Ikeda and Ishihara), how could such a super beautiful girl choose to let him pass? What a joke? Men, as creatures, have only food and lust in their brains! Especially after investigation, Uesugi Muneyuki perfectly fits the stereotype—he just likes all kinds of delicious food and women!

But……this is true!

But……this is impossible!

At a certain moment, the on-site reporter of Weekly Bunshun, Takahashi Katsuto, realized that if the accusation against Uesugi Muneyuki failed, Weekly Bunshun would face what serious consequences! This was mentioned earlier, and the publisher's interior will inevitably conduct a strict investigation, pursuing responsibility from relevant reporters, editors, fact-checkers, and department heads. Involved reporters and editors will almost certainly be fired, and relevant management may resign in responsibility or be demoted.

And as the on-site reporter and main initiator of the questioning, Takahashi Katsuto will undoubtedly be subjected to Weekly Bunshun's Justice Cutter, no, not only Weekly Bunshun, but the Japan Newspaper Association and other industry self-regulatory organizations will certainly list him on a major blemish blacklist.

If I fail here today, then my career is over!

But how could this be? My judgment is absolutely correct!

So, when Uesugi Muneyuki presented the third-party FBIWARNING test results from the American St. Mary's Hospital, Weekly Bunshun knew they had actually lost.

Weekly Bunshun might lose lose lose big lose special lose, but Takahashi Katsuto on site undoubtedly has no chance to lose at all—he will only be completely ruined!

But how could this be? As a long-time gossip reporter for Weekly Bunshun, Takahashi Katsuto absolutely believes in his experience; he could not possibly be wrong!

I cannot fail here! Absolutely not!

In desperation, that sentence finally blurted out.

"It's not only usable there!"

Upon saying this, the entire venue fell silent.

In the Fuji TV large conference room, Kameyama Chihiro watched this scene on the live broadcast, his expression shifting from tense to stunned like a wooden chicken, from shocked to speechless, while behind him, Fuji TV executives and the Production Bureau Chief had already erupted in earth-shaking cheers.

Awesome! This is exactly what we want to see! This is exactly it!

Simply more exciting than the Kohaku gold screen!

This wave of ratings will explode again! Kameyama Chihiro, we respect you!

And after Kameyama Chihiro fully understood what shocking statement Weekly Bunshun had made, his expression instead turned calm; only seeing this president who had created countless rating miracles in two years slowly turn his head, gaze at a forty-five-degree angle into the distance, and shove one hand into his suit's inner pocket.

I am Fuji TV!!!

At the same time, in Bunkyo Ward, the Yonezawa Uesugi residence.

Upon hearing what the Weekly Bunshun representative said, the already 74-year-old Uesugi Kuninori was stunned.

Is this even possible?

Weekly Bunshun really has no shame!

And upon hearing this, Uesugi Hironori had already opened champagne: "Snow Pine won! Father! Chitokumaru! Snow Pine won!!! Hahahahahaha hahahahahaha hahahaha truly like father like son! Without my going there once, how could Snow Pine Maru have prepared so perfectly? Without my personally reminding him once, could Snow Pine Maru have maintained restraint?"

Beside him, Uesugi Sadanori was speechless; he glanced sideways at his own father, looked at the TV, and only felt infinite hatred toward Weekly Bunshun.

Even at this point, still rolling around and being shameless?

Truly making one feel, utterly disgusting!

This unparalleled disgust feeling not only spread throughout every person at the Sakurada-mon hearing site, but also along Fuji TV's live broadcast to every person in Kantou, Japan, watching this live broadcast!

After the scene fell into a strange silence, the judge dispatched from the Tokyo District Court, Tokoro Hakkan, fiercely struck the gavel at least ten times, shouting at the Weekly Bunshun representative: "Please have this reporter immediately retract his statement! This is an insult and mental violation of a minor!"

After saying that, Judge Tokoro Hakkan in court shouted at the clerk: "According to Article 34 of the Child Welfare Act, immediately protect the minor's lawful rights and interests; I announce full acceptance of Uesugi Muneyuki's all evidence and third-party appraisal results, and announce that Weekly Bunshun's objections are invalid!"

"Yes!" The court clerk also immediately said.

While the court side reacted intensely, the police department side also could not sit still.

"Hey! Do you know what you're actually saying? Kora!"

The several inspectors from the Investigation Division 1 of the Metropolitan Police Department who were present as witnesses and testifiers could not hold back; among them, as the involved party, Kashiwagi Jin turned iron-faced with anger, several officers rushed forward, wanting to violently take down Weekly Bunshun reporter Takahashi Katsuto, while the officers maintaining order went up to block them, turning into a great flood washing the Dragon King Temple, one family against another family.

The staff of the Child Guidance Center on site were even more black-faced than ink, where one staff member immediately raised a briefcase to shield the still-unreacting Saito Asuka behind them, intending to take her away from the scene; as Japan's largest official child protection agency, encountering such a thing on site is simply a tremendous disgrace for them.

Another staff member of the Child Guidance Center coldly said to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office: "According to the witness protection principle of Article 33 of the Child Welfare Act, Weekly Bunshun's remarks have seriously infringed upon the privacy and reputation rights of the involved party and the witness appearing in court; we demand the prosecutor's office immediately initiate criminal litigation proceedings against Weekly Bunshun!"

"And we, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, will accept this proposal." At this moment, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office also had a grim expression; Weekly Bunshun's heaven-defying remarks are truly explosive: "We will collect all evidence and on-site recordings, then prepare the prosecution procedure!"

Since Weekly Bunshun likes to send us merits, we have no reason not to accept them.

The prosecutor Shinbayashi Kensatsu-kan of the on-site prosecutor's office couldn't help but glance at Uesugi Muneyuki.

This Uesugi guy……really drove Weekly Bunshun to a desperate dog jumping over the wall; after DNA and medical reports doubly denied the sexual assault accusation, the Weekly Bunshun reporter actually blurted out in court "non-penetration also counts as sexual behavior" as a defense—this is practically a suicidal defense strategy.

From a legal standpoint, the Weekly Bunshun reporter has now completely abandoned professional ethics; Article 328 of Japan's Criminal Procedure Code explicitly prohibits such baseless accusations made in court, let alone against a minor!

The staff member of the Child Guidance Center used their body to shield, deeply familiar with Article 33 of Japan's Child Welfare Act regarding the "right to accompaniment during testimony," and the Weekly Bunshun reporter's remarks have already crossed the red line of Article 171 of the Penal Code.

Furthermore, Article 18 of the Youth Protection and Development Ordinance concerns "media shall not induce minors to testify."

The scene descended into chaos, with the angry Kashiwagi Jin leading Metropolitan Police Department detectives in charging at the National Police Agency guards, cursing Weekly Bunshun's shamelessness, while reporters standing with Weekly Bunshun hurriedly distanced themselves, fearing association and hoping he might say something even more outrageous; prosecutors from the District Public Prosecutors Office have already begun demanding Fuji TV provide on-site audio and video footage as evidence, while officials from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare covered their faces, unsure what to say.

The Child Guidance Center, furious and flustered, took Saito Asuka away first to avoid secondary harm, while Ishihara Mikoto then shouted in court: "Is what Weekly Bunshun says even human speech? Do you guys only have AV shoots in your heads? Beasts! Even the eighteen levels of Hell couldn't hold scum like you!"

"If you keep saying this, does that mean any evidence doesn't need to be counted? As long as you point fingers, could a fisherman from Hokkaido violate a girl from Shikoku across time and space? Anyway, this won't work, that won't work either—might as well not hold hearings anymore; if you feel it, just go straight to sentencing!"

Uesugi Muneyuki coldly gazed at the pallid Weekly Bunshun reporter; this kind of situation where they stir up trouble when disadvantaged and then feign helplessness truly touched his底线, and he calmly said to Attorney Kunpei behind him at the Nishimura Asahi Law Office: "Please handle the prosecution."

"Regarding this case, our office judges a 999% chance of victory; if the opposing side cannot produce decisive, concrete evidence proving you had other borderline sexual relations with Miss Saito Asuka, then defeat is absolutely impossible." Attorney Kunpei calmly pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, his cold eyes filled only with mockery and contempt: "How do you want to fight? Main criminal or main compensation?"

"Weekly Bunshun's front-page headlines for three consecutive weeks apologizing, bearing all lawyer and litigation fees for my employing your office, dismissing all involved editors, reporters, and paparazzi, and requiring Weekly Bunshun's editor-in-chief Shinzato Gaku to publicly apologize." Uesugi Muneyuki coldly said: "Besides that, compensation for direct economic losses due to false reporting, immense mental suffering, reduced social standing, strained family relations, etc., from false reporting."

"So that means mainly civil, right?" Attorney Kunpei nodded.

"If Uesugi Muneyuki insists on criminal litigation, then the directly responsible person at Weekly Bunshun might face 3-7 years in prison, but compensation would be much less—around 8 to 10 million yen; if he pursues civil litigation, compensation could rise to over 35 million yen."

Nishimura Asahi Law Office naturally wants civil litigation, because according to their rules, compensation is to be shared, customary being 25% of the maximum; considering Uesugi Muneyuki's special status and Shirakawa Mai's introduction, they gave a 15% discount, and by the way, all lawsuit fees combined reach 10-15 million yen, which Uesugi Muneyuki can't currently afford, so Mai Xuejie fronted 8 million yen, to be repaid after winning the case.

"I suggest including Weekly Bunshun's parent company, Bungei Shunjū, so total compensation might reach 50 million yen, and we are certain to win—just possibly take longer, or the other side might accept our terms for an out-of-court settlement, such as paying money, publishing retractions, firing staff, and public apologies; but then our lawsuit would have no one going to jail."

"No problem, let's do it like this." Uesugi Muneyuki turned his head to glance at Mai Xuejie, whose wide eyes had lost all highlights, black qi spreading everywhere, unconsciously crushing the steel pen in her hand into fragments.

Shirakawa Mai has disappeared! Now appearing is Heishi Mai!

She is truly angry!

Serving time like this is unnecessary; criminal cases drag on, with possible retrials two or three years later.

For us Inner World People, if there's a grudge, we repay it immediately!

Nishikawa Souchou of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office personally signed on-site the arrest warrant for "suspected insult to a minor," while Weekly Bunshun reporter Takahashi Katsuto blurted out, instantly realizing things were bad, hesitated slightly upon being confronted by prosecutors and police, then immediately charged toward the police side.

"Hey!!!" Seeing this, the prosecutors' side flared up, noses twisted: "Don't run!"

"Sorry, the suspect has already been arrested by our Metropolitan Police Department; please all withdraw." Kashiwagi Jin coldly smirked, blocking Prosecutor Shinbayashi Kensatsu-kan's path.

"It's our Public Prosecutors Office that issued the arrest warrant!!!" Prosecutor Shinbayashi Kensatsu-kan, seeing Takahashi Katsuto taken away by Metropolitan Police police, flushed with rage: "How dare you Metropolitan Police do this?!"

"Sorry, according to current law, after arresting a suspect, the police have authority for 48 hours; if you want the person, come back after 48 hours." Kashiwagi Jin said, still somewhat pleased.

I know the law!

This scene was also filmed by Fuji TV; the on-site Abiru Production Bureau Chief laughed hysterically.

How is there still on-site prosecutors-police conflict? Oh ho ho ho, another big news! Exaggerated!

Come on more! Make noise! Make noise!

Too bad the prosecutors' office are respectable people; Prosecutor Shinbayashi Kensatsu-kan glared fiercely at Kashiwagi Jin several times, thinking the law really is like this, so he could only first go ask Fuji TV for on-site audio evidence.

Prosecute! Must prosecute! Go back and prosecute!!!

"Chief!" Just then, someone on-site gestured for Abiru to pay attention to Uesugi Muneyuki's side.

The Weekly Bunshun reporter was taken away, and Uesugi Muneyuki slowly walked toward the remaining crowd of reporters, facing over two hundred media outlets present, hands behind his back, he slowly said: "This should be my final time proving my innocence, people of Japan."

"I said earlier: whoever claims, must prove—not whoever claims must self-prove. Out of necessity, also to let everyone understand my firm defense of the law and my special relationship with the parties involved, so this time, I choose to prove my innocence."

"As for the result, you've also seen it." Uesugi Muneyuki glanced at the Weekly Bunshun reporter being led away by police in the distance: "Next time, if such baseless doubts arise again, I will no longer hold hearings to answer, but……"

"Our office has already taken on this case and will soon file formal litigation; if similar incidents occur again, our office will personally send lawyer letters." Attorney Kunpei stepped forward: "And initiate litigation."

The countless media present fell silent collectively, their gaze toward Uesugi Muneyuki now tinged with a hint of fear.

This man, face-on, shattered the Weekly Bunshun cannon!

Now he is telling the entire news industry: if you again use his private life for articles, you'll meet the same fate as Weekly Bunshun!

Moreover, Uesugi Muneyuki's today-displayed composure and legal knowledge, backed by institutional connections and personal endorsements, have indeed left all reporters and media present with an extremely deep impression.

The big hand of Haki Uesugi is now enveloping all of Kantou!

News reporters meekly agreed, knowing from today onward, if there's no solid evidence, they should not report on Uesugi Muneyuki's private life.

Thus, this nationwide-shaking hearing, broadcast live on a non-prime-time workday afternoon, with average viewership 38% and peak reaching 45%, the Sakuradamon Hearing, has officially concluded.

Everyone has a premonition: this century hearing will trigger a public opinion tsunami that will overturn the entire media industry.

And why is it Uesugi Muneyuki again?

At the same time, Weekly Bunshun headquarters.

"Editor-in-chief fainted! Editor-in-chief Shinzato fainted!"

"Call an ambulance quickly! Call an ambulance quickly!"

"Not good! Director Sato also fainted!"

"Director Shiyuan! Director Shiyuan has no response either!"

"Shinjin Senmu, wake up a bit!"