Chapter 590

When the Kimura family was escorted by the Nagano Prefectural Police into police cars and the commotion gradually faded, Uesugi Muneyuki and Watanabe Minami stood in the sunlight of Karuizawa, the surroundings having regained their tranquility, yet the air still seemed to carry a lingering trace of bloodlust and desire.

"A tragedy born of greed, catalyzed by fear." Uesugi Muneyuki gazed at the receding police lights and calmly told Minami and Eirina and others: "Kimura Eizo stole the wealth of the deceased, and his daughter, Kimura Aki, to protect this ill-gotten vanity, did not hesitate to strangle a living life, ultimately destroying herself as well. The law will judge their crimes, but what truly consumed them was the insatiable black hole of desire within their hearts."

Having said that, Uesugi Muneyuki furrowed his brow and glanced at Minami, his expression meaningful yet helpless.

The fear of falling in status is something everyone experiences, especially within such families.

Times have changed, just as Grandfather Uesugi Kuninori said: since entering capitalist society, whether it be official positions, land, or wealth, it has become difficult to pass down from generation to generation; many old nobles now fare worse than ordinary people. The Uesugi family, a lineage of scholarly distinction, must rely on each generation's children achieving high deviation values to pass their own exams and enter various universities to teach, thereby maintaining influence. Grandfather's anxiety about Tokyo University persisted until both Uesugi brothers secured positions there, at last easing his mind.

Watanabe Eiji is no different: his father, Watanabe Kazuo, was formerly president of the Japanese National Railways; his uncle, Watanabe Gaokyu, was formerly Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare; yet Watanabe Eiji can only rise to the rank of Superintendent General (if not for his own efforts), and Watanabe Minami... frankly speaking, the Japanese police have yet to see a female Assistant Commissioner; Minami can at most reach the rank of Police Superintendent and Commissioner, but with me, Uesugi Muneyuki dares to say that if Minami accumulates sufficient seniority, she is absolutely capable of becoming an Assistant Commissioner, even a Superintendent General.

This kind of status anxiety actually permeates the minds of the urban middle class and above; from Kimura Aki's behavior, Uesugi Muneyuki senses her abilities are not exceptional, thus she fears status decline intensely, and the greater the fear, the more she feels compelled to prove she deserves her standing—hence the luxury consumption, parties, and investments.

If leftists aim to take all your resources and make decisions for you, then rightists aim to enforce a caste system from oneself downward, with uninterrupted upward mobility and promotion from oneself upward.

As the saying goes: don't fear the second generation spending money recklessly; fear the second generation investing and divorcing, for the former is a bottomless pit, while the latter inflicts real percentage-based damage.

Yamashita Mizuki actually knows as well: as an illegitimate child, she hopes to fully inherit her father's Karuizawa villa, which is nearly impossible; even if she succeeds in inheriting it, she could not possibly afford the inheritance tax; even if she could pay the inheritance tax, she could not possibly afford the various property fees, municipal fees, land tax, and property tax.

In Japan, the cost of owning such a large villa is high; Uesugi Muneyuki recalls that many fools across the sea in a certain country were duped by domestic agents into going to Hokkaido Sapporo to buy a villa for twenty or thirty million yen, only to find that after a year, having lived there less than a month, property tax, municipal tax, management fees, heating fees, and snow removal fees easily exceeded one million yen.

Nationwide, Japan has nearly 10 million vacant homes, of which 3 million are listed for transfer at one yen or can be registered for free occupancy—you guess why no one wants them?

Therefore, she has no intention of reclaiming her father's villa in full; she merely needs a sum of money, and she especially needs a sum of money.

But for a villa worth hundreds of millions, Kimura Aki is only willing to give her ten million yen, and even that she does not want to give; this intense fear of status decline drove her former childhood playmate to truly strike a killing blow—something Minami herself did not anticipate. As an illegitimate child, she is not that sensitive to wealth; after her father's death, she and her mother endured a period of hardship, and rather than being materialistic, she could even faint from anemia and hunger, be reported to the police, and registered at the station—what more could she ask for?

Then what about myself?

Uesugi Muneyuki discovers he does not seem to have this intense anxiety in this regard.

Perhaps because he is experiencing life for the second time, he has already grown indifferent to many things; furthermore, what he truly relies upon is the Inner World power he possesses; the Outer World side is not that concerning to him.

But what if one day he loses his Inner World power? What if one day he can no longer easily trigger the Death Soul Contract Death Flashback to solve cases effortlessly? What if one day he... then would everything he currently possesses still remain?

Thinking this, Uesugi Muneyuki gazes toward the police car taking Kimura Aki away from Nagano Prefecture, and suddenly understands why Kimura Aki regards him as a "traitor."

The man chuckles, somewhat helplessly.

It is said that men possess a strong "id" desire: an intense inner longing for a woman to like him not for his money, nor his appearance, power, ability, or even his... but for his "true self"—that is, liking him simply as "this person"; in terms everyone can understand, it is "Asa Sai."

But how could that be possible?

Love is the most selfless, yet the conditions for producing love are the most selfish, just as parental love is the most selfless, but the precondition is that you must be their child.

So there's no need to overthink: I am myself, I remain myself.

The tide comes on the Qiantang River; today, I am I!

Thinking this, Uesugi Muneyuki feels the gloom in his chest gradually dissipate, and he lets out a long breath.

"Muneyuki, what's going on with you?" Just as Uesugi Muneyuki was pondering, Minami, the Young Lady, looked at him curiously: "Why is your expression sometimes solemn, sometimes tense, and sometimes you chuckle helplessly? What exactly are you doing?"

"Nothing." Uesugi Muneyuki suppresses his laughter and says: "I'm thinking, if someone suddenly appeared, claiming to hold enough leverage to ruin the main family's reputation, what would I do."

"Eh? Muneyuki, did you do something bad?" Minami tugged at the corner of her mouth, glancing at him askance.

"This guy probably didn't just hook up with a young female officer at the Metropolitan Police Department, did he?"

"No way, with Ikeda practically 24/7 by his side, could this guy still hook up with other female officers?"

"Wrong, Muneyuki said 'ruin reputation'... could it be a married policewoman?"

"Also impossible? Knowing he's the Young Lady's fiancé, who would dare to steal a bite, Kora!"

"If I found out, you'd better prepare to be exiled to Hokkaido!"

Minami saw Uesugi Muneyuki's face showed no excitement about solving a case, his mind in disarray, and she didn't say much more, only saying: "If you really encounter trouble, Muneyuki, remember to definitely tell me."

"Nothing." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded: "Alright, let's head back!"

"Good, we still have golf this afternoon!" Minami, the Young Lady, said with a smile.

……………………

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Imperial Household Agency Councillor Tokugawa immediately returned and reported all the content to the waiting Imperial Household Agency Director General Maeda Toshisuke and His Majesty in the palace.

"Doctor Uesugi, perceptive to the finest detail, relentless in eradicating evil. What he guards is not only the dignity of the law, but also social justice and the order of the human heart. To have such talent as a bulwark of the nation is indeed the fortune of the people." The other party spoke lightly after hearing this.

These four words, "National Bulwark," as conveyed by Maeda Toshisuke, rapidly spread among the top-tier bureaucrat circles in Kasumigaseki. This is not an official title, yet it is a form of recognition heavier than any medal.

It signifies that Doctor Uesugi's positioning within the power core has risen from a "technical elite" to a "pillar of the state" guarding the nation's foundations.

Maeda Toshisuke dared not delay, immediately transmitting this news according to the prearranged plan to Doctor Uesugi, who was currently observing a certain golf course in Karuizawa.

Doctor Uesugi, upon hearing this, was both amused and exasperated.

National Bulwark?

Doctor Uesugi, styled National Bulwark?

In youth I did not understand him; in maturity I denounced him; in ripeness I comprehended him; in old age I became him.

Zeng Wenzheng Gong, we miss you!

Have they got it wrong? I want to be Sakigawa Nen's Sherlock Holmes, not Sakigawa Nen's Pol Pot!

I uphold order for my own benefit and my ideals, not for yours, the Imperial Family, or anything else!

But this is a golden saying, and Doctor Uesugi can only express gratitude.

Subsequently, Maeda Toshisuke also emphasized, hoping Doctor Uesugi and Watanabe Minami will attend the tennis practice the day after tomorrow afternoon punctually, and His Majesty is very likely to bestow a banquet, at least adding an afternoon imperial tea gathering.

Doctor Uesugi said nothing; he also had no qualification to refuse, nor any reason to refuse.

The afternoon activity is golf; several women changed into golf sportswear, and Doctor Uesugi naturally also changed into a Ralph Lauren golf sportswear set.

But just as he was halfway through changing clothes in the changing room, a pair of pure white, crystal-clear, jade-like small hands covered his mouth from behind, another hand pressed against his lower abdomen, and light flashed.

"Check spiritual power reserves! All who see get a share!"

"Mmm! Mmmmmmm!" Doctor Uesugi immediately knew who had come, and he cried out desperately in anguish.

Senior Student Mai changed out of her previous dress and put on a custom-made pure white golf sportswear set.

The top is a fitted short-sleeve polo shirt, high-quality fabric outlining her slender waist and beautiful bust curve; the bottom is a classic pleated golf skirt, the hem length just right above the knee, convenient for movement yet retaining elegance, the skirt's side features delicate brand insignia, and the details reveal taste.

The most striking thing was her pair of long, straight, pure white beautiful legs.

Unlike ordinary golf attire that would expose her legs directly or have her wear athletic long socks, she chose a pair of Wolford ultra-sheer skin-tone white pantyhose. The material of these stockings was as thin as possible, fitting tightly like a second layer of skin, making her already fair skin appear even more moist and radiant, presenting an almost perfect, flawless pure white luster.

The sheer design of the stockings made the skin texture on her legs faintly visible, glowing with a delicate, soft light under the sunlight, as if fine white porcelain were coated with an extremely thin layer of precious glaze, retaining the freshness of athletic wear while injecting an irresistibly deadly sensual allure.

She wore a pair of professional white golf athletic shoes on her feet, harmonizing with the overall white tone, making her entire person appear fresh and transcendent, like a snow maiden stepping out of a golf green—cold and noble.

"Hmm, it seems the morning case investigation sucked up quite a bit."

Mai Xuejie smirked, her hands gripping Uesugi Muneyuki's head, turning him to face her directly, which also made her beautiful legs, wrapped in ultra-thin white silk, fully appear in his field of vision.

The sunlight pouring into the changing room window fell on her legs, the sheer white ultra-thin pantyhose seeming to faintly glow.

She lifted her head, meeting Uesugi Muneyuki's gaze; in those clear, cold eyes now mixed with a barely perceptible shyness and flattery, as well as a deep-seated affection and arrogance that only he could understand.

She said nothing, merely conveying her question silently through her gaze, her long, dense eyelashes trembling slightly:

Something on your mind? Why didn't you tell me?

Uesugi Muneyuki chuckled, still unable to resist reaching out with both arms to embrace his senior sister.

He now understood the benefit of having an underworld companion.

"We should counterattack, senior sister."

"I think so too!"

(Chapter End)