Chapter 593: That Esteemed One!

The air in Karuizawa was permeated with the fresh scent of the coniferous forest and tranquility.

That afternoon, inside the elegant villa arranged by the Imperial Household Agency, Uesugi Muneyuki temporarily distanced himself from the clamor of Tokyo and the bloody storms of politics.

He and Watanabe Minami enjoyed rare leisure, and swung rackets with the Imperial Family on the tennis court, playing a match that was very poor in skill but heavy in significance. The itinerary arranged by the Imperial Household Agency was low-key yet noble; several brief meetings and joint exercises with Imperial Family members, though not publicized, had already formed an invisible barrier within specific circles through their symbolic meaning.

Uesugi Muneyuki knew deeply that this was both an honor and the most solid shelter that the Metropolitan Police Department and certain forces had fought for him. He used this time not only to relax body and mind, but also to calmly review the entire case, vaguely sensing that the group in the depths of the Tree Sea would absolutely not fall silent just like that.

Meanwhile, Nagatacho.

Minister Akimoto Shin'ichirō fell into an unprecedented predicament.

Although he barely kept his position, he was already at his wit's end. The Opposition Party seized on Ōsumikawa's accusations in the National Diet and pressed hard, demanding the establishment of a Special Investigation Committee; colleagues within the party kept him at arm's length, afraid of being tainted by his scandal, and his public approval rating plummeted off a cliff.

The retaliation he launched was like a fist striking cotton; he smashed head broken and blood flowing against invisible barriers from all sides. He now could not move against Uesugi Muneyuki, and even his own political future was already swaying in wind and rain. Facing the media's long guns and short cannons and political enemies' open spears and hidden arrows every day, he seemed to have aged ten years overnight, able only to rage helplessly at his heart and mind in his office, yet with no recourse.

He experienced the true "darkness of Japan" — that was not a shadow he could manipulate at will, but the door the entire system shut on him when he offended the masses and violated certain latent rules.

Fortunately, Ōsumikawa did not directly speak his name; Minister Akimoto had influence overseas, especially in that country across the sea and the United States across the sea, and the Metropolitan Police Department was also unwilling to directly confront the Foreign Minister, so this Foreign Minister barely managed to stay without resigning, but how long he could last was hard to say; basically speaking, he would definitely be gone by the next Cabinet.

However, he did not get gone, and some people felt extremely disappointed about this.

Kantou, a certain abandoned factory district in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Just as the Metropolitan Police Department Joint Headquarters, relying on massive resources, had just locked onto several encrypted communication nodes previously used by the Sakikawa Restoration Army and was preparing to implement surveillance and positioning, the signals all disappeared at the same time, vanishing without a trace.

In another backup dark web channel that was only activated by the skin of its teeth, employing blockchain relay and dynamic key technology, the core members of the Sakikawa Restoration Army "gathered" once again.

"Close call! The police moved even faster than expected!" one person said with lingering fear.

"Hmph, after all, the state machinery was mobilized." Another person's reply was still calm, but carried a trace of suppressed excitement: "But we succeeded! That scum Akimoto Shota has already turned to ashes! His old man was also nearly dragged down by us, and now he's like a stray dog!"

The channel briefly overflowed with a kind of satisfaction from great vengeance achieved.

But soon, this emotion was replaced by dissatisfaction.

One person coldly replied: "What a pity, that old geezer Ōsumikawa still chickened out in the end! If he had self-destructed according to the original plan, or directly named Akimoto Shin'ichirō on camera, the effect would have been better! In the end he chose to surrender, becoming the police's publicity tool!"

"Right, he betrayed our ideals! In the end he still harbored a shred of illusion toward this rotten system!" another member indignantly chimed in.

They felt anger at Ōsumikawa's "betrayal"; this betrayal deepened their doubled disappointment toward the state system — look, even a person bearing such deep blood-sea hatred would ultimately be "recruited and pacified" by the system!

This country is truly rotten to the core!

"And that Uesugi Muneyuki!" Several people's remarks revealed strong personal emotion for the first time, a mixture of jealousy, incomprehension, and hatred: "He has that kind of talent and ability, clearly sees through this society's nucleating abscess, so why is he willing to be power's hawk and dog, aiding a tyrant?! He could have become our comrade, yet chose to be a most clever watchdog!"

"He should prove himself to us, prove he can also become a glorious revolutionary warrior, he should join us in Restoration! A person like him hasn't recognized his class and revolutionary nature, it's truly too disappointing!"

"Also, Matsudaira Yoshiyuki's funds..." someone said.

They had also spent more than half of the huge organizational funds provided by Ōsumikawa Minoru.

Just as everyone was shrouded in disappointment and resentment, "Sakamoto Ryoma" shifted the conversation, bringing new hope.

"But, comrades, no need to be discouraged! Our actions have not been without resonance!"

"First, new blood is willing to join us. They, like us, feel despair toward this suffocating world; they saw our power of action, and identify with our ideals!"

"And more importantly..." "Sakamoto Ryoma"'s reply rose slightly from excitement: "'That Esteemed One'... took the initiative to contact us."

The channel fell instantly silent.

"That Esteemed One" — this title represented legend and the ultimate anti-system symbol among them!

He single-handedly planned the "Imperial Palace Bombing Case" that shocked the nation several months ago; although the bomb was ultimately stopped by the Metropolitan Police Department (precisely Uesugi Muneyuki provided the key analysis at that time), its symbolic meaning was unparalleled.

His successful concealment to this day is itself the greatest mockery of the police.

Red Goldfinch, Sakikawa Restoration Army!

We unite!!!

"'That Esteemed One' acknowledged our actions. He believes we lit the fuse." Sakamoto Ryoma said almost word by word: "He proposed, willing to provide us with deeper support, including safer strongholds, harder-to-track funding channels, and... more effective 'strategic guidance'."

In despair, new hope and a more powerful dark alliance seem to be forming. The Sakikawa Restoration Army not only did not perish from the police's encirclement and suppression, but in deeper shadows, joined hands with a more dangerous legendary figure, preparing to stir up even greater storms.

Their hatred for Uesugi Muneyuki, their despair toward the system, and the newly gained power will all become catalysts for the next storm.

"Blood must flow! More blood must flow!"

"Destruction! More destruction!"

"If not like this, the numb Japanese will never wake up! Join our ranks!"

"Let this world feel pain!"

"Restoration Army, banzai! For the country's future!"

"Restoration Army, banzai! For the country's future!"

"Restoration Army, banzai! For the country's future!"

(Chapter End)