Chapter 608

The air in the ward seemed to have solidified.

The sound coming from outside the door was not the light footsteps of medical staff, but a purposeful, heavy, oppressive stride that finally stopped precisely at the door of Ward 604.

Someone has come!

The people in the room immediately showed panicked expressions, and Kino and Ichijo instantly pressed their hands to the gun holsters at their waists, exchanging sharp glances—was it to resist forcibly or—?

But once a conflict occurred, it would mean directly tearing faces with the Foreign Minister, with unimaginable consequences.

Now it is no longer the era of the Special Higher Police; even public security police could not oppose the Cabinet, because the Police Agency itself is a subordinate department of the Cabinet Office!

"Knock knock knock!" The knocking sounded, carrying an undeniable meaning. A low male voice came from outside the door: "Hospital Management Department patrol, please open the door."

Here they are, so fast!

Uesugi Muneyuki gasped for cold air, feeling that the other party was definitely not medical staff, but someone with extremely clear purpose, hurried steps, and the typical "government office stench" of an administrator!

Did Akimoto Daijin send people to silence us?!

No, it cannot be confirmed yet!

If we open fire now, the consequences would be even more unpredictable, and I myself cannot shake off the connection!

What should we do?

Uesugi Muneyuki could of course immediately activate Mai Xuejie's ability to grant him invisibility, but Nagase Arisu is still here!

If I hide, what should happen to this girl?

"Ah!" Nagase Shishi burst into tears the moment she heard the footsteps, clutching her head and crouching on the ground, obviously the footsteps had triggered her severe fear!

What should we do?!?

At this critical moment, Uesugi Muneyuki's eyes flashed with sharp light. He quickly took off his suit jacket and handed it to Nagase Shishi, while pushing Kino and Ichijo toward the shadowed corner of the ward, shouting lowly: "Don't speak, pretend to be my colleagues!!"

Then he took a deep breath, his face instantly switching to a solemn expression of academic focus, and flung open the door.

Outside stood two sharp-eyed, sturdy-built men in black clothing. When they saw Uesugi Muneyuki, their pupils visibly contracted slightly, obviously recognizing this scholar who often appears in the media, and their vigilance instantly heightened.

Uesugi Muneyuki? When did you arrive?

Why are you here???

"May I ask who you are?" Uesugi Muneyuki spoke first, his tone carrying the impatience of interrupted research, completely fitting the image of a scholar immersed in work.

"We are from the hospital's security department. May I ask if you are Dr. Uesugi Muneyuki of Tokyo University? May I ask what brings you here?" The leading man cautiously countered, his gaze sweeping the room like a searchlight, seeing Nagase Shishi huddled in the corner with a sorrowful, trembling face, and also catching sight of several other men in Western suits and leather shoes, with solemn expressions, public security police, who were gathered around Uesugi Muneyuki, looking at this group of uninvited guests with displeasure.

What kind of people are these?

The visitors' attention was mainly still drawn to Uesugi Muneyuki and the hospital bed.

What is their relationship with Nagase Arisu?

"Yes, I am Uesugi Muneyuki of Tokyo University." Uesugi Muneyuki introduced himself, his tone flat yet carrying weight: "I was invited to your hospital for a short-term academic exchange visit. Having heard that you have admitted an extremely rare case of severe corpus luteum rupture with hemorrhagic shock due to trauma, I have come specially to apply for observation and study. This is a very valuable clinical example."

As he spoke, he turned sideways, making way for the line of sight, pointing to Nagase Arisu on the bed, barely alive and tangled in tubes, his tone full of pure professional curiosity: "Such a situation is indeed very rare; these few are my colleagues, we are here to observe the case, may I ask what is the matter?"

This reason is flawless! A top forensic medicine authority, Tokyo University Medical Department, coming to observe a rare case—reasonable and proper.

Forensic medicine inherently involves injury examination, and to some extent, injury examination is actually the primary and most important duty of forensic medicine, rather than corpse examination!

Moreover, as the front desk said, the hospital director is currently overseas on a study visit, truly leaving no one to verify!

At this moment, the girl Shishi in the corner, following Uesugi Muneyuki's earlier rapid whisper instructions, began her "performance." She suddenly lifted her head, her eyes unfocused, grabbing Uesugi Muneyuki's white coat sleeve (he was wearing a shirt underneath, now looking more like a doctor), and cried out like clutching a lifeline: "Doctor! Doctor, please save my sister! Is she going to die? It's all my fault—all my fault for not protecting her well enough—ah ah ah!"

She wept bitterly, her emotions completely collapsed, her body softly sliding downward.

"Alright alright, this family member, we currently also don't know what to do, I too just received the news and came over for observation, but you need not worry, our Medical Department is quite interested in such cases; I will now contact that side, establish a file, and wait for further observation." Uesugi Muneyuki said very kindly.

This scene, seen through the eyes of the two black-clothed men, became: renowned scholar Dr. Uesugi happens to be interested in severe corpus luteum rupture, accepted the hospital's invitation or proactively requested it, is currently conducting medical observation, and coincidentally encountered the patient's sister losing emotional control and desperately pleading.

Their primary silencing target—Nagase Shishi—is at this moment being "noted" by the authority of Tokyo University, and her mental state is extremely unstable.

In this situation, forcibly taking her away or taking any action would inevitably immediately arouse Uesugi Muneyuki's suspicion and intervention, and provoking this scholar with deep background and close ties to the Prosecutor's Office and high-ranking police officials would undoubtedly be extremely unwise, possibly even immediately exposing the Foreign Minister's connection to this matter.

Damn, Harakawa Nishiyō Hospital is really a bunch of idiots!

How did we provoke this great Buddha?!?

Oh right, I remembered, the hospital director here is also a Tokyo University graduate!

Damn it, all Tokyo University is one family.

TMD, how is Japan so dark?

The leading black-clothed man's face changed unpredictably.

He again confirmed that Nagase Arisu was indeed in deep unconsciousness and incapable of posing a threat, while that sister—he glared fiercely at the seemingly insane Shishi.

What should we do?

The two black-clothed men also began to hesitate, momentarily speechless.

"No, buddy, what exactly are you guys here for?" Uesugi Muneyuki curiously tilted his head: "If you want to do a routine patrol, please continue; if you want to check the patient's condition, you can do it now—why are you standing around? Are you really hospital staff?"

After saying this, the several public security police present almost instinctively raised their heads.

At this moment, that vigilant and suspicious "public security stench" on them happened to take effect!

Know that Japan's medical system is also very closed, and doctors are very dislike outsiders pointing fingers, at this moment, these public security elites' faces showed scrutiny and vigilance that perfectly matched the arrogance and dislike of outsiders interfering in their medical decisions of Tokyo University elite doctors.

Holy cow, they really are doctors?

I thought I was just silencing a little girl, but ended up stirring up a hornet's nest of doctors!

Faced with the gazes of this group, the black-clothed man hesitated repeatedly, and finally made a decision.

"In that case, we will not disturb Professor Uesugi and his research work. We are merely conducting routine patrol." He said stiffly, gave his companion a look, and the two quickly turned and left, their footsteps soon fading away.

The moment the door closed, everyone in the ward exhaled as if utterly drained.

Seeing the black-clothed men leave, Kino and Ichijo had foreheads beaded with cold sweat, and only then released their hands from their waist guns.

Shishi also stopped crying, slumped sitting on the ground, left only with the heavy breathing and soft sobs of having survived the calamity, her earlier performance having exhausted all her strength.

"They have temporarily withdrawn—but will absolutely not give up." Ikeda Management Officer Kaoru said in a hoarse voice: "As expected of Uesugi Chief—"

"Now is not the time to talk about this." Kino Detective nodded, his face extremely solemn: "Miss Nagase absolutely cannot be directly protected by us public security. The target is too large; once the Foreign Minister applies pressure through official channels, we simply cannot fend it off. Akimoto Former Foreign Minister has deep international roots, involves too many interest chains, and without ironclad evidence to pin him down completely, moving against him would trigger a political earthquake, which we cannot afford."

Uesugi Muneyuki nodded.

As everyone knows, the foreign affairs departments of many countries are actually relatively closed off; not to mention anything else, just based on the level of foreign language proficiency, understanding of the other party's culture, grasp of various historical memes, cultural memes, puns, and verbal tics, as well as personal connections, it is determined that the staff of foreign affairs departments is a position that requires a long time of cultivation and long-term practice to master the skills proficiently.

Of course, there is also one point that everyone can understand: foreign affairs departments often rely on foreign influence to strengthen their position within the system, so when facing foreigners, they often tend to "favor one over the other"; if the finance minister often needs to play a hardline role in foreign affairs, then the foreign minister will play the role of a mediator, and moreover, under the current international environment, foreign trade and foreign investment essentially constitute the lifeline for a country to maintain operation and development, especially for Japan after the real estate bubble burst, basically relying on domestic MMT to maintain market consumption internal circulation and large-scale overseas investment and export, building a tourism-oriented country to form external circulation.

Why was Akimoto Daijin able to land smoothly after encountering the Ōsumikawa incident? It was none other than because he had considerable influence and connections in the United States across the sea and in a certain country across the sea, making it difficult for others to immediately take over his entire network.

Everyone's gaze turned toward Uesugi Muneyuki.

Uesugi Muneyuki glared at this group of public security police, thinking: this meaning, is it asking me to take over?

There was no choice; my earlier actions had already created a connection between myself and the sisters Shishi and Arisu.

Uesugi Muneyuki glanced again at Nagase Shishi, sitting on the ground, seemingly about to cry, helplessly hugging her chest with both hands, and felt a faint sense of guilt in his heart.

Nagase Arisu, Nagase Shishi.

Saito Nanami, Saito Asuka.

Last time I already failed once; this time————do I still have to fail?

No!

The sons of the Uesugi family must have backbone!

Everyone's gaze once again focused on Uesugi Muneyuki.

Uesugi Muneyuki adjusted his sleeves slightly, calmly saying: "Well, Miss Shishi, come with me. My residence has tight security, and outsiders find it hard to infiltrate. I will let her stay with Miyawaki, so they can look out for each other, making concealment easier."

He looked at Shishi: "Are you willing? We need time to find someone who can protect you and also obtain evidence that will reveal the truth."

Shishi, tears in her eyes, nodded desperately.

"Good," Uesugi Muneyuki's eyes sharp as a blade, "then the hunt begins. Only this time, the positions of hunter and prey should be swapped.

""

They quickly arranged the transfer, secretly taking this crucially important witness, Shishi, away from the hospital.

Harakawa Nishiyō Iin Hospital regained its calm, as if nothing had happened, leaving only Nagase Arisu lying quietly on the hospital bed, awaiting the next round of treatment.

That night, deep into the night, the darkness was as thick as ink.

The summer night rainstorm that had fallen a few days prior poured down again, dense raindrops violently striking every corner of Tokyo.

The rooftop of that old apartment building in Arakawa Ward was now battered by wind and rain, resembling a forgotten isolated island in the world.

A blinding flash of lightning tore through the sky, instantly illuminating that lone figure on the rooftop—Uesugi Muneyuki, who had left and returned.

He had no umbrella; his dark trench coat was quickly soaked through by rainwater, clinging tightly to his body, outlining a tall yet slightly slender silhouette. Thunder rumbled incessantly, making the concrete beneath his feet seem to tremble faintly.

The reason he returned alone was that, during the daytime search of the apartment building's rooftop, his sharp eyes had already caught a detail overlooked by the public security police—a shadow at the junction of the water tower base and the concrete foundation——————————————————————

In the crack, there was a small patch of waterproof tape with a color slightly different from the rusted iron sheet, almost blending into the darkness.

"This is it." Uesugi Muneyuki stood silently before the water tower.

Nakamura Kenichi, this cautious informant, indeed had not brought the most important item on his person, nor had he left it in that room turned upside down!

He had hidden the most crucial evidence in this most dangerous and also most unexpected place—a spot where both the perpetrator and investigators might have come, yet remained overlooked beneath the rooftop water tower!

Uesugi did not inform the public security, not entirely out of distrust, but more out of an instinctive suspicion and prudence toward the situation. He needed to personally verify it and obtain it under absolutely safe conditions.

Taking advantage of another flash of lightning, he quickly crouched down, his fingers precisely probing into the crack, carefully peeling it away. A piece of SD card, tightly wrapped in strong waterproof tape and about the size of a thumbnail, fell into his palm.

The cold metallic feel, yet as if carrying a scorching weight.

This is it!

Nakamura protected it with his life, possibly recording the foreign minister's scandal and even more secrets!

However, just as he gripped the SD card tightly, preparing to rise, a soft whisper from Arimura Hana came suddenly.

"Uesugi, there are cockroaches in my rain!"

"Judging by its size, it's a remarkably resilient cockroach!"

A chilling intent, as if emerging from hell, like a tangible needle, pierced through the violent rain curtain, instantly locking onto his back!

No footsteps, no breathing—only the cover of rain and thunder—under which a blurred shadow, darker than night itself, shot out from the visual blind spot on the other side of the water tank at a speed beyond human comprehension! A faint, nearly invisible cold light stabbed straight at his neck!

Critical moment!

"Snick"

The faint tearing-through-air sound was almost drowned by the rain. On the wet concrete behind his original position, it seemed as if something extremely minute had struck, splashing a droplet almost invisible to the eye.

Uesugi Muneyuki rolled embarrassedly onto the slippery, icy concrete, quickly turned over, and half-knelt to rise.

He gazed toward the black shadow in the rain, the corner of his mouth slightly lifting.

"Takikawa-san, long time no see?"