Chapter 618

In the early morning, the thin mist in the forest had not yet completely dissipated, and sunlight filtered through the woods, casting shafts of golden light.

Tsukuba University High School was conducting a social practice class; the chirping female students gathered together, and Saito Asuka today wore a standard Japanese high school girl outfit — a dark blue sailor uniform top, a gray pleated miniskirt, white ankle socks with black loafers, a double-shoulder backpack, and with that naturally small, exquisite face of hers, she was truly brimming with charm.

The girl mixed in among the youthful, energetic high school student ranks, listening to them chatter about anime,

games, and school anecdotes; Asuka was a little stiff at first, but soon got infected by this atmosphere.

Before she knew it, high school life was about to end.

Little Asuka calculated the days; once the New Year passes, I'll officially be eighteen, an adult!

Once an adult, I can————

The girl hehehe'd a weird laugh in her heart, while also feeling a bit resentful.

That mother of mine has used up her last bit of utility value!

Ishihara Mikoto! It's all going to end!!!

Once I graduate high school, I can officially possess my own right to choose, right to reside, and right to work as an adult, and never have to watch anyone's face again!

According to Minami-neesan's design, after I graduate high school I can officially enter Police University, study for a few years, then directly enter the Metropolitan Police Department as a non-career track desk clerk, and then transfer to the Special Mission Unit to handle liaison, so I can stay by Mr. Uesugi's side every day just like Minami-neesan and that tall fat woman!

Perfect!

So the girl fundamentally looked down on this bunch of brats around her.

She actually knew that almost all the boys in class liked her, and the number of girls who had a favorable impression of her was by no means small; especially after awakening the ability to read the air, the girl could clearly sense how everyone around her viewed her.

Contrary to her expectations, most of the female classmates actually held no hostility toward her; on the contrary, they wanted to get close to her, while those few who clearly harbored hostility were both awed and afraid of her.

As for the boys around her, they were scared by the Sakurada-mon Chōngzhènghuì, and also knew she was Uesugi Muneyuki's person, so consequently almost no one openly pursued her anymore.

"The deer in these mountains, once they come out they'll trigger a scramble from everyone, but once one person bags it, everyone else stops." Asuka recalled Minami-neesan's words again and couldn't help but smile faintly.

Just as the group advanced along a forest path leading deeper in, a sudden commotion and stifled cries of surprise came from ahead. The supervising teacher immediately signaled everyone to stop and stay quiet.

Only to see, about twenty meters ahead by a clump of bushes, a huge, furry black shadow was leisurely turning something over — it was an adult Japanese black bear!

It didn't seem very wary of the humans' arrival; it merely raised its jet-black nose, sniffed the air, and continued its "foraging" work.

The high school students instantly blew up, both scared and excited, whipping out phones to take photos, only to be sternly stopped in low voices by the guide.

The moment Saito Asuka saw the black bear, she first gasped in fright, subconsciously wanting to step back, but the next second, her big eyes suddenly blazed with an extremely curious and excited light!

She not only didn't hide, but instead tiptoed, straining to see more clearly, unconsciously muttering softly: "Wah———— it's a real bear———— so big———— the fur looks so soft————"

Completely forgetting fear, she looked just like a little kid seeing a novel toy.

Let me see what this bear is thinking!

The girl immediately activated her "Reading Air" ability, directing it at the black bear from afar.

Compared to humans, such complex creatures, animals' thoughts are simple and linear, so they're actually very easy to understand — at least for Asuka.

The black bear immediately returned the purest, simplest reaction; it sat on the ground with legs splayed, observing this group of high school students not far away.

"So hungry, want to eat Japanese people."

"Want to gobble up Wa-Wa heads desu."

Saito Asuka:

」

，」

」

Truly simple, Mr. Black Bear!

Fortunately, that black bear seemed to know its chances were slim with so many humans around; after loitering leisurely for a while, it turned and disappeared into the depths of the dense forest.

A false alarm.

「————————————————————————————————————」

The supervising teacher let out a breath of relief and hurriedly organized the students to quickly pass through the area.

The still-shaken high school students buzzed about the strange encounter just now; their gazes toward Asuka, who had remained calm and collected throughout (they didn't know Asuka was more excited than scared), even carried a hint of admiration.

So amazing, as expected of Asuka Sauce!

Asuka Sauce's guts got bigger from hanging around Doctor Uesugi?

Damn it, thinking that such a cute Asuka Sauce is already Doctor Uesugi's shape, mushrooms, blue thin!

The surrounding people's reactions were varied, but all within Saito Asuka's perception.

The girl felt quite pleased with herself, thinking: if I practice a few more years, won't I be able to tell at a glance which suspect is the real culprit at a crime scene?

However, just as Asuka subconsciously used her ability to scan the surroundings, a presence brimming with prying and extreme malice suddenly caught the girl's attention!

What fierce hostility, what vicious qi!

Who is it?

Asuka almost instinctively looked in that direction, but there were too many people around and she couldn't immediately see who it was; when she barely squeezed out of the crowd, she found it was a university student outdoor activity campground, the crowd flowing heavily, and the previous presence had already vanished without a trace.

"What's wrong? Asuka Sauce?" someone asked: "That side is the university students' campsite."

"No, nothing————" Asuka looked again uncertainly, fell silent for a few seconds, and shook her head repeatedly.

"Let's go, we're heading to the next place."

And just when Asuka felt something was strange, that afternoon — the third day after Uesugi Muneyuki handed the SD card to Maeda Toshisuke.

The doorbell of the residence in the Bunkyo Ward tower mansion rang. Standing outside the door was a middle-aged man in a well-tailored dark suit, bearing a capable air mixed with a touch of aristocratic composure; the visitor was none other than Kirekawa Ryoichi, Team Leader of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Unit.

"Muneyuki, heard the commotion you stirred up this time isn't small." Kirekawa Ryoichi entered, a playful smile on his face, tone familiar.

Uesugi Muneyuki, because in the incident involving Takigawa Tsubasa's attack and lawful self-defense he was suspected of indirect homicide (Takigawa Tsubasa himself——————————————————————

died after being sent to the hospital in the early hours of that morning), was ordered by the Metropolitan Police Department and Tokyo University to be suspended at home awaiting the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's ruling; the Prosecutors Office will rule whether Uesugi Muneyuki's act was "Justifiable Defense" and decide whether to prosecute him.

Naturally, with human and physical evidence both present at the scene, witnesses nearby, Takigawa Tsubasa himself being an undisputed major suspect in several major cases, plus Uesugi Muneyuki's deep connections with the Metropolitan Police Department and the Prosecutors Office, a non-prosecution decision is almost certain.

"Uesugi Muneyuki alone is worth five divisions of the Self-Defense Forces!"

Newly appointed National Public Safety Commission Chairman Nanko Taro: "Chief Kirekawa, thank you for coming in person." Uesugi Muneyuki's arm still had a fake bandage wrapped around it, but his expression had already returned to its usual calm.

He led Kirekawa into the study.

Minami and Eirina had gone to work, Asuka was at school, and he was the only one left at home.

"The procedures are complete; this is the final confirmation of the 'Decision Not to Prosecute.' Kirekawa took a document from his briefcase and handed it to Uesugi: 'Justifiable defense, the facts are clear, the evidence is solid. There's no room for debate. The testimonies of those office workers were crucial, and combined with your injuries and the scene traces, they fully corroborated your account.'

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of teasing, yet he could not conceal his concern and a touch of mockery: 'But next time, for this kind of sting operation law enforcement' activity, it's still better left to professionals. You're a scholar, getting into close-quarters melee combat with those desperadoes—too reckless.'

'Do you really enjoy charging into battle yourself that much? Uesugi, you fool, don't forget—we're not like those police. The Germans have an old saying: a noble son does not sit on a low stool.' Kirekawa Special Investigation Headquarters Chief spoke with a slight air of 'we're different from them,' somewhat like an elder guiding a younger one.

As the saying goes, officialdom's way: silent, already retreated from ten thousand troops, charging into battle is what those cattle and horses do; we, however, are persons of the peerage hall!

Uesugi Muneyuki took the document, merely glanced at it, then set it aside, offering no comment on Kirekawa's guidance: 'Circumstances forced it. What matters is, the outcome wasn't bad.'

He fixed Kirekawa with a sharp gaze: 'Since you came in person, have Takigawa Tsubasa's fingerprints and DNA been confirmed without error?'

'A perfect match.' Kirekawa Ryoichi's expression turned grave: 'The residual matter from the Imperial Palace bombing case, the minute biological traces extracted near the scene of Nakamura Kenichi's assault, and several unresolved, similarly patterned accidental death' cases—all match up.'

'Then,' Uesugi Muneyuki leaned slightly forward, his voice lowered yet carrying immense force: 'Can the investigation into their employer—or rather, the instigator—now be launched?'

Kirekawa Ryoichi did not answer immediately; he walked to the window, overlooking Tokyo's September autumn afternoon scenery, and fell silent for a moment.

Seeing Kirekawa's expression, Uesugi Muneyuki felt a faint unease desu~

As previously mentioned, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Unit, formally known as the 'Special Investigation Headquarters,' is the Japanese Prosecutor's Office system's specialized unit for investigating major corruption and dereliction of duty cases involving political and financial elites, famed as the 'Prime Minister Maker' (also capable of destroying a Prime Minister).

They possess independent investigative authority and extremely high political clearance, one of the most important political legacies left to Japan by the Five-Star MacArthur Emperor; though MacArthur Emperor himself may not have originally intended it for good, the fact remains that things were handled well—if one wishes to pressure the foreign minister or pressure the N Network, it cannot be done without them.

However, what about the attitude of the Special Investigation Unit?

'Uesugi-kun, I have something I want to ask you.' Kirekawa Ryoichi turned his back to Uesugi Muneyuki and spoke meaningfully: 'Regarding this matter, our Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Unit has just received a crucially important document from a certain National Diet member, involving very serious moral and criminal issues!'

'Oh? Is that so?' Uesugi Muneyuki's heart jolted, but he forced his face to remain calm.

This isn't right? Why hasn't the National Diet even initiated an interpellation, yet the Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Unit is already——

'Considering your temperament and your preference for directness, I won't beat around the bush with you—our Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office time is precious.' Kirekawa Ryoichi turned around, his expression stern: 'If I haven't guessed wrong, the source of this document is you, correct?'

'We've worked in the Prosecutors Office for so many years; we know what level the Metropolitan Police Department and National Police Agency are at, and we know what sort of lot the Public Security Police are. Think carefully: having the capability to obtain this document in full and not turn it over, then pass it through complex personal connections layer by layer to our Special Investigation Unit without wanting to implicate oneself in karma, and given that the content involved in the evidence————I believe, it must be you who obtained it, right? Right? Right?!?'

Faced with Kirekawa's questioning, Uesugi Muneyuki finally showed a bit of resistance, his face quite readable, neither affirming nor denying.

'Shi Guo Yi, it really is you! Really you!' Kirekawa Buchou, seeing Uesugi Muneyuki's expression, knew the answer: 'In other words, this thing is what you handed to Ishiba Lawmaker, right?'

Uesugi Muneyuki stared blankly, then quickly understood what was meant.

Old thief! Treacherous villain! Rebel! Non-stick pan!

These old immortals are truly the ultimate non-stick pan! I barely managed to toss this hot potato to Maeda Toshisuke, and Maeda Toshisuke immediately tried to pass it to Ishiba Lawmaker of Tottori Prefecture—who never imagined that this Ishiba Lawmaker is also a cunning, deceitful ultimate non-stick pan; he didn't immediately launch a Diet interpellation but tossed the pot to the Special Investigation Unit! And even hinted at the source of this Special Investigation Unit document!

Result: this 'nuclear bomb' slid back and forth among these non-stick pans, thrown here and there, and thrown back into my hands—'Hehe, Sōsetsu-kun, surprised? Delighted? Unexpected?' Kirekawa Akira, watching Uesugi Muneyuki's constantly shifting expression, knew he had already grasped the full context.

Talking with smart people is just easy.

'Sōsetsu-kun, I came this time not to interrogate you aggressively—you know, our Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Unit loves this kind of thing most; you having people hand these materials over to us was the right move.' Kirekawa Akira gestured for Uesugi Muneyuki not to rush, listen to him: 'But this situation is different! Even————somewhat tricky!'

Uesugi Muneyuki furrowed his brow, gesturing for Kirekawa Buchou to continue.

'Because Agent Smith of A. 0. Smith from the United States does not approve of launching an investigation into Akimoto Daijin!'

'What?!'