Chapter 62: Dust to Dust (Second Update)

PS: From now on, there will be two updates a day.

Inside the temporary interrogation room, the suspect felt extreme agony after telling his story.

Facing the story told by Uesugi Muneyuki, the heart of this honest man could finally no longer bear the immense torment and pain. Faced with the sequence of events reconstructed by Uesugi Muneyuki—though Fukushima Sozaburo did not know how he had managed such a pixel-perfect restoration—the tidal wave of pain, remorse, and unwillingness finally breached his psychological defenses. After a roar, he frantically rubbed his face with his calloused hands, tears squeezing out from between his fingers, rubbing his hands until they were covered in blood.

The rage of an honest man is genuine, and the tears of an honest man are equally genuine.

He had always regarded Hironaka Mariko as the sun in his life! He had once sincerely wished her a happy marriage, he had once heartily hoped she would rise step by step, and he had even hoped that one day he could be promoted to a Regular Employee and become her knight, silently guarding her path to advancement.

Now, it is over; it is all over.

"Wuu wuu wuu~" After admitting his crime, the honest man burst into tears.

Uesugi Muneyuki also felt conflicted.

Uesugi Muneyuki knew the ins and outs of this matter better than anyone—Hironaka Mariko had dictated it to him.

This anchorwoman who was about to get married, although her private life was not exactly clean, was truly kind-hearted. She truly felt sorry for this diligent, hardworking temporary employee who would shout "Good morning" to everyone at Fuji TV every single morning!

Ever since the kind anchorwoman learned from President Kameyama that a promotion was no longer possible, she could not even face Fukushima's "Good morning" due to the condemnation of her conscience. She even felt so guilty about knowing the inside story that she tried to persuade him not to work so hard. As the wedding date approached, considering her marriage and honeymoon, she finally decided to tell Fukushima the truth just as she was about to get off work, purely to alleviate the guilt in her heart.

This ultimately led to this tragedy.

If not for her superfluous kindness, if not for her pure and beautiful goodwill, none of this would have happened!

Couldn't she have just left work to prepare for the wedding?!

Why, why did she have to do something so unnecessary?!

This thought could not help but rise in Uesugi Muneyuki's heart, and the expression on his face twisted into a knot.

This was a complete tragedy. He had vaguely guessed it before; Hironaka Mariko had used many polite and social phrases in her narration, and because it was awkward to say that President Kameyama had told her, Hironaka Mariko's persuasion always carried a strange, evasive flavor, and she never said whose idea it was.

As someone from a Noble background who had received a comprehensive higher education, Uesugi Muneyuki certainly understood Hironaka Mariko's rhetoric.

But Fukushima could not; he was just an honest man who had started working after finishing middle school, had spent over a decade drifting in Tokyo knowing only how to bury himself in work, knew only a few hundred basic words, and could not even write a few kanji!

To think, it was really just because of a misunderstanding!

To think, the reason for murder was really just this simple?!

The goodwill that shone upon each other, the recognition and friendship between people, ultimately became a tragedy from beginning to end.

【So that's how it was.】 Hironaka Mariko's Dead Soul finished listening to the sequence of events. Her face, which had been twisted and blackened upon seeing Fukushima Sozaburo, began to calm down gradually. Her face was still full of hatred and annoyance, but she made no further move: 【So, you killed because of something like this.】

The black mist emanating from her body gradually diminished. She was still full of hatred toward this man, but she finally understood why she had died.

【He still thinks you were mocking him to this day.】 Uesugi Muneyuki closed his eyes, his tone indescribably conflicted.

【Sigh, it's my fault too. At the time, after he heard that the TV station wouldn't renew his contract, he kept asking me who had decided it. Didn't President Kameyama promise him in person that he had a chance to be promoted?】 Hironaka Mariko said with a pale face: 【But I couldn't just say it was the President who told me personally. How could I say that?】

【I know, that is professional ethics.】 Uesugi Muneyuki glanced at the weeping honest man: 【But your attitude made him misunderstand. He thought it was you, especially since you were getting married.】

【The dual collapse of his career and love caused him to lose his mind.】

【What a fool, a complete fool!】 Hironaka Mariko stared at the weeping honest man with resentment; it was unclear whether the fool she spoke of was Fukushima Sozaburo or herself.

【Do you have any proof that you were acting out of kindness?】

【I do...】

"Little Brother Uesugi, are you alright?" Hironaka Mariko's intense resentment seemed to affect the surrounding environment. Both Police Inspector Megure and Police Inspector Kashiwagi felt a chill in the room. Seeing Uesugi Muneyuki looking dazed and whispering something, Police Inspector Megure took the initiative to pat him on the shoulder: "Great, the culprit is willing to confess. Amazing, Uesugi. You saved me; you helped us all."

"Not including me." Police Inspector Kashiwagi Jin, however, found Uesugi Muneyuki unpleasant no matter how he looked at him.

On one hand, it was the jealousy between handsome men; Kashiwagi Jin, this Star Inspector, was used to hogging the spotlight, and being upstaged by Uesugi Muneyuki made him unhappy. On the other hand, whether it was finding the body, finding evidence, or questioning face-to-face, Uesugi Muneyuki was very, very, very non-orthodox. In fact, the Metropolitan Police Department still didn't understand how Uesugi Muneyuki could just find a body by looking blindly.

But none of that mattered anymore; at least the Metropolitan Police Department didn't care.

Seeing the suspect confess on the spot, cheers had already erupted outside.

"Police Inspector Megure, thank you for your hard work, all day long." Uesugi Muneyuki followed Hironaka Mariko's instructions and said in a low voice: "There is just one more thing I need to trouble you with."

"Something else? Hmm, hasn't the suspect already confessed?" Police Inspector Megure was hungry and tired at this moment, his nerves completely relaxed after being highly tense, and he felt a bit sleepy and exhausted.

"One more thing is missing." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded: "One more thing that can make this guy completely realize his mistake."

"Mistake?"

Coming out of the temporary interrogation room, Uesugi Muneyuki saw two policewomen waiting for him.

Ikeda Erena looked at him with eyes like the scorching sun, full of anticipation and infatuation; she couldn't wait to hear Uesugi Muneyuki explain the entire case process himself.

Watanabe Minami looked at him with eyes as clear as a spring, full of admiration and appreciation; she thought to herself that this guy had helped the headquarters again.

A live broadcast of a sealed building, searching for missing persons, catching a suspect, and securing a conviction—if any of these key parts were handled poorly, it would be enough for Watanabe Eiji, as Superintendent General, to bow in apology or even resign in disgrace.

When there were no results after searching for over two hours, Watanabe Minami had once thought the situation was already troublesome, but then Uesugi Muneyuki had popped up.

So, how did he perform?

Objectively speaking, it would not be an exaggeration to describe him as a god descending to earth. His performance in many aspects had completely exceeded Watanabe Minami's highest expectations, even a bit... too good.

Thinking that this guy was someone she had discovered and promoted, a smile couldn't help but bloom on Watanabe Minami's sweet face.

Just as she was about to say something, Ikeda Erena spoke first: "Uesugi, I have a question."

"Hmm, go ahead." Uesugi Muneyuki noticed that Police Inspector Megure had done as he asked, and nodded.

"Why did Fukushima Sozaburo hide the blood-stained work clothes and also hide one of Ms. Hironaka Mariko's High-heeled Shoes?" Ikeda Erena had been struggling with this: "Wouldn't it have been harder to be discovered if he had put the shoe back on Ms. Hironaka's foot?"

"Because..." Uesugi Muneyuki thought that while he couldn't explain other things, he did understand this: "Because Fukushima Sozaburo admired and loved Ms. Hironaka in his heart. In daily life, this love was repressed, painful, and self-restrained."

"Fukushima Sozaburo knew clearly that it was almost impossible for anything to happen between him and Hironaka Mariko. He was very satisfied with their nodding acquaintance, and occasionally being able to say a few words was already an unexpected joy."

"But this doesn't mean Fukushima Sozaburo had no desire or sexual fantasies about Ms. Hironaka." Uesugi Muneyuki explained with a slightly strange expression: "Hiding one of her High-heeled Shoes was the embodiment of his sexual fantasies about Ms. Hironaka, an expression of his subconscious in his unconscious behavior."

"???" Ikeda Erena's face was very strange; the tall beauty looked at Uesugi Muneyuki with a weird gaze.

She suddenly associated it with something: Uesugi Muneyuki had praised the police uniform skirt, Silk Stockings, and High-heeled Shoe she was wearing more than once. He had taken the initiative to hand her Silk Stockings at Uniqlo last time, and today he had handed her a pair of black Silk Stockings again.

You guy, could it be that you are the same as that guy?

At the thought of this, Erena felt an indescribable, strange emotion spreading in her mind. The sensation of her legs being wrapped in Silk Stockings became vivid. Fortunately, Erena did not dislike Uesugi Muneyuki, otherwise, she would have stripped off the Silk Stockings on the spot!

Even so, Erena still glared at Uesugi Muneyuki irritably, thinking that today her waist had been hugged by this guy, her chest had been brushed by this guy, and she had worn Silk Stockings for him to see... and she had been seen through by his poking-stick method. Theoretically, it was a huge loss; at least having such a brilliant night's experience and seeing him perform an autopsy and deduction on the spot again, it was barely worth the price of admission!

"Heh heh." Unlike Erena's reaction, Watanabe Minami's reaction after hearing Uesugi Muneyuki's description was to cover her mouth and giggle. She solemnly bowed to Uesugi Muneyuki with the etiquette of a disciple toward a master to express her gratitude: "Thank you for the guidance, Professor Uesugi. Now it finally has some shadows of orthodox deduction. I just didn't expect you to also have studied psychology?"

"It's not authentic, and I'm not some psychology professor; I just took a few classes back in university. As for being a professor..." Uesugi Muneyuki spread his hands: "Do you think I look like a professor?"

"Not really... but if Uesugi-san were to wear a professor's white lab coat, you would definitely look especially handsome." Watanabe Minami's eyes crinkled into crescents, and she slightly elongated her tone: "When the time comes for me to give you a gift, you absolutely cannot refuse!"

"I think so too, Watanabe-san. If you wore that Police Superintendent uniform of an Investigation Division 1 Section Chief, you would also look especially beautiful." Uesugi Muneyuki immediately responded: "When the promotion banquet is held, be sure to invite me."

The two looked at each other and smiled, a silent tacit understanding rippling between them.

It was already the early hours of the morning. The Fuji TV Live Broadcast was still ongoing, and the viewership ratings had already dropped to 20%. The Metropolitan Police Department was preparing to wrap up and take the suspect—or rather, the person already locked in as the perpetrator, Fukushima Sozaburo—back to the Metropolitan Police Department for the final procedures.

The deceased's family, Mr. Hironaka and Mrs. Hironaka, kept watch beside their daughter's body, silently shedding tears.

Just then, a weathered middle-aged man in a suit, guided by Police Inspector Megure, arrived at the scene. As soon as he saw Fukushima Sozaburo, he stomped his feet in anger, shedding tears while fuming: "Fukushima! Why did you do this? You... weren't you always an excellent employee?"

"............" Fukushima Sozaburo turned his head away, not saying a word.

"If you lose a job, you can find another. Isn't it normal to be let go when a temporary employee's contract expires?" Tears rolled in the middle-aged man's eyes. He fumbled around his person for a good while before pulling out a letter: "Do you know, do you know, Ms. Hironaka really cared about you! For your sake, she specifically wrote a Recommendation Letter to our company and even sent a Banner!"

"What?" Fukushima Sozaburo suddenly raised his head, and the middle-aged man's mouth hung wide open.

"If you don't believe me, look for yourself!" The middle-aged man handed over a Recommendation Letter.

Surrounded by the police, Fukushima Sozaburo tremblingly reached out to take the paper.

The content of the Recommendation Letter was simple: it praised Fukushima Sozaburo to the temporary staffing agency for his hard work and good attitude, and expressed the hope that after he left his post, he could be recommended to work as a cleaner at Ota Real Estate Co., Ltd. in Taito Ward.

The signature was Hironaka Mariko, and Ota Real Estate Co., Ltd. was the very company where her fiancé served as Executive Director.

Fukushima Sozaburo's eyes first narrowed slightly, as if identifying the handwriting, then his pupils dilated, and his hands began to tremble.

It was real. He recognized it. How could he not recognize Hironaka Mariko's handwriting?

It was real! She was real! She was still caring about me?!

Then why... why did she?

The honest man's hands began to shake. He inhaled and exhaled forcefully, inhaled and exhaled, as if suffocating, and then his whole body began to tremble, his pupils shaking violently.

"You recognize this handwriting, don't you." Uesugi Muneyuki slowly walked up in front of Fukushima and said coldly: "That's right, it was written by Ms. Hironaka Mariko."

"Even with the wedding date approaching, even with your temporary contract about to expire, Hironaka still cared about you. She specifically wrote a Recommendation Letter for you, and your way of repaying her was to murder her!"

Uesugi Muneyuki pointed at Fukushima Sozaburo's face: "You killed her. You killed someone who cared about you and cherished you from beginning to end. Are you even human, Fukushima-san?"

"Hironaka did? Hironaka did? She wasn't mocking me? She was..." Fukushima Sozaburo looked at the Recommendation Letter over and over again. In his terror and agitation, he kept repeating one sentence as if his Soul had been lost: "I... she? Ms. Hironaka actually..."

The man sat down on the ground with a thud, his entire face twisted in madness: "How could this be, how could this be? Impossible, no, that's not right, that's not right, ahhhhhhh!!!!"

"What on earth have I been doing? What on earth have I done, ahhhhhhh!!!!!!"

Fukushima Sozaburo completely collapsed, under the gaze of hundreds of eyes, under the cameras, and under the contemptuous stares of countless police officers, colleagues, and Fuji TV staff.

【Are you satisfied now? Ms. Hironaka?】 Uesugi Muneyuki took this opportunity to whisper to Hironaka Mariko beside him.

【I want him to spend his whole life in regret. I want him to suffer complete social death. I want him to know what the consequences are for hurting my sincere heart.】 Hironaka Mariko's words were fierce, but her gaze was sorrowful. She looked at her parents, then glanced at her fiancé, Shimakawa Ren, who was standing far away: 【That guy is still here.】

Twelve o'clock had already passed. Today was supposed to be her wedding day, and she was going to join hands with this man to start a new life.

But now, all of this could no longer be realized. She was dead, and he was still alive.

【If you are satisfied, then I will ferry your Soul across. Go to the other world and become a Buddha, Ms. Hironaka.】 Uesugi Muneyuki said softly.

However, Hironaka Mariko's words took him by surprise.

【No, I don't want to be ferried.】 Hironaka Mariko raised her head; there was no sign that her attachment to the mortal world had dissipated.

【I want to stay.】

Two updates a day makes me feel like my energy is being drained so quickly.

Will I be squeezed dry?

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(End of this chapter)