Chapter 722

In the fourth year of Uesugi's reign, Nagatacho.

The cold wind by the Edogawa River seemed to follow the telephone lines, slipping into the spacious and solemn office of the Cabinet Secretariat in Nagatacho. Cabinet Secretary Onoda Kimiaki had just finished a lengthy cabinet meeting, slightly fatigued as he loosened his tie, when the Cabinet Secretariat's secretary entered, holding a secure line extension, his expression somewhat strange.

"Secretary, there is…… an untransferred secure external line call, and the caller insists on speaking directly with you. And……" the secretary lowered his voice, "the caller addresses you as 'Akiu'."

"Akiu???" Cabinet Secretary Onoda Kimiaki stared blankly for a good while; this form of address had not been heard since he entered politics, and now, nearing sixty and having drifted through officialdom for decades, this was a critical moment.

Although Prime Minister Owada had stabilized his position through a series of events, it was obvious he could not seek re-election in the next election, and currently, the three most likely candidates for the next prime minister were Finance Minister Hanzawa, Cabinet Secretary Onoda himself, and Minister of Internal Affairs Yuasa Masamichi, one of the Party's Three Roles.

Unlike South Korea, Japan does not have a tradition of thoroughly settling accounts with former presidents, and as long as one serves a term, one can fully enjoy all the benefits of a former prime minister; under these circumstances, naturally everyone wants to serve a term, even if they resign later, they can still receive a series of honorary titles from the Imperial Household Agency and the National Diet—why not?

Who?

"Akiu"? This nickname carries a hint of intimacy and teasing.

Who would come looking in this way at this time?

He pondered for a moment, waved his hand to signal the secretary to put the call through, then left the room, closing the door gently behind him, leaving only himself in the office. The Cabinet Secretary picked up the handset, his voice returning to its usual calm dignity, with a barely perceptible note of inquiry: "This is Onoda. Who are you?"

From the other end came a slightly hoarse voice, as if eroded by time and dust, yet with an unusual calm: "It's me, Onoda. Honda."

"Honda?" Onoda Kimiaki quickly searched his memory for old acquaintances surnamed Honda—politicians, businessmen, scholars…… none matched this voice or this strange call method.

Surely it couldn't be Honda Tadakatsu?

"Sorry, I don't know which Mr. Honda you mean. If you have official business, please contact my office through proper channels." He had no interest in playing guessing games with multiple parties.

"But……" the handset transmitted a short, near-laughing exhalation, and an aged voice said: "Proper channels? How would the boss of the 'Red Goldfinch' contact the current Cabinet Secretary through proper channels, Akiu? I am Honda, Honda Atsuhito! Exactly the Honda Atsuhito you're thinking of!"

"Red Goldfinch"……

Boss……

"Honda"……

These few words were like a string of icy bullets, striking Onoda Kimiaki unexpectedly.

The Cabinet Secretary's grip on the handset tightened violently, his knuckles instantly whitening; the warm air in the office seemed to suddenly drop in temperature, his heart felt as if seized by an invisible hand, stopping its beat, and after several seconds, it began to pound frantically.

That name…… that name which should have long been buried in historical dust and foreign lands………

That organization, the one that nearly blew up the Imperial Palace, causing incidents including the blackmail case involving Lawmaker Kurokawa's daughter and strange death cases, the far-left extremist organization? And this person, who attended the same cram school with him in high school!

Back then, he was "Akiu," and this person was "Atsuhito-nii."

You're back now? What do you want to do???

Are you still dissatisfied that these years' various bizarre major cases and chaotic events aren't enough?

His voice uncontrollably carried a faint tremor, though he immediately inhaled deeply to suppress it: "You…… Honda…… Atsuhito? Are you using an overseas line? In South Africa? Or…… Brazil? Canada? Philippines? Australia?"

This was his speculation based on vague information from years ago—that man should be hiding in some corner of the world, like a ghost.

Unfortunately, Japan only has extradition treaties with the United States and South Korea.

"All wrong, Akiu." Honda Atsuhito's voice came through the electric waves, clear and carrying a near-cruel calm: "I am in Japan, in Tokyo, calling you."

"You're in Japan?!" Onoda Kimiaki nearly jumped from his chair, he clapped a hand over the microphone, then quickly released it, his voice pressed extremely low yet filled with incredulous shock: "You've returned to the country?! What do you want to do?!"

The thought of the leader of a far-left terrorist organization, hidden for thirty years, secretly returning to Japan, bringing a political storm and tsunami-like consequences, made him shudder. Thirty years of dust and earth, I am official, you are thief!

He prepared to cut with justice!

"What do I want to do?" Honda Atsuhito paused, his tone flat as if discussing the weather: "This time I returned, I originally planned to send Nagatacho, along with you and Tokyo Tower, up to heaven. A belated 'gift' thirty years in the making."

Onoda Kimiaki felt a wave of dizziness, his back instantly drenched in cold sweat.

He had no doubt this man had the ability and the obsessive motive to attempt such madness.

Back then, the Heiwa Bank bombing robbery! Eight lives lost! Over a hundred injured! Two police officers killed in action! Losses of tens of billions of yen!

"But……" Honda Atsuhito shifted his tone, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue: "Considering that back in cram school you lent me your notes to copy…… Akiu, if you can agree to one thing, I might consider removing you from my 'fireworks' viewing list." The strong will to live and immense fear mixed with a faint trace of old affection made Onoda Kimiaki almost without hesitation, he immediately asked, his voice dry: "What? You say."

At the same time, Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters, Temporary Office of the Special Mission Unit.

Due to the previous argument, the Special Mission Unit here had some low pressure; Uesugi Muneyuki had returned merely to greet everyone.

Before Uesugi Muneyuki, multiple screens displayed rolling preliminary information about "Imaizumi Yukio" gathered from various channels. Household registration, tax records (almost none), nearby surveillance blurred screenshots (being retrieved earlier), vehicle registration……

When the "vehicle information" column popped up, Uesugi Muneyuki's pupils suddenly contracted.

License plate: Shinagawa 430-43-96

This number…… extremely familiar!

Memory instantly flashed back to one by one: the national highway near Chiba Prefecture Narita Airport, a roadside checkpoint with a white Nissan sedan, that vehicle bearing a "Metropolitan Police Department" plate yet appearing in Chiba on a police motorcycle…… he had unintentionally glimpsed the white Nissan's license plate, though only roughly, but the "43-96" and "" kana combination left him an impression, because it was somewhat special.

It was the factory partner's!

And the vehicle on the screen before him was exactly this one! Registered under "Imaizumi Yukio"!

A chill rose along his spine.

Was the deceased's vehicle, appearing near the airport on the day he picked up Mikoto-nee returning from the United States, a coincidence?

Or…… was it that the vehicle at the time was carrying the very "Imaizumi Yukio" who was about to become a corpse? Or, was it the killer?

He immediately applied for more detailed passage records of that vehicle, his fingers flying across the keyboard, various possibilities colliding rapidly in his mind. "What's wrong, Muneyuki?" Ikeda Erena, unbothered by the atmosphere in the Special Mission Unit, the tall and beautiful female officer only cared about Uesugi; seeing him return, her mood improved greatly, her lovely face showing a hint of ease.

"Do you still remember when we went to pick up Mikoto-nee?" Uesugi Muneyuki said casually: "I wasn't saying I saw a Metropolitan Police Department motorcycle on the road? That white Nissan looked just like this license plate, damn it, I can't quite remember clearly."

"Really? I don't remember." Ikeda Erena wore a pure expression.

"Is it the corpse discovered today?" Ishihara Mikoto also came over, also saw the screen, her beautiful eyebrows tightly knotted, obviously realizing the strange connection.

At this moment, another internal extension phone on Uesugi Muneyuki's desk rang, the ringtone urgent.

The caller ID showed—— not the Metropolitan Police Department internal prefix, but from the higher-level Police Agency main switchboard.

Police Agency?

He glanced at Minami, then answered: "This is Uesugi."

From the other end came a stern and unfamiliar male voice: "Are you Chief Medical Examiner Uesugi Muneyuki? This is the Police Agency Director-General's office.

Director Tamaru and the Cabinet Secretary's office have urgent matters requiring consultation; please come to the Police Agency headquarters immediately with Uesugi Minami and Okada Masayoshi. A vehicle has been arranged, waiting at the Metropolitan Police Department main gate."

Cabinet Secretary's office? Police Agency Director? Looking for him, a forensic doctor and medical examiner?

And Minami too?!

Uesugi Muneyuki's doubts in his heart instantly thickened like ink.

By now, anything that could mobilize the Special Mission Unit is undoubtedly a matter of utmost importance!

He glanced at the glaring license plate number on the screen, then recalled the rotting corpse in Arakawa Ward, the missing credentials, and the deeply secretive attitudes of Sugishita Ukyo and Kobe Takeru.

"Understood, I'll be right there." He replied in a low voice, then hung up the phone.

After hanging up, he immediately stood up and said to Watanabe Minami, who was seated at the Management Officer's desk: "Management Officer."

"?" Minami was already thinking about what to eat after work, her mind full of the steaming hot Kantō-style stew at Hankyō Bridge; hearing Uesugi Muneyuki call her, she instinctively replied: "Yeah, what should we eat?"

"Minami! And Okada Section Chief!" Uesugi Muneyuki repeated helplessly: "The National Police Agency called, asking us to come over; they said they have something to instruct us."

Upon hearing the National Police Agency's call, Public Security Inspector Ozawa Sumiko and Prosecutor's Office Section Chief Kanjō Wataru in the office immediately perked up their ears.

Oh yuyuyu? This is when merit-grabbing starts, huh? Showing off dirt!

"Something going on at this time?" Okada Masayoshi fell silent for a moment, then nodded: "Understood."

"Yeah, you have a special delivery!" Uesugi Muneyuki nodded, he looked out the window at Tokyo, dusk began to gather, and the vast city lights first appeared.

National Police Agency, Cabinet Secretariat Chief?

Another call came in?