Chapter 765: Sekizenkan Murder Case in a Blizzard! (Serial)

The main hall of Shimanami Onsen Sekizenkan couldn't hold that many people, so after discussion between the general manager and everyone, they were moved to the grand banquet hall. Although Sekizenkan did its best to arrange seating, gathering everyone temporarily still felt cramped, with tatami mats covered in hastily brought zabuton cushions, and some people had to squeeze together.

The heating was turned up to maximum, but the chill brought on by panic seemed impossible to dispel.

The noisiest were those few in the corner.

"What kind of talk is this! Locking us all in here without even an explanation!"

The speaker was a woman in her sixties, wearing an obviously expensive tomesode kimono, with a jade necklace around her neck and several rings on her hands, each item displaying her wealth.

She is the wife of the president of Naniwa Shōji, a major Osaka trading company well known in Kansai, named Tsutsumi Kikue, and it is said her family assets are worth several hundred billion yen, making her a regular guest at Sekizenkan.

"Exactly! What status do we have, that we must squeeze in with these people!" A man in his fifties beside her chimed in, he is Ōbayashi Shigeru, chairman of the board of Ōbayashi Kensetsu Kaisha, a major Tokyo construction company, currently wiping sweat with a handkerchief, looking impatient: "I still have to return to Tokyo tomorrow for a meeting! When will this snow stop? You inns must take responsibility!"

"Please calm down, please calm down……" The inn's manager, sweating profusely, kept bowing repeatedly.

"Calm down what calm down! Someone died! It's the son of the Tokugawa family! The son of the Kii Tokugawa clan, son of the peerage!" A sharp voice cut in, it was Fukuda Ayano, wife of the former member of the House of Representatives, wearing a branded suit, her well-maintained face full of terror: "I heard the killer is still in here, aren't we in great danger? Does this inn have any safety guarantees at all?"

"Exactly! Call the police! Call them now!"

"The phone won't go through, don't you have satellite phones? Did you call or not?"

"We called, we called, the police said the mountain road is blocked and they can't get through……" The general manager's voice grew weaker and weaker.

"Can't get through? Then what are we supposed to do? Wait to die?!"

"We need helicopter support! If something happens to us few, it would be a loss to the entire nation of Japan!"

Inside the grand banquet hall, there was a din, and the voices of those high-ranking nobles were especially grating.

Even the noble Tsutsumi Kikue stood up, pointing at the manager's nose and scolding: "How much money do I spend here every year? Is this how you treat guests? Once I get out, I will definitely file a complaint! Let everyone know that Sekizenkan had a murder case and still didn't care!" "File a complaint! Must file a complaint!"

"I want to find a lawyer! I want to go to Nishimura Asahi Law Office and sue them into bankruptcy here!"

The manager's face turned deathly pale, and he could only keep bowing and apologizing.

Just then, a calm voice interjected.

"Mrs. Tsutsumi, Chairman Ōbayashi, Mrs. Fukuda, be quiet!"。

Uesugi Muneyuki stood in the center of the crowd, with Shirakawa Mai beside him, wearing a dark gray woolen overcoat, his expression calm, his gaze sweeping over those few people, his tone neither hurried nor slow:

"I am Uesugi Muneyuki, Chief Medical Examiner of the Special Mission Division of the Metropolitan Police Department. I have already conducted a preliminary examination of the current situation. Police temporarily cannot arrive, but I will take responsibility for handling the scene. Please everyone remain calm and cooperate with the investigation."

Several people were stunned for a moment, then immediately recognized this guy!

"U-Uesugi Doctor?!" Her voice rose eight degrees, but her tone had completely changed: "Is it really Uesugi Muneyuki? Baby baby baby baby, baby is so cute, baby I like you so much!"

Uesugi Muneyuki……. 」

Beside him, Sakura and Tei Reiji were already trying not to laugh.

This must be what a mom's fan is like?

Ōbayashi Shigeru also came over, eyes wide open: "You are Uesugi Doctor?! I've heard of you! Your analysis on the variety show 'Hand of God' was too brilliant! I watch every episode!"

Fukuda Ayano even ran over directly, grabbing Uesugi Muneyuki's hand with both: "Uesugi Doctor! It's great to have you here! You said the killer is still in the inn, is that true? Will we be in danger? You must protect us!"

"Yes, you can definitely do it!"

"We all trust you as we trust Jiang Ai Dian!"

Just moments ago those few people were arrogant and overbearing, but now their faces were full of obsequiousness and panic intertwined, wishing to treat Uesugi Muneyuki as a savior. Mai Xuejie stood beside, watching this scene, the corner of her mouth couldn't help but lift slightly, she lightly touched Uesugi Muneyuki's arm and whispered: "These people have all forgotten where the junior student died, right?"

"Shut up, Mai, if you don't speak, no one will think you're mute!"

Uesugi Muneyuki expressionlessly pulled back his hand grabbed by Fukuda Ayano, his tone still calm: "Everyone rest assured, I will do my utmost to investigate. But now I need everyone's cooperation, to stay quietly here, not to move around randomly."

"Of course of course!" Tsutsumi Kikue nodded repeatedly, "Whatever you say is what we do!"

"What do you need us to do?" Ōbayashi Shigeru also came over, "If there's anything needed, just command us!"

Uesugi Muneyuki ignored them, turned and walked toward the other side of the banquet hall, and gestured for Mai Xuejie to take charge of receiving them.

Indeed, the richer, more powerful, and higher-status one is, the more afraid of death they are.

Death is the true equality.

Uesugi Muneyuki thought so, but he soon noticed the inn's manager already bringing Tokugawa Ayako and Tokugawa Kazuya over. In the corner of the banquet hall, Tokugawa Ayako and Tokugawa Kazuya sat together, both heads lowered, unknown what they were thinking.

Uesugi Muneyuki walked up to them and stopped.

"Tokugawa Lady, Tokugawa Sir, some questions need to be asked of you."

Tokugawa Ayako raised her head, her eyes somewhat red and swollen, obviously she had been crying.

Tokugawa Kazuya supported her as she stood up, his expression somewhat stiff.

"Please sit." Uesugi Muneyuki gestured for them to sit down, he himself also sat cross-legged facing them, Tei Reiji and Sakura sat beside him.

"Although it may be presumptuous, let me just say it simply: between nine and eleven last night, where were you?"

Tokugawa Ayako glanced at her husband, then said softly: "We……were outside the whole time."

"Be specific."

"After dinner, around seven thirty, we went to bathe in the hot springs." Tokugawa Kazuya took over: "Sekizenkan's open-air hot springs are famous, we reserved a private bath, from seven thirty to around eight thirty."

"Then what?"

"Then we went to the tea room and sat for a while, drank some tea, ate some snacks." Tokugawa Ayako added: "The tea room staff can testify, we stayed until just before ten."

"After ten?"

"We went back to our rooms." Tokugawa Kazuya said: "Our rooms are on the third floor of the main building, two floors apart from Ryuichi's. After returning we rested, until just now when we heard the commotion, then the inn said you came to find us."

Uesugi Muneyuki stared at them, his gaze sharp: "Who can prove you didn't go out after returning to your rooms?"

Tokugawa Ayako was stunned for a moment, then shook her head: "No. We were all asleep."

Tokugawa Kazuya added: "But the tea room staff and surveillance can indeed prove we stayed until just before ten. When we left the tea room, it was around nine fifty. From the tea room back to our rooms, we need to pass through the front desk, where the staff and surveillance should also be able to see us. Then……there was nothing after that."

Uesugi Muneyuki fell silent for a few seconds.

The tea room's proof, the front desk's proof, these two people indeed have an alibi at least during the time Tokugawa Ryuichi might have been poisoned, they were not at the scene.

Not them doing it? But they are the most suspicious people.

"What is your relationship with Tokugawa Ryuichi?" Uesugi Muneyuki pressed on.

This question caused Tokugawa Ayako's face to change, she bit her lip and said nothing.

Tokugawa Kazuya, on the other hand, was quite calm: "Not good. Or rather, very bad."

"How so?"

"Ryuichi..." Tokugawa Kazuya chose his words carefully: "He has always been dissatisfied. Dissatisfied that Mother entrusted the family business to me to inherit. He thinks I am an outsider, stealing what rightfully belongs to him. Over the years he has caused no small amount of trouble, borrowing money, drinking, stirring up trouble, each time Mother cleaning up after him. But he not only feels no gratitude, he grows ever more resentful, especially toward Ayako and me."

Tokugawa Ayako finally spoke, her voice somewhat hoarse: "He... he just a few days ago told me he would give us a big surprise, I didn't take it seriously then, thinking he had drunk too much and was talking nonsense. Who would have thought..."

She could not go on, lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Tokugawa Kazuya put his arm around her shoulders, looking at Uesugi Muneyuki: "Uesugi Chief, I know we are suspects, Ryuichi died, we are the most direct beneficiaries. But the fact is, we were indeed outside all last night, many people can attest to that, we could not have poisoned him."

Uesugi Muneyuki nodded, without continuing to question.

He stood up, and said softly to Tei Reiji and Sakura behind him: "For now, there is no breakthrough."

Sakura's eyes glowed, she immediately stood up, and whispered in Uesugi Muneyuki's ear: "Muneyuki, do you think it's them?" "Motive exists, but the alibi is too solid." Uesugi Muneyuki shook his head, "Unless they had an accomplice, or used a delayed method, otherwise..."

He did not finish, but the meaning was already clear.

At that moment, a female proprietor in a kimono rushed over, her face deathly pale, her voice trembling:

"U, Uesugi teacher! N, not good!"

Uesugi Muneyuki's heart skipped a beat: "What's wrong? Didn't I ask you to fetch Tokugawa Noriko?"

"T, Tokugawa Noriko..." the proprietor's lips were trembling: "She... she..."

"And what?!"

"Dead!"

Those nearby who heard this gasped in unison.

Tokugawa Ayako sprang to her feet, her face ashen: "Mother?! Impossible! My mother..."

Tokugawa Kazuya also rose to his feet, his expression shocked beyond pretense: "Mother, how could this happen?"

Uesugi Muneyuki did not hesitate, turned and walked out: "Lead the way!"

A group of people broke into a run, rushing straight to the scene, behind them, the cameraman of the Divine Hand Film Crew almost instinctively hoisted his camera and gave chase, only to be grabbed by Kinoshita Hiroko: "Slow down! Don't interfere with his work! But keep up! Keep up!"

The party hurried down the long hallway, arrived at the second floor of the main building, before Tokugawa Noriko's room.

The door was open.

A female attendant sat collapsed in the doorway, face ashen, trembling all over, seeing Uesugi Muneyuki and the others approach, she raised her trembling hand and pointed into the room.

Uesugi Muneyuki stepped into the room, at the same time gesturing for everyone to stand in the doorway, not to disturb the scene.

In the room, Tokugawa Noriko lay on the bedding, her countenance peaceful, as if asleep.

Dead?!

He crouched, extended his hand to feel her carotid artery—no pulse.

Rigor mortis had already begun, time of death later than Tokugawa Ryuichi's, roughly between 1 and 3 a. m.

Uesugi Muneyuki's pupils rapidly contracted, he examined her, found her lips purple, the corners of her mouth with extremely fine foam traces, but no signs of struggle, obviously she died in her sleep.

Most likely poison again!

Tokugawa Ryuichi died of poison, Tokugawa Noriko also died of poison!!

Mother and son, same night, same inn!

What, what on earth is going on?!

If Tokugawa Noriko and Tokugawa Kazuya's couple are not the killers, then who did it?!