Chapter 775

The Fuji Field Building has long since become unsurprised by hauntings.

They've grown accustomed to it.

Moreover, isn't the turning point where Fuji rose from prosperity to decline and back to prosperity precisely the night of the Fuji Field Building lockdown that Hironaka Mariko brought us?

The Fuji Field Building staff have already grown somewhat accustomed to occasionally seeing Hironaka Mariko's phantom; sometimes they even greet her, and a Buddhist shrine has already been built in the basement area enshrining "Great Deity of the Field, Hironaka-sama."

Suou-san, what are you making such a fuss about?

Unsurprised~ the strangeness defeats itself~

Besides, the paranormal phenomena in our Field Building can, to some extent, represent public sentiment; Hironaka-san might just be scaring you because she sees you're about to get popular!

Meanwhile, Uesugi Muneyuki also received word from Hironaka Mariko.

Sawajiri Erika, Suou Hinata.

These two getting together, they want to screw him over.

Precisely speaking, they want to screw over "Hand of God," screw over Fuji, and make him suffer total ruin.

Their methods are quite vicious — exploiting those "Green Room" matters; if they actually succeed, it'll be truly troublesome. Although the female anchors are willing, public opinion won't care about that; once the "sexual entertainment" label is slapped on, Uesugi Muneyuki won't be able to clear his name even with ten mouths.

Passive defense isn't his style.

"Whose hands is Sawajiri Erika's management contract in right now?" Uesugi Muneyuki asked casually.

"Avex." Hironaka Mariko also replied casually.

Avex?

That Avex which once had Tetsuya Komuro, Namie Amuro, and Ayumi Hamasaki?

Uesugi Muneyuki thought for a moment; he recalled Avex Records was a standard listed company with no zaibatsu background behind it, relatively clean instead. How does a relatively clean company sign someone with a dirty past?

Back then Uesugi Muneyuki quite liked Ayumi Hamasaki; when he was small, the one dancing on stage was the sweet and cute "Ayu-ayu." And now, only a fat pig "Baba-saki" covered in flab, with an aged face and hoarse voice remains on stage.

Time truly makes people old.

But Baba-saki is still the better off one; Tetsuya Komuro squandered recklessly after exploding in popularity; at his peak he earned over ten billion yen a year, at his highest his net worth exceeded a hundred billion yen (and the yen was valuable then, roughly 10:1), but he invested everywhere, randomly gave away precious gifts, spent recklessly, married and divorced with repeated infidelity, and ultimately squandered all his assets, and was sentenced to imprisonment for secondary rights sales.

As for Amuro, she properly married and retired, a good ending.

"You guys keep an eye on that ass for me for a while." Uesugi Muneyuki said to his several Cursed Grudges.

"Roger." The Cursed Grudges all agreed.

Taking the initiative doesn't mean striking right now. Sawajiri hasn't moved yet; if he moves first he'll startle the snake. But he can't do nothing either. Watch her, wait for her to move.

Then — one strike, certain kill.

Shun Goku Satsu! Instant Thousand Strikes!

Heaven!

Time passes quickly.

In the blink of an eye, it's already May.

Tokyo's weather gradually warmed up; the cherry blossoms downstairs at the Metropolitan Police Department fell long ago, replaced by a full view of verdant green; the Special Mission Division's windows were open, and a occasional breeze blew in, carrying a hint of early summer.

Uesugi Muneyuki pushed open the door and entered the Special Mission Division's office area.

Just inside, he froze.

Not for any other reason, but because — it was too quiet.

No, not completely quiet either. Keyboard tapping, document rustling, occasional conversation — these were all still there.

But something seemed missing…… something missing……

Oh right, missing the sound of those two guys arguing.

Uesugi Muneyuki had just completed a national-level thesis proposal project, arrived at the Special Mission Division, the entire "Hand of God" was also filming in an orderly manner, the footage satisfied Fuji, occasional stills released made the Japanese nationals cheer, everything proceeding steadily. Minami and Okada leading the Special Mission Division leadership had also gradually demarcated their own territories; the Special Mission Division was practically on the verge of actual operation, everything looked peaceful.

Only the atmosphere inside the Special Mission Division was unusual.

Uesugi Muneyuki's gaze swept across the office area, finally landing on the two seats by the window.

Date Nagamune sat there properly, head lowered looking at something, expression focused to a suspicious degree; Maeda Toshihide sat opposite him, actually quietly working and typing, not raising his head to snipe at him every now and then like usual.

Strange.

Uesugi Muneyuki walked over, stopping beside Date Nagamune.

"Date-kun."

Date Nagamune raised his head, saw it was him, a trace of unnaturalness flashing across his face: "Uesugi-san? Something the matter?"

"Nothing." Uesugi Muneyuki looked at him, raised an eyebrow: "Just find it strange — how come you didn't argue with Maeda today?" Date Nagamune's face reddened slightly, he turned his head away: "There, there's nothing to argue about."

"Nothing to argue about?" Maeda Toshihide raised his head from opposite, expression innocent as a rabbit: "Date, you haven't argued with me this whole period, I'm a bit unaccustomed, wouldn't it be the Battle of Iwo Jima?"

Date Nagamune glared at him, snorted nasally, but didn't reply.

Uesugi Muneyuki's brow rose; he could see Date Nagamune's spirits were high, occasionally even revealing a perverted smile at thin air.

He turned his probing gaze toward the other side.

Kansei Watari of the Prosecutor's Liaison System was making red tea, playing international chess against himself; several District Prosecutors Office bureaucrats were busy handling other paperwork. Ozawa Sumiko of the Public Security Division still sat arrogantly in her seat flipping through documents; behind her, Hikawa Makoto and Hojo Toru were each busy with their own tasks, only Tsugawa Shouichi this sunny boy was absent, supposedly gone downstairs to practice shooting.

Good fellow, Uesugi Muneyuki had seen the physical test data; Tsugawa Shouichi's physical test data was said to be even more absurd than Igarashi Hayato's.

Tsugawa Shouichi once boasted to Ikeda Erena that his burning form could lift a steel coil, the cold-rolled kind, but was interrupted by Ozawa Sumiko.

You're talking nonsense! Uesugi Muneyuki laughed it off after hearing Erena's description, thinking steel coil my ass, you're not the Emperor's Custodes or a Primarch, what joke?

Can anyone tell me what exactly happened to Date?

Uesugi Muneyuki cast his gaze toward the others again.

"Uesugi-san, could it be you don't know?" Finally, Kai Toru couldn't stand it; this young Assistant Police Inspector smiled and walked over: "You don't even care about your beloved Peerage junior?"

"Know what?" Uesugi Muneyuki tilted his head.

Kai Toru walked over, lowered his voice, but the volume was just right for several people around to hear:

"Date-kun, he recently got a girlfriend."

The air in the entire office area froze for a second.

Then a

"What?!"

Maeda Toshihide was the first to jump up, his eyes widening bigger than copper bells: "Date?! This guy?! Got a girlfriend?!"

"Th-this isn't right! He's a guy from the GSDF..." Maeda Toshihide had clearly taken a severe blow.

Our Navy hammock bugle call is what makes us superior! One blow of the reveille at Etajima, and Peerage daughters can't even stand straight!

How did this GSDF idiot...

"Yeah, impossible, right?" Another voice joined in — it was Igarashi Shunshi Inspection Department Chief. He put down the documents in his hand, face full of disbelief: "Wasn't he saying 'support domestic products,' 'slaughter Americans and exterminate British,' 'Japanese women nowadays all worship the West,' 'Japanese men raised by our education are all holy knights' and the like every day? I thought he'd die alone."

"That's right. Date used to love discussing with us all day: 'If we won at Midway, could we land on the US West Coast?', 'Assuming Lord Masamune personally went to the Battle of Byeokjegwan, could he kill Li Rusong?', ah, and 'On the advantages of us Japanese as a long-lived species having the number one average lifespan compared to short-lived species of other countries.'" Nango Yui also chimed in with a retort: "And he'd go on about the Middle East situation, international strategy, be careful of the oil crisis and such the moment he opened his mouth."

"Right, right!" Maeda Toshihide nodded frantically: "Acting like some loyal minister and good general all day, annoying as hell! As expected of the Shinko Budokan foundation! Just loves blowing hot air! And going on all day about supporting Sony, Matsushita, Hitachi, Toyota — isn't it just whoever's cheap and cost-effective? How much pocket money do you make a month anyway!"

"Shut up!" Date Nagamune's face was red to his earlobes, "Would it kill you to say two sentences less!"

But Maeda Toshihide obviously wouldn't shut up. He turned to Kai Toru and asked: "So... who is it? Which family's daughter has lost her mind?" Kai Toru smiled with smiling eyes: "Moriya Akane from Akai Saka 46, the Deputy Captain."

"Holy shit?!"

"For real?!"

"Date landed an idol?!"

The entire Special Mission Division instantly boiled over. Even Ozawa Sumiko and Kanjo Wataru lifted their heads. Minami Ojou-sama and Eirina were peeking their heads in from inside the office.

Someone whistled, someone slammed the table, someone stood up and applauded directly. Even the usually most steady Okada Masayoshi couldn't help but widen his eyes, a trace of a smile on the corner of his mouth.

Uesugi Muneyuki stood in the center of the crowd, watching this scene, finally understanding.

No wonder this guy hasn't been noisy lately.

No wonder this guy hasn't been shouting "patriotism" and "domestic products" every day lately.

Turns out he's got a partner.

Now he's not repressed anymore, and doesn't want to be a loyal minister and good general either.

He couldn't help but let out a laugh.

Hearing this laugh, Date Nagamune felt his whole self go wrong. His face flushed red, he tried to explain: "I-I and her are just... just ordinary friends... Akane-chan said she wanted to take a trip to Jeju Island, so I just accompanied her for three days..."

"Ordinary friends?" Kai Toru seriously patted his shoulder: "Date-kun, let me tell you. Yuko and I saw you and Miss Moriya holding hands in Jeju Island. You call that ordinary friends?"

"That wasn't holding hands! It was... she almost fell and I just helped her up!"

"Helped her up for a whole street?"

Date Nagamune was completely unable to speak.

A burst of loud laughter erupted in the office area.

Maeda Toshihide laughed the most exaggeratedly, clutching his stomach and crouching on the ground: "Hahahaha Date you have today too! Let you lecture me normally! Let you say I don't do my proper job! Now you're chasing an idol so much you don't even argue anymore hahaha!"

Finished speaking, Maeda Toshihide felt a bit envious: "Damn, this isn't what I thought. When I was in university, I once got a heat of the moment and took out all my New Year's money wanting to spend a Spring Breeze with my favorite actress at the time, and the result... she ac-tual-ly! re-fused!" "How much New Year's money did you have?" Igarashi asked casually.

"I was 20 at the time, saved up close to ten million yen?" Maeda Toshihide also answered casually: "If I knew the yen would crash this badly, I damn well should've converted it all to gold!"

"You damn shut up! Go play your Keqing Paimon Intervention Changli Jinhsi Liusheng Kafka Airei Raiden Mei Tenka Texas Shiroko Mibana Alice and Shark Girl!" Date Nagamune grabbed the documents on the desk and tried to throw them, but was stopped by the person next to him.

Igarashi Hayato patted his shoulder, face full of benevolence: "Date-kun, don't be shy. This is a good thing. Moriya Akane, that's a National Idol. You managing to catch her shows you've got skill. We couldn't be happier for you."

"Right right right!" Tsugawa Shouichi joined in the jeering: "When's the treat?"

"Must treat! Must treat!"

"Bring Moriya-san too! Let's all get her to sign a lottery slip for our Special Mission Division!"

Date Nagamune was surrounded by a group jeering, face flushed bright red, hands and feet not knowing where to put them.

He wanted to get angry, but couldn't let it out — because although these people were rowdy, they were all saying good things.

He could only lower his head, muttering softly: "... You guys wait."

"Wait for what?"

"Wait till I catch Akane-chan, wait till she becomes my Uwajima Date Count Countess, then I'll shark all you traitorous ministers and rebel sons!" Date Nagamune had already started noting names in his little notebook: "First destroy Maeda, then behead Kai! Then order the arquebus volley! Led by me leading the Hatamoto in a charge! Mother-cloth drum sounds, horse bells ring, that man is Igarashi Hayato!"

"Hahahaha"

"Oh? Talking like you're the only one with lineage, like we don't have any!"

"When you get married, I'm gonna crash it!"

"Come on, into the octagon! Pure men one-on-one battle!"

"Wow! Date this brat actually really scored? How much gift money we gotta give then!"

"Hey, Date only got to hold hands!"

The office area burst into loud laughter again.

Uesugi Muneyuki stood outside the crowd, watching this scene, the corner of his mouth couldn't help but curve up.

Not repressed anymore, that's a good thing~ Later settling down with Moriya Akane in Tokyo, mortgage buying a detached house, having two big fat sons, won't life be good then?

Sometimes, people really do need some goals and hopes. The biggest problem with postmodern people is everything can be deconstructed and emptied, until in the end they can't even figure out the meaning of their own existence.

Date, it wasn't this big environment that saved you, it was this male reproductive instinct and DNA that saved you!

For a time, bursts of happy laughter rang out inside the Special Mission Division.