Chapter 884

"Uesugi Chief, there's something here I'd like you to see." As Uesugi Muneyuki and Mai Xuejie were chatting, a forensic officer proactively approached and said: "We've made some discoveries."

"Hmm?" Uesugi Muneyuki hadn't originally planned to get personally involved, but since they said so, he gave Shirakawa Mai a look. "Take it easy" Mai Xuejie winked at him, my junior student~

Several forensic officers brought Uesugi Muneyuki to a certain corner inside the main building.

It was obvious this was where bodies were processed—the strong smell of blood, rotten odor, and the intense mixture of machine oil and mold were all mixed together, which isn't strange for a place like a ranch; the light bulbs had low wattage, casting a dim yellow glow on the concrete floor, only illuminating a small circle of light.

"What did you find?" Uesugi Muneyuki asked casually, with police and forensic officers all around.

"This, Uesugi-san, this." The forensic officer pointed to a certain spot.

Uesugi Muneyuki looked over.

A row of kitchen knives hung on the wall.

Zwilling kitchen knives from Germany.

Uesugi Muneyuki:...."

Zwilling, a German brand, synonymous with high-quality kitchen knives, a world-renowned brand.

Emmm~but now Zwilling kitchen knives seem to have been given some new meaning by the Japanese, especially by Uesugi Muneyuki. Magic is learned from the mysterious person, shark people use Zwilling!

How come Zwilling can be seen here too???

"Uesugi Chief, is there possibly some connection here?" The forensic officer obviously also thought of something.

"Let me take a look." Uesugi Muneyuki put on gloves to examine one: "You go check other places first."

"Hi!" Everyone stepped back.

The blade was long and slender, the edge sharp, the handle's curve perfectly matched the palm's contour, each one well-maintained, no rust, no nicks, not even noticeable scratches.

Uesugi Muneyuki activated Spirit Vision.

In Spirit Vision, the blades of those knives were wrapped in a thick layer of blackish-red substance, like ashes after burning or congealed blood plasma. He reached out, fingertips approaching the blade, lightly touched it, and the intense curse immediately crawled up along the blade! Along the blood vessels of the arm upward, all the way to the heart's position!

Let fresh blood and shadow forge a contract!

However, when this intense curse touched Uesugi Muneyuki, the Horse Head Wisdom King's Dharma Image suddenly manifested!

Yaegaki Tetsuya's cursed grudge appeared, the Horse Head Wisdom King's mane burned with dark red flames in the void, two of its three eyes opened, golden pupils like two lamps that would never go out.

The vertical pupil on its forehead snapped open, like a door locked too long, and upon opening, the pure lotus demon fire gushed out, instantly purifying all curses to nothing.

This is the Horse Head Wisdom King's passive ability—immune to evil disturbances!

The Horse Head Wisdom King's flames were like a wall, extending from the edge of the consciousness space to unseen depths; any malicious intent trying to seep in would, upon touching that wall, evaporate completely like water droplets hitting a red-hot iron plate.

Horse Head Wisdom King is awesome! Oh my Horse Head Wisdom King is awesome!

Uesugi Muneyuki chuckled in his heart.

【It's hard to imagine that while we police are guarding order, the citizens are doing what?】Yaegaki Tetsuya said resentfully. 【Probably all having sex parties on Love Patsytan Island.】Hironaka Mariko smirked: 【Hurry up and call two lolis over, I want to watch them perform calculus live.】

【May Buddha bless, may Buddha bless!】Miyahara Toru shook his head desperately: 【Can't we have some positive energy? Always promoting society's negative jokes, whether manzai or rakugo, these things will get banned!】

【You like pretending to be an ostrich, huh?】Ōsumikawa Minoru sneered: 【If you've got the guts, go fight these people; if not, then you're just burying your head in the sand, talking about you guys, these peace-decorating comedians!】

Meanwhile, the Village Flower Palace stared blankly at this scene before her, couldn't help but exclaim: 【Simply, it's art!】

Uesugi Muneyuki: 【Art? What does that mean, Village Flower Palace?】

【You can't only think using cowhide, sheepskin, crocodile skin, ape skin to make bags is art, luxury, high-end, but when using human heads, human bones, human skin you say it's not— to me, these are all the same thing.】Village Flower Palace said very naturally: 【Is there a difference?】【I'd call Village Flower Palace you the true master of animal protection!】Uesugi Muneyuki gave a thumbs up, he didn't understand, but he respected: 【I'll contact the extreme animal protection association in the United States, let you turn them all into specimens and artworks!】

【Great, better than the fire of Yiling!】Village Flower Palace looked genuinely interested in these things.

After inspection, Uesugi Muneyuki told the forensic officers it was indeed Zwilling kitchen knives, but there was no special connection.

The forensic officers' faces all wrote "Really? I don't believe it!", but since Uesugi Muneyuki said so……better not to add more trouble.

This is the judgment of the Uesugi Chief!

Steamed bun, you don't hold the utensil?

Then go find Uesugi!

Watanabe Eiji arrived sooner than he expected.

Early the next morning, the Police Commissioner's motorcade arrived.

The Police Commissioner's dedicated dark blue Toyota Century led the way, two white police motorcycles cleared the path ahead, followed by three black official vehicles, parked in a line at the hotel entrance, engines still running, white vapor from the exhaust pipes drifting in the cold wind.

When Watanabe Eiji stepped out of the car, he wore a dark gray overcoat, no hat, hair meticulously combed, facial expression like he had already anticipated everything would happen and already planned the next step—calm and composed.

"Father." Uesugi Muneyuki came over and greeted him.

"Muneyuki." Watanabe Eiji's lips twitched slightly, he patted his shoulder: "Let's go inside and talk."

Uesugi Muneyuki reported to him in the temporary meeting room on the hotel's first floor.

The meeting room wasn't large, a rectangular table covered with a white tablecloth, on the table sat several bottles of mineral water and a stack of unfinished reports. Outside the window, the direction of the ranch could be seen, under a gray-white skyline, the tin-roofed building and dry spring had already been surrounded by blue plastic sheeting, from afar looking like a patch sewn onto snowy ground.

Uesugi Muneyuki recounted the situation from beginning to end—from the crew checking into the hotel, to Aragaki Yui being troubled by supernatural events, to him and Shirakawa Mai getting involved in the investigation, to discovering corpses in the ranch's groundwater and dry spring, to finally excavating one hundred forty-one corpses and over two hundred human bone products. He spoke calmly, clearly, like delivering a routine case briefing.

Watanabe Eiji sat opposite him, holding a teacup in his hand, not drinking, just holding it, occasionally nodding.

"I heard from there that corpses were found again in the ranch with Zwilling kitchen knives?" After Uesugi Muneyuki finished speaking, Watanabe Eiji snorted, couldn't help shaking his head: "Why is it always Zwilling?"

Uesugi Muneyuki also couldn't hold back.

The Zwilling brand now, when sold, already comes with a manual of over thirty pages, emphasizing dozens of taboos for using this knife, especially not to use it on shark people!

But this has already become a stereotype; now even in Japan's large supermarkets, the actual Zwilling kitchen knives have been specially replaced with photos and signs, just because someone picking up the knife makes those nearby subconsciously think he's going to stab someone.

Mom, I'm scared!

"Father, I think the problem isn't here, but rather some faction, likely accustomed to using Zwilling kitchen knives internally, so when they spread it, everyone got used to using Zwilling kitchen knives—for example, initially Saijo Yasue, then later these incidents, everyone likes using Zwilling kitchen knives." Uesugi Muneyuki said.

"You mean there's some connection behind these cases?" Watanabe Eiji frowned tightly.

"I can't say this well, currently no evidence." Uesugi Muneyuki shook his head.

"Hmm……let's not mention this for now." Watanabe Eiji didn't respond immediately.

He picked up the teacup, took a sip, the tea was probably cold, his brow furrowed slightly, he put down the cup: "Regarding Aragaki Yui, you just mentioned it. She drew your attention because she was troubled by supernatural events. Now the case is this big, the police must question her according to procedure. What do you think? Will she be related to this matter? For example……was the haunting her doing?"

This is also the old routine of the Japanese Police—first suspect the reporter.

"Whose opinion was this?" Uesugi Muneyuki said with a dark face: "I guessed it, it was Old Ren, right?"

"Indeed." Watanabe Eiji nodded: "Very much in Kashiwagi's style."

Uesugi Muneyuki fell silent for a moment: "I believe she is innocent. She merely happened to be sensitive; better to believe that there are strange powers than to believe there are none. That night, Hoshino Gen stood guard at her door all night, and only later told me. When I checked the water source, I began to suspect something was wrong." He paused, his voice dropping slightly: "I believe she has nothing to do with this case."

Watanabe Eiji looked at him, his eyes holding something indescribable, like scrutiny, yet also like reflection: "I will handle her interrogation. Procedure must be followed, but I will not make things difficult for her."

"Thank you."

Watanabe Eiji waved his hand, changing the subject: "What do you think of the Tsugaru family?"

Uesugi Muneyuki leaned back in his chair, gazing at the ceiling: "The situation at the ranch did not develop in a day or two. Over a decade of crime, involving so many people, so many corpses, so many financial flows—it is impossible that no one noticed."

"The Tsugaru family has been entrenched in Aomori for hundreds of years; every blade of grass and tree in the locality is under their watch. They could not possibly be unaware of problems at the ranch. Yet they filed no report, made no whistleblowing, not even hinted to any journalist. Until the 'Hand of God' film crew came to Aomori, until I arrived here, until Aragaki Yui encountered a paranormal incident at the hotel, only then did they use this as an opening to pass the information to me."

Watanabe Eiji let out a cold laugh: "Most likely, they have known all along. Not only known, but possibly known in great detail. But this ranch is too tightly entwined with local powers—local government, assembly, agricultural cooperatives, and possibly even some financial institutions. Although the Tsugaru family wields great power, they do not wish to ruin themselves over a ranch. They need someone who can expose the matter without harming themselves, a blade from outside unafraid of getting dirty. So, they sought you."

Uesugi Muneyuki nodded: "I think the same."

"This matter." Watanabe Eiji stood up, walked to the window, and gazed toward the ranch outside: "Ultimately, it is a problem of local governance. A ranch, over a decade, over 140 lives—did the local government not know? Did the assembly not know? Did the police not know? At first they may not have known, but over time, some trace would inevitably appear."

"But they all knew, yet no one acted. Why? Because acting would threaten too many interests. Those subsidies, relief funds, support money—each year amounts to tens of billions. Where does this money come from? From central finance. The central government allocates funds downward, but how localities use them, the center cannot control. Local officials rely on this money to sustain themselves, to win elections, to maintain their turf and power. You ask them to investigate—would they stab themselves in the back?"

He turned around, looking at Uesugi Muneyuki: "Such matters cannot be resolved locally. Not that they do not want to resolve, but that they cannot. The interest chain is too long, too many people involved—whoever investigates becomes everyone's enemy. Thus, external force is needed, someone from above to investigate. Those from above have no local interest entanglements, no local personal ties, and can investigate without sentiment."

Uesugi Muneyuki said nothing. He looked at Watanabe Eiji, waiting for him to continue.

"But." Watanabe Eiji returned to his seat, sat down, and tapped his fingers twice on the desk: "When those from above come to investigate, investigate, then what? Bring the report back to Tokyo, close the case, arrest the people, news reports for a few days, then what? Then new people come, new interest chains form, new 'ranches' sprout elsewhere. Those from above cannot remain locally forever—they are mobile, rotating, like dragons crossing rivers. When the river-crossing dragon departs, the local tyrant remains, or after a while, the river-crossing dragon itself becomes the local tyrant."

Uesugi Muneyuki said: "Regional inspectors become local prefects, military governors become warlords, inspector-general governors originally were temporary central appointments, later becoming established local dignitaries. History repeats this again and again. Central authority reaches the locality, and over time becomes local authority. Those sent from above, if they stay long enough, become those from below."

Uesugi Muneyuki did not say: The Tsugaru family, being local old nobility, and Japan requiring local elections, thus must bear a certain 'petition for the people' duty—this point may be hard for everyone to understand, but if applied to the Eastern Han period, everyone should comprehend.

Before the mid-Western Han, it was typical aristocratic politics—I was born to be an official.

From the Song Dynasty onward, it was typical commoner politics—no jinshi or Giant for three or five generations, family foundations cannot be maintained, and the flowing official system actually made them mere professional agents, inherently uncaring about those under their jurisdiction—what does it matter to me? Officials serve three to five years then flee. Only mid-period aristocratic clan politics determined these local tyrants must gain some local support, known as 'nurturing the fifteenth,' meaning they must bear certain duties of supervising localities and petitioning for the people.

The Tsugaru family knew an explosion was inevitable; better they initiate it themselves, but they cannot conveniently do it themselves, so when Uesugi Muneyuki arrived, they carefully arranged, guided, and let him trigger the explosion—thus they can remain detached while solving the problem, and in the end Uesugi will still have to thank them for their help.

Cunning fellows.

Watanabe Eiji looked at him, his eyes holding a 'you indeed understand' approval: "So, this matter cannot end with just one investigation, one arrest, one trial. It requires systemic change, oversight mechanisms, and making local people know that the eyes from above are always watching them—not coming once and leaving, but forever."

He paused: "My term is still long. I will personally watch over this matter."

Uesugi Muneyuki's eyes lit up, and he said a seemingly unrelated sentence: "I think this matter is related to the Unification Church."

Watanabe Eiji blinked: "Unification Church?"

"In Osaka these years, the Unification Church has expanded rapidly." Uesugi Muneyuki said with a smile: "Whether upper or lower levels, many are believers. I found several pamphlets in the ranch, all involving this, including that Takigawa Tsubasa, the former host who committed the crime originally, whom I killed."

Watanabe Eiji looked at him, his gaze shifting: "You intend to steer this matter toward the Unification Church?"

"Not steering, but it is fact." Uesugi Muneyuki said: "Furthermore, the thangka of the Lord of Shitōrin on the ranch owner's offering table is not a common Tibetan Buddhist style. I had Shirakawa Mai look at it; she said the painting style and materials are very similar to the 'secret treasures' of a certain new religious group in Japan. And that group has close financial ties with the Unification Church."

Watanabe Eiji leaned back in his chair, fingers lightly tapping the armrest, rhythm unhurried: "Are you trying to elevate this case from local corruption to a new height?"

"Kanto and Kansai have long been opposed; the Keihan region obviously never takes the National Police Agency seriously, the Superintendent General only works about one or two years out of six or seven, but the Osaka Prefectural Police Chief starts at three years, even serving up to five." Uesugi Muneyuki's voice remained calm: "Father finally obtained the authority to guide local investigations—surely he does not want to give the Kansai people a little shock from the National Police Agency?"

"If the Unification Church does not intend to give a good explanation and statement on these matters, then let Osaka burn!"

"We want to ignite this fire to every corner of Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Hokkaido! The Japanese Police have only one chance at revival—if you do not seize it, then let me accomplish it. Let war begin, from Tokyo's skies covering to Kyushu's traces, let Shikoku boil, let Hokkaido collapse!"

Watanabe Eiji looked at Uesugi Muneyuki, gazing for a long time.

"Good, good, good! Not unworthy of being my son, my kirin child!" Watanabe Eiji burst into laughter: "Continue investigating your case. Autopsy, evidence chain, criminal facts—these you handle. As for public opinion, political maneuvering, central-local relations—that is my affair. You clarify the facts, I will handle things splendidly. Each to their duty."

"Then, let us father and son together, let Osaka burn!"

Police Agency 40k; Total War!