Chapter 885: , good death, I open champagne!

PS: The Crown Prince's allergy is quite severe—he's breaking out all over. Strange, I only made plans with him on May 20th—what's with the swelling? The Special Duty Unit is on holiday.

Uesugi Muneshige came here to film, and Miss Minami announced the Special Duty Unit was off, so everyone went home to their families. Some, like Maeda Toshihide, were at home playing Victoria 3, preparing to rebuild the Roman Empire, or playing CK3 to rebuild a Jurassic dinosaur empire—those types are easy to reach. But people like Date Munetoshi, who went traveling with the Second Miss, aren't so easy to get back.

So the Special Duty Unit isn't moving.

Watanabe Eiji separately drafted core investigators from the National Police Agency and the Metropolitan Police Department.

On Watanabe Eiji's second day stationed in Aomori, the current Chief Secretary of the National Police Agency, Kobe Takashi, and the Criminal Bureau Chief, Mori Takayoshi, directly moved their offices into the Aomori Prefectural Police Headquarters meeting room.

This was also Watanabe Eiji's first time using the authority granted by parliamentary special permission to the National Police Agency Commissioner General: "directed investigation."

Orders from the National Police Agency were issued through Aomori Prefectural Police channels—every search warrant, every summons, every interrogation transcript had to be reviewed by the National Police Agency before execution.

The Aomori Prefectural Police Criminal Division Chief was sidelined, while Sergeant Sato became the liaison officer, whose sole duty was: "convey National Police Agency instructions downward, and forward reports from below unchanged to above."

The Aomori Prefectural Police Headquarters wasn't without complaints, but no one dared speak up—this case involved over 140 bodies, and whoever interfered would be seen as an accomplice. Anyone who interfered would be suspected of colluding with local power brokers.

This logic is clearer to a veteran detective who's worked the beat for twenty years than to anyone else.

When the news reached the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, Prosecutor General Nishikawa Takahisa was in his office reviewing an indictment on financial crime. He closed the file, listened to his aide's report, fell silent for three seconds, then picked up the internal line and dialed the Special Investigation Department Chief, Kirekawa Ryoichi.

His voice wasn't loud, but each word sounded like it was struck with an iron hammer: "The Aomori case—police and prosecutors investigate together. You personally lead the team—deploy now. Tell Commissioner Watanabe: the Prosecutors Office is not subordinate to the Police Agency. We investigate separately, exchange evidence, no merging."

"TMD, since when do we not get called for investigations, Prosecutors Office?" Nishikawa Takahisa seethed, his teeth grinding, thinking: Uesugi this brat—no loyalty. I even personally sang at your wedding (Beyond the Time), and now you didn't think to include us prosecutors? "Although... but... Chief, we're the Tokyo Metropolitan District Public Prosecutors Office..." Kirekawa Ryoichi hesitated.

"Isn't there a prosecutors liaison channel in the Special Duty Unit? Just have Kogi Wataru apply now—say Uesugi Muneshige requested our involvement. This is authority granted to us by the Cabinet!" Nishikawa Takahisa said, quite pleased with himself.

"Exactly!" Kirekawa Ryoichi immediately understood: "Yes, I recall—there was indeed such a verbal request. We'll now implement the follow-up documentation!"

After hanging up, Nishikawa Takahisa leaned back in his chair, massaging his temples.

He and Watanabe Eiji aren't particularly close personally, but they don't need to be.

If the National Police Agency Commissioner General and the Prosecutor General had deep personal ties, that wouldn't be a good thing...

This case is too big—too big for anyone to try to handle it alone, or they'd choke on it. Only through joint police-prosecutor effort can we withstand the ensuing political pressure. He doesn't care if credit is split—he only cares whether this case can be solved as an ironclad case.

Because once it is, he'll be "the Prosecutor General who directed the investigation of postwar Japan's worst atrocity"—a title enough to sustain him for life. Of course, he's also confident: Watanabe Eiji charges forward on the front lines, while he holds the rear—each gets what they need.

He, Nishikawa Takahisa, is already poised to become Japan's Supreme Public Prosecutor General!

Finally, let's crush this performance target!

This is my, Nishikawa Takahisa's, ultimate—hot-blooded—clash—royal road—home run—finish!!!

Drink up! Nishikawa Takahisa rose from his chair, threw a punch, leaving a sonic boom and scorching wind in the air!

The police-prosecutor joint investigation system was established, efficiency doubled, and the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office immediately parachuted dozens of prosecutors, support staff, and evidence personnel to Aomori.

"Huh, you came?" Uesugi Muneshige heard the news and wasn't surprised: "Yeah, yeah, yeah—I did actually request help from the prosecutors liaison channel, I just forgot."

"No problem forgetting—we'll sort the paperwork on-site!" Special Investigation Department Chief Kirekawa immediately pulled out documents and a pen.

Police Agency personnel handle the scene, physical evidence, and technical forensics; Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Special Investigation Department handles accounts, fund flows, and records of dealings with local government.

The two lines advance in parallel, like two scalpels cutting into the same lesion from different angles.

The first person uncovered was the Aomori Prefectural Welfare Division Chief. Special Investigation Department prosecutors found on his office computer fifteen years of subsidy applications for a ranch, each year citing nearly identical reasons: "disability employment support facility operating costs," "disability living subsidies," "disability medical expenses."

But the figures he approved didn't match the ranch's actual income.

Where did the extra money go? His personal account gained several million yen, labeled "investment returns."

Asked what he invested in, he said: "stocks," "cryptocurrency."

Asked which stocks, he said: "I don't remember."

Asked what cryptocurrency, he said: "Musk's Dogecoin"—because Musk, that beast, endlessly inflates supply, so he cashed out early and pocketed some "meager profits."

The Special Investigation Department prosecutor laughed—a laugh that made the Welfare Division Chief's legs start trembling.

"Really? I don't believe it."

Next came the Aomori Prefectural Assembly Chairman.

He had accepted a total of 20 million yen in "political donations" from the ranch owner, nominally "election support," but after deep investigation by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, it was found that no receipts were ever issued, no accounts ever reported.

The Chairman claimed it was a "personal loan," but the IOU had no repayment date, no interest, no guarantor, and even the borrower's signature was crooked and shaky—as if someone had forced his hand to write it.

The Prefectural Governor was the last to be uncovered.

He didn't take money directly, but his campaign office chief had accepted a 3 million yen "consulting fee" from the ranch owner. After the chief was arrested, he confessed and implicated the governor.

The governor said, "I didn't know about this," but when prosecutors asked, "If you didn't know, why did you still accept their consulting fee?" he had no answer.

Not being able to answer was enough.

As the revelations kept coming, the Aomori Prefectural Government's response strategy was one familiar to viewers nationwide.

The governor held a press conference, bowed ninety degrees, expression pained, voice choking: "For the immense distress and anxiety this incident has caused our citizens, I offer my deepest apology."

The chief of staff stood beside him, also bowing.

The Welfare Division Chief was there, the Assembly Chairman was there—a line of people stood bent at the waist, like rice stalks blown over by wind.

"Red bean paste private mosaic!!!"

Camera flashes blazed like a sea, reporters shoved forward with recording pens, someone shouting: "Governor, will you resign?" someone: "Is this your personal responsibility or the organization's?" someone: "Victims' families demand you apologize in person—what do you say?"

These people dared not answer, and couldn't answer.

The press conference footage replayed repeatedly on TV, and on social media, condemnation poured in.

"Another bow-and-apology—can't you be more original?"

"If bowing could solve problems, why do we even need police?"

"Over 140 lives lost—you think a bow makes it all better?"

"Japanese politics has rotted to the core!"

"If apologies worked, why do we still need the death penalty?"

"Death penalty—death penalty for everyone!"

This time, public anger didn't subside with the bow—it burned hotter.

And this is exactly what Watanabe Eiji and Nishikawa Takahisa wanted.

The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Department acted faster than public anger.

On the very afternoon after the governor bowed, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Department already had his arrest warrant.

When Kirekawa Buchou entered the prefectural governor's residence with a search warrant, the governor was having afternoon tea with bread, milk, and jam, and a bouquet of flowers was placed on the table.

Seeing the search warrant in the prosecutor's hand, the bread in his hand fell onto the plate, making a soft sound.

"This is......" His voice trembled: "I really didn't know! Really!"

"Governor of Aomori Prefecture, suspected of bribery and official crimes, now executing arrest according to law." The prosecutor's voice was calm, as if he did this every day: "You have the right to remain silent, but everything you say will become evidence in court!"

"Take him away!" The accompanying police immediately stepped forward and dragged the limp governor out.

The arrested Fukushi Section Chief, chairman, office supervisor, and the ranch's heir were all transferred to the District Public Prosecutors Office on the same day.

The ranch owner who originally established the ranch is already dead, but his descendants are still around.

The ranch owner's son, in his thirties, inherited the ranch and also inherited the Zwilling kitchen knives hanging on the wall of the storage room.

He claimed he didn't know what happened in the ranch, or said he knew but refused to admit it.

When the prosecutor asked if he knew about the bodies in Kōsen, he said "I don't know."

When asked if he knew about the skeletons buried underground, he said "I don't know."

When asked if he knew how those disabled people died, he said "I don't know."

The prosecutor placed the forensic report in front of him—one by one, that autopsy report signed by Uesugi Muneyuki, which detailed the correlation between the knives and the skeletal injuries—he stared at it for a long time, then said: "I need a lawyer."

His crimes are worse than his father's. At least while his father was still alive, when the bodies were discovered, he could argue they were "natural deaths."

But according to Uesugi Muneyuki's autopsy results, at least ten disabled people disappeared under his direct management.

The ways of disappearance include but are not limited to: hypothermia, acute internal bleeding, skull fracture causing acute death, acute myocardial death. Each case has evidence. Each case points to the death penalty.

Japan applies the death penalty cautiously, but with over 140 bodies as the base, even the most cautious scale will tip.

When the news reached Tokyo, NHK and the four major TV stations simultaneously cut regular programming and broke in with breaking news.

Subtitles scrolled at the bottom of the screen, NHK's beautiful anchor Eto Miyabi's voice carried a suppressed tremor.

Fuji: "Aomori group's ranch collapse incident, Shinryuki thirty-four bodies found!!"

TBS: "Number of bodies: one hundred forty-one."

TV Asahi: "Prefectural governor arrested!"

NTV: "Ranch operator's son An death penalty heart indictment^."

TV Tokyo: "Well, today we'll make an exception and tell you the answer! Tarot Mystic Scepter! Shuffle, flip!"

"The mysterious and secret shrouded mystic-shadow angel, let me guide you into entering the labyrinth!"

"Detective Pretty Cure Light, Mori Aruruka, transform!!"

The people's anger was like a lit fuse, centered on Aomori, spreading nationwide.

Many people protested in front of the National Diet, demanding the government thoroughly investigate nationwide disability welfare facilities.

Public outrage ran high, impact extremely bad.

Cabinet Secretary Onoda Kimiaki was bombarded with questions at the press conference, the microphone almost poked his face.

His reply remained that kind of flawless official-style article.

"Regarding the issue of disability welfare facilities that emerged this time, the government will fully cooperate with the investigation, ensure the truth comes to light, give the people an explanation, but the reporters didn't buy it, pressing: 'Does the government bear responsibility for dereliction of duty in supervision?'"

Onoda Kimiaki could only reply: "We are conducting deep reflection."

The reporter pressed again: "Who should bear responsibility for this?"

"The case is still under investigation; at this stage, it's inconvenient to answer." Onoda Kimiaki said with a stiff scalp.

"Then what evidence is currently held?" The reporter continued pressing.

"Regarding this aspect, there is still pending further investigation by the National Police Agency and the District Public Prosecutors Office." The Cabinet Secretary continued: "Regarding how deep the involvement of local prefectural institutions is in this incident, does the Cabinet plan to comprehensively amend laws concerning disability relief and assistance? To avoid wasting taxpayers' money?"

"We will seriously consider this proposal." Onoda Kimiaki replied calmly.

In the end, the Cabinet Secretary amounted to saying nothing.

However, after the press conference ended, Onoda Kimiaki breathed a sigh of relief, his complexion complex.

This matter blew up so big that it overshadowed the earlier former Self-Defense Force plan to attack the U. S. Secretary of State, and even his own younger brother Onoda Kimiaki being stabbed.

This issue, ultimately speaking, is domestic affairs; since it is domestic, it's easy to handle—just don't let allied nations be astonished.

Kimiaki……After you died, the police side truly became Eiji's domain……

Damn it, this isn't what I wanted!

Soon, National Police Agency Commissioner Watanabe Eiji held a press conference in Aomori, announcing that the investigation into the possible connection between the Aomori Ranch Incident and local religious groups had officially commenced.

"Based on currently available clues, part of the disabled persons received by the Aomori Ranch were transported through introduction channels related to Kansai local religious groups; whether there exists organizational financial flow, personnel transport, and criminal conspiracy between the ranch and Kansai local religious groups will be the focus of the next investigation." Watanabe Eiji's voice was not loud, but every word carried weight.

The press conference venue was in an uproar.

Kansai local religious forces?

If not Shirakawa Mai's words…………then a cult?!?

Watanabe Eiji did not directly name names at the press conference, but his phrasing—"Kansai-related local religious groups," "introduction channels," "financial flow"—each word was carefully chosen, neither constituting defamation nor preventing the audience from filling in the blank. He didn't need to say "Unification Church" three times, because everyone would fill it in themselves.

Uesugi Muneyuki was secretly observing all this.

He curled the corner of his mouth.

Good death, I'll open champagne!

What needs to be done next is to pressure the Osaka Police Headquarters!

But before that, he still has to do one thing.

"Sakura." Uesugi Muneyuki handed over a stack of materials he had collected, the connection between Takigawa Tsubasa and the previous series of cases, plus the report on the "Lord of Shitōrin," as well as the possible link between the Zwilling kitchen knives and Kansai Unification Church, to Sakura: "You submit these, just say they're what I investigated, no solid evidence, just some possible speculation."

"All right!" Sakura smiled sweetly, taking the materials.

We are public security police; we don't need evidence.

Cherry blossoms are noble Public Security informants, you know! The compiled kind, you know!

Uesugi Muneyuki nodded.

This way, the entire official force and attention will be redirected toward the Unification Church.

So, Kansai's New God, how will you respond then?

Shall we engage in full-scale war?

If you want to fight, then I will fight!

Watch me deploy the United States armored vehicles first! I'll send you and your entire Unification Church to heaven!