Chapter 906

"What exactly is your relationship with Yamada Rinka?" Uesugi Muneyuki knew the situation was urgent and he had to immediately figure out what had happened. "Well, actually, I and Rinka... are lovers." Souda Sosuke said embarrassedly.

"I fucking know you're lovers!" Uesugi Muneyuki couldn't help but retort: "I'm also a man, I still don't understand you? And she's a divorced woman with several kids who's willing to lend you money—aside from being lovers, what else could she be but a relative?"

"Alright, alright, alright~" Uesugi Muneyuki gestured to follow my rhythm: "Like this—I'll ask, you answer accurately."

"You ask, I'll answer based on the situation." Souda Sosuke was very unwilling.

"You fucking answer or don't! Wait until you're sentenced and sent for prosecution—then it's none of my business!" Uesugi Muneyuki yelled angrily: "I don't have time to waste on you. We're short on time. First, why did you borrow money from her?"

"Because of you!" Souda Sosuke said unwillingly.

"?" Uesugi Muneyuki tilted his head, obviously having reached his limit of patience.

"Alright, alright, you must have guessed by now? It's because of Eto's matter—I'm currently discussing a separation agreement with Miyabi. I've made several billion yen these past few years, and according to the agreement, I have to give her a large sum in cash. Lawyer fees, property division costs, and... confidentiality fees. Eto's side demands it. She said if I don't pay, she'll sue—I still have contracts, endorsements, and my livelihood for the second half of my life. So I went to borrow money from Rinka. Rinka agreed to help. She doesn't have that much cash on hand, so she's sending it to me in installments."

Souda Sosuke said embarrassedly.

This guy finally told the truth. Uesugi Muneyuki nodded and then asked his second question: "So the question is, why are you so certain Yamada Rinka would lend you money?"

Souda Sosuke glanced at Uesugi Muneyuki: "My relationship with Rinka is just like yours with Mai-sama!"

Uesugi Muneyuki: "?"

"I... I've known Rinka for a long time—back when I was still in the second team (baseball reserve squad, minor league), even before marriage. At that time I wasn't famous yet; she was my fan, came to the ballpark to watch my games. We... got together. Later I got married, but never broke it off with her. Every time I went to Kansai for games, I'd go see her. She's the only one who treated me well before I became famous."

"She never approached me for my fame or money—only because I'm Souda Sosuke, that's all!" Souda Sosuke said this with considerable confidence: "You, this Metropolitan Police pervert, you'd definitely understand!"

"Back then, Rinka hadn't divorced yet—among her four kids... Hyuto should be my child, Sho might also be my child, but her husband doesn't know, and afterward they still paid child support as if all four kids were his biologically, you get what I mean? Between me and Rinka... we're truly allies, a bond that won't betray!"

I see.

Uesugi Muneyuki understood.

This is orthodox Japanese male chauvinism, and often enough, it's exactly like this—one marries a wife just to show her off to others.

Eto Miyabi is exactly that kind of wife—her existence is more for Souda Sosuke to display as a beautiful vase, very prestigious, and whether she's actually used or not isn't that important.

Then why Souda Sosuke is so charming.

This is actually simple: because he engages in sports, sweating on the field, full of hope and love for the future, displaying a strong physique and primal masculinity—such people are naturally charming.

This point is often misunderstood by small-town studiers, but the fact is, good girls are naturally easier to attract by delinquent boys, cheerleaders naturally prefer football captains—if you only use money or fabrication to attract people, then those attracted are really just after your money and fabrication. Whereas these athlete types display primal male reproductive capacity, able to trigger women's DNA-level craving for quality and healthy genes, and Souda Sosuke naturally has the advantage in competition—having female attention is no surprise.

"If you truly love her, why are you going to her now? Your separation agreement isn't even signed yet, your lawyer is still arguing with Eto's lawyer. You're running off to Kobe to see your lover at this time—what the hell are you thinking?"

Souda Sosuke's voice suddenly rose: "I went to borrow money from her! I said it—I need cash! Eto's side is pressing harder and harder, my account's been frozen, I can't withdraw large sums from my own account. I can only turn to Rinka. She agreed to help. She said she'd help me. How was I to know that was the last time I'd see her? How was I to know she'd die? How was I to know you'd treat me as the murderer?"

Uesugi Muneyuki looked at him.

Souda Sosuke's voice dropped from high to low: "It's all your fault! You told Eto Miyabi to act in *Hand of God*, she did, ratings exploded, she became famous. After she became famous, she didn't need me anymore. She thought she didn't need to rely on me. She thought I wasn't good enough for her. She hired a lawyer, wants to divorce me, take my money, and drag all my affairs into the open. If it weren't for you, she'd still be that NHK host, I'd still be the shortstop for the Seibu Lions. We wouldn't be separating, I wouldn't go to Rinka for money, and Rinka wouldn't die!"

"Oh my, saying all that, Mr. Souda—I'll just ask you one thing." Uesugi Muneyuki coldly laughed and interrupted him.

"After you met her, did you do it?"

..." Souda Sosuke's face instantly turned from blood red to deathly pale, then from pale to dark-faced.

"I'm fucking asking you! Did you or didn't you do it when you met her?" Uesugi Muneyuki grabbed his collar: "I'm fucking trying to save you—you better tell me the truth!"

"... I did." Souda Sosuke lowered his head in shame.

Uesugi Muneyuki:...."

Okada Masayoshi and Kai Toru, who were listening nearby,........"

Uesugi Muneyuki recalled a football coach named Wakase- Maryoku Bird, who once said: "Study hard, become a doctor, engineer, teacher—they're what the world needs. Don't worship players; some of them are just trash."

"Do you have an alibi?"

"No, after I did it with her, I didn't return to team training—instead I found a place and drank a few cups..."

"You're screwed then." Uesugi Muneyuki coldly laughed: "During the autopsy, I'll test for antigens—extremely likely to detect you." "Things turned out like this, I don't want it either, but it's all because of you! I could've still..." Souda Sosuke still held a grudge. "None of my business. It's you who cheated." Uesugi Muneyuki coldly laughed: "You've got the skills to hit on female PR in Ginza—you've got the book, don't get caught on camera! You've got the skills to go to Eto's precinct—don't go borrowing money!"

Souda Sosuke's mouth opened, closed, then opened again.

He couldn't make a sound.

Uesugi Muneyuki fell silent for a moment: "You just said it wasn't you who killed her. Can I believe you?"

Souda Sosuke suddenly lifted his head to look at him.

Those eyes held only one kind of "I have no one else to rely on but you"—naked, unwavering dependence: "I'm counting on you, Uesugi Chief!"

"The current evidence is extremely unfavorable to you." Uesugi Muneyuki frowned, speaking softly: "Although there's no direct evidence you killed her, the evidence chain is already very complete! As long as it's sent for prosecution, there's an eighty or ninety percent chance you'll be convicted!"

"Uesugi Chief! You must help me, for Miyabi's sake! I'm her husband!" Souda Sosuke truly felt the danger now, and immediately begged Uesugi Muneyuki: "I, I don't care about your and Miyabi's affairs anymore! I, I can pretend I know nothing! As long as you can get me through this crisis!"

"Uesugi-san, you solve cases like Cristiano Ronaldo!"

Hearing Souda Sosuke say Uesugi Muneyuki solves cases like Cristiano Ronaldo, Okada Masayoshi and Kai Toru nearby were stunned, covering their mouths and snickering, while Uesugi Muneyuki's head also sprouted black lines.

"Alright, stop messing with me, Mr. Souda—what you need to do now is just one thing." Uesugi Muneyuki said in a deep voice.

"Hold on! Endure it! Wait for me."

"What?" Souda Sosuke didn't understand what it meant.

"You'll understand soon." Kai Toru came over and whispered something to Souda Sosuke, then gestured to the already somewhat impatient Hyogo Prefecture police: "Take him away."

"Yes!" Just like that, Souda Sosuke was taken away.

Uesugi Muneyuki quickly walked back to beside his Toyota Camry.

"Was he telling the truth or lying?" Uesugi Muneyuki said to Saito Asuka sitting in the car.

"Muneyuki, I think this baseball player isn't lying." Asuka whispered: "He really doesn't seem like a murderer, although he's biased against you, but he should be telling the truth."

……, Uesugi Muneyuki this time felt the situation had become both interesting and troublesome.

Before, it was him knowing someone was the murderer but lacking evidence, having to rack his brains to prove they were guilty.

Now, it's him knowing someone isn't the murderer but all evidence points to them, having to rack his brains to prove they're innocent! For Uesugi Muneyuki, this isn't just doubled in difficulty—it also has to be done under the watchful eyes of Kansai.

This will be another major challenge in his professional career.

He has to prove himself again!