Chapter 996

After Park Yoo-chun's public statement was released, the pressure on the Metropolitan Police Department and Uesugi Muneyuki himself reached an unprecedented peak.

The number of complaint calls received by the front desk of the Special Mission Division had already exceeded the processing capacity of regular duty personnel, so the General Affairs Section had to temporarily assign two clerical staff members specifically to handle incoming calls.

The official email account of the Forensic Medicine Teaching Room at Tokyo University was continuously flooded, forcing the school to temporarily set up an "information window for the public" to handle inquiries related to alumnus Uesugi Muneyuki.

Even the Public Relations Department of the National Police Agency had to face questions during routine press briefings about whether there were instances of public officials abusing their authority.

That afternoon, National Police Agency Commissioner Watanabe Eiji sat in his office, with the television playing footage of Park Yoo-chun's press conference; after glancing at it a few times, Watanabe Eiji furrowed his brows tightly.

Koreans!

Koreans may be one of the nations in the world most skilled at playing populism, and Park Yoo-chun's special identity means that any related issue could ultimately turn into ethnic debate and persecution.

Koreans still take pride in the various biased calls and violent acts during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup: good calls! They should have been called that way—I'm popping champagne! They have also repeatedly shouted publicly that they sent out the hottest Korean girls to make Italian players weak-kneed (Italian players indeed went to nightclubs the night before matches to be accompanied by Korean women), and even in some Korean variety shows, this matter is inevitably mentioned.

In contrast, Japanese people regarding the red card in the 2000 Asian Cup semifinal or the handball biased call in the 2004 Asian Cup final know they clearly benefited, so most choose to remain silent in historical records or avoid discussing it; rarely do they bring it up to boast, and everyone has gradually forgotten about it.

This is overt learning and covert learning: Koreans like to win twice, Japanese like to make big money quietly.

That sentence "If he wants to make someone's test results appear 'problematic,' he might be able to do it" echoed like an echo across major media outlets.

If he had a choice, Watanabe Eiji would not open this can of worms that is Park Yoo-chun.

The bureaucratic elite dislikes change, especially changes that fall outside their expectations.

But since you entrusted this matter to Uesugi Muneyuki, it's hard to predict what he will do.

Watanabe Eiji could only dial the phone: "How's it going on your end?"

"How else could it be?" Uesugi Muneyuki answered the phone: "I and my adoptive father alike, we only saw it on television."

"Muneyuki————public pressure is immense. Shinchou talked to me, saying that if this case drags on, media sentiment might shift from 'celebrity drug use' to 'National Police Agency abuse of authority.'" Watanabe Eiji let out a bitter laugh, then his tone turned serious: "You know, Japanese people like to sympathize with losers; even if this continues, even if you could win, Park Yoo-chun would instead gain public sympathy, and you would become a 'demon who destroys others' lives.'"

"What Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Kusunoki Masashige, Sanada Yukimura? Or Sun Chengzong, Lu Xiangsheng, Zhao Rateng, Man Gui?" Uesugi Muneyuki couldn't help but retort: "Nothing, let's see what happens next."

"What Valverde, Mourinho, Ten Hag, Ancelotti?" Watanabe Eiji was amused by Uesugi Muneyuki, but he still said seriously: "Muneyuki, this time period is crucial for you! The associate professor position at Tokyo University, Minami's pregnancy, your assistant is about to give birth, and the Special Investigation Advisor position I prepared for you at the National Police Agency—you absolutely cannot drop out at this moment!"

"I get it, I'm relieved~" Uesugi Muneyuki said in Osaka dialect.

After finishing the tasks at hand.

The hallway of the Metropolitan Police Department's Sakuradamon main building had already quieted down by half past six in the evening.

The daytime crowds had mostly dispersed, leaving only duty personnel and scattered overtime-working assistant inspectors moving about under the lights on each floor.

The window of the Special Mission Division was half open, and the April evening breeze, carrying the lingering scent of spring from the streets, swept in, carrying away the heat accumulated indoors throughout the day.

After everyone had finished dinner and mostly gone their separate ways, Minami, due to her pregnancy, left early together with Eirina, leaving only Uesugi Muneyuki sitting in his office reviewing documents, pondering what to do next.

He was using a pen to draw lines and arrows on paper that others couldn't understand, beside him lay an empty cup of Luckin Coffee Starbucks Lucky Kudiy five-in-one flavor coffee can, crushed and placed in the corner of the desk, just like him, waiting for whatever might happen next.

——————————

At this moment, the door was pushed open, and Maeda Toshihide walked in.

He was wearing a light gray casual suit today, his tie slightly askew, and there was some bruising around his eyes.

Was he beaten?!?

Uesugi Muneyuki lifted his head and glanced at him, noticing that his round face had lost some of its usual vibrant energy, and the expression at the dimple position seemed somewhat subdued.

The Director General of the Imperial Household Agency, Maeda Toshisuke, had formally retired; with his retirement, the Maeda family's influence had waned, most of the main family had already returned to Ishikawa Prefecture, leaving only Maeda Toshihide to continue staying in Tokyo.

Before departing, Maeda Toshisuke met with Maeda Toshihide, then produced the Navy's "Spiritual Injection Rod" and gave him a beating.

Because Maeda Toshihide and Sawajiri Erika had an encounter, this matter was secretly uncovered, but fortunately neither the police, the prosecutors' office, nor Sawajiri herself intended to make an issue of it; Maeda Toshisuke used all his connections to suppress the matter.

Maeda Toshihide walked to the side of his seat, placed his briefcase down, hesitated for a moment, then ultimately took two steps toward Uesugi Muneyuki and lowered his voice: "Mr. Uesugi, I've heard a little rumor————"

"Speak." Uesugi Muneyuki put down his pen, gesturing for him to sit and speak.

Meanwhile, Yamada Nanase beside him instantly had her eyes light up; she pretended nothing had happened, but silently put down her documents and covertly pricked up her ears.

Secret, SUKI!

I have many little secrets, little secrets!

After working for a while in the Special Mission Division, Yamada Nanase's heart had awakened; she now most enjoys hearing all kinds of little secrets and some shocking truths that are inconvenient to disclose publicly.

Maeda Toshihide sat in the chair beside him, leaned close to Uesugi Muneyuki, and lowered his voice even further: "Regarding Park Yoo-chun, it's said that after leaving the detention center, he first went to a private beauty clinic. He underwent full-body hair removal, from eyebrows to underarms to leg hair, every strand dealt with. He also dyed his hair, jet black, covering all original hair color. Now, not a single extractable hair can be found on his body.

After saying this, his expression was somewhat complex, his face seemingly saying 'you see, he really does have a problem': 'What should we do, Uesugi-san? This guy clearly came prepared! Damn the district court, that Judge Spring Breeze actually released him!'

But Uesugi Muneyuki merely nodded slightly, his expression unchanged, as if he had anticipated this step: "Hmm, I know, this is quite normal—Eastern God fans 60E, the earliest generation of Korean Wave fans in Japan all grew up watching TVXQ, so having many fans is understandable."

Maeda Toshihide blinked in shock across his face: "You————aren't surprised?"

"No, buddy, drug users drink several liters of water to counter urine tests, do full-body hair removal and full-body dyeing to counter hair tests—isn't that common sense?" Uesugi Muneyuki chuckled: "I'm a forensic pathologist!"

Maeda Toshihide fell silent, his lips moved as if wanting to say something but ultimately didn't speak, only giving a slight nod: "————Hope you're right, no matter what, I'll support you more."

After saying that, he tugged at his askew tie, turned around, walked back to his seat, sat down, and began flipping through the documents on the desk.

Maeda Toshihide had originally been acting with impunity.

I am Maeda of Kanazawa! Number one outer sample! Kaga's one million koku! My grandfather was the Director General of the Imperial Household Agency!

However, when Maeda Toshisuke truly retired, Maeda Toshihide suddenly felt that the support behind him was gone, and the Maeda family no longer had anyone who could back him up.

"Don't overthink it, Maeda." Uesugi Muneyuki smiled: "Go ahead and do it—you still have me behind you! Our Special Mission Division is your backing, you are my Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Kusunoki Masashige, Sanada Yukimura!"

"

————————" Maeda Toshihide flattened his mouth: "Mr. Uesugi, can I be your Maeda Toshie, Hashiba Hideyoshi, Matsunaga Hisahide, Araki Murashige, Asai Nagamasa?"

"That probably won't work, but you can be my Takagi Naoshi!"

Maeda Toshihide couldn't help but laugh.

Feeling inferior to Genshin's Nahida————capacity.

————————————

After finishing his tasks, Uesugi Muneyuki left his office; when he pushed open the door of the Personnel Division office, only a few people remained inside working overtime.

He walked past the partitions and headed straight to the innermost room where the plaque reading "Chief of Section 3, Personnel Division, Kashiwagi Misa" was hung.

"How did you come here?"

Kashiwagi Misa was sitting behind her desk looking at a document.

The former Face of the Metropolitan Police Department wore a dark blue police uniform suit jacket, with a white shirt underneath, and a narrow dark-colored tie at the collar, which was the standard attire regulation for female officers of the Metropolitan Police Department.

But the effect she presented was never "standard".

The former Face of the Metropolitan Police Department had a slender and tall figure, and the cut of the police uniform jacket perfectly outlined the curves of the shoulder line and waist line.

The navy blue uniform skirt was lengthened to just above the knee, revealing the slender calves wrapped in black sheer thick wood matte commuting stockings.

The texture of the Kōmoku stockings was good, and under the light they emitted a fine layer of gloss, like a thin layer of silk satin covering the skin, and the even leg lines traced a smooth arc as she slightly lifted her legs in a cross-legged pose.

The black silk-clad feet's toes pointed at a pair of black pointed-toe thin high-heeled shoes, the heel about eight centimeters, the lacquered surface reflecting under the office lights responding to specks of starlight, the heel had loosened and swayed with the owner's movements, the ankle and heel wrapped in stockings hung in the air, shrouded in a hazy phantom under the light.

Kashiwagi Misa's face always carried a mixed-race feel of coolness, that pair of high and straight nose bridge and thin lips with distinct lines, the brow bone and jaw contour were three-dimensional and filled with a hint of wildness and aloofness.

A head of long hair was coiled at the back of her head, a few strands of loose hair fell at the sides of her ears, solemn yet slightly carrying some bewilderment.

When she raised her head and saw the visitor was Uesugi Muneyuki, the corner of her mouth slightly curved, but soon she returned to professional calm: "How did you come? Anything the matter?"

"

Uesugi Muneyuki walked to her desk, half-smiling and opening his mouth: "As for Asuka's employment in the Public Relations Division, how far have you gotten with the procedures on your end?"

"Wait a moment." Kashiwagi Misa turned the document to a certain page and pointed it out to him: "The basic process has already been completed. Her file has already been transferred from temporary employee to formal hiring, the Public Relations Division has already submitted the acceptance letter, now we only wait for the Personnel Division's final signature and seal, which should take about two more days. However——

She paused, closed the file folder, leaned forward slightly, and lowered her voice: "As for Asuka's side, are you sure you want her to join the Metropolitan Police Department now? You're currently in the eye of the storm. Park Yoo-chun's case is not yet over, and the Japan-Korea public opinion has been in an uproar. Asuka's resume clearly states her relationship with you as a Special Mission Division Chief's recommendation. After she joins, she will be watched by many people. And———

Kashiwagi Misa stood up, walked around to the front of the desk, went to his side, and her voice became even lower: "I heard some rumors. Inside the Metropolitan Police Department, these days many female police officers have been privately discussing you. Park Yoo-chun's fangirls are not only outside, but also inside. It is said that a few people were chatting enthusiastically in the changing room, saying Park Yoo-chun was framed, that the Uesugi Chief this time went too far. You should be careful. Do not place documents, clues, or investigation directions in easily visible places. I will help you watch over the Personnel Division side, but as for others———I cannot guarantee.

66」9

Uesugi Muneyuki looked at her, seeming to have realized something, he slightly nodded, the corner of his mouth carrying an almost imperceptible arc: "Thank you, Misa, how exactly should I thank you?"

Kashiwagi Misa glanced at him, both pleased and annoyed, she did not answer, only turned around and took out a key from the drawer beside the desk, walking toward the door.

"Come with me!"