Chapter 999

Three days later in the morning, the streets in front of the Tokyo District Court were packed solid from six a. m. onward.

Police lines stretched from the courthouse gates to intersections a hundred meters out, both sides packed with media reporters lugging cameras and fans holding up cheering signs.

Japanese and Korean flags alternated in the crowd, some wearing T-shirts printed with Park Yoo-chun's face, others holding signs reading "Support Uesugi Muneyuki," occasional scuffles between fans in cheering jackets and passing reporters were quickly broken up by security.

Silhouettes appeared behind the windows of the office building opposite the courthouse, many having rented rooms in advance, setting up telescopes, others live-streaming on their phones.

Fuji TV's broadcast van arrived at the courthouse side gate at four a. m., securing a spot almost directly facing the main gate.

Kameyama Chihiro, the president, personally greeted them: "Spare no expense to get the best position."

Thanks to his special relationship with Uesugi Muneyuki, Fuji TV arranged two ultra-HD cameras, one on each side of the courtroom entrance, one fixed to the railing of the second-floor spectator bench, its angle covering the entire courtroom panorama.

Broadcast vans from several Korean TV stations parked slightly farther away, cameramen busy adjusting signals, expressions tense as if reporting an international summit—SBS, KBS, MBC all showed up!

The court's main hall was temporarily converted into a large spectator space holding over two hundred people.

The press section was assigned to the first and second rows, behind them were various entourages and invited officials.

On both spectator benches sat countless legal professionals from Japan and Korea, representatives from the Metropolitan Police Department and Prosecutor's Office, relevant personnel from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and a few stern-faced Korean prosecutors in dark suits.

Superintendent General Shinzou Kamiya arrived, Police Commissioner Watanabe Eiji arrived, Prosecutor General West River Noble Teaching attended, newly appointed Tokyo Chief Prosecutor Onoda Kimiaki was present, the Minister of Health and Welfare came, the Korean ambassador came.

And most eye-catching was the person seated in the center of the second row: Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda Kimiaki.

He wore gold-rimmed half-frame glasses, had a solid build, hands folded on his knees, expression calm as if attending a routine cabinet meeting.

But his very presence here was a strong signal: this case had risen from a mere celebrity drug scandal to a cabinet-level matter.

Korean officials also sat on either side of the same row, few in number but clearly high-ranking, the Korean Prosecutor General's Office had personally dispatched a representative—said Yoon Chong-kuk was no ordinary figure, having personally handled the cases of Descendants of the Sun and the other president Kaká, reportedly a strong contender for the next South Korean presidency.

The clock pointed to nine a. m. sharp.

The judge took the bench, the court rose, then sat down.

The air in the courtroom instantly grew tense.

The battle began!

Both sides' seats were set on either side of the courtroom center.

Left was Park Yoo-chun and his defense team, three lawyers side by side, the middle one a former legal advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, his deputy beside him rapidly flipping through documents.

Uesugi Muneyuki glanced at the three lawyers.

Oh ho, one Korean, one Japanese, one American.

Damn, this kid's really loaded!

According to Old Ren, the fee for this three-lawyer team alone ran to one hundred million yen.

And this money—unless Uesugi Muneyuki dipped into Mai Xuejie's savings, he couldn't pull out a hundred million yen in cash on short notice.

Park Yoo-chun himself wore a black suit, hair dyed jet black and glossy, no visible body hair on any exposed skin, this Asian Heavenly King maintained a carefully controlled calm, occasionally exchanging low words with his lawyers.

He appeared very confident.

On the other side was Uesugi Muneyuki, sitting alone, no mountain of documents before him, only a light-colored kraft paper file bag, behind him stood Asō Kōta, short but spine ramrod straight like a little whirlwind, today in a crisp police uniform, expression stern as he stood two steps from Uesugi Muneyuki, merely appearing somewhat nervous.

The presiding judge of the Tokyo District Court banged his gavel, the courtroom din quickly subsided.

"Court is now in session. This case concerns the allegation by Chief Medical Examiner Uesugi Muneyuki of the Metropolitan Police Department's Special Mission Division that entertainer Park Yoo-chun used illegal drugs, made during a public broadcast. Please proceed in turn."

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Park Yoo-chun's lead lawyer rose first.

He adjusted his tie, voice deep and steady yet oppressive: "Your Honor, the core dispute in this case is not whether Mr. Park Yoo-chun used illegal drugs, but whether a medical examiner has the authority to publicly accuse a citizen of illegal drug use on a nationwide broadcast without law enforcement powers. Mr. Uesugi Muneyuki's role is that of medical examiner, his authority limited to forensic examination, not including investigation, search, or prosecution. His accusation itself constitutes an abuse of public office, any subsequent evidence obtained thereby must be deemed procedurally irregular; we contend this act lacks legal effect, meaning from the outset, the accusation and investigation against Mr. Park Yoo-chun are null and void, and thus possess no legal validity!"

A ripple of shock ran through the crowd, but no one seemed surprised.

The judge turned to Uesugi's side: "Mr. Uesugi, please respond."

Uesugi Muneyuki did not stand.

He sat in his seat, body slightly leaned forward, spoke into the microphone, voice not loud but clear enough to fill the courtroom, a trace of calm on his face: "Your Honor, regarding authority, the follow-up enforcement actions in this case were not initiated by me personally. My accusation was based on suspicious leads discovered by the Special Mission Division in routine intelligence work, which I submitted lawfully to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Narcotics Control Division, the Tokyo District Prosecutor's Special Investigation Unit, and relevant Metropolitan Police Department divisions. Subsequent searches, evidence collection, and arrests were conducted independently and lawfully by those three agencies.

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"One catty of pears!!!" At that moment, Park Yoo-chun objected, his lawyer shouting: "Even so, mere accusation does not comply with the entire enforcement procedure!"

"One catty of pears!" Uesugi Muneyuki simultaneously roared: "Who told you I accused first and reported later?!"

"???" Park Yoo-chun's side expressed confusion.

"Exactly, my role is limited to being the initial discoverer and provider of evidence; a medical examiner has no enforcement power, but does have the duty to report discovered leads lawfully." Uesugi Muneyuki immediately gestured to Asō Kōta behind him: "Regarding the receipt and notification process of the leads, please have Officer Asō Kōta of this division testify!"

Asō Kōta stepped forward upon Uesugi's gesture.

Good-ta! It's actually Good-ta!

In the crowd, a National Diet member surnamed Asō nearly fainted on the spot, while far away in Kyushu, a large group of the Asō clan watching the broadcast in Beppu were equally astonished.

Asō Kōta was nervous, he took several deep breaths, then recited his prepared statement: "I am Officer Asō Kōta of the Criminal Investigation Department's Special Mission Division, Metropolitan Police Department. Chief Uesugi submitted the suspect's information and related leads in writing to the division one day before the program recording, after review by Acting Section Chief Okada Masayoshi, they were lawfully transferred to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Tokyo District Prosecutor's Special Investigation Unit. All procedures have written records and receipts. The Metropolitan Police Department maintains complete documentation of this operation, including transfer letters and receipts, available for submission to the court at any time!"

"We confirm, Chief Uesugi never exercised any authority beyond his medical examiner license in any enforcement phase from start to finish!"

Park Yoo-chun's lawyer's lips twitched slightly.

He did not immediately rebut, Asō Kōta's statement was clear and verifiable, and the physical documents submitted on scene indeed bore the receipt stamps of all departments, all police reports also had backups.

If he continued insisting "Uesugi has no authority," it would amount to ignoring existing legal procedure documents.

What a formidable opponent!

His fingers tapped lightly twice on the tabletop, then he sat down slowly, saying in a reluctant but resigned tone: "————Regarding authority, we will not pursue this further. But procedural legality does not equal substantive legality. The reliability of the evidence itself is the true core of this case.

, the judge nodded: "Permission granted for the next round of debate!"

The next round of debate naturally was: Did Park Yoo-chun actually use drugs?

Uesugi Muneyuki, along with Ministry of Health and Welfare bureaucrats, Metropolitan Police officers, and Tokyo District Prosecutor's Special Investigation Unit, immediately presented the inspection report, including but not limited to the Ministry's own, the University of Tokyo Medical School's, and the third-party commissioned urine test report, all without question showing weak positive.

"One catty of pears!!!

Park Yoo-chun's second lawyer rose to her feet.

This was a slender middle-aged woman, wearing thin-rimmed glasses, her tone sharp as a blade!

"Your Honor, we do not deny the fact that the urine test showed a weak positive. However, we maintain that the sample may have been highly contaminated—or possibly influenced by human intervention."

"Ms. Hwang Ha-na, the fiancée of Mr. Park Yoo-chun, has a clear history of drug use, and their relationship had long since broken down. After breaking up with Mr. Park Yoo-chun, she repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction publicly. We have sufficient grounds and evidence to suspect that Ms. Hwang Ha-na may have used trace contact substances left behind during their cohabitation to cause his positive reaction without his knowledge."

After saying that, Park Yoo-chun's team presented a large amount of evidence.

These pieces of evidence are sufficient to prove that they cohabited, their relationship broke down, Ms. Hwang Ha-na has a history of drug use, and Mr. Park Yoo-chun may simply have been contaminated.

Subsequently, the Park Yoo-chun team immediately said: "It is regrettable that she is currently in Thailand, and there is no extradition treaty between Japan and Thailand, making it impossible to summon her to testify in court. This key witness cannot appear, leaving the question of whether the weak positive result is due to contamination or framing unresolved. Under these circumstances, a weak positive result cannot serve as the sole basis for conviction!"

After she finished speaking, the courtroom filled with low murmurs of discussion. Journalists rapidly wrote in their notebooks, and someone had already begun typing a headline on their phone memo: "Is Hwang Ha-na a breakthrough point or a dead end?"

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"Could the lack of an extradition treaty between Japan and Thailand become a crucial turning point?!"

"

"Uesugi Muneyuki faces a dilemma due to the absence of a witness!"

"

In the spectator seats, Onoda Kimiaki's fingers twitched slightly, but he did not turn his head.

Everyone's gaze once again converged on Uesugi Muneyuki.

This courtroom confrontation will become the largest public courtroom confrontation in Japan-Korea history!

And Uesugi Muneyuki's response was not slow either—he immediately took something out from the cowhide bag.

"One catty of pears!!!"

"Oh Oh Oh!!!" Upon seeing what Uesugi Muneyuki took out, the entire courtroom erupted!

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