Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 338, The Second New Year
After practicing dual cultivation with Mai-senpai, Uesugi Muneyuki can now automatically secrete fragrant essential oils from his body. This method originates from the Ayurvedic essential oil secret method in India. It is formed by Uesugi Muneyuki using the energy of the inner world to condense his spirit. There are four different fragrances, corresponding to pine, coconut, mustard, and sesame.

As for the effects, Uesugi Muneyuki hadn't had a chance to use the essential oil massage technique since learning it from Mai-senpai, and he wanted to find a woman to try it out.

I've chosen you! My fiancée, Minami!
Sure enough, Minami looked curious and eager to try it, but when she heard Uesugi Muneyuki say that this essential oil needed to be used with massage, she shook her head like a rattle-drum in fright: "No, no, no, I'll die!"

Minami is delicate and petite, and she is also a terrible athlete, so she has never dared to face Uesugi Muneyuki alone. Even so, Minami is often so tired afterward that she falls asleep immediately.

This is also why Minami didn't dare to move directly into the Sakata Bridge Tower.

Perhaps it is for this reason that Minami doesn’t care much about the recent public opinion. She is relatively traditional, and Uesugi Muneyuki is also from a noble family and a former feudal lord. Neither of them felt anything was wrong. Moreover, Minami knows that Uesugi can change his superior at any time, but she cannot do without Uesugi.

But just because the two of them don't care doesn't mean that others don't care.

As Uesugi Muneyuki and Watanabe Minami packed up to go home for the New Year, he noticed that the acting head of the Fifth Division, Inspector Itami Kenichi, was still in the First Investigation Division, talking to the First Investigation Division Chief, Sugishita Ukyo.

Kenichi Itami is also a man with a hard life. He is already over forty years old and can't find a girlfriend, let alone a wife. He has attended countless matchmaking events organized by the Metropolitan Police Department, but not a single woman has taken a liking to him. He has been single ever since. And it is precisely because he doesn't have a girlfriend that he simply took over the duty shifts for the Metropolitan Police Department during the New Year holiday this year, along with Section Chief Ukyo Sugishita.

Inspector Itami's selfless act instantly won him the favor of the entire First Investigation Division. He would probably be promoted to head of the Fifth Division and officially become an Inspector after a year. For non-professionals, reaching the Inspector level would be a pretty good career achievement.

Sugishita Ukyo has an ex-wife and no children, so he also plans to work the New Year's shift.

As he was leaving, Uesugi Muneyuki ran into Inspector Shiratori Sho from the Second Division. Shiratori was also preparing to go home for the holidays. His girlfriend, Okada Saka, was waiting for him outside the Sakurada Gate. This professional model and professional female mahjong player was wearing a winter fleece-lined coat and a black dress, with black leather boots underneath. She was tall and slender, but it was impossible to tell whether she was wearing stockings.

"Happy New Year, Shiratori-san!" Uesugi Muneyuki greeted Shiratori Sho with a smile, then looked at his girlfriend: "Ms. Okada is here too?"

"Oh, Uesugi-san, Happy New Year!" Shiratori Sho also greeted him: "Watanabe, the manager! Happy New Year! I'm in a hurry here, so I won't say any more. Goodbye."

After saying that, Shiratori Sho quickly ran away with Okada Saka.

"Why are you in such a hurry? We're not in a rush! We have plenty of time!" On the way, Okada Saka pressed Shiratori Sho, "Isn't that Uesugi a detective with superpowers? Didn't you always say you wanted to get along with him? You even bought him Toraya wagashi as a New Year's gift?"

"This is different! How can this be the same?" Shiratori Sho said in a slightly embarrassed voice, "You've heard the rumors outside, haven't you? This guy is good at everything, with outstanding abilities, but he's a lecher! He doesn't spare any of the people around him, such as Manager Watanabe, Inspector Ikeda, and that Dr. Ishihara!"

"Moreover, there are rumors that other police officers have offered their wives and daughters to him in order to solve the case smoothly... I don't know if it's true or not, but it's definitely the best thing for you to stay away from him!" Inspector Shiratori said with lingering fear.

"Oh, is that so? But I think he seems like a good person." As expected, Saka Okada's reaction was exactly what Sho Shiratori had predicted: "How could a hero who resolutely stepped forward to exchange hostages and save people in that situation be a bad person?"

"A hero is a hero... a good person is indeed a good person, and talented is indeed talented, but... anyway, let's go back first and talk about it later!" Shiratori Sho felt a mix of emotions, thinking to himself, "I didn't say he wasn't a hero."

But you, Uesugi, the lecherous devil from the Metropolitan Police Department! Stay away from my girlfriend!

Another couple left, and seeing that Uesugi Muneyuki still seemed a little confused, Minami just chuckled and patted Uesugi Muneyuki on the shoulder: "Looks like everyone's heard about it!"

"What did you hear?" Uesugi Muneyuki wondered. Why are they all like this? Am I that scary?

"Pfft, isn't it because you admitted on that episode of 'God's Hand SP' on Fuji TV that you had crazy sexual fantasies about all the women around you in high school, and then combined with what happened with Erena this time, that rumors started that Muneyuki is a lecherous maniac in the Metropolitan Police Department who has a penchant for sleeping with other police officers' wives." Minami laughed so hard she couldn't straighten up: "Don't worry, I know, Muneyuki, you're not that kind of person."

Um... Uesugi Muneyuki was a little embarrassed and didn't know what to say.

"Speaking of which, is Sister Mikoto going to spend the New Year with us?" He could only change the subject.

"No, it seems Ms. Ishihara doesn't plan to return to Osaka either."

"Sigh, it's like this again." Uesugi Muneyuki said casually, "Let's turn around and go to the Metropolitan Police Department's women's dormitory to pick her up."

“Okay~” Minami smiled and looked back at the snow-covered Tokyo and the magnificent Imperial Palace and Sakurada Gate, taking a deep breath.

This year has been a very fruitful one!

Fifteen minutes later, in the Metropolitan Police Department's women's dormitory, a beautiful forensic pathologist who had just finished a half-day autopsy sighed. Her face, which was somewhat weary yet still dignified and alluring, showed a touch of desolation.

Today, Mikoto Ishihara wore a dark gray fitted suit dress, a white turtleneck sweater underneath, and a long winter coat on top. She wore semi-transparent black velvet stockings and pointed high heels with slender heels. In addition, she secretly tied her belt very high, making her figure appear well-proportioned, delicate and slender despite being only 157 cm tall.

With her delicate and charming face, coupled with the noble temperament cultivated by her doctor profession, the gentle and dignified demeanor of a woman in her early thirties, and her good social skills, Ishihara Mikoto quickly became a popular figure in the girls' dormitory.

Mikoto had thought that the social circles of female police officers would be different, but it turned out to be the same. Among female police officers, especially those in internal affairs, no more than two out of ten would really focus their energy on their careers. They were still the same old people who wore makeup, spent money, compared themselves, and went on social events. They were all hoping to marry a good husband and return to their families to become housewives. The relationships in the small women's dormitory were complicated.

However, just as she was about to open the door, a large hand covered her mouth and nose from behind, then hooked her legs, picked her up, and charged at her!
"Huh? Waa ...

You scared me to death!

And so, Ishihara Mikoto was "kidnapped" to Sakata Bridge. That very evening, a grand New Year's Eve dinner officially began in the tower of Sakata Bridge.

A dark tablecloth with subtle patterns or simple designs is placed on the spacious solid wood dining table. Minami carefully selected a bunch of daffodils as decoration. Taking the center of the table is a beautiful four-layer lacquer box. The box itself is a calm black with a modern design decorated with deep red and matte gold trim. It is obviously a Takashimaya product. Each layer is sealed tightly, creating a strong sense of ritual for the unveiling.

Uesugi Muneyuki, Watanabe Minami, Ikeda Erena, Ishihara Mikoto, and Saito Asuka stood in front of a table. The TV was showing the Kohaku Uta Gassen, which Mai-senpai was hosting. Small kagami mochi stands were piled up next to the TV. A New Year's scroll hung on the wall, with eight characters written by Uesugi Muneyuki himself: "Political peace and harmony" and "Greetings for the New Year." His excellent Chinese characters impressed Minami.

Just kidding, Uesugi Muneyuki is someone who got a perfect score on the Metropolitan Police Department's Chinese language proficiency test, which was hosted by the Ikebukuro Police Station!

The soft lighting and the sound of the heating inside created a warm and comfortable atmosphere. The afterglow of the setting sun painted the western sky pinkish-purple, and the outline of Tokyo Tower gradually lit up with warm orange lights in the twilight. As the city lights began to twinkle, countless office building windows lit up, and the traffic on the roads formed flowing rivers of light. In the distance, the surface of Tokyo Bay reflected the city lights.

The world outside the window is vast, cold, yet full of vitality; the world inside is warm and refined, a family haven filled with the aroma of food and soft laughter.

"Dinner's ready!" Seeing that it was almost time, Miss Minami smiled and lifted the heavy box of festive dishes on the table: "Ta-da! Happy New Year, may your family be filled with joy!"

"Happy New Year!" Saito Asuka was the most excited, jumping and skipping to celebrate getting another year older.

Erina Ikeda looked fine, but Mikoto Ishihara looked a little strained, thinking to herself, "It's New Year's again, and I'm another year older!"
"Happy New Year! Let's not worry about anything else today, everyone eat and drink to our hearts' content!" Uesugi Muneyuki opened a bottle of Dassai and laughed.

This year was different from previous years. Meibo's participation instantly elevated the New Year's Eve dinner. Each person received a box, and the four-layered lacquerware chest was filled with all kinds of delicacies.

One layer consists of black beans, herring roe, dried sardines, red and white fish cakes, date rolls, roasted chestnuts, and salmon and kelp rice balls.

The two dishes are teriyaki yellowtail, lobster prawn, premium sea bream, eel, and large Matsusaka beef steak.

The three dishes include braised chicken from Chikuzen, taro, ginseng and burdock, and thick monkfish liver.

The four dishes consist of various locally produced vegetables, scallops, Hokkaido shrimp, and a whole snow crab.

The lavishness of the meal was beyond the comprehension of anyone but Uesugi Muneyuki: "This meal cost at least 150,000 yen for the five of us, right? Two hundred thousand?"

"Two hundred thousand?" Miss Minami shook her fingers repeatedly with an air of seriousness, smiling brightly: "The answer is, the cost of cooking this meal is... approximately zero!"

"???" Both Eri Nami and Asuka looked puzzled.

“It’s very simple. None of these ingredients were bought by us; they were all gifts from other people.” Miss Minami put her hands on her hips. “Most of them were from my father’s side, and a small portion were gifts from other companies and associates. For example, the domestic eel was a gift from the manager of Nomura Bank, the taiyaki was a gift from Sato, the executive director of Sumitomo Mitsui, the Matsusaka beef was a gift from Okada, the eight-headed taro was a gift from Date Uwajima, and the burdock was a gift from Kai!”

"All of it~ doesn't cost any money, hehehehe~" Miss Minami laughed brightly and arrogantly: "Even the rice is from home, hohoho~ Police headquarters from all over the country send rice to Gotokuji, and my family can't possibly finish all the Akita Komachi rice, so I don't need to buy any rice!"

Follow me, and you'll get nine meals in three days!
"Forever follow the great Lady Watanabe Minami!" Reina Ikeda and Asuka Saito's eyes sparkled.

Tsk, how dark Japanese society is! Ishihara Mikoto smiled and agreed. Of course she liked luxurious enjoyment and a refined life. Now it seems that going to Uesugi Muneyuki is not a bad thing.

Only Uesugi Muneyuki could see that Minami had already unified the country in her own home, and he could only shake his head and smile bitterly.

There's an old German saying: "A county magistrate ruins a family, a prefect wipes out an entire clan."

The Dream of the Red Chamber is truly telling the truth; in East Asia, money is actually the least useful thing.

Wealth and honor are intertwined; wealth comes from nobility. Without nobility, wealth is generally hard to keep and may end up in deep-sea fishing.

Every year, his father spends two to three million yen on gifts alone, while Watanabe Eiji is only responsible for receiving them. This is without him making any special demands or being particularly greedy. Just the gifts for various holidays each year alone require a warehouse to store them.

"Wait, wait a minute~" Miss Minami called out to Ikeda as she saw her about to pick up her chopsticks: "We can enjoy Osechi cuisine, drink fine wine and savor delicious food here today, all because of Uesugi Forensic Officer, who made the most accurate judgments in a series of major cases and difficult situations, leading us to victory after victory!"

"Come, let's raise a glass to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new year. Let's all wish Zong Xuejun good health and a happy new year!"

May you enjoy good health and a Happy New Year!

And so, with the ringing of the New Year's bells, the second year of the Uesugi calendar came to an end, and the third year officially began.

As for what happened inside Sakata Bridge that night, it's not for outsiders to know. All that is known is that Saito Asuka was cleaning the next day with a lot of complaints, and she even had to clean the ceiling.

With the arrival of the New Year holiday, on January 2nd, Uesugi Muneyuki officially prepared to meet up with Mai-senpai.

Our trip to Kurosawa Shrine begins!

(End of this chapter)