Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 473, The Midnight Bell!
Just as Yamaguchi Maho reached for her keys, two dark figures pounced from the side like cheetahs!

A masked man suddenly covered her mouth and nose from behind with a towel he had prepared beforehand, while his other arm tightly gripped her upper body. Another masked man quickly grabbed her kicking legs and tried to lift her up.

"Ugh—!!" Maho Yamaguchi's scream was muffled by the towel, leaving only a desperate sob. A wave of immense fear gripped her; her adrenaline surged, and her survival instincts drove her into a frantic struggle.

She slammed her elbow into the stomach of the masked man behind her, her nails scratching fiercely at his arm that was gripping her. She kicked wildly, landing a kick on one of the masked men's shin, desperately trying to call for help.

"Damn! That bitch is strong!" one of them growled in pain.

"Hold her down! Don't let her make a sound!" The other person tightened their grip, pressing the towel tightly against her, and Yamaguchi Maho began to feel dizzy from lack of oxygen.

The two men dragged her forcefully into a darker, narrow alleyway, their heels scraping against the ground with a harsh sound. Tears, mixed with fear and anger, streamed down her face; only one thought occupied her mind: "It's over...no..."

Fortunately, Uesugi Muneyuki had already heard her cries for help.

Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai exchanged a glance. Mai nodded firmly, and Uesugi Muneyuki's eyes suddenly turned cold and sharp. Without the slightest hesitation, he pushed open the car door, took a long stride, and rushed towards the apartment where the cries for help were coming from. The hem of his suit jacket fluttered in the cold wind, carrying an undeniable sense of authority and oppression.

Sakura Miyawaki immediately got off the bus in a panic.

Then, the girl witnessed a scene she would never forget!
The apartment where Yamaguchi Maho lived wasn't high-end. Although there was access control, the distance between the floors wasn't very high. Uesugi Muneyuki measured the height, his muscles tensed instantly, and after a few running steps, he leaped up and grabbed the security bars on the first-floor staircase. Then, with a burst of strength, he climbed up the security bars in a few quick movements and instantly flipped into the second-floor stairwell!

Wow, so fast! So strong!
Sakura was stunned. The girl subconsciously looked at Shirakawa Mai beside her, but Mai-senpai did not react at all. She seemed to have easily accepted the fact that Uesugi Muneyuki was a superhuman. Not only did she smile, but she also subconsciously covered her lower abdomen with her hand. For some reason, Miyawaki Sakura vaguely saw a faint pink light under the cheongsam.

She thought she was seeing things, but without hesitation, she quickly followed, took out her room card, and swiped it to open the access control.

Just as Yamaguchi Maho was about to be dragged into the darkness, Uesugi Muneyuki appeared like a divine being descending from the sky, suddenly appearing at the alley entrance, blocking the faint light and casting a tall, intimidating shadow. His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a cold blade slicing through the night sky, carrying an absolute command: "What are you doing! Release her immediately!"

His appearance was too sudden, and his aura was too powerful. His condescending and commanding presence instantly terrified the two thugs who were already feeling guilty.

The two masked men turned around abruptly and saw an expensively dressed, distinguished man, and Miyawaki Sakura frantically pulling out her phone not far behind him.

"It's...it's Uesugi..."

"And Miyawaki too...!"

Their minds went blank. They recognized these two! The "benefactor" of their most admired idol, and the teammate of the person they intended to assault, had appeared at this most critical moment!
Extreme fear instantly overwhelmed all evil thoughts. Their minds were filled with only thoughts of "It's over," "We've been caught," and "We're going to jail."

"Run!!" one of the masked men yelled, suddenly releasing Yamaguchi Maho's leg and turning around like a startled rabbit to flee desperately into the depths of the alley.

Almost simultaneously, another masked man released his grip, shoving the nearly exhausted Yamaguchi Maho against the wall. He then ran off with his companion in a disheveled state, disappearing instantly into the dark alleyway.

Maho Yamaguchi lost her support and slid softly down the wall to the ground. Her body trembled violently from extreme fear and lingering dread, and she cried uncontrollably.

Uesugi Muneyuki didn't give chase; his primary task was to ensure the victim's safety. He strode forward but stopped a few steps away, maintaining a distance that wouldn't make her feel pressured. He took off his suit jacket and handed it to the still-shaken Miyawaki Sakura beside him.

Mariko Hironaka has already caught up; these two can't escape.

"Sakura-chan, put this on her." His voice regained its composure, but still carried a hint of lingering coldness.

Sakura then realized what was happening and quickly took the expensive coat, which was still warm from her body, rushed over, squatted down, and tightly wrapped it around the shivering, disheveled Yamaguchi Maho.

"Maho! Maho-chan! It's alright! It's alright! They ran away!" Her voice trembled, a mixture of lingering fear and shock and sympathy for her teammates' ordeal.

Uesugi Muneyuki had already taken out his phone, the screen illuminating his cold, handsome profile.

"Moshi moshi, is this the Metropolitan Police Department? This is Chief Inspector Uesugi Muneyuki from the First Investigative Division. There has been an attempted serious assault. The location is..."

He clearly and calmly recounted the time, place, sequence of events, and the suspect's escape route to the police. His presence was like a stabilizing force, instantly pulling the chaotic and terrifying scene back to order and safety. Meanwhile, Yamaguchi Maho, collapsing in Miyawaki Sakura's arms and weeping, saw through her blurry, tear-filled eyes the man she thought had long forgotten her, the man who looked down upon all living beings, descending like a judge, dispelling the demons with a single sentence, and then calmly handling this most terrifying crisis of her life as if it were a job.

She finally couldn't hold back anymore and burst into tears: "Waaaaah~ I recognized him! Waaaaah!"

"Recognize? Recognize what?" Uesugi Muneyuki keenly sensed the hidden meaning in Yamaguchi Maho's words.

"They...they're all people I know! It's true! I know them!" Yamaguchi Maho cried, "Uesugi-san, you have to believe me! Everything I'm saying is true!"

Uesugi Muneyuki narrowed his eyes slightly, glanced at the spot where the two masked men had disappeared, and nodded: "Don't worry, Yamaguchi-san, you just need to tell the police everything you know."

Thirty minutes later, several police cars silently parked downstairs at the apartment building, their red and blue lights flashing. The scene had already been cordoned off by nearby traffic police who had arrived earlier.

Inspector Shiratori Sho, the head of the second division of the First Investigation Division, stepped out of the car. He was wearing a well-fitting suit jacket over a trench coat commonly seen on detectives. His eyes were sharp and calm as he quickly scanned the scene. He first nodded to the patrol officers maintaining order, and then his gaze settled on Yamaguchi Maho, who was sitting in the back seat of the police car, warming herself with Uesugi Muneyuki's coat, accompanied by Miyawaki Sakura and Shirakawa Mai, and Uesugi Muneyuki, who was standing to the side having a brief conversation with an officer.

Upon seeing Uesugi Muneyuki, Shiratori Sho's face immediately showed several black lines.

What are you doing here, Chief Uesugi?
Normally, the First Investigation Division wouldn't handle this kind of case personally; cases of this level are usually handled by the police station. However, since it was Uesugi Muneyuki who reported the case, the Metropolitan Police Department immediately reported it to the Criminal Investigation Department upon hearing that it was Uesugi Muneyuki who personally reported it. The First Investigation Division immediately dispatched Inspector Shiratori, who was on duty, to the scene.

Uesugi Muneyuki was very familiar with the group of detectives from the First Investigation Division. They greeted each other and he briefly explained what had happened.

Damn! I want to eat at a ryotei with Mai-sama too! I want to take Sakura home too!

Shiratori Sho looked at Mai-senpai, who stood obediently and quietly beside him, always maintaining a radiant and dazzling smile, wearing a blue and white porcelain cheongsam. He felt extremely envious, while inwardly cursing when this lecherous Uesugi, who was juggling multiple relationships, would finally crash and burn. He nodded and turned his gaze to Yamaguchi Maho beside him.

He approached Yamaguchi Maho, his tone softening considerably: "Ms. Yamaguchi, I'm Inspector Shiratori. I know you're very scared right now, but in order to catch the person who hurt you, I need to ask you a few questions, is that alright?"

Maho Yamaguchi looked up, her face still wet with tears and her body trembling slightly, but with Uesugi and Sakura present, she managed to nod.

“...They covered my mouth from behind...they were very strong...and dragged me into the darkness..." Every word she spoke sounded like she was reliving the fear.

"Did you see their faces clearly? Or do they have any distinguishing features?" Shiratori asked.

Maho Yamaguchi took a deep breath, nodded vigorously, and a hint of anger and certainty flashed in her eyes: "I know them! They are... they are extreme fans who often come to the performances and attend handshake events! One is named Hiroshi Kakimoto, and the other is named Masanori Takei! I absolutely cannot mistake them! They are, well-known sasaeng fans! Extreme sasaeng fans!"

This definitive identification gave Shiratori a much-needed boost. With a clear suspect, the nature of the case changed completely.

"How did they know you lived here? And how often you'd be home tonight?" Shiratori pressed, this was the key question.

Maho Yamaguchi's emotions surged instantly, her voice trembling with tears and incredulous anger: "They couldn't possibly know! My address is confidential! Only a few staff members at the operations company and... and other members of the team know it! Someone must have told them! Recently... recently, because of some work-related matters, someone on the team..."

She didn't say everything explicitly, but the meaning was crystal clear: it was an internal leak, and the motive stemmed from internal conflicts within the team.

Miyawaki Sakura, who was listening nearby, covered her mouth, her eyes filled with shock.

Is there a mole within the group?
Uesugi Muneyuki's brows furrowed deeply. He instantly understood that Yamaguchi Maho's situation within the group was likely far more complex and perilous than he had imagined.

Inspector Shiratori swiftly issued the order: "Immediately retrieve the household registration and photo information of Hiroshi Kakimoto and Masanori Takei based on the names provided by Ms. Yamaguchi, and confirm their identities!"

"Retrieve surveillance footage from all surrounding roads and track the escape route of these two!"

"Request an arrest warrant! Arrest him immediately on suspicion of attempted rape, trespassing, and assault!"

"Yes!!!"

(End of this chapter)