Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 478, Could he possibly make a corpse talk?
P.S.: The Emperor wishes everyone a Happy Qixi Festival!
Upon hearing Imazaki's manager's thoughts, Uesugi Muneyuki frowned.

Imazaki suspects Miyawaki Sakura of stealing documents?
Does Sakura steal documents?
How is that possible? Could she be an informant for the Financial Services Department or the Public Security Bureau?
Although he didn't have much contact with Sakura, in his view, she was a very dedicated, hardworking, and serious idol who was passionate about her career and obsessed with getting ahead. Her eyes and brows were full of ambition, making her look like a greedy and ambitious person.

Little did they know, this was precisely where the girl's most charming quality lay. Her desire to stand out gave her a unique allure, which was exactly what Uesugi Shiramas and Sakura admired most. Otherwise, there were countless idols in Japan, and many of them were younger and prettier than Sakura. Why would they specifically choose Sakura as their sign girl?

The famous South Korean actor Taeyang Park once said: "An idol must be like an idol!"
Why would Imazaki suspect Sakura now?

[Actually, I'm not entirely sure either, but after I discovered the documents were missing that day, I checked the security footage and investigated the entire company. The only one who wasn't investigated was Miyawaki Sakura, because she said she had a date with Shirakawa Mai, and we in operations couldn't stop her from going. Now that I think about it, she's the most suspicious, and...]

"And what else?" Uesugi Muneyuki seemed to be deep in thought.

"And let me tell you, Uesugi-san, never overestimate the intelligence of idols. Their intelligence level is only slightly above that of elementary school students. Most of them are semi-illiterate, barely recognizing any Chinese characters, let alone being able to do arithmetic, read income and expenditure statements, or spot problematic documents among a pile of operational paperwork... Miyawaki Sakura is one of them; compared to the others, she's a bit smarter." Imazaki's manager gritted her teeth and said, "Damn it, whoever it is, she ruined me. I'll haunt her even in death!"

【…………】Uesugi Muneyuki was speechless. He thought to himself, do you really think I would give you a chance?

Indeed, there has always been a saying that after a girl idol group becomes popular, many of the group's staff are actually hired by fans who voluntarily apply for low-paying, hard jobs just to get close to their idols.

However, 90% of these fans, who are filled with fan bias, don't last more than two years. After actually getting close to their dream idols, the vast majority of them quit the fandom on their own initiative.

There's no way around it; that's the status idols have in the entertainment industry. If someone had outstanding acting skills, singing ability, or even just good looks, who would want to be an idol?

Afterwards, Uesugi Muneyuki inquired about Takei Masanori and Kakimoto Hiroki.

As expected, Imazaki admitted that Takei Masanori and Kakimoto Hiroshi were both extreme fans of the old man. However, these two were very rich and could give the members a lot of money. This amount of money was not very meaningful to Sakura, a top member, but it was a lifesaver for the members. In addition, they regularly paid tribute to the management. Therefore, they had done this more than once, but they were always removed from the blacklist by the management. The members had no choice but to swallow their anger.

Little idol, you don't want to just stop pursuing your dreams and graduate from YKC48, do you?
Things are not what they used to be. After years of glory, YKC48 has started to flop after the graduation of its first few generations of members. Now it is only persisting because of the long tail effect and the fact that the Japanese are indeed particularly loyal.

Uesugi Muneyuki then questioned the two deceased members, Sugawara Riko and Nakai Rika.

Just as Imazaki said, never overestimate the cultural level of idols. Apart from resentment and unwillingness, they can't say anything of value.

So, now there's only one last thing left.

How exactly did they die?

........................

The news from the outside world indeed attracted the attention of the entire nation. However, the Metropolitan Police Department announced that the investigation was still ongoing and the specific details were unclear. Uesugi Muneyuki of the Special Missions Division had joined the investigation, so there was no further information available at the moment.

At noon, at a villa in Setagaya Ward.

The study was lined with bookshelves reaching to the ceiling, filled with beautifully bound legal texts and historical biographies. The air was thick with the aroma of old books and fine whiskey. Congressman Seiji Yuasa, dressed casually in a kimono, sat leisurely in a leather armchair, sipping amber liquid from his glass. His son, Hiroshi Yuasa, appeared somewhat agitated, his suit jacket casually draped over the back of his chair, his tie loose, pacing back and forth on the heavy Persian carpet.

“Father, aren’t we being too passive?” Yuasa Hiroshi finally stopped, his voice filled with barely suppressed anxiety. “YKC is a powder keg right now, the media are like mad dogs, relentlessly attacking us! That idiot Imazaki is dead, but Hirate’s career may be severely affected… Akashirosaka has a lot of potential!” In his tone, he was not lamenting the loss of life, but the destruction of two “products” that were about to make him money.

Yuasa Seidou didn't even lift his eyelids, slowly swirling his glass, the ice cubes making a crisp clinking sound.

“Yang,” his voice was steady and deep, carrying a kind of indifference that comes from long-term power, “are you running a company or collecting dolls in shop windows? You need to broaden your horizons.”

He slightly raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as a knife, instantly piercing through his son's restlessness: "YKC, from beginning to end, is just a machine. A machine that handles our troubles, supplies us with resources, and can even draw fire when necessary. Now, one of its parts has malfunctioned and sparks have been emitted. Our primary task is not to lament the part, but to ensure that the sparks don't burn us."

“Father, the matter has been taken care of,” Yuasa Hiroshi said, his voice slightly faster than usual. “I had Takikawa handle it; he’s as reliable as ever.” Yuasa Seidou raised his eyelids, silently gesturing for him to continue. His gaze was deep, revealing neither joy nor anger, only a pure, evaluative concern.

With tacit approval, Yuasa Hiroshi became more specific, as if showcasing a masterpiece: "The people from Takikawa took care of the operations first, Hiroshi Imasaki."

"Unfortunately, Sugawara and Nakai came to work, so Takikawa and the others had to use some tranquilizers to get Nakai and Sugawara to 'cooperate' a bit. They took them and Imazaki to the apartment, made them drink a lot of alcohol, and added some other things, making the scene... well, it looked very chaotic, like a party that went too far."

He paused, seemingly quite satisfied with the details he had arranged: "The most crucial step was using a fentanyl derivative, high-purity, liquid. The injection points were chosen in absolutely concealed places like the scalp and between the toes. It works extremely quickly, leaving almost no trace. Afterwards, the people from Takikawa even manipulated the body to create that... entangled effect. They also left a rambling 'suicide note' on Imazaki's computer." He finished speaking, straightening his back slightly, awaiting his father's evaluation.

Yuasa Seidou listened quietly, his face expressionless. He slowly took a puff of his cigar, letting the smoke linger in his mouth for a moment before exhaling.

“Fentanyl… Yang, you certainly know how to use some new tricks.” His comment was neither praise nor criticism; it was more like stating a fact: “Takikawa ensured his hands were clean? Are all the people involved reliable?”

“Absolutely reliable. Takikawa uses people from overseas whose backgrounds are untraceable, and they will be sent away immediately after the job is done. All places that could leave biological traces have been thoroughly dealt with. The only thing the police can find is what we want them to find: an over-stressed, out-of-control employee and an absurd tragedy.” Yuasa Hiroshi’s tone was very certain.

Yuasa Seidou nodded slightly, his gaze returning to the swirling liquid in his glass: "Hmm. I trust Takikawa to handle things."

His tone remained calm, as if what he had just heard was not a cruel execution, but a routine business report: "However, it is ultimately a last resort. It shows that we had some oversights before, which is why we were forced to take this kind of measures to clean up the mess."

He looked up at his son, his eyes filled with warning: "Remember, the best approach is to prevent problems from ever happening. The next best is to let them disappear naturally within the framework of laws and regulations. Using Takikawa and his men is a last resort. Every time, it increases the risk."

“I understand, Father.” Yuasa Hiroshi suppressed a hint of smugness. “But this situation is urgent, and we must cut off all leads. This is the fastest and most thorough way.”

“Yes, the fastest and most thorough.” Yuasa Seidou repeated, a cold smile curving his lips. “As long as the corpses can’t speak, those guys at the Metropolitan Police Department will never be able to figure out the intricate relationship between Okada, Imazaki, and Yamaguchi. As long as we control the information channels, and Imazaki, the only one who knew, is dead, even if they turn YKC48’s ledgers upside down, even if they know perfectly well that we did it, they can only watch helplessly. What they need isn’t the truth, it’s evidence. And the evidence…”

He let out a soft, almost silent chuckle and raised his glass:

"...They disappeared long ago along with those three poor bastards. Unless a forensic doctor's scalpel can really bring the dead back to life and make them identify us, the Financial Services Agency and the Metropolitan Police Department? They'll only ever be able to circle around our walls."

"I heard that Uesugi, the legendary forensic pathologist from the Special Missions Division, has also joined the investigation?"

"Heh, no matter how powerful Uesugi Muneyuki is, can he make a dead person talk?"

Hiroshi Yuasa smiled, completely relaxed, and gently clinked his glass with his father's.

“Then let’s toast to Takikawa’s professionalism,” Yuasa Hiroshi said with a touch of pride, “and to the evidence that can never be spoken.”

"Cheers," Yuasa Seidou responded softly, his eyes behind the wine glass appearing even more unfathomable.

Their plan failed despite Okada's efforts, but thankfully they hadn't been discovered yet.

The clinking of the father and son's glasses echoed once more in the quiet and luxurious study, coldly stamping their supposedly flawless crime with a silent seal.

If YKC48 gets into trouble, the public's strong reaction will inevitably force the Metropolitan Police Department to face enormous pressure and close the case quickly. They have already made arrangements for how to operate the group. The explosive nature of this incident can also immediately cover up the shady dealings in the Okada incident. This is killing two birds with one stone. Although it may require sacrificing YKC48, the group has been popular for quite some time now. Moreover, the Yuasa father and son do not have many shares in the group. It is perfect to push Akasaka to the top.

As for the possibility of being discovered... what a joke!

Such a complex entanglement, such a secretive method of execution—unless Imazaki himself, who knows everything, comes out to explain, who can untangle this mess?
Yes, no matter how powerful Uesugi is, can he make a corpse talk?

(End of this chapter)