Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 513, The Darkness of the Imperial Household Agency

When summoned from within the Imperial Palace, only three people were qualified to approach: Watanabe Eiji, Uesugi Muneyuki, and Watanabe Minami. Other members of the Special Missions Unit could only glance at them from afar. Kai Toru, who had made the greatest contribution, was also specially designated by the Imperial Palace, but upon hearing that he had been injured and sent to the hospital, he said nothing and indicated to Maeda Toshiyuki, the Grand Chamberlain of the Imperial Household Agency, to remember to arrange it next time.

To Uesugi Muneyuki's surprise, he did not meet the current emperor, but instead met the "retired emperor" who had once climbed the Great Wall. The man was short and kind-faced. Upon seeing Uesugi Muneyuki, he greeted him specially, but did not say much. He shook hands with the three of them in turn, and whispered to everyone, "Thank you for your hard work and your activities. On behalf of the Imperial Palace, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks." This brief meeting then came to an end.

As a result, the Imperial Household Agency will urgently relocate the Imperial Family elsewhere, and even Eiji Watanabe will not be authorized to know where they will go. At the same time, the entire Imperial Palace Police and the Imperial Household Agency will conduct an extremely thorough search of the Imperial Palace.

Before leaving, Maeda Risuke, the head of the Imperial Household Agency, came over and said, "Please, all of you from the Special Missions Division and Director Watanabe, do not leave Akasaka for the time being. Please stay at the Akasaka Retreat (State Guesthouse) tonight. We have prepared a celebration banquet for you."

Are you staying at the state guesthouse?
Uesugi Muneyuki pondered for a moment, thinking that this was indeed the highest level of reward. However, besides the reward, the Imperial Household Agency probably knew that Uesugi Muneyuki and his group knew too much inside information and were afraid that they would go out and talk nonsense. So they kept them here today and then launched a public relations campaign and held a press conference to explain the situation in a way that avoided the main issues. By the time the Special Missions Unit left tomorrow, the overall situation would be settled and they would not be able to say anything more.

This was an extremely high honor that could not be refused, and Uesugi Muneyuki had no choice but to accept it.

After the discussion, Uesugi Muneyuki realized that large groups of public security police and SAT officers had unknowingly appeared around the Imperial Palace. At this moment, two public security police officers from the Metropolitan Police Department jogged over and said to Watanabe Eiji, "Chief!"

"What's wrong?" Watanabe Eiji was still immersed in the endless glory of meeting and shaking hands with that "Emperor Emeritus" and hadn't come back to his senses. When he saw the public security police appear, his nerves tensed up instantly: "What is it?"

As the bomb was defused, large groups of public security police arrived, along with numerous live-fire SATs. The head of the National Police Agency's Security Division, Soichiro Kamishiro, and the Chief Cabinet Secretary of the National Police Agency, Kimiaki Onoda, also arrived one after another.

The fact that someone is coming to find Eiji Watanabe at this time means it's definitely something big!

“We’ve made some discoveries at Horikawa Nen’s apartment… We’d appreciate it if you could come and see for yourself,” the police officer said quietly.

"?" Watanabe Eiji immediately realized from the expression of the public security police officer that there must be some serious discovery. He immediately said to Uesugi Muneyuki and Watanabe Minami, "Muneyuki, Minami, you must be tired. Go to the detached palace and get some rest. I'll be right back."

"I want to go too." Uesugi Muneyuki suddenly realized that there might be some earth-shattering news again.

“…Zongxue!” Watanabe Eiji’s expression hardened, and he said with a hint of reproach, “You shouldn’t go…”

“I’m not discussing this with you, Father,” Uesugi Muneyuki said with a half-smile. “I can ignore what the press officer outside is saying right now, but I need to know what’s really going on with Horikawa!”

“…Minami, you handle things here first. Muneyuki and I will be right back.” Watanabe Eiji suddenly realized that Uesugi Muneyuki’s status was different now. Not only was he no longer the little Karami that he could easily manipulate, but he was also showing signs of breaking away from the Metropolitan Police Department’s control.

Fortunately, Uesugi Muneyuki and Watanabe Eiji had another relationship. Faced with his adopted son's request, Watanabe Eiji could only agree: "You can come with me, but remember to talk less, just watch, and don't tell anyone."

"it is good."

“Okay.” Minami actually wanted to go too, but she was too tired. Erina also wanted to go, but she wasn’t qualified.

Nango Yuzuru was a smart man. He immediately realized that there must be something big going on. Unlike others, he wasn't curious and used his eyes to stop Date and Igarashi from being curious as well.

"Please follow me, everyone. Preparations are underway at the Imperial Palace," said the bureaucrat arranged by Nakajima, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Household Agency.

On the way, Uesugi Muneyuki and Watanabe Eiji learned another piece of news.

Bomb disposal experts from the SAT and the Security Service examined the ANFO bomb removed from Horikawa Nen's body.

Without a doubt, the bomb on Horikawa Nen's body was indeed real. If this type of bomb were to detonate successfully, it would be absolutely lethal at close range and would also damage the surrounding buildings. Its authenticity and danger are beyond question.

Similarly, Date Nagamune's judgment was correct. The homemade IED detonator was extremely unstable and could explode at any time due to contact, pressure, impact, or even temperature, making it very dangerous.

However, according to bomb disposal experts, the bomb device on Horikawa Nen's body was not enough to blow up the entire Imperial Palace; at most, it could only hit a quarter of the area and destroy nearby buildings.

No wonder he kept getting closer to the Imperial Palace... it turns out his power wasn't enough.

Uesugi Muneyuki stroked his chin, wondering who had given him the bomb. If it was sent by someone from the underworld, what was their purpose? Why give it to him instead of detonating it himself? What was the bomb actually meant for?
Similarly, Watanabe Eiji was also quite frightened. The Superintendent General of Police said fiercely, "He's really crazy," but dared not say more. The Imperial Palace was full of eyes and ears and surveillance. In such an extremely sensitive environment, one had to be careful with one's words and actions.

Throughout the journey, the two men, who were both father-in-law and son-in-law, remained silent.

Standing in the center of Horikawa Minoru's cramped, simply furnished apartment living room, surrounded by public security police officers conducting a careful search.

Upon seeing Watanabe Eiji and Uesugi Muneyuki arrive, Superintendent Ichijo of the Metropolitan Police Department Public Security Bureau quickly nodded. On the other side, Inspector Kinoshita of the National Police Agency Security Division also saluted Watanabe Eiji. Upon seeing Uesugi Muneyuki arrive, he hesitated for a moment, but still signaled to let Uesugi in.

Uesugi Muneyuki always treated the police as friends, but the Metropolitan Police Department always treated him as a father!

Now, not only the Metropolitan Police Department, but even the National Police Agency is showing this trend!
The air was heavy, with only the faint sounds of pages turning and items being picked up and put down. Watanabe Eiji's expression was solemn, while Uesugi Muneyuki scanned each book on the bookshelf with the keen eyes of a scholar.

"Chief, Chief, please take a look at this." A police officer handed over a thick copy of the *Nihon Shoki* (Chronicles of Japan), its spine visibly worn, but seemingly rarely read: "This is it!"

Uesugi Muneyuki took the book, his fingers tracing its spine, keenly sensing a slight discord. He gently pried open the leather cover—the inside had been hollowed out! Hidden within was a thin, carefully wrapped handwritten notebook in a plastic cover, and several photocopies that looked like medical documents.

Watanabe Eiji leaned closer, and Uesugi Muneyuki opened the notebook. The beginning was just complaints about social injustice and obscure philosophical excerpts, but the further he went, the more chaotic the handwriting became, and the more extreme the content became, filled with a deep-seated hatred for the "symbolic emperor system" and its subordinate "privileged class".

But the reason wasn't explained.
Uesugi Muneyuki thought to himself, "This isn't really that explosive, is it?"
If someone toils for over a decade in the Imperial Household Agency's Mausoleum Department without a promotion, what's so explosive about that? There are only a few positions available, and even if everyone serves for a year, more than half of them will never get promoted in their entire lives. They might harbor resentment, but it's not enough to drag the Imperial Palace down with them.

Also, where is the far-left rhetoric I'm missing?

Uesugi Muneyuki patiently flipped through the pages. But when their eyes fell on the medical documents, their expressions changed drastically!

It was a photocopy of an organ transplant waiting list, along with several official replies from hospitals that had rejected their applications.

Patient's name: Shiori Horikawa (Nan Horikawa's wife).

Required organ for transplantation: liver.

The reasons for rejection are always "no suitable donor available" or "does not meet the priority list".

But what truly made Watanabe Eiji gasp and Uesugi Muneyuki's pupils shrink was a tattered page of an internal briefing, frantically circled in red pen.

The briefing was about a person closely associated with the Imperial Household Agency who, like Horikawa Shiori, was suffering from liver cancer and needed a liver transplant. However, Horikawa refused to give her a transplant, but the Imperial Household Agency and its hospitals obtained a liver transplant in a very short time and with a priority far exceeding the norm for this person.

The briefing did not explicitly mention who the person involved was, but the label "closely related to the Imperial Household Agency," and the implied privileges of medical resources that ordinary people could not imagine, pierced through all the pretense like a poisoned dagger.

"This...this is..." Watanabe Eiji's lips were a little dry.

As a top figure in the police force, he was well aware of the unspoken rules in certain areas, but the stark evidence laid bare before him still sent a chill down his spine. This was not merely resentment; it was a tearful accusation pointing to the dark side of the highest privileged class.

“I remember the brother of that retired emperor, the 83-year-old Prince Asahi, died from excessive drinking…” Uesugi Muneyuki suddenly remembered something.

"Stop talking!" Watanabe Eiji suddenly said.

"Why can't we say it? It's obvious that Horikawa did it for this reason..." Uesugi Muneyuki said sternly, "Horikawa's wife has been waiting for an organ transplant for years without success, but look at this report, the Imperial Household Agency found a suitable liver within a month of any related party needing one..."

"Zongxue! Stop talking!" Watanabe Eiji angrily covered his mouth. "The people all yearn for fairness, but some people insist on being more fair than others!"

Uesugi Muneyuki remained silent, but his tightly pursed lips and the shock and understanding that flashed in his eyes showed that he, too, instantly understood the tragic cause and effect behind it.

His academic rationality immediately made him think of this as an excellent case study for researching the causes of extremism, but the human aspect made him feel a heavy weight.

Just then, a series of chaotic footsteps came from outside.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Kimiaki Onoda and Chief Cabinet Secretary Kimiaki Onoda arrived together, followed by Soichiro Kamishiro, Chief of the Security Division of the National Police Agency.

Uesugi Muneyuki and Watanabe Eiji's expressions changed.

"Sir (Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda Kimiaki), Chief Cabinet Secretary (Chief Cabinet Secretary of the National Police Agency Onoda Kimiaki), Kamishiro." Watanabe Eiji immediately bowed his head and patted Uesugi Muneyuki on the shoulder.

“Minister, Chief Cabinet Secretary, Minister Jindai!” Uesugi Muneyuki’s facial muscles twitched, and he could only lower his head.

Came so fast!

However, now that the police have discovered it, it's impossible not to report it.

"As expected of Inspector Watanabe and Chief Inspector Uesugi... Inspector Watanabe, we are truly sorry to trouble you and everyone in the Metropolitan Police Department. We have always been grateful for your care in various aspects. With you in charge of the Metropolitan Police Department, we (referring to the Cabinet) can only feel truly at ease and trusting." Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda Kimiaki couldn't have been more amiable towards Watanabe Eiji and Uesugi Muneyuki. He even used honorifics when speaking to Inspector Watanabe!
This was a public statement by the Chief Cabinet Secretary, representing the attitude of the entire cabinet and even the entire Japanese bureaucratic system!

But before Watanabe Eiji and Uesugi Muneyuki could react, Onoda Kimiaki stepped forward: "It seems you two have figured out Horikawa Nen's motives."

Onoda Kimiaki immediately held out his hand: "Give it to us."

“…………” Watanabe Eiji glanced at Uesugi Muneyuki.

"…………" Uesugi Muneyuki did not react.

"Zong~Yuki~kun?" Onoda Kimiaki continued to reach forward, his small eyes, hidden behind thick eye bags, remained unmoved. Behind him, a number of plainclothes police officers had already blocked the corridor.

"Zongxue!" Watanabe Eiji gestured for Onoda to give his adopted son-in-law!
"..." Uesugi Muneyuki ultimately handed the report to Onoda Kimiaki, since an outdated medical report was of little use and could not be used as evidence.

He only felt the darkness of the Imperial Household Agency once again.

“Very good, thank you for your hard work, gentlemen. We are currently interrogating Horikawa Nen. Would you two be interested in listening to a briefing?” Onoda Kimiaki took the briefing from Uesugi Muneyuki with satisfaction and suddenly said, “Our Public Security Bureau has made some discoveries on Horikawa’s prepaid mobile phone and certain encrypted online forums…”

"Is that alright?" Uesugi Muneyuki became interested.

“Of course, after all, this is a kind of exchange and reward.” Onoda Kimiaki waved the medical briefing and handwritten notes in his hand: “Given Uesugi-kun’s personality, he’ll definitely want to know why.”

"So this time, we can make an exception and let you sit in on the interrogation of Horikawa Nian."

"Good!" This was a satisfactory deal, and Uesugi Muneyuki felt a little better.

"You two, please!"

(End of this chapter)