Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 546, The Charred Corpse!

As Shinichiro Akimoto slammed the phone down, Eiji Watanabe's expression turned extremely grim.

Those who frequently watch shows like "Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" know that in a parliamentary cabinet system, the finance minister and foreign minister are very important positions, arguably the two most important positions in the cabinet.

In fact, the UK did not initially have the concept of a "Prime Minister" in the cabinet. The so-called Prime Minister was the "First Chancellor of the Exchequer". Over time, the First Chancellor of the Exchequer became the "Prime Minister", while the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the cabinet was actually the "Second Chancellor of the Exchequer", but this Second Chancellor of the Exchequer still ranked first in the cabinet!

Then came the Foreign Minister.

The same applies to Japan. After the Prime Minister, there is the Finance Minister or the Chief Cabinet Secretary (the order is uncertain and depends on who the Prime Minister relies on more), and then the Foreign Minister!

Eiji Watanabe still doesn't understand how he managed to offend the Foreign Minister so badly.

The bomb was defused, wasn't it? The bomb disposal experts checked on Shota Akimoto and confirmed he was alright. The Foreign Minister even sent a special car to pick him up. Only then did the police let us go!
How did I become the murderer who killed the Foreign Minister's son?

Eiji Watanabe's face was extremely pale.

However, there is no reasoning with a father who has lost his son, and Eiji Watanabe was well aware of this.

If he loses Minami because of this, he will go crazy, become furious, and launch a fierce revenge against all those who might be involved in the matter, regardless of the cost!

He pursed his lips, but finally calmed down: "It's come to this... Arrange a vehicle! I need to go to the scene!"

All the eyes of the senior officials of the Metropolitan Police Department were focused on Eiji Watanabe.

Deputy Commissioner Ren Oyama cautiously asked, "Commander, the situation at the scene is unclear, and there may be a risk of a secondary explosion. Would you...?"

Eiji Watanabe raised his hand to stop him, his gaze sweeping over the still-burning wreckage on the big screen and the surrounding chaos, his eyes sharp as an eagle.

“No, I have to go.” His voice left no room for doubt. “Every officer on the scene is risking their life. What the public sees through the cameras is chaos and helplessness. If the highest-ranking officer of the Metropolitan Police Department cannot be on the front lines at this moment, it means retreat and fear. This is not the time to show personal courage; this is the time to stabilize morale and face the crisis head-on.”

He looked at Chief Cabinet Secretary Kimiaki Onoda of the National Police Agency: "In my name, I report to the National Police Agency, requesting coordination with police forces in surrounding prefectures for support, and recommend that the Cabinet convene a National Security Council meeting immediately!"

"I understand." Onoda Kimiaki was never confused in important matters. He knew that Watanabe Eiji was speaking to him, the Chief Cabinet Secretary who had effectively sidelined the Commissioner of Police, but even more so to his brother, Cabinet Secretary Onoda Koshu. Looking at Watanabe Eiji's resolute expression, Onoda Kimiaki smiled bitterly to himself, thinking that this Superintendent General of Police had truly had a lot of troubles: "Thank you for your trouble!"

"Prepare the vehicles, but change the route to ensure safety. Notify Sugishita, Ichijo, and the Special Missions Unit that I will arrive on-site to take command!" Watanabe Eiji said coldly.

He went to the front lines not only to survey the scene, but also to steer the giant ship of the Metropolitan Police Department amidst the turbulent waves of public opinion and politics.

Cherry blossom flags raised! Mothers, get ready!
Director Watanabe, make your grand entrance!
........................

At 7:30 p.m., half an hour after the explosion.

The cordon was expanded to a radius of 300 meters, and red and blue police lights cast an unsettling hue over the night.

Special Missions Unit members Uesugi Muneyuki, Watanabe Minami, and others, wearing disposable protective suits, stepped into the explosion's epicenter. The air was filled with a pungent mixture of smells—burnt rubber, plastic, leather, and a sweeter, more nauseating smell of burning protein.

It was clear that Shota Akimoto, along with his driver, bodyguards, and the minister's secretary, had no chance of survival under such circumstances.

Regarding this human tragedy, aside from Minami, Okada, and other members of the management team who immediately became displeased due to the seriousness of the case and its negative impact on the police organization...

"Fine, I'll pop the champagne!" Reina Ikeda's face clearly showed her thoughts.

"Fine, I'll pop the champagne!" That was the thought on the minds of Kai Kyou, Igarashi Date, and the others.

[Good riddance! I'll pop the champagne!] Mariko Hironaka and Toru Miyahara couldn't help but cheer for the explosion and applaud the robbers' actions! Never before had it been such a wonderful start!

"Okay, I'm opening champagne... Uesugi, what's champagne?" Murakawa-dono was also enjoying the grand fireworks display, but she quickly asked Uesugi Muneyuki what champagne was.

【What is champagne? Champagne is…】Uesugi Muneyuki hummed a little tune.

Thank you, Morphling, for replicating my genes; you truly exemplify the saying "like father, like son."

My win rate kept declining, but you single-handedly turned the tide.

In an instant, the waves surged and the wind howled on the high ground—like spraying champagne!

After a brief on-site investigation and firefighting, the explosive ordnance disposal team completely extinguished the flames on the Toyota Century and confirmed that there would be no third explosion. Uesugi Muneyuki finally approached the scene in person to conduct an autopsy: "Misaka-nee?"

"Uesugi, to be honest, this salary is high, but it's really hard to earn." Ishihara Mikoto put on her protective suit, completely concealing her stockings, high heels, and petite figure. She then tucked her beautiful hair into her protective cap and gave Uesugi Muneyuki a helpless eye roll with her foxy eyes: "Can I say I regret it?"

“It’s too late for regrets!” Uesugi Muneyuki sneered, then his expression turned serious: “Next, this is our battlefield!” Two SATs and several other mobile team members drew a yellow line for Uesugi Muneyuki and Ishihara Mikoto. Behind the yellow line, the Toyota Century was no more, only a twisted black metal skeleton licked by flames remained, still emitting wisps of smoke.

The explosion was incredibly powerful. Uesugi Muneyuki looked closely and saw that all four people in the car were charred.

It was roasted until it was charred black.

In the driver's seat, a charred corpse remains wedged between the steering wheel and the deformed driver's seat. The body is in a gruesome "boxing position"—the limbs are forced into a bent position due to the contraction of muscles and tendons caused by the extreme heat.

Facial features were completely carbonized and unrecognizable, with only the teeth reflecting a stark white light under the searchlight.

In the back left secretary's seat, the body was partially ejected from the car, lying face up on the charred ground. The suit had long since turned to ash, the torso was severely torn, and the internal organs were exposed, partially charred by the high temperature. One hand was twisted unnaturally, with broken fingers.

The body of the guard on the right side of the back row was relatively intact, but it was also severely carbonized. The metal buckle of his holster had melted and deformed, and his pistol had been blown more than ten meters away, its barrel twisted.

As for Shota Akimoto in the middle of the back row, this was the most tragically damaged body. His torso was almost completely blown apart, with only a charred pelvis and a section of his legs connected to his spine remaining "intact".

His head was severely damaged, and it could only be inferred from the scattered interior items (a burnt metal pendant believed to be his) and their relative positions.

"It really looks like sprayed champagne," Uesugi Muneyuki thought to himself as he inspected it.

The scene was deathly silent, save for the occasional clicks of camera shutters and the sounds of metal cutting. Even seasoned members of the Special Missions Unit, accustomed to crime scenes, turned pale at the horrific sight.

"Ugh~" Rena Ikeda next to her was alright, after all, she had done countless autopsies with Muneyuki Uesugi, but Minami couldn't stand it. She immediately started to feel nauseous and dry heave, but the strong-willed Minami was unwilling to leave. When Okada reached out to pull her arm, signaling her to leave for a while, Minami angrily shook him off.

I am a Special Missions Officer! The dignified matriarch of the Watanabe Uesugi clan! The face of the Metropolitan Police Department, Watanabe Minami!

At this moment, I must be there, standing with Zong Xue!

Just like when the explosion happened, he shielded me in his arms~
"Damn it!" Minami rolled her eyes at Okada and then continued to gag.

Just then, a commotion broke out on the outskirts.

A convoy silently entered the restricted area. The doors opened, and the first to disembark were the solemn-looking SPs (security police).

Then, two men dressed in black suits with epaulets adorned with cherry blossom and rising sun emblems entered the scorched earth, surrounded by a number of senior police officers.

On the left is Superintendent General Eiji Watanabe, his face calm and composed, yet his eyes sharp as knives, each step firm and powerful. On the right, slightly shorter and thinner, but equally serious, is Commissioner General Jusaburo Tamaru. His arrival signifies that the highest authority in the entire national police system has personally stepped onto the front lines.

The two stood before the burned wreckage, silently gazing at this hellish scene.

There were few words exchanged, but the pressure in the air was almost suffocating. Commander Tamaru spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but loud enough for everyone around to hear: "Watanabe-kun, this is a declaration of war. A declaration of war against the nation itself."

Eiji Watanabe nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the charred corpses before finally settling on the wrecked carriage frame: "Ah, I know. So, this is our front line. Without victory, the nation will never have peace."

The two highest-ranking Japanese police officers stood side by side in front of the crowd. Facing the Chief of the First Investigation Division of the Criminal Investigation Department, Sugishita Ukyo, and the Superintendent of the Public Security Department, Ichijo Kaoru, Watanabe Eiji did not say much. He nodded slightly and immediately strode towards the wreckage of the Toyota Century.

"Director!"

"Director! We can't go there! It's dangerous!"

His actions drew gasps of surprise, but Watanabe Eiji did not stop. He quickly noticed that his daughter, Watanabe Minami, was gagging. His eyes flickered, but he simply patted her shoulder without saying a word.

In some ways, the father and daughter are very similar.

Then he turned his gaze to his son, Uesugi Muneyuki, who had once again become the police organization's last hope.

He and Ishihara Mikoto were performing an autopsy. Although Watanabe Eiji confirmed that there were already four charred remains, it was highly unlikely that they would find anything.

But he is Uesugi!
His name is Uesugi Muneyuki!

"Uesugi, have you found anything?" Watanabe Eiji asked personally.

"Yes, Director." Uesugi Muneyuki wanted to wipe the sweat from his brow, but he had to give up because he was wearing a protective suit. He wasn't surprised to see Watanabe Eiji there, but pointed to the wreckage of the Toyota Century: "Director! And everyone, look here!"

"Oh?!" Uesugi Muneyuki did not disappoint everyone. Upon hearing his words, the Superintendent General of the National Police Agency, the Superintendent General of Police, and the police officers of the Public Security Security Department of the SAT Mobile Unit's First Investigation Division all looked over.

"This is?!"

(End of this chapter)