I'm a demon in Tokyo!

Chapter 228: Uesugi Tetsu, the Tiger of the Metropolitan Police Department! A Confession Twelve Years Late

Welcome to the Unique Salvage - Wuxiang Branch!

Here, you will experience countless branching futures extending from the "myriad phenomena".

Each time you fully experience a branch in the story, your state of mind will be elevated to varying degrees.

[Salvage, begin!]

……

Uesugi Tetsuya huddled dazedly inside the cold metal cabinet, peering out through the tiny cracks.

That thing...the fox, dog and raccoon should have gone far away, right?

No, surely these urban legends can't actually exist?

This is the 21st century.

The deserted campus was eerily quiet late at night. Not only was there no moonlight, but not even the sound of insects could be heard.

Inside the metal cabinet, Uesugi Tetsuya, with two unconscious brothers embracing on either side, thought to himself:
"Trying to hide in a closet to escape 'pursuit' like in a game? These two are really something..."

As he was thinking, Uesugi Tetsuya suddenly felt a violent wave of dizziness.

I feel dizzy and nauseous.

He immediately covered his mouth with his hand, barely managing to avoid vomiting all over his two brothers.

Pale-faced, Uesugi Tetsu leaned weakly against the metal cabinet, his mind hazy as he thought, "Anyway, I hope this isn't real, and that the police get here soon..."

Snapped!
The next moment, the metal cabinet was suddenly forced open.

A girl with a small kendo pendant around her neck crossed her arms and looked into the cabinet with a puzzled expression.

"Uesugi-kun, what are you three doing?"

As soon as Ririko spoke, Uesugi Tetsu felt his stomach churning even more violently, and even leaning against the metal cabinet, he felt dizzy.

He quickly pushed Kumamoto and the other man out, then ran to the window in a few quick steps and vomited profusely.

After vomiting for a full half minute, almost emptying his bile, Uesugi Tetsuya finally slumped exhausted against the dusty window, where he heard Ririko complaining behind him.
"Unbelievable... A big piece of paper can scare two people to the point of fainting and one person to the point of vomiting. You three are so embarrassing."

As she was speaking, Uesugi Tetsu felt someone gently pat his back.

He slowly turned his head and saw Ririko's slightly worried eyes.

"You look like you're in the ICU, are you alright?"

"fine……"

Uesugi Tetsuya, panting, wiped the cold sweat from his face and replied softly, "I just don't know why I suddenly felt so dizzy and nauseous, but otherwise I'm fine."

After saying that, Uesugi Tetsu tried to lift himself up from the windowsill with his hands, but he lost all strength and collapsed halfway up.

It looked like it was about to smash its head against the window frame.

In the nick of time, a slender yet strong arm wrapped around his chest and scooped him up.

Ririko pouted, looked down at Uesugi Tetsuya, whose face was paler than paper, and sighed helplessly, "This is endless. Fine, I'll carry you out."

"I didn't expect you guys to call the police too. Luckily you're not afraid of losing face... otherwise, those two unconscious guys wouldn't have been able to get back."

Before Uesugi Tetsuya could reply, he felt himself being gently flipped over and landed on Ririko's flat, sturdy back.

His chin rested limply on the girl's shoulder; if he looked down, he might have seen some scenery he wouldn't normally see.

But Uesugi Tetsu was just thinking in a daze.

Why does this feel so familiar...?

With his head spinning more and more, Uesugi Tetsu couldn't think too much and had no choice but to be carried by Ririko to the gate of the abandoned school without even breaking a sweat.

In the light drizzle, a van with its hazard lights on, following traffic rules, was parked there.

The car door opened, and then muffled conversation could be heard.

One was nervous and unfamiliar, while the other was relaxed and familiar.

"Inspector Nanjo, yes, two people came out of there."

"Phew... but there are five people in total."

Nanjo Manami, sporting a neat short haircut, exhaled a smoke ring, patted her new patrol chief on the back, causing Shizuma Mafuyu, who had only recently graduated, to flinch.
"Mafuyu, go ask where the other three brats have gone."

"Okay, okay."

Then, Uesugi Tetsu heard Ririko chatting away with a strangely familiar female voice for several minutes.

He felt himself being carried a short distance, and heard someone speak.
"—Nice to meet you, I am Nanjo Manami."

"You are safe."

Upon hearing these two sentences, Uesugi Tetsuya suddenly looked up and gazed at Nanjo Aimi, who was leaning against the car door.

But after looking up, Uesugi Tetsu opened his mouth and then didn't know what to say.

This is also normal.

Since it was his first time meeting this police officer surnamed Nanjo, there was nothing to say.

The latter took the cigarette from between his lips and teeth, slightly taken aback: "What's wrong?"

"No, it's nothing..."

Uesugi Tetsu shook his head and was carefully placed into the back seat of the van by Ririko.

The other two unconscious brothers and the girl were carried back one by one by Ririko and Shizuma Mafuyu, and neatly piled up in the trunk.

The van started.

Uesugi Tetsu leaned weakly against the car window, staring blankly at the misty drizzle outside. He felt his childhood friend nudge his waist with her elbow and ask softly,

"Hey, Uesugi-kun... you look really pale. If you're scared, why don't you come stay at my house tonight?"

—Because Uesugi Tetsu's parents died in a car accident a long time ago, he now lives alone at home.

—And because her great-grandfather from the Tokugawa family passed away a few years ago, her parents had to return to the family to fill some vacancies.

Currently, there are only two people in their Tokyo home, including Ririko.

With that in mind, Ririko said those words.

"Yo."

In the passenger seat, Nanjo Manami glanced at the rearview mirror and chuckled, "A young couple living together before even finishing high school? But before that, we need to take a statement first."

Ririko nodded generously: "Of course I will cooperate with you, Inspector Nanjo."
.
Soon, the van stopped in front of the police station.

Still feeling a bit dizzy, Uesugi Tetsuya was helped into the recording room by Ririko and sat down.

Then he saw a girl sitting upright directly opposite him.

"Hello, Mr. Uesugi. I'm Mafuyu Shizuma, and I'm in charge of taking your statement." Mafuyu Shizuma bowed slightly. "Nice to meet you!"

Next, Uesugi Tetsu told everything in detail, without hiding anything.

The whole process took less than 30 minutes.

Snapped.

Shizuma Mafuyu closed the booklet in her hand and bowed to him again.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

Once the statement was taken, Uesugi Tetsu could have left.

But he remained seated in that hard chair, staring blankly at the new Metropolitan Police Department recruit opposite him, as if he hadn't heard what Shizuma Mafuyu had just said.

I don't know why, but suddenly I felt a soreness in the tip of my nose.

"Mr. Uesugi? Mr. Uesugi?" Shizuma Mafuyu reached out and waved her hand in front of his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"No, it's nothing."

Uesugi Tetsu shook his head, stood up, and extended his hand to Shizuma Mafuyu: "Thank you, Officer Shizuma."

The latter blinked, smiled, and reached out to grasp Uesugi Tetsu's hands.

"You're welcome."

……

After leaving the police station, Uesugi Tetsu was naturally taken home by Ririko in a daze.

dong dong dong.

At the door, he saw Ririko actually reach out and knock.

Uesugi Tetsuya was taken aback: "Does someone live here?"

Before Ririko could nod, the door was opened.

A rather mature and clear female voice came from behind the door: "Little sister, why are you so late..."

The female college student, wearing a white T-shirt and with her hair in a high ponytail, yanked open the security door and stopped talking when she saw Uesugi Tetsu behind Ririko.

His expression was subtle.

Uesugi Tetsu could feel the female college student in front of him glance at him, then at Ririko, before finally asking,
"Who is this……"

"Sister Xing, don't you know?" Ririko put her arm around Uesugi Tetsuya and grinned at her. "Uesugi Tetsuya, my childhood friend."

Upon hearing this introduction, Tokugawa Hoshi narrowed his eyes and carefully examined Uesugi Tetsu.

A moment later, she turned to the side.
"Anyway, you should come in first, it's already very late."

She closed the door, and only after Uesugi Tetsuya changed his shoes did he see a rough, calloused hand extended in front of him.
"Hello, Uesugi-kun. I'm Ririko's third older sister. I'm in Tokyo for a tournament and I'm staying here for a while."

Uesugi Tetsu shook hands with her.

Upon hearing the words "coming to Tokyo to play a match," he instinctively looked up and asked, "Are you here to play in a seeded match?"

"what?"

Tokugawa Hoshi raised an eyebrow.
"What the hell? It's the National Kendo Championship."

Ririko chimed in from the side, a hint of envy in her eyes: "Sister Xing already won the national championship last year, and she wants to defend it this year."

The girl thought that Uesugi Tetsuya was surprised by the title, so she patted his shoulder and spoke loudly.
"Since we were little, Xingjie has often stayed at my house, it's just that you two have never met her."

Because the Jade Dragon Flag ceremony will begin in two or three months, Sister Xing's visit here is partly to provide me with guidance.

Tokugawa Hoshi shrank his neck and raised his hands: "Don't flatter me, old man... By the time you get to my age, your swordsmanship will probably have me pinned to the ground and beaten to a pulp."

A few minutes later, Uesugi Tetsu sat on the sofa, watched the TV turn on, took a sip of the barley tea that Ririko had brought him, and then noticed that she had casually spoken up.

"By the way, Uesugi-kun, if nothing unexpected happens, I'll be going to Tokyo University."

She blinked: "As a kendo specialist."

Uesugi Tetsuya, who had just finished half of his cheap barley tea, put down his teacup and gave her a thumbs-up.
"That's very good."

Not far away, sitting at the dining table and watching the two of them, Tokugawa Hoshi clicked his tongue twice.

—My sister has already made it clear, how come this guy still doesn't understand?
—Is this made of wood or stone?
When Ririko went to her room to change, Tokugawa Hoshi sat down beside him, coughed, and asked,
"Hey, Uesugi-kun, how are your grades going these days?"

Uesugi Tetsu, who was leaning back on the sofa watching the latest anime episode that had been released an hour ago, replied without hesitation.
"It's alright..."

Tokugawa Hoshi frowned and continued, "Don't you want to apply to Tokyo University?"

"If you're asking whether I want to or not, then of course I do," Uesugi Tetsu replied earnestly, setting his teacup aside. "But there's only a little over a year left, and there's no way to salvage my grades..."

"A man can't give up so easily!"

Tokugawa Hoshi slammed his hands heavily on Uesugi Tetsu's shoulders, looking directly into his calm, indifferent eyes, and said, "Come on! Give me your parents' phone number, I'm going to give you a good thrashing..."

"Sister Xing".

Suddenly, Ririko's voice came from not far away, interrupting Tokugawa Hoshi's words.

"Uesugi-kun's parents have long since..."

She didn't say anything more.

But Tokugawa Hoshi naturally understood as well.

She loosened her grip, lowered her head, and sighed.

"Feel sorry."

"It's fine."

Uesugi Tetsu shook his head.

For some reason, he actually had little affection for his so-called parents, or rather, he had almost no memory of them.

Of course, Uesugi Tetsu was still very grateful for the huge sum of money they left behind, enough for him to live comfortably until he was 120 years old.

An awkward silence fell over the living room.

Ririko clapped her hands first and said, "It's so late, Uesugi-kun and Hoshi-nee must be hungry, I'll go make some midnight snacks!"

After saying that, she strode over to the refrigerator, skillfully took out the ingredients, and then went into the kitchen...

Chi Chi Chi.

The sound of the gas stove being turned on rang out.

After a long silence, Tokugawa Hoshi spoke softly: "Uesugi-kun, if you want to pursue our Ririko, even Tokyo University might not be enough."

Regardless, she is a member of the Tokugawa family.

After waiting quietly for her to finish speaking, Uesugi Tetsu replied,

"Ririko and I are just childhood friends."

Tokugawa Hoshi's brow twitched, and his left fist, hidden behind his leg, clenched tightly.

After a long while, she scoffed rather unhappily.
"Fine, if you want to get into Tokyo University with her, you'd better start working hard now."

She took a business card out of her pocket and handed it to Uesugi Tetsuya.

"—If you've made up your mind, come find me here."

……

After finishing the large bowl of wide noodles made by Ririko as a late-night snack, Uesugi Tetsuya, with complicated thoughts, lay down on the makeshift fuss mat on the floor and opened Line.

He clicked on the profile picture of a netizen he had been chatting with for several years, who was arguably his best online friend, named "Go Die at Work".

The other person's profile picture is still lit up.

"It's so tough being a corporate slave..." he sighed, then recounted the events of the day, including Ririko's choice, Tokugawa Hoshi's invitation, and his hesitations.

After all, the other person was the most socially experienced person he could find among his friends.

—I'm sure they have some unique insights.

A few minutes later, the other party replied.

Uesugi Tetsu immediately looked over.

[Go to hell with work: Are you an idiot, buddy?]

[Work to Death: Dude, what are you hesitating about? What is there to hesitate about?]

[Work to Death: Whether it's an exam or sword practice, whatever it is, you have to give it your all before you can say "I'm not suited for it" and have no regrets, right?]

[Work to Death: Are you really going to do nothing and let such a wonderful girl leave you?]

[Work to Death: If you think that way, you'll regret it for the rest of your life.]

[Work to Death: To be honest, you're like a district right now!]

Open LINE and you're immediately bombarded with a barrage of "blessings".

But Uesugi Tetsu felt that what the other person said made a lot of sense.

What exactly is he hesitating about?

After careful consideration, Uesugi Tetsu felt there was nothing that could make him hesitate.

Why did I think that way just now?

really weird.

[Work to hell: By the way, if you want to work for the Metropolitan Police Department later, I know someone there.]

[Tsuki-suna-chan: Got it.]

……

More than a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

After the entrance exams are over, graduation season naturally follows.

With a click, the high school graduation photo was captured in the camera.

After taking the photos, everyone will go their separate ways, and perhaps we will never see each other again.

Sakura High School is named as such because there are many cherry blossom trees planted on campus.

And now, right at the school gate, under the largest cherry blossom tree.

The girl, who had won almost every kendo competition she participated in during high school, looked up and calmly asked her childhood friend in front of her a question.
"Uesugi-kun, don't you have anything to say to me?"

Now that you mention it, there really is such a thing.

After staring at the girl for a long time, Uesugi Tetsu slowly asked, "I feel like your figure has improved a lot, so what brand of protein powder have you been drinking lately?"

He asked with utmost seriousness,

Can you recommend one?

In the silence, the girl was stunned.

She stared into Uesugi Tetsu's determined eyes and saw how serious and eager he was to learn.

Ririko closed her eyes and whispered, "ON Gold Label Double Chocolate Flavor, it's a bit pricey but the effect is pretty good..."

"I've got it." Uesugi Tetsu took out his phone to memorize what she said, and then waved goodbye. "Goodbye, Ririko."

Ririko waved back.
Goodbye, Uesugi-kun.

Watching Uesugi Tetsu leave, she stood alone under the withered cherry blossom tree.

After a long while, he couldn't help but tilt his head back and laugh out loud.

……

Today is the opening ceremony of the University of Tokyo.

Ririko, carrying her sword pouch, stood at the door, staring for a while at the welcome sign adorned with wreaths, looking somewhat dejected.

Without thinking much, she shook her head and tried to walk into the school.

But just as they were about to enter, they accidentally bumped into someone.

"Ouch!"

A familiar cry of pain rang out, accompanied by the sound of something falling to the ground.

"Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going..."

Ririko had just raised her head, and before she could finish speaking, she saw the young man, also wearing the University of Tokyo uniform, grin at her.
"What a coincidence, Ririko, you also chose this time to attend the opening ceremony."

Ririko was momentarily stunned, stammering, "Uesugi-kun...you, how did you get here..."

"Why can't I be here?"

Uesugi Tetsu bent down to pick up his things, and at the same time asked, "If you get into Tokyo University, then naturally you should come to attend the opening ceremony. Isn't that a matter of course?"

Ririko's mouth was slightly open.

For the first time in a long time, she didn't know what to say.

But then she saw Uesugi Tetsu tap the jar of protein powder he was holding with his finger: "ON Gold Label Double Chocolate, the effect is indeed very good, and the taste is also really good."

Ririko felt the world was absurd: "When you asked that before, did you really want to drink it?"

"if not?"

Uesugi Tetsu smiled, but Ririko felt an urge to punch that smiling face of her into a pig's head.

She didn't know why, even though she was incredibly happy, she had this kind of impulse inside her.

"Uesugi-kun."

"Ok?"

“If we weren’t at the entrance of East University and there weren’t so many people around, I would have beaten you to a pulp.”

The two walked side by side into the auditorium of the University of Tokyo and sat down in the first row.

The student representative above was speaking rapidly, while the two below were whispering to each other.

"Ririko, what do you want to do in the future?"

"I'm practicing swordsmanship so that I can become even stronger than I am now."

"it is as expected."

"Uesugi-kun also got into Tokyo University because of his kendo skills, isn't that what you think?"

Uesugi Tetsu didn't reply.

……

"You've regressed, Uesugi-kun."

Sweating profusely, Ririko lowered her bamboo sword, stared at Uesugi Tetsuya, who was being utterly defeated by her, and raised an eyebrow.

"Because I've been working on detective-related matters lately, my energy has been focused there."

After removing his protective gear, Uesugi Tetsuya leaned back on the ground, looking quite exhausted.

He thought about what Tokugawa Hoshi had once told him.

Only in this way...

Ririko sat close to her and said, "You want to be a detective after you graduate? That's not a bad idea."

“No, they’re police.” Uesugi Tetsu said calmly, as if discussing what to eat for dinner. “I’ll graduate this year and then take the Type I exam.”

"We're only juniors, right..."

Ririko stopped wiping her sweat: "You can graduate early from Tokyo University?"

Recalling that night several years ago, Uesugi Tetsu raised a finger: "Probably because there were acquaintances there."

Ririko quickly gestured.

"Being a police officer is tiring, with lots of work and little pay. Why not come with me and become a kendo instructor? You can hone your skills and earn money easily all the time..."

As she was talking, Ririko's voice disappeared.

Because Uesugi Tetsu bowed his head to her.
"Feel sorry."

Ririko pursed her lips, lowered her eyes, and curled the corners of her lips slightly: "Uesugi-kun, why do you need to apologize to me?"

In the silence, Ririko asked,
"when are we leaving?"

"It should be around these next two weeks."

Ririko laughed: "Then I wish you all the best in your promotion, future Superintendent General of Police?"

"Stop talking, I could never even dream of those four words..."

After joking around for a while, Uesugi Tetsu invited her, "Want to have dinner together tonight?"

The girl shook her head.

"No, I'll practice my sword for a while longer. I feel like I'm about to break through a bottleneck."

"Then I wish you a quick breakthrough and that you'll crush Yuan Xinshui in the next competition?"

"Please don't..."

Ririko waved and smiled as she watched Uesugi Tetsuya leave.

She thought to herself that this wasn't the first time she'd done something like this.

After a long silence, tears blurred Ririko's vision for the first time since she could remember.

……

I graduated a year early and successfully passed the National Civil Service Examination (Category I), which has a pass rate of less than 5%.

Seven years later, Uesugi Tetsu once again saw the woman who had told them "You are safe" in the abandoned school area at dawn.

"Long time no see, Inspector Nanjo."

Uesugi Tetsu looked at Nanjo Manami with considerable surprise, who had hardly changed in the past seven years: "It feels like the last time I saw you was just yesterday."

"Then I'll take that as a compliment on my youth."

Meimei, a woman who had been slacking off for seven years with no change in her position, shrugged.

Uesugi Tetsu, who replaced Shizuma Mafuyu as her assistant seven years ago, asked curiously, "Inspector Nanjo, are you married now?"

Nanjo Ai looked at him silently for a long while before saying in an annoyed tone,

"I must have been out of my mind to get married... I should work a few more years and then retire. Anyway, with Mafuyu becoming a warning officer, he can easily protect me."

"Don't talk about me."

She waved her hand: "How are things going between you and that girl?"

"—Her surname is Tokugawa."

Nanjo Ai-mi was stunned for a long time.

After a long silence, she could only sigh softly.

"Then do your best, Uesugi-kun."

……

Five years have passed in the blink of an eye.

With a wealth of achievements, Shizuma Mafuyu became the renowned Superintendent General of Police, while Nanjo Manami remained a police inspector.

In addition, the name of "Tiger of the Metropolitan Police Department" Uesugi Tetsu is well-known throughout Tokyo and even the eastern region.

Over the past five years, Tokyo's crime rate has dropped by a full ten percent because of this man.

In the office, the mature and intellectual Shizuma Mafuyu spoke earnestly to the man before her.

"If it were Uesugi-kun, he could definitely become a Superintendent General... That's what I think."

"No, Mafuyu-nee."

Uesugi Tetsu took off his police cap and placed it on the wooden table: "I just don't want to disappoint those who are still waiting for me."

"Is that right?"

"Is such that."

Shizuma Mafuyu stood up and bowed slightly to him, just as she had done when they first met.

"Well then, I wish you a safe journey, Uesugi-kun."

—Stepping out of the Metropolitan Police Department, twelve years after their parting under that cherry blossom tree, Uesugi Tetsu dialed that familiar yet unfamiliar number for the first time.

After an anxious and agonizing wait, the call was finally answered.

A voice spoke softly from the other end, giving an address that was very, very far away.

Uesugi Tetsu calmly responded, and then, just like every night for the past long period of time, he rushed over with all his might.

Until I saw that familiar back view that hadn't changed at all.

"Lilizi——"

He took a deep breath, trembling, and finally answered the question from the girl who had just graduated from high school twelve years ago.

……

[Branch 1: The Correct Answer Twelve Years Late]

From the chaos, a new branch extends out from countless surging possibilities.

Then, in a daze, Uesugi Tetsu opened his eyes again and looked at the heavy, dusty token in his hand.

The words “Walking” are engraved on it in an ancient style.

　Seeing someone leave a question mark, I'll add some information below.

　　The only thing that was salvaged opened up countless "what if" scenarios, which is equivalent to one of them...

　　I won't write too much; it'll probably end in one or two chapters.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)