Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 600, Let Uesugi take responsibility!

A subtle silence fell over the living room, broken only by the lingering sound of raindrops outside the window.

Mai Shirakawa had already put on a silk bathrobe and was sitting lazily on the sofa, while Muneyuki Uesugi stood by the window with his back to the room, as if scrutinizing the night outside.

The invisible aura of the two men pressed down on Miyawaki Sakura, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

Is there something you haven't told us?
“Sakura,” Mai Shirakawa spoke first, her voice still gentle, yet carrying an undeniable sharpness: “The frequency of your ‘chance encounters’ with Muneyuki, and your reaction to the ‘danger’ you encountered tonight, are all too coincidental. We’re not fools. What exactly do you, or the person who instructed you, want from Muneyuki?”

Uesugi Muneyuki also turned around, looking at her with a calm yet penetrating gaze: "Hidden things won't solve the problem. If you don't tell the truth, we can't determine how to 'help' you, or rather, whether we should help you at all."

Sakura Miyawaki's face turned deathly pale instantly.

Her worst fears had finally arrived. She stood there helplessly, her fingers gripping the hem of her skirt tightly; the expensive stockings now felt like a cold, binding constraint. Should she continue weaving a fragile protective net of lies, or gamble everything and trust these two people who seemed to have the upper hand?
The internal struggle was incredibly intense. The police's warnings still echoed in her ears; she couldn't bear the consequences of leaking secrets.

But... Inspector Kinoshita had just nearly led her into a deadly trap, while Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai, who were standing before her, possessed backgrounds and power that even the Public Security Bureau feared.

Continuing to remain loyal to the police might mean certain death; confessing might... might offer a glimmer of hope.

Mr. Uesugi is someone even the Public Security Bureau fears!

Moreover, given Mai's abilities, she might actually be able to protect me?

Finally, the desire to survive overcame the fear of the police.

Sakura seemed to have all her strength drained away; her legs went weak, and she collapsed onto the single sofa next to her, tears silently streaming down her face.

“I said…I’ll tell you everything…” Her voice was trembling with sobs and a sense of relief.

She began to recount that past she had buried deep inside, a past she was unwilling to revisit.

Sakura Miyawaki's childhood wish was "I want to become someone that people admire." Although she was born in Kagoshima, Sakura was never satisfied with her living environment. When she asked about her college application in high school, she chose "University of Tokyo" without hesitation, which made her junior high school teacher laugh.

From a young age, she longed for bustling big cities. She always dreamed that she was born in Paris, New York, or at the very least, Tokyo, rather than in the countryside of Kagoshima.

The common New York syndrome and Paris syndrome among Japanese people.

Uesugi Muneyuki remained calm and gestured for her to continue.

Obviously, Miyawaki Sakura's extremely ordinary family background and unremarkable academic ability made it impossible for her to get into the University of Tokyo, but with a dream of Tokyo in her heart, Miyawaki Sakura still went to Tokyo at the age of 13.

I may not have any special talents, but I'm adorable, aren't I? Being adorable is invincible!
This world can't be without Kawaii!

Despite harboring such a dream, Sakura Miyawaki repeatedly encounters setbacks in Tokyo. She naively believes that her outstanding looks and strong ambition will eventually allow her to enter high society and be accepted by the international metropolis of Tokyo. However, in reality, she worries about rent and food every day.

Too many girls go to Beijing like this.

Finally, out of desperation, Miyawaki Sakura participated in the audition for an underground idol, becoming one herself. She lived in a dark basement, danced by the trees on the street, and waited for her own opportunity.

The monthly salary of the Earth Doll is only 50,000 yen.

Although the six idols were crammed into a basement, 50,000 yen was still not enough for Sakura to live a decent life in Tokyo.

The difference is something only those involved truly understand.

From yearning to stand out from the crowd to only being a nobody in underground performances, Sakura's resentment is understandable.

Upon hearing this, Uesugi Muneyuki exchanged a glance with Mai-senpai.

"Then why..." Mai-senpai asked curiously.

“Because later… the group got into trouble… because of its involvement in organized crime and fraud… I was arrested…” she choked up, “They said I was a minor and could be exempt from prosecution… but… the police found me… they said they could give me a chance, as long as I helped them, I wouldn’t have a criminal record… I… I didn’t understand anything, I was so scared… so I signed the agreement…”

She described how she was manipulated by the police and forced to join YKC48, becoming a pawn in their investigation of the parent company's shady dealings.

“Until…until I met Mr. Uesugi…the Public Security Bureau…they thought you were very important to them, that you could help them…so they ordered me…to find a way to get close to you and gain your favor and…support…” When she said the words “honey trap,” her voice was barely audible, and she was so ashamed that she couldn’t lift her head.

Still performing.

Uesugi Muneyuki and Mai-senpai exchanged another glance, shaking their heads helplessly at the girl before them. Still acting!
This little cherry blossom is really black!
"Sakura-chan, let me ask you, let me ask you, were you forced into becoming a police informant, or did you choose to become one?" Uesugi Muneyuki asked with a half-smile. "Let me guess, being forced is the truth, but as for you, Sakura-chan... I guess besides being forced, you must also be quite eager, right?"

"!!!" Sakura's face turned deathly pale.

“Answer me, Sakura-chan, it’s true that the Public Security Bureau contacted you on their own initiative, but you yourself probably also… wanted to become a Public Security informant, right?” Uesugi Muneyuki continued to ask.

“Because…” Miyawaki Sakura’s little scheme was seen through, and her face turned ashen as she weakly said, “Because… fortune…is found in danger…”

"Can't you hear me... Speak louder! You think you can ride Uesugi like this?!" Mai-senpai slammed her hand on the coffee table mischievously, saying angrily, "Listen! Sakura-chan! Do you want to or not?! Senpai's words are orders! Say it out loud!"

Seeing this, Sakura decided to go all out.

Success or failure depends on this!
"I agreed to it willingly! Of all those underground idols back then, I was the only one who agreed to become a police informant, because fortune favors the bold! For a girl like me with no background, no family connections, and no money, being a police dog was the greatest honor!" Sakura shouted angrily, clenching her fists. "Otherwise, how could I get ahead? I've had enough of living in the basement! I want to live in a tower! I want to be a big star! I want to become someone everyone envies, just like Mai! Aa ...

After she finished speaking, it seemed she had used up all her strength, and could only lower her head, awaiting the final judgment.

To her surprise, the anger or contempt she had expected did not materialize.

Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with understanding, and even... a hint of unspoken agreement.

"Just as I thought." Uesugi Muneyuki uttered four words softly, unable to suppress his laughter.

Mai Shirakawa nodded thoughtfully: "It's pretty much what we suspected. The Public Security Bureau wants to use Sakura as a bridge to get in touch with Muneyuki, and even use her as leverage to threaten you."

Uesugi Muneyuki walked up to Miyawaki Sakura, looking down at her, but there was no blame in his eyes, only an extremely calm analysis: "Do you know, Sakura? You, and the Public Security Bureau that instructed you, made a huge mistake—you thought I was an outsider that you could use at will."

He paused, his voice lowering: "You want to investigate the dark secrets behind the idol's parent company, but what I want to find out is the attempted bombing at the Imperial Palace a few months ago and the subsequent bizarre deaths. According to the clues I have, these two are likely intertwined with the same dark vine."

Sakura Miyawaki looked up in shock.

Mai-senpai chimed in, a meaningful smile playing on her lips: "So, things get quite interesting. The Public Security Bureau wants to use you to get close to Muneyuki, and Muneyuki needs the intelligence the Public Security Bureau has about the underworld to track down leads in the Imperial Palace case and other parts of the investigation. And you, Sakura, you want to break free from control, you want real safety, and perhaps... even more? For example, do you want Uesugi?"

Uesugi Soyuki: "…………"

Is this what Mai-senpai meant by sacrificing one's looks?

Sakura Miyawaki's heart pounded. She seemed to see a crack opening in the darkness, letting in light: "Mai-sama?"

Mai-senpai's eyes sharpened, as if she had already planned everything: "Since they want to use a 'honey trap,' then we... will play along."

"Playing along?" Miyawaki Sakura murmured.

“That’s right,” Senior Mai said confidently. “You continue to play the role the police want you to play, conveying the information they want you to convey and obtaining the ‘support’ they want you to obtain. But at the same time, you are also our eyes and ears. We will tell you what to say, what not to say, and how to get what we need from the police.”

Mai Shirakawa added with a smile, her tone encouraging: "This means you are no longer a pawn to be manipulated at will. You will have two 'masters,' and smart kids know how to fight for their own best interests in the cracks, don't they? This is much more advantageous than you trembling alone under the threat of the Public Security Bureau."

Miyawaki Sakura looked at the two people before her. They were calm, powerful, and seemed to have seen through everything. They had transformed a hopeless dead end into a risky yet infinitely possible three-way game.

She took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and for the first time, a flame ignited in her eyes—a flame that was no longer feigned, but her own, filled with determination and ambition.

“I…I understand.” She said softly, but with an unprecedented determination: “I will do as you say! Mr. Uesugi, Mai-sama, I entrust Sakura’s life to you! Please, please take good care of me!”

After saying that, Sakura resolutely stood up and knelt down in front of the two of them in a perfect dogeza!

"Hehe~ Hehehehehehehehe~" Mai-senpai finally couldn't hold back anymore and burst into laughter, pointing at Sakura and saying to Uesugi Muneyuki, "Muneyuki, look at this child, she's not stupid! Hahaha~ Alright, alright, Sakura-chan, get up!"

"Since the police hope to use you as leverage to coerce Zong Xue into helping them, why don't we play along and let something happen between you and Zong Xue? Those police officers, indeed, won't trust Zong Xue with anything without some leverage," Senior Mai said with interest. "So, here's the question, Sakura, are you still a virgin?"

"Huh?!" Sakura was stunned.

"I'm asking you, are you still a virgin? Yes or no," Senior Mai asked calmly. "The difference lies in whether Zong Xue will take responsibility."

“I am, of course I am!” Sakura became even more excited upon hearing this. She glanced at Uesugi Muneyuki and felt as if all her schemes and plots had returned!
Should we make him take responsibility?

Great! ! !
Just when you think you've reached the end of the road, a new path opens up before you!
Sakura Risshiden is back!!!

(End of this chapter)