Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 601, The Alliance of Red and Black!
Many years after moving to Tokyo, Sakura still remembers that afternoon when she gazed at the beautiful sea view in the distance from the roadside in Kagoshima, Kyushu.

Is Kagoshima a good place?
Yes, Kagoshima is undoubtedly a good place. The sky is clear and the sea is blue. Although it is poor in resources, the people have a strong spirit and a strong martial spirit. The famous Shimazu clan of Satsuma went to the battlefield here.

As the saying goes, "Bad people come from poor and remote places."

Following the Black Ships incident, just as in the Opium War, the British army launched an offensive against Kagoshima after merchants were killed, hoping to force the Japanese to trade with them. However, the fearsome and fierce Satsuma people engaged in a major battle with the British army there. At one point, half of Kagoshima was burned down by artillery fire. The British army suffered 63 casualties, while the Satsuma people suffered 17 casualties. The Satsuma Domain lost its steamships and all its factories that produced gun emplacements.

However, the terror and bravery displayed by the people of Kyushu in this battle deeply shocked the British. The British then abandoned their invasion plan and instead formed an alliance with the Satsuma Domain. The two sides negotiated a peace, and the people of Satsuma preserved their dignity and sovereignty to the greatest extent possible, paying only a small amount of reparations.

Is Kagoshima a good place?
No, it doesn't seem that good.

It was poor, backward, and old-fashioned. Young people had all gone to Fukuoka, Osaka, Kobe, Nagoya, or even Tokyo, leaving only the elderly and children in the countryside. Although the infrastructure was decent, it lacked vitality. Whenever Sakura sat alone on a bench by the roadside, looking at the desolate city and roads nearby, and the empty trams, she would feel a pang of sadness.

A deep sense of resentment always rose in her heart.

I shouldn't be here. I should have been born in Paris, New York, or at least Tokyo, right?
Given the intense competition in Japan's exam-oriented education system, Sakura could easily get into Kagoshima University, find a job with an annual salary of three million yen, marry an honest man, and the couple's annual income of about six million yen would be quite tight in Tokyo, but they could live quite well in a place like Kyushu.

But what Sakura wants is not this kind of happiness that can be found everywhere!
She'd read the old magazines at home! She remembered all five essential items that Tokyo girls should have!
A candlelight dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant! A shopping spree in Roppongi! A princess-themed trip to Tokyo Disneyland! A two-day stay at Hakone Onsen! And a romantic date at Tokyo Tower!

I have to be all!

As for why?
I'm just so cute!
Kawaii is justice! Kawaii is productivity! Kawaii is GDP!

For a cute girl like me in a place like Tokyo where opportunities abound, it's not like I can just wander around Harajuku or Shibuya and be discovered by a talent scout, then sign a contract and debut as a magazine model.

She might even be directly selected by a talent agency and start performing in stage plays as an adult film actress, then begin appearing in late-night shows to gain exposure!

Little Sakura felt quite pleased with herself when she thought about this.

Dreams are beautiful, but reality is cruel.

There are just too many Japanese girls like this who go to Tokyo with dreams in their hearts, so many that they disappear without a trace, and are swept away by the tides.

This part has already been discussed earlier, so I won't repeat it here.

In short, she had enough of living in a cold and damp basement and eating cheap bean sprouts. The monthly salary of an underground idol was only 50,000 yen, but the working hours were as high as seven or eight hours a day, not including her studies. What was worse was that Sakura was only 14 years old at the time and could not work. In addition to being an underground idol, she also had to rely on her family for support every month.

Whenever her family asked her how she was doing in Tokyo, she always said she was fine.

Is it really good?

As good as that.

But she couldn't lower her head; if she did, tears would flow and her crown would fall.

"So that's why you agreed to become a police informant?" Senior Mai was both amused and exasperated. "Do you even know what becoming a police informant really means? The police are ruthless people who will eat you alive. You risk your life for them, but they can abandon you without hesitation. For one thing, many of the police's overseas and domestic intelligence networks are actually achieved through extortion and coercion of local companies and overseas branches. But when have the police ever admitted to espionage activities when they've actually been discovered by foreign countries?"

“What my senior said is right. Besides, the police had to get involved in the Burning Bar incident last time. As for those girls who have unfortunately gone missing or may have been murdered, when has the police ever cared about them?” Uesugi Muneyuki said helplessly.

“I know, but… to be a pawn means you have value, right?” Miyawaki Sakura’s cute, slightly chubby, innocent face showed a hint of resentment as she said in a low voice, “Mr. Uesugi, Mai-sama, I am ultimately different from you… I have to give everything to get an opportunity, an unlikely messiah…”

At this point, Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai fell silent.

Yes, what right do they have to criticize Sakura?

Uesugi Muneyuki himself comes from a prestigious family. Although he is not a top-tier clan, and is neither very rich nor very powerful, he is already considered top-tier. Isn't the reason he was able to rise to prominence because his family has connections and networks that can support him?

Mai-senpai is even more so.

Although she sent her master away, her talent alone made her someone who was chosen by her master, something that Sakura could never compare to.

Ultimately, what's most appealing about Sakura is her boundless ambition and her burning desire to succeed, which is what attracted Uesugi Shirama's attention.
“Mr. Uesugi, I’m still a virgin, I understand! I understand everything!” Sakura said very seriously at this moment, her small, innocent face radiating a touching determination: “For a girl like me, the most attractive and touching thing is that I’m a virgin! I know what you big shots are thinking. If I’m not, you’ll just be playing around, but if I am, you will definitely, at least, be more serious…”

“If you take it seriously and let it drag on, in a few years when you're older, you'll still end up being used and ruined. Once the novelty wears off, you won't be able to stay in Tokyo anymore, and you'll go back to the countryside with a bunch of illnesses, marry an honest man.” Uesugi Muneyuki suppressed a laugh and shook her head: “Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. Since you’re willing and Mai-senpai has your back, I believe you. I also need your help.” “But before that, call operations and tell them, tell them directly, that your home has been hacked and you’ve been followed.” Uesugi Muneyuki first gestured for Sakura to call operations: “According to what you said before, YKC48 actually suspected you and investigated you, but now you’re turning the tables and reporting it proactively, so they’re now on the defensive!”

"Sakura-chan, are you willing to believe that we won't harm you?" Mai-senpai asked with interest.

"Sakura-chan, I'm ready to die!" Sakura clenched her fists excitedly. She really didn't know what to do. After thinking for a moment, she simply straightened her back and gave a fierce salute.

"loyalty!"

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

After settling in briefly at the Sakata Bridge Tower, Miyawaki Sakura, under the guidance of Shirakawa Mai, dialed the phone number of her operations manager.

She didn't use an accusing tone, but rather a voice that sounded like someone who had been greatly frightened, trying to remain calm but couldn't hide their vulnerability.

It's all acting!
“Manager-san… I’m so sorry to bother you so late. I… I just got back to my neighborhood and I felt like I was being followed, and… and I suspect someone went into my apartment…” Sakura’s voice trembled just right as she described the small but unsettling signs she had noticed earlier—wet stains on the doorknob, and slight shifts in objects.

She deliberately avoided mentioning anything related to the police or investigation, instead attributing everything to "potentially overly enthusiastic fans" or "security issues," and expressed deep fear and insecurity.

"I'm really scared... I don't know what to do... I don't feel safe there anymore."

Just as Uesugi and Shirama had predicted, the management was initially shocked upon hearing her account, but then revealed an attitude that was a mixture of apology and eagerness to appease.

Because of the lost documents, they did suspect Sakura. Their internal investigation might have alerted her, or they might have left clues during the surveillance. Now, Sakura's report of "being in danger" made them subconsciously think that their actions had indirectly caused all of this, and they felt guilty.

The person in charge immediately responded in a caring tone: "Xiaoying! Are you alright? This is terrible! It's all our negligence; we didn't protect you properly! Where are you now? Are you absolutely safe?"

After receiving a vague response from Miyawaki Sakura that she was "temporarily staying with a friend," the other party immediately seized the opportunity to say, "That apartment is definitely no longer safe to live in! We must immediately find you a new place with the highest security and absolute privacy! We'll take care of it right away! You should rest well for the next few days and calm down. If needed, the company can arrange for a psychologist..."

Miyawaki Sakura secretly breathed a sigh of relief, her voice still soft: "Thank you... I'm sorry to have troubled you..."

"No trouble at all! It's our duty! Your safety is the most important thing!" the operations manager hurriedly assured.

After hanging up the phone, Uesugi Muneyuki nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. Next, tell the police that you encountered danger and asked me for help. I value you very much. I not only came to help you in the rain immediately, but also took you back to my residence to protect you. Tell the police that for your safety and because of my affection for you, I am willing to assist you and really want to find out what happened behind the scenes!"

"Okay." Sakura picked up the phone again, feeling her heart pounding.

"Don't rush, take a deep breath, Sakura, take a deep breath," Mai-senpai said.

Sakura Miyawaki nodded, took a few deep breaths, her small chest rising and falling slightly, and finally dialed the phone: "Hello, Inspector Kinoshita, this is Sakura. I'm out of danger now... Yes, yes... I received help from Mr. Uesugi... Yes, I immediately sought Mr. Uesugi's help after receiving your call. He took it very seriously and came in the rain... He not only provided me with a safe house, but also said he would do everything he could to find out what happened to me, yes..."

Fifteen minutes later, at a secret facility of the National Police Agency.

Toru Kinoshita also reported this "breakthrough development".

Section Chief Hasegawa's eyes lit up with excitement as he said, "Uesugi Muneyuki... he's willing to help? Although his motive is said to be for a woman, a minor idol, it still opens up a new avenue. If what Miyawaki said is true..."

Supervisor Kaoru Ichijo's eyes sharpened: "If he's willing to examine it, we'll have a chance to find the truth behind Nakamura's death and expose the killer lurking in the shadows. That's much better than us running around like headless flies. Agree to his conditions, but make sure the whole process is under our surveillance... no, under our 'protection'. Miyawaki Sakura did a good job this time; it seems her influence on Uesugi is more effective than we anticipated."

"Immediately notify Miyawaki Sakura and tell Uesugi Muneyuki about most of what happened to us. Tell him we desperately need his help, but because it involves national security, please ask him to keep it a secret! As for Miyawaki... get her closer to Uesugi, at least get a bed photo first!"

The three forces intersect, with a small cherry blossom standing in the center.

In the eyes of the parent company, she was a victim who needed protection and compensation; in the eyes of the police, she was a capable informant who successfully opened up key links.

However, her true stance has quietly shifted to the camp of Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai.

Through her matchmaking, Uesugi Muneyuki successfully established contact with the Public Security Police, and a vague but unlikely alliance was forming!
An alliance of red and black!

(End of this chapter)