Chapter 1021

The gunshot came from the side rear of the press conference hall.

That sound was amplified for an instant in the enclosed corridor space, then struck the wall, bounced back, and mixed into the already chaotic noise in the press hall, instantly silencing all the clamor and the heated emotions in the air.

The press conference scene fell into complete silence.

This gunshot had no silencer.

At the exact moment everyone heard that sound, their bodies reacted; humans instinctively recognize gunfire, even if they've never heard it before, even if they're not American, they would instantly think "That's a gun."

"It's gunfire!"

"gun! gun! SIG???" The American journalist Wallace at the scene screamed: "Or a revolver?!""Someone fired! What on earth is going on, what happened?"

"Japanese police fired, police fired!"

"Inspector Nagase? Inspector Nagase!!!" Someone realized the gunshot came from the direction Inspector Nagase Ren had left. The first to rush out of the press hall was a cameraman from Nagoya TV.

He ran out carrying his equipment, the lens cap of the camera flinging onto his face without him reacting at all.

Immediately after came the second, then the third.

Journalists sprang from their seats, chairs were shoved into disarray, someone tripped over a microphone cord, got up, and kept running. The spokesperson stood behind the podium, face ashen, his lips moving desperately but no one paid attention to what he was saying.

Eto Miyabi rushed out almost simultaneously with those male journalists.

NHK's female anchor today wore a light apricot-colored short-sleeved silk shirt, the collar tied with a thin silk scarf of the same color family, below was a knee-length dark gray one-step skirt, the skirt hem had an inconspicuous side slit.

Her legs wrapped in black silk stockings glowed faintly under the lights, she wore a pair of medium-heeled black low-cut leather shoes, and when she ran, her heels tapped a rapid succession of rhythms on the floor.

She gripped her phone and a voice recorder in her hand, her other hand shoved aside the journalist in front of her, her eyes shining astonishingly, a conditioned reflex etched into her bones after years in NHK's social affairs department.

She didn't know what had happened over there, but she knew that whatever it was, she had to reach the scene immediately.

Big news! Big news tooth sound!!!!!!!

Huff, this Eto Miyabi isn't some vegetarian who climbed up via skirt ties tooth sound!!!

At this moment, Eto Miyabi's journalist spirit possessed her, she ran faster than the Western journalist Wallace!

The corridor isn't long,

From the side door of the press hall, turn right about ten meters, and you're at the temporary office area of the Special Investigation Headquarters.

Eto Miyabi ran in front, behind her followed five or six journalists and cameramen, the camera's red indicator light had already lit up, someone had already opened the live broadcast signal.

"Hurry up and start, hurry up and begin the live broadcast!"

"NHK Broadcasting Corporation, NHK Broadcasting Corporation, this is the scene of the Hirate case at Nagoya Police Headquarters, I'm your Eto Miyabi, we just heard gunfire at the press conference scene!"

NHK's camera captured her as she turned the corner, showing the scene several meters ahead of her.

In the frame, several uniformed police officers stood at the door of an office, one was forcefully pushing the door, which was locked. Another officer was kicking the door: "Inspector? Inspector Nagase? Are you in there? Reply quickly, reply quickly ah ah ah!!!" After saying this, the officer's eyes turned red, he kicked the door hard with his leather shoe.

The metal door frame emitted a dull thud.

Eto Miyabi suddenly braked her steps about five steps away from that door, wisely not charging forward again, merely standing at the corridor's edge, the camera aimed at that door.

Watch out for guns!

After experiencing that Setouchi Sea incident, Eto Miyabi became much more afraid of death.

Of course, she's more worried that Uesugi won't want her anymore.

This slowness caused many journalists and police behind to catch up, and just then, the door was kicked open.

When the door lock popped out, it made a crisp sound, the metal door frame struck inward against the wall, bounced back, and was then blocked by a police officer's hand. The first officer to rush in stood inside the door for about two seconds: "Inspector?!"

He was initially agitated, but once he saw clearly what had happened inside, the whole person seemed to be shoved from behind, staggered forward a step, then slowly turned around: "Wait, don't come in!"

However, at this moment no one paid him any heed.

In his office behind him, light from the ceiling poured down, illuminating the chair behind the desk.

Nagase Ren sat in that chair.

His body leaned slightly backward, resting against the chair back, his face showed an expression of relief, as if he had just eaten his fill, drunk his fill, and taken a noon nap.

But his head was tilted to the right, his temple had an irregular dark red small hole, blood flowed from that position down his cheek, over his jaw, dripping onto the shoulder of his dark blue suit jacket, staining that area a dark wet patch, also soaking his police badge. His right hand hung down on the outside of the chair armrest, his fingers still holding a gripping posture.

And lying on the floor was a silver small revolver, model New Nambu M60, standard issue firearm for Japanese police.

Since this case might involve extreme violence or terrorists, all frontline investigators were permitted to carry sidearms. "Drip~ drip~ drip~"

Dark red blood flowed downward from Nagase Ren's head.

The scene was utterly silent.

Dead?! Suicide?!

Eto Miyabi's camera didn't move away, her face somewhat pale, but she still trembled as she held the microphone: "Inspector?"

Her breathing was faster than before, but she controlled herself with professional inertia, recording this scene frame by frame: "This is NHK Broadcasting Corporation……a new event has occurred at the scene, just now at the press conference announcing unfavorable progress in solving this case, Inspector Nagase Ren, responsible for the investigation, was found shot dead in a locked room, suspected suicide……"

Behind her, a cameraman whispered "My god," then continued filming.

"Don't film! Don't film anymore!" The officer who first rushed in finally found his voice, he turned around and waved at the journalists at the door, trying to block the lens.

But when he extended his hand, there was already more than just Eto Miyabi in the corridor.

Five cameras, over a dozen phones, everyone was pointing at that open door! And there was Inspector Nagase in the chair!

The live broadcast signal had already been switched into NHK's special news program the moment Eto Miyabi turned the corner.

NHK's host was still saying in the studio: "Latest updates on the Hirate case press conference," when the picture suddenly cut to the corridor, then to that kicked-open door, then to Inspector Nagase Ren sitting in the chair.

The studio fell silent for about two seconds.

Then the host's voice rang again: "... Ladies and gentlemen, we've just seen the live footage from Nagoya. According to the on-site reporter's confirmation, a police officer was shot inside the office……we need to wait for further information. Please don't leave."

Meanwhile, Fuji TV's on-site news reporter Sakuma Minami added: "Please don't leave, exciting content will return shortly."

Inside the office, a police officer picked up a folded paper from Nagase Ren's desk.

Just an ordinary A4 sheet, folded twice, placed beside the keyboard.

He unfolded the paper, seeing only three lines of handwriting.

First line: "I did my best, but I cannot accept the truth being buried."

Second line: "Hirate, and everyone involved in this case, I'm sorry."

Third line: "Being born human, I'm sorry."

No head raised, no signature, no date.

Only the third line, "Being born human, I'm sorry," has noticeably heavier handwriting, as if written stroke by stroke.

This is a famous line from Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human, read by every Japanese person. That sentence appearing on this paper is like a needle piercing deep into the consciousness of everyone who sees it.

Nagase Ren is dead.

He died with regret! He died helplessly! Even more, he died filled with resentment and despair!

What on earth is going on? What exactly happened?!

The photo of this paper appeared on all national social media within ten minutes.

Someone at the scene filmed the suicide note with a mobile phone and then uploaded it.

The spread was faster than any official announcement.

In the next hour, the three lines on that paper were shared over a million times.

"Being born human, I'm sorry."

What exactly does this sentence conceal?

And Eto Miyabi reacted the fastest, immediately pairing this sentence with a photo of Nagase Ren taken before his death on her work desk.

Beside this sentence, there is an old photo of Nagase Ren standing in front of the National Police Agency building, holding an acceptance notice, mouth wide open shouting, "I want to serve the people!"

The impact of placing the two images together surpasses any words.

After the initial silence, the people's reaction surged like magma bursting from cracks in the earth's crust!

Within half an hour, the trending list on Twitter was completely refreshed, with eight of the top ten items related to Nagase Ren and the Nagoya Police press conference! "He did everything he could!"

"Who forced him to die?!"

"What exactly did Nagase Ren discover, and why did he commit suicide?!"

"Hirate is dead, Nagase is dead, what comes next?!"

The anger in the comment section spread like an uncontrollable wildfire, from one person's account to another's.

Meanwhile, on television, all major stations' evening news were occupied by the same footage: Nagase Ren's final bow at the press conference, the door kicked open in the hallway, that silver revolver lying on the floor, and that suicide note with the three lines written on it.

"Being born human, I'm sorry"

Television stations repeatedly played that sentence, paired with Nagase Ren's calm face facing the camera at the press conference—as if he had already made a decision. Everyone realized he had prepared beforehand.

Prepared to end his life.

NHK's program host tried to discuss "investigation pressure and grassroots officers' mental health" with a rational tone.

But the people didn't seem to think so.

There's a conspiracy! Absolutely a conspiracy!!!

At the same time, around the world, this news is being translated into various languages at extreme speed.

AP sent out an English bulletin within fifteen minutes, titled "Japanese Officer Commits Suicide After Idol Murder Case Press Conference, Suicide Note Triggers National Mourning."

BBC UK's report used "Japanese Police Suicide Under Case Investigation Pressure Triggers Calls for System Accountability" as its headline.

CNN connected live with its Tokyo-based reporter during a TV broadcast; the reporter, speaking with an effort to remain objective but clearly shaken, said: "This is an event that has caused massive emotional shock in Japanese society. A young police inspector, by ending his own life, has pushed the entire police system into unprecedented public opinion pressure."

"Why did he commit suicide? What exactly did he discover?"

"Why did a promising professional group inspector, after only seven days of investigation, choose to take responsibility and commit suicide? Who forced him? Is it Toyota? Is it the operation behind Akai Saka? Or……the entire police pressure?"

"Why was renowned Tokyo University forensic expert Uesugi Muneyuki consistently excluded from the case?"

"We need an explanation? Delayed justice is not justice!"

South Korean media reacted the most intensely.

The Chosun Ilbo replaced its homepage with the full text of Nagase Ren's suicide note, headlined "Japanese Police's Bowing Apology, Ultimately Ended by a Gunshot."

In the comment section, original criticism of the Japanese police system, after this news emerged, showed a subtle split: some continued criticizing, but others began saying, "No matter what, he at least has more responsibility than those officials who only shirk duty."

Meanwhile, media in the northern bay area of a certain country also followed this case, titled "Japanese National Idol Case Officer Suicide, Suicide Note Triggers National Tears," conducting extensive coverage, placing Nagase Ren's suicide note photo on the front page.

And Nagatacho exploded, with large numbers of frenzied Akai Saka fans directly storming the National Diet!

They didn't care about anything, directly apprehended Ishiba Shigeru from Tottori Prefecture, and violently beat him!

The shameless people of Nagatacho, SPA!!!!

At this moment, everyone realized things had reached this point and were completely out of control!

What to do?!