Chapter 403

The. 45ACP-caliber gunshot, its immense sound and shockwave far exceeding that of an ordinary police pistol! Like a muffled thunderclap exploding in the air above the Hongqiao! The sound reverberated through the steel bridge's structure, shaking people's eardrums painfully!

The muzzle flash briefly illuminated the icy gaze beneath the Ghost Guest's helmet face shield.

At that moment, the entire vicinity of the Hongqiao heard the gunshot, like a thunderclap exploding.

Ghost Guest, has a gun!!!

The Japanese police, long accustomed to peace, and with Japan's strict gun ban, sometimes go a whole year nationwide without a single shooting incident; by the time they react upon seeing a pistol, it's already too late!

Tearing through the air with destructive kinetic energy, it pierced through the standard-issue soft body armor of a young police officer on the Hongqiao without hindrance!

"Pfft!" The muffled thud of the bullet entering flesh was drowned out by the gunshot.

The young officer's body, as if struck mercilessly by an invisible giant hammer, violently arched backward! A spray of dazzling blood mist instantly erupted from his chest! Fresh blood, like splashed ink, violently sprayed onto the transparent explosion-proof shield raised before him, forming a rapidly spreading,

horrifying crimson sight!

The eyes beneath this officer's helmet, in extreme pain and bewilderment, instantly lost all luster. The police-issue explosion-proof fork in his hand slipped free and fell, emitting a crisp metallic clang. His body went limp, sliding down against the police car behind him, his lips unconsciously moving as if trying to shout something, ultimately fading into a weak breath almost inaudible.

"Grandpa, grandpa—"

Time seemed to freeze at this moment—the engine's roar, the siren's wail, the radio's crackle—all sounds vanished. Only the terrifying echo of that bullet piercing body armor and flesh remained, and the dripping, warm blood on the explosion-proof shield, symbolizing the ebbing life of a police officer, under the morning sunlight of the Emperor's birthday, appeared so glaring and cruel.

And as he fell, the police blockade of the Hongqiao inevitably showed a crack. In the moment everyone was shocked and stunned by this bloody scene, he violently twisted the throttle! The Yamaha, like a awakened ferocious beast, roared as it smashed through the roadblock that had appeared due to a fallen officer!

The motorcycle, carrying an unstoppable momentum, charged onto the main deck of the Hongqiao, speeding away toward the mist-shrouded Odaiba! Leaving behind only the rapidly expanding bloodstain on the bridge deck behind, the opened roadblock, and the police calling out the name of brotherhood in robes.

"Kikuchi! Kikuchi! Pull yourself together, Kikuchi!"

Among the several officers, Yamazaki, the patrol section chief who was closest to the fallen officer, saw his colleague actually lying in a pool of blood,

his face one of utter disbelief.

This, this is impossible!

We all came wearing bulletproof vests!

However, the seemingly impregnable bulletproof vest, uniformly procured by the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters, proved as fragile as paper before the M1911, the bullet-impact site gushing blood like a spring, surrounding officers having lost all thought of pursuit, instead desperately trying to staunch Kikuchi's bleeding.

"Are you okay! Does the other side have a gun?" At this moment, the Traffic Mobile Unit also arrived; the roadblock originally meant to stop the Ghost Guest had instead become an obstacle for the Traffic Mobile Unit, and in their urgency, they too ceased pursuit, hurriedly checking the injuries and immediately reporting to the Metropolitan Police Department Command Center.

Amidst the volcanic eruption of anger and grief, new news reached the Metropolitan Police Department Command Center!

"Kikuchi-kun! Hang in there! Hold on! Medical help is coming right away!"

"Damn it! The blood won't stop at all! The perpetrator extremely likely used AP ammunition!"

"Metropolitan Police Department, Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters, this is the Traffic Mobile Unit, the perpetrator is armed! Repeat! The perpetrator possesses a high-powered pistol! One officer seriously wounded by gunfire! Request SAT! Request armored support! Highest threat level!"

The voices on the radio, distorted by shock and fury, had the Traffic Mobile Unit members staring at their fallen comrade, at the blood on the shield and Patrol Section Chief Kikuchi already beginning to lose consciousness, shouting "Grandpa, grandpa, grandpa," their eyes instantly filling with bloodshot veins!

The engine's roar of pursuit grew even more ferocious, carrying an unyielding, death-defying resolve!

Depart!

The Traffic Mobile Unit continues the sortie.

At this time, Uesugi Muneyuki was still in the rear vehicle, waiting for the Traffic Mobile Unit's police heavy motorcycles to continue their sortie, when the police car had no choice but to stop here awaiting further clearance of the roadblock; upon seeing an officer lying on the ground, Uesugi Muneyuki's face turned ashen.

The Ghost Guest actually had a gun on him?

Damn it, I was a bit reckless there—but if I hadn't exposed it there, he would definitely have escaped! The other side has already started running; if I don't identify him now, he'll dive into the dense crowds of Tokyo Metropolis, making it impossible to find him again!

It seems no matter what I do, it's wrong?

No, this isn't a problem of my judgment, but that no one anticipated the Ghost Guest actually hiding a large-caliber pistol on his person?

Listening to the heart-wrenching cries, Uesugi Muneyuki tentatively called out for Smoke Ghost treatment, but Smoke Ghost's reply made him painfully close his eyes, fingers digging deep into his palms.

His heart was struck by a bullet.

"Okada, be careful!" Uesugi Muneyuki immediately grabbed the radio walkie-talkie: "The perpetrator has a large-caliber pistol on him, be extremely careful! The perpetrator isn't blocked here on the Hongqiao, he's heading toward Odaiba! Repeat, the perpetrator has a high-powered pistol, don't act recklessly!"

After a moment of silence on the other end of the radio, Okada Keibu replied: "Understood! I know a shortcut!"

"Twenty!!!" Uesugi Muneyuki on this end was blocked, he cursed fiercely, they still had to wait for the scene police to move the roadblock and police explosion-proof vehicle aside before continuing the pursuit; within a few minutes, he was utterly unable to do anything!

But this person has already been locked onto by Hironaka Mariko; as long as I'm still here, he definitely won't escape!

Uesugi Muneyuki steadied his gaze toward the direction the Ghost Guest disappeared, a hint of concern welling up in his heart.

Who exactly is he? How can he be this strong? It's been 15 years, but judging by his skills, he's hardly inferior to back then.

Is he really connected to the US Forces Japan? However, according to the news back then, although the US Forces Japan have always been domineering, they also act case by case; mass murder and extermination is a major heinous crime, and when Americans heard about it back then, they were also shocked, honestly arranging for all US military personnel to undergo DNA testing, with results showing not only no matches, but even no paternal lineage connection via Y-chromosome!

Perhaps, all these suspicions will only be known once this person is truly apprehended.

What exactly happened that day—perhaps only this Ikebukuro Phantom Guest himself knows.

And at this very moment, the media broadcasting live from the scene also heard the gunshot.

The aerial shot clearly captured the Ghost Guest drawing his gun, the moment a police officer was shot and fell, the blood spraying from the explosion-proof shield, and the Ghost Guest smashing through the roadblock to escape! The live signal was instantly cut by the Metropolitan Police Department (Japanese news law strictly prohibits involving factory and bloody scenes), but the clip has already gone viral!

"Suspect in the Toshima Ward Massacre Case shoots police in the street! Life or death unknown! Tokyo in peril, Japan in peril!"

"Metropolitan Police Department utterly destroyed! Perpetrator possesses high-powered firearms!"

"In national crisis, think of loyal generals; in chaotic times, think of loyal subjects!"

"Tokyo Metropolis enters emergency state! The pursuit in Odaiba continues!"

Panic spread like an epidemic among Tokyo citizens!

"Gunshot! Police were shot!"

"The perpetrator has a gun!"

"Too terrifying! Just on the Hongqiao!"

"Hurry home! Lock your doors!"

The reverberations of the. 45 caliber M1911 gunshot, like a tangible iron hammer, violently struck Tokyo's backbone.

At the same time, Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters Command Center.

When the radio transmitted "Officer seriously wounded by gunfire! Repeat! Patrol Section Chief Kikuchi Fūma seriously wounded!" that heart-wrenching, trembling cry, the vast command center seemed to freeze in time.

All communications operators, intelligence analysts, and command personnel froze in their seats, incredulously staring at the gray light point still moving at high speed on the Hongqiao on the main screen.

"What the hell?!" The tactical tablet in Investigation Division 1 Chief Sugishita Ukyo's hand clattered to the floor with a "clang," the chief's face instantly drained of all color, his lips trembling uncontrollably. The family massacre from fifteen years ago was an old wound, but now, right before his eyes, a living, breathing young colleague in uniform had been shot dead in the street by that devil during the manhunt he had ordered!

This is a naked declaration of war against the Metropolitan Police Department, against the entire nation's law enforcement!

"Immediately confirm the status of Patrol Officer Chief Kikuchi!" Beside him, Superintendent General Watanabe Eiji's voice was hoarse like sandpaper scraping, filled with a fury he himself had not even realized.

After a brief silence, a voice strained with grief, nearly breaking, came over the radio: "Heart shot, bulletproof vest penetrated, Patrol Officer Chief Kikuchi Fūma martyred! Repeat, heart shot, bulletproof vest penetrated, Patrol Officer Chief Kikuchi Fūma,

martyred!"

"Martyred?!" That word struck like a fat man and a little boy, shattering the last sliver of hope in the command center; the silence was utterly shattered!

"Beast! Beast! Beast—!" Watanabe Eiji slammed his fist onto the control panel, the screen shattering, blood seeping from his clenched fists unnoticed, his eyes blazing red, tears mixed with fury gushing forth: "You've already let this bastard kill a family of four, and now you let him gun down a police officer?!"

"That bastard absolutely must die!" Criminal Investigation Department Chief Uchimura roared into the microphone, his voice distorted by extreme rage.

A massive wave of grief and fury, like a shockwave, swept through the entire command center! No longer a calm pursuit, but an endless blood feud!

Watanabe Eiji drew a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fishy sweetness in his throat, his eyes holding only icy, destructive killing intent,

he immediately turned to the National Police Agency Secretariat Director Onoda Kimiaki, who had dared to come, and said: "Emergency situation, immediately deploy public security police!"

"—Understood." Onoda Kimiaki showed not the slightest hesitation, the National Police Agency Secretariat Director's face also shadowed with the anger of the police organization's honor being trampled: "Order issued immediately!"

Soon, the new order from the Metropolitan Police Department was transmitted.

"All units, attention! Target is an SAT-level heavily armed murderer! Warning procedures abolished! After visual confirmation, shoot to kill permitted! Repeat! Shoot to kill permitted! Armored vehicle unit, helicopter SAT, immediately blockade the Odaiba direction! Prioritize civilian safety above all! Repeat, prioritize capturing alive, but if the target does not cooperate, on-site shoot to kill permitted!"

The order was immediately relayed to the Metropolitan Police Department Special Assault Team (SAT) base.

The heavy blast door slid open with a roar, dozens of SAT members clad in pure black heavy tactical armor, wearing full-seal bulletproof helmets, emerged like killing machines from the shadows, moving toward their equipment racks with breathtaking speed and absolute silence. No shouts, no conversation, only the muffled thud of heavy tactical boots on the ground, the "click" of bulletproof plates inserting into tactical vests, and the icy clang of metal as firearm parts were rapidly assembled.

Their movements were precise, efficient, with no wasted motion, every gaze through their goggles flashing with ice-cold killing intent.

The large screen was broadcasting live the bloody scene of the Hongqiao shooting and the satellite map of the Odaiba area.

The rear hatch of the heavy armored personnel carrier slammed down with a boom, SAT members surged in like a black iron torrent, silent and swift.

The deafening clang of the vehicle doors closing rang like war drums. The engines let out a deep, powerful roar, the heavy wheels rolled over the ground, the convoy like a drawn black blade, tearing through the morning mist, wind and lightning speed toward Odaiba.

At the same time, the Metropolitan Police Department Aviation Unit, Iwakawa Airfield.

Upon receiving the order, the helicopter engines instantly surged to maximum power! The turboshaft engine's whine shot upward, drowning out all background noise! The massive rotors churned the air, kicking up violent turbulence, blowing sand and stones across the ground, two black-painted, sharp-lined police helicopters, like awakened steel birds of prey, light yet bearing the force of thousands of jun, leapt into the sky!

Also at the same time, the news of the police officer's martyrdom, like the deadliest virus, spread through official emergency bulletins, fragmented media reports (despite the live feed being cut, but on-site video and photos had already spread like sparks), and wildly spreading social media, like a plague, igniting panic across the entire Tokyo Metropolis!

It's that Ikebukuro Phantom Guest! A phantom who slaughtered a family of four, wandering the earth of Tokyo!

He has come back!!!