Chapter 407

At this very moment, as the Ghost Guest turned and fled into the ruins of the Toyota Motor Exhibition Center, outside reports had already exploded; NHK cameras swiftly switched to a panoramic view of the ruins. The host's tone turned grave and grim: "The suspect has fled into the adjacent Toyota Exhibition Hall ruins! The scene has been completely surrounded by SAT officers, armored vehicles, and helicopters!"

Fuji TV's cameras followed close behind NHK's; the footage showed the pitch-black entrance to the ruins, armored vehicles like steel behemoths, and armed helicopters hovering in the air like the eyes of the Grim Reaper. The atmosphere shifted from extreme panic to a heavy, grim, breathless final anticipation. Anchor Tsutsumi spoke softly, a look of determination in his eyes: "This is it, the final showdown has begun!"

At this very moment, the Metropolitan Police Department Command Center also received new information — a belated report from the frontline SAT: "Confirmed ahead, one additional officer killed in the line of duty! Repeat, one additional officer killed in the line of duty!"

"Machiyama Station subordinate koban, Police Sergeant Yamada Yuki, killed in the line of duty!"

The Metropolitan Police Department fell into a silence.

Another police officer has sacrificed his life.

The price of justice, so heavy.

The grief in Watanabe Eiji's eyes (for the fallen Yamada, Kikuchi, and the severely wounded Okada) was replaced by cold resolve. He spoke into the microphone, his voice like ice as he ordered: "The endgame. Those ruins will become the grave of the Toshima Ward Ghost."

And at this very moment, among the populace, the anxiety did not dissipate, but the panic was gradually replaced by a complex emotion mixed with anger, sorrow, and determined anticipation. People stared fixedly at their screens, no longer making a sound.

Soon, news of yet another police officer killed in the line of duty arrived.

On social media, the tags "Must catch him" and "Avenge the fallen" replaced prayers.

In cafes, on trains, in homes, people silently watched the live broadcast footage of those ruins crouching like a giant beast,

waiting for the final outcome. The air was filled with a silent consensus: fifteen years of a cold case, the agony of a family exterminated, the lives of two officers, the blood of one Police Inspector — all must, at this moment, in these ruins, receive a thorough conclusion!

The noose has already tightened, awaiting only that final fatal pull. The entire nation, in the morning light of the Emperor's Birthday, held its breath, waiting for the thunder of justice to fall.

However, just at this time, a sudden message came from the frontline SAT: "Report! The suspect has entered the sewers!"

The shout carried shock and vexation. SAT officers carefully pried open the manhole cover; powerful flashlights shone down, revealing only churning black sewage and unfathomably deep pipes, along with violent coughing and splashing sounds gradually fading into the distance, echoing in the hollow pipes.

Fury and a breathless dread enveloped the entire Metropolitan Police Department Command Center.

The message was relayed back via radio.

"Report! Target has entered the sewers! Repeat, target has entered the sewers!"

"Nani?!" Watanabe Eiji's face turned ashen, his eyes burning with raging flames! From the flower-offering scene identification, to the motorcycle chase, to shooting police officers, storming a kindergarten, severely wounding a Police Inspector — every time causing the police to lose face, letting the situation slide into a more terrifying abyss! Now, this demon has actually burrowed into Tokyo's vast, complex, labyrinthine underground arteries!

"Yarou!!!" Criminal Investigation Department Chief Uchimura also erupted in a suppressed roar of rage.

The difficulty and risk of a sewer pursuit have increased geometrically!

The sewer environment is extremely harsh: narrow, dark, foul-smelling, toxic gases, complex branches, rapid water flow — a tremendous test on the physiology and psychology of searchers.

Moreover, the sewers will nullify the SAT's tactical advantages: armored vehicles, helicopters, numerical superiority — all reduced to near zero in the sewers.

In the confined space, the M1911 in the Ghost Guest's hand will constitute a lethal threat, while the SAT's heavy gear becomes a burden instead.

And the most troublesome thing is that the Metropolitan Police Department's time pressure has sharply increased; with every passing second, the Ghost Guest could escape to a wider area through the interconnected pipes, or even infiltrate other buildings! Once the news leaks, the ensuing citywide panic will be unimaginable! Tokyo on the Emperor's Birthday cannot bear such a shadow!

Yes, the Metropolitan Police Department can deploy police dogs on a large scale, deploy various special units, even mobilize thousands of police for a large-scale dragnet search, but the longer the delay, the more devastating the blow to the Metropolitan Police Department's prestige and honor!

Not to mention anything else, right now the entire Odaiba area is under full traffic control, the whole of Tokyo is in a state of panic; every minute the culprit is not shot dead or arrested, the losses to the whole of Tokyo are calculated in units of 100 million yen!

Inside the Metropolitan Police Department it was like an ice cave; the previous grief and indignation were replaced by a deeper, breathless dread and sense of powerlessness. On the big screen, the light dot representing the Ghost Guest had already vanished beneath the map, leaving only a huge gray shadow representing the unknown sewer area. Everyone understood: if the Ghost Guest is allowed to disappear in the sewers or cause casualties again, the Metropolitan Police Department will plummet straight into hell!

The air was heavy enough to suffocate.

Watanabe Minami also stared fixedly at the big screen, biting her lip hard; thinking of the wounded Okada Brother and the two fallen officers, tears shimmered in her eyes. Uesugi Muneyuki had identified the culprit at the cost of his life — doesn't that mean our Metropolitan Police Department's capability doesn't measure up to Muneyuki's case-solving ability?

What will our police organization become?

"Director General, can we request the Self-Defense Forces to deploy?" Sugishita Ukyo Division Chief immediately said to Watanabe Eiji.

"

Watanabe Eiji's lips trembled as he looked, but he did not answer.

"Kanchoukanbou?" Sugishita Ukyo had no choice but to directly ask Onoda Kanbocho.

"This kind of thing, impossible." Onoda Kanbocho shook his head, face pale: "To deploy the Self-Defense Forces requires Cabinet approval, activation of the National Diet emergency plan, and also notification of the Yokosuka US Military Base — at minimum the Americans must not object. Just this procedure, even at the fastest, would take at least several days. That's just one living person, not Godzilla landing!"

"This won't work, that won't work, then what is the meaning of the Self-Defense Forces' existence?" Sugishita Ukyo was also getting anxious.

"The meaning of the Self-Defense Forces' existence is to make the citizens believe the nation is being defended." Onoda Kimiaki said coldly: "If you had really witnessed the Self-Defense Forces' training and combat power, you wouldn't say such foolish things about deploying them, Ukyo — unless you want tanks driving into Tokyo?"

"—. " Sugishita Ukyo fell silent.

Just as the Command Center fell into dead silence, and Watanabe Eiji was about to order the risky dispatch of an SAT squad to storm the sewers, a slightly hurried but exceptionally firm voice cut in through a secondary channel:

"This is the Special Mission Unit! Special Mission Unit Special Appointed Forensic Officer Uesugi Muneyuki and the Special Mission Unit members have already entered the sewers! Preparing to pursue! Requesting approval!" Uesugi Muneyuki's determined voice came through the radio into the Metropolitan Police Department Command Center: "I have a way to locate this guy's position! Requesting this Headquarters to approve immediately!"

It's Uesugi!

Him again!

Is he going to save our Metropolitan Police Department, save our police organization again?

A ray of hope-from-despair burst forth in Watanabe Eiji! Without the slightest hesitation: "Approved! Special Mission Unit! Begin tracking immediately! Support arriving shortly! Safety first!"

"Understood!"

Inside the sewers, it was another world.

Darkness, viscous filth, stench almost condensed into substance. Flashlight beams could only penetrate a limited distance, illuminating wet pipe walls covered in moss and grease; knee-deep sewage was icy cold, mixed with indescribable filth flowing slowly.

The air was foul; the Special Mission Unit members had no gas masks to block the nauseating smell, and the pipe branches were numerous,

echoes distorting direction.

The Special Mission Unit members carefully followed behind Uesugi Muneyuki; for some reason, Uesugi Muneyuki seemed to have supernatural powers — he displayed astonishing professional competence! Ignoring the stench of the sewage, this guy's nose was practically like a military dog's, firmly guiding the way for everyone in the labyrinthine sewers!

At this moment, whether it was Date, Igarashi, or Kai Toru, all were baffled by Uesugi Muneyuki's decision; their willingness to obey his orders was purely based on his incomparably miraculous past record and super-strong autopsy ability. Only Eirina had absolute faith in Uesugi Muneyuki's commands.

The group moved through the sewers, holding. 38 caliber police revolvers, traversing the darkness.

After moving a distance, at a relatively wide main trunk intersection, Uesugi Muneyuki suddenly stopped. He raised his hand signaling everyone to slow down, to take cover!

Sure enough, less than two minutes later, a black shadow half-submerged in the sewage, coughing violently, appeared feeling its way along the wall!

Even in the darkness, Kai, Date, and Igarashi still looked at Uesugi Muneyuki in disbelief.

Uncanny! Uesugi!

Can even this find the Ghost Guest's tracks? Haki Uesugi, you bastard! You're practically Superman!

Thus the group waited patiently.

At this moment, the double blow of the stun grenade and tear gas had an even greater effect in the confined environment of the sewer!

The Ghost Guest's vision and sense of balance had not yet fully recovered, his lungs felt like they were on fire, and every breath brought violent coughing. He stumbled in the darkness, swept off his feet by the filthy flow, and could only grope forward while leaning against the icy pipe wall. Despair and the feeling of suffocation were like icy sewage, slowly drowning him. He leaned one hand against the wall and gripped the M1911 pistol in the other. Just as he was about to round a corner, the Special Mission Unit made a grand entrance!

"Police! Don't move!"

Kai Toru's flashlight beam instantly locked onto that wretched figure—it was none other than the Ikebukuro Phantom Guest!

The Phantom Guest was blinded by the strong light and shuddered at the sudden appearance of the ambush.

Despair and madness made him let out a hoarse roar, struggling to rise from the sewage, waving his pistol in hand, and running while pointing it toward the direction where the Special Mission Unit had appeared!

"Auntie big!" Uesugi Muneyuki took advantage of the surrounding darkness and silently fired a Spirit Sphere. The Spirit Sphere shot through the line of fire like a silver bullet, and its immense impact immediately knocked the pistol from the Phantom Guest's hand!

The Phantom Guest was already unsteady on his feet, and this heavy blow sent him sprawling backward, plunging heavily into the filthy water and sending up a huge splash!

"Charge, duck! One warehouse, go!" Date first let out a strange cry, lunged forward, completely disregarding the filth, and used his body to pin down the struggling Phantom Guest in the water, pressing his knee into the guest's lower back while simultaneously grabbing one of the Phantom Guest's arms and straining to wrench it backward!

The Phantom Guest cried out in pain, flung his body, and relied on instinct to elbow Date in the body. Date let out a painful cry and was flung backward, landing in a patch of mud. But just then, Kai and Igarashi also lunged forward. Igarashi delivered a flying kick that knocked aside the Phantom Guest's attempt to grab his knife, sending the small blade flying. Kai angrily pressed down hard on the Phantom Guest's head, glaring with hatred as he shoved the guest's face into the sewage!

"Mmm————·kuso!" The Phantom Guest choked on several mouthfuls of sewage, and the violent coughing left him completely unable to resist. His other hand was also pinned down by Igarashi.

Date then clung desperately to one of the Phantom Guest's pant legs, preventing him from kicking and struggling.

Finally, Eirina lowered her shoulder, and after sufficient charging and preparation, delivered a punch of perfect precision that struck squarely at the Phantom Guest's neck!

"Smack!"

The force of this blow was so great that even Uesugi Muneyuki, who had not joined the fight nearby, could feel its explosive destructive power.

In the darkness, only the sound of heavy breathing, the Phantom Guest's painful choking coughs, the sloshing of sewage, and Eirina's low growl remained.

"Oh su!"

A most primitive yet effective brawl, taking place in the foul depths, quickly settled the outcome.

Kai Toru pressed his knee hard against the Phantom Guest's back, freed one hand, and felt around for the hand.

"Click! Click!" Two sharp metallic biting sounds echoed with unusual clarity in the sewer's reverberation.

The Phantom Guest's hands were now firmly locked behind his back, and he had finally lost all ability to resist.

Kai Toru panted heavily, his body covered in foul-smelling filth, but his eyes shone bright as stars. He pressed the button on his shoulder-mounted police radio. His voice trembled with excitement and fatigue, yet carried unmatched penetrating power, echoing through the dead silent channel of the Metropolitan Police Department Command Center:

"Headquarters! This is Kai Toru of the Special Mission Unit!"

"Suspect——·controlled! Repeat! Ikebukuro Phantom Guest——. captured!"

"All remaining personnel of the Special Mission Unit, safe and sound!"

Boom one!

The declaration of victory came with such speed.

Enemy chief, I go strip him of his clothes!