Chapter 540

The Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters building stood firm under the scorching sun, the outdoor units of the air conditioners humming as they injected a reluctant hint of coolness into the sweltering air. Inside the Director General's office on the upper floor, however, there was an uncommon tranquility.

Watanabe Eiji, hailed by the media as "the pinnacle of Japan's police force in forty years," "the criminals' nightmare," and "God's Needle of Tokyo Bay," had just finished a hearty lunchbox.

This was the lovingly prepared lunchbox made by his wife, Watanabe Michiko, which was indeed abundant and delicious; Watanabe Michiko had long been known as the "Queen of Cuisine" in high society, and Watanabe Eiji naturally enjoyed it without restraint.

Previously, the couple had occasionally been at odds, mainly because Watanabe Eiji's promotion to Director General seemed to be the limit, leaving Michiko dissatisfied that her husband's career had not reached sufficient heights, but over the past two years, as Watanabe Eiji achieved unprecedented success in his career, their marital relationship grew even closer, and Watanabe Michiko's greatest grievance—the "Watanabe" surname, which was as common as dirt—was resolved by bringing Uesugi Muneyuki into the family as a son-in-law, although the Watanabe couple would not change their surname, but from their next generation onward, it would be Uesugi Muneyuki and Uesugi Minami.

The Watanabe-Uesugi clan, established!

With his career flourishing and his family harmonious, and his daughter's lifelong matter settled, Watanabe Eiji's spirits were naturally excellent. Though in his fifties, his hair was jet-black, thick, and lustrous; though not exceptionally handsome, he possessed an extremely dignified countenance, chiseled as if by knife and axe, his stature upright, and those sharp eyes of his had seen through countless schemes and conspiracies.

At this moment, however, those eyes held a rare trace of contentment.

The Director General had just, half-jokingly, remarked at the routine meeting: "Today the weather is clear and bright, nothing has occurred within the metropolis (Tokyo Metropolis), which is proof of our diligent efforts in maintaining public order; you may all relax a little."

"Yes, yes, our police organization, overcoming myriad difficulties, is invincible under heaven!" voices of praise filled the routine meeting.

Criminal Investigation Department Chief Uchimura Kanji even more excitedly declared: "We who were born in Watanabe Director's glorious era are truly what honor, what happiness!"

"Yes, happiness, happiness!" a large group of Superintendent Generals nodded in agreement.

"All correct facing the court, our Metropolitan Police Department is thriving and prospering!"

They indeed all owed Watanabe Eiji a favor, especially regarding the bulletproof vest matter; if it weren't for Watanabe Eiji's swift judgment and timely handling, who knows how many more would have fallen? Even so, the personnel upheaval in the Metropolitan Police Department has not yet ended to this day, with as many as over a hundred police officers dismissed, 500 officers disciplined, and nearly 2000 officers forced to resign.

Such a level of personnel adjustment may only gradually subside by year's end.

And Watanabe Eiji also clearly stated at the routine meeting that he would absolutely not cling to power nor seek to continue his term; after serving two terms as Director General, he would certainly step down.

This amounted to giving everyone in the Metropolitan Police Department a reassuring pill, for one must know that this has already been Watanabe Eiji's third and a half year, and many veterans truly cannot wait any longer for the Director General's position to indulge themselves, choosing mandatory retirement to leave the system for self-governing organizations, enterprises, or corporate conglomerates for re-employment.

Of course, for Watanabe Eiji, not serving as Director General but becoming Director General of the Ministry would not count as going back on his word, would it?

At this moment, he stood beside the expensive genuine leather sofa in the center of the office, like a discerning artist, carefully smoothing out the last wrinkle on the sofa's back cushion, then taking from the cabinet a neatly folded thin wool blanket (handwoven by Madame Michiko), and gently laying it upon the sofa.

For him, this brief fifty-minute lunch break was the secret to maintaining sharp thinking throughout the day, not to be disturbed.

"Hmm..." he satisfiedly surveyed his "masterpiece," about to take off his suit jacket and enjoy this moment of tranquility.

The thin wool blanket covered his body, warm and cozy as he drifted into dreamland!

"Bang!"

The office door was nearly kicked open, his secretary, face ashen as paper, even forgetting to shout the report, came rushing in, the tablet computer gripped tightly in his hand tracing chaotic lines in the air from his trembling.

"Director, Director General! Something terrible! Minato, Minato Ward..."

Watanabe Eiji's eyebrows instantly knitted together, that trace of contentment like blue smoke blown away by the wind, vanishing without a trace.

He maintained the posture of just about to take off his outer garment, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable pressure: "Stay calm! The sky won't fall, speak clearly, what happened in Minato Ward? Another gas explosion? Or a large-scale traffic accident?"

Surely there couldn't be another Imperial Palace bomb person?

Watanabe Eiji couldn't help but retort: Where do all these bomb people come from?

A carpet-like search of the Imperial Palace had been conducted for over two weeks, with Japan Public Security, the Imperial Household Agency, and the Imperial Guard Headquarters leaving no stone unturned, not even letting a single fly pass, before confirming that there were indeed no suspicious persons or hidden objects within or near the Imperial Palace.

The Imperial Palace had also strengthened its security.

"No, not!" the secretary nearly lost coherence, thrusting the tablet before him, on which was playing a shaky yet clear mobile phone video from the scene—a young man appearing mad, lifting his hoodie to reveal his body laden with explosives and a flashing collar, crying out "Daddy, save me!"

"Suspected... suspected to be the son of Foreign Minister Akimoto Shin'ichirō, Akimoto Shōta! His body wrapped in ANFO explosives and IED, he appeared publicly in the center of TNEC Plaza, his emotions completely collapsed, threatening to detonate at any moment!"

"And moreover, Director General, look at this!!!" the secretary placed the tablet before him.

"This is the bomb that was on Horikawa Nen in the previous Imperial Palace case!"

"This is the bomb now on Akimoto Shōta!"

Two images placed side by side, nearly identical in setup, nearly identical in detonators, nearly identical in all kinds of wiring.

The only difference was that Horikawa Nen held the detonator in his hand, while Akimoto Shōta had the collar around his neck, its red light blazing brightly.

The office fell into a deathly silence. Only the continuous hum of the outdoor air conditioner units outside the window echoed, making this silence feel even more eerie.

Watanabe Eiji maintained that posture of wanting to take off but not yet taking off his outer garment, for a full three seconds. On his weather-beaten face, which had solved countless major cases, his muscles twitched slightly. Then, he slowly, extremely slowly, drew his arm back from the suit sleeve, as if each movement weighed a thousand jin.

He reached out, took the tablet, and fixed his gaze desperately on the screen at that desperate, moving bomb.

"Na-na-na... na-ni?" the Director General dazed for a few seconds, slowly coming to his senses.

The Imperial Palace case... not yet over?

Horikawa Nen, merely the beginning???

"... Hah." A sound extremely soft, almost inaudible, filled with endless self-mockery and black humor, escaped from Watanabe Eiji's lips.

Why is my life so bitter?

"Nothing has occurred within the metropolis... just right?" he repeated his own words from less than ten minutes ago, his voice low, as if chewing a bitter fruit: "... Looks like, this afternoon nap, I won't be able to sleep."

Something happened, something big happened!!!

He shot up his head, his eyes instantly sharp as a hawk or falcon, all remaining laxity swept away in an instant, replaced by the calm and decisiveness unique to a veteran commander, he snatched the internal communication device from the secretary's hand and pressed the button for direct connection to the Police Affairs Department.

"This is Watanabe! Immediately activate the highest-level emergency response! Code name 'Furnace'! Repeat, code name 'Furnace'!"

His voice like thunderclaps, exploded within the Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters.

Almost simultaneously with Watanabe's order being given, the entire Metropolitan Police Department, like a slumbering beast, was instantly awakened, operating at maximum efficiency in a frenzy!

The doors of the Emergency Response Center were flung open, the command center located within the headquarters instantly blazing with light, the massive electronic screens switching to real-time footage from the scene, a map of Minato Ward, and detailed information on Akimoto Shōta and his family.

Relevant personnel from all departments came running in to begin preparing to activate various emergency mechanisms, rousing the entire response center.

As the ace unit for handling hostage situations and terrorist attacks, SAT team members fully armed, boarded disguised vehicles, and roared out from their base, straight for Minato Ward!

A vast number of Mobile Unit members received orders to quickly assemble, running toward the buses, preparing to depart!

Investigation Division 1 would be led by its chief, Sugishita Ukyo, personally commanding a large group of elite detectives rushing to the scene!

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit prepared to mobilize, currently retrieving various equipment in the warehouse!

And the chief of the Public Relations Division of the General Affairs Department, Togasaki Tomonobu, also received the order: the Public Relations Division must immediately enter wartime status, preparing to face the domestic and international media about to surge in like a tide, while simultaneously monitoring online public opinion, preventing the spread of panic!

And when Uesugi Muneyuki returned to the Special Mission Unit, he saw everyone in the Special Mission Unit preparing to depart, Minami also intending to go to the scene personally; seeing him arrive, Minami immediately said: "Something happened! Muneyuki! The son of Foreign Minister Akimoto Shin'ichirō, Akimoto Shōta, has been kidnapped! He is now appearing in the plaza of Minato Ward, with ANFO explosives strapped to his body!"

"What?" Uesugi Muneyuki blinked, then immediately came to his senses: "You mean... the same kind of bomb as that Horikawa guy?"

"Right! And this time it's not a remote detonation—this time the IED is a collar device. According to Akimoto Shota himself, anyone who comes within ten meters of him will cause the red light on the collar to flash, and if the red light flashes more than fifty times, it will explode! We still don't know what the perpetrator intends to do with Akimoto Shota, but as firsthand witnesses to the Imperial Palace Case, our Special Mission Unit must go." Nango Yui spoke with grave urgency, his voice calm as he explained and tossed a bulletproof vest to Uesugi Muneyuki: "Uesugi Chief, put this on."

"This? Won't it be hot to wear?" Uesugi Muneyuki frowned.

"Uesugi-san, just wear it—this matter is somewhat out of the ordinary." Date Nagamune also spoke with slight trembling: "Just now, the Police Affairs Department reported receiving special permission from the Superintendent General."

"For this mission, we must carry firearms!"

Uesugi Muneyuki narrowed his eyes and immediately saw that everyone in the Special Mission Unit—whether Minami or Okada, Nango Kai or others—was armed, with Date even visibly wearing an M9.

Only Uesugi Muneyuki and Ishihara Mikoto lacked firearms permits.

Uesugi Muneyuki would absolutely never allow his Mikoto-nee to approach danger, so only he needed to wear the bulletproof vest.

The situation seems somewhat complicated……Could it be that high-ranking police officials still know other inside information?

Uesugi Muneyuki wanted to ask further, but Minami saw that everyone was nearly ready and immediately gave the order.

"Special Mission Unit! Deploy!"

"Yes!" came the resounding reply from within the Special Mission Unit.

Thus, armored vehicles, buses, police cars, and sedans all rushed together toward Minato Ward, heading straight for the young man weeping under the blazing sun, wrapped in explosives, as they accelerated with full force!

A race against time, terror, and political pressure has begun.

(Chapter End)