Chapter 541

Under the July Tokyo sun that felt like a barbecue grill, Uesugi Muneyuki and the others were sitting inside a Toyota; naturally, Ikeda was driving, and inside the car sat Uesugi Muneyuki, Watanabe Minami, Okada Masayoshi, and Kai Toru, while the rest were in another vehicle.

Minami naturally wouldn't squeeze in with other men, so the three big men sat in the back seat, and Minami Eirina sat in the front seat.

"The hostage, Akimoto Shota, 28 years old, a doctoral student at Keio University. His father is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Akimoto Shin'ichiro. Akimoto Shin'ichiro previously served as Director of the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office and Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, before transferring to Minister of Foreign Affairs." Okada Masayoshi, holding an ultra-thin notebook computer, said to Uesugi Muneyuki and the others: "As Foreign Minister, Akimoto Shin'ichiro is naturally also one of the candidates for Prime Minister."

"Akimoto Shota? I remember his reputation isn't very good." Kai Toru frowned, recalling: "It seems there were rumors about him before?"

"Yes, Akimoto Shota is a playboy. He himself has been involved in multiple sexual harassment and suspected rape cases, but they were all settled through his father's connections in the end." Okada Masayoshi said: "His reputation is mixed; on one hand he's a notorious playboy, but on the other he's very generous with money on women and friends. On his first day of enrollment at Keio University, he gave every classmate a Huawei Pura Senzoku Ōkami red phone."

"Pfft—" Minami in the front seat sputtered in amazement: "With a reputation that rotten, he could still get into Keio?"

"His admission method was a Keio Alumni Association recommendation. His father legally donated an entire building floor to Keio through multiple channels." Okada Masayoshi directed his gaze at Uesugi Muneyuki: "And one of the people responsible for arranging that large donation was precisely.."

"My dad, Uesugi Hironori, Chairman of the Keio University Alumni Association." Uesugi Muneyuki rolled his eyes.

The world is a circle, and Japan's upper society indeed goes round and round among these same people.

"Then there's no mistake. Back when I was still a local detective at a police station, the playboy son of Minister Akimoto was already famous, but he's always been willing to spend money so he always got settlements. Don't know what he's after this time—" Kai Toru nodded.

"In any case, through some method someone kidnapped Akimoto Shota and strapped a bomb on him. It's still unclear what the kidnappers want to achieve through this, and Akimoto Shota hasn't spoken either, seemingly waiting for everyone to arrive." Okada Masayoshi continued: "But according to counter-terrorism and police academy training, since terrorists do this, they definitely have demands."

"Just that it's currently unclear what connection exists between this group of terrorists and the Imperial Palace case terrorists." Minami in the front seat added: "No doubt about it, the bomb is almost exactly the same ANFO bakudan—what are the Public Security Police doing? Didn't they take over the Imperial Palace case?"

"Right, they took it over. The Public Security Police have practically turned over every stone; their files are stacked higher than you, Minami." Uesugi Muneyuki frowned with a hint of amusement: "But the opponent is extremely vigilant, and Horikawa is a confused demon witness, so there have been no further findings."

Hearing Uesugi Muneyuki say the files were higher than herself, Minami gave Uesugi Muneyuki a charming eye-roll, then spoke with full Management Officer authority: "In any case, this time is different from last time. SAT, Riot Police, Explosives Police, Negotiation Master, Public Security Police Investigation Division 1 — all are on scene. We absolutely cannot take risks going up to defuse the bomb like last time. Everyone follow my unified command, got it!"

"Roger!!!" A thunderous chorus of assent rang out inside the car.

Only Uesugi Muneyuki's expression still held a few traces of strangeness. The Foreign Minister's son — by rights his protection should be very solid, so why was he caught so easily?

Could it be?

Kansai? The Underworld? New God? But the New God already guaranteed they wouldn't come to Kantou again.

For now we can only wait and see what the situation actually is.

Uesugi Muneyuki had a premonition — this matter, it wouldn't be that simple!

Minato Ward TNEC Plaza, afternoon, approx 13:10.

The piercing wail of sirens approached from afar, tearing through the afternoon's stifling heat.

First to arrive were patrol cars from the nearby police station; they attempted to clear the area quickly, but when the police saw the ferocious explosives on Akimoto Shota and the flashing red light, all standard response plans were immediately negated.

A young police officer, under superior orders, tried to approach and shouted through a megaphone: "Calm down! Put down....

"Don't come over!" Akimoto Shota let out a heart-rending scream, suddenly pointing at the collar on his neck.

Someone approached, and that red light immediately started flashing again!

"Ding-dong~ Ding-dong~ Ding-dong~!"

"Don't come over, it'll explode!!!" The young man wailed crying: "I don't want to die aaaaaah!!!"

"Fall back! Fall back fast!" The leading Assistant Police Inspector, scared out of his wits, ordered at the top of his lungs.

All police retreated like a tide, leaving Akimoto Shota in the center of the open space gasping violently; only then did the red light calm down again.

Any form of approach, threatening movement, possibly even excessively loud sounds would cause the collar to flash, triggering that damn IED accelerated countdown!

At this moment, the well-trained Tokyo police fell into an unprecedented sense of powerlessness.

They could only pull a distant cordon, turning the core of this bustling commercial district into a temporary isolation zone, watching helplessly as that "human bomb" collapsed under the blazing sun, yet not daring to cross the line by a single step.

More police cars, black special vehicles roared in; SAT snipers took position on distant rooftops, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit's remote-controlled robots stood by, but no one dared act rashly. The air was thick with anxiety, helplessness, and immense pressure.

Outside the cordon, the crowd not only failed to disperse, but grew larger.

Office workers held up phones, filming this scene usually only seen in movies with a mix of terror and excitement.

One male office worker filmed with his phone while complaining: "What a joke— the Foreign Minister's son turned into a human bomb? What's become of this country? But— now there's big news to watch!"

At the same time, he looked at the building he worked in behind him, then at the bomb on Akimoto Shota, and suddenly felt a surge of joy.

Yay, no work today!

A mother passing by with a child retreated repeatedly in fright at this sight: "What's going on? Geez, why does it feel like Tokyo's been having this kind of event constantly these past two years? SAT's deployed more than in the past ten years combined. So fed up, can this country ever get better? Hurry up and leave! But the subway seems suspended? Will we get blown up?"

Meanwhile a delivery driver was cursing wildly in his heart: "Akimoto family's brat? Serves him right! Long heard he was no good, karma's come! Best if he blows up, should've blown up long ago! Whatever happens, blowing up these second-gens and corrupt old geezers is a good thing! The country's been sucked dry by them, but I'd better stay far away, don't let blood splash on me!"

Reactions of those around varied widely, and at this moment a news van's tires sparked, a standard Canadian-style drift swung it past the police cars behind, snatching a nearby parking spot first!

The door opened, and Fuji TV's star female anchor Tei Reiji, disregarding her sweat-soaked makeup, wearing only a thin cross-twist blouse and purple tight skirt, legs together, lightly hopped out of the car and began an emergency live broadcast facing the camera, tone agitated.

Scooped the headline!

You come from Odaiba, I give you a city of white fire, scorching heat waves fluttering piece by piece in the wind!

"Fuji Television, Fuji Television, viewers! I am Tei Reiji! This is in front of Tokyo Minato Ward TNEC Plaza!

As you can see, in the center of this area sealed off by police behind me, that extremely emotionally unstable youth is precisely the son of Foreign Minister Akimoto Shin'ichiro — Akimoto Shota!"

"He currently has large amounts of high explosives strapped to his body, and an extremely sensitive detonation device! Any police attempt to approach causes the detonation countdown to accelerate! We are witnessing an unprecedented hostage crisis, where the hostage is precisely the perpetrator himself, and simultaneously a living bomb pointed at the nation's power core!"

"Currently, Akimoto Shota keeps crying and shouting demanding all police assemble. What political conspiracy or personal grudge hides behind this? Who is the sacred one who strapped the bomb on him? How will the police break this thorny situation? Everyone's hearts are suspended in mid-air!"

"More news, brought to you anytime!"

Right in this deadlock, a black Toyota Camry sedan silently entered inside the cordon. The door opened, and a flawless foot wrapped in a 5cm standard commuter patent leather high-heeled shoe extended out, followed by a flawless delicate ankle and slender shapely calf wrapped in ultra-thin standard commuter 0L-style flesh-colored stockings.

Metropolitan Police Department Criminal Investigation Division 1 Special Mission Unit Management Officer Watanabe Minami makes her grand entrance!

"Ooh ooh ooh! It's the Special Mission Unit!"

"Big deal, big deal, Metropolitan Police Department sent out the Special Mission Unit right away aaaaaah!"

"Does Chief Uesugi have some unique insight on bombs too? Anyway, his appearance makes people feel at ease!"

Watanabe Minami's appearance instantly ignited the scene; many people crowded around, and there was noise from afar shouting "Special Mission Unit banzai!" "Lord Uesugi Gokan, we're counting on you!"

But Watanabe Minami ignored those; she immediately found the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit's person in charge, a white-haired old expert: "What exactly is the situation? Why haven't you acted yet?"

The old expert's face was grave: "Chief, situation's bad. As of now, there's nothing we can do!"

"What?!" Minami's expression changed drastically.

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit is powerless against the current situation?!

The scorching, sweltering weather made Watanabe Minami feel extremely uncomfortable, and as she watched the scene before her, she knew the Special Mission Unit was now facing not just a blazing furnace, but a hell that could explode at any moment!

At the same time, other television stations arrived one after another, all launching emergency live broadcasts!

NHK: Major incident! Bomb hostage situation at Minato Ward Plaza! The son of the Minister of Foreign Affairs is in absolute desperation!

NTV: The hostage's current situation is critical, with a possible explosion at any moment; it remains unclear what specific demands the kidnappers have!

Asahi Television: Is the son of Foreign Minister Akimoto Shin'ichirō, Akimoto Shōta, facing a bomb crisis? Or is it due to a series of prior events?

TBS: Various units of the Metropolitan Police Department are gradually entering the crime scene! Could the kidnappers be linked to an extremist organization?

TV Tokyo: Who likes to go to the 7-Eleven convenience store in the early morning for a steaming bowl of Kantō-style stew? Hehe, turns out it's me (≥≤)!

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