Chapter 565

Under the midsummer sun, the old man Ōsumikawa calmly made his demand.

He could talk, but he insisted that Uesugi Muneyuki must come in person to negotiate terms! Among so many police, he only trusted this non-police member of the Metropolitan Police Department!

Right, I don't just want to blow up—I want to blow up big, even bigger!

What's the point of blowing myself up? If I can bring down the nation's top leaders through my own actions, that's truly a massive explosion!

Damn, why didn't I think of that before?

Ōsumikawa thought of this and felt only deep regret, and when he saw Uesugi Muneyuki give him an affirming look: "Exactly, I think the same way," Ōsumikawa thought, not bad for someone of aristocratic birth—when it comes to being ruthless, you lot are the ruthless ones; this kind of trick is something we science-oriented guys could never think of.

This thought gave him a pleasure more lasting than an explosion.

He slowly released the detonator, raised his hand, and shouted at the police on high alert: "I want to negotiate terms with whoever's in charge here!"

"I don't trust a single one of you police—if we're negotiating, I only trust Uesugi Muneyuki!"

"Let him come, let him into my house—I'll talk with him! I can surrender, I won't detonate the explosives, I can consider turning myself in—provided that!" Ōsumikawa Minoru pointed at Uesugi Muneyuki: "Let me talk to him, just the two of us alone!"

Ōsumikawa's statement shocked all the police at the scene.

What, Fatty Four? Wasn't this guy planning to self-destruct earlier? Why did he suddenly say he'd turn himself in after Uesugi yelled at him twice?

Most of the police at the scene didn't know Ōsumikawa's background or what he'd been through, but they all clearly realized one thing: if Ōsumikawa blew himself up right here, then this huge operation and this important case would be considered a failure!

Today, the Tree Sea saw hundreds of police, ten armored vehicles, and three helicopters!

No, we can't mess up! If we can negotiate, this is a huge merit; if we can't, it's a major disaster!

All the police at the scene, including Inspector Kosaka of Investigation Division One, First Section, hesitated and unconsciously looked toward Uesugi Muneyuki.

How about—Uesugi Chief, you—go talk to him?

Only the Special Mission Unit members who knew the inside story firmly opposed it—whether it was Okada Masayoshi with his leadership identity, Nango Yui, or Kai Toru, Igarashi, and Ikeda Erena, etc. —none wanted Uesugi Muneyuki to take the risk.

This is a crazy old man! A crazy old man who'll blow everyone up!

Moreover, if Uesugi Chief has an accident, our Special Mission Unit can just disband right here—this this cannot!

Uesugi Chief, we can't do without you! Without you, how can our Special Mission Unit survive? We'd lose all meaning!

While Uesugi Muneyuki observed the shifting expressions of everyone nearby at the scene.

His mind recalled Professor Okochi's words: the essence of police is bureaucrats—they just happen to have police duties, and for bureaucrats, it's always personal interest > organizational interest > national interest.

Interest, interest, it's all about interest!

As previously stated, under the order system, the two consummate lawful evils are lawyers and bureaucrats; lawyers are easier to understand as inherently lawful evil because they essentially use the existing legal order to serve their goals to the fullest—whether defending irredeemable death-row criminals or seeking justice for the weak, their methods don't change.

And why is the bureaucrat's inherent lawful evil harder to grasp? Simply put, bureaucrats are people too, with their own thoughts and interests, which inevitably means they'll inevitably be biased in concrete execution, collectively unconsciously choosing what benefits them (at least does no harm), collectively unconsciously leaning toward directing affairs in their own favor.

Therefore, Uesugi Muneyuki is fully confident that, to see it through completely and fulfill his duty fully, Watanabe Eiji and Onoda will certainly agree to let him negotiate!

Picking up the specially made walkie-talkie, Uesugi Muneyuki said to the other side: "Superintendent General, Kanchoukanbou, leave it to me—I have confidence I can persuade Ōsumikawa."

The other end of the walkie-talkie stayed silent for a while, then Watanabe Eiji's voice came: "Muneyuki, be careful, don't rush—first ask for the terms and report immediately, don't argue, don't refuse!"

Uesugi Muneyuki showed a faint smile: "Good, wait for my good news."

Meanwhile, at the rear command post, Watanabe Minami looked at her father in disbelief—before, Minami had great confidence in Uesugi, but that was because he was under everyone's protection; now, her father actually agreed to let Uesugi go negotiate: "Superintendent?"

Minami felt her father had become somewhat alien; she realized for the first time that the shadow behind her usually radiant Police Superintendent General was just as unfathomable.

Watanabe Eiji remained silent; the Police Superintendent General glanced at his daughter, said nothing.

Mobilizing so many people, deploying so much force, obtaining the Cabinet's highest authorization and permission for large-scale equipment and firearms, my daughter—if it just ends like this, how am I to face the Cabinet and all the citizens?

Now, the only thing left is to trust Uesugi once more!

"Kanchoukanbou?!" On the other side, Sugishita Ukyo also shouted angrily: "Why like this? Where are the negotiation experts from Public Security? Why let Uesugi Chief keep taking risks?"

"Yeah, why did it become like this?" Onoda Kimiaki muttered, his eyes flickering, clearly having built up immense anger and restraint: "We deployed so many police, and in the end we need Uesugi-kun to take risks for us—why?"

"Kanchou, don't answer a question with a question!" Sugishita Ukyo flared: "Kanchoukanbou!!!"

Onoda Kimiaki didn't respond; he just gestured toward the frontline, indicating his agreement with Uesugi Muneyuki's plan.

After receiving permission, Uesugi Muneyuki came alone to the wooden hut, took a deep look at Ōsumikawa, then slowly bowed: "Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Ōsumikawa."

Venerable father! Terrifying outlaw!

"Mr. Uesugi, I respect you greatly." Ōsumikawa Minoru glanced at Uesugi Muneyuki, his eyes filled with unstoppable fatigue and excitement: "I'm willing to hear your terms—you say you'll help me, you say you'll ruin them, how do you plan to do it?"

"Let's go inside and talk." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded, then toward Ōsumikawa Minoru's back, his daughter Ōsumikawa Rina also nodded.

I, I see you!

Ōsumikawa Rina's face showed surprise, but this grudge remained silent, tightly clinging to her father's back, gazing at everything around her with eyes full of hatred.

Inside the abandoned wooden hut was a simple laboratory, reeking of strong diesel, piled with large amounts of bird droppings stone and rotting plants, plus many wooden tools and glass containers.

As expected, this guy really was making ANFO explosives in the Tree Sea using folk methods!

Uesugi Muneyuki's eyes flickered.

A chemical engineering expert, a super-capable hands-on type who could knead explosives by hand—a Shōwa-era man old-timer, already generating the embryo of a grudge—if I could make him work for me, then I wouldn't have to worry about chemical engineering expertise anymore!

Art is, explosion!

And, perhaps his daughter Rina's grudge in terms of sustaining life—

All things decay, all life is immortal!

"Sorry, there's nothing to offer you, Uesugi-san—just say it directly." Ōsumikawa casually pulled over a chair and sat down, coughing a few times: "How do you plan to help me?"

"Mr. Ōsumikawa, I want you to surrender, turn yourself in, disarm the bomb, and turn yourself in to the police." Uesugi Muneyuki said calmly: "You should know how big a deal it is when the son of the Foreign Minister gets blown up—right now, outside the Tree Sea, countless media are waiting, awaiting the results of this major search!"

"If you die here, it's just another terrorist dying in fear of punishment—news. But if you're willing to walk out and use your 'confession' as a weapon, in court and media, to conduct a public, prolonged execution by slicing on the Akimoto family—that's far more lasting and far-reaching than a single bomb's power." Uesugi Muneyuki lowered his voice and gestured: "This is the real atomic bomb that can utterly destroy them—do you understand my meaning?"

"I." Ōsumikawa Minoru indeed felt moved—he doesn't fear retaliation, he has late-stage pancreatic cancer, he's about to die, and if he can expose before death everything Rina endured and prove her innocence, that's his final wish as a father.

However, this chemical engineering engineer hesitated a bit, looking left and right, then said softly: "But I've reported these problems to the police more than once, I've also approached the media—completely useless! Police are just lackeys of the higher-ups! And those reporters' stories will also be taken down and deleted!"

"That's because the matter wasn't big enough." Uesugi Muneyuki said lightly: "Now it's different—now domestic and international media are all focused on this, countless cameras are trained on you, this big a thing, as long as the Metropolitan Police Department is willing to let you out and let you accept all media interviews, can this lid be kept on?"

Ōsumikawa had a sudden realization.

Exactly! Things have blown up to this point—how could it possibly be covered up?

"But, would you police be willing to do that? Do you know how many times I've called the police? The Yamanashi Prefecture police are just a bunch of beasts, bastards! It's either all kinds of buck-passing or using the excuse that Rina was 'willing'!" The old engineer still extremely distrusted the police.

"They would, as long as you agree to our conditions, I can guarantee, Headquarters and even the National Police Agency will definitely be willing to help." Uesugi Muneyuki said in a low voice: "First, you must surrender, and tell us the flow of the bombs and everything about the Sakikawa Restoration Army and the Red Goldfinch, then, when you accept the press conference, don't name names and attack the current ministers and the Police Headquarters at the time in your testimony, this is the bottom line."

"Public opinion can dig on its own, information can be left for the media to investigate on their own, but we cannot provide 'officially certified' shells." Uesugi Muneyuki said: "This is both maintaining the organization and the neutrality I represent, and also a kind of strategy."

"Implication and guidance are often more lethal than direct accusation."

"I can't name names directly, but every fact I state will point to those people, right?" Ōsumikawa Minoru stared into Uesugi's eyes.

"Facts speak for themselves." Uesugi Muneyuki answered calmly: "The law will pursue your behavior, while truth has its own power."

"Is that so, is that so, indeed, I will never believe the police, but your words—is that so? Uesugi-san, can you guarantee your credibility to me? Are you sure the police will agree to these conditions of yours? Are you sure you can persuade the police leadership?" Ōsumikawa was increasingly moved.

"Yes, I guarantee it to you." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded quietly: "I can swear to Kenshin Kō."

"Then good, I also have two conditions. First, I must stand trial alive, and there must be journalists present, I want to personally speak out my crimes and motives! Second, the police side must guarantee my safety during detention!"

"Okay, we can even help you find a doctor to treat your illness, you're already in late-stage cancer, but we'll do our best to let you live until the day the truth comes to light." Uesugi Muneyuki said in a low voice: "We will definitely guarantee your safety, until the very last—"

"moment, you can say everything you want to say to your heart's content, NHK, nationwide live broadcast!"

Ōsumikawa Minoru looked at the clear and determined gaze of the young man before him, and finally, he slowly let out a long breath.

"If that's the case, I agree to surrender."

Uesugi Muneyuki raised his head in satisfaction.

"However, I still have one last question, Uesugi-san, what is your purpose in doing this? By all accounts, you're one of their people too, right? Aren't you afraid, isn't the police organization afraid of retaliation from those people?" Ōsumikawa still had a question he couldn't figure out: "What are you helping me for?"

Uesugi Muneyuki smiled brilliantly, his eyes pure.

Plan Success!

"Because I'm just a forensic pathologist, what I have to do is make things clear!"