Chapter 656

Gunshots??

Uesugi Muneyuki suddenly realized the other party definitely had accomplices! He immediately stepped silently downstairs.

Oh no, the other party still has a gun!

Moreover — Uesugi Muneyuki glanced at the rain curtain outside; this was a cold rainy night, adding a touch of unease.

The icy rain did not extinguish the suddenly erupted scorching crisis beneath the apartment building.

When Fujisaki Tatsuya and Fujisaki Kenji heard the abnormal impact from upstairs and the vague shout of "police," they realized things were going badly.

Extremists long in a state of tension reacted almost like conditioned reflexes.

They did not attempt to go upstairs to rescue Warehouse Stone Junxiong, who was trapped in the narrow corridor — equivalent to suicide — but instead chose a more frenzied action: breakout!

Fujisaki Tatsuya grabbed the Glock 19 leaning against the wall, while Fujisaki Kenji seized a backpack containing homemade incendiary bottles, remaining ammunition, and another Glock.

The two yanked open the window facing the apartment back alley, ignoring the second-floor height, and jumped directly down, rolling upon landing on the wet, muddy ground.

Almost simultaneously, Patrol Sergeant Igarashi Hayato, responsible for blocking the back alley, and two Junsoo Chosa patrol officers heard the commotion.

"Don't move! Police!" Igarashi Hayato's tall frame blocked the alley entrance as he shouted sternly.

In response, Fujisaki Tatsuya raised his gun without hesitation and spat out tongues of flame!

"Bang! Bang!"

Bullets scraped past the wall beside Igarashi Hayato, kicking up gravel and sparks.

Igarashi Hayato and his subordinates broke out in a cold sweat, immediately seeking cover.

They were not lacking the courage to return fire, but the situation made them hesitant — the alley was narrow, with densely packed old apartment buildings on both sides, and startled residents' silhouettes could be vaguely seen behind windows.

Worse still, the gunfire caused confused civilians on the front street to begin gathering and stirring, with some even trying to approach and watch!

"Evade! Seek cover! Warn the crowd to retreat! Do not return fire! Repeat, do not easily return fire!" Okada Masayoshi's urgent but clear command came through Igarashi Hayato's earpiece.

In such a complex, crowded environment, ricochets are deadly, and the consequences of stray bullets injuring innocent civilians are unbearable for anyone.

As previously mentioned, once Japanese police fire, things become very troublesome — reports must be written, followed by internal review, review by the District Public Prosecutors Office and Ministry of Justice, social controversy, and media pressure, often turning officers into scapegoats.

Not to mention Japan's near-zero tolerance principle for "accidental injury"; even if one could prove 100% it was a ricochet accident, the involved officer would still almost certainly face unconditional punishment and reassignment to a peripheral department!

Besides this, who is supposed to take responsibility?!

The Fujisaki brothers obviously also realized the police's hesitation, laughing loudly as they said, "You lot of Chōtei Yingquan, system lackeys, scared now?"

But soon another person's appearance made them unable to laugh.

Ikeda Erena drew her pistol and pointed it straight at the two brothers.

Who is supposed to take responsibility?

I will take responsibility!

The tall, judo-beauty female officer didn't care about all that; she had only one thought.

Catch these two people, don't let them run!

And facing Ikeda Erena, the famous judo-beauty female officer, the Fujisaki brothers likewise felt immense psychological pressure.

Not only is she a police celebrity, but she also has multiple glorious records of upholding justice and punishing evil, and her appearance is striking with a fiery figure.

More importantly, Ikeda Erena is a woman!

To leftists, gender liberation and preferential treatment for women are etched into these people's source code DNA!

Fujisaki Tatsuya, while using gunfire to suppress the alley entrance, shouted: "Kenji! Ignite! Throw it out!"

Fujisaki Kenji fumbled nervously to light an incendiary bottle and hurled it forcefully toward the trash can where Igarashi Hayato and others were hiding.

Molotov Cocktail?!

Ikeda Erena, though dazed, was not stupid; she hesitated briefly, then dodged.

"Boom!" The flame from the low-quality gasoline mixture exploded across the damp ground; though it caused no serious injury, the rising firelight and thick smoke further created chaos, obstructing police vision and pursuit routes.

"This way! Quick!" Fujisaki Tatsuya seized the opportunity, sprinting toward the previously scouted route leading to complex alleys and abandoned factory areas.

Fujisaki Kenji closely followed.

Police were hindered by the incendiary bottle, then had to divert attention to disperse the onlooking crowd approaching, preventing them from entering the stray bullet zone.

After the flames slightly died down and the smoke was dispersed by rain, two black shadows had already vanished into the labyrinthine depths of the back alley.

"Report! Targets two fleeing northwest toward the abandoned factory area! Armed with firearms, threw incendiary devices! Our side uninjured, but failed to intercept, requesting instructions!" Igarashi Hayato reported ruefully, rain and sweat mixing as they streamed down his face.

Ikeda Erena also softly murmured a few sentences, ruefully lowering her pistol.

Upstairs, Uesugi Muneyuki, descending rapidly, heard the entire process at the stairwell entrance.

His expression remained calm, without blame.

When Okada Masayoshi and Nango Yui, two Career Track elites, arrived from their respective positions, faces solemn with a hint of unfulfilled accomplishment, Uesugi Muneyuki merely nodded slightly at them.

"The scene is complex, civilians densely packed, your handling was appropriate." Uesugi Muneyuki's voice remained clear amidst the rain: "Protecting civilian safety comes first. Pursuit and encirclement may continue, but we must reassess the environment and devise a meticulous plan. Immediately retrieve all nearby surveillance, blockade possible escape routes, contact the local police station for joint search. They won't get far."

"Yes!" Okada and Nango breathed a sigh of relief, immediately taking their leave.

Although they are elites, facing these thugs who completely disregard civilians and use brutal means in the confined space of a bustling district, they are indeed handcuffed and shackled — a full assault is not the best choice.

Moreover, as Career Track members, Okada and Nango were trained to command the overall situation; close-combat gunfights are neither their strength nor necessary — haven't you seen Minami Ojou-sama mostly sitting in the office? Even in major cases, she commands from the Special Investigation Headquarters; this is actually the correct use of Career Track.

How did that saying go again?

"Using arrows is too expensive, let the Irish go first." — King "Longlegs" Edward of England, at this moment, Kashiwagi Jin, Date Nagamune, and Kai Toru escorted the handcuffed, drenched, and disheveled Warehouse Stone Junxiong down the stairs.

Warehouse Stone Junxiong still bore injuries on his face, but his eyes had already regained a certain mockery and madness.

He heard the earlier report and the commotion outside.

"Ha————hahaha!" Warehouse Stone Junxiong suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly, his voice especially piercing in the rainy night: "Got away! Tatsuya! Kenji! Well done! I knew it! You lot of cops, just relying on numbers! In the face of those who truly dare to risk their lives, you're useless! Afraid to hurt those ants? Hypocritical! Cowardly!"

His mockery was like a knife, scraping the ears of every officer present.

Several young patrol officers showed angry expressions.

Kashiwagi Jin's face darkened, about to scold, but Okada Masayoshi had already stepped forward.

This Elite Criminal Investigator from a bureaucratic family, long known for his reserve and composure, wore no anger on his face now, only a cold, condescending calm.

He walked up to the detained Kurashi Junxiong, halted, bent slightly, and his frigid gaze pierced the other's manic eyes with the precision of a scalpel.

"You can only laugh right now, Kurashi Junxiong."

Okada's voice was not loud, even flat, but each word fell like ice beads on the ground.

"Your accomplices are fleeing in the rain like stray dogs, while you, the Violent Group boss's son, self-styled Revolutionary Fighter, are now a prisoner of the Metropolitan Police Department. Your stolen gun won't save you, your revered Mentor won't save you, and even your 'Ultimate Katana father' weeping and begging us to give you a chance can't save you right now."

He straightened, adjusted his suit cuffs, equally soaked by the rain yet still crisp, his tone carrying a near-cruel, matter-of-fact indifference: "What awaits you is no martyr's hymn, only lengthy interrogation, cold iron bars, and your father's face on television — old tears streaming, yet powerless — as he watches you receive a heavy sentence. This has only just begun. Take him away."

"And, you just mentioned Tatsuya and Kenji, right?" Nango Yui followed up, thoughtful: "Thanks for the tip, we'll investigate those two names."

The manic laughter on Kurashi Junxiong's face froze, gradually twisting into an expression blending anger, fear, and a deeper despair.

He opened his mouth, as if to retort or curse, but under Okada Masayoshi's cold, penetrating gaze, he was struck mute for a moment, and could only be roughly shoved and escorted toward the police car.

The rain kept falling.

The Wisteria Cape Brothers have temporarily escaped, but the police dragnet is already cast.

And Kurashi Junxiong's capture is like the first crack torn in the "Sakikawa Restoration Army's" hard shell. In the black night, pursuit and counter-pursuit, interrogation and offense-and-defense, have only just entered a deeper, more intense chapter.

Uesugi Muneyuki watched Kurashi Junxiong's back view as he was loaded into the car, then glanced at the dark alley mouth where the two accomplices vanished, his gaze deep.

Behind the Sakikawa Restoration Army, there is definitely still something; although Takigawa Tsubasa is dead, there is definitely still something.

Otherwise, why would this organization know the upper echelons of the system inside out, why would it be so familiar with the N Network and Minister Akimoto's affairs, why could it successfully plan so many operations?

But the problem is — what exactly is it?

Suddenly, Uesugi Muneyuki's body shuddered, he associated a certain possibility —

Could it be?!

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