Chapter 732

Yeah, why isn't Uesugi Muneyuki panicking?

This is something Hayase Mary completely cannot understand.

Uesugi Muneyuki, this guy, from the start he came in alone by mixing in with the smoke, he had no preparation of bulletproof vests and weapons, even if he had some martial arts skills, on what basis does he think he can change the situation? On what basis is he not panicking?

The famous one of the four great swordsmen of the late shogunate, Hikozai Kawakami, once said: "The times have changed, sir, even if our martial arts are superb, we cannot beat foreign guns." Outside the window, the Tokyo Chūjō Building, in the night, is like a giant torch burning fiercely, thick smoke rolling, firelight flickering. The piercing alarm echoes in the city night sky, and farther away, the rumble of many police cars and fire trucks gathering can be faintly heard.

Social media has exploded, all kinds of speculation, panic, and on-site videos spreading wildly.

Time is passing second by second. Every second feels like a heavy hammer striking everyone's heart.

And in the core of this storm, the vacant raw concrete area on the 36th floor, Uesugi Muneyuki has just issued the most severe warning to the command vehicle.

He ended the call, turned his head to look at Hayase Mary, who was restrained but whose eyes remained cold and stubborn.

"Did you hear that?" His voice was not loud, yet it penetrated the distant gunfire and explosions: "The entire building, tens of thousands of people are evacuating. Your 'revenge,' how many innocents are you preparing to bury with you?"

Mary's mouth twitched, revealing a nearly distorted smile: "Innocent? In this city built on exploitation and hypocrisy, who is truly innocent? My mother back then, wasn't she 'innocent'?"

"Was your mother back then really not innocent?" Uesugi Muneyuki sneered and shook his head: "Want me to give examples, what did these people do back then? Not to mention, the Heiwa Bank robbery, eight lives lost, dozens injured, billions of yen in losses. Although your mother may not have personally participated, she was undoubtedly a member of the Red Goldfinch back then? And since choosing this path, one must bear the consequences—you can't be a new-new-human Kiki when chasing true love, then embrace the old military man Kaineys when Hathaway is executed?"

……………Compared to the harm this society caused her, it's not even worth mentioning!" Mary said fiercely: "My parents' affairs are my parents' generation's doing? Why should it affect me? What did I do wrong? I am me, Honda Atsuhito the murderer is a murderer! Why should I bear so much in place of my father? I graduated from university wanting to be a regular employee just because the political review failed! In my thirties, repeated failed matchmaking, still only able to be a dispatch worker! Now it's not the shogunate era anymore, why do I still carry original sin? And you, Uesugi Muneyuki! Old nobility child, can you just be born with a golden spoon in your mouth?"

"You dare say, if you weren't nobility, could you be so easily famous worldwide? If you weren't nobility? Could you so easily navigate between the Metropolitan Police Department and Tokyo University, and even marry the Superintendent General's daughter?"

"What qualifications do you have to point at me? This isn't India, no one should be born bearing original sin, not at all!"

……」This time it was Uesugi Muneyuki's turn to fall silent.

"This is precisely why I'm giving you another chance." Amidst the fireworks, Uesugi Muneyuki's expression was somewhat complex: "On this point, you're right—no one should be born bearing original sin, people shouldn't be born divided into Brahmins and Dalits, so I didn't tell the Metropolitan Police Department earlier that you are one of the main perpetrators."

"Give it up, Miss Mary, outside are all police." Uesugi Muneyuki's expression was stern: "Stop now, it's still not too late." At some point, Mary wavered slightly; she understood that Uesugi Muneyuki and others indeed held some sympathy for her situation.

However, you are police, I am bandit—we are ultimately people of two worlds!

Just then, the ceiling ventilation shaft grille above them was suddenly forced open!

A figure covered in soot and dust, with shattered glasses, holding a handgun, stumbled down—it was Takakura!

He had obviously escaped from the intense gunfire, following memory of the backup passage to reach here.

His gaze quickly swept over the hesitant Mary, then toward Uesugi Muneyuki, a ferocious and triumphant smile appearing on his face. Almost simultaneously, the safety door on the other side was violently forced open!

Honda Atsuhito stumbled in, looking even more disheveled than Takakura, with burns on his face, clothes torn, but tightly gripping a black detonator with physical buttons, his eyes frantically scanning the room before finally fixing on Mary.

"Mary!"

All four—Uesugi Muneyuki, Hayase Mary, Takakura, Honda Atsuhito—finally gathered together.

Outside the window burns the urban hell; inside is solidified hatred and madness.

The air is taut as a bowstring pulled to its limit.

"Father?!" Mary never imagined she would see Honda Atsuhito here!

Amidst the firelight and thick smoke, on this skyscraper filled with countless explosives! Father and daughter, reunited after thirty years. Honda Atsuhito has a gun.

Uesugi Muneyuki judged it to be a simulation gun, but Honda Atsuhito observed the three people at the scene, then without hesitation pointed the gun at Uesugi Muneyuki's head!

Because he is the only person of value among those present!

Are you all treating yourselves as hostages now?

Uesugi Muneyuki's mouth corner twitched slightly, but he said nothing, because although Honda Atsuhito pointed a gun at him, he wasn't looking at him.

His gaze was locked firmly on Hayase Mary, those eyes that had weathered hardship now brimming with turbid tears, rolling with thirty years of regret, worry, and a near-desperate plea.

"Mary……" Honda Atsuhito's voice was hoarse and broken, as if each word had been squeezed out with all his strength: "Put it down……please……""Put down?!" Mary felt as if scalded by that word, she jerked violently, though she held no gun, but the venom surging from her soul almost became substance: "What right do you have to tell me to 'put down'?! Did you put down me and my mother?! Did you put down your 'noble' bombs, come see the lives you destroyed?!"

Her voice was sharp, carrying a sobbing tremor, her eyes holding bone-deep hatred for this biological father before her, yet uncontrollably mixed with a trace she herself despised, a bloodline-originated complex sting.

In the photo left by her mother, her father was young, handsome, full of vitality and unique revolutionary fervor.

But now, appearing before her, is a sixty-year-old man, though he remains healthy and energetic, seeing him so disheveled, aged, and painful, a corner of her heart actually felt a shameful twinge.

Mary, she still hates me!

Hearing his daughter's words, Honda Atsuhito felt as if struck by lightning, his body trembled, but the gun barrel remained steadily aimed at Uesugi Muneyuki, as if that were the only support keeping him from collapsing.

"I was wrong……" He admitted frankly and heavily, without excuse: "Thirty years ago I was wrong, I had to abandon you then, I was worse than an animal, these thirty years……every day, I've been in hell."

His gaze briefly shifted from Mary's face, as if sinking into some distant memory, his speech quickened, carrying an urgency to confess: "In Brazil, in the rich and poor areas of Rio de Janeiro, I lived……I walked some places Che Guevara walked, saw much, thought more."

"I saw suffering, but also saw that the violence cycle brought only more ruins and tears. We back then……'Red Goldfinch'……thought bombs could awaken an era, but only created more orphans and widows and stronger cages." The former boss of the Red Goldfinch looked at Mary, tears finally rolling down his aged face: "Yuka and you are my most foolish 'revolution' price. I destroyed you……I destroyed……"

"Actually I know, I know it's very likely this is a trap, I guess it's very likely this is revenge!" Honda Atsuhito gritted his teeth through tears: "But I still came back, yes, child, I came back, father came back!"

His remorse was like a heavy lead block smashing into the air: "You, can you forgive father?"

Mary bit her lip, her face pale, eyes violently shaken, but the wall of hatred remained unbreakable.

Her mother had told him, these so-called left-wing revolutionaries, not a single true word in their mouths!

And Takakura, watching this splendid ethical drama from the side, couldn't help but laugh.

What golden eight o'clock slot? What《Warm and Cold Human World》? What《The Temptation of Returning Home》?

The mockery at the corner of his mouth grew stronger, but deep in his eyes a flicker of anxiety flashed.

The situation is deviating from his preset "explosive aesthetics" script.

Honda Atsuhito suddenly sucked in a breath, as if making some decision, the gun muzzle pressed harder toward Uesugi Muneyuki's position: "Doctor Uesugi, I know what you represent. Let your people, all police, SAT, all withdraw!"

His voice suddenly rose, carrying undeniable resolve: "The explosives I made, only I know how to detonate!"

"!!!" Uesugi Muneyuki, Takakura, and Mary stared at Honda Atsuhito in simultaneous shock.

Indeed, this old fox kept a trick up his sleeve!

Uesugi Muneyuki's eyes flickered a few times, then he pressed the walkie-talkie: "Command Center, I am Uesugi. Suspect Honda Atsuhito is here, he claims absolute control over the building bomb, threatens that if police continue advancing he will immediately detonate, requests……temporary withdrawal, stabilize the situation, repeat, suggest assault troops temporarily withdraw to safe floors to standby."

The order was transmitted via radio to the Command Center, causing a suppressed clamor and fierce debate, but finally, facing possible instant disaster, Jindai-buchō gritted his teeth and issued the withdrawal order: "Understood, immediately order withdrawal!"

The approaching SAT footsteps and the gunfire from below indeed quickly faded, leaving only heart-pounding silence and standoff.

"Good! Now immediately tell the police! Let them clear a road! Prepare a vehicle for us, and also 100 million yen in cash! Let us few people leave!" Takakura only then realized he had been fooled, the muzzle of his gun, slowly but firmly, from possibly pointing at anyone, steadily aimed at Honda Atsuhito!

"Old fox……you acted so real!" Takakura's laughter was full of anger at being fooled and icy killing intent: "Only you know how to detonate'?? Almost made me believe your father-son deep affection and repentance act!"

"Put down the gun! Takakura!" Honda Atsuhito gestured for Marie to come over, hiding behind him: "I don't care about your affairs, I just want my daughter! Do whatever you want!"

"Put down the gun! Calm down, put down the gun!" Uesugi Muneyuki raised both hands, gesturing that he would comply with Takakura's demand: "Give me a moment, I'll have headquarters contact for a vehicle right away! Prepare the money!"

"Takakura! You promised me!" Marie shouted angrily: "You promised me, let this person, let Honda Atsuhito become a murderer, death penalty, hanging! Never to rise again!"

"Marie! Don't go crazy, he's just using you!" Honda Atsuhito shouted just as loudly.

"How many brothers below are wounded? You want me to put down the gun?" Takakura likewise screamed in a frenzy.

"Put down!"

"Marie!"

"Why did you betray the organization?"

"I came because I want to protect my daughter!"

"Why did you betray the organization?"

"Put down the gun! I'll contact you right now!"

"Put down!!!"

All four were shouting angrily, trying to dominate the topic, just as Uesugi Muneyuki roared, "I'll call for a vehicle for you right now!"—in that instant, Takakura suddenly turned the gun barrel, without hesitation, and fired at Marie!

The bullet struck Marie's right shoulder, and she cried out in pain as she fell to the ground!

None of the three had time to react, as Takakura, taking advantage of the moment Honda Atsuhito's attention was diverted by Marie, immediately turned the gun barrel and fired at Honda Atsuhito!

Several bullets struck Honda Atsuhito's chest!

Afterwards, Takakura emptied the entire magazine of his handgun at Uesugi Muneyuki! The close-range rapid fire caused Uesugi Muneyuki to clasp his hands over his head and be thrown backward on the spot, slamming into the concrete-poured load-bearing wall!

The 36th floor suddenly fell silent.

Only the mournful cry of "goo-goo-gah-gah" remained.