Chapter 949: , One Woke Up and the Whole of Gotham Became the Enemy!

PS: Sorry, I fell asleep halfway through typing, so I'm late, gosh!

The materials from the Second Investigation Division were delivered to the Special Investigation Headquarters the following afternoon.

A young clerk, clutching a manila file folder, jogged down the hallway, placing the folder on the table in front of Ukyo Sugashita, still slightly out of breath.

The folder wasn't thick, its edges worn from frequent handling, as if it had been flipped through many times.

Kaoru Kameyama walked over, opened the file folder, pulled out a few pages, quickly scanned them, then handed them to Ukyo Sugashita: "Mr. Sugashita!" "Yare yare." Ukyo Sugashita opened the folder: "Let's see what happens next."

It was an investigation report on Kiyonori Sugimoto, primarily based on tax records, real estate registrations, and public information from several companies associated with him.

The report noted that during his tenure as a member of parliament, Kiyonori Sugimoto had received several political donations through an affiliated company; the total was not insignificant, but the flow of funds remained unclear.

The report also mentioned that he owned several properties, whose purchase timing and funding sources did not fully align with his disclosed parliamentary income. Additionally, it included several anonymous tip records concerning his relationship with a certain construction company, though the informant provided no concrete evidence and there was no follow-up.

As previously mentioned, members of parliament may employ up to three secretaries; Kiyonori Sugimoto chose to appoint a relative and his nephew as his second and third secretaries, which theoretically falls into a gray area… but in practice, this is permitted—consider how many founding fathers and politicians have had brothers or fathers and sons serving together? It's not uncommon to see father-son pairs both being founding figures.

A famous author, Grenade Afraid of Water, once elaborated on this issue, terming it the ability for "political commitment" and "political fulfillment"; without successors, such capacity would drastically diminish.

And no matter how many times humanity has tried, history proves that the most reliable and intimate relationships are still blood-based, and power is always most easily transmitted through blood.

Ukyo Sugashita read those pages from beginning to end, without speaking.

Kaoru Kameyama also finished reading, tapping his finger on the paper: "Kiyonori Sugimoto has received several payments from unknown sources, nominally labeled as consulting fees, but in reality, that company has no actual business dealings with him. Isn't this typical corporate bribery? Moreover, his several properties—one in Karuizawa, one in Shonan—each priced far beyond what a normal parliamentary income could afford."

"Just over 30%." Ukyo Sugashita placed the pages on the table, looking at Kaoru Kameyama: "These fall within the normal range; among all members of parliament, roughly half would not withstand such scrutiny. If this alone justified murder, then the Dark Knight should start at the entrance of Nagatacho and fight all the way to the exit."

"From Hyakuso-en to Sanmi Shokoya?" Kaoru Kameyama exclaimed angrily: "Or from Sendai all the way to Tokyo Bay?"

"This is Japan, we are a nation of law, not a blood god arena or Gomorrah." Ukyo Sugashita delivered a warhammer joke: "There must be other reasons."

Kaoru Kameyama paused, looking down at the spots he had just pointed to: "You're right. These aren't strong enough. Bribery, unexplained funds, real estate—these are common issues among politicians. They cannot serve as direct motives for the Dark Knight's killings."

Ukyo Sugashita returned the documents to the folder: "Keep investigating. Not to determine whether Kiyonori Sugimoto's crimes are proven, but to uncover why the Dark Knight chose him. If his crimes don't sufficiently support a murder motive, then there must be other reasons."

At that moment, the Tokyo investigation network had already been deployed.

In the afternoon, led by Ukyo Sugashita, hundreds of officers were divided into numerous teams, each assigned a list.

Some checked Kiyonori Sugimoto's financial records, others his communication logs, some interviewed his neighbors, and others retrieved surveillance footage from all cameras around the crime scene.

All of Tokyo resembled an unfurled net, with someone stationed at every intersection.

News media also began synchronized tracking.

NHK devoted extensive coverage in its midday news to reviewing the entire Dark Knight incident, revisiting his first four actions, public support for him, and the death of the parliament member.

Commentators on camera said: "The Dark Knight has crossed the line. He is no longer a symbol of justice; he has become a criminal. If police fail to apprehend him swiftly, this nation's rule of law will face an unprecedented challenge."

Meanwhile, the top comment read: "Why does this country have so many challenges?"

Likewise, while Ukyo Sugashita and Kaoru Kameyama were discussing, that afternoon, at an inn on Hachijo Island, Munetsugu Uesugi was similarly staring at his phone. The screen displayed an email from Ryoichi Kireikawa, head of the Tokyo Prosecutor's Office Special Investigation Unit.

The content was far thicker than the materials from the Second Investigation Division, neatly formatted and clearly categorized, as if professionally organized.

The email attached detailed financial flow records of Kiyonori Sugimoto over the past ten years, with several "consulting fees" from specific enterprises specifying exact amounts and timestamps.

It also included a record of Kiyonori Sugimoto's interactions with a certain religious group, lacking direct proof of illegal activity, but his name appeared multiple times in the group's internal meeting minutes.

Furthermore, it mentioned that Kiyonori Sugimoto had a mistress, a young woman who had just passed the regular employee recruitment at a large corporation; their relationship was stable, he frequently met her and used parliamentary hospitality funds for meals and drinks, yet he always adhered to reimbursement limits, never exceeding 15,000 yen per person on average.

At the end, a brief note read: "Currently available data remains insufficient to constitute a clear murder motive."

Munetsugu Uesugi stared at the screen, then locked it and slipped his phone into his pocket.

In the room, Erena Ikeda, Rie Maeda, and Kota Aso sat together, as Munetsugu Uesugi briefed them on the situation.

"An honest official!" Rie Maeda exclaimed, tears welling: "Net worth not exceeding eight digits, merely accepting corporate consulting fees for extra income—even if using public funds to pursue women, he still observes reimbursement caps, never taking an extra penny! What Dark Knight? Criticize the Dark Knight! Does he not realize such people are already high-ranking officials? If he falls, it will only be due to internal power struggles among elites."

…………… Kota Aso remained silent, being of the Aso family—whether in favor or opposition, he is wrong; myriad words in a single bow, myriad changes never departing from the essence.

"Indeed," Munetsugu Uesugi nodded, "but one thing remains unexplained: how did he know those people's crimes? The first four targets were indeed guilty, yet unpunished by law. He possessed that information and acted faster than police. This indicates a stable, efficient information source, enabling him to obtain case details before prosecutors and police, then filter them." "Yet this time is strange—even with the special investigation unit's capabilities linked to Uesugi, we cannot find any particularly serious crime by Kiyonori Sugimoto." Erena Ikeda, holding a disguised juice pouch, remarked casually.

"He relies on data filtering ability, not physical strength. His ability to find those who escaped legal punishment shows his data is more comprehensive than the Metropolitan Police's. The police archive system is accessible; if someone is willing to spend time sifting through old files and comparing overlooked details, they could reconstruct the Dark Knight's first four targets. Those cases were already reported, discussed, and forgotten by the public. The Dark Knight did not create new information—he merely gathered scattered fragments from various corners and reassembled them as needed. The first four targets were precisely those whom 'the public believes guilty, but the law cannot punish.' These are public information, merely requiring time to organize." Kota Aso finally spoke.

"So he may not have an insider, but simply done extensive desk work. This demands much time and effort. But if so, he should also have anticipated the reaction to Kiyonori Sugimoto's death. If he is truly a patient, calculating individual, he should know what a parliament member's killing signifies." Munetsugu Uesugi stroked his chin: "So, a copycat crime?"

"If the perpetrator this time is not him, but someone imitating him, then it shows the killer not only knows the Dark Knight's methods, but also his card style, and can escape the scene without leaving a trace. This indicates the imitator is also a trained, meticulous planner." Rie Maeda said: "But to this point, it doesn't fit—if it were a copycat crime, why would he kill?"

"Let us assume two people are now acting under the Dark Knight's identity. One is the original Dark Knight, who has committed four acts without killing. The other is a new imitator who kills. The public would blur their actions." Munetsugu Uesugi said: "If we can identify the imitator's flaw in the Kiyonori Sugimoto case, perhaps we can uncover his identity—though we currently lack such evidence."

Erena Ikeda exclaimed: "Is this the difference between Batman and Robin?"

Munetsugu Uesugi glanced at her, lips twitching into a nearly imperceptible arc: "Wow, Master, you're amazing! You actually know Batman and Robin!"

"I occasionally watch DC films and comics with Asuka too." Erena Ikeda pouted.

Rie Maeda sat up straighter on the sofa armrest: "Batman? That American comic superhero?"

"Yes. Batman also uses violence to punish criminals, without killing. His very existence is a deterrent. But this character has a fundamental flaw—he can never truly win or lose. Villains never die permanently; they always escape from Arkham Asylum and resume crime. Bruce Wayne is forever trapped in the same cycle." Munetsugu Uesugi said: "Because the story can never end." Kota Aso turned his head: "Then why does he keep going? Doing an endless task—doesn't it tire him?"

"Because the logic of serial publication demands Batman win, but not completely; villains must lose, but not completely. Today Joker escapes, Batman recaptures him; tomorrow he escapes again, is recaptured again. This process can loop infinitely. Batman won't age, won't die, won't quit. But this also means his existence inadvertently gives villains a reason to persist."

Erena Ikeda leaned against the sofa back: "So you think Batman is actually trapped in an inescapable loop?" "He is trapped in that loop. Every time he locks Joker in Arkham, he prepares for the next escape. He believes he's stopping crime, but in fact he's sustaining it. Comics can't end, Batman can't stop." Munetsugu Uesugi sighed: "In reality, each villain is superbly crafted, but the more successful they are, the less writers want to kill them off, and audiences can't accept a villain's total exit."

"By contrast, the Punisher kills—this is the comic's setting—but the outcome is that every carefully crafted villain fails to survive the next chapter, shortening the story's lifespan and reducing the number of readers willing to follow."

"Batman himself has always walked the line between light and darkness, because his actions are right, yet he fully understands they are illegal; yet his inner sense of justice and mission compels him to pursue wrongdoers and save people."

"At the same time, he knows he is merely human—humans have weaknesses, moments of softness, sensitivity, and error; he needs a baseline to pull himself back, one that tells him: although you've broken the law, you've caused no harmful results, you're doing good."

"This baseline is his accountability for his actions—namely, not killing."

Munetsugu Uesugi said: "Because once he crosses that line, Batman is no different from the Joker. The U. S. has castle laws and no-retreat laws; in most states, there are many legal ways to kill someone, and you could even hang a sign like many Alaskan stores: 'We have guns, we won't call the police.'"

"Pfft!" Erena Ikeda couldn't help but laugh.

"Normally, Batman should retire after a while; given Wayne Enterprises' strength and Batman's influence, he could easily form his own city council. But since comic serialization can't stop, and as the most popular and relatable figure, DC Comics, whenever launching a new superhero seeking popularity, the best tactic is to ride Batman's coattails—thus Batman became the Joker, became Sisyphus." Munetsugu Uesugi laughed.

There must always be a crisis, always villains appearing, the universe constantly exploding and rebooting, rebooting then exploding again.

83 years have passed, Wayne Sr., Bane has escaped again, Superman has died, the universe has rebooted again, Joker wants to entwine with you, fluttering~ Tata kai, forever touching Tata kai!

Rie Maeda looked at him: "What about the Dark Knight? Will he not end up becoming exactly what he most fears?"

"Yes, because the temptation to take lives and morally condemn others is deadly for humanity." Munetsugu Uesugi said solemnly: "This sweetness, once tasted, can never be forgotten; humanity is fundamentally obsessed with power, and 'I have, you lack' is the greatest source of joy."

"If the Dark Knight truly exists, his actions are actually accelerating that cycle?" Munetsugu Uesugi picked up his phone, reactivated the screen, and gazed at the briefing on the Dark Knight: "You know the real world has no screenwriter. No manuscript awaits to mold him into a perfect hero; instead, each action continuously reinforces his self-approval and validation of his deeds. Batman can't stop fighting because the plot demands it, but Batman never kills because the plot demands it."

"Ordinary people can't withstand it; they'll cross that line soon enough. If someone hasn't crossed it, that only means they died before they had the chance to." Uesugi Muneyuki said casually.

"Yes, my father said the same thing to me. There's no such thing as a Vanguard Team or peasant army leader who won't corrupt. In essence, everyone is a can of peaches — corruption is only a matter of time. If they haven't corrupted, it's because they're already dead." Asō Kōta said rather proudly: "Uesugi-san thinks so too, right? Our Great Japan has its own national conditions."

Uesugi Muneyuki did not answer him.

"……" Ikeda Erena frowned. She was just about to say something when she heard Uesugi Muneyuki speak: "Wait, what was the sentence before the one I said about the greatest source of happiness?"

"Legally depriving others of their lives……"

"No, the previous sentence!" Uesugi Muneyuki said in a deep voice.

He felt as if he had missed something.

What could it be?