Chapter 955

The lighting in the interrogation room was brighter than outside, leaning white with no warm tones, evenly spread across the gray walls and concrete floor.

Nakamura Zuozhen sat on the iron chair, his hands resting flat on the tabletop, fingers neither clenched nor relaxed.

His right hand was still wrapped in bandages, which had not been removed after the pat-down, only confirmed to be concealing nothing.

Across from him sat Itami Kenichi, section chief of the Fifth Section, Investigation Division 1, and beside him a young patrol section chief (actually already thirty, but considered young for the non-career track), Qingze Keji, with an open transcript in front of them, the pen hovering above the paper, waiting to fall. Itami Kenichi opened the file folder; the first page was the on-site photo of Guobu Guize, he glanced at it, pushed it to the center of the table, but said nothing to urge him on.

"You're absolutely right!" Nakamura Zuozhen lowered his head to look at the photo, stared for a while, then lifted his head, shifting his gaze away, somewhat mockingly: "It was me. I killed Guobu Guize. The previous four cases were also me. Your deductions are all correct—those were all done by me, I admit it."

"You confessed?" Itami Kenichi's bitter melon face was very serious, but also carried a hint of unexpected ease.

"Really... the Metropolitan Police Department even dispatched Uesugi Chief—what else can I say? whatcanisay? Zuozhen, out! Consider you cops the winners!" Nakamura Zuozhen was remarkably straightforward: "I only have one request."

"What?"

"Don't involve my sister." Nakamura Zuozhen said solemnly: "She has nothing to do with this! She is completely unaware!"

"Regarding this part, we'll decide based on the situation later. If it's truly confirmed that your sister, Zhong Cun Mingli, is unrelated to this matter, we will not sue her." Itami Kenichi nodded: "In that case, let's go through the procedure!"

Itami Kenichi's gaze did not move. "First case, September of the year before last. In a Minato Ward apartment building, a man was beaten to serious injury at home. Who was he? Why was he chosen?"

"His name was Ximura Makoto, that man was a habitual domestic abuser, beating his wife for three years, she reported him three times, each time dismissed due to insufficient evidence. His wife once suffered a ruptured spleen from his beatings, he refused to pay medical fees, the court ordered compensation, he dragged his feet on execution. I tailed him for two weeks, confirmed his nightly return time, then entered when he opened the door. I struck him seven times, all on torso and limbs, no fatal injury. He likely lay in the hospital for about two months."

Itami Kenichi's gaze paused on the transcript for a moment, as if waiting for him to add something: "Continue."

Nakamura Zuozhen did not hesitate, his voice steady as if reciting a long-prepared manuscript: "Second case, last June. In Shibuya Ward, a cram school teacher was beaten to serious injury in his own apartment. That teacher surnamed Takahashi taught middle school math at the cram school, had molested several female students, the youngest only twelve. Parents reported him, police searched his computer and phone, but those children refused to testify in court, fearing retaliation, and he himself indeed had some mental issues, so the case was dropped."

"I tailed him for two weeks, confirmed he had no plans to move, nor any precautions. I entered when he returned home, struck him nine times, no fatal injury. He stayed in the hospital for about one and a half months."

Itami Kenichi said nothing, waited for him to continue, but his gaze remained fixed on his face.

"Third case, Shinjuku Ward, a doctor beaten to serious injury in his own apartment. That doctor was called An Tian, he abused his position to forge death certificates, helping a patient's family defraud high insurance money, then took a cut. The insurance company spotted discrepancies, reported to police. But that relative insisted it was his own negligence in filling wrong information, taking all blame upon himself, the doctor faced no charges. I tailed him for a month, confirmed his routine, confirmed he had no bodyguard, no lock change, then struck him on his way home. I struck him six times, all non-vital spots. He stayed in the hospital for about two weeks, then due to complications was repeatedly hospitalized for four months; added together, possibly longer than the previous two."

"Fourth case, you know, the Matsuda nurse feces IV drip murder case." Nakamura said casually: "No need to elaborate? Anyway, I also spent considerable time confirming her movements and opportunities—this kind of woman just deserves a merciless iron-fist punishment!"

Itami Kenichi put down his pen: "How did you find them? What is your source of information?"

Nakamura Zuozhen did not answer immediately, his gaze falling on the edge of the spread-out paper on the table: "I have no insider information. I just spend time looking at cases reported by media but with no follow-up, identifying possible suspects from details. Some cases were dropped, but information remains; as long as you piece together those scattered fragments, there are clues to follow."

His gaze lifted from the tabletop to Itami Kenichi's face: "Then came Guobu Guize."

"He's different. He's a National Diet member, and also the kind of person I can reach who uses connections to push others out. My sister went to interview at a major corporation half a year ago, had already passed several rounds of screening, was about to be hired. But at the final step, she was told 'quota full,' no longer considered. Later I found out her quota was taken over by one—Sasaki Ayaka. A National Diet member's mistress, via a single recommendation letter, pushed out a truly capable fresh graduate!" Nakamura Zuozhen gritted his teeth: "My sister slit her wrists that very night. Didn't die, but she might as well have died once. I spent time confirming this, then spent time confirming Sasaki Ayaka's schedule and movements, then followed her footsteps to find that National Diet member. So, if I'm sitting here today because I killed someone, then yes, I killed. But I never picked the wrong target!"

"I am executing justice! I aim to resolve society's injustice! I am the Judge! I am the Dark Knight! You can take down one me! But you cannot take down thousands and thousands of mes!"

"When one Dark Knight falls, thousands and thousands of Dark Knights rise, the truly brutal act cannot be killed!" Nakamura Zuozhen said coldly laughing: "Because under the same mask, it's a free soul!"

"I know doing this will draw Uesugi Muneyuki, I might not escape! But so what? Justice resides in the heart! You lot of clothed beasts, continue being lapdogs of National Diet members! Afterwards I'd like to see if they need ten police in front and ten behind when going out, plus tanks and armored vehicles clearing the way? Ahahahahaha~"

Meanwhile, outside, Uesugi Muneyuki, watching the monitor screen, bitterly smiled and shook his head.

What Shangshu?

Historical records state Shangshu's出行 must have "rear vehicle carrying armor, spear and halberd bearers flanking the supernumerary chariot."

By contrast, Bailixi's出行 needed only one attendant.

The interrogation room fell silent for a moment. The young patrol section chief flipped through the transcript from start to finish, then looked up at Itami Kenichi, his gaze carrying a sense of incredulous confirmation.

It's him, really him!

Itami Kenichi stood up, closed the file folder: "Let him sign."

The sound of the pen tip gliding across the paper stood out especially clear in the quiet room.

Nakamura Zuozhen finished signing each page, put the pen back on the table.

Itami Kenichi picked up the stack of paper, turned, and walked out of the interrogation room.

When the news spread, the atmosphere in the Special Investigation Headquarters was like a string tightened for five days finally loosened.

"Great!" "Case cracked!" "Now the big picture is finally set!" "Celebrate celebrate!"

Special Investigation Headquarters burst into cheers

Itami Kenichi placed the transcript on the Criminal Investigation Department Chief's desk: "All confessed. The first four cases, plus the Guobu Guize case, were all him. Time, location, target—all match." The Criminal Investigation Department Chief flipped through the transcript from start to finish: "Five days. From the Cabinet order to now, five days. We can now hold a press conference."

Sugishita Ukyo stood at the doorway of the Criminal Investigation Department Chief's office, holding a photocopy of the transcript, flipping page by page.

His speed was slower than usual, like walking line by line, unwilling to miss any possibly omitted word. His gaze paused on a few lines, read again, then closed the photocopy: "Some details don't quite match. The records of the first four cases show each strike was relatively precise. But Nakamura's confession describes strike locations that differ from the actual injuries in the records. This isn't saying he's lying, it means he got some details wrong. But I believe it's also possible his memory blurred."

Criminal Investigation Department Chief Uchimura Kanji picked up the transcript from the desk: "Solved in five days, what more details do you want? Media's already blocking the door, the Cabinet is waiting for news. You say 'some details don't match' here—how will you explain to the Cabinet?"

"Besides, times are different now!! Rightky!!!" Uchimura Kanji said softly to Sugishita Ukyo: "Watanabe Director has gone to the National Police Agency!"

"Huh↓hey ge?" Sugishita Ukyo's face showed doubt.

"The Special Mission Division is no longer under our Metropolitan Police Department's direct management; in this situation, each deployment of the Special Mission Division is a consumption of resources and favors! We can't be like before, letting Uesugi Muneyuki deploy anytime!" Uchimura Bucho said softly: "So let's call it a day, Rightky!"

"Then let's wait until after the press conference to talk. Let the Forensic Identification Division and Investigation Division 1 personnel recheck the confession and scene records, record discrepancies if found. If consistent, close per normal procedure." Sugishita Ukyo fell silent for a moment, then nodded. Uchimura Bucho couldn't help but smile.

It seems with Onoda's death, Sugishita Ukyo this guy has made some progress.

"Sugishita, not that I'm saying you, but within the system, you should learn some big principles too—I've been a police officer several years longer than you, here's a piece of advice: in officialdom, you must go with the flow, understand?"

…" Sugishita Ukyo's eyes flickered for a few seconds, he said nothing.

If the Kanchoukanbou were still here…… but Onoda is already dead.

Even if he had more to say, who could he say it to?