Chapter 124
While Kudo Yusaku was processing this information, Hagiwara Kenji and Matsuda Jinpei had already begun discussing.
"How did this blueprint get out? Are you sure it was only for internal training?"
"Of course I'm sure, and previous training blueprints and models never leaked out... Besides, I always thought even if it did leak, it wouldn't matter—there's no way anyone in this world could watch something this big being assembled and only discover it afterward!"
Matsuda Jinpei was speechless and really wanted to complain about this hotel's security issues.
Hagiwara Kenji sighed: "This is a typical bomb ransom case. Using a different bomb would achieve roughly the same effect, so we don't need to worry too much about whose design was used. More importantly, when we return home, we need to investigate how the blueprint leaked."
This made sense, and Matsuda Jinpei nodded.
Neither of them took this bomb very seriously—it was a bomb ransom case on foreign soil after all. There was no way they'd defuse it; either pay up or detonate it. The building would probably need rebuilding, but at least no one would die, and as foreigners, they didn't need to worry about other people's money.
Kudo Yusaku finally finished processing the information. Hearing that this blueprint seemed to be for Explosive Ordnance Disposal training, the number of people in the know wasn't small. Where there are people, there are opportunities for information leaks. Although reaching across the Pacific was quite far, it wasn't completely inexplicable—besides, this bomb had arrived even before their plane, so even if blame were to be assigned, it wouldn't necessarily fall on Samukawa Shinryu.
...Although for a moment, what flashed through his mind was that this was Samukawa Shinryu's plan—deliberately sharing the blueprint in a small circle to increase leak probability while making it untraceable to him, then giving the blueprint to someone with initiative. This special trip to Hawaii was also to see the actual effects of his bomb design...
But Kudo Yusaku convinced himself this was impossible and naturally made a mental note of this idea as material for his novels.
Not bad—his mind had been constantly generating inspiration all day. Samukawa Shinryu really was his muse.
Sigh, his true profession was still being a novelist. Obviously, the bomb case was more important right now.
"Even with the blueprint, you still can't defuse it?" Kudo Yusaku asked.
"If he really followed the blueprint, then this bomb's design never considered giving outsiders a safe chance to defuse it... When examiners don't want you to score high, they certainly have ways to give you difficult problems." Matsuda Jinpei said. "It's not this bomb or another bomb—America has many bomb ransom cases. I think you should understand. The trouble is just that this contains balance sensors that might cause explosion if moved. I suggest the owner here consider whether the ransom amount or reconstruction costs are more worthwhile."
Indeed, Kudo Yusaku had lived in America for several years. To collect material for his writing, he'd followed many American cases, including numerous bomb ransom cases.
Basically, except for those with poor design quality where defusing was very safe, or those installed in overly sensitive locations that would be defused, most didn't bother with fancy stuff and just detonated directly.
But somehow, after pondering, Kudo Yusaku felt that if this was a bomb designed by Samukawa Shinryu, perhaps he himself had other ideas. So he asked: "Should we ask Samukawa-kun? This is his design, right? Didn't he leave himself a backup plan when designing it?"
Matsuda Jinpei was stunned.
Huh? Come to think of it, after this blueprint was produced, only he and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, plus Hagiwara Kenji at most, had studied it. They really hadn't asked for Samukawa Shinryu's thoughts.
Samukawa Shinryu had only produced the blueprint and said it was very difficult to defuse, but didn't seem to mention it was absolutely impossible to defuse.
Matsuda Jinpei looked at Hagiwara Kenji.
Hagiwara Kenji nodded and called Usuha Izuki.
To vacation peacefully, Usuha Izuki had decisively returned to his room after sensing trouble was coming, and was just researching where to go next.
He was still congratulating himself that no one had come looking for him for so long—Hagiwara Kenji and Matsuda Jinpei had probably explained things clearly and handled this troublesome matter—when Hagiwara Kenji's call came through.
"Little Shinryu, I need to ask you something." Hagiwara Kenji got straight to the point. "Do you remember that bomb you designed before?"
Usuha Izuki was silent for a moment, almost immediately understanding why Hagiwara Kenji suddenly brought this up: "...That bomb appeared?"
"Mm, it's being used to threaten a hotel here." Hagiwara Kenji sighed. "I really can't figure out how it got to Hawaii..."
Usuha Izuki rubbed his forehead.
He had considered it would be best if the blueprint leaked and caused some big news to farm suspicion values, but he hadn't expected the incident to happen during vacation!
But since it had already happened, it would be a waste not to take these suspicion values. Vacation could start tomorrow—it was already evening anyway, so there wasn't much to do.
So Usuha Izuki decisively said: "He might not have followed the blueprint completely. I'll go take a look. Has it been X-rayed? I need to see the interior."
The two hotels weren't far apart, so Usuha Izuki could go directly.
Since he was traveling, Usuha Izuki was wearing light colors, and with Hawaii's weather, he was rarely lightly armed. He thought the威慑 power of his "Black Screen Aura" had been weakened by external factors.
However, even without the "Black Screen Aura," Hawaii's police were already dissatisfied with him.
Hawaii's police heard that another foreign bomb expert would be coming.
Having to seek help from foreigners was already somewhat awkward for these proud Americans—Kudo Yusaku didn't count since he'd written the globally bestselling "Night Baron" series, had celebrity status, and people were always more tolerant of celebrities. Plus, having lived in America for many years, American media reported on him as one of their own.
The main issue was that after already having one foreign expert, another was coming...
Hawaii's police felt it was redundant. Defusing bombs was like solving math problems—if you don't know, you just don't know. This bomb obviously couldn't be defused; they were basically resigned to detonation, just seeing whether the owner's money would go to the blackmailer or reconstruction. Having one more person come wouldn't help.
So even before seeing the person, Hawaii's police weren't in a good mood and even carried some cold mockery, dragging the previously well-regarded Kudo Yusaku down with them.
"Kudo-san is really still Japanese at heart, only thinking of finding Japanese people to solve everything... Our expert isn't unable to come—is this little time difference really that important?"
"The one who came earlier didn't come up with any solutions either, and now he's calling another one over."
Their nicotine addiction was acting up, but they didn't dare smoke near the bomb, so they went outside to smoke and complain. They got so absorbed in their conversation that, with American police quality being uneven, they didn't even notice that the person they were discussing was walking toward them.
But after getting slightly closer, someone's hair inexplicably stood on end, and he couldn't help looking up.
The dark-haired, red-eyed youth wore a white T-shirt and light blue shorts. On someone else, these two colors might seem lively and relaxed, but on him, they somehow evoked thoughts of ice, making people feel cold.
He was like a shadow—in Hawaii's warm weather, wherever he approached, the temperature seemed to drop.
Those dark red eyes swept over them lightly. The person who made eye contact felt like prey being targeted by a predator in the wild, instantly stiffening with a blank mind. Even the person with his back turned who had been complaining enthusiastically shivered inexplicably but persisted in continuing his complaints.
"Strange, why does it feel a bit cold... Anyway, Kudo-san is nothing special. He should stick to solving his cases instead of calling useless Japanese people over to show off. The bomb isn't his responsibility—what's with all this pointing fingers and calling people back and forth? What use could this newcomer be? Can he defuse the bomb or what?"
A detached voice that made anyone who heard it feel like their heart had dropped into a cold pit suddenly sounded from behind this person.
"They called me because I designed the bomb."
This Hawaii police officer spun around abruptly, drew his gun, and was about to release the safety when the person, who was prepared for the close distance, lifted his hand to press down on the safety's position.
His gun muzzle was pointed directly at the other's chest—firing could hit the heart. But the youth with blood-colored eyes faced the gun muzzle without even changing his expression, and even said naturally:
"Please lead the way. Where is the bomb?"
The Hawaii police officer, influenced by preconceptions, blurted out: "You planted the bomb yourself—don't you know where it is?!"
This guy had just said the bomb was his design!
He had only drawn his gun reflexively for self-protection because of that statement's implications, but upon actually turning to see the other person, he instantly felt like FBI. Even if this guy hadn't said those words, he could have guessed from that dangerous aura that this fellow probably wasn't any good—
Ah, not knowing where the bomb is—could it be he's only responsible for design, not installation? One of those bomb enthusiasts who sells bomb blueprints and fears the world isn't chaotic enough?
Somehow, in those blood-red eyes, the original coldness seemed gradually replaced by a look of regarding an idiot.
"I assume you understand English." The other said politely. "I only said I designed the bomb, not that I installed it."
The Hawaii police officer felt this matched his speculation and tried to extract information: "You mean you're an accomplice?"
"...Does this brain not work at all? I've always heard American police have low average education levels and poor educational standards. Now I've seen it firsthand."
The Hawaii police officer who couldn't understand Japanese was irritated: "Speak English! Are you an accomplice?"
The other suddenly smiled: "No, I'm here to detonate it. I want to take the whole world down with me."
After saying this, he suddenly lifted his leg and kicked the wrist of the police officer beside him who had finally snapped out of it and tried to draw his gun, making him release it in pain. His own free hand caught the falling gun and naturally released the safety, pointing it at the Hawaii police officer who still hadn't released his safety.
"Can you lead the way now?"
The two Hawaii police officers were silent for a second, then nodded as wise men who knew when to yield.
"Very good, thank you."
This criminal who had threatened police remained very polite: "You won't report me afterward, will you?"
The Hawaii police officers: "............???"
—You just want to be reported?! What good things is this foreigner thinking?!!