Chapter 147
Under Inspector Megure's arrangements, Kitami Hitoshi and Usuha Izuki began their overtime work.
Although their destination was in this district, they naturally chose to drive rather than walk. Usuha Izuki directly threw the car keys to Kitami Hitoshi and gave him three locations.
"Go to the nearest one."
Kitami Hitoshi gripped the keys with complex feelings.
He actually dared let him drive and choose the location—this was really looking down on him! Wasn't he afraid of a technical car accident?
...Well, he really didn't dare. What if he died too? The current situation wasn't worth risking his life over.
Moreover, before going downstairs, he'd already arranged everything while using the excuse of going to the restroom... Although the cleanup would be troublesome, since that yakuza detective was unreliable, he could only try with existing resources.
As Kitami Hitoshi started the vehicle, he glanced through the rearview mirror at the person in the back seat—although at first glance he seemed dangerous and capable of fighting, upon closer observation, his build was actually rather thin... Though Samukawa Shinryu was indeed a Police Academy honor student and probably skilled at judo and restraint techniques, who wasn't a Police Academy honor student?! For thrills, he'd even tried many extreme sports!
Besides, according to the plan, while Samukawa Shinryu confidently wanted to talk privately with him, he'd called people—it was two against one. He didn't believe it wouldn't work!
Kitami Hitoshi drove Usuha Izuki first to the nearest location. Late at night with no one around, the two wandered inside with flashlights but found no clues.
"It would be better if we came during the day," Kitami Hitoshi said pretentiously. "We could ask people around if there were any abnormalities nearby..."
Only someone with ulterior motives like Samukawa Shinryu would come out doing this kind of investigative work in the middle of the night.
Samukawa Shinryu wanted to be alone with him but wouldn't speak first to break the facade—did he want to enjoy watching him on edge for a while longer?
Soon he'd let Samukawa Shinryu experience what it meant to be overconfident!
Kitami Hitoshi muttered internally, rehearsing the upcoming situation over and over, then felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.
He naturally checked the email, then said to Usuha Izuki: "This place doesn't seem to have any clues. Let's go to the next location."
Usuha Izuki nodded indifferently.
System: [That email was problematic.]
[I know. From his micro-expressions, it's from an accomplice. He hasn't given up on killing me.] Usuha Izuki was excited. [Let me see what kind of expert he can find!]
Little did he know Kitami Hitoshi was also excited, because the second location was where he'd made arrangements.
When he'd prepared in advance, he hadn't known where Samukawa Shinryu planned to go, only thinking he'd find an excuse to drag him there. He hadn't expected one of Samukawa Shinryu's three addresses to be exactly that location—now he only needed to control the timing.
The timing was perfect now.
Kitami Hitoshi drove Usuha Izuki to the second location.
This was a building abandoned before completion, several stories high, with exposed concrete everywhere. The stairs didn't even have handrails installed, holes for elevator installation were everywhere, and the atrium lacked railings. Late at night with only flashlights, it was very dangerous—one careless step could lead to a fall.
Usuha Izuki walked in front, Kitami Hitoshi behind.
Kitami Hitoshi had already wanted to push him down several times when Usuha Izuki passed the atrium, but Usuha Izuki didn't give him the opportunity, always maintaining some distance.
Moreover, Kitami Hitoshi urgently wanted to show off to restore his damaged self-esteem from today. Just pushing him down and killing him felt like it lacked a sense of achievement.
He used to criticize villains in TV dramas for talking too much, but now Kitami Hitoshi suddenly understood those villains—the urge to express was too strong! It was uncomfortable not to speak out!
Especially seeing the incredulous expression of an enemy who thought victory was assured when the tables turned—that was true enjoyment. Dying silently was no fun.
But Samukawa Shinryu refused to speak first, making him so frustrated.
Usuha Izuki vaguely sensed Kitami Hitoshi's restlessness behind him and continued walking forward silently. Estimating it was about time, he considerately broke the false balance first: "Speaking of which, Kitami-san, there's something I want to confirm with you."
Kitami Hitoshi complained internally about still using honorifics at this point—even better at pretense than himself. Out of some inexplicable competitive spirit, unwilling to admit defeat first, Kitami Hitoshi forced himself to continue the act: "Just call me Kitami... What is it?"
Usuha Izuki was straightforward: "You were from Tokyo University's rowing club before, right?"
Kitami Hitoshi smiled while quietly positioning himself, trying to guide Usuha Izuki's gaze to create opportunities for his accomplice: "Yes, why ask this suddenly?"
"Mm, then you came to the police station here last month." Usuha Izuki said flatly. "The body dumping location also changed from Tokyo University rowing club's usual training ground to the lake here..."
Kitami Hitoshi knew that at this point, denial was meaningless—that yakuza detective had already told Samukawa Shinryu everything he could!
What he needed to do now was maintain dignity and not become Samukawa Shinryu's plaything.
So with lightning speed, he pulled out a gun he'd prepared in advance with the safety already off, firing two shots at Usuha Izuki's back.
Kitami Hitoshi was quite confident in his marksmanship.
Unfortunately, even though Kitami Hitoshi was prepared and wanted to catch him off guard, he still underestimated the value of the skills Usuha Izuki had exchanged for Samukawa Shinryu.
Under Kitami Hitoshi's expectant gaze, Samukawa Shinryu simply shifted slightly and dodged both bullets.
Kitami Hitoshi: "............"
This worked?! Lucky bastard! Probably just happened to be turning around, pure coincidence!
He didn't fire more shots.
Because he knew Samukawa Shinryu also had a gun. If he emptied his bullets without hitting the target, then only Samukawa Shinryu would have a weapon, putting him at a disadvantage. Better to keep some as deterrent.
But the embarrassment of missing all shots still needed addressing. Kitami Hitoshi was prideful and couldn't lose face.
So Kitami Hitoshi's attitude changed drastically, the corner of his mouth lifting as his whole demeanor became sinister: "Why ask so many pointless questions when you already know everything?"
Usuha Izuki was shocked: [This guy's attitude is so arrogant. Does "Black Screen Aura" have no effect on him?]
The system had known Kitami Hitoshi wanted to assassinate Samukawa Shinryu but thought it was desperate rebound from fear. Now it seemed completely different. It was also surprised but still had to defend itself: [I told you not to rely too much on "Black Screen Aura"—it's entirely based on the other party's imagination...]
Usuha Izuki pondered: [Help me note that "Black Screen Aura" becomes less effective on narcissistic personalities.]
Normal people seeing Samukawa Shinryu would think he was dangerous and scary, automatically becoming careful and cautious.
But people like Kitami Hitoshi were different. He was too narcissistic, thinking himself amazing. Making him admit Samukawa Shinryu was superior was too difficult—at most he'd acknowledge Samukawa Shinryu knew how to play, but he wasn't eating vegetables either. After gaining inspiration, he could immediately match Samukawa Shinryu.
Normal people only had filters about Samukawa Shinryu, but Kitami Hitoshi also had filters about himself—extremely confident indeed.
So the displayed effect seemed like "Black Screen Aura" had failed, but this was entirely Kitami Hitoshi's own problem. The system wouldn't take the blame.
"Are you admitting it?" Usuha Izuki wasn't in a hurry, just turned to face the gun barrel and leisurely extracted information.
Kitami Hitoshi acted nonchalant: "What's wrong with admitting it? I'm not worried—you should be the one worried now, right?"
"What should I worry about?"
"..." Kitami Hitoshi continued pointing the gun at him unmoved. "You specifically called me over here—what do you really want? You can say it now."
People all had weaknesses. Kitami Hitoshi felt that since Samukawa Shinryu still had to work among police, if he had backing he'd definitely know about it. Since he didn't know, there was no backing. This orphan definitely wouldn't dare kill him—possibly just wanting to watch his drama, or maybe wanting to blackmail him with evidence.
But today he had to kill Samukawa Shinryu. He couldn't let this guy ride over his head.
However, he could first deal falsely with Samukawa Shinryu, wait for him to let his guard down thinking he'd achieved his goal, then launch another sneak attack.
Just this Samukawa Shinryu guy... though he'd luckily dodged bullets earlier, being held at gunpoint now his body language was still so relaxed—did he think he wouldn't hurt him?
He really hated how this guy always seemed so calm, as if nothing was unexpected...
Kitami Hitoshi stared at Samukawa Shinryu, whose face was barely illuminated by the flashlight: "Not talking?"
"Nothing to say." Samukawa Shinryu spoke. "I want to ask what you mean by this."
Kitami Hitoshi raised an eyebrow: "Nothing special, just fun. Don't you have anything else to ask? Then it's my turn..."
While diverting the topic, he carefully observed the figure quietly approaching from behind Samukawa Shinryu in the darkness.
Yes, just like this—while Samukawa Shinryu's attention was drawn away by him, let code-named F, the core figure of "Strawberry Night" responsible for performing murders, sneak attack Samukawa Shinryu from behind.
His earlier preparation was having accomplices contact F and bring him here. Whether F succeeded or not, Samukawa Shinryu would definitely be distracted, allowing him to strike.
F was just a killing puppet without independent thought, very obedient, but also flawed—that's why he'd initially wanted that yakuza detective to introduce a proper assassin... Sigh, no point dwelling on frustrating matters.
Anyway, "Strawberry Night" couldn't continue anymore. After F killed Samukawa Shinryu, he'd kill F—no witnesses.
Then he'd report that F discovered Samukawa Shinryu's investigation was too deep and came to silence him. His marksmanship was poor, and by the time he killed F, Samukawa Shinryu had already died from severe injuries.
Perfect.
As for other suspicious points, his father would help handle them.
Even if someone felt something was wrong and suspected him, between a dead orphan and a high official's son, did they need to ask "whom to believe"?
If they didn't want to end up dead like this orphan, they'd better keep quiet!
Kitami Hitoshi controlled himself from looking toward F, working hard to attract Samukawa Shinryu's attention with words, chattering endlessly like the villains he used to despise.
Starting as mere conversation topics, but as he spoke he became immersed and proud.
"...You definitely won't understand this feeling. I created 'Strawberry Night' to spread the sensation of 'witnessing others' deaths and sincerely feeling glad to be alive' to other people. When you were investigating everywhere, you must have discovered it too, right? 'Strawberry Night' survivors all returned with renewed energy, full of motivation and drive, because no one knows if they'll die next—they must live without regrets... I'm like a psychologist too, right? They should all thank me. Without me, where would they see such performances?"
After this monologue, Kitami Hitoshi used his peripheral vision to check on F behind Samukawa Shinryu, calculating the timing for the other's attack so he could use his flashlight to blind Samukawa Shinryu and find opportunities to finish him off.
But the next second, F's performance made Kitami Hitoshi furious, unable to control his shocked outcry.
"F! What are you doing?!"
Why did he walk directly past Samukawa Shinryu and enter the flashlight's illumination range?! This wasn't what we agreed on! How could this be called an assassination when you're immediately discovered?!
He knew F was mentally ill, but had he gone so crazy that he couldn't even understand what assassination meant?