Chapter 149
Besides gasping, no one spoke. Everyone who heard was exchanging glances.
In this moment, suspicion values poured in across the distance. Though Usuha Izuki had worked several extra hours, the overtime was absolutely worth it!
Inspector Megure was so frightened his mind went blank for several seconds before carefully asking: "How did Kitami die?"
"Killed by Miss Fukasawa. You'll understand when you get here."
After reporting a string of addresses, he hung up. The investigation headquarters fell silent.
"Inspector..." Shiratori Ninzaburo asked with difficulty. "Is Kitami really dead?"
Inspector Megure was also dazed: "Samukawa has no reason to lie. He should really be dead."
Shiratori Ninzaburo's partner couldn't help wondering—did Miss Fukasawa really kill him? Samukawa Shinryu wouldn't have done anything underhanded, would he? After all, Miss Fukasawa was mentally ill with uncontrollable behavior, easily influenced by external factors. If it was Samukawa Shinryu, being able to control Miss Fukasawa's actions was possible too. That guy seemed capable of it...
Hagiwara Kenji immediately asked: "If Miss Fukasawa killed him, will it implicate him?"
Shiratori Ninzaburo also felt this was a serious issue—Kitami Hitoshi's father was a Police Superintendent. If his son died while on a mission with someone, taking it out on the accompanying person would be all too normal. Even if not enough to kill you, using some methods to torment you into requesting resignation wasn't impossible.
Inspector Megure took a deep breath: "This... depends on the subsequent investigation."
When Samukawa Shinryu came to him saying the mastermind was Kitami Hitoshi, Inspector Megure found it hard to believe, but everything Samukawa Shinryu had said before proved true. This time he'd also very rationally and confidently said he needed Inspector Megure's assistance to find evidence.
"How should I assist you?"
"I need to be alone with Kitami Hitoshi to extract information."
This sounded fairly normal. Inspector Megure agreed, repeatedly emphasizing: "Just extract information! Don't do anything else! Especially don't let anyone suspect you coerced a confession! Otherwise, given the slightest chance of a reversal, his father won't let you go."
Samukawa Shinryu had agreed, so Inspector Megure had cooperated, letting Kitami Hitoshi go out alone with Samukawa Shinryu.
Now Kitami Hitoshi was directly dead.
If Samukawa Shinryu hadn't obtained solid evidence, then...
Shiratori Ninzaburo's partner couldn't help muttering again: "Why didn't Kitami think twice about going out with Samukawa?"
Inspector Megure wanted to say something but held back: "Anyway, let's get over there first."
After all, the criminal being a high official's son—before getting evidence, better not speak carelessly. Wait until reaching the scene to assess the situation!
With mental illness, deaths, and catching criminals, the investigation headquarters sent several cars crowding over.
Looking up, this abandoned building in the middle of the night looked quite ominous—exactly like a place for murder and hiding bodies.
When assembling, the officers had generally understood what happened. Now getting out of cars one by one, those responsible for road blocks set them up, those handling lighting began installing lighting equipment, those following Inspector Megure inside went in—division of labor clear and precise.
Hagiwara Kenji stayed very close. If not for considering hierarchical factors, he might have rushed ahead of the portly Inspector Megure.
No matter how much trouble Samukawa Shinryu had caused before, none was as sensitive as this time. Was Kitami Hitoshi's status someone who could just die casually?
Of course he believed Little Shinryu wouldn't so recklessly kill people—even kill police—but this didn't mean everything was fine if Little Shinryu hadn't killed him. Rather, that's when all the problems would start!
And why act independently? Why not call him along? Wasn't he Little Shinryu's partner?!
Inspector Megure suddenly stopped, causing everyone behind to halt.
They saw a girl in work clothes, handcuffed, wandering aimlessly in the abandoned building. Thinking this person had just killed their colleague and was mentally ill made all the officers shudder.
Facing madmen, everyone felt more fear than facing ordinary people, because mental patients were illogical and unpredictable.
"What's Samukawa doing... how can he let her wander around like this..."
Someone couldn't help complaining, then the next second heard the person in question respond.
"Because there are no railings installed here yet. I couldn't find anywhere to cuff her, and I didn't want to cuff her to myself—if the evidence got damaged from a fall, that would be troublesome."
Inspector Megure's eyes lit up, immediately looking toward the voice.
He saw a suited youth walking slowly from around a corner. Inspector Megure's flashlight instinctively shone on him, immediately illuminating blood stains on his cuffs, lower hem, and knees.
Everyone: ".................."
Inspector Megure paused before finding his voice: "Where's Kitami?"
Usuha Izuki said carelessly: "Still upstairs. Someone take Miss Fukasawa away first."
Inspector Megure's team immediately sent several people to nervously escort away Fukasawa Yukari—this was a mental patient! She might suddenly attack!
The remaining people followed behind Usuha Izuki continuing upstairs.
Inspector Megure had many questions he wanted to ask, but most importantly, he needed to confirm one thing: "Did you get the evidence?"
"Got it. I placed a video camera here in advance—everything that needed recording was recorded."
Are you kidding? He'd specifically chosen this location—would he really come without any preparation?
He knew that with Kitami Hitoshi's personality, at the first location he'd definitely wait for him to speak first. As long as he didn't budge and waited until here to act, the battlefield would be completely under his control.
Fortunately, Kitami Hitoshi was very cooperative. When unaware of his identity, he hadn't revealed the slightest intelligence related to the "yakuza detective." Otherwise, Date Wataru and Kitami Hitoshi's partner knew he called himself a detective—following that trail would be troublesome.
If that had happened, he'd have had to swallow his anger and buy some cheats from the system to secretly edit the video... Now he'd saved another sum of points. Usuha Izuki was very satisfied.
Unaware of losing potential income, the system was quite happy: [Feels like you can still get home to sleep before midnight.]
[A bit difficult. I'll try my best to see if I can skip the report.]
System: [............You have to write this report yourself! Kitami Hitoshi who was with you is dead!!!]
Usuha Izuki didn't care. He hated such troublesome things most. Ignoring the system, he continued telling Inspector Megure: "Kitami also confessed to other crimes. Very honest."
Inspector Megure: "............"
Kitami had no idea you'd placed a video camera here...
Shiratori Ninzaburo asked confusedly: "Wait, what does Kitami confessing to other crimes mean? He was the criminal?"
"Yes, a high official's son." Usuha Izuki deliberately turned to look at Shiratori Ninzaburo's partner. "'Strawberry Night' was founded by him. Whether his father knew is unclear."
Shiratori Ninzaburo's partner went completely stupid, opening his mouth but unable to say a complete sentence.
—The criminal was really a high official's son?! Did he have to eat shit while doing a handstand?! No way...!!!
"Where's the evidence!" The partner now seemed more anxious than Inspector Megure. "What did he say?! Did he admit it directly?"
Inspector Megure looked at this person's sudden excitement in confusion: "Calm down..."
Usuha Izuki stopped walking: "Since he's already dead, we might as well look at the evidence first."
Inspector Megure: "...What kind of way is that to put it? Anyway, forensics should go up first."
That was the logic, but when Samukawa Shinryu said it, it seemed particularly cold! What strange enhancement was this!
Hagiwara Kenji had been silent, but now quietly occupied the position closest to Usuha Izuki, planning to see how exactly Kitami had died.
A group of officers surrounded Usuha Izuki, watching the playback on the handheld camera's small screen.
The parts without activity were fast-forwarded. Only when human figures appeared did it return to normal speed.
The camera position wasn't ideal, some distance from where events occurred, but sufficient to see what happened. As for sound, Kitami Hitoshi was inexplicably excited and agitated with a loud voice, so his words were distinguishable, but Samukawa Shinryu was too calm—his voice was barely audible.
As Kitami Hitoshi exposed himself, the officers' expressions became strange. When Kitami Hitoshi suddenly ambushed Samukawa Shinryu, everyone gasped.
Hagiwara Kenji, feeling retroactive fear, directly grabbed Usuha Izuki's shoulder, originally planning to communicate privately with Usuha Izuki later, but now emotionally exclaiming: "Why didn't you call me along? You knew he had ill intentions! This was too dangerous! If his marksmanship had been a little better..."
"I initially just wanted to negotiate with him. If you were there, he might not have said anything." Usuha Izuki explained.
Hagiwara Kenji wanted to say more, but Inspector Megure patted him. The video was still continuing—he could only swallow his words and keep watching.
Kitami Hitoshi's words indeed proved he was the mastermind behind "Strawberry Night." When Fukasawa Yukari appeared, Kitami Hitoshi inexplicably began reminiscing, recounting his past misdeeds while analyzing why his pursuit of thrills kept escalating, trying to give his actions a veneer of righteousness. Now even Inspector Megure, who'd just been comforting Hagiwara Kenji, couldn't stay calm. All the officers became furious.
After all, what Kitami Hitoshi had done was truly inhuman! Anyone with a sense of justice would want this guy to get his comeuppance!
Finally, they saw the scene of Kitami Hitoshi's death—Samukawa Shinryu hadn't said a word. Kitami Hitoshi ambushed again, then actively approached Miss Fukasawa's side, only to get his throat slashed.
What followed was Samukawa Shinryu's rescue attempt. Though his back was to the camera and his actions weren't clearly visible, it proved Samukawa Shinryu had indeed tried to save him. But with a severed major artery, survival was impossible—couldn't blame him.
Inspector Megure put away the camera: "This is indeed very solid evidence, sufficient to close the case... You worked hard, Samukawa. Don't do this next time—too dangerous. Actually relying more on teammates would be better..."
"I really did work hard." Usuha Izuki said immediately. "Can I go back and rest? I'm covered in blood."
Inspector Megure: "...? Ah, this..."
Usuha Izuki looked at him pointedly: "The entire process is in the video. There shouldn't be any necessity for me to stay, right? Can someone help me write the report?"
Inspector Megure: ".................."
—For some reason, he suspected Samukawa Shinryu chose a video camera instead of an audio recorder because he didn't want to write a report...