People are in Conan, but Ace Attorney

Chapter 863 Evidence
—Does Xiangyuan Guang have any direct evidence that proves Nishikiyama Akira killed Sera Katsumi?
The answer is no.

The only testimony pointing to Akira Nishikiyama killing Sera was the testimony given by Tai Shimano in court based on surveillance footage. Apart from that, there is no other physical evidence to prove that Akira Nishikiyama killed Sera.

Xiang Yuanguang's inference is also entirely based on the factual and credible testimony of Shimano Tai.

However, is Shimano Tai's testimony credible? The answer is clearly no.

In the courtroom alone, Shimano Tai's repeated false testimonies to Majima Goro were enough to erode the credibility of Shimano Tai's testimony without limit, making his previous testimonies less credible as well.

Who can be sure that Shimano Tai's identification of the person in the surveillance footage as Nishikiyama Akira wasn't an attempt to exonerate himself?

"Without evidence, you probably can't believe I'm the murderer who killed Sera."

"As for the other crimes? Attorney Xiang Yuan, I remember that Serena had surveillance cameras installed inside, so I confess to that. But as for the others, I did nothing, so I am innocent."

Akira Nishikiyama's voice was calm.

Having experienced the Dragon Fish Battle at the top of the Millennium Tower, his mindset has become much more stable. Especially now that he is certain that he can be on par with the current Kiryu Kazuma, he no longer has that impatient mentality of trying to prove himself.

Therefore, even now, inside the interrogation room of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, he showed no signs of panic.

"……is that so?"

Shiratori Renzaburo, who was sitting next to Xiang Yuanguang, was stunned. He leaned closer to Xiang Yuanguang and asked in a low voice.

The blue-clad lawyer simply nodded slightly but remained silent.

If he answers, it will be recorded in the notebook. If Iwai Sayoko wants to cause trouble, she can seize on the fact that his answer in the interrogation room did not have any actual evidence to attack the correctness of his reasoning.

Therefore, Xiang Yuanguang chose to remain silent and not respond directly.

"Jinshan, if you continue to deny your crimes, it will be too late once that sniper rifle is found!"

Kiryu Kazuma's voice sounded slightly anxious.

He said this not only out of a desire to seek justice for Sera, but also out of consideration for Nishikiyama Akira. Nishikiyama Akira may not know it now, but Kiryu Kazuma knows it very well.

Ito Yasuhito has just released a lot of information about the Shimano Group's transactions.

During the trial, the Japanese Public Security Bureau presented a list of transactions in which the sniper rifle used by Akira Nishikiyama to assassinate Katsumi Sera was found to be the same sniper rifle used in the attempted assassination of Makoto Kusakabe.

This indicates that Ito Yasuhito and Nishikiyama Akira purchased their firearms from the same underground dealer.

If the Japanese Public Security Bureau, based on Ito Yasuhito's transaction records, traced the supplier of the sniper rifle through Tokyo's underground trading network, then Nishikiyama Akira's current denial will likely lead to an even harsher sentence for him during the sentencing trial.

—Although Kazuma Kiryu had no idea how many bad things Akira Nishikiyama had done over the past ten years.

But he knew that if Akira Nishikiyama was indeed proven to have killed Sera Katsuhiro, or was suspected of killing him, the final result would be that everyone would kick him while he was down.

A large number of members from the Dongcheng Society, and even the Jinshan Group and its affiliated peripheral organizations, will provide Jinshan Zhang with dirt on him, ensuring that once Jinshan Zhang goes to prison, he will never be able to get out again.

Kiryu Kazuma's current advice to Nishikiyama Akira to turn himself in stems from this same mentality.

However, Akira Nishikiyama had absolutely no idea what Kazuma Kiryu was thinking. He had faced off against Kazuma Kiryu at the top of the Millennium Tower that morning and was completely unaware of the details of the trial. He only learned some of the relevant information after entering the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and asking the officers there.

Knowing that Ito Yasuhito was identified as an Omi Federation mole during the trial was already the limit.

He had no idea that the Japanese Public Security Bureau had completely surrounded the Shimano Group and was conducting a wide-ranging investigation, even arresting Ito Yasuhito and members of the Omi Federation, and was investigating the matter in depth.

Therefore, Akira Nishikiyama's attitude remains as hostile as ever.
"I told you, I didn't kill anyone! I have no idea what this sniper rifle you're talking about is!"

Akira Nishikiyama reiterated his position.

However, in the face of Akira Nishikiyama's insistence on his position, Hikaru Mukamoto snapped his fingers, drawing the attention of everyone in the interrogation room, and said softly,

“Mr. Jinshan, do you know that a list of transactions was found during the trial?”

"The transaction list clearly shows the same model of sniper rifle used to assassinate Sera Katsumi, as well as a sniper rifle of the same caliber, and the buyer of that sniper rifle is clearly marked as the Tojo Clan."

—Is the East City Club explicitly marked?

Akira Nishikiyama's expression changed slightly.

He knew these underground arms dealers were unprofessional, but he didn't expect these mourners to be so unprofessional, noting the buyer's information in the transaction of firearms, which are clearly prohibited items.
Are they afraid that if they get caught, the police won't be able to find out who the buyer is?

Although Xiang Yuanguang didn't elaborate, Nishikiyama Akira had more or less guessed the truth behind the incident.

The sniper rifle he used to kill Sera Katsu was the same caliber of bullets used in the sniper rifle that had failed to assassinate Kusakabe Makoto. Such a coincidence was almost impossible, especially since they were purchased from the same arms dealer.

This is most likely because Ito Yasuhito planned to use a sniper rifle of the same caliber to trick him.

Akira Nishikiyama felt a slight sense of relief.

There's no other reason than that if Shimano hadn't made a foolish move by jumping out at this time to kidnap Ai Haibara, thus dragging the Shimano Group into the mess and ruining Ito Yasuhito's plan.

He will likely be imprisoned by Ito Yasuhito immediately after carrying out his assassination plot against Sera Katsumi.

However, why did Xiang Yuanguang bring up this matter?
Akira Nishikiyama narrowed his eyes slightly.

He didn't know what Xiang Yuanguang meant by suddenly mentioning the transaction order, because even if the Japanese police could arrest the corresponding traders, they couldn't actually catch the arms dealers behind the scenes.

Mika Construction Company may sound like a small fry, but in reality, its power is quite considerable.

The company's top executives were merely cannon fodder thrown out to die. Trying to find the real arms dealer behind Miwa Construction Company by following the lead of these shell company executives would be no easy task.

Unless someone leaks the arms dealer's information—

"Dragon God Economic Research Institute".

Xiang Yuanguang suddenly said.

Upon hearing the place name, a look of shock flashed across Akira Nishikiyama's eyes.

(End of this chapter)