After rebirth, I became Tokyo Sentimental

Chapter 222, page 221: My first choice didn't go well, so I'll definitely choose my second choice.

The V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft is currently Japan's fastest military helicopter, with a top speed of over 500 kilometers per hour. Since its introduction by the Self-Defense Forces, it has been used in the military field.

The straight-line distance from Fukuoka Prefecture to Aichi Prefecture is about 800 kilometers. Including the time for waiting for the helicopter and obtaining the approved flight route, it only took him three hours to arrive.

But when they arrived at the destination, Haruno Tsukasa's expression darkened even more.

Ono-cho, Handa City, Aichi Prefecture, is relatively developed in terms of culture, economy, agriculture, and industry due to its influence from Nagoya City and its port advantage on the Chita Peninsula. Even the rural towns are not as desolate and impoverished as those in the Kansai region, which look like they were just connected to the power line a few years ago. The environment is quite nice.

But Japan's frequent earthquakes and tsunamis are ingrained in its very being; no matter how developed a city or building is, it will only become a pile of ruins in the face of the power of nature.

Helicopter rotors are very noisy.

Wearing aviation headsets, Haruno Tsukasa gripped the handrail and looked down. Below, he saw rows upon rows of collapsed houses, with dark yellow muddy water carrying stones of varying sizes flowing through the rushing river. There were also many broken trees and shattered cabinets whose color was no longer discernible, creating a scene of utter devastation.

More than a dozen police cars with flashing red and blue lights cordoned off the area, and four excavators and two cranes were also on hand to clear the rocks from the ground.

The exploration workers, wearing hard hats, huddled together.

Several tents were pitched on the open ground nearby.

The helicopter quickly landed on the previously cleared flat ground, and several police officers in dark blue uniforms immediately came forward and saluted Haruno Tsukasa.

“Member Harano, I am Goro Torii, the head of the Investigation Support Division of the Aichi Prefectural Police Headquarters,” the leader said.

"Have you found them?" Yuan Ye Si didn't waste any time with pleasantries, nodded slightly, and headed straight for the camp.

"Not yet." The middle-aged police inspector didn't seem to mind. He followed closely behind Haruno Tsukasa, then called to his assistant and handed over a report: "But we have expanded the search area and mobilized more machinery to provide support. This is our search and rescue plan. Please take a look."

Haruno Tsukasa accepted it expressionlessly.

After opening it, quickly scan it.

After a half-minute silence from everyone, he closed the report and said in a neutral tone...
"The search and rescue plan is forty-eight hours?"

“That’s right, this is already the maximum of our current search and rescue capabilities. If we still can’t find Chief Suzumiya, we’ll have to extend the search and rescue time and scope further.” The middle-aged superintendent nodded and explained.

Yuan Ye Si didn't say anything, but glanced at the cigarettes on the camping table next to the tent, pulled out a cigarette and turned his head to show it, and took a lighter.

Flames burst forth with the scraping sound of the rollers.

The dry tobacco was quickly ignited until it turned red-hot.

Looking at the excavation area of ​​about four or five hundred square meters in front of him, and the groups of police officers changing into their equipment and heading in one direction, Yuan Ye Si knew that the other side had done their best. They were searching both here and in the vicinity of the cell phone signal source. After all, even two helicopters had been dispatched to circle back and forth in this mountain forest for the search and rescue. At least they wouldn't have to go through a situation like many years ago when an old man fell into a sewer and was not found for more than eighty days.

Having come this far, although Haruno Tsukasa was reluctant to admit it, the chances of finding the person were really slim.

Even if we can find the person.

The chances of them still being alive are very slim.

After all, most people who go missing due to natural disasters are dead, but their bodies haven't been found yet. Anyone who survives is a miracle, so while there is hope, it is very slim.

"Her cell phone signal was last transmitted from here, right?" Haruno Tsukasa asked, smoking a cigarette.

"Yes."

"Is there any signal tracking?"

"After the local villagers reported the incident to the police, the nearest police station reported it to the prefectural police headquarters and the prefectural government. By then, Chief Ryomiya's cell phone signal had been missing for more than an hour."

Upon hearing this, Haruno Tsukasa knew that even Suzumiya Saka's final destination or where she ended up was unclear. He stood there smoking, silently watching the survivors being carried onto ambulances on stretchers by paramedics. After a long while, he said, "I understand."

He then added, "Please."

"We will try our best."

The police officers, led by the one in the middle, bowed in unison, performing a classic gesture of Japanese bureaucrats.

Haruno Tsukasa left without saying a word.

As soon as he stepped out of the tent that served as a temporary command center, he ran into Kurosaki Orizuki, who had also rushed over. Her usually calm and elegant face showed some anxiety.

"Wilderness".

"You're here too."

"Ah."

"The children don't know yet, do they?" Haruno Tsukasa took the water she handed him. "Especially that child, Hagoromo."

"I haven't told any of them yet."

"That's good."

"Would you like something to eat? You've come all the way from Fukuoka, so you probably haven't eaten yet, right?" Kurosaki Orizuki asked, her expression slightly gloomy, though she managed to muster her energy.

"I don't have much of an appetite right now." He shook his head.

"It's better to eat something..."

“I’ll go downstream and check. The river is flowing so fast, she might get swept away if she’s not careful.”

Before Kurosaki Orizuki could finish speaking, Haruno Tsukasa interrupted her, turning his head slightly to look at the direction of the river again, his eyes gradually revealing a resolute look.

“You…” Kurosaki Orizuki hesitated, unable to finish her sentence.

"You stay here and keep an eye on things. If we do find anything, it'll be good to have someone here. I'll go downstream and look for it myself. Don't worry about me." Yuan Ye Si took out another cigarette from his pocket and lit it. He didn't know who had just gotten off the table, but it was now his.

“Since we’re going, let’s take a few people with us. I’ll go find that inspector from earlier,” she suggested through gritted teeth.

"I don't need to bring anyone. You know, with my abilities, I'm not in any danger in this environment. If there's a mudslide or an earthquake, staying here is no different from going further away."

"...Then be careful."

"I see."

Finding someone in a vast, seemingly endless forest is almost as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack, and his behavior undoubtedly seems foolish.

The police used scientific methods to search.

Then Haruno Tsukasa had no choice but to resort to unscientific methods.

However, this absurdity does not refer to using a wish list or rewards from a past wish list, but rather to pure luck—finding people based on chance.

After so many years of exploration, Yuan Ye Si already knows that the wish list cannot make him someone who can tear the earth apart with a punch and kick the sky apart with a kick. It also does not contain any magic or divine power, nor any supernatural power, and it is impossible for him to destroy the Great Dao.

It can only help them fulfill their wishes.

Just trying to make my life a little better.

I, Yuan Ye Si, know that blindly following the river is not a rational thing to do, but if I had to sit in the tent of the temporary command room and wait for news that I may never receive, I would rather continue on this path.

The black pines on Mount Handa are tall and thick, seemingly covering the entire mountain. From time to time, clusters of azaleas can be seen blooming with their pale purple petals.

Further in, it's already uninhabited territory.

However, the water in the river on the left is still the color of mud. Anyone with a little common sense would definitely follow the river if they were trying to escape in such a place.

Haruno Tsukasa continued walking.

As he walked, he recalled the scene from ten years ago when he first entered her office at the Bunkyo Ward Office.

I also thought of the time spent at the Shinjuku observation deck.

Then, for the first time, love was put into practice.

Calm, coquettish, embarrassed, jealous...

Compared to the cold and indifferent expression of Suzumiya Saika in the original owner's memories, she is undoubtedly colorful in Haruno Tsukasa's world. Although it was not a pleasant time, she went against her heart and accompanied him for ten years, and became his wife who gave birth to a child.

On the debt.

That's absolutely a debt we owe.

Moreover, this debt cannot be made up for.

Haruno Tsukasa has a very good physique, after all, it has been amplified by so many dramas on the wish list. Although it has not been specifically measured, his body is far superior to that of professional athletes in terms of both endurance and strength. It would not be an exaggeration to call him superhuman.

However, when he came back to his senses from this reverie, he was covered in sweat, which was dripping from his chin, and he had no idea how far he had walked.

Look at the river on your left.

The river water was completely clear. Even the water plants floating on the riverbank were visible.

"I have absolutely no idea where I am."

"It's almost time to go back."

"It doesn't seem to be in this direction...hmm?"

As Haruno Tsukasa, carrying the emergency kit slung over his forearm, surveyed his surroundings and mentally assessed the situation, he suddenly noticed a string of glittering sparkles on the azaleas diagonally in front of him out of the corner of his eye.

“This bracelet…” Yuan Ye Si stepped forward, picked up the bracelet, and his pupils contracted after a closer look.

This is a Van Cleef & Arpels four-leaf clover bracelet.

It was a gift from their daughter to her.

Although this bracelet is so popular that even ordinary people would grit their teeth and save up to buy it, if it's left in this area, you can basically determine who its owner is.

He clutched the bracelet tightly in his palm.

Haruno Tsukasa stood frozen in place for a moment.

However, before he could feel this devastating grief, he suddenly heard a strange sound.

Without turning around immediately, Yuan Ye Si gripped the bracelet in his palm and pricked up his ears, listening carefully with his extraordinary hearing. He quickly determined where the strange sound, which was clearly not the sound of wind, was coming from.

He subtly turned his head to the side, glancing out of the corner of his eye, and then spotted a familiar figure behind the thick, long black pine tree to his right.

Haruno Tsukasa felt a sudden sense of relief.

He quickly understood why she did that.

However, he was also somewhat annoyed.

I'm exhausted from searching, and she's still hiding there, deliberately teasing me. I have to take drastic measures!
Yuan Ye Si put away the bracelet in his palm, stood there for a moment and pondered, then slowly took out his phone, glanced at the signal bar in the upper right corner which had no signal, and then began his performance.

"Hello? It's me. I'm in Handa City, Aichi Prefecture right now, yes, the place where she disappeared."

"It's probably not going to be found."

"We haven't even found her body yet. I just looked at it; the rocks in the river are huge, and the current is so strong it could kill a cow. If she had fallen into the river, we probably wouldn't have found her body. It's terrifying to even think about."

"What? You think you can hide in my arms just because you're scared? No way, I'm afraid I'll drown in your arms!"

"Come see me tonight? That's not a good time. How about tomorrow? Hmm? You're coming to see me? And you've already booked a double room? This puts me in a difficult position!"

"I'll stop here for now, see you tonight."

"Remember to wear those black ribbons."

He found a green stone to sit on, and Yuan Ye Si pretended to dial a number and make a phone call. He even lit a cigarette and put it in his mouth, looking exceptionally relaxed.

However, the results were clearly unsatisfactory.

Suzumiya Saka had no intention of sacrificing herself.

"They've actually managed to hold on..."

Yuan Ye Si raised an eyebrow, but she was unmoved and speechless. He immediately felt that his punch was not heavy enough or ruthless enough.

He flipped through his contacts with a blank expression.

This time, his voice was so loud it startled birds.

"Hello? Is this Ruri? This is Haruno Tsukasa."

"Yes, I'm in Aichi."

"It's in Handa City. I just happened to be here recently for some business, attending a friend's funeral."

"You want to see me tomorrow? Sure, but I probably won't have time during the day. I'll probably arrive in Nagoya in the evening. Just book a hotel and wait for me there."

"You ask me what I want to do?"

"Of course, we should do what we're supposed to do."

"Chika, what have you been up to lately?"

"I miss you a little, Mona..."

"Kicked you again? Looks like this child is quite lively. Yui, what do you want to name our child?"

"I'll come see you the day after tomorrow, Aika."

"You sound like I'm in a good mood? Yeah, I've run into some good news. I'll come to Kyoto to see you the day after tomorrow. Remember to wear your battle armor then. If you take good care of me, I'll give you a card later, you can use it however you want!"

"Whoosh!!!"

"boom!"

Feeling the numbness and slight pain in his palm, Haruno Tsukasa released the pebble he had been holding unconsciously and looked at Suzumiya Saka, who looked somewhat disheveled but whose eyes were full of coldness.

"Finally couldn't hold back anymore?" Haruno Tsukasa asked.

Seemingly feeling that the power wasn't strong enough, he chuckled and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that? Isn't this just like taking an exam? If you fail to get into your first choice, can't you apply to your second choice?"

Which choice is that for you?

Suzumiya Saka spat out those words through gritted teeth.

Even if you know it's fake.

But hearing it made her uncomfortable.

"Mind your own business." Ignoring the same predatory gaze that had remained unchanged for so many years, Yuan Ye Si walked straight toward her ailment, looking her up and down, and said, "Since you're not seriously injured, why don't you go back to the city?"

"I'm lost."

She paused for a moment, then asked:
"How are the others?"

"Besides you, two other members of your investigation team are currently missing, one has been confirmed dead, and the rest have been sent to the hospital," Haruno Tsukasa replied.

"two…"

"Where's the cell phone?"

"lost."

How did you get here?

"I got splashed by water, and most of my belongings fell out. I don't even know where my phone went. Then I just kept walking in one direction," she replied.

“It’s been so long, you shouldn’t have only walked this short distance, right? Are you thinking it’s better to stay put and wait for someone to search for you…” Yuan Ye Si paused, squatted down and carefully looked at the bleeding cut on her calf: “Your leg is injured?”

"It's just a minor injury," said Suzumiya Saka calmly.

"A minor injury?" Haruno Tsukasa looked up at her.

He opened his emergency kit, took out a bottle of disinfectant, and ignoring the faint resistance from Ryoumiya Saka, pulled her into his arms, shifted his position, and poured the disinfectant onto her injured area: "Does it hurt?"

Suzumiya Saka's beautiful eyes widened instantly, and even her muddy toes clenched tightly. Fine beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead, but she stubbornly said, "It doesn't hurt!"

Haruno Tsukasa chuckled and glanced at her again.

After making sure the disinfectant covered the entire wound, he used gauze to make a simple bandage for her.

After doing all this, Haruno Tsukasa touched and looked at Suzumiya Saika's body again, and only stopped after confirming that she had no other obvious wounds. After packing up his things, he moved his body a little in place, and then squatted down with his back turned.

"Come on, I'll carry you back."

"I can walk by myself."

"If you keep arguing, I'll really sign the divorce papers with you and make you a woman without a husband."

"..."

Your body is more honest than your mouth!

"Humph!"

(End of this chapter)