Tokyo: The Player Behind the Scenes.

Chapter 308, Section 55: Clear Thinking
Upon hearing the sound of live ammunition, the on-site commander felt a wave of dizziness, and only one thought remained in his mind: My life is over.

Promotions, raises, and future aspirations all vanished in an instant.

From now on, let alone keeping his job, he'll have to fight tooth and nail to save his life in this utter mess he's been in charge of.

To truly live life to the fullest.

The soldier who sacrificed his younger sister to the heavens roared in battle as he pulled the trigger, his gun spitting fire as he frantically chased and bit the obese split entity that displayed bizarre agility.

Facing the concentrated fire, the split entity showed no surprise or panic. Its movements were illogical; it charged towards the troop formation with a zigzag trajectory, using the corpses as shields.

Bullets thudded across its ground or splattered blood, but only a few hit the split entity itself.

"Fire! Fire! Stop it!"

"Don't let it get close!"

At that moment, all talk of non-lethal weapons and orders to attempt communication became utter nonsense.

Compared to the uncertain future and orders, one's own life is the most important thing.

Whether they were soldiers bribed by the conglomerates and already planning to cause trouble, or others stimulated by the fear of the monster getting close, they almost simultaneously raised their guns.

Live ammunition, tranquilizer darts, rubber bullets—all kinds of ammunition poured out like water, heading straight for that high-speed figure, leaving red trails as its shape shifted and elusive.

Park Min-woo's abilities are quite strong; the larger his stomach, the stronger and more agile his power becomes, and his true form is extremely well-hidden.

However, these fragmented entities are essentially rendered powerless once they face a systematic and comprehensive crackdown.

Unless they unlock advanced growth abilities, enabling them to engage in group combat or fuse into a giant form impervious to guns and cannons, they will not have the means to fight back.

The split entity succeeded by catching the enemy off guard, taking advantage of the soldiers' initial hesitation and confusion to successfully break into their ranks.

Most unmanned equipment is limited by friend-or-foe identification, and targets are completely mixed with friendly forces, so they dare not fire.

Some desperate soldiers didn't care about anything else; the fear of this monster being so close made them unconsciously pull the trigger.

"Die!" Several soldiers saw the split-type creature lunge at their comrade and, without thinking, turned their guns and opened fire!
A small number of bullets hit the split-off, splattering blood, but most hit the astonished comrade in front of him directly.

Bulletproof vests have provided some protection, but unfortunately, a vest is still just a vest.

"Uh!"

The comrade, riddled with bullets except for his torso, stared incredulously at his teammate before slowly collapsing.

Similar situations kept happening. Before the split entity could even strike, the soldiers around it would be hit by friendly fire from all directions, whether it was accidental or panic-driven, and fall down screaming in agony.

The split entity thus performed a dramatic seven-in-seven-out performance, but its flesh and blood body ultimately has its limits.

High-speed movement, healing injuries, and continuous attacks are all rapidly depleting the energy stored in its body, and its speed has slowed down at a rate visible to the naked eye.

His once obese body became shriveled, his skin lost its luster, turned gray and wrinkled, and his movements became less agile, revealing many flaws.

Puff puff puff!

More bullets finally caught up with it, embedding themselves in its emaciated body.

It staggered and snapped another soldier's neck with its bare hands, but then it was also targeted by everyone's fire.

Finally, it was like a dry, rotten piece of firewood, its body riddled with bullet holes and lacerations, swaying emaciatedly, before collapsing to the ground with a thud, kicking up a small cloud of dust.

The light in those crimson eyes was completely extinguished.

The bullets had all been fired; the clicking of the empty trigger, the groans of the wounded, and the heavy breathing mingled together, creating a strange silence.

The next second, two more split entities pounced.

This unit did not hold out for long and fled.

"Who told them to fire?! Don't they have any discipline?! Which bastard fired live ammunition first?!"

The official in charge of the negotiations slammed his fist on the control panel, his voice trembling.

It's all over now! All the efforts to win them over, cooperate with them, and gather extraordinary intelligence are now futile.

Given Park Min-woo's eerie ability to hold grudges and infiltrate, the authorities will soon face a terrifying situation where everyone is on edge.

Any high-ranking official could one day be torn apart by the person they trust most!

"It's too late for regrets now!" another hardliner commanded coldly. "Eliminate all the remaining targets at the scene! Recover all bodies and tissue samples as soon as possible and begin analysis. We must know where his true form is and how it operates."

"Immediately mobilize the special forces to surround the columbarium where Park Cheol-woong is located and seal off all entrances and exits. Take control of everyone who has entered or left the columbarium in the past week, no, the past two weeks, leaving no one behind!"

"Also, increase manpower at Cao Xiuhui's apartment, a key target."

"Report! Breaking news!" An intelligence officer suddenly stood up, his face a mixture of surprise and terror. "Cao Xiuhui has been arrested!"

"what?!"

Not long ago.

Cao Xiuhui curled up on the sofa, her phone screen displaying a black screen indicating the live stream had been interrupted.

The bloody and horrific scene she had just witnessed, along with the final words, "I will keep an eye on you," sent chills down her spine.

The excitement I felt from listening to the speech vanished instantly, my heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of my chest, and my mouth was dry.

What happened? How could someone dare to kill someone in broad daylight? Aren't they afraid of the law? Aren't they afraid of social condemnation? Her mind was a complete mess.

That person was probably male, just a long-haired psychopathic killer!

They killed someone and then tried to frame us. It's disgusting.

No, more importantly, how could someone tear a person in half like that?! This isn't a movie or TV show!
They often protest, shouting about unfair rules and breaking free from constraints, but that's on the premise that the rules must exist and ultimately protect them.

They couldn't imagine that someone could dare to directly and brutally defy the rules of society. How could he dare?!
"Calm down, calm down! It has nothing to do with me! I wasn't there!" She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and was glad that she hadn't gone.

Her fingers trembled as she opened several encrypted messaging apps and clicked on the chat boxes labeled Sisters' Mutual Aid, Action Group, and Core Group.

Many senior members in the group went to the scene, so they must know more about the situation.

Strangely, these groups, which are usually very active, are now completely silent.

Only a few people like her who hadn't gone were frantically spamming the chat asking, "What happened?" and "What's the situation there?", while the veteran members remained silent. Was the scene really so chaotic that there wasn't even time to reply to a single question?

This situation caused her unease to grow wildly.

"Park Min-woo is impossible! What does it have to do with him? He's already dead! It's been officially confirmed!" She slapped her cheeks hard, trying to dispel the absurd thought that had suddenly appeared.

Regarding Park Min-woo's murder in court, due to the official information blackout and threats from insiders, she knew no more than the average person. She only knew that Park Min-woo had acted excessively during the trial, resulting in someone's death, and that he himself was ultimately killed. She also knew that officials had come to question her in a rather formulaic manner, with an attitude of reassurance, which put her at ease.

When she first heard the news, she was secretly delighted, thinking that any evidence against her would become unreliable due to the death and crimes of the main perpetrator. How dare they cause trouble in court? Don't the authorities have any shame?

However, on the surface, she pretended to be reluctant and cried her heart out, perfectly portraying the image of a kind, vulnerable, and pitiful victim who had suffered great trauma, and also went to get a certificate of depression.

She really wanted to attend the gathering today, as it was a perfect opportunity to boost her reputation and solidify her public image.

However, considering that she had only recently been diagnosed with depression, she decided to avoid group activities as much as possible. She planned to wait until the storm had passed before returning with a strong and resilient demeanor, which would garner more sympathy and attention.

The organization behind her has already planned all of this for her, and countless predecessors have verified the feasibility of the path. There is absolutely no need to worry. She can just stay out of the public eye for now.

She had no idea that she was already under official surveillance and completely transparent.

She knows exactly what songs she likes to sing and what videos she likes to watch in the bathroom.

Even the purple mood icon had a camera installed; I wonder which perverted person did it under the guise of official authority.

To dispel her fear and seek a sense of security, she picked up her phone, found the right angle, and took a picture.

The background of the picture is her dressing table, with one corner deliberately blurred, but you can clearly see an open bottle of antidepressants and a steaming hot drink next to it.

She also included her slightly pale and vulnerable profile in the shot.

Then the caption:

Just watched the live stream, it was terrifying. My hands and feet were freezing in this heat, and even my medication couldn't stop my heart palpitations. /bitter/heartbroken/tearful. What's wrong with this society? I feel so unsafe going out in fear of encountering something like this. /crying. What are our police doing? Sigh, I typed so much and then deleted it. #safety #dailylifeofagirlwithdepression #loveyyourself #babyfood
I checked it over, and yes, it's perfect. It captures vulnerability, the victim mentality, the indictment of society, and a subtle hint of resilience.

She clicked send and then forwarded the link to those mutual aid groups.

Soon, the notification tones sounded one after another, like beautiful musical notes.

Not eating celery, cabbage, or bean sprouts: "Hugs to my sisters! Don't look at those bad news stories, we're all here for you!"

Nono (yawning version): "Ugh, I'm so angry! This society is so unfriendly to us! You really need to get some rest!"

Today, I also want to create a message: "Protect yourselves, and if you need our help, just let us know. We will do our utmost and stay united!"

Seeing the rapidly increasing number of likes and comments, and the messages full of empathy and support, a warm current from the virtual world instantly enveloped her.

The thrill of being surrounded, recognized, regarded as an opinion leader and a key protected figure quickly dispelled the unease from before.

See? With public opinion on my side and so many people supporting me, what do I have to be afraid of?
A smug smile unconsciously crept onto her lips. No one dared to touch me; there was nothing to be afraid of.

This illusory sense of security completely relaxed her. She poured herself a cup of hot tea, replaced it with an iced Americano, and took a leisurely sip.

She didn't notice at all that the curtains on the balcony moved silently the moment she looked down to reply to those comments on her phone.

A blurry black shadow slipped silently into the room like a gecko, landing without a sound.

It wasn't until a slightly aged hand suddenly covered her mouth and nose from behind, the immense force making it impossible for her to breathe, and her phone clattering to the ground, that the ease and smugness in her eyes were replaced by horror and fear.

A head leaned close to her ear, words and warm breath brushing against her earlobe:
"I've found you, senior."

"Hmm?!"

Cao Xiuhui's body froze instantly, her mind going blank.

In less than a minute, the apartment door was forcibly broken open by official surveillance personnel.

"Don't move! Police!"

"Safety!"

"Search the room!"

The team members quickly took up advantageous positions, pointing their guns at every corner of the room.

After a thorough search, it was confirmed that the house was empty.

A team member crouched down and picked up the still-lit phone from the carpet. On the screen, a series of concerned comments had appeared below the post.

The investigator put down his phone, looked at the sheer curtains billowing in the wind, and sighed.

This place is over ten floors high.

He could already imagine how horribly Cao Xiuhui would die.

Because the Gwanghwamun attack was broadcast live, news spread extremely quickly, and the authorities were completely unable to suppress public opinion.

Moreover, too many people died. Just a rough estimate suggests at least several hundred people perished, with fewer injured than dead.

The Southern Dynasty officially declared a state of emergency, and all air transport was urgently deployed!
However, they were there to protect important government institutions. Gwanghwamun is quite close to the Blue House, and they were very worried that Park Min-woo's strange clones might wander into these important places.

After the difficult resolution of the separatist activities, the entire square and surrounding streets were completely sealed off, with flashing police lights creating a sea of ​​light. Many police cars served as ambulances, helping to transport the wounded or the deceased.

In the square, the bronze statue of King Sejong still stands, but its base has been stained red, and no one has had time to clean it for the time being.

Logically speaking, when such a big thing happens, online opinion leaders should all be working together.

However, in reality, most people remained silent, as if they had collectively lost their voice.

Firstly, many of these people participated in today's protest and witnessed the tragic scene firsthand; they are still trembling with fear.

Secondly, they were genuinely afraid. Someone was openly and brazenly attacking them, and it seemed to be a legendary superhuman. Could the authorities really handle him? Would the killing continue?
Therefore, apart from a few who were unclear about the situation, many people chose to remain silent for the time being and wait for the official response, such as confirmation that the attackers had been completely dealt with.

Some even deleted their past posts overnight, fearing that they would be tracked down online.

However, the bigger the storm, the more valuable the fish. Those who manage to jump out at this time will reap greater rewards. Of course, all of this is on the premise that you are alive to enjoy the rewards.

Cao Xiuhui was among the first to speak out, and she reaped huge benefits, which boosted her status.

But as for her current self...
"Waaaaah, I was forced! They made me do this! I have evidence, I have recordings, ahhh!!!"

Park Min-woo didn't bother to remember the names of those people she mentioned. With Ethan's help, he had already obtained their names, and none of them would escape his purge.

Looking at the dying Cao Xiuhui, he mercifully chose to give her a quick death, inserting a clone into her body and then feeding her large amounts of protein, letting her fully experience the vigorous growth of life within her, until—

Clap!

He was splattered with blood, but he wasn't annoyed at all. He closed his eyes, opened his arms, took a deep breath, and let out a long sigh.

When your mind is clear, even the air tastes sweet.

(End of this chapter)