Tokyo: Simulation Begins with the Big Sister Next Door

Junichi Watanabe sighed and continued, "Although I also want to track him down with you, I feel that I really can't bear to have my hopes dashed again."

"So... all I can do is wish you good luck and pray for you silently."

Junichi Watanabe's tone was heavy.

It's the feeling of having experienced countless moments of despair.

"Pray for me?"

An Zeliang looked slightly puzzled.

Junichi Watanabe sighed and replied, "Tracking down all serial killers is not a safe thing. You know, although it may be a bit inappropriate to say it, they are indeed the hunters at the top of the human food chain... Fighting against a serial killer like that inevitably carries the risk of becoming the prey."

"Child, you must protect yourself first and pay attention to your own safety before you have any hope of catching that murderer."

Junichi Watanabe seemed worried about Ryo Yasuzawa's safety.

"That's true. Killing is a terrifying thing for us, but for them... it's their unique right."

An Zeliang nodded silently.

"Yes, rights, your description is very apt."

Junichi Watanabe answered with a smile.

"So, child, when you investigate a murder case, you are dancing with death, so you must be even more careful."

This last sentence felt like a subtle reminder.

but.

An Zeliang, however, had a different feeling.

The sense of suspicion in my heart grew stronger.

Hoshimiya Rin looked at Watanabe Junichi with a calm gaze, seemingly lost in thought.

An Zeliang thought for a moment and asked, "Mr. Watanabe, you've spent your whole life tracking down a serial killer, haven't you also been dancing with death your whole life? Perhaps I'll be as lucky as you, or maybe that serial killer will just scoff at my investigation."

"Yeah, too."

Junichi Watanabe touched a ring on the back of his hand and nodded.

"The food is ready."

At this moment.

Nakano Aoi came out of the kitchen carrying dishes.

Tamamo Yuki followed closely behind, bringing out the dishes as well.

"The food tonight is really plentiful," Junichi Watanabe remarked.

After all the food was served.

An Zeliang also placed the cake in the middle of the table.

"Anze, thank you."

Yuki Tamamo looked at Ryo Yasuzawa with emotion.

This was the first time she had ever received a birthday cake from a friend.

"It's alright, you can start making a wish now." An Zeliang smiled gently.

Tamamo Yuki nodded gratefully, then lit the candles, closed her eyes, and began to make a wish.

After a while, Tamamo Yuki opened her eyes and blew out the candle.

then.

She looked at everyone and said earnestly, "Nakano-kun, Yasuzawa-kun, Hoshimiya-kun... thank you all."

"Today is the happiest day of my life... I am so grateful to you all for spending my birthday with me."

Tamamo Yuki didn't say anything sentimental, but simply expressed her sincere gratitude. Everyone was moved and responded to Tamamo's heartfelt thanks.

Then, Tamamo Yuki looked at Watanabe Junichi and thanked him earnestly again, saying, "Grandpa Watanabe, you have always treated me like your own child. I will always remember you. Thank you, Grandpa Watanabe!"

"This is what I should do, and it's also what I want to make up for what I owe you."

Junichi Watanabe's smile was very kind.

"Next year, next year you'll be an adult, Xiaoxing. I'll give you a very, very special gift then."

Upon hearing this, An Zeliang couldn't help but look over.

Chapter 87, Section 85: Waiting for the Fish to Take the Bait

"いただきます!"

After Tamamo made her wish, everyone began to enjoy today's birthday dinner.

While eating, An Zeliang pondered the meaning of what Junichi Watanabe had just said.

Next year, Tamamo Yuki will come of age, and he wants to give her a very special gift...

This statement increased An Zeliang's suspicions about him.

Looking back on my several meetings with Junichi Watanabe, I feel there are many suspicious points. I had never doubted him before because I always thought he was a kind and good person.

Now that I think about it carefully, Junichi Watanabe's description of the serial killer doesn't seem like that of someone who hates evil; rather, it seems more like he admires the serial killer.

This is clearly contradictory to his indignant statements in the media and his actions such as providing assistance to the families of victims.

How could someone who tracks down a criminal admire the criminal, or even repeatedly praise the criminal's cruelty? Such a mindset and behavior are very wrong and do not conform to the behavior of a normal person who hates criminals.

Was he assimilated by the serial killer?

Or... for some other reason.

As An Zeliang pondered this, he became more wary of Junichi Watanabe, this kind old man.

Regardless, he can be considered one of the most suspicious people.

During the conversation, dinner was finished.

then.

Tamamo Yuki and the other two women began clearing the table.

Yasuzawa Ryo and Watanabe Junichi originally wanted to help, but Tamamo Yuki stopped them.

"Grandpa Watanabe, Anze, you two rest first. Leave this to me."

As she spoke, Tamamo Yuki picked up the bowl and chopsticks from the table and went into the kitchen.

Nakano Aoi was running water to wash the dishes, and Hoshimiya Rin stood beside her, seemingly wanting to help, but she was clearly unfamiliar with the kitchen.

Tamamo Yuki wanted everyone to go and rest, saying she could manage on her own. But Nakano Aoi was very gentle, taking care of Tamamo Yuki like an older sister or even a mother.

"Aoi's mother is truly all-around amazing," Yasuzawa Ryo exclaimed.

Nakano Aoi can cook, tidy up, do housework, and is very caring. Did she inherit her wife's virtuousness?

No, Aoi isn't the lady's daughter, so how could it be hereditary...?

"Anze, would you mind if I went out for a smoke?" Junichi Watanabe asked.

"If you don't mind, I'll go out with you."

"Anze is such a sensible and good child."

The two walked out of the room together.

Jun Watanabe lit a cigarette and started smoking, chatting casually with Ryo Anzawa.

They talked about academic topics and didn't mention the murderer.

This made An Zeliang even more suspicious of his behavior.

After much deliberation, he decided to test Junichi Watanabe one more time.

"Mr. Watanabe, I've seen the website you created for the victims' families. It's for collecting information about the killer from all over the country and for offering encouragement and comfort to the victims' families, right?"

"I have an idea."

An Zeliang paused, stroked his chin thoughtfully, and said, "When I was looking at your website, I was wondering if it's possible that one of the active users on the site is a serial killer?"

“Mr. Watanabe, as you know, some serial killers have a habit of reviewing their crime scenes, and they may even enjoy the pain of the victims’ families and the attention from social media.”

Hearing these analyses, Junichi Watanabe nodded slightly in agreement, saying, "It is indeed possible, but I think it's not very likely. You see, this serial killer is completely different from other killers who are captured by their animalistic instincts. He is more rational, and this rationality is a kind of rationality that ordinary people cannot understand."

"Moreover, his motive for killing was entirely because he enjoyed being a hunter and the thrill of hunting."

"Just like those hunters who enjoy hunting, they don't care about other aspects of their prey; all they enjoy is the process of killing and torturing their prey."

Junichi Watanabe's answer seemed to leave Ryo Anzawa puzzled, and he frowned.

He seemed to be deep in thought, pondering something, then murmured, "For the thrill of the action, that feeling of being a hunter..."

“That’s right. Think about it. His usual methods of killing are summarized in the information I gave you. He likes to carefully slit the throat of his victims and watch the blood flow from their throats, so that he can clearly see how life slowly slips away from their eyes.”

At this point, Junichi Watanabe took a deep drag of his cigarette, exhaling the smoke into his lungs, and then slowly said, "He killed to enjoy his desires, not to satisfy some of his own flaws... I'm sorry, my description might make you feel uncomfortable."

"I am just trying my best to describe his psychology accurately. Therefore, the media attention and the opinions of outsiders are meaningless to this murderer."

Junichi Watanabe seemed to be taking care of Ryo Anzawa's feelings, and his voice softened considerably.

An Zeliang shook his head and said, "I don't feel unwell."

"I've actually seen...and heard quite a few things like this."

An Zeliang had experienced many simulated memories of ruthless people, and had witnessed a lot of bloodshed and killing, so he naturally wouldn't feel uncomfortable about this.

Junichi Watanabe, unaware of these things, simply sighed and continued, "I've studied the serial killer for a long time, but I'm still at a loss. Sigh..."

“It’s alright, Mr. Watanabe, I believe we will find him.”

An Zeliang comforted him, and after a moment's thought, continued, "In fact, my opinion differs somewhat from Mr. Watanabe's. I think that no matter what the killer's mindset was in his previous cases, perhaps for him, Tamamo's last case is special."

"For example, what kind of perfect farewell performance? If we analyze it from the perspective of a psychopathic killer, it seems quite possible."

"Do you think he might have been keeping an eye on Tamamo-san all along?"