No one understands the laws of Collider better than me.

Upon hearing Kitahara Masaki's voice, the people who had been hiding all around came out, seemingly still shaken. Many people looked at the others, but what surprised Kitahara Masaki was that although today was supposed to be a gathering of high-ranking and former police officers, most of the people in the underground parking garage were ordinary people.

Kitahara Masaki slowly made his way forward. Although the lights in the underground parking garage were still on, the visibility was much lower. After he identified the various exits, he realized one thing: the person who did this had no intention of killing, or rather, not yet.

Because the collapsed rubble blocked the elevator, the emergency escape stairs, and the entrance to the underground parking garage, all three places were perfectly blocked. Therefore, the people inside were not in immediate danger. No wonder Kitahara Masaki's sense of danger was not triggered when he entered the underground parking garage. It turns out that the mastermind deliberately chose a low-powered bomb to trap them here. What a painstaking effort!

"Are you all alright? Although our entrances and exits are blocked, we are not in any immediate danger. Moreover, the rescue team can dig through a landslide of this magnitude in just one day."

Not to mention that underground parking lots like this are used as temporary air-raid shelters, so the most important thing now is to find out who did this and what the guy who made him work overtime is up to.

Chapter 220 Three Heroines Who Saved the World

Kitahara Masaki, Hasumi Kyoichiro, Amamiya Saya, and five civilians (a couple, a delivery worker, a young office worker, and the man who came down the elevator with Kitahara Masaki and was dressed very neatly).

"Are there eight people in total? But I remember there should be one more person."

"Hey! Officer Kitahara, you're not seeing things, are you? If it's true, could it be that that person was caught in the explosion?"

"Not necessarily, I'll go check first, you all stay here and don't move."

Kitahara Masaki clearly remembered that there was a person dressed as a cleaner smoking before the explosion. When he was looking for the person, the man who had been hiding suddenly jumped out. It turned out that he had been hiding behind the car.

What troubled Kitahara Masaki was that the short man was holding a revolver that looked like a black gun. After firing one shot as a deterrent, he aimed it at one of the five civilians, and then cackled:

"Kitahara Masaki, is it? I've heard so much about you. Even with a gun in my hand, I wouldn't dare approach you. So I can only take these guys hostage. I hope you won't make any rash moves. After all, I'm fundamentally different from the people you dealt with before! I'm Mizoguchi Shogo of the Kanto Giyokai!"

The short man ripped open his clothes, revealing the tattoos underneath. This man was indeed fundamentally different from the gangsters Kitahara Masaki had encountered, because Kitahara Masaki could sense the resolute determination and murderous aura emanating from him.

Oops—this is troublesome.

They were about fifteen meters away from him. Kitahara Masaki was confident he could dodge his bullets, but now his gun was pointed at one of the five civilians. If Kitahara Masaki made any rash moves, he certainly wouldn't hesitate to fire bullets, especially since the person he was pointing at was a pregnant woman.

"Kitahara Masaki, don't you dare move. If I think you're up to something, I'll shoot this pregnant woman. Understand? Everyone else, sit down and put your wallets and phones in this basket."

Kitahara Masaki raised his hands. There was no chance to fire now, because the gangster had cleverly used others as human shields. Penetrating bullets could only penetrate inanimate objects and could not bend, so he could only wait for a good opportunity.

The gangster was also very cunning. He had the pregnant woman's husband search Kitahara Masaki, took his pistol and cell phone, and then instructed him to tie Kitahara Masaki's hands.

After tossing Kitahara Masaki's pistol aside, the yakuza began collecting the other people's cell phones, and then a civilian said:

"My phone is in the car, can I get it?"

Mizoguchi gestured for him to hurry up, but just as the man reached the car door with his back to him, Mizoguchi fired a shot, and the man fell to the ground. This shocking turn of events caused everyone except Kitahara Maki to scream.

That bastard is really ruthless. Since he had eight hostages, killing one of them as a warning to others was just right.

After being intimidated by the threat of death, everyone sat obediently, but Kitahara Masaki suddenly said:

"You'd better check what you hit first. It seems you hit an oil drum containing liquid when you fired the warning shot."

Upon hearing this, Goukou turned around and saw that he had indeed hit an oil drum, and the liquid inside was indeed slowly flowing out.

"Hey, what are you transporting?"

He pulled the driver out from among the civilians, and the driver stammered:

"All I know is that it can't get wet; if it does, it will produce poisonous gas..."

Then Mizoguchi had the civilians and President Hasumi block the flow of chemical reagents, but he remained wary of Kitahara Masaki and wouldn't let him get close at all.

After finally dealing with all the emergencies, Mizoguchi began collecting information about the hostages and read them aloud one by one:

Katsuhiko Manabe was the man who came down the elevator with Masaki Kitahara, and whose clothes and shoes were exceptionally neat.

Utsui Masafumi and Utsui Aki were the commoner couple, and Utsui Aki was the pregnant woman.

Okumura Satoru was the one who was used as a warning to others from the very beginning, and he came with the husband from that couple.

Atsuro Kurishima was the driver who delivered the herbicide.

Amamiya Saya, Hasumi Kyoichiro's secretary.

"Hasumi Kyoichiro, heh heh, the person I hate the most in the police force is you! You bastard... you bastard participated in the formulation of the Organized Crime Countermeasures Law!"

-----------------

"What exactly is going on now?!"

"President Hasumi, my father is still inside! Please have the rescue team begin the rescue as soon as possible!"

"Hey, hey, we can confirm from the guest list that there's still a pregnant woman trapped in the underground parking garage! If she doesn't survive the low temperatures tonight, things will get really bad! Imagine the social impact of a pregnant woman dying during a police gathering!"

"Ahem, we still have Inspector Kitahara, right? He can definitely solve the case in no time, just like before."

Standing in front of the parking lot entrance blocked by rubble, Nanatsuki Koshimizu felt a surge of frustration as she listened to most of the people around her frantically buzzing around like headless flies. Instead of quickly assessing the damage and the situation of the victims, they were acting like idiots, thinking about the social impact and fantasizing that Officer Kitahara could save the world.

However, she now lacks the ability and the right to command this rabble to obey her orders. What should she do?

"Shut up, all of you! If you don't understand what you're supposed to do, then keep quiet! Follow orders!"

Just as Koshimizu Nanatsuki was about to find someone of a high enough rank to take charge, a woman with a single ponytail stood on a makeshift table and shouted through a megaphone.

The shocking roar made everyone in the panic turn to look at her. Vermouth's eyes were sharp, and the gentleness she had shown when she pretended to be a good girl was nowhere to be seen.

"You guys, get to the bottom of this and find out exactly how many people are trapped inside. You guys, go and coordinate with the rescue team and get them to come up with a rescue plan immediately. You guys, hurry up and check if there are any more bombs around here! Let me see the backbone of the Japanese police. Your colleagues and those you're supposed to protect are trapped inside! This is the temporary command post, so get all the communication equipment here right now!"

Looking at Vermouth's retreating figure, Nanatsuki Koshimizu gritted her teeth and walked up to her, saying:

"Miss Evelyn!"

"Miss Koshimizu... how is the situation? As his deputy, I believe you're not the kind of useless person who doesn't even have a basic understanding of the situation, right?"

"Ahem, I've found the basic information about the people trapped in the underground parking garage. Since everyone needs to register to enter, we now have their names. Thank you so much for your help. Now, we'll hand them over to the police."

"Hmm, that won't do. I've already bought this hotel, so as a victim whose property was destroyed long ago, I certainly have the right to supervise the police's rescue efforts here."

At first, Nanatsuki Koshimizu was worried that Vermouth would make an unreasonable decision because of her emotions, but it seems that she came prepared. So she can't still think about romance anymore.

The two women clasped hands, and just as they were about to continue directing the group of incompetent police officers, another small hand reached out to them.

"Me too, I'll also participate in the investigation."

The two adults looked in surprise at the sudden appearance of Ai Haibara and the laptop in her hand.

Chapter 221 The Yangko Star Who Lost His Dream

Without wasting words, Ai Haibara immediately stated her findings.

"There are still seven hostages left, including Hasumi Kyoichiro and Kitahara Masaki. One of them has already been shot dead. If you don't want more people to die, agree to my demands—immediately release the chairman of the Yiyang Association and the seven detained members, and stop all rescue operations, or everyone will die! The sender is Mizoguchi Shogo of the Yiyang Association. This person should be one of the instigators. Someone just sent this email to the Metropolitan Police Department's public email address."

The other two were also thinking of asking Ai how she got here later, and they even used hacking techniques to infiltrate the Metropolitan Police Department's network.

"Immediately contact the entrance to this ditch and prepare an endoscope to check the situation inside. Also, find out which prison the Yi Yang Society members are being held in. Judging from his information, he doesn't seem like someone who could set such a precise bomb. In other words, he definitely has accomplices, and maybe his accomplice is still with him in the underground parking garage."

Nanatsuki Koshimizu immediately dispatched the arriving junior officers to run errands; she needed to stay there to rescue Masaki Kitahara. After Ai Haibara found Mizoguchi's phone number, Vermouth dialed it directly. This stunned everyone present, and even Superintendent Hakuba, who rushed back, was surprised that Masaki Kitahara's girlfriend was completely unwilling to consult with the police.

"Hello, is this Mr. Mizoguchi? I am the negotiator from the Metropolitan Police Department. Are your demands the same as those stated in your email? We need to make some preparations in this regard."

"Nonsense! Of course it's the same! I'm not asking you to hand over 10 billion, I'm asking you to release my family! What preparations do you need, you bastards! Just open the door and that's it."

"Please rest assured, Mr. Mizoguchi, it is late at night now, and I believe your family members are already asleep. It will naturally take some time to wake them up. I can assure you that you will be able to speak to your father on the phone in a little while."

The "father" mentioned here is not his biological father, but the president of the Yiyang Association, who is nearly eighty years old and has been in prison for more than twenty years. Presumably, if it weren't for today's events, he would have only one fate—to die of old age in prison.

"Oh, talking to Dad on the phone? By the way, it is indeed quite late now... Hey! Remember to make sure Dad puts on a few more layers of clothing before coming out. If Dad is not satisfied, I will kill all the hostages I have!"

Mizoguchi slammed down the phone, and Vermouth immediately issued instructions:

"Bring that old man from the Yiyang Society out here right now, and make him stall for time no matter what, preferably until Goukou abandons this plan!"

“Ahem, Miss Evelyn, please do not act rashly before our police decide on a rescue strategy! Besides, we have far more experience dealing with these gangsters. Inspector Koshimizu, take this citizen out.”

"Heh, it seems your police don't know that Gouguchi can't be persuaded by other conditions. Gouguchi's medical records clearly state that he only has less than six months left. Do you think you can reason with a gangster whose days are numbered? The only person he still cares about is the chairman of the Yiyang Association. As long as that chairman gives the order, he will definitely do it! So what your police need to do now is to make that old man the trump card to deal with Gouguchi! Besides, I am now the owner of this hotel. This area within a hundred miles is my private property. You have no right to make me leave!"

"That old man you're talking about was a gangster who dared to kill people in the street twenty years ago! He's not someone you can communicate with normally!"

"Then either improve his prison conditions immediately, or cut off one of his fingers! As a superintendent general, are you afraid of a prisoner who's been incarcerated for over twenty years? While we're still arguing, Mizoguchi might shoot the hostage, and who do you think he'll kill first? I think it'll be Hasumi Kyoichiro, who used yakuza to circumvent the bill. After all, it was because of the bill he supported that Mizoguchi's 'old man' ended up in prison..."

giggle-

Director Hakuba was completely outmaneuvered by Vermouth, even losing in terms of sheer force of will. After all, it would be incredibly shameful for the police to surrender before even engaging in combat, especially since no one had yet compiled a decent report on Mizoguchi's information; instead, that woman had obtained it first. His fists clenched so tightly they cracked as he suppressed his anger. The thought that this formidable woman was not only Kitahara Masaki's girlfriend but also came from a prominent American family made him a serious threat. If this escalated into an international incident, his reputation could be ruined.

Director Bai Ma was a man who understood the big picture. After thinking about this, he naturally stopped arguing and quickly sent the police to the prison to persuade the chairman of the Yiyang Association, at least to make it clear to Goukou that only by ensuring the safety of the hostages could negotiations continue.

Another hour passed quickly, and then the prison finally called to say that the president of the Yiyang Association had made preparations.

Although the orders from the temporary command center were issued by Director White Horse, the police officers present couldn't help but look at the imposing woman. There were only two other women with her, and even a child, but no one dared to go forward and let her leave.

"Why are you all looking at me? If the president of the Yiyang Association is willing to call Goukou, then get started right away! I hope you police have already made it clear to him what will happen if he says the wrong thing."

Vermouth had initially considered impersonating the old man and calling Mizoguchi to persuade him to surrender. However, no matter how skilled Vermouth was at acting, she couldn't possibly impersonate an old man she'd never met before. Besides, the prison was a two-hour drive away, and to stay at command post and prevent the police from making any wrong decisions, she couldn't possibly rush there and back. So, at this point, she could only hope that the old man would be sensible.

------------------

"it's me."

"Dad!"

"I heard you're asking for our release, right? Sigh, I'm very grateful for your kindness, but the traditional underworld is finished now, and the spirit of chivalry is long dead. Staying here, you don't have to worry about not having food, and there will be a doctor to take care of you if you get sick. You don't need to worry about me anymore. I've been taken care of by you all this time. Thank you."

Completely unprepared for such an answer, Mizoguchi burst into tears. More than twenty years of imprisonment had worn away the ruthlessness of this once-powerful gangster, leaving him only with the desire to live out his old age in peace. This left Mizoguchi, who had not been imprisoned, at a loss. It wasn't that the police didn't want to release him, but that his own father was unwilling to leave.

Hearing this unexpected conversation, Kitahara Masaki realized that the police probably wanted the chairman of the Yiyang Association to say that the judicial process still needed time, but the yakuza boss directly broke through Mizoguchi's defenses.

Chapter 222 Two-Stage Reversal

Ahhhhh! !! !!

Mizoguchi slammed his phone down, pressed a pistol against Hasumi Kyoichiro's face, and roared:

"If it weren't for you, if it weren't for you... Dad wouldn't have stayed in prison for so long, and he wouldn't be in this state now!"

opportunity!

Because the rope was tied by an amateur, Kitahara Masaki had already broken free. He hadn't acted until now because Mizoguchi was very wary. However, now that his mental support had collapsed, his attention was focused on Hasumi Kyoichiro, which was the perfect opportunity for Kitahara Masaki to make his move.

He pressed the car key, and a car in the distance suddenly turned on its lights and made a sound. This drew everyone's attention, including Mizoguchi's.

As the yakuza, who was over sixty years old, turned around, Kitahara Masaki had already snatched his gun and punched him in the stomach.

"Phew, perfectly solved."

After tying Mizoguchi up, Kitahara Masaki took his phone back from the basket where he kept his. However, when he tried to make a call, he found that his phone had no signal at all. He had others turn on their phones and found that the same thing happened.