No one understands the laws of Collider better than me.

"Kitahara-nii, you're amazing!"

The five kids ran out of the coffee shop. Mitsuhiko and Genta were looking at Kitahara Masaki with the eyes of someone looking at a Kamen Rider, while Conan wanted to see the body. Only Ayumi stood aside without saying a word.

"Alright, it's still quite dangerous here. And you kids, stop looking at the corpses. You're only first-years, why aren't you more afraid?"

"But they're all dead, so there's nothing to be afraid of."

"No, aren't you afraid of having nightmares if you see dead people?"

"No way, Kitahara-nii, you're the one who's confused. The living are clearly scarier than the dead."

After hearing what the brats said, Kitahara Masaki stood still and remained silent for a while. He suddenly felt that he didn't need to care too much at all. These brats were much more difficult to deal with than he had imagined.

The world has changed; even a first-grader can say such philosophical things.

After a long pause, Inspector Megure, who had received news of the shooting, arrived at the scene with a large group of officers.

"Brother Kitahara, what's going on here!"

"Ah, Inspector Megure, you're late."

It's all over now.

Pulling a few children aside, Kitahara Masaki said softly:

"Conan, you did a good job this time. Remember to let me know in advance next time too."

"Oh, okay, Kitahara-kun. But won't firing your gun like that affect your career?"

"Hmm—what you said makes a lot of sense. How about you say when you're giving your statement that the prisoner threatened you with a gun?"

Conan, who was about to refuse, suddenly felt like he was being led down a path of no return by Kitahara Masaki when he saw the three people with shining eyes on the side.

P.S. The female singer in this episode of the anime and Conan share the same voice actress, so their voices are exactly the same.

Chapter 54 Perhaps what they lack is the warm-up of a Homelander.

"This is so troublesome, why is it taking so long to write this report?"

“Brother Kitahara, you fired shots in the street and killed two more kidnappers.”

“But that was already an emergency. The prisoner was about to shoot me, and there were many civilians around. In order to prevent the situation from escalating further, I had to make a quick decision.”

Inspector Megure wiped his sweat. He actually agreed with what Kitahara Masaki said, but Kitahara Masaki's marksmanship could have easily rendered the criminal incapacitated, yet he chose to kill him outright.

This has made some groups in society very uneasy, and they have even begun to protest the police's actions outside the Metropolitan Police Department.

"The protesters are still charging at the police line. Inspector Megure."

"Okay, I got it. You heard that, right, Kitahara? From now on, you'll always use the parking garage when you go to and from get off work. You absolutely can't get into any conflicts with those people. Even if you're in the right, if things escalate, you'll still be the one who suffers in the end."

"Haha, of course I understand, Inspector Megure. I'm an adult now, how could I not be able to control my emotions?"

Kitahara Masaki was well aware that a small portion of these people had vested interests, while the majority were simply brainless and had been coerced into joining. When the "tap water" (referring to the public) got impatient and tired, they would go back to their own homes and families, without the need for the police to respond.

As Kitahara Masaki was copying and pasting the so-called self-criticism on his computer, a gunshot suddenly rang out outside, followed by screams and the noise of people running in all directions.

"what happened!"

"Inspector Megure, someone has opened fire on the protesters! It's complete chaos, we can't control them at all! Aaaaaah!!!"

Most people run around randomly when they are fleeing, unconsciously following the majority of people, which is the herd mentality.

Because many people subconsciously believe that the Metropolitan Police Department is the safest place, the vast majority of people are running inside, and the few police officers in charge of maintaining order are simply unable to stop the surge of so many people.

Haha, they were just protesting police misuse of firearms, but now they think the safest place is only where the police are.

Once one's stance changes, one's behavior also changes.

only……

"Takagi, you take a team down there and protect all the civilians. But you must be careful not to let anyone desert the team. Don't be fooled by excuses like needing to go to the toilet, understand?"

"Yes, I'll go right now!"

In reality, most ordinary people's minds go blank when they experience a shooting. They may not even remember where they are or what to do.

So if the current situation is a game within a game, then it's really interesting.

"Inspector Megure, you take your men and go after that sniper. It shouldn't be difficult to catch him by blocking the roads and using surveillance footage. I'll go down and see if there are any rats mixed in with that group."

"Oh, you're going alone?"

"There's Takagi and the others, but honestly, I'm enough on my own."

While Inspector Megure and his team were using surveillance footage to locate the suspect and notifying police stations across Tokyo to block roads, Masaki Kitahara had already arrived at the Metropolitan Police Department's first floor. The entrance was now packed with hundreds of people, who were cursing incessantly. Once they realized they were safe, they began spitting at Takagi and his group.

"You bunch of tax thieves!"

Hey, sir, looking at your pathetic state, it's questionable whether you've even reached the tax threshold.

Where were you all when I needed you? Were you still slacking off in the office?

Ah, it's true, it's so great to slack off in an air-conditioned office.

"Could it be that the sniping just now was your doing?! How dare you fire on civilians!"

If that's really the case, why are you still running into the demon's lair? Are you in such a hurry to be reincarnated?

The crowd that had been gathered at the entrance gradually squeezed in. Their expressions were mostly panic and anger. There was no place where anyone could stand on higher ground, so Kitahara Masaki couldn't see any of their expressions or movements.

This is bad news. If there's a guy inside wearing a suicide vest, everyone on this floor is doomed.

With that in mind, Kitahara Masaki retreated to the underground parking lot after releasing the drone, and looked at the crowded people through the drone's camera.

The problem is that there are indeed a few sneaky guys who are much more muscular or bulky than the average person. It's already strange enough that they wear so many clothes in such hot weather, but what's even stranger is that they always keep their hands in their pockets, unlike the others who reach out to push the people in front of them.

Ah, it seems this is another dangerous situation; there couldn't be anything more dangerous than this.

What should we do?

Am I supposed to disguise myself as a protester, squeeze into the crowd, and then eliminate them through assassination? No, no, that's too dangerous for me, and deliberately approaching them would easily be discovered, thus provoking them to press the detonation button.

"Takagi, go and get the crowd to line up in several queues, then tell them that there are still plenty of empty spaces on the second floor of the underground parking garage to accommodate them. Also, find a few police officers to bring over a few cases of bottled water, and get some fruit from the cafeteria. In short, we can't let them crowd into the lobby any longer."

Crowded in the lobby, there's absolutely no room to operate. Although I can easily spot them with a drone, I have no way to deal with them.

"Yes, Kitahara-senpai."

The crowd, who had initially been looking for an explanation, visibly relaxed after seeing the fruit and bottled water. After all, most people are just looking to get a good deal.

The guys who originally wanted to stay put had no choice but to follow the crowd into the underground parking garage after seeing the group start moving. At this point, they still felt that they hadn't been exposed yet, and that the Metropolitan Police Department was just trying to manage the crowd.

However, they had already been marked; locked by the drone, their avatars were marked with a red cross, unlike the colors of the others.

Kitahara Masaki, who was lying in wait on the first floor of the underground parking garage, had already set up his sniper rifle and was waiting for the crowd to walk onto the battlefield he had set up.

Ah, I guess I'll have to write quite a few reports later.

"Takagi, send the police officers to maintain order and stop them from moving around freely!"

"Yes!"

Once they start receiving orders, they will have a tendency to continue receiving orders, which is very disadvantageous for those who want to detonate the bomb.

It seems they were also afraid of death, perhaps because they were coerced, or perhaps for some religious purpose, but their survival instinct prevented them from pressing the button at the beginning.

Well then—it's up to you.

Snapped!

The police officer who approached the suspect suddenly sprang up, grabbed the suspect's hands tightly, and quickly handcuffed him, even putting handcuffs on his feet as well.

Fortunately, they weren't holding a disabling switch. If they had been holding one of those that explodes when released, Kitahara Masaki would have had no choice but to run away.

The well-trained officers managed to apprehend all the suspects identified by Kitahara Masaki; they truly are the elite of the public security force. If this matter had been handled by the Metropolitan Police Department, it would likely have been a disaster.

Yes, Kitahara Masaki contacted Amuro Tooru after discovering that there was likely a 'suicide truck' among the crowd. The Public Security Bureau, realizing the urgency of the situation, also mobilized as quickly as possible, disguising themselves as Metropolitan Police Department officers. After Kitahara Masaki gave the order, everyone immediately took control of the relevant suspects.

Chapter 55 Of course they would be afraid of the famous detective

Phew, it worked!

As expected, only Amuro Tooru's team in the entire country is trustworthy. If he had encountered a police officer like Yamamura Misao, Kitahara Masaki would probably only see him again in a black and white photo.

"Officer Sasae, all suspects are now in custody."

“Very good, Officer Kitahara, thank you for your trust in us.”

Sasaki Wataru, this is another alias of Amuro Tooru, also known as Furuya Rei. When his real name was not suitable to be made public, he told Kitahara Masaki this name and his phone number, which allowed Kitahara Masaki to contact him quickly. Otherwise, Kitahara Masaki would have had to take a gamble.

Kitahara Masaki put away his sniper rifle and went down to the second basement level. At that moment, the Metropolitan Police Department's bomb disposal team was defusing the bombs on their bodies and evacuating the citizens in the underground parking garage. After such a thrilling operation, these protesters, who had been shouting louder than anyone else, finally understood what danger meant.

"Officer Kitahara, thank goodness for your timely notification, otherwise the mastermind behind this would have succeeded."

“Officer Sasae, there’s no need to be modest. You and your men are the real elite. As for me, I don’t really like doing missions that require secrecy, so there’s no need to try to win me over.”

Amuro Tooru wasn't in a hurry. After all, after this case, the only investigator in the Metropolitan Police Department capable of handling this kind of case was Kitahara Masaki, so they would definitely have the opportunity to cooperate again in the future.

The attack terrified the top brass of the Metropolitan Police Department, and it took them a while to send in Superintendent Kiyonaga Matsumoto to inquire about the situation at the scene.

"Ahem, Officer Kitahara, could this case be an attack targeting high-ranking officials in the Metropolitan Police Department?"

Kitahara Masaki and Amuro Tooru exchanged a glance, both seeing contempt and helplessness in each other's eyes. Kitahara Masaki, of course, wouldn't say anything like 'that's possible,' but instead answered with unwavering confidence:

"It can be said that this case is an attack on the Metropolitan Police Department as a whole. The intention is likely to damage the image of the Metropolitan Police Department or divert its attention. If it were an action targeting the higher-ups, they would incite protesters to demand that the higher-ups come out to answer questions or hold a press conference, instead of just shouting empty slogans like 'police abuse of power.' So, Manager Matsumoto, you can rest assured."

As a police officer, it was indeed inappropriate for him to inquire about the disaster situation of the citizens instead of asking about his own safety. However, Matsumoto Kiyonaga was simply following orders and had no room for objection. Whether it was the orders from his superiors or the contempt in Kitahara Masaki's tone, this soon-to-be high-ranking officer, caught in the middle, could only awkwardly return to report.

“Officer Kitahara, after this case is closed, those people may be very unhappy about your unauthorized disclosure of information to our Public Security Bureau, and may even hold you accountable. If you can't make your mark here, we welcome you to join our Public Security Bureau anytime.”

“You’ve misunderstood, Inspector Sasao. I did all this because I felt only you had the courage and skill to apprehend the criminal in such a short time. Besides, I’m very wealthy, enough to live a life of luxury. If they transfer me to some menial department, I’ll naturally choose to resign…”

At this point, Kitahara Masaki laughed and continued:

"Then I will open a detective agency in Tokyo and work as a criminal investigation consultant for the police."

Upon hearing this answer, Amuro Tooru naturally understood that Kitahara Masaki didn't care about the police leadership at all. He might give them face in terms of social etiquette, but if he himself suffered any injustice, he would transform from a famous police officer into a famous detective, taking over from Kudo Shinichi and continuing to slap the Metropolitan Police Department in the face.

That's ruthless. I guess the higher-ups in the Metropolitan Police Department realized after calming down that as long as Kitahara Masaki is irreplaceable, they simply can't make any demands on him.

"Haha, it seems Officer Kitahara had everything prepared all along. I was being presumptuous. Let's take a look at this case then."

Kitahara Masaki nodded, and at that moment the bomb squad defused the bombs on everyone.