Chapter 76
Even with a gun pointed at his head, Fyodor's expression remained unchanged.
He neither turned around nor made any dodging motion; he simply stood there, as if he were truly being coerced by the pistol.
Ayatsuji Yukito, facing the man with the gun, let out a flat but highly mocking "Wow," as if he had witnessed a clown performing a farce.
"Is this your answer, Investigator Asukai?"
His tone was even slow and leisurely, much calmer than that of Asui, whose hands were trembling.
"To be honest, the solution you came up with after racking your brains is absolutely terrible. Since you've known me for so long, you must know what will happen to you if you fire a gun in front of me."
Ayatsuji Yukito's special ability [Another] is based on a key criterion for activation: allowing Ayatsuji himself to see crucial evidence that confirms the identity of the murderer.
This means that if Asukai dared to shoot and kill Fyodor in front of him, the gun and Asukai's fingerprints on it would become evidence of the crime.
In this way, the commission would be so simple that there would be no need for a search process. His [Another] would be activated immediately, and Asukai would die 100% in an accident.
"Of course I... know how terrifying Ayatsuji-sensei's special ability is..."
Asukai's voice carried a hint of fear, "The massacre of seventeen residents of Lingyu Island that happened some time ago... wasn't that your achievement?"
"Don't say things that disgust me, you idiot."
"It's a cold statement," said Ayatsuji Yukito.
“Those murderers who died because of my powers must have committed heinous crimes and are already beyond redemption. This is not a victory, but a reckoning.”
"Moreover, the eighteenth mastermind has not yet been found."
The serial killings on Prison Island were also a criminal case that shocked the highest levels of the government some time ago.
That was a crime committed by seventeen islanders in collusion.
Not content with secretly murdering tourists who come to the island and robbing them of their belongings, they also create the illusion that the tourists are staying on the island for an extended period of time, while impersonating the victims and continuously stealing money from their accounts.
Ayatsuji Yukito happened to arrive on Prison Island and bumped into Asukai, who was investigating a large number of missing tourists. In the end, Asukai witnessed firsthand how Ayatsuji Yukito's supernatural ability could take the lives of seventeen murderers in an instant, each with a different manner of death.
Because the fates of both the victims and the perpetrators were so dire, the government expended considerable effort to suppress the incident.
For Yukito Ayatsuji, this was also the pivotal event that led the government to classify him as a "Special Dangerous Ability User," forcing him to live under the constant surveillance and presence of numerous agents ever since, which was incredibly frustrating.
Tsk, instead of wasting police resources on him, shouldn't we reflect more on why this city has so many murderers?
As he exhaled smoke from his lips, Ayatsuji Yukito's expression grew even more impatient. A chilling aura of death seemed to emanate from his gaze behind his sunglasses, making Asukai's barely concealed timidity even more pronounced.
"Ultimately, it's all Ayatsuji-sensei's fault..."
"ha?"
Ayatsuji Yukito seemed to have heard an absurd joke, and even raised his eyebrows slightly, making him appear more imposing.
For a moment, it was impossible to tell who the real villain was among those present.
"Why did you come here to investigate? Why did you set foot on Prison Island?"
Asukai's voice rose, uttering a final, accusatory question, "Why did you team up with this guy?"—he pressed the muzzle of his gun against Fyodor's head roughly, "To go against [him]!"
Fyodor didn't make a sound, but his expression had become even more dangerous.
"Him? It seems the real culprit behind all these events is indeed a man."
From the details that the other party inadvertently revealed, Ayatsuji Yukito let out a cold laugh, “This matches the criminal profile I’ve made of that guy in my mind.”
Upon hearing this, Asukai froze, only then realizing that in his emotional state, he had inadvertently revealed some crucial information, and his expression clearly became flustered.
"Listen, you idiot."
Ayatsuji Yukito said dismissively, "You used to be an excellent investigator, abiding by the law, upholding justice, and willing to do anything for your beliefs. When you were an investigator, these were indeed good qualities."
"But you have now strayed from the original path and become a mad killer—so conversely, your thinking has been bound by rules for too long, your mind is simple and direct, and you always think you have made some wise decisions and judgments, but in fact you are not even as good as an insect that lies on the bark sucking sap."
Asukai: "W-What do you mean...! If I didn't intend to live, I could kill him with just a shot...!"
If he didn't care about his own life, killing Fyodor, who was already at gunpoint, would be a piece of cake!
Upon hearing such arrogant words, Fyodor silently curled the corners of his mouth, his expression full of sarcasm—unfortunately, Asukai couldn't see it.
"What I'm saying is, if you want to be some kind of high-IQ murderer who can manipulate the police, I advise you to give up as soon as possible, or it would be faster to commit suicide and be reincarnated."
Ayatsuji Yukito chuckled, "You think your decision to fight to the death is a noble choice made in accordance with your heart, but in reality? It's nothing more than that culprit brainwashing you into this state."
"What, are you thanking him now?"
"…………"
Asukai's expression changed drastically; he felt utterly humiliated and speechless.
"Looks like I guessed right."
Ayatsuji Yukito toyed with his thin pipe between his fingers, looking like he couldn't be bothered to talk to Asukai any longer.
"Then let me guess again. Is your respectful and obedient master in one of these rooms right now, like a lurking, perverted voyeur, eavesdropping on our conversation?"
"Ahem," Asukai was about to retort angrily when another voice belonging to an older person rang out at the apartment door—slightly aged, but not dejected, even carrying a touch of playful joy.
Judging from his casually worn kimono, neatly combed white hair, and the dimples on his cheeks, he was no different from a friendly old man next door.
"You finally decided to come out, huh? I thought you'd hide until someone carried you into the incinerator."
Ayatsuji Yukito narrowed his eyes slightly, showing no politeness in his words.
“Well said, Ayatsuji-kun.”
Even when Ayatsuji Yukito deliberately insulted him to his face, his smile did not diminish in the slightest. "But I still need to clarify one thing."
"The reason I never showed up in the previous incidents was not because I was afraid of being caught by the police or having my reputation ruined. It's just that they weren't worth it for me to do so."
Stop putting on airs.
Ayatsuji Yukito gave a cold laugh that showed absolutely no respect. He completely lacked any traditional sense of etiquette regarding respecting the elderly and caring for the young, let alone offering any way out in his words.
"It's all because we provoked Asuka to expose her completely, and now we're about to drag your little tail out."
Asukai was stunned: "Exciting...?"
Unfortunately, Ayatsuji Yukito hasn't yet reached the point of explaining things to the toad, so he completely ignored him.
Fyodor seemed to have forgotten the life-threatening crisis on his forehead and was listening with great interest to Ayatsuji Yukito cursing the immoral old man.
“I just didn’t pay him any attention before. I really thought I had some skill in hiding my identity,” Ayatsuji Yukito continued. “Once I started to suspect him, there were so many flaws that I had to write them down to remember them.”
"Of course, the same goes for you, Kyogoku Natsuhiko."
Ayatsuji Yukito immediately recognized the other party's identity.
After all, before becoming the mastermind behind a series of murders, Kyogoku Natsuhiko was a highly respected puzzle solver, exorcist, and sorcerer, and was a frequent client of the military and police who often sought his assistance in solving cases.
Even Ayatsuji Yukito had seen this smiling old man before before, but his feelings towards him were now quite different.
If he used to respectfully call him "Kyogoku-sensei," now Ayatsuji Yukito would only call him a stinky old man.
As for what comes after? There is no going back.
“Sometimes, the flaw is the key to the overall strategy,” Kyogoku Natsuhiko chuckled. “How do you know that my presence here isn’t a matter of taking advantage of the situation?”
"After all, Ayatsuji-kun is the kind of 'murder detective' who will cause the culprit to die unexpectedly if he judges the evidence to be conclusive," Kyogoku Natsuhiko said meaningfully after a brief pause.
"If you have really found evidence that proves Investigator Yui was murdered by Asukai, why hasn't your superpower been activated yet?"
He immediately saw through Ayatsuji Yukito's little trick.
With the shipyard's lightning-fast case-solving as a precedent, this time he and Fyodor only needed two casual sentences to trick Asukai into revealing his identity on the spot.
This little trick didn't even require Ayatsuji Yukito and Fyodor to discuss it beforehand—not even a hint was needed. Fyodor could understand what Ayatsuji Yukito wanted to do the moment he heard him speak and execute a perfect coordination.
This is why Ayatsuji Yukito just made a sarcastic remark about Asukai's low IQ: he couldn't even see through a bluff, and as a criminal, he was nothing but a clown who would be exposed immediately.
Asukai was completely stunned, seemingly unable to believe what was happening.
It's also possible that his brain is overloaded and simply cannot process the amount of information he is receiving.
"Does anyone know why my superpower didn't activate?"
He might be bluffing, but Ayatsuji Yukito would never admit it.
"It's probably a bug," he said casually, "just like the mechanical gears in a watch can sometimes get stuck."
Kyogoku Natsuhiko let out that hearty laugh again, but didn't dwell on it any further.
However, Ayatsuji Yukito's expression was one of unbearable nausea at the laughter.
“Asukaoi won’t fire his gun,” Kyogoku Natsuhiko said confidently. “He’s only useful when he doesn’t fire.”
By not firing a shot, Asukai did not leave any leverage or evidence for the government to arrest or convict him.
Whether it was the shipyard, this apartment, or the prison island, none of the cases that occurred in these places left any clues that Asukai was the mastermind. Even if he were arrested, he could be released without charge.
No matter how convinced Ayatsuji Yukito was, his superpower would only activate when he saw physical evidence and was able to identify the true culprit.
As for the [Another] ability, it is extremely difficult to determine the crime of instigation, which is not a direct act of killing. There must be evidence that Kyogoku Natsuhiko subjectively and intentionally instigated the murderer to kill, and that this act was the direct cause of the murder.
That's why Kyogoku Natsuhiko could appear in front of him so brazenly, without any concern that Ayatsuji Yukito's ability would kill him.
After all, he was just a timid and kind old man who would wait for the green light before crossing the street; how could he possibly incite others to commit crimes?
"Yeah?"
Fyodor, who had been having a gun pointed at his head for a long time, suddenly spoke up.
“It sounds like even if I leave like this,” he said, taking a step forward and calmly leaving his original position despite Asukai’s murderous gaze, and coming to Ayatsuji Yukito’s side, “he wouldn’t dare to fire.”
He used Kyogoku Natsuhiko's words to precisely turn the tables on his opponent.
Asukai did not pull the trigger. He simply maintained his aim at Fyodor, his gaze appearing exceptionally fierce.
"It seems you're just as cunning, Mr. Fyodor."
Kyogoku Natsuhiko smiled, his expression much more nonchalant than Asukai's.
"After learning your identity, I did some investigation on you. About three years ago, during the [Angel Murder] incident, you conspired with the [V] organization to kidnap a national-level superhuman, but failed. That superhuman then began a purge of [V], and the last five main remnants—were killed by you, weren't they?"
Fyodor tilted his head slightly, a half-smile playing on his lips. "Those people committed suicide, Lord Kyogoku."
He replied casually, "They could not bear the sins they had committed and were determined to sacrifice their bodies in repentance so that their souls could be purified."
"Forget about sowing discord. I'm not some government lackey who hates evil and will pounce on bad guys to tear them apart."
Ayatsuji Yukito's words were cold and full of undisguised disgust.
"It seems that Mr. Fyodor is the same as me, the type who doesn't want to get his hands dirty."
Kyogoku Natsuhiko chuckled and sighed, "I originally just wanted to find an interesting target to control... Your ability to break free from my supernatural influence is truly commendable."
"Fortunately, I did not come empty-handed."
Asukai held a gun in one hand and took out something resembling a remote control from his pocket with the other.
Whether it was Yukito Ayatsuji or Fyodor, they could tell at a glance that it was a device that could detonate something like an explosion, poison gas, or some other dangerous event—a classic hostage threat.
"Who would have thought that one day, SWAT investigators would use ordinary citizens as hostages to threaten a 'dangerous superhuman' under government supervision? Hey, you two idiots over there, don't think you can make me laugh with this joke. You'd be better off watching the little yellow duck do somersaults."
No matter what, Ayatsuji Yukito's sharp tongue will never let the other person off the hook.
Asukai's hand trembled slightly; he was clearly unable to remain unmoved like Kyogoku Natsuhiko.
"That's really going too far, Ayatsuji-kun."
Kyogoku Natsuhiko smiled and said, "But you still have to save him, because the bomb warning has already been sent to the military and police intelligence department. If there are any casualties, even if you are safe now, you will be subject to a shooting order from the government later."
“There are still ten minutes before the massive explosion,” Asukai said through gritted teeth. “As long as Ayatsuji-sensei is willing to kill Fyodor, I will press the stop button.”
He wanted Ayatsuji Yukito to kill Fyodor and then let him die from his own supernatural power.
In this way, he would remain Investigator Asukai, and nothing about what happened in this apartment would leak out.
Ayatsuji Yukito clicked his tongue and turned to Fyodor, asking, "How's your side of the situation going?"
"I think everything will go well."
Fyodor smiled in response, but his eyes, though devoid of any emotion, were dark and dangerous, almost startling Asuka, who was facing him directly.
"Luckily, I also have a slight talent for doing bad things."
As he spoke these words slowly and deliberately, he lightly touched his temple with his index finger, and then slightly turned his gaze to look at Asukai and Kyogoku Natsuhiko. A silent, arrogant mockery naturally emanated from him—an aura unique to the far northern nation, cold and gloomy.
"It wasn't that difficult to guess that you would plant the bomb in advance."
Asukai was about to say dismissively that even if they could guess that he would plant a bomb in advance, these two people couldn't possibly guess where he would hide the bomb out of thin air... until he caught a glimpse of Kyogoku Natsuhiko's expression out of the corner of his eye.
That was the code he had agreed upon beforehand.
Asukai immediately pressed the explosion button on the remote control, without waiting even a moment longer.
The other two did not make any move to stop him—they didn't even show a hint of panic for a moment.
If I had to describe it, it would probably be the indifference of "let me watch your performance quietly."
As Fyodor said, the button was pressed and nothing happened.
"How is that possible? Even here, we should be able to hear explosions, and not just one or two..."
Asukai was almost completely dumbfounded with astonishment.
It was a grand gift he had meticulously prepared, yet they managed to find it so easily!
"The bomb was hidden on a person and randomly placed in a square or train station with high traffic. Even you couldn't predict where the bomb was at that moment. How could it be found and quickly defused?"
Fyodor read out Asukai's thoughts almost verbatim—and when Asukai looked at him with a near-collapsed expression, he gave him a smile that made the other man feel even more desperate.
"Who can blame them when Yokohama has another genuine master detective?"
—Going back a while, to the Special Abilities Division's Operations Room.
“Here, the way this guy in red is crossing the street is suspicious. Grab him.”
"Resolved."
“At the bus stop, the person sitting there wearing a pregnant woman’s dress is a man. There’s definitely something wrong with him. Go and arrest him.”
"Resolved."
Facing dozens or even hundreds of surveillance screens, Ranpo, wearing glasses, was enough to attract everyone's attention simply by sitting there, and his dark green eyes, scanning back and forth, were even more strikingly bright.
The people he commanded were not agents of the Special Abilities Division or local military and police personnel.
There was only one person.
Those agents were only responsible for driving disguised surveillance vehicles and parking them at various important but unmonitored intersections, providing Ranpo with an ever-expanding field of vision.
The golden cube unfolded rapidly as Rimbaud raised his five fingers, completely enveloping the suspected target circled by Ranpo.
Within this cube constructed of supernatural abilities, a self-contained dimensional world exists, where even the laws of physics follow his will, not to mention that the cube itself is a sufficiently sturdy prison.
Once the explosives are located, the target will be knocked unconscious on the spot and escorted to the police. The extracted explosives will then be detonated inside the psychic cube by Lambo, ensuring that not even a single shockwave leaks out.
Without needing to seal off the scene, defuse bombs, or even worry about the target launching a suicide attack after being exposed, Rimbaud's efficiency in handling explosives was astonishing, leaving all the special agents and military police speechless.
What a terrifying yet reassuring combination!
"--Phew, is that all? It's not even enough to warm up a great detective."
After the thorough investigation was completed, Ranpo leaned back in his chair and stretched slowly.
Then, he hung up on Rimbaud and dialed another number.
"Hey, Chuuya, I've got everything sorted out here... That's right, go tell that guy he can set off now."
— Fyodor's method of breaking the game ahead of time was something that Asukai could never have guessed, no matter how hard he tried.
The more he thought about it, the more he sank into a darker abyss of despair. Even the hand holding the gun trembled violently, almost making people forget that he was the only one in the apartment who possessed the murder weapon.
No matter how proud he is of his criminal methods, they are all insignificant in the face of a true high-IQ genius.
Kyogoku Natsuhiko might be able to guess some of it. After all, if it were him, he would naturally have a way to resolve this terrorist attack.
"Well done."
He laughed heartily and even applauded them as a congratulatory gesture for the resolution of this life-or-death crisis game.
"Let's meet again next time—frankly, I'd be happy."
Even if this attempt fails, it doesn't matter. He has finally found the right person to work with him to accomplish this unparalleled and grand ambition.
"You think you can escape? Stop pretending, you old codger." Ayatsuji Yukito sneered. "Today is your death day."
“Those who make the moves are merely pawns,” Kyogoku Natsuhiko lowered his eyes, “What does it have to do with me?”
The gun in Asukai's hand was still aimed at Fyodor.
Bang--!
In the fraction of a second before those words even landed, Asukai fired his gun.
"!!!"
When Ayatsuji Yukito turned his gaze in astonishment, he saw Fyodor stagger back two steps, raise his hand and press it on his left shoulder, where a large patch of blood was rapidly spreading, with blood even dripping from his fingertips.
He was shot.
"It's alright, this was to be expected."
Fyodor spoke, his voice low and weak, yet still calm.
"I anticipated it and dodged it, so it didn't hit my heart, but..."
Before he could finish speaking, his center of gravity swayed for a moment, and he collapsed onto the tatami mat, seemingly falling into a coma.
Asukai wanted to fire again, but was stopped by Kyogoku Natsuhiko.
This situation, where the enemy cannot be killed quickly, is advantageous to them, preventing Ayatsuji Yukito from further entanglement with them.
“If left unattended, he’ll bleed to death,” Kyogoku Natsuhiko smiled. “I advise you to get him to the hospital as soon as possible.”
He seemed convinced that Ayatsuji Yukito would no longer stop him, and turned to walk towards the apartment door—
The next moment, someone who had been waiting outside the door patted his shoulder and then pressed him down.
"Oh, hello there, old man."
Wearing a pure black coat and suit exuding the aura of a mafia member, with slightly messy and fluffy black hair, her iris-colored eyes curved slightly without any warmth as she greeted him in a friendly manner.
"I've been invited to watch your execution—it must be quite interesting, right?"
Asukai, who had followed, was about to react when Dazai Osamu, without looking away from Kyogoku Natsuhiko, raised his other hand holding the gun even faster and pulled the trigger with cold precision.
"Is this the shot you fired at him just now?"
Asukai immediately let out a scream, clutching his hand that had been severed by a gunshot and wailing.
The situation took another sudden turn.
"It's so noisy," Dazai Osamu muttered. "Speaking of which, I really want to see if this ability to cause unexpected death will work on me..."
Aside from still having one hand on Kyogoku Natsuhiko's shoulder, the hot-barreled pistol was now pressed against his temple, warning him not to even think about escaping.
"Who are you……"
Just as Kyogoku Natsuhiko was about to speak, Ayatsuji Yukito chuckled, "Honestly, they're all so eager to show off."
"Now comes the main event, Kyogoku."
He took an old-fashioned copper coin from his pocket and casually fiddled with it between his fingers. "This is the evidence I found in the initial museum massacre after I retraced all the indirect murders over the past few years."
"Perhaps you have a few [demonic servants] who obey your commands unconditionally, but I suspect that you didn't always act as an instigator when you first committed the crime. There were only one or two rare occasions when you had to take action yourself."
"That was the time. This copper coin is the murder weapon you put in your bag and used to beat the victim to death."
This is what he has been working so hard to get these past few days, even sneaking out of the agency to avoid the surveillance of special agents—as long as he sees Kyogoku Natsuhiko and points out the real culprit in front of him, the [Another] ability will be activated.
"You even managed to get it? It seems you really want me to die from your superpower."
Even facing death would only bring the plan forward. Kyogoku Natsuhiko was not flustered when he said those words—but only for that moment.
Because he suddenly realized that his special ability [Falling with Objects] could not be activated.
In other words, he couldn't implant his own illusion into Ayatsuji Yukito's mind through [the ability to possess objects], thus completing his idea of turning himself into a monster...!
"You're a special ability user with the nullification ability...!?"
"You've discovered it? I'm sorry, but using superpowers is forbidden here."
Dazai Osamu tilted his head slightly, even winking with a rather amusing smile—although in Kyogoku Natsuhiko's eyes, this was the most hateful sight in the world at that moment.
"To prevent the [Possession Fall] that was planted from continuing to activate after your death, they specifically called me here to nullify your ability before you died... But now, it seems there's been an unexpected bonus."
After toying with the coin between his fingers for a moment, Ayatsuji Yukito flicked it with his thumb to Kyogoku Natsuhiko, calmly announcing his death sentence.
"Don't waste your energy, Kyogoku. You should rack your brains and figure out how to survive my ability to hunt you down."
"This is really..."
Kyogoku Natsuhiko closed his eyes. "We've lost completely."
Outside the apartment, the steel cable suspending the heavy moving load finally succumbed to the excessive pressure, snapping and sweeping across the room. The slender tip lashed through the layer at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, cutting a delicate sliver of blood right at his throat.
[Congratulations, host, for resolving the incident. Resurrection Points +150.]
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