·101｜Exclusive to Jinjiang·101
A Ferris wheel amidst explosions.
The heavy rain extinguished the sunlight, and a thin man in a dark raincoat moved through the twilight. He pulled his collar tight, and his glasses fogged up with his breath. A paper bag containing a metal box was hidden in the emergency room. The man, like a dirty rat covered in mud that had fallen into a rice jar, trembled his vocal cords and let out a low, trembling laugh.
Illness is a common human suffering. People come and go at Beika Central Hospital, and no one notices the man's hunched back as he hurriedly leaves.
The night was deep, and he lay on the wide, soft bed, too excited to sleep.
Tomorrow, those policemen will have to pay the price for their dead friend.
The despicable policeman will be gradually consumed by despair, and his heart-wrenching cries amidst the breathtakingly beautiful, apocalyptic scenery will surely be a moving sight.
Their skin was scorched and melted by the intense heat, their flesh torn apart, then turned to ashes, leaving no trace of their bodies. Just thinking about the policemen being devoured inch by inch by the exploding gunpowder made him laugh out loud, a forced smile creeping onto his lips.
It's a pity I can't watch them vanish into thin air before my eyes. With a bang, they exploded like fireworks.
The man lay on his side on the bed, excitedly licking his chapped lips.
Yes, all he has to do is light the fuse, and the bodies of those policemen will explode like fireworks, creating a stunning spectacle.
...
As dawn broke and before the alarm clock rang, the man woke up early, fueled by excitement. He repeatedly wiped his glasses and polished his leather shoes until they gleamed, as if he were about to attend a grand, frenzied feast.
The Ferris wheel at Beika Plaza is known as the "Tokyo Eye." It's even bigger than the Ferris wheel at Dorobiga Park, and when it reaches its highest point, you can see most of Tokyo. A single gondola slowly completes a full rotation, taking more than half an hour.
Alone, the man boarded gondola number 72 of the Beika Shopping Plaza Ferris wheel, clutching a paper bag in his arms, and couldn't help but chuckle. In a few hours, his grand revenge plan would be realized. Although he couldn't record the explosion—it might attract the attention or even the attention of the police on site—the major television stations wouldn't pass up such explosive news; they would swarm to it like flies smelling blood.
He can then record the live broadcasts from various TV stations, preserve the beautiful moments of the explosion as a memento, and watch them repeatedly.
The pod number 72 had already completed half a rotation. Looking down from this vantage point, the man saw the pedestrians below as tiny insects that could be crushed with a single hand. In half an hour, the fax would reach the Metropolitan Police Department's First Investigation Division. He licked his lips, already unable to contain his anticipation.
About ten minutes later, the pod landed. The man walked out of the pod with his hands in his pockets, head down and smiling. He was so engrossed in his fantasy of the riot police officers being blown up that he didn't pay attention to where he was going and bumped into a young couple who were about to board pod number 72.
The man didn't stop, much less apologize. He walked straight away, chose a café not far from the Ferris wheel, sat by the window, and ordered a newly launched signature coffee.
He stirred his coffee with a metal spoon, creating a swirling vortex, and like a sophisticated white-collar worker enjoying the beautiful morning, he swallowed a small sip of hot coffee sprinkled with crushed peanuts. The man glanced at his watch, then looked expectantly out the window at the Ferris wheel.
The Ferris wheel had completed another rotation, and the fax should have been sent out around this time. The young couple who had boarded gondola 72 earlier were playfully bickering as they disembarked. The man was a bit far away, so it was difficult to see their expressions clearly, but they were probably smiling. They were completely unaware of how close they had just been to death, oblivious to the deadly danger lurking beneath their gondola seats.
The man chuckled and silently watched the couple descend the steps, strolling away hand in hand. In his eyes, everyone was a useless idiot, and the police were a bunch of selfish, good-for-nothings. The thought of witnessing the Metropolitan Police Department's disgraceful state later made him chuckle with glee; he grinned, a sinister smile spreading across his face.
Half an hour later, several private cars with flashing red and blue police lights screeched to a halt near the Ferris wheel. Men in suits and a woman stepped out of the cars; they were likely from the First Investigation Division. The surrounding crowd was drawn to this scene; they were both curious and worried, wanting to gather around but hesitant to get too close.
The man in the coffee shop frowned and pushed up his glasses, which had slipped slightly down his nose.
The police arrived much faster than he expected, seemingly deciphering the code the instant they received the fax. But no matter, he had a big surprise for them.
A few minutes later, the riot police van sped over, and several officers in riot gear jumped out. The man who seemed to be the captain approached the pod door, looked it over, and after confirming that the space inside was too cramped to wear a riot gear suit, he chose to climb into pod number 72 alone.
Seeing this, the man seemed to be injected with an stimulant, his whole body becoming restless, even his breathing becoming heavy. He abandoned the half-finished hot coffee, impatiently strode out of the coffee shop, and squeezed into the crowd of onlookers.
The Ferris wheel had completed most of its rotation when the riot police officer, who was alone in a gondola, called. The man couldn't hear the voice on the other end, but judging from the officer's expression and words below the Ferris wheel, the situation seemed dire.
"Oh."
That makes sense. He spent three days meticulously designing this bomb; how could it be easily dismantled?
"boom--"
A deafening explosion rocked the Ferris wheel's control room, sending sparks flying. The Ferris wheel, a symbol of romance, came to a halt, and the string lights adorning the gondolas and supports went out, leaving everything lifeless, just like the police officer inside the gondola whose life was already counting down.
Police officers from the Metropolitan Police Department set up a cordon, and a crowd gathered outside the cordon, looking up at the giant Ferris wheel.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan wore high heels and a gorgeous European Lolita-style knee-length dress. She looked up at pod number 72, her brows furrowing involuntarily.
My heart hurts terribly, like it's being squeezed by an external force. It feels like something painful is about to burst forth, tearing through my heart muscle and ripping my chest cavity.
Beside her, Date Wataru leaned in worriedly: "Are you alright, Raikawa?"
Despite his rugged appearance and overly straightforward personality, Ida Wataru possesses a gentle heart and is a very responsible and dependable man.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan slowly shook his head, but his face was frighteningly pale: "I'm fine."
It felt as if a heavy hammer was striking her head, and her temples were throbbing with pain.
Ida Ko was still worried: "Are you sure everything's alright?"
Lai Chuan Huang Quan didn't answer directly this time. She paused for a moment, then pursed her lips: "...This matter is not settled yet." So I don't want to leave, I don't want to rest.
Upon hearing this, Date Wataru sighed, "Don't be stubborn."
Lai Chuan Huang Quan nodded, replying in a hoarse voice with an "Mmm." She looked up at pod number 72, which was fixed in the air. Matsuda Jinpei, not wearing a bomb suit, was inside alone. Outside pod number 72, the sky was clear and blue. Gentle sunlight streamed down the edge of pod number 72, forming thin beams of light that were a little dazzling.
For some reason, the scene of the pod exploding kept replaying in Yomi's mind. Thick black smoke billowed, and metal fragments torn to shreds by the explosion shattered and scattered in the air, leaving long, smoky trails. Inside the pod, Matsuda Jinpei was gone without a trace.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan rubbed his eyes, which were now wet with tears, and looked up at the sky again. Pod No. 72 was still hanging there intact, everything as usual.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan lowered her head, trying to avoid the sunlight shining on the ground, as if only by doing so could she stop feeling inexplicably sad.
—"The Underworld..."
Someone's voice rang in her ears, as if calling her through the frosted glass of a bathroom, hazy and indistinct.
—Forget about me.
The man's voice was calm, as if he were recounting a mundane matter of daily life, but between the lines, it was like the mournful cry of a dying crane, causing Lai Chuan Huang Quan to feel a sudden pang of sadness.
—"The Underworld".
Another male voice rang out, carrying a lingering sweetness, like honey melting in ice water, with a few drops of passion fruit added—sweet but not cloying, lingering on the tongue. Every swirling melody captivated Lai Chuan Huang Quan.
"Farewell, my love."
My head was ringing, and my ears were tinnitus. Tears welled up, and forgotten images flashed before my eyes.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan raised her hand to cover her ears, and large tears rolled down from her wide, terrified almond-shaped eyes. Her long, thick, butterfly-like eyelashes were wet with tears, and her lips trembled as if she had seen an extremely horrifying scene. Her body swayed gently like a candle in the wind.
Noticing Yomi's unusual behavior, Date Wataru took a half-step closer to her, worried: "Yokawa? Are you really alright?"
Date Han's figure was reflected in Raikawa Yomi's pupils, yet she seemed unable to see him. Or rather, at this moment, Raikawa Yomi couldn't see anyone; another image kept flashing before her eyes like a revolving lantern, one after another.
Date Wataru grasped Raikawa Yomi's shoulder and gently shook him twice: "Raikawa, Raikawa?"
Wataru Date was very worried. When Kenji Hagiwara left half an hour ago, he specifically entrusted Yomi Raikawa to Wataru's care. Moreover, even without Kenji Hagiwara's instructions, Wataru Date's sense of justice as a friend and a policeman was enough to make him very concerned.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan was shaken several times before she suddenly came to her senses. She pursed her lower lip tightly, looked at Date Hang with teary eyes, and before she could speak, snot was already running down her face: "Mr. Date, my heart is pounding."
A sudden, stabbing pain in my chest, like being trampled by a rhinoceros and having my ribs broken, with shards of bone embedded in my heart, stained with blood.
"Go and rest?" Ida asked with concern.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan shook his head, rummaged through the bear-head-shaped bag at his waist and pulled out a tissue. He blew his nose forcefully and pouted, "No, I have to make sure everyone is safe."
“You…” Date Wataru looked helpless, then placed his broad palm on Raikawa Yomi’s head and rubbed it hard. “If you can’t hold on anymore, just tell me and I’ll take you to rest.”
Date Hang hasn't had much contact with Yomi Lai Chuan so far, only a few times when the police academy team gathered, and the last time when he gave Yomi Lai Chuan a ride home. But he has already heard all about Yomi Lai Chuan from other people, and has roughly sketched out Yomi Lai Chuan's personality in his mind.
Date Wataru thought he could understand why Morofushi Kagemitsu described her as a tsundere, lively, and soft-hearted girl.
She is indeed a nice little sister, with a completely different personality from Natalie.
Within minutes, Raikawa Yomi's emotional fluctuations reached an unprecedented peak. On the other side of the other world, Mr. Raikawa frowned as he stared at the data panel, his expression grave.
He realized what had happened to Yomi Raikawa—her memories had returned, just like what had happened to Hagi and Matsu.
The administrator couldn't help but ask, "Huang Quan, are you alright? Is there anything I can do for you?"
Lai Chuan Huang Quan slowly shook his head.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan neither wanted nor wished to forget.
She was so close to success this time, and she needed to stay sober to see them survive and to see the criminals brought to justice.
Darkness will eventually have nowhere to hide; this time, she will never bow her head or close her eyes again.
As the countdown drew ever closer, Matsuda Jinpei inside the pod remained motionless.
He dialed Ida Ko's number and read aloud the words on the screen: "Brave officer, I commend your courage... (1)"
Matsuda Jinpei shrugged casually: "Looks like I can only wait patiently for the bomb's countdown to end. If there are only 3 seconds left, even I won't be able to disarm the Mercury Pillar bomb."
Datehang: "Matsuda..."
Beneath the Ferris wheel, Inspector Megure nervously ticked his watch: "Damn it! Only one minute left! Get everyone evacuated!"
"But Inspector Megure, the captain of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team is still up there!"
Inspector Megure clenched his back teeth, his face flushed with anger and helplessness. He practically forced the words out from between his teeth: "Evacuate the crowd first!"
"yes!"
This was a brutal murder, a pre-planned massacre targeting police officers. The perpetrator must now be like a sewer rat, lurking in the shadows, watching them intently as the righteous policeman was blown to pieces for the sake of the cherry blossom on his chest. Just as Matsuda Jinpei and his team had predicted, the mastermind behind the entire incident was now huddled in the crowd, menacingly staring at pod number 72. Adrenaline surged, restless emotions coursed through his veins, and he was so excited that every pore on his body trembled.
It'll be soon, very soon!
Half a minute more!
The officer in the pod, the one they called the head of the explosives disposal team, would be reduced to fragments in the explosion, becoming a brilliant firework in memory of his friend.
—— "3"
Matsuda Jinpei leaned against the glass of the gondola, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and looked at the display screen in front of him. He spoke slowly and deliberately, as if he were already prepared to die: "The clue has come out: Beika Central Hospital."
—— "2"
Date Wataru frowned and gave a wry smile: "Matsuda, you really are as reckless as ever."
—— "1"
Ida Kou continued, "But you are indeed a good policeman, an outstanding and well-deserved hero."
Matsuda Jinpei chuckled: "That's a really cliché compliment."
—— "0"
"boom--!!"
[Author's Note]
(1) Brave officer, I must commend your courage... From chapter 369 of the comic.
(2) Cherry blossom on the chest: The Japanese police badge is a cherry blossom pattern.
-
Maybe I'm just a hopeless romantic. I get to fall for whoever I write about, and I keep saying how cool the virginity-breaking group is. When I was working on the outline for my next book, I even started adding more scenes for the second-year graduate students (I grabbed my hand that was writing the outline).
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
