Detective Conan: Shadow Legion Office

68: Chapter 68 The Clown’s CarnivalOutside the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department headquarters building, gunfire was as dense as popping beans, and the firelight illuminated the night sky like daylight.

Hundreds of rioters wearing clown masks were crazily assaulting the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s defensive line, holding various weapons in their hands—automatic rifles looted from the police warehouse, homemade Molotov cocktails, and even 40mm rocket launchers distributed by Lin Long’s special operations team.

Bullets whistled through the air, striking the walls of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and sending shards of concrete flying.

”Hold the line! Everyone, hold the line!”

A police squad leader roared, firing outward from behind cover. His arm had been grazed by a stray bullet, and blood stained his uniform, but he dared not retreat a single step—behind him was the core area of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department; if it were breached, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s combat units were fully deployed. They had abandoned their standard-issue pistols, swapped them for automatic rifles urgently transferred from the armory, and built a defensive line relying on the building’s terrain to engage in fierce firefights with the rioters.

Every shot was accompanied by the screams and falls of rioters, but more clowns surged forward like a tide, as if there were no end.

”Hum—hum—”

Three police armed helicopters swept through the air, the gale whipped up by their rotors making the battle on the ground even more chaotic.

The searchlights on the helicopter fuselages were like sharp swords, piercing the darkness and locking onto the rioters on the ground.

”Rat-tat-tat—”

The onboard machine guns began firing wildly. Bullets fell like raindrops, mowing down swathes of rioters and staining the streets with blood.

Immediately after, several small rockets whistled out, accurately hitting the area where the rioters were gathered. The massive explosions sent the crowd flying, temporarily suppressing the momentum of their assault.

”Well done!”

Seeing this, the police on the ground were greatly encouraged, taking the opportunity to counterattack and push the defensive line forward by a few meters.

However, this respite did not last long.

”Beep—beep—beep—”

A piercing alarm suddenly sounded in the helicopter pilot’s headset. On the radar screen, several red dots were approaching at an extremely high speed!

”Oh no! We’ve been locked on!”

The pilot’s face turned pale, and he shouted hysterically into the intercom, ”The enemy has anti-aircraft missiles! Evasive maneuvers, now!”

He yanked the control stick, attempting to make the helicopter perform evasive maneuvers, but it was already too late.

”Boom! Boom! Boom!”

Three Javelin missiles, trailing long plumes of fire, accurately struck the three helicopters.

Three massive sparks instantly bloomed in the night sky. The helicopter wreckage fell like meteors, crashing into buildings around the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and triggering new explosions and fires.

”It’s anti-aircraft missiles!”

The police on the ground were dumbfounded, their faces filled with despair.

They could never have imagined that this group of rioters actually possessed such advanced heavy weaponry!

This was precisely the work of Lin Long’s special operations team, hidden in the shadows.

They wore the same clown masks as the rioters, blending into the crowd, and at the critical moment, launched the missiles, destroying the police’s aerial support in one fell swoop.

Immediately after, they took more 40mm rocket launchers out of their backpacks and distributed them to the rioters around them.

”Take it! Blow it up for me!”

A special operations team member shoved a rocket launcher into the hands of a fanatical-looking clown and shouted, pointing at the gate of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

The clown took the rocket launcher; although his movements were clumsy, he didn’t hesitate to shoulder it, aim at the gate, and pull the trigger.

”Boom!”

The rocket accurately struck the iron gate of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, and the heavy metal door was instantly blown open, creating a large hole.

”Charge!”

”Kill your way in!”

Having lost the aerial threat and received support from heavy weapons, the rioters became even more crazed. They roared, trampling over the corpses of their companions, and surged into the courtyard of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department through the hole.

Meanwhile, an explosion also came from the armory behind the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

A group of clowns pried open the armory door and looted all the firearms, ammunition, grenades, and even explosives stored inside.

Carrying the weapons, they cheered as they joined the battle on the front lines, causing the already precarious defensive line to collapse completely.

...

On the streets of Tokyo, smoke filled the air, and scattered shell casings, burning cars, and corpses lying in pools of blood could be seen everywhere.

Lin Long wore a clown mask, his hands in his suit pockets, walking leisurely across this ruin. Behind him followed ten special operations team members, also wearing masks, their steps uniform and completely out of place with the surrounding chaos.

Lin Long was like a king inspecting his territory, appreciating this ”carnival” he had personally directed, absorbing the various malice black qi coming from all directions.

Occasionally, stray bullets flew past him, but he didn’t care at all, as if those deadly projectiles were just dust in the air.

”Bang! Bang!”

A few gunshots came from not far away, attracting Lin Long’s attention. He stopped, signaled his men to wait in place, and quietly circled behind an abandoned building to look toward the source of the sound.

He saw a small squad of police hiding behind a police car, holding their guns aimed at three clown rioters who were trembling with fear.

These three rioters clearly had no combat experience, holding only machetes and iron bars; at this moment, they were huddled in a corner, their faces pale.

”Drop your weapons! Kneel down immediately! Put your hands up!”

A policeman shouted sternly, stepping forward two paces, his gun muzzle always aimed at the rioters, ”Otherwise, we will shoot!”

The three clowns were trembling all over; one of them had even started crying, and the machete in his hand fell to the ground with a ”clang.”

Watching this scene, Lin Long’s lips curled into a cold smile. He waved his hand at those behind him.

The ten special operations team members immediately understood, sneaking over like ghosts, their submachine guns already loaded.

”Bang, bang, bang!”

A few muffled gunshots rang out. That small squad of police didn’t even have time to react before they were riddled with bullets. Blood flowed slowly along the police car’s tires, pooling on the ground.

The three clown rioters were stunned by this sudden turn of events, their mouths wide open, but they couldn’t make a sound.

Lin Long walked slowly out from behind the building and came before them.

One of the clowns, slightly bolder, saw Lin Long’s iconic purple suit and white mask, and his eyes suddenly widened, his body trembling uncontrollably—he recognized this as the ”Joker himself” from the live stream!

Lin Long crouched down and patted the clown’s shoulder; the movement was gentle but carried an unquestionable majesty.

He signaled the special operations team member behind him to hand over an AK-47, then shoved the gun into the clown’s arms.

”You did very well.”

Lin Long’s voice, processed by a voice changer, carried a strange magnetism.

”Remember, you are not fighting for me; you are fighting for yourselves.”

He extended a finger, first pointing at his own eyes, then pointing at the three clowns in front of him.

”Look at this world, look at those who once oppressed you.”

Lin Long’s tone became impassioned.

”They treat you like ants, like tools, never caring whether you live or die! But today, you can choose not to endure it anymore!”

He stood up, his gaze sweeping over the three clowns, his tone solemn:

”And you, my friends, you dare to take up weapons, you dare to resist—you are the real clowns.”

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the hearts of the three clowns.

They had originally just been ordinary people incited to act, even somewhat regretting participating in this riot, but at this moment, being praised by the ”real clown” and endowed with the meaning of ”resisters,” a wave of fanaticism instantly swept away their fear.

”I... I am a clown...”

One of the clowns muttered to himself, his eyes changing from fear to fanaticism. He hugged the AK-47 in his arms tightly, as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.

”I received praise from the clown...” Another clown was tearful but laughing crazily, like a believer who had received an oracle.

Lin Long watched their reactions and nodded with satisfaction.

This was the effect he wanted—not just simple incitement, but injecting ”faith” into these people, making them believe that their actions were righteous and worthwhile.

”Go.”

Lin Long waved his hand.

”Go fight for your ideals. Remember, beneath the mask, you are your own god.”

After speaking, he no longer looked at the three clowns who had become completely crazed, turned around, and led the special operations team members away, disappearing into the pervasive smoke.

The three clowns stood stunned in place. A few seconds later, they abruptly stood up, picked up the weapons on the ground, let out beast-like roars, and charged toward the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

...

Inside the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, it had already become a chaotic mess. Rioters rushed into the building and engaged in street fighting with the police.

In the corridors, offices, and stairwells, traces of firefights were everywhere.

Chief of Police Hakuba and Director Odagiri were hiding in the underground command room, listening to reports from their subordinates, their faces as heavy as iron.

”Report, Chief of Police! The first floor has fallen! The rioters are attacking the second floor!”

”The armory has been looted! They now have rocket launchers and grenades!”

”The counter-terrorism unit has been separated on the flank and cannot provide support!”

Bad news came one after another, pressing down so hard that it made people unable to breathe.

Chief of Police Hakuba looked at the crazed figures wearing clown masks on the surveillance screens, a trace of despair flashing in his eyes.

He had been in the profession for decades, having experienced countless major cases, but he had never seen such an out-of-control situation.

This group of rioters seemed not to know what death was, knowing only destruction and slaughter.

”How many people do we have left?” he asked in a hoarse voice.

”There are fewer than a hundred left who can fight...” an adjutant replied in a low voice.

Director Odagiri closed his eyes and slammed his fist onto the table: ”These lunatics... what on earth do they want to do?!”

No one could answer his question.