Detective Conan: Shadow Legion Office

72: Chapter 72 Public Security Police Surround and Capture Shuichi AkaiOn the outskirts of Tokyo, an abandoned power station had been converted into a secret base for the Public Security.

The walls were covered with surveillance monitors, their flickering green light reflecting on Amuro Tooru’s gloomy face.

He held an unlit cigarette between his fingertips, his gaze locked tightly onto the central screen—it was a blurred video in which the person on screen used a voice changer to confess to the crime of bombing Yasukuni Shrine.

”Zoom in here,” Amuro Tooru said suddenly, his voice as cold as ice.

Kazami Yuya immediately operated the keyboard, enlarging the hand movements of the person in the video.

Although the image was blurry, the person’s gun-holding posture was clearly visible—left hand steadying the gun body, right index finger pulling the trigger quickly and accurately, wrist slightly lowered to absorb the recoil; the entire sequence of movements was fluid and carried a unique sense of rhythm.

Amuro Tooru’s pupils contracted sharply, his knuckles turning white from the force.

It was him.

Akai Shuichi.

Even though the other party had used a voice changer, deliberately hunched their back to change their physique, and even used special effects to blur their profile, he would never mistake this gun-holding posture.

During those years he spent undercover in the Black Organization, he had observed Akai Shuichi in the shadows countless times; every movement and every habit of this man was branded into his memory.

”How is that possible...” Kazami Yuya stood to the side, his face pale. ”Akai Shuichi is from the FBI; how could he do such a thing?”

Amuro Tooru did not answer, but instead violently crushed the cigarette in his hand, tobacco shreds leaking from between his fingers.

His chest heaved violently, and flames of anger burned in his eyes.

He hated Akai Shuichi, hated him for causing the death of Scotch, and hated even more that air of having everything under control.

But even so, he had never imagined that Akai Shuichi would commit such a crazy act—bombing Yasukuni Shrine, triggering a major riot in Tokyo, and dragging countless innocent people into this disaster.

”What on earth is his goal?” Amuro Tooru hissed, like an enraged leopard. ”To take down the Black Organization, is he willing to drag all of Tokyo into this?!”

”Or is it that he has already collaborated with the Clown Organization?”

Amuro Tooru slammed his fist onto the console, causing the screen to shake and emit a harsh crackling sound.

His eyes were filled with humiliation and anger—he had once said that his lover was this country, and he would never allow anyone to trample on the dignity of this land, even if that person was Akai Shuichi.

”Kazami.” Amuro Tooru’s voice returned to being icy, but it carried a heart-stopping sense of resolve. ”Pass the word down, initiate the highest level of arrest warrant. Mobilize all available Public Security forces, dig three feet into the ground if you have to, but find Akai Shuichi!”

”But...” Kazami Yuya hesitated for a moment. ”Akai Shuichi is, after all, FBI. If we act rashly, won’t it cause a diplomatic dispute? And we don’t have concrete evidence...”

”Evidence?” Amuro Tooru sneered, pointing at the gun-holding posture on the screen. ”This is the evidence! No one else can perform this move except him! As for the FBI...”

”The FBI will not jeopardize the relationship between the two countries for the sake of Akai Shuichi alone.”

A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes: ”If they harbor the criminal, then we’ll investigate them too! I don’t care who he is; as long as he dares to stir up trouble on this land, he must pay the price!”

”Yes!” Kazami Yuya no longer hesitated and immediately turned to relay the orders.

Amuro Tooru looked back at the screen; the blurred figure in the footage seemed to be mocking his incompetence.

He slowly closed his eyes, flashes of Scotch dying under the muzzle of a gun, the days and nights he spent enduring humiliation and burdens within the organization, and the faces of the innocent civilians who died in the riots flashing through his mind.

Akai Shuichi, this time, I will never let you go.

...

In an abandoned warehouse in Tokyo, Akai Shuichi leaned against the cold wall, wrapping a bandage around the wound on his arm. The bullet had grazed his flesh; although not deep, blood had already soaked through the gauze.

This was the third time in the past few days he had exchanged fire with the Public Security.

Ever since that video was released, he knew he had been exposed.

The FBI could not provide asylum—the nature of the Yasukuni Shrine bombing was too severe, and even Jodie had advised him to leave Tokyo temporarily, but he could not leave.

Akai Mary was still in the hands of the Clown.

He had to stay in Tokyo, dodging the Public Security’s manhunt while searching for the Clown’s tracks.

”Cough, cough...” A fit of coughing came from the depths of the warehouse. Akai Shuichi immediately looked up alertly, gripping the sniper rifle beside him.

”It’s me.” Sera Masumi walked out of the shadows, carrying a plastic bag in her hand. ”Brother, I brought you some food and medicine.”

She placed the bag on the ground, and looking at the wound on Akai Shuichi’s arm, her eyes instantly turned red. ”Did they chase you again?”

”It’s nothing.” Akai Shuichi took off his hat, revealing his pale yet still sharp face. ”Just a graze.”

”And you say it’s nothing!” Sera Masumi crouched down, carefully unwrapping his bandage and disinfecting the wound with iodine. ”If this continues, you’ll be caught by them sooner or later! Brother, let’s turn ourselves in! I believe you must have your reasons!”

”We can’t turn ourselves in.” Akai Shuichi shook his head, his voice hoarse. ”Once I’m caught, I’ll never be able to find Mother again.”

”And if I turn myself in, the Black Organization will come looking as well; even in prison, I wouldn’t be safe.”

”But...” ”There are no buts.” Akai Shuichi interrupted her, his eyes firm. ”The Clown’s goal is definitely not as simple as just bombing the shrine. He captured your mother just to keep me in check. I must find him, rescue your mother, and then...”

Then, he would end this all with his own hands, whether it be the Clown or the sins he himself had committed.

Watching the resolve in her brother’s eyes, Sera Masumi knew she couldn’t persuade him, so she could only grit her teeth and speed up the bandaging. ”The Public Security people seem to have gone crazy; they’re everywhere. Brother, what do you plan to do next?”

”Go to the docks.” Akai Shuichi stood up and picked up his sniper rifle. ”I received news that the Clown’s people have been active at the docks recently.”

”I’m coming with you!” ”No.” Akai Shuichi refused. ”It’s too dangerous. You stay here and wait for my news.”

He ruffled his sister’s hair, his tone uncharacteristically soft. ”Take care of yourself.”

Sera Masumi wanted to say something more, but the sound of car engines suddenly came from outside the warehouse.

Their expressions changed drastically. Akai Shuichi immediately pushed Sera Masumi into a hidden corner deep in the warehouse. ”Hide well, don’t come out.”

He himself quickly climbed onto the warehouse rafters, hiding in the shadows, with the scope of his sniper rifle aimed at the warehouse entrance.

A few minutes later, the iron door of the warehouse was kicked open violently, and a dozen Public Security officers in black combat uniforms rushed in, led by none other than Kazami Yuya.

”Akai Shuichi, we know you’re here!” Kazami Yuya shouted with a megaphone. ”Give up the resistance! You can’t escape!”

The warehouse was deathly silent, with only the beams of flashlights sweeping back and forth in the darkness.

Akai Shuichi held his breath, his finger resting lightly on the trigger. He could see the Public Security officers behind Kazami Yuya, all holding their guns with vigilant expressions.

He could fire. With his marksmanship, he could take down at least half of them in an instant, buying himself time to escape.

But he didn’t. Although these people were here to arrest him, they were also performing their official duties, unlike the rioters in the chaos.

He had already killed too many people and did not want to get the blood of innocent people on his hands again.

”If you don’t come out, we will storm in!” Kazami Yuya’s voice carried a warning.

Akai Shuichi took a deep breath and suddenly jumped down from the rafters, landing on the ground with a dull thud.

”Don’t move!” All the gun barrels were instantly aimed at him.

Akai Shuichi slowly raised his hands and threw away the sniper rifle in his hand.

”Akai Shuichi, you are under arrest.” Kazami Yuya stepped forward and took out handcuffs.

Just then, Akai Shuichi suddenly did a side roll, dodging Kazami Yuya’s hand, and simultaneously kicked the wrist of a nearby Public Security officer.

The gun in that person’s hand clattered to the ground with a ”clang.”

”Do it!” Kazami Yuya shouted. Gunshots rang out instantly!

Relying on his agile movements, Akai Shuichi wove between the warehouse shelves, dodging bullets. He did not counterattack, only constantly evading, occasionally seizing an opportunity to snatch an opponent’s gun and throw it far away.

”Don’t shoot! Take him alive!” Kazami Yuya shouted. Mr. Amuro had given instructions that Akai Shuichi must be brought back alive.

The Public Security officers were wary of hitting something valuable, and the frequency of their shooting slowed down.

Akai Shuichi seized this opportunity and rushed towards the back door of the warehouse. There was a ventilation duct there, an escape route he had surveyed beforehand.

”Stop him!” Several Public Security officers immediately chased after him, firing at his legs.

”Pfft!” A bullet grazed Akai Shuichi’s calf, drawing out a spray of blood.

He stumbled, but did not stop, forcing himself into the ventilation duct and disappearing into the darkness.

”Chase him!” Kazami Yuya roared, leading his men toward the back door.

Deep in the warehouse, Sera Masumi heard the gunshots stop and only then dared to run out from the corner. She looked at the blood on the ground, and tears couldn’t help but fall: ”Brother...”

...

In the secret Public Security base, Amuro Tooru listened to Kazami Yuya’s report, his face becoming increasingly gloomy.

”You let him get away again?” ”I’m sorry, sir.” Kazami Yuya lowered his head, his face full of guilt. ”He is too cunning, and... he didn’t seem to want to hurt anyone at all, just kept running away, and even deliberately avoided our vital spots...”

”Deliberately avoided?” Amuro Tooru sneered. ”Is he pitying us?”

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the pitch-black night sky outside. To him, Akai Shuichi’s forbearance and concession were the greatest mockery.

”He’s injured, he won’t get far.” Amuro Tooru’s gaze turned sharp. ”Notify our people to increase vigilance. Also, investigate Akai Shuichi’s interpersonal relationships; I don’t believe he can keep fighting alone forever!”

”Yes!” Amuro Tooru looked at the Tokyo night view outside the window; this city had become scarred because of Akai Shuichi’s actions.

His fingers tapped lightly on the window frame; every tap felt like a countdown.

Akai Shuichi, do you think running away can solve the problem? The shrine you bombed, the riots you triggered, the citizens who died... all of this requires someone to pay the price.

And I will personally send you to the judgment seat. Whether as a Public Security police officer or as your arch-rival.

The night deepened, and the Public Security’s dragnet grew denser, like an invisible giant net tightening around Akai Shuichi.

Meanwhile, Akai Shuichi, carrying his injuries, moved with difficulty through the dark corners of Tokyo, dodging the manhunt while searching for clues to save his mother.

Two people both fighting for ”justice,” yet because of their positions and hatred, they had embarked on completely different paths.

Their next encounter was destined to be a fight to the death.

And behind this contest, Lin Long was sitting in the manor’s surveillance room, watching the chase on the screen, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

The pieces were in place; next, it was time to make this play even more spectacular.