SCIAW: Chapter 331/332

Chapter 331: The Location of the Remaining Half of the Explosives

After the call ended, the atmosphere in the conference room was noticeably calmer.

"So the identity of the bomber is confirmed. I didn't expect it to be that famous architect."

Superintendent Hakuba finally relaxed a little.

"If not for Officer Sato's intel, our Metropolitan Police Department might've been completely fooled by a bomber right under the public's nose."

"There's no need to investigate Officer Sato's informant further. I remember this informant first appeared after the Tsukikage Island incident. Perhaps it's earlier than what I know. Maybe there's more to this informant than we thought."

The officers who were aware of parts of the situation nodded in understanding.

Now they understood why a deputy police inspector had such a powerful informant. So that was the background.

There are always a few special individuals in this world.

This was just another such individual, expressing his attitude through Sato Miwako. That attitude was the most important clue.

Superintendent Hakuba was the first to catch on.

So, is it necessary to investigate this informant any further? No, it's not.

Special individuals need oversight, yes, but only when they can actually be controlled.

Most of them, however, cannot. And Superintendent Hakuba was well aware of the extraordinary capabilities these individuals possess, especially in fields ordinary people can't even step into.

This wasn't speculation, but something learned through repeated experiences.

Therefore, after hearing Sato Miwako relay the informant's intentions, Superintendent Hakuba knew there was no need to push further to identify them.

In fact, it was better not to know. There was a high possibility that this was a test.

"Superintendent Matsumoto, since we've confirmed the bomber's identity, assemble the bomb disposal unit and the Special Operations Team. If the bomber attempts anything, neutralize him on the spot."

"Inspector Megure, if the bomber initiates a provocation, go along with it. Suppress the news about the bombs being dismantled."

"You two handle it."

"Yes, sir!" ×2

Megure Jusan and Matsumoto Kiyonaga stood up and went to manage the follow-up operations.

Once they had left, Superintendent Hakuba crossed his arms and turned to another matter.

"I recall Officer Sato was just promoted to Deputy Inspector a few months ago."

"Yes. Officer Sato was promoted from Patrol Division Chief to Deputy Inspector three months ago," a subordinate quickly replied.

"Hmm. Originally, there was no urgent need to promote her again. But this time, Officer Sato prevented a major catastrophe and saved the Metropolitan Police Department from public disgrace. I believe her position should be elevated."

The officers present immediately understood what this meant.

Normally, promotions don't happen this quickly unless you're in a specialized track. But when it comes to extraordinary contributions, exceptions can and must be made.

And as for the informant topic, not a single word was mentioned. A collective, silent agreement.

Meanwhile, Megure Juzo and Matsumoto Kiyonaga were already coordinating the response against the bomber.

Megure Juzo immediately called on the bomb disposal unit to mobilize.

Soon, Sato Miwako's vehicle arrived at the underground parking lot of the Metropolitan Police Department.

The moment the car stopped, the bomb disposal experts quickly moved in and opened the bag containing the explosives. Upon inspection, they let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Light-sensitive bombs. Luckily, none of these were activated. Otherwise, things would have gotten ugly."

If such bombs had been placed on the railway, even a single mishandling could have caused a massive disaster.

"Yeah. Once officially activated, these bombs rely on consistent light exposure as a trigger. If blocked for too long, they'll explode immediately."

All the officers present felt their hearts skip a beat. Their faces turned red from the sudden surge of blood as they realized just how disastrous it could've been.

Thankfully, the light-sensitive bombs had been recovered.

The bomb squad quickly dismantled the inactive explosives and disabled the transmission systems so the plastic explosives posed no further threat.

Plastic bombs are considered relatively stable. They won't explode from standard pressure or heat. As long as the detonator is neutralized, the bomb becomes inert.

That stability is precisely why the Japanese Armament Storage Department uses them. But because of that, manufacturing these kinds of bombs without expert knowledge is nearly impossible.

"However, according to data, this batch of explosives only accounts for about one-fourth of what was stolen."

After running a quick analysis, one of the bomb squad experts made that judgment.

"It's definitely just a quarter."
Sato Miwako had already anticipated that and turned toward Inspector Megure.

"Inspector Megure, I'll leave the next part to you."

"Yes. Officer Sato, thank you for your efforts."

"I'm heading out to retrieve the remaining explosives now."

With that, Sato Miwako quickly drove off from the underground garage.

Half of the explosives were still out there, and they had to be retrieved fast. Time was critical.

Judging by the time left before sunset, there was still just over an hour remaining. If Inspector Megure could keep the bomber preoccupied, she'd have just enough time.

One hour should be enough to recover the rest.

While waiting at a red light, Sato Miwako quickly dialed Ren.

"The bombs have been recovered. Inspector Megure should be able to buy me an hour."

"To be exact, it's one hour and thirty-four minutes. It's a bit tight. If the bomber notices anything's off, things will escalate quickly."

"So, are the bombs far from here?"

"The Beika Administrative Building isn't far from the Metropolitan Police Department, but it'll take you about fifteen minutes to get there. Plus, the bomber's public announcement might create traffic congestion."

Beika Administrative Building?
Sato Miwako nearly bit her tongue in shock.

That place was the administrative center of the city, packed with civilians and government workers.

If a bomb went off there, it would undoubtedly become the biggest incident yet.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 332: Found the Bomb Entrance

Sato Miwako couldn't turn on the siren. That would only alert everyone nearby that something was wrong at the municipal building.

With that in mind, she had no choice but to drive normally.

At the same time, she turned on the radio in her car.

It was already 3:55 in the afternoon, exactly as expected.

[We now interrupt this broadcast with an urgent special report!]

Here it comes... Sato Miwako's expression hardened.

[We've just received a chilling warning! All passengers currently riding the Toudou Loop Line are advised to remain calm and avoid panicking!]

[A letter was received from a man claiming to be responsible for the Shinjuku bombing. He has planted six bombs along the Toudou Loop Line. Starting at 4 PM, if any train on the line fails to maintain a minimum speed of 60 kilometers per hour, the bombs will detonate!]

A direct provocation, as expected... Sato Miwako felt a chill run down her spine.

Everything was precisely timed. If she had been even thirty minutes later, the bombs planted on the tracks would have already exploded.

Fortunately, she had made it in time.

Thinking back on how she had recovered all six bombs gave her a brief moment of relief.

Sure enough, Moriya Teiji had made his announcement in advance, just as predicted. He was extremely confident in his planning and setup.

Inspector Megure should be able to stall for a while. There was still over an hour until sunset. Based on Moriya's personality, the bombs placed in the Beika Municipal Building likely wouldn't detonate before then.

But once the sun set, it would be a different story. These wouldn't be light-sensitive bombs—more likely, they were time bombs.

Gripping the steering wheel and staring at the road ahead, Sato Miwako couldn't suppress a wave of irritation.

Hurry up! I don't have time for this!

Just then, the previously congested road started clearing, as if responding to her plea.

She glanced to the side and immediately understood.

The Todou Loop Line... No wonder it wasn't jammed anymore.

The radio announcement had made people avoid the Loop Line area. Some clearly believed the bomber's threats and chose not to risk being near the tracks.

After all, no one wants to be caught in a derailment caused by an explosion.

That was likely the reason the previously jammed road had suddenly cleared.

A stroke of luck.

She quickly followed the flow of traffic, accelerating to keep pace and pass through this section smoothly.

However, while traffic near the Loop Line had eased up, other roads remained heavily congested. In fact, some were even worse than usual.

Annoyed but patient, Sato Miwako finally reached the Beika Municipal Building and parked nearby.

After taking a moment to compose herself, she exited the car, grabbing the prepared bag from the passenger seat.

Looking around, she saw that the municipal building was still full of people. Despite the bomber's public warning, many seemed to think it didn't concern them.

Sato Miwako quickly entered the building and pulled out her phone to contact Ren.

"I've arrived at the municipal building."

"Right on time, just as predicted. As you enter—no, even at the entrance—look upward. You'll spot a time bomb with a considerable yield."

Sato Miwako stepped inside and began searching above the entrance. In a well-concealed spot high up, she saw it: a live time bomb, its digits steadily counting down.

"Found it."

"Don't worry. That one's fairly stable. The bomber is a perfectionist and an architect. He knows demolition principles. He wouldn't make a faulty device."

"Then I really ought to thank him for being such a perfectionist," Sato Miwako muttered sarcastically.

"Officer Sato, you really should be glad he's not a half-baked amateur. If he were, this whole operation would be far more dangerous. His perfectionism doesn't just apply to design—it extends to his technical knowledge."

"But perfectionists tend to be paranoid. As long as no flaws appear, they believe everything is under control. That works in our favor."

"Also, don't alert anyone in the building. It could spark a panic."

"These bombs are set to go off at 10 PM. You've got five hours. They are strictly time-triggered, with no remote detonation mechanism. They can even withstand a few bumps."

Sato Miwako took a deep breath. She knew the real challenge was just beginning.

She had to retrieve all of the bombs in five hours. It was no easy task, but there was no other choice.

"I'll prepare and start now."

She quickly located a restroom, entered a stall, and pulled out dark blue work clothes from her bag.

She packed away her original uniform and changed into the work attire.

A matching baseball cap and a pair of thick gloves completed the disguise.

Wearing this, no one would question her movements within the municipal building.

Of course, this wasn't her own idea—it had been suggested in advance.

She slung the bag over her shoulder and transformed completely into a municipal maintenance worker.

With that, her bomb retrieval operation officially began.

Meanwhile, Ren was lounging at home, watching the news.

"Tsk. Those reporters really aren't afraid of death. They're like sharks that smelled blood."

The Metropolitan Police Department had responded quickly, evacuating civilians along the Todou Loop Line as soon as they received the warning.

But the reporters, completely unfazed, had gathered even closer to the danger zone, cameras rolling.

"They're always like that. Moriya Teiji didn't plan this aspect, but he used the media's obsession with real-time reporting to his advantage. He can just sit at home and watch TV to gauge the situation."

"Using reporters, huh? They're not exactly helpful to police operations."

"Do you think they care?" Ren chuckled.

"All they care about is climbing the ranks. Whether or not they help the police is irrelevant. After all, it's not like the police can arrest them over something like this."

"But thanks to all the focus being drawn to the Todou Loop Line, no one is paying attention to the municipal building."

"That gives Officer Sato the perfect window to act quietly."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 333: Collecting All Bombs

Moriya Teiji sat in his luxurious villa, enjoying what he believed was the Metropolitan Police Department's complete ineptitude. His expression was filled with mockery.

"So this is the level of the Metropolitan Police Department."

He didn't bother to conceal his contempt in the slightest.

Moriya Teiji had absolute confidence in his plan. Every step had been carefully prepared in advance—from the theft of the explosives to their installation—all completed over the past week.

It had been an elaborate and meticulous process. The manufacturing and placement of the bombs alone had been a logistical challenge.

The reason so many bombs had been planted in the Beika Municipal Building was because Moriya himself had designed the building. He understood precisely how to use explosives to destroy it entirely.

All he needed to do was seal every entrance and exit with bombs and then detonate the structural core. Once the load-bearing frame was destroyed, the entire building would collapse in an instant.

And now, the police seemed utterly powerless in the face of his "masterpiece." This pleased him. Soon, the name Moriya Teiji would resound across Japan.

Still, there was one lingering regret.

"Kudo Shinichi... it's such a pity he didn't get to experience my grand finale."

This was Moriya Teiji's only true regret.

Had he acted just a few months earlier, he might have caught Kudo Shinichi before his apparent death and struck the final blow to the detective who had foiled him once.

But alas, he was no god. He couldn't challenge the dead.

Though disappointed, Moriya didn't dwell on it. Even without Kudo, his carefully crafted finale was still going to unfold.

"The mad architect. The symmetrical artist. Teiji Moriya. My name will go down in Japan's history."

"Just like those artists whose names live on long after they're gone."

In this moment, Moriya Teiji was in a fantastic mood. Everything was progressing exactly as he had envisioned.

"If the police were even more pathetic, my identity wouldn't be exposed until long after my death."

Chuckling, he glanced at the clock. 5:12 PM. Still some time before the sun completely set.

"I wonder if those useless officers managed to handle the railroad bombs. Maybe they didn't."

If so, Moriya would only conclude that the police were truly deserving of the nickname "tax thieves."

Outside, dusk was settling in.

The sun finally set, yet no explosions had been reported. That alone indicated the police had likely managed to disarm the bombs along the railway.

Yet, the police had not released any statement. Everything remained confidential, and nothing had been disclosed to the media.

Things seemed to have quieted down, for now.

People who had earlier panicked over the bomber's warning began to return to their normal routines. Still, due to the bombing incident that morning, some people went home early to avoid unnecessary risk.

Others simply went on with their lives.

After all, bombers were the responsibility of the Metropolitan Police Department. Ordinary people couldn't let fear dominate their daily routine.

Yet, beneath the surface, someone was still quietly at work behind the scenes.

Night had fallen.

The dark blue work clothes Sato Miwako wore were stained with grease and dust. Her baseball cap was pulled low, and sweat dripped from her brow. Her eyes were visibly bloodshot.

"Haa... haa..."

Dismantling bombs was exhausting. It required full concentration every second. Even though she knew the bombs weren't sensitive to touch, the psychological pressure remained crushing.

But after nearly three hours of continuous work, Sato Miwako had successfully dismantled all the bombs planted at the entrances, exits, and emergency escape routes.

"Thirty-four bombs... That lunatic really intended to obliterate this entire building."

Those thirty-four bombs were enough to block every exit in the Beika Municipal Building.

They would have prevented anyone from escaping or entering once detonated.

Still, these bombs only sealed access points. What would actually bring down the whole building was something much bigger.

Sato Miwako checked the time. 7:12 PM.

There were still nearly two hours left before the bombs were set to detonate. There was only one remaining bomb—the largest one—still hidden inside the municipal building.

She estimated she needed about 38 minutes to deal with it. One hour would be more than enough.

After shutting the trunk of her vehicle, Sato Miwako didn't rush to retrieve the final device. Instead, she took five minutes to mentally reset.

The final bomb wasn't placed at an entrance. It was in the Lost and Found area on the fifth floor.

That spot was located at the core of the municipal building's structural support. A massive explosion there would instantly destroy the building's load-bearing column, causing the entire structure to collapse like a house of cards.

Thousands—maybe even tens of thousands—of people would die instantly in the rubble.

This was not a joke.

When she reached the fifth floor, Sato Miwako casually walked around and soon spotted a large pink bag sitting suspiciously on the floor.

Looking inside, she saw it. The countdown was already running.

It made no sound, only ticking silently like a clock.

That quiet ticking marked the time left for everyone inside this building.

Once the timer hit zero, everything here would be reduced to dust.

This maniac...

Sato Miwako cursed inwardly as she picked up the heavy bag and began making her way downstairs.

The bomb was extremely heavy. As expected, it contained the majority of the stolen explosives and was meant to take down the entire building.

She walked cautiously the entire way, alert to any suspicious people nearby.

Fortunately, there were no incidents.

It wasn't until she finally placed the massive bomb in her car that she let out a sigh of complete relief.

(To be continued.)