Chapter 95: Times Have Changed, My Lord—Executed on the Spot (Fifth Update)

"Inoue Miya! You still dare to show your face?" Konoe Hane shouted with a righteous air, then turned to his subordinates with a firm expression, rallying them. "Gentlemen, please join me in taking down this wanted criminal for the sake of our nation!"

This was a golden opportunity to resolve the crisis once and for all! You want to kill me? I will capture you with my own hands, and then we shall see how I torment and humiliate you!

The subordinates, once they regained their senses, rolled up their sleeves and responded with fervor. After all, this was not just a chance to earn merit, but a rare opportunity to impress their superior.

"You idiot! You murderous demon, how dare you come to the entrance of the Prosecutor's Office to provoke us? You must be tired of living!"

"Surrender at once, you wretch!"

But in the next second, their high spirits were instantly shattered, for Inoue Miya had pulled out a gun.

A gun!

Damn it!

How could a mere teacher have the connections to obtain a firearm?

Everyone turned pale with fright. Konoe Hane was the first to react, turning around and running for his life.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

No matter how fast he ran, he could not outpace the speed at which Inoue Miya pulled the trigger. With less than half a street separating them, and given Inoue's experience in the Self-Defense Force, not one of the six shots missed.

Konoe Hane collapsed to the ground with a thud, blood gushing from the bullet holes in his body. He was not yet dead, struggling to crawl forward. "Save me! Save me!"

"Murder! Prosecutor Konoe has been killed!"

The other six prosecutors were paralyzed with fear; none dared to help him. They scattered in all directions, while nearby pedestrians fled in a panic, their screams filling the air.

Inoue Miya’s target was not them, so he spared the innocent. He strode over to Konoe Hane, stepped on his back to pin him down, and looked down at him from above. "When you relied on your power to ride over us, did you ever think of today? I never imagined that the marksmanship I learned in the Self-Defense Force would be used on you rather than in defense of the country. But killing a parasite like you can also be considered a service to the nation."

"Don't kill me! Please! Don't..." Konoe Hane begged, his face filled with terror, his words tumbling out rapidly.

"Bang!"

Inoue Miya shot him through the back of the head.

Konoe Hane's pleas ended abruptly, his head hanging limp as his face smashed into the pavement, dead on the spot.

Inoue Miya then turned and ran toward his car.

It was exactly as Aoyama Hidenobu had deduced: he had no intention of escaping. He was going straight to the Metropolitan Police Department to turn himself in.

Having killed three officials, he had created enough of a stir. When he stood trial, there would surely be many reporters and citizens in attendance. He intended to state his reasons for the killings in court, to tell the public that he was not a criminal, but someone upholding justice.

He would use this platform to expose the darkness of officials shielding one another, to awaken more citizens who were oppressed like him, and to deter those corrupt officials who abused their power!

After all, his wife and daughter were gone, and his vengeance had been exacted; living held no further meaning for him.

However, he did not notice that the moment his car started, several vehicles quietly trailed him.

From the moment he appeared, the Yamakawa family's scouts had reported it to Yamakawa Ichijo, who immediately relayed the information to Aoyama Hidenobu.

By the time Inoue Miya killed Konoe Hane, Aoyama Hidenobu was already on his way with his men to intercept him.

The scouts trailing Inoue followed him, reporting his position and direction in real-time, allowing Aoyama Hidenobu to take a shortcut and set up an ambush.

Inoue Miya was completely unaware.

Ten minutes later, he saw several police cars blocking the road ahead, along with officers hiding behind them with guns aimed at him. At the same time, the piercing sound of sirens echoed from behind.

Inoue Miya did not attempt to resist. He slowly decelerated and came to a stop. Sitting in the car, he looked at the officers whose faces were now clearly visible. He reached for the pack of cigarettes on the passenger seat, took one, placed it in his mouth, and lit it.

Then, he cut the engine, preparing to step out and surrender.

But the moment his right leg touched the ground:

The gun fired.

"Bang!"

The bullet exited the barrel, shattered the window, and embedded itself in Inoue Miya's chest. The impact caused him to stumble backward, but he managed to lean against the car door frame to keep from falling. He looked down at the bullet hole, then looked up, staring with confusion at the officer who had fired.

He had seen reports about this man in the newspapers just a few days ago. If he remembered correctly, his name was Aoyama Hidenobu.

Inoue Miya could not understand; he was clearly intending to surrender, so why did he fire? Had he misinterpreted his intentions? But he wasn't even holding a gun!

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Before he could resolve the question, shots rang out one after another. Other officers had pulled their triggers as well. Several blood-red holes appeared on his chest in an instant. His body slid down the side of the car, and the cigarette fell from his mouth.

He was not yet dead. Lying on the ground, he stared at the blue sky, his chest heaving violently, blood surging out, his breathing growing shallow and rapid.

He hadn't yet stood in court to tell the public what he wanted to say; he hadn't yet...

"Move in!" Aoyama Hidenobu waved his hand.

Before he completely lost consciousness, the last thing Inoue Miya saw was a group of police officers rushing toward him, surrounding him with their guns leveled at his body.

Then, he closed his eyes forever.

Accompanied by the chorus of sirens, a large convoy of police cars sped in. Nirei Kunio, having received the news, arrived at the scene with other high-ranking officials of the Metropolitan Police Department.

He had expected a villain like Inoue Miya, who dared to kill officials, to put up a desperate fight, which is why he had come personally to oversee the operation, demonstrating the importance the department placed on the case.

"Report, Commissioner! The perpetrator, Inoue Miya, has been neutralized!" Aoyama Hidenobu turned to face Nirei Kunio, stood at attention, and saluted.

Nirei Kunio looked at the imposing Aoyama Hidenobu. Although he was displeased with the man who had stolen his son-in-law's position, he had to admit that he had done a clean job. No wonder Hikokawa Noritomo valued him so much.

Inoue Miya had to be killed on the spot.

Otherwise, if this lawless man had made it to court and spewed nonsense about collusion between prosecutors and the police, where would the police's reputation be?

"Very good. Assistant Commissioner Aoyama is indeed a sharp blade for the First Investigation Division." Nirei Kunio praised him, then added, "See that the chain of evidence is completed as quickly as possible so we can release the details to the public."

"Yes, sir!" Aoyama Hidenobu replied loudly.

Nirei Kunio glanced at Inoue Miya’s riddled corpse, then led the high-ranking officials away. There was no longer any need for them to remain; they had to return to prepare for the press conference.

"He's different from the likes of Okita, whom you killed in the past. Didn't you feel any hesitation when you pulled the trigger on him?" Asai Aya walked up to Aoyama Hidenobu.

Because she couldn't bring herself to do it, she had let Aoyama handle the direct confrontation while she led the team to block his retreat from behind.

Aoyama Hidenobu felt no hesitation, but knowing that Asai Aya was more sentimental, he sighed hypocritically. "How could I not? But from the perspective of the police, he had to die. Dying at the scene is better than dying mysteriously in a detention center before the trial. At least I gave him a quick end."

...

On the day Inoue Miya was killed, the Murder Investigation Division 1 conducted a new, systematic search and forensic analysis of the crime scenes where Nakayama Meiki and Miyamoto Ryo had died.

Hard work pays off. Aoyama Hidenobu discovered surveillance footage in Nakayama Meiki's study. The footage captured Inoue Miya's face and also solved the mystery of where he had obtained the gun used to kill Konoe Hane.

With this, it could be officially confirmed that all three officials—Nakayama Meiki, Miyamoto Ryo, and Konoe Hane—had been killed by Inoue Miya.

That evening, the Metropolitan Police Department held a press conference to announce the details. Commissioner Nirei Kunio spoke with a grave expression, "According to our investigation, Inoue Miya suffered a heavy blow following the deaths of his wife and daughter, which led to a nihilistic mindset and a desire to retaliate against society."

"He stubbornly insisted that his daughter’s death was not a suicide, and fueled by hatred for Nakayama Meiki, Miyamoto Ryo, and Konoe Hane, he committed these murders. Had he escaped today, he likely would have killed more..."

"Nakayama Meiki, Miyamoto Ryo, and Konoe Hane were diligent and dedicated professionals who performed their duties to the government for many years. Now, they have tragically fallen victim to Inoue Miya’s paranoia. I ask everyone to join me in a three-minute moment of silence for them..."

Asai Aya, who knew the truth, found these high-sounding words laughable. Inoue Miya had committed crimes, yes, but he had been driven to a dead end by the collusion and protection between the prosecutors and the police.

Yet now, in Nirei Kunio's words, the three of them had become virtuous officials who tragically died in the line of duty. One could imagine they would even be awarded posthumous honors.

Meanwhile, Inoue Miya, who had been pushed to the edge, was painted as a vicious, society-hating criminal.

"That is how the world works. Inoue Miya did well to get this far; you cannot have it both ways," Aoyama Hidenobu said to her.

He felt little emotion regarding this. No matter how much of a glamorous veneer society wore, it could not change the nature of the survival of the fittest. That was why he would spare no cost to become the strong, to dictate the fates of others.

Asai Aya was somewhat frustrated and annoyed by Aoyama Hidenobu’s habit of exposing the bloody reality to her. She bit her lip and retorted, "It’s not all like that. At least you were willing to risk the consequences to give Inoue Miya a chance at revenge, weren't you?"

"I didn't realize I wasn't entirely a villain in your eyes." Aoyama Hidenobu touched his face.

Indeed, his tolerance of Inoue Miya’s killings, aside from letting the case ripen, was also meant to give him a chance to exact his own revenge. He considered himself quite kind.

After all, if he were to lose every shred of his humanity, he would truly become a monster.

"Next, we invite Assistant Commissioner Aoyama Hidenobu, who played a pivotal role in neutralizing Inoue Miya and solving this case, to the stage to answer your questions."

Asai Aya rolled her eyes and gave him a light kick. "It's your turn to speak, great hero."

Aoyama Hidenobu immediately straightened his expression, adjusted his tie and collar, and walked toward the podium with steady, confident strides, embodying the demeanor of an elite officer of the Metropolitan Police Department.

"Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap..."

Thunderous applause erupted in the room.

Aoyama Hidenobu had given Inoue Miya the chance to take his revenge, and then used his life as a stepping stone to reach the stage, placing himself squarely under the spotlight.