"None of your concern."
Ye Xing delivered this line without moving a muscle.
A veteran detective like Soichiro Yagami, with his keen observational skills, could glean substantial information from even minor physical tells.
"My identity is something I cannot reveal to you, but there is one thing I can."
Ye Xing stared directly into Soichiro Yagami's eyes, his voice—disguised by Hachishaku-sama—devoid of any emotional fluctuation as he spoke slowly.
"I believe your Metropolitan Police Department has already positioned snipers at all key points outside."
Soichiro Yagami's expression darkened at these words.
'As expected,' he thought, 'the opponent has anticipated our arrangements.'
This statement yielded no useful intelligence. After all, anyone who had watched police dramas would know that snipers were the first thing deployed when surrounding a scene.
"Since you're aware, you should understand you won't be leaving here today."
"Is that so?"
Ye Xing responded noncommittally before murmuring softly.
"Director Yagami, let me tell you something first."
"With my abilities, even if I remain standing right here, I could kill all your snipers—and every Metropolitan Police Department member in the vicinity. Do you believe me?"
Soichiro Yagami's pupils contracted in shock, his head shaking in disbelief.
"Impossible. Are you claiming to be some kind of superhuman? I won't fall for childish tricks like that."
"Then let's make a wager."
Ye Xing smiled, enunciating each word clearly.
"Using the lives of every Metropolitan Police Department member as stakes... to bet whether I'm lying."
"Commander Yagami, are you willing to take that gamble?"
Soichiro Yagami tightened his grip on his firearm, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His teeth clenched as his mind raced, analysing all available intelligence.
Intelligence #1: Despite the Metropolitan Police Department establishing a perimeter with no blind spots, the suspect had appeared inside Kyoto Municipal Kindergarten through inexplicable means.
Intelligence #2: The suspect had killed over twenty armed hostage-takers, unarmed.
Intelligence #3: Based on decades of investigative experience, the suspect's confidence seemed genuine—not an empty threat.
Observing Soichiro Yagami's conflicted expression, Ye Xing spoke impassively.
"Made your decision, Director? If you don't want your subordinates to die here, comply with my demands."
Soichiro Yagami remained sceptical about Ye Xing's claimed abilities. But in gambling, the odds were never the crucial factor.
What mattered was whether one could afford to lose. The lives of his entire team were at stake, too heavy for even the Criminal Investigations Bureau Director to wager.
"What do you want?"
"Simple. I just want to leave."
After prolonged hesitation, Soichiro Yagami finally shook his head and declared firmly.
"No. Whatever your motives, murder is murder. You must return with me to the Metropolitan Police Department for questioning!"
"I see..."
Ye Xing nodded noncommittally.
"What a pity."
"Come forth, Hachishaku."
As Ye Xing spoke, Soichiro Yagami's vision suddenly filled with the towering figure of a woman in white.
"Wh-what is this!?"
Hachishaku-sama's exaggerated height and the terrifying pressure she exuded as an evil spirit made even the experienced detective Soichiro Yagami break out in cold sweat instantly.
"Don't come any closer!"
Watching Hachishaku-sama approach him with slow steps, Soichiro Yagami clenched his teeth and placed his finger on the trigger.
Bang!
Seeing Hachishaku-sama's footsteps never falter, Soichiro Yagami aimed his gun at her leg and fired without hesitation.
What he never expected was...
Hachishaku-sama showed no reaction whatsoever. The spot where the bullet struck merely formed a hollow cavity, not even bleeding, just emitting wisps of black smoke.
"This... how is this possible!?"
Before Soichiro Yagami could regain his composure, Hachishaku-sama's waterfall-like black hair extended out, binding his body and flinging him before Ye Xing.
Ye Xing crouched down, picking up the pistol with one hand while gripping Soichiro Yagami's wrists with the other, pressing the gun against the Metropolitan Police Department director's temple as he said calmly,
"Let's go."
"Tsk..."
The pain in his wrists made Soichiro Yagami inhale sharply through his teeth.
When he looked up again, the tall woman in white had already disappeared.
Was it a hallucination?
What was that thing just now? Was it even human?
Even now, as director of the Metropolitan Police Department's Criminal Investigation Bureau, Soichiro Yagami hadn't lost his rationality.
Feeling the pain of his wrists being gripped, he mentally noted another point: grip strength far beyond normal human limits.
Using Soichiro Yagami as a human shield in this manner, Ye Xing walked out of the Kyoto Municipal Kindergarten building.
By now, there were no journalists outside the main gate.
After all, the incident had concluded, and news stations were focused on the heartwarming scenes of students reuniting with their parents.
Such was the nature of the media.
Today's headlines would either read "Heavy Casualties Among Hostages—Who Should the Public Hold Accountable? Can Kyoto's Metropolitan Police Department Meet Public Expectations?"
Or perhaps "Hostage Crisis Perfectly Resolved—Kyoto Metropolitan Police Department Deserves Praise!"
In any case, today's front-page news was guaranteed.
"Hold your fire!"
Seeing Soichiro Yagami being taken hostage by a mysterious figure, the deputy commander on site immediately shouted into his walkie-talkie.
Snipers at various positions all had their fingers on their triggers.
Through their scopes, they had Ye Xing perfectly locked in their sights.
"Don't act rashly! We can talk this through!"
Worried for Soichiro Yagami's safety, the deputy commander took two quick steps forward, offering placating words.
"Name your demands!"
To outside observers, Ye Xing was merely leading Soichiro Yagami to a certain spot in the open area.
In reality, right beside him stood a Gate.
Ye Xing remained silent, as did the surrounding Metropolitan Police Department officers, afraid any sudden noise might provoke him and endanger Director Yagami.
The scene was utterly silent—one could have heard a pin drop.
After several seconds, Ye Xing finally spoke calmly.
"Oh, right, Director Yagami, there's no one left in the building. And I'll leave you with one final remark."
"What remark?"
Ye Xing lifted Soichiro Yagami's body with one hand, then threw him forward like rubbish.
Witnessing this, the Metropolitan Police Department deputy director's pupils contracted. He immediately shouted into his radio.
"Open fire!"
Yet in the end, he was still a step too slow.
Ye Xing's figure gradually vanished from the spot, leaving only the detonator he'd pulled from his pocket with his right hand and his final words.
"Art... is an explosion."
BOOM!!!
As the detonator's button was pressed, an ear-splitting roar shattered the deathly silence.
First came blinding flashes of fire bursting from the school building of Kyoto Municipal Kindergarten.
At this moment, time itself seemed to slow down.
First, the flames.
Then the expansion of the building's outer walls.
And finally - cracks, collapse, and deafening destruction.
"Director Yagami!"
The deputy commander sprinted forward two steps, throwing himself onto Soichiro Yagami while covering his own ears with both hands.
As the earth-shaking roar echoed, Kyoto Municipal Kindergarten's building turned to dust in the thunderous explosion.
"What was that!?"
Watching the building collapse into ruins, Soichiro Yagami's pupils dilated.
His heart was instantly filled with two completely contrasting emotions - post-event fear and regret.
The fear came from realising that without that mysterious person's intervention, he would have led his team charging into that building.
Only to become spirits buried beneath the rubble.
The regret was...
Although there were no other people inside to worry about casualties after such a violent explosion, the crime scene evidence would undoubtedly be severely damaged beyond recognition.
"Just who... is that guy?"
...
Meanwhile, in Kyoto City of the Reverse World.
Even after successfully passing through the Gate, Ye Xing remained completely on guard.
Staring at the thick black mist before him, listening to the bizarre, incomprehensible sounds within - like thousands of people whispering simultaneously - he murmured to himself.
"The real battle... begins now."
The most dangerous part of this operation wasn't what Miko Yotsuya and Yui Yuigahama had imagined - facing armed kidnappers.
Ye Xing had known from the start that dealing with these amateur kidnappers, or even the Metropolitan Police Department officers, would be no challenge for his abilities.
The true test was only beginning now.
Because this was the first time he'd left the Reverse World through a Gate, only to return to the Reverse World through the same Gate.
Which meant...
This gave the evil spirits an opportunity to gather and prepare to ambush him.