54: Chapter 54 Shuichi Akai's Investigation

In the meeting room of the FBI's secret base in Tokyo, the atmosphere was so heavy it felt as if it could be wrung out like water.

On the large projection screen, surveillance footage from the banquet hall of the Mihua Grand Hotel was playing—the image was somewhat blurry, with snowy static from signal interference, but figures in black combat gear could still be clearly seen bursting through the doors, gunfire erupting, the crowd fleeing, and a man wearing a clown mask leading the entire massacre with an almost frenzied posture.

"...That is all the surveillance footage we've been able to recover so far."

The technician's voice carried a hint of exhaustion.

"After the signal jammers were activated, almost all internal surveillance in the hotel failed; these are clips recorded before the activation and during brief moments of recovery."

Akai Shuichi leaned against the wall, his red eyes fixed on the screen. A long ash had burned on the cigarette between his fingers, yet he was completely oblivious to it.

Jodie sat at the conference table, her brow furrowed, repeatedly replaying the footage of the attackers placing the signal jammers. James and several other FBI Agents discussed in low voices, their faces filled with gravity.

"Stop!"

Akai Shuichi suddenly spoke, his voice deep and commanding.

The technician immediately pressed the pause button. The screen froze at the moment two attackers were installing a signal jammer—it was a palm-sized black device with several flashing indicator lights, firmly fixed in a corner of the banquet hall.

"Zoom in here."

Akai Shuichi tilted his chin, pointing at the signal jammer on the screen.

The image was enlarged; though a bit blurry, the outline of the device and the model identification on it were vaguely visible.

"Do you see it?"

Akai Shuichi's gaze swept across everyone present, his tone carrying an unquestionable certainty.

"A military-grade signal jammer. And looking at this model... it's the XM-9, recently fielded by the US military, specifically designed to block all wireless signals within a five-hundred-meter radius during special operations, including military encrypted channels."

Jodie leaned closer to the screen, observing carefully for a few seconds, her expression changing slightly.

"Are you saying... only the US military has this kind of jammer?"

"Not just the jammer."

Akai Shuichi walked to the screen, pointing at the rifles in the attackers' hands and the combat uniforms they wore.

"A modified version of the M4 assault rifle; the handguard and stock have undergone special treatment, making it suitable for close-quarters combat;"

"And the combat uniforms they're wearing are an improved MultiCam camouflage variant customized by CP Company for the Navy SEALs. The fabric and cut are completely different from the imitations circulating on the open market; they've simply changed the color and pattern."

He paused and added:

"I've seen this equipment before at a US special forces base in Afghanistan; it's exactly the same."

Silence fell over the meeting room.

The FBI Section Chief rubbed his temples, his tone carrying a hint of disbelief.

"Shuichi, are you saying... the weapons and equipment these attackers used came from the US military?"

"It's highly probable."

Jodie took up the conversation, her expression grave.

"The XM-9 jammer was only finalized last year. Aside from US special forces and a few elite units of NATO allies, it's impossible for it to leak out.

Even on the black market, it's absolutely impossible to get something like this—the military's control over such equipment is extremely strict, and the movement of every single unit is recorded."

"Then could it be... purchased through illegal channels?"

Another Agent raised a question.

"After all, it's not like there haven't been cases of military arms theft. Maybe someone stole it from the military and sold it on the black market."

Akai Shuichi shook his head, walked to the window, and pushed it open, letting the cool breeze disperse the smoke-filled room. He took a drag of his cigarette, slowly exhaled a smoke ring, and cast his gaze toward the distant sky.

"Are you sure about that?"

Akai Shuichi's voice came through the smoke, tinged with a hint of mockery.

"The core chip of the XM-9 jammer has a self-destruct program. Once it loses the military's encrypted authorization, it automatically becomes useless.

Even if it were truly stolen, without the military's key, it's just a piece of scrap metal."

He turned around and gestured with his chin for everyone to look at the screen again.

"And look at their proficiency with the equipment—the speed of their magazine changes, their tactical coordination, their understanding of the jammer and rifle performance..."

"This isn't a ragtag bunch with high-end gear; they look more like a group of soldiers who have received formal military training."

Jodie's eyes lit up.

"You mean, these people might be... active or retired US soldiers?"

"Or, a power capable of mobilizing US military equipment and personnel," Akai Shuichi said meaningfully.

This sentence made the atmosphere in the meeting room even more somber. If that were truly the case, then this wasn't just a simple case of a vicious shooting; it likely involved internal issues within the US military and could even affect US-Japan relations.

"Wait,"

The FBI Section Chief suddenly spoke, his tone hesitant.

"Doesn't the US have military bases in this country? I remember there's a very large base on Okinawa Island, isn't there?"

Everyone's gaze instantly focused on Akai Shuichi.

The US military base on Okinawa Island...

Akai Shuichi nodded and stubbed out his cigarette.

"The military base on Okinawa Island is one of the US military's largest Air Force bases in the West Pacific. It not only has Air Force units but also stations Navy Special Forces and Marine Corps detachments. The XM-9 jammers and those special operations gear are all equipped there."

"You think... it was done by people from that base?"

Jodie's voice trembled slightly.

"Why would they do that? The Tomizawa Financial Group and those celebrities and elites in the banquet hall don't seem to have any connection to the US military, do they?"

"Even if there were some connection, it wouldn't warrant such an extreme terrorist attack, would it?"

"I don't know,"

Akai Shuichi admitted frankly.

"But all clues point there. It's impossible for this equipment to be brought into the country without the customs and intelligence departments knowing, unless... someone from the military helped, transporting it directly from the base."

He paused and added:

"Moreover, the timing of the attackers' operation was very clever—on the day of the wedding, the core members of the tomizawa family were all gathered. Security seemed tight, but in reality, they were hamstrung because of the guests' special identities, making it the perfect time to strike.

This kind of precise intelligence and timing must be supported by someone familiar with the local situation."

The FBI Section Chief's face became extremely unsightly.

"Shuichi, do you know what this means? Investigating a US military base... this is no joke.

You know how protective those military guys are. If the investigation goes poorly, not only will we be recalled, but we might even lose our lives..."

"But do we have a choice?"

Jodie asked in return, her tone firm.

"The tomizawa family was wiped out, the killers used US military equipment, and it's likely related to a US military base.

If we do nothing and let them act so recklessly, are we even the Federal Bureau of Investigation anymore? And..."

She looked at Akai Shuichi, her gaze complex.

"The way that person in the clown mask operates is too crazy, too unscrupulous. If we don't find him soon, there's no telling what other chaos he'll cause."

Akai Shuichi nodded, his gaze sharp as a blade.

"Chief, I know it's hard, but we must investigate.

Even if it wasn't done by people from the base, we'll definitely find clues there.

For example, has any suspicious personnel or material left the base recently? Have any soldiers gone AWOL?"

Silence fell over the meeting room.

Everyone knew the risks involved, but they also understood that as FBI Agents, they had no reason to back down.

After a long while, the FBI Section Chief sighed and spread his hands.

"Alright, alright... who told you guys to be right?"

He stood up, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness.

"I'll contact the headquarters in Washington to request investigation authorization. At the same time, I'll find a way to contact the intelligence officer at the Okinawa Island military base to see if I can fish anything out of them."

He looked at Akai Shuichi and instructed:

"Shuichi, don't you guys stay idle either. Check for any suspicious individuals who have had contact with the military base recently, especially those who have a grudge against the Tomizawa Financial Group or the elites at the banquet.

Remember, you must be careful. Don't alert the military, especially those \"off-the-books\" departments."

"Understood," Akai Shuichi replied with a nod.

After the meeting ended, everyone left to begin their investigations.

Jodie walked up to Akai Shuichi. Seeing him still staring at the figure in the clown mask on the screen, she couldn't help but ask:

"Shuichi, who do you think... this person in the clown mask really is? I feel like they intentionally murdered the people from the Tomizawa Financial Group under the guise of a robbery."

Akai Shuichi was silent for a few seconds, a deep light flashing in his red eyes: "The tomizawa family is just the beginning."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at his methods."

Akai Shuichi pointed at the screen, "High-profile, cruel, reckless, even deliberately leaving the codename 'Clown'... He's not hiding himself; he's announcing his existence."

He paused, his tone grave.

"This person is inciting chaos. The tomizawa family is just the first stone he's thrown. Next, he'll likely target more people, even... larger powers."

Jodie's heart sank: "You mean he wants to stir up the situation in Tokyo?"

"Not just Tokyo."

Akai Shuichi's gaze turned toward the window, as if he could see through layers of buildings to a place much further away,

"Using US military equipment to kill people on Japanese soil is a provocation in itself. If things escalate, the relationship between the US and Japan will be affected."

To this, Lin Long expressed: I'm not, I didn't, you're talking nonsense.

Lin Long really hadn't thought that much; taking equipment from the military base was simply because it was more convenient.

Akai Shuichi stared at the man in the clown mask. This clown was like a bottomless black hole, making it impossible to see through his purpose, yet one could feel the dangerous aura radiating from him, enough to swallow everything.

"By the way,"

Jodie seemed to suddenly remember something.

"I just had the technical department check the recent activities of the Okinawa Island military base and found that three days ago, a batch of 'special materials' was moved toward Tokyo. The military has encrypted the specifics, so I couldn't find the details."

Akai Shuichi's gaze instantly sharpened: "Three days ago? That's exactly two days before the attack."

"Should we go check the whereabouts of that batch of materials?"

"Not for now."

Akai Shuichi shook his head, "We don't know the other party's background yet. Acting rashly will only alert the enemy."

He walked to the table and picked up his coat.

"You continue to follow up on the tomizawa family's network. See who they've offended recently or if they've had contact with any mysterious powers.

I'm going to Tokyo Bay. I have an old friend there who might be able to help us find some clues about 'US military equipment flowing into the black market'."

Jodie nodded: " Be careful."

Akai Shuichi nodded and turned to leave the meeting room.

Watching his retreating back disappear through the door, Jodie's gaze returned to the figure in the clown mask on the screen, a strong sense of unease welling up in her heart.

This storm stirred up by the "Clown" seemed to have only just begun.

And those of them who sought the truth had no idea what kind of vortex they would be drawn into.

Meanwhile, in an office at the Okinawa Island military base, General White was bowing and scraping to the person on the other end of the phone:

"Rest assured, Mr. Lin Long, all traces have been cleaned up. It will absolutely not be traced back to you... Yes, the records for that batch of equipment have been destroyed, and the soldiers involved in the transport have all been sent on 'vacation'... Good, good, I am at your disposal at any time."

Hanging up the phone, General White wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and looked out the window at the soldiers lined up in the training field, his expression complex.

He didn't know who Lin Long really was, but he already knew what that equipment had been used for; after all, he had already heard about such a major terrorist attack."