60: Chapter 60 The Misery of Taking the Blame

The gang war in downtown Tokyo was like a massive boulder thrown into a boiling pot of oil. Despite several days of investigation, the police found no concrete clues, yet the high-level officials understood that one of the parties involved in this war was the Black Organization.

The existence of the Black Organization was no secret within the upper echelons of Japan; Public Security even had several undercover agents embedded within it.

The reason the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department remained in the dark was that matters concerning the Black Organization had always been the responsibility of Public Security.

While clearing the battlefield, Public Security specialists discovered unique tattoos on the bodies of several outer members of the Black Organization—a snake-shaped totem. Though uncommon, it had appeared years ago at an underground arms deal site raided by the police, and the mastermind behind that deal was none other than the Black Organization.

Furthermore, after dismantling some of the communication equipment left at the scene, they discovered frequency fluctuations similar to the Black Organization's encrypted channels.

"Team Leader, we have a lead!"

A young Public Security officer rushed into the meeting room holding an appraisal report, unable to hide the excitement on his face.

"The snake tattoos on the deceased highly match the tattoos of those involved in the arms case three years ago, and the mastermind of that case was the long-hidden Black Organization!"

Director Odagiri took the report, his brow furrowed.

"Are you sure? The Black Organization has always acted with extreme secrecy; how could they leave such obvious traces?"

"The identification department has compared them repeatedly; the needlework and totem details are identical!"

One of the Public Security officers affirmed.

"Furthermore, we traced the communication records of those outer members. Although most were destroyed, the remaining fragments show they received instructions from an encrypted number before the firefight. The registration information for that number... points to a shell company once used by the Black Organization!"

A commotion broke out in the meeting room.

If it really was the Black Organization, then things were going to be tricky—this organization was like a cancer, infiltrating every corner of Tokyo, yet they could never grasp solid evidence, let alone uproot them entirely.

Chief of Police Hakuba tapped the table and said in a deep voice:

"Keep digging deeper! Keep a close eye on that shell company, follow the clues, and we must find the Black Organization's core base!"

However, just as the police investigation was about to make a breakthrough, the direction of the wind suddenly changed.

A captured outer member of the Black Organization had a "sudden change of heart" in the interrogation room, tearfully confessing the "truth"—they were all members of Tokyo's largest underground gang, the Nichaikai. The reason they participated in the firefight was that their "Boss, Kitō Natsuya" was fighting over territory with another group of "foreign forces," leading to the use of live ammunition.

"We are all Nichaikai men!"

The member cried, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"The snake tattoo is the mark of the Nichaikai, check for yourselves if you don't believe it! That shell company is also Boss Kitō's property; it has nothing to do with any Black Organization!"

At the same time, the police received an anonymous email. It detailed the Nichaikai's illegal activities in recent years—arms smuggling, underground casinos, violent debt collection... it even included several cold murder cases, with an evidence chain so complete it was staggering.

Even more "coincidentally," the email included several photos. In the photos, the Nichaikai's boss, Kitō Natsuya, was in a secret meeting with several "foreign armed personnel," with a warehouse near last night's firefight location as the background.

"This..." Director Odagiri looked at the email, his expression becoming extremely grim.

There were too many suspicious points. The timing of this email was too precise, and the outer member's confession seemed rehearsed, but all the "evidence" pointed to the Nichaikai, making the clues that previously pointed to the Black Organization appear blurred and uncertain.

"Director, we've found it!"

Another officer rushed in. "The snake tattoo is indeed the mark of the Nichaikai. During their internal purge a few years ago, all core members were tattooed with it! Also, regarding that shell company, although the legal representative is anonymous, the actual controlling shareholder is Kitō Natsuya!"

All the clues were cut off. Or rather, they had been deliberately guided toward the Nichaikai.

With a clean and efficient move, the Black Organization shifted the blame, removing themselves from the equation entirely, while the Nichaikai became their carefully selected sacrificial lamb.

The high-level officials of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department quickly reached a decision.

"Move out!"

Chief of Police Hakuba's voice carried a hint of fatigue, yet it was exceptionally firm.

"Conduct a city-wide manhunt for Nichaikai members and destroy all their bases!"

How could he not know there was something fishy about this? But the Black Organization was like a ghost, far too difficult to pin down, and with the current massive public pressure, the government desperately needed a "culprit" to appease the people's anger.

As a notorious gang in Tokyo with blood on their hands, using the Nichaikai to take the fall would both give the public an answer and provide an opportunity to weaken the underground forces—it was essentially killing two birds with one stone.

An operation codenamed "Thunderbolt" was swiftly launched.

Thousands of police and anti-terrorist unit members swarmed out, conducting a dragnet search of Nichaikai's strongholds. Gunfire and sirens echoed in every corner of Tokyo as Nichaikai's casinos were shuttered, warehouses destroyed, and members arrested in droves.

Kitō Natsuya attempted a desperate last stand. He took his core subordinates and hid in a secret villa in Minato Ward, using heavy firepower to confront the police.

But he underestimated the police's determination—to "solve the case quickly," the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department deployed armored vehicles and helicopters, breaching the villa in less than three hours.

In the chaos, Kitō Natsuya was struck by a "stray bullet" and died on the spot.

"Boss!" The Nichaikai members wailed, but they were powerless to change the outcome.

This operation lasted for two full days. Almost all of the Nichaikai's bases were wiped out, with over five hundred members arrested and enough seized weapons and ammunition to equip a reinforced company. The Nichaikai, which once held sway over the Tokyo underworld, was severely crippled overnight, left on the brink of extinction.

"If it weren't for the Nichaikai's connections among the high-level officials..."

An old policeman involved in the operation sighed privately, "I'm afraid not even a single hair would be left of them."

And it was true. Over the years, Kitō Natsuya had used money and interests to corrupt many government officials, including some in high positions.

To protect themselves and the channel that funneled "wealth" to them, these people intervened at the critical moment, allowing some Nichaikai members to escape and leaving them a small chance to catch their breath.

Three days later, the new leader of the Nichaikai—Kitō Natsuya's adopted daughter, Busujima Kiriko—made a difficult decision.

She disbanded the remaining core members, changed the organization's name to "Yamaguchi-gumi," and announced that they would henceforth "turn over a new leaf" and only engage in "legitimate business."

This move appeared to be a compromise with the police, but it was actually a strategy to preserve their strength while waiting for a chance to rise again.

On that same day, all the major news media in Tokyo broadcast the "victory."

"It is reported that the downtown firefight that recently caused panic among Tokyo citizens has been successfully solved!"

On the television screen, the female host looked serious, yet her tone carried a hint of relief.

"Following a joint operation by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and anti-terrorist units, it has been confirmed that the mastermind behind this terrorist attack was Tokyo's largest underground gang, the 'Nichaikai.' Their boss, Kitō Natsuya, was killed during the arrest, and all major members have been apprehended..."

The news showed the "spoils of war" displayed by the police—a pile of weapons and ammunition seized from Nichaikai strongholds, including several grenade launchers (which were actually planted there by the Black Organization). The footage finally froze on the scene of Kitō Natsuya's body being carried out of the villa.

"The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department stated that they will continue to crack down severely on all types of criminal forces to maintain Tokyo's social order..."

In the Mouri Detective Agency, Mouri Kogoro watched the news and snorted coldly. "Hmph, those Nichaikai scumbags should have been taken down a long time ago!"

Mouri Ran breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. So it was just a gang war, not some terrorist organization..."

Conan sat to the side, his face expressionless, but his heart was cold.

Nichaikai? How could that be!

He knew the Black Organization's methods all too well; this was clearly a frame-up! And the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department had simply "accepted" this result.

"The Black Organization..."

Conan clenched his fist. "If this continues, the real culprits will only become even more brazen."

In the meeting room of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, the atmosphere remained oppressive.

Director Odagiri looked out the window and said in a low voice, "Is it really going to end like this?"

Chief of Police Hakuba sighed and picked up the report on the table.

"What else can we do? We have no evidence pointing to the Black Organization, and the public needs an explanation. As for the Nichaikai... let's just consider it justice being served."

He paused, a flash of helplessness in his eyes.

"At least it stabilizes the situation for now. As for the Black Organization... we will continue to investigate in secret. One day, we will catch them."

This large-scale firefight, provoked by the Black Organization and sparked by the counterattack of Lin Long's Shadow Mercenary Group, finally "concluded" with the destruction of the innocent Nichaikai.

The streets of Tokyo seemed to return to peace, the newspapers were filled with the police's achievements in "solving the case," and the public's panic gradually subsided.

But only a few people knew that beneath this calm, the undercurrents were still surging.

With a brilliant move to shift the blame, the Black Organization not only escaped suspicion but also used the police to eliminate a potential competitor.

Busujima Kiriko stood on the rooftop of a hidden apartment, looking at the lights of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department building in the distance, the flames of revenge burning in her eyes.

"Adoptive Father Kitō, I will make them pay the price."

She whispered to herself, her nails digging deep into her palms.

In another corner of the city, Gin sat in his Porsche, watching the news report with a cold sneer curling his lips.

"Nichaikai... trash is meant for taking the fall."

He spoke to Vodka, "Send out the notice: clean up all outer members who might be exposed, and keep a low profile for a while."

"Understood, the outer members."

The storm seemed to have subsided, but it had buried deeper hidden dangers for Tokyo.

The enraged newborn Yamaguchi-gumi, the lurking Black Organization, Lin Long hiding behind the scenes, and the relentless police and FBI... the struggle between the various forces had only just begun.

Tokyo's nights remained anything but peaceful.