85: Chapter 85: American troops completely surround Tokyo, making Tokyo an isolated city.

The night was as dark as ink. The crime scene on the suburban road was illuminated by blinding searchlights, as bright as day.

Less than ten minutes after Kazami Yuya and his team evacuated, dozens of military Humvees roared in, the sound of tires crushing gravel shattering the silence of the night.

The Humvees quickly formed an airtight perimeter around the scene. The heavy machine guns on the roofs were firmly locked in by the soldiers, their pitch-black muzzles scanning the surrounding woods vigilantly. The air was thick with the heavy scent of gunpowder and tension.

Catherine jumped down from the lead Humvee, her tactical boots making a dull thud as they landed on the blood-stained ground.

Her face was livid. She strode over to the bodies of the American soldiers, crouched down, and gently brushed her gloved fingers over the edges of the wounds.

"9mm caliber bullet. The ballistic markings indicate a Glock pistol."

Catherine's voice was cold, her eyes sharp as knives. "Point-blank range, direct hit to the heart. A precise execution."

She stood up and walked over to a soldier whose wounds were being bandaged by a medic, her tone carrying an unquestionable authority. "Explain clearly. What exactly happened?"

The soldier, whose arm was broken and forehead still bleeding, grimaced in pain and said intermittently, "We... we were escorting prisoners back to the base when suddenly, over a dozen men in black rushed out from the roadside, all wearing masks... They threw Molotov cocktails to set the front of the vehicle on fire, then beat us with clubs and dragged us off the truck... Then... then I heard gunfire, and the brother next to me fell... They hijacked our truck and took the prisoners with them..."

"Men in black?" Catherine pressed. "Can you tell who they were? Did they have any distinguishing features?"

"I couldn't tell..." The soldier shook his head. "But they were speaking Japanese, and their movements were very skilled. They didn't seem like ordinary rioters..."

Catherine furrowed her brows, various possibilities flashing through her mind: The Black Organization? An armed group formed spontaneously by protesters? Or... the Japanese Public Security or the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department?

She walked to the still-burning truck, looking at the steel pipes scattered in the truck bed and a few drops of fresh blood. Her gaze gradually became resolute.

Ordinary rioters couldn't possibly have such strong organization and combat capability. The Black Organization should be evading investigation right now and has no reason to provoke the US military... The most likely culprits were those Japanese official forces who were suppressed by the US military during the day and harbored resentment.

"Prepare the vehicle. Return to base," Catherine turned and said to her adjutant, her tone decisive.

Getting into the Humvee, Catherine immediately dialed General White's satellite phone.

"General, the on-site investigation is complete," Catherine said, getting straight to the point. "The surviving soldier said the attackers were Japanese, skilled, and used clubs and Molotov cocktails. The shooting happened suddenly. I suspect... it was done by the Japanese Public Security or the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department."

"Oh?" General White chuckled on the other end of the line, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. "Are you sure it was them who fired the shots?"

"This..." Catherine hesitated. "There is no evidence of them carrying firearms at the scene, and they should know how serious the consequences of shooting American soldiers are. Logically, they wouldn't be so foolish..."

"No, Catherine, you are wrong." General White's voice suddenly turned stern. "Our soldiers have sacrificed their lives, and the perpetrators must be them. Do you understand what I mean?"

Catherine shuddered, instantly understanding White's intention. He didn't care about the truth at all; he needed an excuse, an excuse sufficient for the US military to completely control Tokyo and even pressure the Japanese government. And "Japanese Public Security shooting American soldiers" was the best excuse.

"Yes, General." Catherine took a deep breath, her tone becoming firm. "I understand. The evidence at the scene shows that it was indeed the Japanese Public Security or the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. They were the ones who fired the shots."

"Very good." General White smiled with satisfaction. "Withdraw and return. Leave the rest to me."

Hanging up the phone, Catherine looked at the pitch-black woods outside the car window, a flash of complexity in her eyes. She knew that from this moment on, the situation in Tokyo would completely spiral out of control. But she had no choice; a soldier's duty is to obey orders.

Tokyo, the temporary conference room within the Imperial Palace. The Japanese Emperor sat at the head of the table, his face so gloomy it could drip water. The dozen or so Cabinet Ministers in front of him were arguing fiercely, spittle flying everywhere.

"It must have been those people from Public Security! They were already holding a grudge against the US military during the day!"

"Not necessarily! It might be the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department! That old geezer Saguru Hakuba has always opposed the US military's presence!"

"I think it's the Black Organization! They want to frame us and provoke a conflict between the US military and us!"

"Enough!" The Emperor slammed the table and roared, "Baka! When is this, and you are still shifting blame on each other?!"

The conference room instantly fell silent. The ministers lowered their heads, not daring to meet the Emperor's eyes.

The Emperor looked at this group of timid subordinates and felt a headache coming on. He had originally thought the US military's entry was only temporary, and as long as the public was appeased, they would naturally withdraw after some time. But now, the shooting of American soldiers had actually occurred—this was simply poking a hornet's nest!

"I don't care what method you use," the Emperor's voice was cold, carrying an ultimatum. "You must give the US military an explanation within 24 hours! Otherwise, you will all commit seppuku to apologize to the nation!"

After saying this, he flicked his sleeve and left the conference room in a rage. Seeing this, the Prime Minister hurriedly scrambled to follow him, leaving behind a group of ashen-faced Cabinet Ministers.

"What should we do?" one minister asked with a trembling voice.

"What else can we do?" the Minister of Foreign Affairs smiled bitterly. "We can only go and beg General White to see if he can make an exception..."

Not daring to delay, the group immediately drove to the temporary US military command headquarters, only to be stopped by the guards at the entrance.

"General White said he won't see anyone," the guard said expressionlessly, his gun already loaded.

The ministers were rebuffed and had no choice but to slink away. What they didn't know was that at this moment, the US military base on Okinawa Island was in an uproar.

Piercing sirens tore through the night sky, and the base was lit up like day. Thousands of fully armed American soldiers quickly assembled and boarded tanks, armored vehicles, and transport planes.

General White stood on the command tower, watching the troops ready for departure, a fanatical light flickering in his eyes.

"Tell everyone, target is Tokyo!" White shouted into the walkie-talkie. "Block all entry and exit points, cut off the communication network! Turn that city into an iron fortress for me!"

"Yes!" With the order given, the massive US military force surged toward Tokyo like a tide. The American aircraft carrier fleet also began to close in on the direction of the island country, used to intimidate them so they wouldn't dare to act rashly.

The sound of tank treads crushing the road was deafening, fighter jets roared across the sky, and the entire Okinawa Island seemed to be trembling.

The next morning, when the citizens of Tokyo woke up, they found that the entire city had changed. The once bustling streets were empty, with only US military armored vehicles patrolling, and tank barrels pointed at residential buildings, exuding a cold deterrent force.

Mobile phones had no signal, the internet couldn't connect, and the television showed nothing but static—the entire communication network of Tokyo had been completely cut off.

What terrified them even more was that all entry and exit points of the city were blocked by the US military, with fully armed soldiers guarding the checkpoints, allowing only entry and no exit. Tokyo had become a beleaguered city under siege.

"What's going on? Why is the US military locking down the city?" "My child is still out at school, and I can't reach them!" "Is a war about to start?"

Panic spread through the city. People gathered on the streets, only to be forced back into their homes by the US military at gunpoint. Occasionally, those who attempted to resist were immediately and brutally pressed to the ground by soldiers, handcuffed, and dragged away.

Inside the Public Security Command Headquarters, Kazami Yuya and Amuro Tooru watched the tanks outside the window, their faces pale.

"They really made a move..." Kazami Yuya's voice trembled. "The city is locked down... What are they trying to do?"

Amuro Tooru didn't speak, but stared intently at the radio on the table—it was the only device that could still receive external signals.

Suddenly, the cold voice of General White came from the radio, spreading through the broadcast speakers scattered across the city: "Citizens of Tokyo, I am General White, Commander-in-Chief of the US Forces in Japan. Last night, our soldiers were attacked by Japanese Public Security while performing their duties, and six were killed. Therefore, we will implement a total blockade of Tokyo."

"The Japanese government is given 24 hours to hand over the perpetrators. Otherwise, the US military will take forceful measures and enter Tokyo for a full-scale search. You will bear the consequences yourselves."

As the broadcast ended, all of Tokyo fell into a deathly silence. The citizens finally understood that the reason for the lockdown was last night's shooting. They looked at the US military outside their windows with anger, and despairingly thought of the government's incompetence—this disaster seemed unavoidable.

Inside the Prime Ministers Official Residence, the Prime Minister and the ministers looked at each other, completely panicked.

"24 hours... They only gave us 24 hours..." The Prime Minister slumped in his chair, his eyes hollow.

"Hand over the perpetrators... where are we supposed to get perpetrators?" a minister said with a mournful face. "We can't really hand over those people from the Public Security and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, can we?"

"What else can we do if we don't?" the Minister of Foreign Affairs smiled bitterly. "White has already mobilized a division of troops, and tanks have even driven to the gates of the Imperial Palace... We simply can't stop them!"

Just then, an adjutant ran in in a panic: "Prime Minister, it's bad! The US military has started assembling heavy weapons outside the city. It seems... it seems they are preparing to attack!"

"What?!" The Prime Minister's vision went black, and he nearly fainted.

In the surveillance room of the Lin Family Manor, Lin Long watched the locked-down Tokyo on the screen and listened to White's ultimatum on the broadcast, smiling like a child.

"Perfect," he said softly.

Locking down Tokyo, cutting off communications, forcing the government to hand over people... Every step of White's was within his expectations. And the cowardice of the Japanese government and the anger of the citizens would become the last straw that broke the camel's back.

"BOSS, the US military's heavy weapons are in position and ready to launch an attack at any time," Ghost reported.

"No rush," Lin Long shook his head. "Wait a little longer. Wait until the 24 hours are up, wait until the Japanese government can't hand anyone over, and wait until the US military actually storms into Tokyo... That will be the most exciting moment."

Lin Long walked to the window, looking at Tokyo in the distance surrounded by tanks, his eyes flashing with excitement.

"It's time for them to taste what it's like to be looted, burned, and killed."

A war ignited by his own hands was about to break out completely in this bustling city. And he would stand behind the scenes, enjoying this grand performance composed of chaos, despair, and destruction.

The 24-hour countdown had already begun.