Chapter 27: Japanese Public Security? Let Them Come!

"Half-man, half-ghost, and the finest marksman?"

Rei Furuya spoke. Even with the barrel of a pistol pressed against his forehead by the legendary urban legend, this elite undercover operative from the Japanese Public Security Bureau's Zero unit seemed neither panicked nor afraid. He spoke with ease and certainty.

"As you say, you're right. I was indeed looking for you."

"And this isn't my first time searching for you. Given your capabilities, I'm sure you noticed me long ago, haven't you?"

"Shall we talk? What should I call you? Mr. Urban Legend? Or perhaps... would you like to introduce yourself?"

Nara Hikari offered no answer, merely staring calmly at the Japanese police officer. Even through the dark lenses of his sunglasses, Furuya could feel the man's gaze—sharp as a falcon's—fixed intently upon him, as if he might tear him to shreds at any moment.

Finally, however, Furuya heard Nara Hikari's reply.

"If you require a name, then you may call me Yan Shuangying."

Yan Shuangying? The name seemed to carry an ingrained sense of murderous intent. Furuya frowned slightly; he could tell this did not sound like a conventional name. The pronunciation was off; if it were a standard reading of 'Yan', it would suggest someone from Hokkaido. But with this specific pronunciation... it sounded like a transliterated name. Does that mean... he is an overseas Chinese? A resident of Beika City's Chinatown?

"Then, Mr. Yan... what you did yesterday went too far." Furuya suppressed his desire to investigate further and turned to the matter at hand. He said coolly, "You killed over twenty people inside the automotive company in downtown Tokyo, and you executed Kenzo Masuyama, a major figure in the Tokyo business world, right at the company's doorstep."

"If you don't stop now, I fear you will become a thorn in the side of the Public Security investigators. When that happens, you won't be facing me, but the true elites of the Public Security Bureau from across the country. Their search and capture efforts will be a hundred times more intense than they are now!"

Furuya expected Yan Shuangying to show some restraint after hearing this. Instead, he heard a dismissive scoff.

"Let them come."

...Let them come? Furuya stared at the man in black in disbelief. He could not believe that Yan Shuangying would dare to utter such arrogant words.

Was he not clear enough? Or did the man truly hold no regard for the combined might of the nation's elites?

"Yan Shuangying, are you suggesting you would even take action against the Japanese Public Security?" he asked sternly.

Then, he received an even more shocking response.

"Of course."

Nara Hikari's voice was calm and certain, as if he were merely stating a fact. In truth, he was. The predecessor to the Japanese Public Security was the notorious Tokko (Special Higher Police), which once had a branch base in the Guandong Mountains. But after he paid them a visit, that base vanished from existence. Everyone there—all forty of them, from top to bottom—was dead. Not a single soul survived.

"Bourbon, you are a mole planted by the Japanese Public Security within the Black Organization. You should know better than anyone who Kenzo Masuyama really was. If you know, then your superiors must know as well."

"If they know this and still choose to move against me, then I can only say they lack self-awareness and are utterly foolish!"

"When that time comes, they won't need to come looking for me. I will go to them personally!"

His voice struck like a heavy hammer against Furuya's heart. Furuya was stunned. He did not know how Yan Shuangying had managed to uncover his undercover identity and codename. He was even more bewildered by the man's confidence and audacity—daring to declare what was essentially war on the Japanese Public Security!

Furuya found the thoughts and intentions of the man in black increasingly unfathomable. He watched him, momentarily at a loss for words. Then, he saw Yan Shuangying holster his pistol and turn to leave, seemingly finished with the conversation.

Seeing Yan Shuangying's back, Furuya instinctively reached out to grab his shoulder.

In a split second, however, Furuya felt the world flip upside down. He realized something was wrong and tensed his body, attempting to break free from the hold. But the man simply shifted his stance, pinning him effortlessly. Furuya realized the gap between them was likely insurmountable. Whether in strength or technique, Yan Shuangying was far superior!

How could one person reach the absolute pinnacle of both power and skill? It was incredible... yet such a person existed, and he was standing right before him.

"If you had drawn the pistol hidden in your clothes just now, you would be dead already."

"It is fortunate you didn't do something so stupid, or I would have had to go find another mouthpiece."

A pistol was pressed against Furuya's head once more. The man said, "Go back and tell your superiors: do not create trouble you cannot resolve, or you will pay a heavy price for it!"

Then, accompanied by a sharp pain, the light faded from Furuya's vision.

When he finally regained consciousness, he was lying in a hospital bed. Yuya Kazami, an assistant inspector from the Public Security Bureau, was sitting beside him. He wore glasses and was stoically peeling an apple. If Furuya hadn't known the man was his colleague visiting him, he might have mistaken him for a prison guard keeping watch.

*Scrape.*

A slice of apple fell to the floor. Kazami picked up the peel and tossed it into a nearby trash bag. Noticing that Furuya had awakened, he asked with concern, "Amuro-san, are you alright? Why were you found unconscious at the scene of the shooting?"

"What happened to you? If Inspector Megure and I hadn't arrived at the scene, you would have already been sent to a detention center as a murder suspect!"

...The quality of the Criminal Investigation Division's officers really needed improvement. Furuya wanted to say something, but he still felt a throbbing pain in the back of his head. He coughed twice and said, concisely, "I saw the 'Ghost'."

"...The Ghost?" Kazami looked confused. "What ghost?"

"The 'Ghost' from 'Half-man, half-ghost, and the finest marksman'," Furuya said gravely. "That guy is far more dangerous than we ever imagined!"

"I have no doubt... if he views us as his enemies, the damage he could inflict upon us might be even more terrifying than what the entire Black Organization has done!"