Tokyo: Rabbit Officer and Her Evil Partner-Chapter 853 - 512: Stay Alive

"Why?"

Minamoto Tamako’s lips quivered. She didn’t know if she made a sound, and the raindrops on her cheeks felt somewhat warm.

Fushimi Roku didn’t answer, and there wasn’t time to answer.

In truth, they both understood that people were the ultimate goal, not the means to achieve it. Using disgraceful methods to pursue noble goals would only turn nobility into a hypocrite’s slogan.

The sniper had long received orders to shoot the leader as soon as he was in sight, without considering capturing him alive or saving the hostages.

The optical scope locked onto Fushimi Roku’s forehead, and several infrared dots appeared on the top of his head.

They only had a few words of time, just two seconds to say goodbye.

"It’s a profitable deal."

Fushimi Roku released Minamoto Tamako’s hand, smiling as he slowly raised the sword, like a puppet performing on stage.

That was his last word, unclear in meaning, but Minamoto Tamako understood.

"Target number one in sight!"

"Hostage in danger!"

"Open fire immediately!"

The sound of a sniper rifle roared from a distance. Minamoto Tamako had no time to think or prevent it; by instinct, she pulled the trigger, and the bullet pierced Fushimi Roku’s shoulder, forcing his body to lean back, his head tilted, and the sniper’s bullet grazed his ear and punched through the metal floor!

"Don’t shoot!!"

Minamoto Tamako waved and shouted at the helicopter, but the sniper mistook it for a call for help, and a second shot followed close behind.

Typically, a sniper takes two seconds to re-aim, but with two or more snipers coordinating, aiming time depends on communication delays.

With the Tokyo Tower’s power outage, outdated communication setups, and rain interfering with military communications, these three factors combined led to a one-second delay in Sniper 4’s report—after a second, Sniper 2 took over during the second shot’s gap.

Minamoto Tamako fired again. Fushimi Roku slumped backward, sitting down, another bloody hole appeared on his other shoulder, and the sword in his hand slipped to the ground.

Three seconds.

Four shots.

Minamoto Tamako had no chance to fire a third shot. The snipers recalibrated the trajectory, conducting crossfire to cover Officer Minamoto as they attempted to shoot the criminal together.

Fushimi Roku sat on the ground, his hands hanging weakly, resembling a dream. Tamako’s mind flashed back to the scene after Miyazaki Shizuka’s hypnosis.

—"I said I would accept any judgment, but that means I’ll escape at all costs" (Chapter 402)

—"You misunderstood, little one. If no one catches me, what’s the point of all this?"

—"Don’t worry, as long as you want to catch me, there’s always time."

This was the future Fushimi Roku envisioned. As long as someone caught him, as long as Minamoto Tamako succeeded, all the evildoing, all the Heavenly Punishment, would have a perfect ending.

Evil cannot prevail over justice.

Death erases all debts.

...

When did this guy start thinking like this?

Minamoto Tamako didn’t know, couldn’t figure it out, and didn’t have time to think. Her body answered for her; her soul had long confessed the answer to Fushimi Roku:

"The world is better with me as a small criminal and without you as a big one..."

"I can reform! So strictly speaking, there are two fewer criminals!"

...

Minamoto Tamako lunged forward, her petite body exploding with unimaginable strength.

Her palm crashed heavily into Fushimi Roku’s chest, pushing him into the central control room.

The fifth gunshot.

Accompanied by the sound of metal clashing.

Minamoto Tamako’s head tilted, her body leaned sideways, collapsing at the control room door, blood splattering from her head.

Fushimi Roku’s heart seemed to stop; his chest clenched tightly, as if an invisible hand was tearing at his organs.

His eyes wide with rage, he wanted to reach out to save Minamoto Tamako but couldn’t lift his arm; wanted to shout but couldn’t make a sound.

No...

It shouldn’t be like this...

Fushimi Roku couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, gasping heavily with blurred vision filled with tears. He had once broken this girl’s heart, and now, as karma unfolded, he realized how painful it was.

Mobsters rushed over, trying to rescue Fushimi Roku. The tactical team members wielded batons with six strikes per second. With explosives and gun threats neutralized, the mob was left only to be beaten.

The assault team members surrounded him with guns, kneeing Fushimi Roku in the back, forcing him to the ground. The squad leader pressed an earpiece, quickly reporting the capture while calling for medical assistance.

The medical team opened an emergency kit, applied a tourniquet to the wound, and injected adrenaline into Minamoto Tamako’s artery.

The emergency medication momentarily deferred the Grim Reaper.

Perhaps it was the last flicker of life, but Minamoto Tamako opened her eyes.

Her consciousness hazy, her eyelids heavy as lead, yet she summoned the strength to raise a trembling hand into her coat.

Under the puzzled gaze of the medical team, Minamoto Tamako extracted a red piece of paper, holding it by one corner, slowly extending it toward Fushimi Roku.

Though light as a feather, in her hand, it felt as heavy as a mountain.

Fushimi Roku lay on the floor, struggling to lift his head. A flimsy Red Redemption Coupon fluttered down in front of his eyes.

As it flipped over, a voice echoed in his ears:

"I knew it, Fushimi, deep down, you’re an upright person."

"Of course, I’m here to pick you up from the hospital—we’re partners, after all!"

"As a member of the deduction squad, you have to be here!"

"That’s despicable! Don’t you know how bad that is—"

"W-Well, can I offset it with a Redemption Coupon?"

"S-Sorry... I didn’t know you felt that way..."

"That’s a completely different matter! Why would you use my Redemption Coupon for a trip?"

"It’s nothing, just that I’ve never been as happy as today despite being in Tokyo for so long."

"Apologize quickly, and don’t flick Sakurako’s forehead next time."

"I like you."

...

The crimson guilt floated to the ground, and Fushimi Roku saw Minamoto Tamako smile at him, softly speaking her last wish:

"L-Live... live on."

...

NHK’s news van parked at Shiba Park, a classic spot for photographing Tokyo Tower. The red gates of Zojo Temple and Tokyo Tower’s juxtaposition attract countless tourists each year.

To avoid the chaos, the news host faced away from the tower, capturing the devastation across Minato District 4.

The view shifted to a distant shot of Tokyo Tower, its lights illuminating through the rain, security helicopters circling with spotlights, infusing a melancholic elegance to the end of an era:

"This is NHK’s live emergency report. Tonight, Tokyo Tower has become the nation’s focal point—the extremist Fushimi Roku, who hijacked the signal tower, has been subdued, but the resulting chain reactions persist."

"According to the latest report from the Police Department, the riots have injured at least 17 and killed 4, including an arsonist attacking police. Tokyo Metropolitan Minato District and surrounding areas are under a second-level lockdown, with Self-Defense Force reserves on standby."

"In this operation, Criminal Police Minamoto Tamako from Nakagawara Police Station heroically controlled the situation, preventing further riots while capturing the suspect, suffering severe injuries, and is currently under emergency treatment."

"Fushimi Roku—this suspect once wanted for the ’Heavenly Punishment’ cases, still has his motives under investigation."

"Notably, his ’Cat Island footage’ broadcasted through the hijacked tower has spurred widespread scrutiny over government-business collusion and human trafficking scandals..."

As the reporter narrated, a clip from an emergency press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office showed officials bowing.

"The Cabinet Chief just announced the formation of a special investigation committee to scrutinize the footage. The Tokyo District Prosecution has launched a surprise search on the implicated enterprise, ’Kobayashi Pharmaceutical.’"

"How will this storm, born from personal vendetta and shaking national machinery, conclude? NHK will continue tracking developments."

The broadcast concluded, the scene cut away, and the news van captured footage from various locations.

Tokyo’s rainy night appeared picturesque, but the wind carried a sense of turmoil.