Tokyo: Rabbit Officer and Her Evil Partner-Chapter 840 - 505: Judgment (Part 2)

...

Meanwhile, inside the Police Headquarters Building, Fushimi Roku turned over the hourglass once more and said to Fuyuyama Kentaro, "You have five minutes to defend yourself."

Fuyuyama Kentaro’s mind was blank.

His gaze focused on the window bars, where a rope hung, and beneath it, Suzuki Matsu’s body was suspended.

"I... I..."

Fuyuyama Kentaro’s lips trembled, his legs weakened, and with a thud, he knelt on the ground: "I... I never killed anyone... I didn’t... I just... I just wanted to make some money..."

As he spoke, his words became fluent, instinctively pleading for mercy, kowtowing in submission: "I’ll never gamble again! Never again! Please spare me!"

"Mm-hmm, and what else?" Fushimi Roku bent down to ask.

Fuyuyama Kentaro was taken aback, suddenly stuck.

What else is there? What else did I do wrong?

Think fast—think fast!!

Fuyuyama Kentaro swallowed his saliva, glanced up, and saw Kujo Yua, who pointed to the police badge on her chest. Fuyuyama Kentaro suddenly realized and hurriedly said:

"Also... I shouldn’t have neglected my duty... I-I should’ve broadcast this thing... Yes! I should’ve reported the truth! I’m a disgrace, actually being involved in such matters as a cop... Knowing the law and breaking it, it’s an unforgivable sin..."

As Fuyuyama Kentaro spoke, he slapped himself fiercely.

Fushimi Roku sensed something was amiss, suddenly turned his head and looked at Kujo Yua, whose hand was already down, looking as if nothing had happened.

"Good, I’m glad you’re aware of your mistakes."

Fushimi Roku paused and continued, "If you’ve done something wrong, isn’t there a price to pay?"

"Y-yes, yes... Please give me a chance, I promise to reform!" Fuyuyama Kentaro repeatedly kowtowed.

"And you?" Kujo Yua suddenly interjected, questioning, "Aren’t the things you’re doing now something you must pay for?"

Fuyuyama Kentaro just wanted Director Kujo to keep quiet. His head was buzzing, unsure why his superior was provoking this madman.

"I’ve already paid the price." Fushimi Roku spread his arms, glancing around, "And I always welcome any form of punishment from you all."

No one responded, and Kujo Yua remained silent.

The sand in the hourglass ran out, five minutes had passed. Fushimi Roku made a decision in his heart, reached into his pocket, and took out a folding knife: "According to the principle of equal punishment, I shouldn’t kill you; since you’re willing to reform, I can lend you a helping hand."

"W-what?" Fuyuyama Kentaro asked in a trance.

"Gamblers must lose their hands, and with poor medical conditions here, you might die if I cut off your palm... How about this, I’ll take five fingers, and you choose which five." Fushimi Roku said.

Fuyuyama Kentaro let out a long sigh. As long as he could survive, losing five fingers wasn’t such a big deal.

His tense heart finally settled down, and he vaguely felt his pants were wet. Looking down, he realized he had unknowingly wet himself.

Fuyuyama Kentaro could not afford to feel ashamed. Nervously, he asked: "Do toes count?"

"Sure, my bad for not clarifying earlier." Fushimi Roku was very accommodating.

"Then, uh, two pinky toes, two pinky fingers... and the left middle finger." Fuyuyama Kentaro tried to minimize the damage.

Fushimi Roku was silent for a moment, suddenly grabbed Fuyuyama Kentaro’s arm, pressing his hand on the conference table: "I’ve changed my mind."

"—What—wait!"

Fuyuyama Kentaro’s eyes widened as he watched the flash of the knife. It was so quick he didn’t even feel pain, his hand severed at the wrist, left on the table.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!"

A piercing scream echoed through the building, causing a commotion among the spectators below.

Firefighters deployed an inflatable mat on the first floor, snipers cut the hemp rope, and Suzuki Matsu’s body fell onto the mat. The police successfully retrieved the body, and the tactical team began discussing a rescue plan.

Chief Taguchi suggested, "The hostage-taker refuses to negotiate. Instead of waiting for him to hurt the hostages, it’s better to initiate a strong attack, even if it results in casualties, it’s the optimal way to minimize losses..."

"But who will take responsibility for this?" The team leader retorted: "The Police Department Chief is inside, along with nearly half the department officials. Should a forceful attack fail resulting in hostages’ deaths, who will be accountable?"

Chief Taguchi thought that was nonsense; you’re the leader, so of course you should be responsible!

But he understood how immense the pressure in such a situation could be. After hesitating, he chose to remain silent.

"Have you identified the hostage-taker?" the team leader asked. "Have you figured out the number of perpetrators?"

The officer replied, "An hour before the attack, Criminal Department Chief Kato Touma was also murdered. The killer is highly likely the same person as the attacker... The exact number is still unknown."

The team leader pondered for a moment, and then decisively said, "Have the negotiation expert warn them that if the perpetrators don’t respond, we’ll break the conference room glass."

"Yes."

The officer relayed the order, and the negotiation expert announced it over the loudspeaker. Everyone in the conference room heard it clearly.

Several guards were helping Fuyuyama Kentaro stop the bleeding, tying off his arm with a necktie. Fushimi Roku removed the bullet primer and used its gunpowder to cauterize Fuyuyama Kentaro’s wrist, eliciting another scream.

"This is the last warning, listen up inside, if there’s no response, we’ll break the window glass—"

Fushimi Roku shook off the blood from his hand, turned, and asked, "Does anyone know the phone number of the person in charge downstairs?"

Everyone looked at each other, silent.

"What, none of you want to survive?" Fushimi Roku asked again.

Hearing this, someone finally spoke up: "From the voice, it seems like one of Taguchi’s subordinates, and his phone number is 2787... Even if it’s not him, it can be relayed."

Fushimi Roku muttered an acknowledgment, took out a cell phone from his pocket, and dialed the number. After just one ring, the call was answered: "Moshi moshi? Who is this?"

"It’s me, the hostage-taker in the conference room." Fushimi Roku stated concisely, "If you break the window glass, I’ll detonate a grenade, and all the hostages will die."

Chief Taguchi hurriedly replied, "Please, stay calm. Can we talk? Name your needs, and we’ll try to negotiate for the hostages..."

"I need a radio station capable of broadcasting, and a radio, thank you." Fushimi Roku leaned against the wall, lifting a corner of the curtain to observe the surroundings: "Please place it on the fire escape. I’ll send someone to fetch it. Deliver it within fifteen minutes, or the hostages pay the price."

With that, he hung up the phone, placed it in the corner of the wall, and took a few steps back to maintain a safe distance.

"Why do you need a radio station?" Kujo Yua asked.

"A trial needs jurors," Fushimi Roku replied.

Kujo Yua thought he was mad. Only a lunatic would be this obsessive, and only a lunatic would be arrogant enough to believe they can judge others: "This isn’t a trial, it’s just exercising violence."

"Judgment is the greatest violence."

Fushimi Roku finally looked Kujo Yua in the eye, his gaze sharp. The latter was startled and dared not meet his eyes directly.

He continued, "Judgment is the absolute violence imposed by the state upon individuals, and there’s no dispute about it."

"Man is the sum of all social relations. If a citizen hasn’t received the proper education and commits immoral crimes, then his state, his society, and his family members should all be accountable."

"But the world doesn’t work that way. Individuals are free, and personal will has a decisive role in law. We should all be accountable for our actions—utilizing absolute violence to ensure this is law’s keystone. Its derived judgment is no different than the medieval practice of burning witches."

"Judgment is violence."

"Judgment is arrogance."

"Mastering violence, judging the weak, is part of our nature."

Kujo Yua couldn’t argue back. The man before her had a consistent worldview, twisted and mad, yet cold and rational.