Chapter 121: A Decision Finally Made

  In the 1980s, there were no mobile phones, let aloablets. People primarily relied on phone booths or home telephones for unication. Even though Alex was strong enough to metaphorically punch the elderly care home in the south and kick the kindergarten in the north, he had no choice but to obediently walk two streets to find a public phone and call the police.

  Shortly afterward, Oishi arrived on the se with his team in tow, full of momentum.

  It’s no wohe officer acted so swiftly. Each year during the Watanagashi Festival, there was always oh and one disappearanaturally, as a local police officer, Oishi was under immense pressure. When Alex called to report being attacked by some unknown individuals, it immediately caught Oishi’s attention. Since his team was already stationed he festival for security purposes and hadn’t yet ed up their work, they quickly mobilized after receiving the report. They arrived at the se and promptly arrested the still-unscious assaints.

  The results of the on-site iigatio Oishi thrilled. Perhaps these "Mountain Dog" operatives hadn’t anticipated their mission would fail, so they hadn’t bothered to cover their tracks. As a result, the police found not just stun batoher, and ropes in their vehicles but also firearms.

  Seeing these items, Oishi grew visibly excited.

  This was a major case!If nothing had been found, the police might have written it off as an ordinary brawl or robbery. But with firearms in the mix, this clearly wasn’t a simple kidnapping. The fact that the i happened on the night of the Watanagashi Festival further deepened Oishi’s suspis. He began to wonder if these people were ected to the series of murders in Hinamizawa over the past few years.

  Based oimonies from Alex and Shion at the se, it was evident that these individuals came prepared. Their target was clearly Alex. However, they hadn’t anticipated this young man’s strength, which led to every one of them being knocked out—without exception.

  For Oishi, this was excellent news. He immediately gathered his team and worked through the night to escort the perpetrators back to the station for questioning.

  But for Takano Miyo, this was anything but good news. When Takano heard about this in her secret base beh the ic, she was utterly dumbfounded.

  A special operations team sent to abdu ordinary person not only failed but got beaten up and arrested?

  Are you kidding me?

  How could this happen?Takano was at a plete loss. Acc to her pn, the Watanagashi Festival was supposed to mark the beginning of her operation. She would “disappear” as pnned, while Alex would die uhe guise of being cursed by the god Oyashiro-sama. The day, his body would be discovered, givihe perfect opportunity to unch her “final operation.” Her ultimate goal was to kill Furude Rika and use toxic gas to eliminate all the residents of Hinamizawa, thus proving the validity of her adoptive father’s research paper.

  But now… her elite Mountain Dog unit had beeed by a mere kid?

  What a joke!

  However, joke or not, Takano had no choice but to face the mess Alex had left her.

  The "Mountain Dogs" were a special unit, and the Irie ic, as the secret research ter for studying Hinamizawa Syndrome, could not afford to be exposed. Although her men were professionals, who knew if one of them might actally let something slip? If higher-ups used this i as a pretext to interfere, it wouldn’t just be the Mountain Dog unit at risk. The entire research facility could be shut down.

  Damn it!“Find someone immediately ahem out! Also, tact the Metropolitan Police Department and have them suppress this i. Just cim it was a misuanding!”

  “Report! Lieutenant Tomitake is on the line for you.”

  “Tomitake…”

  Hearing her subordinate’s report, Takaated for a moment before pig up the receiver. Soon, Tomitake Jirou’s voice came through.

  “Major Takano, what oh is going on? Why did the Mountain Dogs target a civilian?”

  “This was just a misuanding!”

  Hearing Tomitake Jirou’s questioning, Takano Miyo panicked. She khe man disguised as a bird photographer was actually the liaisoween her research facility and its shadowy backer, "Tokyo." If he reported this io "Tokyo," the higher-ups would undoubtedly order a thh iigation. At that point, everything she had been doing here would likely be exposed.

  “We believe the target may have already been ied with ‘Hinamizawa Syndrome,’ so we wa him back for quarantine and observation, but… there were some ued plications…”

  “Is that so?”

  Hearing Takano Miyo’s respoomitake Jirou’s tone softened siderably. This allowed her to gradually regain her posure.

  “However, your as were too reckless. You should know that ‘Tokyo’ does not tolerate events spiraling out of trol! You must elimihe impact of this i as quickly as possible. Otherwise, I won’t be able to help you.”

  “Thank you, Jirou.”

  At this moment, Takano Miyo finally felt some relief. She khis man loved her, and it recisely because of his feelings that she had made her decision. But now…

  Thinking of this, Takano Miyo shook her head. The inal pn was no longer viable. Although Tomitake Jirou loved her deeply, he still had his responsibilities. Given the current situation, killing him to prevent further tact with "Tokyo" was no longer an option. The repercussions of this i were too signifit, and "Tokyo" would undoubtedly monitor its developments. If she murdered Tomitake now, "Tokyo" would surely grow suspicious.

  “Damn it!!”

  Smming the phone down, Takano Miyo punched her desk with frustration. All of this was because of that bastard Alex. If it weren’t for him… things would never have escated to this point!

  While Takano Miyo was scrambling to put out the fires caused by this debacle, the news of Alex’s attack spread throughout the vilge by the m.

  Although Hinamizawa had experienced a few murders in the past, those were unsolved cases with no suspects or evidehis time, however, was different. The perpetrators were caught red-handed, and many witnesses saw the assaints being taken to the Okinomiya police station. This news caused an uproar in Hinamizawa.

  Leaving aside the slightly eerie "serial murder cases," Hinamizawa was otherwise a peaceful pce. The appearance of such a btant robbery shocked everyone. Vilgers were abuzz with discussion, and even the Sonozaki family paid close attention to the matter.

  However, the most surprised of all was Furude Rika.

  As the "Queen Carrier," Rika was among the few who truly uood the Mountain Dog unit. One of their primary tasks was to ensure her safety.

  But they attacked her teacher?

  And most importantly, they were defeated by him?

  “What exactly is going on?”

  At this moment, Rika was pletely bewildered. Throughout tless loops, she had never entered su event. It might have made sense if Alex had succumbed to the syndrome, but he clearly didn’t exhibit any symptoms. Moreover, he didn’t kill the assaints—he simply subdued them.

  In the end, Rika made a decision.

  “I have to try something, Hanyuu. I have a feeling that perhaps, Sensei might be the key to breaking free from this tragic cycle.”

  (End of Chapter)

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