- What exploded?
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- Is the building collapsing?
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Everyone was panicking, speculating, wondering what was happening.
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Aunt Matsuko's screams, the security personnel's curses, Grandma Inoue's calls of pain, all kinds of voices mixed together.
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The scene was extremely chaotic.
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Then, the voices of several middle-aged men were heard.
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"Blast successful, commence infiltration!" (Middle-aged male voice)
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"Repeat, commence infiltration!" (Middle-aged male voice)
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"Copy!" (Middle-aged male voice)
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"Copy!" (Middle-aged male voice)
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"Commence infiltration!" (Middle-aged male voice)
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Soon after, several black figures emerged from the smoke, subduing them one by one before the crowd could react, handcuffing them with their hands behind their backs and pressing them to the ground.
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Even Grandma Inoue was handcuffed to the chair, immobilized while sitting.
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The rest of the people, including Kuma and her people, were all restrained and taken away.
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These intruders were Japan's National Police Agency's Special Assault Team (S.A.T), equivalent to the international S.W.A.T (Special Weapons And Tactics).
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Accompanying them were some police officers as well.
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Their decisive and targeted actions clearly indicated that they had received intelligence in advance and were very purposeful.
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-But why did they come here?
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Kuraizou didn't understand what was going on.
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Although Bai Yaxin's organization was heinous, there was seemingly no reason for S.A.T to take action over what was currently happening here.
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Having finally progressed according to the plan, why was it suddenly ruined like this?
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Kuraizou looked over the appearance of these S.A.T police officers one by one, none of whom she recognized. In other words, these people were not stationed within Kyoto City, most likely dispatched from elsewhere.
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What had happened here to escalate to such a level that S.A.T had been mobilized across districts?
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Kuraizou and Suijolin Lin were at a loss.
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They looked at Kuma and her group, who all seemed confused as well.
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"Are you injured, Master Wentai?" (Police officer)
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At that moment, a phrase from the scene reached their ears. Following the voice, they saw a man resembling a police chief (equivalent to a police precinct chief in my country, overseeing criminal investigation and special operations) squatting down to talk to a primary school student Wentai.
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(In Japan, the rank of police officers from lowest to highest: Police Officer→Inspector→Chief Inspector→Assistant Commissioner→Commissioner→Police Commissioner→Senior Police Commissioner→Chief of Police→Police Superintendent→Chief Police Superintendent)
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-Wentai Master?
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Just from this address, Kuraizou keenly realized what was happening.
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It seemed that Bai Yaxin's people were blind and had inadvertently touched someone they shouldn't have.
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Who would have imagined that this seemingly simple elementary school student was actually the child of some high-ranking official?
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-Oh, the plan is completely ruined.
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Kuraizou and Suijolin Lin exchanged a helpless smile.
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Half an hour later, everyone present was taken to the police station, each person detained separately and questioned one by one.
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Due to being held in isolation and all personal belongings confiscated, Kuraizou and Suijolin Lin couldn't contact each other.
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However, Kuraizou wasn't worried as she trusted in the tacit understanding between her and Suijolin Lin, believing that nothing would go awry during the interrogation.
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Once this sudden event was over, they could discuss how to proceed with their plans.
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...However, things weren't as simple as Kuraizou had imagined.
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Over ten minutes later, it was Kuraizou's turn to be called for questioning.
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In the interrogation room, there were two police officers, one recorder, and Kuraizou.
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The interrogation room had a long table, four chairs, surveillance cameras in the ceiling corners, and bright white lights with a cold hue, making it rather uncomfortable.
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The two police officers conducting the interrogation were a young man and a middle-aged man.
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"Kuraizou... Miss, right?" (Young police officer)
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The young police officer held Kuraizou's social security card, comparing the photo on the card with the person in front of him.
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"Yes, that's me." (Kuraizou)
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Kuraizou calmly replied, maintaining her cute demeanor.
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"Why were you in that warehouse today?" (Young police officer)
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It seemed that the main interrogator was the young police officer, while the middle-aged policeman observed from the side.
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Clearly, the middle-aged policeman would be more difficult to deal with.
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Kuraizou had three guiding principles in her responses: first, the answers should not cause trouble for her personal freedom; second, the answers should align with what Suijolin Lin would say; and third, the answers should not disrupt the plan already in place.
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As for whether Suijolin Lin had been interrogated or what she had said, Kuraizou had no idea.
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Their coherence would rely on their mutual understanding.
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"Officer, could you get me some food first? I haven't eaten since dinner, and I'm starving." (Kuraizou)
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Kuraizou didn't immediately answer the question but talked about something else to buy time.
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"After you answer the questions, someone will arrange food for you." (Young police officer)
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"Please cooperate and answer seriously." (Young police officer)
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Perhaps due to Kuraizou's appearance or age, the young police officer didn't seem guarded and remained relatively friendly.
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"Okay." (Kuraizou)
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During this brief exchange of about ten seconds, Kuraizou had already organized her thoughts for the answers.
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"I was there for a promotion interview." (Kuraizou)
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She answered truthfully first.
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"What kind of job promotion interview? Tell us about your work background." (Young police officer)
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Thus, Kuraizou truthfully recounted her work at the R.E.L.A.X. brothel.
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"What?!" (Young police officer)
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"At such a young age...?" (Young police officer)
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As the young police officer spoke halfway, he once again glanced at Kuraizou's social security card and realized she was already nineteen.
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"... Alright, couldn't tell." (Young police officer)
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"Why would a promotion interview lead you to that warehouse?" (Young police officer)
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"I don't know why we were taken to that warehouse... The boss had arranged for us to go to a posh dining place called Kichimichi Kaiyōkaiseki earlier, then we were taken to that warehouse." (Kuraizou)
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"So, how about those unrelated to your promotion, why were they there?" (Young police officer)
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"I have no idea about them either... When we arrived, they were already there." (Kuraizou)
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"Aren't you and Kuma colleagues? Didn't she tell you anything?" (Young police officer)
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"Are you referring to that short sister, Kuma?" (Kuraizou)
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"Actually, we met for the first time today... She didn't say anything." (Kuraizou)
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Kuraizou's responses were seamless, a blend of truth and fiction, without a trace of falsehood.
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The young police officer wanted to ask more questions when suddenly, the middle-aged policeman raised his hand to stop him and took over the questioning.
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The first question he asked was a very tricky one.
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"Little girl, do you know Bai Yaxin is using the R.E.L.A.X brothel as a contact point to sell drugs?" (Middle-aged police officer)
