After hanging up the phone, Aoyama Xiu Xin immediately conveyed Fujimoto Takayoshi’s instructions, and a team of police officers went up the mountain along the planned route and, as expected, found a hidden cave.
The cave was deep, dark, and damp, with twists and turns inside, it was equipped with an independent power supply, there was also an operating table and a large number of surgical instruments, and on the wall, there was a blackboard with the photos of seven victims, each marked with a red cross.
Once Aoyama Xiu Xin received confirmation that the cave had indeed been found, he immediately ordered some officers to remain at the scene to gather evidence, while he personally led a team to the hospital.
Fujimoto Takayoshi was a man of principle, since the case was under the purview of Aoyama Xiu Xin, and the key clues had been discovered by him, so the task of wrapping up the case was also given to him, without taking the action of personally leading a team to make the capture and reaping the fruits of victory, even though it was Panasonic Toyoshige who came directly to him to expose Panasonic Hideyoshi’s crimes.
With such a structure, it was no wonder he was able to manage the Hokkaido Police Headquarters like an impregnable bastion, keeping both the underworld and the legitimate world firmly in his grasp, acting as the rule-maker.
Even though Aoyama Xiu Xin, this rebellious son, was always plotting to overthrow Fujimoto Takayoshi’s authority and replace him in controlling the region’s underworld and white world, he had to admit that the man indeed had some personal charm.
"Chief of Police Aoyama! It’s Chief of Police Aoyama!"
"Chief of Police Aoyama, is the police’s large-scale search in the mountains an attempt to capture a fugitive criminal?"
"Or are they searching for the victims’ bodies?"
As journalists who had been anxiously waiting outside saw Aoyama Xiu Xin emerge in a car through the window glass, they swarmed forward en masse, blocking the car and bombarding him with questions.
In that situation, Aoyama Xiu Xin did not get out of the car.
Instead, he opened the sunroof, leaned out, and said to the journalists, "Under our police force’s persistent and dedicated investigation, we have achieved a major breakthrough in the serial dismemberment case. We are searching the mountains because we have received reliable information that the cave where the murderer has been confining, killing, and dismembering victims is located there. It has already been found, and I am currently on my way to arrest the culprit. Please make way."
Since they wanted to use the breakthrough in the serial dismemberment case to reduce the attention on the shooting case, of course, they had to reveal more news to the journalists so that they would compete to cover it.
Public attention to events entirely depends on what the media reports. When everyone’s focus is on the breakthrough in the dismemberment case, the shooting incident from last night naturally becomes forgotten.
For Aoyama Xiu Xin, instigating last night’s shooting to disrupt the previously stable underground world in Hokkaido made it easier for him to fish in troubled waters later. Giving the impression to the higher-ups that Fujimoto Takayoshi was incompetent in handling the situation was enough.
As someone whose honor and dishonor are now tied to the Hokkaido Police Headquarters, he didn’t want journalists continuously fixating on the shooting case before they had evidence to capture Miyazaki Yu.
And once Miyazaki Yu was captured, there wouldn’t be any need for the journalists to keep a close watch; he would proactively call a press conference to highlight his own achievements.
"Has the serial dismemberment killer been found?"
"Can the Chief of Police reveal his identity?"
"How did the police find the clues..."
Suddenly hearing such significant news, all the reporters present were both shocked and excited, then a new barrage of questions was thrown at Aoyama Xiu Xin.
"Stop asking, make way, everyone make way, let Chief of Police Aoyama catch the criminal so they don’t escape!"
Suddenly, a journalist shouted loudly.
The previously excited reporters, upon hearing this, quickly realized they could follow Aoyama Xiu Xin’s car to the scene of the arrest. Wouldn’t the news value they obtained from that be much greater than just asking questions here?
So the crowd dispersed in a frenzy, making way, and ran toward the parking lot.
"Drive," Aoyama Xiu Xin said as he sat back in the car.
A few minutes later, three police vehicles, sirens wailing and lights flashing, raced down the road, followed by a host of various private cars, some with their news agency’s logo and slogans printed on them.
By the time Aoyama Xiu Xin arrived at the hospital, a haggard-looking Panasonic Toyoshige was already waiting at the entrance.
Aoyama Xiu Xin and his men got out of the car and approached him, bowing politely, "Director Panasonic, we meet again. I am truly impressed by your ability to distinguish right from wrong and selflessly assist our police in solving the case."
Regardless of Panasonic Toyoshige’s motives for betraying his son, they were only considering the act and not the intent, and it indeed helped the police. Thus, such behavior deserved affirmation at face value.
As he stepped out of the car, a team of police officers quickly put up a cordon outside the hospital to prevent journalists who arrived later from rushing in.
"Why is Director Panasonic here? Could the murderer be a doctor from the hospital? Deputy Chief Aoyama, please answer!"
"Director Panasonic, please say a few words as well!"
The journalists, stopped outside the police line, extended their necks and microphones, shouting at the top of their lungs.
Seeing so many journalists, Panasonic Toyoshige’s complexion turned somewhat grim. He ignored the reporters and said with utter despair, "It is my failure in teaching my son that led him to commit such a heinous crime. Because of my own profession, I forced him to study medicine, never imagining he would use the dissection techniques he learned for such atrocities. Thinking of the innocent victims, my heart is torn with grief. I have raised a demon."
As he spoke, a tear rolled down from the corner of his eye; whether he was truly pained by his son’s crimes or guilt-ridden for betraying his son, he closed his eyes, wiped away his tears, and said, "Let’s go, Chief of Police Aoyama, I will take you to arrest this unfilial son."