Chapter 195: Unexpected Encounter

After a brief explanation and assignment, they wasted no time.

Upon the enthusiastic orders of the senior officers at the police headquarters, the detectives present picked up maps and hurriedly went out.

Amidst the sirens, police cars, one after another, rushed towards their respective targets tirelessly.

Before long, the intercoms began to transmit reports from the detectives' investigations.

"No abandoned warehouse found at Toriya Town 16th Street!"

"No old factory found at Toriya Town Ota District 3rd Street!"

Report after report came through the intercom, and in the back seat, Senichi was taking notes, marking the places his colleagues had explored on the map.

Senichi and his team naturally participated in this search operation. Although he felt a little dizzy sitting in Sato Miwako's car, their efficiency was guaranteed.

Right now, Senichi, Takagi, and Sato had already checked the third location, while others were still on their way to the second location.

Well, feeling a little dizzy was a small price to pay; after all, they were used to vomiting after riding for a long time.

At lightning speed, Senichi once again found nothing. They hurried on to the next abandoned warehouse.

When they stopped in front of the abandoned warehouse again, Senichi and the other two got out of the car and opened the iron door. Instead of an empty and dilapidated space, what they saw was the missing blue bus!

"We found it! It's here!!"

Seeing the bus quietly parked in the warehouse, Takagi and the others rushed over immediately.

Although they didn't think the criminals would be inside, Sato Miwako still quickly approached and concealed herself using the seat.

Seeing the empty bus, Sato Miwako relaxed a bit and said with some regret, "No one's here, come in."

After Senichi entered the bus, he looked at the empty space and said, "Let's search the bus. Hattori and Conan aren't the type to wait passively; with their cleverness, they must have left us some clues."

"Yes!"

Because they had interacted with Hattori and Conan before, they didn't question Senichi's proposal and instead felt some anticipation.

And so, Senichi and the other two notified their colleagues when they found their target and began searching the bus carefully.

When they reached the last seat, Sato Miwako found a small notebook with Kamen Rider printed on it wedged between the seat and the wall.

The information about the criminals, written by Hattori Heiji, also appeared in front of Senichi and the others.

However, just as they received the information and were preparing to get off the bus for a closer look, a man with a mask and hood walked past the warehouse entrance. When he saw Senichi and the others inside the warehouse, he immediately turned and ran away.

"Stop!"

Seeing the suspicious man, Sato Miwako became wary and wanted to shout at him.

But in the next moment, upon hearing Sato Miwako's shout, the man with the hood reacted violently. In his panic, he took out a gun from his pocket and fired three shots.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

At the moment the man drew the gun, Senichi, whose reflexes had been strengthened, immediately pulled the other two to the back of the bus for cover. Following Senichi's lead, Sato Miwako shifted from a passive to an active position and hid behind the bus together with Senichi and Takagi.

"Ding! Ding! Ding!"

The sound of metal bullets hitting the iron sheet echoed. When Senichi took out his gun, preparing to pursue the man, another gunshot sounded from outside.

Then, they heard the engine starting and the sound of the tires rubbing against the ground. When Senichi rushed out of the warehouse, the man with the hood had already disappeared around the corner in a white car.

Before escaping in the car, to prevent Senichi and the others from catching up, the man fired a shot at the tires of the police car they were riding in.

Now, even though Sato Miwako's driving skills were exceptional, they barely managed not to lose sight of the culprit's vehicle. But by the time they found the car, the person inside had already vanished.

It was only at this moment that the police cars, which were supposed to surround the criminal based on the radio contact, arrived, but it was too late.

"Damn it, we lost him!" Sato Miwako said indignantly. "We were so close to catching that guy!"

"Don't be too disheartened. Perhaps not catching him is actually a good thing," Senichi reassured her. "If we catch him, his accomplices might resort to threatening hostages."

"So, what should we do next?" Takagi asked, holding the radio, looking up. "Inspector Megure just ordered to expand the search and continue pursuing the criminal. Should we join them?"

"Let others handle that for now. Also, let the forensic team find and examine the bullets. We have other things to do," Senichi said, shaking his head.

"What do you suggest we do next?" Takagi asked, puzzled.

Senichi took out the information Hattori Heiji had left earlier and showed it to them. "According to this information, one of the criminals is described as a left-handed man with long hair. Based on our previous investigation, we can basically confirm that he is Heiwa Seiji. Now, we should investigate him."

"Moreover, this is just my personal thought, but I feel that something is off about this case. Is Ueno Hirayama the real mastermind behind this case?"

"What do you mean!?" Sato Miwako and Takagi were shocked and looked at Senichi with inquisitive eyes.

"In the demands the criminal broadcasted, the voice was synthesized from TV or video audio. They also uploaded the hostage video online. Instead of sounding like a terrorist, it felt more like a thrill-seeker," Senichi explained.

"But by putting the video online, they are pressuring the government," Takagi scratched his head. "Now that the public knows there are hostages, if they don't rescue them, it will lead to public discontent."

"No, actually, not publishing the video would have been a better choice if they wanted the government to agree to their demands," Senichi shook his head.

"You see, the government has always presented itself as 'never giving in to terrorists' in the international arena. If, in this widely publicized situation, they agreed to the criminals' demands, the damage to their international credibility would be incalculable.

So, at this point, the possibility of agreeing to the demands is cut off, and it forces the government to take a tough stance, even if it means sacrificing the hostages to show their determination. Given Ueno Hirayama's insight and experience, he would never make such an unwise move."

It was because of this reasoning that Senichi felt even more convinced that the actions of the criminals resembled those of a thrill-seeker who was obsessed with creating chaos.

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