The Mystery of the Hard Metal Box

The middle-aged Japanese woman nodded and glanced at the wooden crate before leaving the room.

Her demeanor raised my suspicion, and I whispered, "Who is she? Where are we?"

Mr. Nelson also whispered, "This is an international police station. She's a staff member of the international police. Usually, she lives here as a civilian, perhaps without much to do for years. But now, she has a task."

I asked, "Is she trustworthy?" Mr. Nelson replied, "You shouldn't doubt the staff of the international police."

I was about to mention that the middle-aged woman had shown curiosity by glancing at the wooden crate, which contradicted the behavior of a focused police officer.

But before I could speak, the woman returned with a toolbox, placed it in front of us, and then left. Although she didn't speak, she continued to cast glances at the wooden crate.

I remained cautious but chose not to mention it to Mr. Nelson. He merely removed his hat, didn't even take off his police uniform, and together we began to dismantle the wooden crate.

After removing two planks, we discovered a pair of silver-hued light metal boxes inside the wooden crate. They might be made of aluminum or another lightweight metal alloy.

Initially, I was almost certain that Fang Tian was in the wooden crate, sedated. However, my belief began to waver.

Because if Fang Tian were inside, why use such a lightweight metal box?

After a short while, we removed the wooden planks, revealing the entire metal box. Calling it a box was inadequate; it was more like a solid block. Except for a few extremely fine seams, there were hardly any visible seams on the entire cubic structure. I lifted an axe and struck at one of the seams, but it produced no effect. The metal was so hard that it didn't even leave a mark.

Mr. Nelson picked up an electric drill from the toolbox, turned it on, and the noise was deafening. However, when the drill bit touched the metal box, the sound was even more piercing. With a snap, the drill bit broke. Yet, there was no trace on the surface of the box.

Mr. Nelson went through three drill bits, all of which broke.

He sighed, "Unless we use the latest high-temperature metal cutting techniques, there's no way to open this metal box."

I chuckled and said, "Welding such a metal box requires a temperature of at least 6000 degrees Celsius, so..."

Mr. Nelson interjected, "So, it's impossible that Fang Tian is inside."

I lightly tapped my forehead, unable to believe my miscalculation. Despite orchestrating a plan that led to Fang Tian being handed over to me by the embassy, the reality was completely different!

I tried to justify, "I heard clearly at the embassy someone saying, 'Even if it's through the Tokyo sewer, we must get rid of it!'"

Mr. Nelson said, "That might have been said by a foreign employee of the embassy who perhaps couldn't distinguish between 'him' and 'it' in the local language, leading to your misunderstanding."

As I reflected on the situation, I recalled hiding in the shadows by the wall and seeing the ambassador escort a few people out, and someone said those two sentences. I assumed it was the ambassador because it sounded like a command.

But now, I couldn't be sure!

I punched the metal box and said, "I'll go back and find them."

Mr. Nelson asked, "Is that necessary? Fang Tian might not be in the embassy of that country!"

I sighed, "Then where is he?"

Mr. Nelson said, "I believe he hasn't left Tokyo yet. We'll find him eventually. But this box..." He tapped the box with his fingers. "...What could be inside?"

I shrugged, "Who knows?"

Feeling disappointed by my own misjudgment, my voice became coarse as I uttered those three words. Mr. Nelson smiled, "Don't you think it's interesting? We're blocking traffic routes to catch Fang Tian, but the embassy is in a panic. Don't you think whatever is inside this box is important?"

I shrugged again, "It's none of my concern."

Mr. Nelson looked at me, "It is your concern!"

I asked, "Why?" Mr. Nelson said, "Because we're partners. I'll continue searching for Haiwen Fang. You investigate the origin of this big metal box. It should be easy, as there are only three or four factories in Japan capable of welding such highly rigid lightweight metal."

I patiently listened to him before saying, "I have to disappoint you. I won't investigate this box. I'll still search for Fang Tian because there's some personal history between us."

Mr. Nelson said, "Perhaps this box contains something very interesting!"

I chuckled, "I doubt there's anything more interesting than Fang Tian. Did you know his blood is blue, like blue ink?"

Mr. Nelson was taken aback, "What are you saying?"

I said, "There are many strange things. If you promise not to tell anyone, I'll tell you everything." Mr. Nelson said, "Tell me. We've been commissioned by that country to thoroughly investigate everything about Haiwen Fang."

I nodded, but the situation was too complicated and bizarre. I didn't know where to begin. After a moment of silence, I finally said, "Fang Tian was my classmate in college."

Mr. Nelson responded, "Your classmate. Well, that's that!"

As Mr. Nelson spoke loudly, his words unexpectedly echoed, and suddenly, another voice spoke from the doorway:

"That's that, indeed, that's that!"

Both Mr. Nelson and I were startled.

We had no precautions in place because we had someone stationed at the door, the middle-aged Japanese woman, who, according to Mr. Nelson, was trustworthy. So, if someone approached, we should have heard something.

But now, we heard nothing. When we looked up, three men were pointing handguns at us.

In this situation, Mr. Nelson and I had no choice but to raise our hands.

The man in the center said, "Excellent, indeed excellent!" as he manipulated his machine gun.

Bullets whizzed toward the metal box as he continuously fired, releasing seven shots in total. Each bullet hit the metal box, but each one also ricocheted off. The sound of the bullets was terrifying. Though Mr. Nelson and I were seasoned individuals, we were still visibly shaken. If the gun had slightly tilted, the bullets could have hit us.

Moreover, even if the man hadn't intended to shoot us, the ricocheting bullets could still harm us, with their tremendous force potentially causing fatal injuries!

The man fired seven shots, taking only about ten seconds. Yet, those ten seconds felt incredibly long to me.

Finally, he raised his hand and burst into laughter. Mr. Nelson and I breathed a sigh of relief together.

He laughed a few times and said, "Yes, the one-of-a-kind hard metal box, haha, it's finally in my hands."

At this point, Mr. Nelson and I still didn't understand what was in the hard metal box. It was evident that the man knew, and the hardness of the metal used for the box was indeed astonishing. Seven bullets fired at such close range only left seven white marks.

Mr. Nelson immediately asked, "What's in the box?"

The man shrugged, clapped his hands, and four burly men approached.

The man shouted, "Back to the corner!"

In this situation, Mr. Nelson and I had no choice but to comply with his command. We retreated to the corner, and the four men approached, lifted the box, and headed out.

At that moment, Mr. Nelson and I exchanged a glance, clearly thinking that this was our chance!

When those people appeared at the door, we were caught off guard, with no opportunity to resist.

And now, those people were still standing at the door.

It was obvious that although they were dealing with us, their main goal was the large box. The four men were obviously going to carry the box out. The door was narrow, just wide enough for the box to pass through. Therefore, the criminals at the door had no choice but to either retreat or advance with their guns aimed at us.

And as soon as they moved, Mr. Nelson and I would have a chance. After exchanging a glance, we still held our hands up high, standing still, waiting for the anticipated change.

The four men approached the door, carrying the box.

The leader of the group tapped the box with his finger, blew it a kiss, and then he and the others stepped back!

Their retreat was more in line with our expectations!

They obviously intended to step back and clear the way for the four men carrying the box to pass through and then deal with us. However, they never had that chance!

Just as the bodies of the four men filled the doorway, blocking our view of the gun barrels aimed at us, Mr. Nelson unexpectedly drew his sidearm with lightning speed.

As soon as he drew his gun, he fired four shots in rapid succession.

Each shot almost simultaneously hit the lower legs of the four men supporting the box.

With their legs shot, the men naturally lost their balance and stumbled forward, causing the heavy box on their shoulders to lurch forward too. Don't forget, the box weighed over a hundred kilograms. As it lurched forward, we immediately heard several cries of pain as it obviously struck someone.

In the chaos, I quickly lunged to the doorway. I saw the lead man stepping outside, and as I reached out to grab him, I heard Mr. Nelson shout, "Stop, don't do it!"

I halted immediately. For a split second after hearing Nelson's call, I thought those people were law enforcement officers, and we had a misunderstanding.

But as I stopped, I realized I was wrong. Simultaneously, I understood why Nelson had called for me to stop.

Initially, we thought there wouldn't be more than ten intruders in the house. But now I knew there were far more enemies, at least thirty, if not more. The room was filled with adversaries, and two submachine guns were protruding from one of the windows, one pointing at Mr. Nelson and one at me.

Given the situation, if Nelson hadn't stopped me in time, the submachine guns would have opened fire as soon as I made a move. I grimaced. Nelson spoke, "Alright, we give up. The gunfire must have alarmed the neighbors. It's time for you to leave!"

The lead man's face was filled with rage. He reached for a gun from one of his companions. Immediately, Mr. Nelson shouted, "Get down!"

I barely had time to hit the ground when I heard two gunshots.

The two shots, along with another thud, sounded simultaneously. I didn't know what caused the thud, but within a second, the room was engulfed in thick smoke.

My eyes stung, and I closed them, but tears still flowed like a stream. It was tear gas, undoubtedly released by Mr. Nelson.

I lay still on the ground, by the wall, not moving a muscle.

The noise didn't last long. Soon, footsteps receded, followed by the sound of engines starting up. As the cars started, a woman cried out, "Take me with you, take me with you!"

But the response was another gunshot.

I recognized the voice as the middle-aged Japanese woman Mr. Nelson had deemed reliable. She was the owner of the house. It was clear that the gang of thugs was summoned by her, allowing them to sneak in undetected and overpower us.

After she had betrayed them, she requested to be taken with them. It was obvious she received a bullet in response!

I sighed inwardly, unable to stop the tears. It was unbearable. I got up and rushed outside.

In the yard, I saw another figure stumbling towards me. It was Mr. Nelson. I hurried over to help him. Like me, his eyes were red and teary.

But I was luckier than him. He had been shot in the left shoulder, and blood seeped through his fingers as he applied pressure to the wound.

Supporting him, we surveyed the scene and saw the woman's body. Mr. Nelson looked at the body and gave me a wry smile, saying, "They're gone."

I replied, "They're gone, but I believe some of them got injured." Mr. Nelson said, "But they still took the box. Their orderly retreat caught me off guard."

I suggested, "Let's not worry about it for now. You're injured. I'll call for an ambulance."

After Mr. Nelson was seated in another room, I made the call. Soon, the ambulance arrived. Mr. Nelson insisted I didn't accompany him but leave through the back alley.

I took the deserted alleys back to the hotel, finally exhaling a sigh of relief.

Because now, I had lost the box, and the embassy of that country was not a safe place!

As I relaxed, the phone rang.

I assumed it was Mr. Nelson calling from the hospital, so I picked up the receiver. To my surprise, the voice on the other end was deep and serious. It began with a "huh" and said, "Although you managed to slip away, we've discovered your origins!"

That nonsensical statement left me dumbfounded.

But I recognized the voice as that of the embassy of the country. I was shocked and said, "You've got the wrong number, sir." The ambassador chuckled. Although he laughed, his anxiety was evident.

He said, "I suggest you stop playing games, Mr. Wisely!"

He emphasized

 the last term with particular gravity. I couldn't help but laugh bitterly and replied, "Why so nervous? I don't think you should be calling me."

The ambassador said, "We don't see you working."

Unable to resist, I cursed in their country's coarse language, saying, "The time hasn't come yet. Why the hurry? If you have the guts, do it yourself."

The ambassador, truly cunning, didn't get angry. He just chuckled and said, "Don't joke with your life!" I ignored him and slammed down the receiver.

I couldn't help but lament inwardly. Up until now, I have managed to offend at least three different factions. Besides the embassy of a certain country, I have no idea who the skilled judoka Japanese old man and the thugs who took the big box are. 

Even though I am currently in a hotel, my safety is not guaranteed at all.

I have already lost the big box. If the time comes and I can't hand it over, how can I avoid the special agents of the embassy of a certain country?

I have always prided myself on my wit, but now I can't shake off the feeling of impending misfortune, even if I go to the ends of the earth? I couldn't help but regret my visit to the embassy of a certain country. Because at that time, I thought Fang Tian was in the embassy of a certain country, but now I know it was not the case at all.

Although Mr. Nelson repeatedly said the big box was related to Fang Tian, I believe there is no connection between the two. I paced back and forth in the hotel room for a long time before I came up with a temporary hiding place.

If I can't retrieve the big box before the agreed time with the embassy of a certain country, my only option is to hide. And hiding in a hospital seems like a good idea. Moreover, in the hospital, I can also discuss strategies with Mr. Nelson.

Once I made up my mind, I immediately started to disguise myself, spending a good half-hour. I had turned into a janitor. I opened the door a crack and looked outside.

I saw suspicious figures at both ends of the corridor, signaling to each other. Obviously, they were closely monitoring me. But I didn't care because I had successfully disguised myself.

I opened the door and backed out. Although I backed out, I could still feel many eyes on me. Pretending to be unaware, I bowed towards the door and said, "The hot water pipe in the bathroom won't have any more problems, sir. Feel free to use it with confidence."

Originally, there was only me in the room, so of course, there was no one in the room when I came out. I spoke to the empty room to make the people monitoring me think that Wisely was still in the room, and the one coming out was just a cleaning repairman.

This is a very simple strategy, but it often produces unexpected results.

As soon as I finished speaking, I closed the door and turned towards one end of the corridor. At the same time, I took out a cigarette and put it in my mouth, walking towards one of the people monitoring me, saying, "Excuse me, sir, may I borrow a light?"

The guy's eyes were still on my room door as he absentmindedly took out a lighter and gave it to me.

My asking for a light from the person monitoring me was just to show myself the success of my disguise technique, and there was no other intention behind it. However, when I took the lighter into my hand, I couldn't help but be shaken!

The brand and style of the lighter were all very ordinary, not enough to surprise me. But on the lighter, where the name is engraved, there was a round emblem composed of petals.

What surprised me was this round emblem.

Because I recognized that it was the logo of a powerful and mysterious Yakuza in Japan. The guy must be a member of that Yakuza organization to have this logo engraved on his lighter.

As far as I know, the activities of this Yakuza group are different from other gangs. Their main activity is to immerse believers in a kind of almost crazy cult ritual. It's more like a cult than a gang.

And the reason I call it a gang organization is that the funds of the Yakuza come partly from forced levies and partly from large-scale illegal activities such as smuggling and drug trafficking.

And the leaders of the "Yakuza" all have the most magnificent villas in Japan's most famous scenic spots, which is a well-known fact.

The reason I was shocked was that I couldn't figure out why the "Yakuza" also had people watching me, because I have no grudges with this organization!

And, at least I know that besides the people from the embassy of a certain country monitoring my actions, there are also figures from the mysterious "Yakuza" organization.

Are there any other people? Currently, I have no way of knowing.

During that moment, my mind was racing, thinking about countless things, but my actions were still very natural. I lit the cigarette and walked confidently in front of the person monitoring me.

Once outside the hotel, I breathed a sigh of relief, seeing many suspicious figures outside the hotel. I came to Japan just to relax my tense nerves, but I didn't expect to be even more nervous here than at home, really, it's as if I can't move at all.

I hummed the favorite song of Japanese workers and turned several streets before I picked up the pace. I changed several modes of transportation and arrived at a hospital.

Before Mr. Nelson was sent to the ambulance, he told me the name of the hospital he was going to, so I was able to find it now. This is also Mr. Nelson's thoughtfulness.

Otherwise, he would go to the hospital, and I would go far away to avoid the people monitoring me, wouldn't we lose contact?

Not only do I know that Mr. Nelson is in this hospital, but I have also known his alias in Japan for a long time, so it didn't take much time for me to meet him.

He lives in a single ward, very comfortable, and he looks very good. After meeting me, the first thing he asked was, "Do you have any clues about who has the big box?"

Mr. Nelson couldn't stop thinking about the box, but I strongly disagreed with his fixation on it.

However, at that moment, I didn't say much, just replied, "No."

Mr. Nelson sighed and said, "We don't have it either."

I opened the door of the ward and glanced outside. Seeing no one, I whispered, "But I have made a new discovery. Among those surveilling me outside my residence, there are agents from the embassy of a certain country, but surprisingly, there are also individuals from the Moon God Society!"