Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Capture Operation

In the conference room, Nobu Yanagi, the host of the "Special Security Meeting on the 10.6 Incident," continued his briefing to his colleagues.

"Regarding the central figure in the 'Mokushita Town Incident': the 'Blood Angel of Mokushita Town,' designated 1Z-2X423. Since the outbreak, the Ministry of Defense and the Metropolitan Police Department have conducted a sweeping search throughout Tokyo and its outskirts, enlisting the National Special Security Bureau to employ every advanced technology available to track her..."

"Today, we finally caught sight of her."

With a click of the control pen, the projector's image shifted, displaying an enlarged satellite photograph. It zoomed in, closer and closer, until Mio Ito’s silhouette, standing in front of the Law Manor, was revealed to everyone present.

"...By tracing satellite data and comparing biometric features with big data, today we identified her presence at the intersection of Eleventh Character Street in Katsushika Ward."

Sosuke Goin’s eyes widened. The moment he saw Mio Ito standing before the Law Manor, his heart felt as though it might leap from his throat, and he struggled to suppress the urge to slam his fist onto the conference table.

Yet, just as he was about to act, Sosuke Goin forced himself to hold back, knowing someone else would surely lose composure before him.

As expected—

"If she’s been found, why hasn’t she been apprehended immediately!"

Keiichi Minamoto demanded urgently, leaning so far forward he nearly launched himself from beneath the table.

"Big data comparison and satellite retrieval take time. Even with refined algorithms, matching images with the database requires substantial computing power at the data center.

"Furthermore, although every surveillance camera in Tokyo is integrated into the big data system, compiling feedback from each camera to the data center takes time. So when surveillance in the area spotted the target, an hour had already passed since she appeared."

That’s already far too late!

Sosuke Goin fought back the urge to shout, his mind boiling with restless anxiety.

Nevertheless, he managed to maintain his composure, clinging to a thread of clarity that preserved his dignity, for he knew someone else would act first.

Indeed—

"What’s going on? How could this happen? What is your Special Intelligence Bureau doing? Are you just going to let a monster like this threaten the safety of Tokyo’s citizens?"

Keiichi Minamoto roared with righteous fury. His face was taut, fists pounding the table like a child denied his candy, throwing a tantrum.

Though he kept invoking "the safety of Tokyo’s citizens," in Sosuke Goin’s view, Minamoto’s anger seemed less about public safety and more about his own frustrated desires.

Nobu Yanagi opened his mouth, seemingly about to speak, but before he could, Cabinet Secretary for General Affairs and Security, Sango Fuseki, responded with a gentle smile, addressing the Governor of Tokyo in his stead:

"Governor Minamoto, please don’t be too harsh on our colleagues in the Ministry of Defense. The data center’s response time is unavoidable unless we increase servers and computing power. Technical matters can’t be handled as easily as appeasing voters.

"And if I recall, last year’s request for increased funding for Tokyo’s data center was not approved by you, Governor. Instead, approximately 3.5 billion yen in government expenditure was used for private real estate development through bank loans...

"Looking back now, had that 3.5 billion yen been allocated to the data center, perhaps we could have optimized image data comparison feedback to under thirty minutes."

At Fuseki’s words, the room fell silent.

Suspicious glances darted between the attendees, their focus settling on the Cabinet Secretary and the Governor of Tokyo.

What’s happening? What’s happening?

No one believed Fuseki’s sarcasm was merely personal. As Cabinet Secretary for General Affairs and Security, one of the few whom the Prime Minister fully trusts, he represented the Prime Minister’s stance in this meeting.

Watching Minamoto’s face flush ever deeper while Fuseki remained calm and collected, Sosuke Goin narrowed his eyes.

He recalled that the Minamoto family had deep roots, and it was thanks to his family’s support that Keiichi Minamoto ascended to the governor’s seat. The Minamoto clan had always been affiliated with the Liberal Democratic Party, and after becoming governor, Minamoto maintained his party allegiance. Yet the current Prime Minister was leader of the Democratic Party.

Could it be that this special security meeting, beyond resolving the issue of the "Blood Angel of Mokushita Town," also carried some special political significance?

It wasn’t just him; other officials in the room realized this as well, and watched in silence as Minamoto and Fuseki stared each other down.

Minamoto’s face grew redder and redder. Unable to restrain himself any longer, he slammed the table and stood, shouting at Fuseki:

"Fuseki! Did the Prime Minister send you here today just to insult your seniors in politics? If so, you don’t have the authority to speak to me—let the Prime Minister come himself!"

"My apologies, Governor Minamoto."

Fuseki bowed slightly, though there was not a trace of remorse in his demeanor.

"If I have caused any misunderstanding, I am sorry. I simply spoke from the heart, please don’t take offense. Today’s topic is the Mokushita Town incident, is it not? Please don’t let my words distract you, Governor Minamoto."

"...Hmph!"

After glaring at Fuseki for a long moment, Minamoto finally sat down again, breathing heavily through his nose.

Fuseki, however, showed no sign of regret, maintaining his faint smile. The Governor’s authority had no effect on him.

"Ahem... Everyone, let’s return to the meeting," Nobu Yanagi coughed lightly, finally steering the discussion back to its main focus.

Both Sosuke Goin and the others shifted their attention again to the projected image, though most minds lingered on the earlier confrontation, unable to disengage.

Sosuke Goin felt a vague sense of oddness. Fuseki’s earlier performance struck him as strange, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint the source.

But soon, he cast aside those thoughts.

Nobu Yanagi’s next words captured his full attention, as did those of everyone else, listening in rapt silence.

"Earlier, I mentioned the issue of instant feedback from Tokyo’s security data center, which caused us to receive information about the target’s location an hour late.

"But upon receiving this information, we immediately deployed drones for reconnaissance. The Intelligence Headquarters then confirmed that the 'Blood Angel of Mokushita Town' was still in the vicinity."

Yanagi pressed the controller, and the screen shifted to a live broadcast from the drones, splitting the large display into dozens of smaller screens—each clearly showing footage from a different drone.

Everyone held their breath, eyes fixed on the girl appearing in each screen.

Standing in the deserted Law Manor, though the distance was considerable and it was night, the drones’ night vision lenses revealed her beautiful form.

She stood lightly and alone.

But then Yanagi’s voice shattered the silence like thunder.

"The moment the drones spotted the target was exactly five minutes before this meeting began. The Ministry of Defense’s Special Intelligence Division immediately issued an emergency order, mobilizing police, the Self-Defense Forces, and special security units from across Tokyo to seal off and prepare for capture in the area.

"And now, it is time for the official apprehension."

Most people in the conference room were stunned into numbness by this sudden announcement, unable to speak.

As Yanagi finished, the drone footage showed figures in combat gear emerging from the ground outside the frame, accompanied by armored and security vehicles, slowly encircling the Law Manor.

Directly ahead, several silvery-white fighter jets soared above the clouds, their gleaming tail fins slicing through the night like blades, engines spitting fiery breath as they gazed down upon the girl below.