CHAPTER 87: CHAPTER 86 THE MURDERER IS DIO_1

The killer is Dio!

After inspecting the crime scene, Emily compared the victim’s wounds in her mind and confirmed her suspicions.

The pink-haired man mentioned by Oda Shizue and the blonde-haired man Rumi Yoshizawa spoke of are one and the same. He deliberately adopted such distinctive makeup and attire, making people remember his conspicuous appearance, thereby causing them to overlook what they should truly be noticing.

Even Emily had been deceived.

I originally thought Dio was so brazen, leaving so many clues for the police, because his criminal ego had inflated. But thinking about it now, while Dio seemed to leave many clues, not a single one actually pointed to him. Beneath his frantic actions lies a meticulous mind. Every step Dio takes has profound meaning. In all my years in this profession, this is the first time I’ve encountered such a crazed criminal genius.

A chill couldn’t help but creep into Emily’s heart at this realization. She was both shocked and delighted, and she strode out of the hall.

Okayama Buji hurried to her and asked, "Did you find anything?"

"The killer is Dio."

Hearing her words, Katerina said with some surprise, "Didn’t Oda Shizue just say the killer was a pink-haired man?"

"Anyone can become someone else with a wig, colored contacts, and makeup," Emily shared her understanding.

RING RING. Okayama Buji’s phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the caller ID, his eyes darkened, and he answered the call, turning to walk toward a corner.

He had a hunch about what the caller wanted to say and spoke softly, "Father, is something wrong?"

"There are some documents in Sato’s study that shouldn’t exist. Don’t bring them back to the Metropolitan Police Department; bring them directly to me for disposal," his father’s calm voice came from the phone.

Okayama Buji fell silent for a moment and then said softly, "Father."

"Takeo, as a member of the Okayama Family, you mustn’t be willful," his father commanded unequivocally over the phone. "Bring the documents to me. They absolutely cannot be taken back to the Metropolitan Police Department!"

"Alright," Okayama Buji replied helplessly.

The political landscape is complex and interwoven. Even within the same party, disagreements exist. To resolve these disputes, people either resort to trading favors or rely on personal relationships. Sometimes, politicians would rather sacrifice a portion of their interests to preserve favors owed to them by others. Being from a police family, the Okayama Family naturally had close relations with certain political families. Declining a request for a favor from one of them would mean severing relationships built over time.

Okayama Buji let out a sigh, put his phone back in his pocket, and signaled a police officer. "Collect the documents from Sato’s study and put them in my car."

"Yes, sir." The officer, hearing such an order, asked no questions and promptly complied.

The justifications Okayama Buji had prepared were now useless, and a growing sense of sorrow filled his heart. I even find myself admiring what Dio has done. If it were left to me, the World True Love and Peace Church would probably continue to exist here indefinitely, ceaselessly breeding evil.

The cruel reality stripped Okayama Buji of his desire to solve the case. I don’t want to pursue this anymore. I even wish Dio would keep killing, until Japan itself is fundamentally changed.

「 」

The sunlight outside the car window was bright, and the flow of people on the street was unchanged. Emily noticed that Okayama Buji, who was driving, was in a bad mood, guessing it had something to do with the phone call.

"Did someone higher up tell you to cover up Sato’s records and his dealings with certain people?"

"Yeah," Okayama Buji did not deny it, sighing. "Do we really need to catch Dio? Perhaps it would be better for the citizens if we just let him be."

"Okayama, you’re too naïve." Emily, to ensure the upcoming work went smoothly, felt she had to dispel the negativity rising in Okayama’s heart. She continued, "Actions like Dio’s, where he takes justice into his own hands to punish criminals, will be cheered by everyone once news spreads online."

"Mm." Okayama Buji nodded. Even I am starting to support him, let alone others. Dio’s fame will instantly surpass that of major celebrities, making him a household name. He’ll probably attract a huge following overseas too.

"And then there will be people who imitate Dio’s crimes." Emily leaned forward in her seat. "You remember Rumi Yoshizawa, don’t you? The day before yesterday, Ishikawa sent a message. Rumi Yoshizawa, wanting to punish someone she deemed a criminal, tried to secretly drop and kill that person’s three-year-old child. Fortunately, Ishikawa remembered my words and prevented her from committing the crime in time. But once released, Yoshizawa will definitely commit more crimes, becoming even more radical and insane than before. She doesn’t believe in her heart that what she’s doing is wrong, just like the Crusaders during the Crusades, who committed slaughter in the name of justice."

Emily avoided passing judgment on the morality of Dio’s actions, instead pointing directly to a critical issue: the impact Dio’s deeds would have on Japan, and indeed the world, if they became widely known. Criminals who worship and imitate Dio would continuously emerge. Unlike Dio, they wouldn’t restrain themselves. Instead, they would act as they pleased, using all sorts of excuses to accuse others of various crimes before carrying out cruel killings or torture.

"We must capture Dio as soon as possible to prevent a trend of copycat crimes from sweeping the world."

Okayama Buji fell silent. Emily is right. The Metropolitan Police Department can still cover up the murders Dio committed for now. But once a politician faces a scandal, they’ll definitely choose to expose Dio’s murders to divert public attention. As for the consequences of exposing the case, that’s not something those politicians would ever consider. Those self-serving bastards always prioritize themselves.

"You’re right; it was my naivety," Okayama Buji said with a heavy sigh and a helpless expression. "What should we do next?"

"First, we need to settle the matter with Kitazhi Intelligent Company."

"Do we still need to investigate the mechanical arm?"

Emily shook her head, dismissing Okayama Buji’s idea. A mechanical arm is unlikely. Oda Shizue didn’t see a large one; it’s probably some more covert form of technology. Right now, I need to deal with Kitazhi Intelligent Company and resolve the trouble I’ve caused myself. I’ve confirmed their general manager hired an assassin, codenamed Viper, through Street Cleaner to kill me.

I trust Katerina’s ability to protect me, but I don’t want to live every day in a state where even drinking water could be fatal. To avoid constantly being on guard against assassins, I need to proactively send the employer to prison. Once that guy is in jail, the assassination will naturally be called off.

"After we sort this out, we’ll consider how to arrest Dio." Emily turned her gaze out the car window.

At that moment, Okayama Buji received a call. He pressed his Bluetooth headset and, nodding repeatedly, murmured affirmations to the person on the other end. After hanging up, he said, "Change of plans. We need to go to the Metropolitan Police Department for a meeting. The higher-ups want to expand the task force, and they need you to brief them on the situation."

"Okay," Emily responded casually, her mind already weighing strategies for Kitazhi Intelligent Company against those for Dio.