Tokyo: Rabbit Officer and Her Evil Partner Chapter 845 - 508: Hijacking Tokyo Tower

The manhunt had lasted for 17 hours, with the periter tightening gradually. So of the guards had already spotted Fushimi Roku, but they hadn’t acted hastily, choosing instead to notify the main force to approach little by little. The scales of victory were slowly tipping in favor of the Police Departnt.

Yet, at this critical juncture, the Pri Minister’s Office called Kujo Yua.

The Pri Minister’s call was one that Kujo Yua could not ignore. She imdiately reported the situation on the ground: the periter had shrunk to within two kiloters, located in residential buildings. The situation was sowhat complex, but before the 24-hour lockdown ended, the criminal would inevitably be captured or killed!

"Director Kujo, the entire Cabinet sees your efforts and those of the Police Departnt. The 17-hour lockdown has significantly affected the daily lives of the public, with businesses closed and traffic disrupted. Voices of disquiet have begun to surface in public opinion..."

He paused montarily, his tone deepening: "Of course, maintaining public order is the primary responsibility, but now that the periter has shrunk to two kiloters, the suspect is virtually unable to escape. Continuing the citywide lockdown might lead so to question whether we are overreacting or responding appropriately."

"Do you know how much revenue businesses have lost in these seventeen hours, how much tax the state has missed out on? From a public interest standpoint, the Cabinet requests that the Police Departnt imdiately lift the lockdown order and switch to undercover surveillance."

Finally, his tone suddenly turned stern: "Compared to the operation of the state, capturing one criminal is trivial. This is an order and a baseline."

Kujo Yua attempted one last argunt: "He’s not just any criminal, he is..."

"Isn’t he just one person?" The Pri Minister remarked indifferently. "Strengthen patrol security, and we will catch him sooner or later."

Kujo Yua had to emphasize: "This criminal has extrely good counter-surveillance skills. Without a lockdown, there’s absolutely no way to catch him..."

"What do you an there’s no way to catch him?" the Pri Minister interrupted. "Do you know what you’re saying? You hold the command of the rapid deploynt forces, and have the special vehicle unit deployed as well—if lifting the lockdown ans you can’t capture a single criminal, then what good are you?"

Kujo Yua was at a loss for words.

After all, she had sat in the position of Police Chief; she knew that being in charge requires accounting for everything.

The state has its accounts, taxation has its accounts, subordinates have their accounts, there are accounts for what can be used, and accounts for what cannot be used... Being an official is nothing more than balancing money and power, neither can be lacking.

To the Pri Minister, locking down the entire city to catch one person was too high a price to pay.

Ultimately, using a cannon to swat a fly is simply not worth it.

Kujo Yua dared not guarantee that lifting the lockdown would lead to Fushimi Roku’s capture, but neither could she spell it out, as that would call her competence into question.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, forced to resort to clichés: "We are not trying to escalate the situation but must ensure nothing goes wrong—this is a responsibility to public safety and a maintenance of the Cabinet’s decision-making credibility. I earnestly request another 12 hours. I guarantee on my position as Police Chief that we will conclude this case at the least cost."

In Kujo Yua’s eyes, Fushimi Roku was not a fly but an evil dragon that must be utterly destroyed by rallying people’s resolve and pooling abundant resources.

Unfortunately, the Pri Minister did not see it that way.

He rejected Kujo Yua’s proposal and issued an announcent to lift the lockdown.

Within half a day, patrol police withdrew from the streets, traffic police put away the barricades, and trains, streetcars, highways, and airplanes resud operations.

By evening, the command group had gathered their encirclent, returning without success, ultimately failing to capture the fugitive.

Fushimi Roku had not taken her captive, and as he left, he said sothing like, ’I will find a suitable adjudicator for you’... To Kujo Yua, it felt like a bone in her throat—it’s not the thief you fear, but the thought of the thief; there’s no way to guard against thieves every day.

She requested a citywide search but was unsurprisingly denied once again by the Pri Minister.

Because the election was drawing near.

In 1994, Japan’s House of Representatives electoral system reform primarily involved changing the ’dium electoral districts’ system in place for nearly half a century to a ’single-mber districts proportional representation’ hybrid system, along with political funding reforms.

It boiled down to how rampant money and power dealings had beco in recent years, with legislators exchanging public works funding for local support, essentially using money to buy votes.

Candidates relied on personal support groups to raise funds, while businesses and organizations used donations to garner policy favors.

The 1988 Recruit scandal and the 1991 Sagawa Express scandal exposed the sordid union between politics and business.

In the early 1990s, legislators needed to raise over 200 million yen annually in political funding, with 70% coming from corporations and organizations.

Even a minute of lockdown ant imasurable losses for city businesses. Much like in Gotham City, even when supervillains battled Batman to the edge of destruction, they couldn’t blockade the city in the na of Mr. Verus making money.

Kujo Yua had to temporarily give up; she increased the ard security detail, insisted on lockdowns during her routine outings, and required at least six bodyguards to accompany her, in case of another terrorist attack.

The TV stations and newspapers launched an overwhelming electoral offensive, each candidate striving to promote their policies and ideals, hoping to capture voters’ attention.

"Restore order, revitalize the economy! Support the Cabinet’s rational decisions!"

"Balance price stability with regional developnt! Implent politics that protect the citizen’s livelihood!"

"Achieve a symbiotic society! Strengthen support for child-rearing and the elderly!"

That night, the streets were ablaze with lights; campaign vehicles paraded through, blaring candidates’ slogans through loudspeakers.

Lawmakers, donned in white sashes, stood on wooden crates on the street, passionately expounding their ideas. Staff nearby continuously handed out flyers, using various incentives and small gifts to draw passersby to stop and listen.