Fushimi Roku and Sazaki Gen successfully completed the transaction.

Before hanging up the phone, Sazaki Gen repeated some advice, suggesting they could sign an employment agreement in advance, and he could negotiate additional dental and holiday travel benefits.

It was clear that he genuinely wanted to recruit Fushimi Roku.

Fushimi Roku neither agreed nor refused, stringing him along like a philanderer, ambiguously saying 'Let me consider it further, of course, I'm quite tempted' and 'but speaking of which, this is not something I can decide on my own'... After playing Tai Chi, he hung up the phone.

Without surprise, Kujo Yua would certainly get wind of this news; she was the head of anti-terrorism, and for her, this deal had to be done—Sazaki Gen would likely contact her first to discuss how to proceed, who to use as a go-between, how deep not to involve... These are the matters Sazaki Gen should be considering, and the value he provides as a middleman.

Moreover, probably other politicians would be interested, Sunshine City and real estate developers might spend large sums, Sumiyoshi Association and Yamaguchi Group would likely also be interested; being able to eliminate terrorist elements would greatly boost the gang's prestige, allowing propaganda like 'it's always been the gangs maintaining order, government bureaucrats are just stuffed shirts' to spread.

Fushimi Roku's next actions were limited; he left Uesugi Shion's company, liaised with Sazaki Gen's people, sealed the transferred phone in an evidence bag, gave it to the contact, instructing him to hand it to the 'buyer'.

Then, he was no longer involved.

Uesugi Shion's strategic thinking still lingered at the level of criminals, but unfortunately, Fushimi Roku understood the law, knew how to leverage state machinery; to Fushimi Roku, the law was the best weapon, far superior to any ragtag miscreants compared to national force.

Taira Sakurako's side should not be in danger, after all, Uesugi Shion already had the intention to release them, even if not, he likely wouldn't do anything to Sakurako... After all, Fushimi Roku had already demonstrated through his actions that threats were ineffective against him.

With nothing else to do, Fushimi Roku planned to go home and wait for news.

He had already figured out how to cover up the disappearance of Taira Sakurako and Jun, even meeting Minamoto Tamako wouldn't make him flinch, without needing to use the lame excuse of 'Jun had diarrhea'.

Speaking of which, he actually kind of missed Minamoto Tamako.

Although in reality they hadn't seen each other for just a day, it felt like a long separation, like they had ventured through such a lengthy dream, akin to a brief parting that rekindles romance.

It was just uncertain whether Minamoto Tamako shared that sentiment.

Fushimi Roku was unsure, after all, Minamoto Tamako had a very close relationship with Sakurako, the two slept in the same bed every day; ever since Uesugi Shion moved in, Taira Sakurako stayed in a separate room.

At that time, Minamoto Tamako tried to coax the method of unraveling the Nue Poison from Uesugi Shion, even accommodating the mental patient's needs.

Now, however, the matter of resolving the Nue Poison was fake—Roku was exploiting her compassion; Uesugi Shion's insanity was also fake—using her kindness, and he kidnapped Taira Sakurako...

It all ended with Minamoto Tamako being busy for nothing, stabbed in the back afterwards.

Fushimi Roku rarely felt a twinge of guilt, for once contemplating to tell the truth, to confess to Minamoto Tamako that the Nue Poison was already resolved.

...And then mention the kidnapping of Taira Sakurako.

That's called risk hedging: first deliver the good news, then the bad news, ensuring Minamoto Tamako achieves psychological balance.

To ensure the situation doesn't spiral out of control, and to prevent Minamoto Tamako from exploding with anger, Fushimi Roku bought some ingredients on his way home, cooked a meal himself for the first time in ages, temporarily switching to the "sunny cheerful young man" mode.

However, his plan fell through.

Fushimi Roku prepared a table full of dishes: eel rice, braised beef, fried tempura... all dishes Minamoto Tamako loved.

He waited by the table, as the food warmed and cooled, cooled and warmed, until daylight arrived, but Minamoto Tamako hadn't come home.

Not answering calls, not responding to messages—if not for Watanabe Shun giving him a tip that Minamoto Tamako was working all night at the police station, Fushimi Roku almost thought she was pulling a disappearance act as well.

"Jun is dead... Tamako is very upset."

Watanabe Shun sent a message via pager, surprisingly typing more than usual, not scrimping on the service charge. He sympathized with her, as Jun, like him, had stayed at Kazama's home for a period.

How did it suddenly turn from things to dogs?

Watanabe Shun couldn't figure out why terrorists would target a dog.

But the elites of the Police Department's investigation section weren't dumb, their intelligence was functioning, immediately investigating in the direction of the dog's owner.

Kujo Yua suppressed the investigation; she knew how things had transpired and who the real perpetrator behind planting the bomb was, but she couldn't outright say it, even had to play the baffled boss in front of her own daughter, ignoring the report submitted by Minamoto Tamako on the investigation direction.

If this situation were to be revealed, her political career would be over.

No matter what, they couldn't allow the investigation section to trace it back to Fushimi Roku—not yet, as the Sugamo Apartment surveillance hadn't been removed yet.

Kujo Yua was under immense pressure; she just needed an excuse, some ambiguous evidence—only to make Uesugi Shion a suspect, she'd be able to wield the police department's power to arrest him.

Director Fujiwara was already in a semi-retired state, busy rallying votes, intending to advance before his retirement; he was canvassing votes everywhere, campaigning to become the Minister of State, and later take over the National Public Safety Commission, ascending from the police department system to the government decision-making level.

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