Kyoko arrived at a residential area about two or three kilometers from her rented apartment; it was a cluster of detached houses, a sight common enough in Bunkyo Ward.
But today, the atmosphere was entirely different.
Police cars guarded every entrance and exit, and blue-and-white cordon tape isolated the entire block.
Small groups of police officers were conducting door-to-door inquiries, while residents barred from the area gathered in a panic, whispering in low voices and occasionally casting fearful glances deep into the neighborhood.
Kyoko couldn’t help but recall the phone call from half an hour ago.
On the other end was an informant she had placed in Tokyo’s underworld at a considerable cost.
According to the information provided, the notorious Beautiful Hope Church had held a live-streamed human sacrifice here last night, but just as the ritual was about to conclude, a mysterious entity had broken onto the scene.
That uninvited guest, alone and barehanded, had killed three members of the Beautiful Hope Church and caused destruction comparable to a bomb attack.
The informant repeatedly emphasized that it wasn’t the result of firearms or explosives, but some kind of…
supernatural power.
A being with supernatural powers had attacked a cruel ritual held by cultists.
This conclusion made Kyoko’s blood practically boil.
As a journalist, nothing excited her more than a scoop big enough to overturn common sense.
Besides, this place was only a few minutes’ drive from her home; it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it was directly relevant to her.
“Those damned scumbags from the Beautiful Hope Church… how dare they run amok so close to me…”
Kyoko cursed through gritted teeth in her heart, but her face regained its professional composure.
She took her press card out of her bag and expertly bypassed the cordons on the street, heading straight for the half-collapsed house.
The name tag on his chest read “Police Inspector, Kenji Sakata.”
“Police Inspector Sakata, I am Kyoko, a reporter for the Daily Times,” she said, getting straight to the point with a cold voice.
“Has a violent homicide occurred here? According to my sources, there are at least three deceased. I request entry to the crime scene for an interview and photography.”
When Kenji Sakata saw Kyoko, the fat on his face quivered and a flash of panic crossed his eyes, but he quickly put on a hypocritical smile and adopted an air of official business.
“Reporter Tachibana, you’ve misunderstood.
No homicide occurred here; it was just an unfortunate accident.” He pointed to the ruined house and spoke with an air of righteousness, “Our preliminary assessment is that a gas explosion was triggered by a leak in an old natural gas pipe.”
“As for your request to photograph the scene, I’m afraid I cannot agree. To protect the privacy of the victims, the scene must remain completely cordoned off.”
A gas explosion?
Kyoko sneered in her heart.
She looked at the detached house not far away; the break was as clean as if it had been sliced by a giant blade, yet the surrounding buildings hadn’t been affected much by any shockwave.
Only the house itself looked as if half of it had been forcibly hollowed out from the inside.
This kind of damage didn’t match any gas explosion she had ever seen.
Despising his blatant lies, she took a step forward and stared directly into his eyes.
“Police Inspector Sakata, I’m not a rookie who just entered the industry. You know better than I do whether a gas explosion would cause such ‘precise’ destruction. Furthermore, my informant told me that members of the Beautiful Hope Church were active here last night, performing a human sacrifice. Are you sure you want to categorize this as an ‘accident’?”
“If you continue to brush me off like this, the consequences of what tomorrow’s Daily Times front-page headline will say will be very serious.”
A reporter dared to speak to him like that!
Yet, he didn’t dare to actually do anything to Kyoko.
This star reporter for the Daily Times had a background that wasn’t simple; she was a member of the prestigious Tachibana Family of the Kazoku nobility.
Although there were rumors that she had long since broken ties with the family, he didn’t dare gamble his future on that possibility.
If he offended the Tachibana Family, he could forget about ever climbing higher in his career.
After weighing the pros and cons, he had no choice but to suppress his anger and soften his tone.
“Reporter Tachibana, please calm down. We in the police have our own procedures for handling cases. I promise that once the evidence collection at the scene is finished, I will definitely give you an opportunity for an exclusive interview.”
After finishing his perfunctory remark, he didn’t give Kyoko a chance to ask further questions and immediately signaled the two female officers beside him.
“You two, ‘accompany’ Reporter Tachibana well and ensure her safety.”
Kenji Sakata emphasized the word “accompany,” then turned and walked quickly toward the collapsed detached house.
He needed to hurry and urge his accomplices inside who were faking the scene to be quick about it, so as not to let this troublesome woman find any flaws.
The two female officers understood and stood on either side of Kyoko.
With professional smiles on their faces, their bodies subtly formed a perimeter around her.
“Reporter Tachibana, it’s quite dangerous over here. Please step back a bit.”
Kyoko watched Kenji Sakata’s hurried departure and then looked at the two female officers who were “protecting” her but were actually “guarding” her, her eyes cold.
She knew they were stalling for time.
But she, Kyoko, was not so easily kept under watch.
Her gaze swept over the chaotic surroundings, and her mind began to race, searching for an opportunity to slip away.