"Who says that? A man is only as good as his word, and going back on it is unworthy of a gentleman... Do you think I'm not a man of my word?"

Fushimi Roku glanced at the operator again, who held up two fingers.

"In the face of death, no one can be trusted." Uesugi Shion said.

"Hey, isn't Japan a nation that upholds the spirit of the samurai? I'm a true heir of the samurai way, betting my honor, I will definitely honor my bets!" Fushimi Roku said.

"No." Uesugi Shion was unwilling to back down any further.

The operator raised one finger and began counting down the seconds.

"You don't even have the ability to stop me from flipping the table, so how can you consider yourself my equal?"

Just about to track the location, Fushimi Roku's tone gradually became arrogant: "You don't even qualify to be my equal, what do you have to bet with me?"

"..."

Uesugi Shion fell silent again.

"Huh? Speak!" Fushimi Roku impatiently slapped the armrest: "What can I win by betting with you? Why should I risk my life to gamble yours? Is your life really that valuable?"

Uesugi Shion couldn't bear it anymore: "I'm the eldest daughter of the Uesugi family, worth billions..."

"You're nothing!" Fushimi Roku interrupted.

Uesugi Shion felt truly embarrassed; she had endured humiliation to give vent to her anger, but now she was being insulted instead.

"Don't want to bet? Next time, the bomb will be placed at the Sugamo Apartment..."

Uesugi Shion was still threatening, but Fushimi Roku had stopped listening.

The operator tracked the location to the call point, found the phone number and specific address.

Hmm, Kuma Kengo Architecture and Urban Design Office, Japan, Tokyo Harbor District South Qing Mountain Street, 2-24-8 BY-CUBE... it's quite far away.

Fearing to alert the enemy, Fushimi Roku called his own landline from his mobile, then picked up the receiver again and said in a pretentious manner: "Ah, I've got a call coming in, have to hang up first."

With that, he hung up the phone without caring about Uesugi Shion's reaction.

Now Fushimi Roku felt he had the upper hand, or at least he thought so, hanging up the call made him seem fearless, making Uesugi Shion afraid to act rashly.

Four or five minutes later, Uesugi Shion called again. Fushimi Roku picked up the landline and said, "Thanks to you, I have to go out now, call my mobile if you need me."

Then he hung up the landline again.

The operator watched Fushimi Roku's actions, and seeing him about to leave after hanging up, hurriedly packed up the equipment and asked, "Officer Fushimi, aren't you going to report to the police department? Are you going to catch the kidnapper alone?"

"I can handle it myself."

Fushimi Roku opened the door to the entrance, just about to step out, suddenly remembered something, turned back to the operator and said, "If the chief or section chief asks, just say that I'm sick and being treated in the hospital."

"Ah? Why?" The operator was puzzled.

"I fear they might send officers to catch the kidnapper, and that could provoke him, putting my sister's life at risk."

Once again, exhibiting level 7 social charm, Fushimi Roku firmly grasped the operator's hands, with an expression akin to Liu Bei entrusting White Emperor City: "Please, I trust you, keep this confidential for me."

The operator believed him, suddenly feeling a heavy responsibility: "But... what if something happens to Officer Fushimi..."

"After eight o'clock tomorrow morning, if I haven't called you to report my safety, then you can inform the chief."

Fushimi Roku, with the mindset of a warrior ready to face death, said, "I'm off, take care."

Saying that, he turned and pushed open the door, leaving in a hurry.

The operator took a deep breath, feeling he had encountered a true hard-boiled man from the Showa era, bravely venturing into the Dragon Pond and Tiger Cave to rescue his sister, truly admirable and moving.

He couldn't let people underestimate him either; since Officer Fushimi entrusted him with such an important task, he had to keep his mouth shut!

On the other side, Fushimi Roku didn't think much about whether the operator believed him or not.

While taking the elevator down, his phone rang, and Fushimi Roku answered: "Moshi moshi?"

"Why are you going out?" Uesugi Shion seemed to have sensed something.

"To take a scolding," Fushimi Roku pretended to sigh: "I disobeyed orders and didn't participate in the bomb defusing mission. Now that it's over, of course, they want to settle accounts with me, I might even get fired... all thanks to you!"

"Doesn't it matter if you lose your job?" Uesugi Shion seemed to believe him.

Fushimi Roku quickly exited the elevator and hailed a taxi: "Of course it doesn't matter, you know very well that such a large bonus is more than enough to ensure I'm well-fed and clothed without worry. Why would I toil as a public servant anymore?"

"Are you short on money? Don't you want more?" Uesugi Shion tempted: "I could bet with you using money..."

"Only a fool would gamble their life for money."

Fushimi Roku handed the address slip to the taxi driver and motioned him to drive there, then pointed to his phone, indicating the driver not to speak.

The convenience of living in Japan is that most people are considerate about not 'disturbing others.' Not only do ramen shops have individual dividers, but even taxis have partitions separating front and back.

The driver, understanding the cue, seeing the passenger on the phone, nodded slightly and drove off without a word.

Fushimi Roku lowered his voice to avoid letting the driver overhear any strange conversation: "... If you're sincerely wanting to bet with me, you should appear uprightly."

"Don't joke like that." Uesugi Shion said.

"What if I don't go to Cat Island, what can you do?" Fushimi Roku countered.

During the time he'd hung up, Uesugi Shion seemed to have realized something and said: "Then I'll have to release Taira Sakurako."

"Oh?" Fushimi Roku wasn't sure what she was up to: "Have you finally come to your senses?"

"Yes, I realized I seemed trapped in linear thinking, that I shouldn't treat you like a common person... Fujimura-kun, you're special, not someone who can be manipulated at will."

Uesugi Shion paused after saying that: "After releasing Miss Sakurako, I plan to continue placing bombs in crowded areas in Tokyo."

"Hey... what does that have to do with me, I don't go out much." Fushimi Roku said.

"In the name of Heavenly Punishment." Uesugi Shion said: "I shall, in the name of Heavenly Punishment, destroy Tokyo."

"..."

Fushimi Roku was momentarily stunned, only for a brief half-second, but this half-second void allowed Uesugi Shion to detect it.

She finally grasped Fushimi Roku's weakness and immediately said: "If you want to bet, come to Cat Island to find me."

Without waiting for Fushimi Roku to respond, she hung up the phone.

Fushimi Roku had a bad feeling, hurriedly urging the driver to speed up while continuously redialing the number. The latter floored the gas, speeding down the road, but when faced with a red light, waiting was inevitable.

Uesugi Shion never picked up.

Half an hour later, Fushimi Roku arrived at the location, which was the Port District South Qing Mountain Street, presumably a property under Uesugi Shion's name. As soon as he entered, the receptionist asked if he had an appointment.

"I just started and forgot my badge."

Fushimi Roku gave a random excuse: "Sorry, sorry, I'm going to be late for work!"

He rushed in, surprisingly no one stopped him, everyone instinctively believed him.

Fushimi Roku kept pressing the elevator button, really appearing like an employee almost late for work, and took the opportunity to ask the receptionist: "What floor is Miss Uesugi's office?"

"14th floor, turn right and walk straight after exiting the elevator..."

"Thank you very much!"

Fushimi Roku dashed into the elevator, pressed the 14th floor, anxiously waiting and tapping his foot.

Upon reaching the fourteenth floor, the elevator doors hadn't fully opened, but he squeezed through sideways, sprinting to Uesugi Shion's office door. He pushed the door open, only to find it empty inside.

There was only a mobile phone, placed on the office desk.

Fushimi Roku approached, unlocked the phone, and checked the call records, which matched his own.

—But it was a forwarded call.

Uesugi Shion had called this phone, which then forwarded to Fushimi Roku's phone.

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