Chapter 68: Not a Big Problem, I Can Still Write!
Gunfire erupted again, bullets traveling through the air in deadly formation, all targeting the same van.
Attention was drawn to the vehicle. Although it was armored, it couldn't withstand sustained fire.
Helpless, Natsukawa had to intervene, setting aside his Beretta M9 and pulling out his Desert Eagle.
At this distance, the M9 was like a water gun—bullets dropping halfway and missing everything. Only the Desert Eagle had sufficient range.
However, the effect wasn't as good as expected. The bullet, pulled by gravity, dropped slightly before reaching Akai Shuichi, only striking the bottom edge of the window frame.
Fortunately, the Desert Eagle still packed considerable punch. The powerful shot shattered the window frame, causing the sniper rifle to lose its support and dip slightly, the bullet missing its mark.
Natsukawa then used the same tactic, firing a shot toward Cohen's position.
Both snipers ducked and adjusted their positions.
Akai Shuichi glanced at his magazine—not many rounds left. He had to use them sparingly.
The van will have to wait.
Natsukawa breathed a sigh of relief and looked toward Frank.
Even in this situation, Frank drove steadily, somehow managing to keep his speed below 40 km/h despite it being a battlefield.
If he doesn't hurry, he'll be a sitting duck again.
Was his training time too short?
Natsukawa vowed to retrain Frank when they returned. At that speed, without cover, even the most bulletproof windows would be useless.
"What's that vehicle? Tequila!"
Vodka, realizing he couldn't handle the remaining FBI agents alone, had cleverly retreated. Once at a safe distance, he also spotted the van.
"They're probably here to extract the witness protection target. Our objective is only Akai Shuichi. The others are just extras—don't worry about them."
Indeed, as he said, the Black Organization's goal wasn't the FBI, nor any witness protection program. They were simply there to eliminate Akai Shuichi.
What do witnesses have to do with the Organization? Akai Shuichi must die!
Inside the Kudo Cabin
Conan peered cautiously out the window, wanting to observe the scene outside. Instantly, a bullet grazed his scalp and struck the wall behind him.
Cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Snipers positioned on both east and west sides, constantly watching this position.
Judging from the bullet hole's angle, the last shot came from the east-right direction. Another sniper had fired from that location earlier, about three or four houses away.
Conan was furious. This is all my parents' fault.
Now the whole family might be doomed.
"Don't worry, I've already contacted the Metropolitan Police Department and the Public Security Bureau. Rescue will arrive soon." Removing his Night Baron mask and cloak, Kudo Yusaku coughed twice to cover his embarrassment.
He hadn't expected that his attempt to prank his son would backfire, drawing them all into a gunfight instead. Who could have foreseen this?
What kind of force dares to wage urban warfare in Japan's capital? Has the country really deteriorated this much since I've been away? If it weren't for the absence of oil fields, I'd think I was in the Middle East.
"Mom, how could you go along with Dad's ridiculous plan!" Conan breathed a sigh of relief knowing help was coming, then began scolding his mother.
"I'm an actress—acting is my profession. As a professional performer, I have no reason to refuse roles. Besides, your father promised to take me to Europe for our second honeymoon after this."
Kudo Yukiko relaxed somewhat at this point and had time to complain about her husband. "Yusaku is always rushing to finish manuscripts. He finally agreed to a honeymoon, so of course I had to participate."
"Fine."
Conan was speechless. "Then what should we do now? We can't just stand here, can we?"
"Go to the basement. At least if an explosion hits the house, we won't get hurt down there."
The family of three quickly descended to the first floor. Just as they were about to enter the basement, they heard a vehicle engine approaching. Bright headlight beams shone through the window, illuminating their surprised expressions.
"Metropolitan Police Department or Public Security Bureau? Is Japan this efficient now?" Kudo Yusaku craned his neck to look and saw a van.
Despite the hail of bullets outside, the van had actually driven steadily to their door.
The vehicle honked twice, seemingly signaling that extraction had arrived.
Conan and Kudo Yusaku exchanged surprised glances, unsure whether to open the door.
Frank's Arrival
Frank drove slowly to the cabin. The van bore numerous bullet holes—some from Organization snipers, others from Akai Shuichi—though the bullets had only penetrated the outer layer.
The Agency-supplied armored vehicle was more robust than expected.
Frank hadn't arrived late intentionally. He was simply unfamiliar with both the vehicle and driving in general, hence his slower pace.
After all, Natsukawa had explicitly told him when teaching him to drive that beginners should drive slowly, and he'd taken that to heart.
Natsukawa hid not far from the cabin, pretending to be an Organization operative firing at Akai Shuichi to the west, while also pretending to be an FBI agent firing at Cohen and Chianti, and occasionally firing several shots at his own van—he was incredibly busy.
His arm was numb from the constant firing of the Desert Eagle.
Three empty magazines lay on the ground, and the muzzle of his Desert Eagle was already uncomfortably hot.
After confirming Frank was in position and exchanging glances, Natsukawa put away the Desert Eagle and pulled out his M9. At this moment, he was a genuine Organization member again.
"Vodka, where are you? I'm coming to assist!"
Because of the grenade incident earlier, Vodka and Tequila had developed deep trust, and Vodka didn't hesitate to provide his location.
Besides Vodka's voice, there was also dense gunfire in his earpiece. Vodka's situation was predictable.
Utter chaos.
Natsukawa casually pulled the trigger, firing several shots at the door of Conan's cabin before leaving.
To make the act convincing, a few bullet holes need to be left behind.
Kudo Yusaku's Injury
"You two stay here. I'll check it out." As head of the family, Kudo Yusaku moved cautiously through the window toward the door.
Just as he reached the door and was about to peek outside, several loud bangs erupted, and the wooden door was riddled with thumb-sized holes. Kudo Yusaku groaned and half-knelt on the ground.
Blood flowed from his arms and calves.
This pampered novelist who only frequented gyms had no other rigorous training. His physique wasn't exactly weak, but it was merely average. These shots turned his face pale.
However, being a man of experience, and with his son and wife nearby, Kudo Yusaku gritted his teeth and remained silent.
"Dad!"
"Yusaku!"
Conan and Kudo Yukiko's expressions changed drastically. They wanted to rush forward, but considering they'd have to pass by the window where a sniper might be targeting them, they dared not move.
"Mom, don't move! I'm in a child's body now—it should be easier for me to get across."
Conan, nimble and quick, mimicked his father's movements and reached the door.
"Are you alright, Dad?"
Conan's eyes filled with worry as he looked at his father, simultaneously glaring hatefully toward the window.
Was it them? That Black Organization?
He seemed to have seen a figure in black flash past the wall just now.
The height and hat were very similar to that Tequila guy he'd encountered before.
"It's nothing serious, just a flesh wound." Kudo Yusaku gritted his teeth, examined the wounds, and breathed a sigh of relief after confirming no bones were damaged.
Not a big problem—I can still write!
He displayed the resilience of a professional author, flexing his arm, preparing to continue what he'd been doing.
Kudo Yusaku peeked out the window. At that moment, a man exited the vehicle. He carried an MK14 assault rifle, two grenades hanging at his waist, wearing a dark blue windbreaker and combat boots, looking extremely capable.
In the brief moment he'd been shot, the vehicle had actually executed a U-turn at the entrance, now facing away from the gate.
He remembered that before arriving, the vehicle had been facing the gate—otherwise, no headlights would have been shining inside.
Damn it, this is a gunfight! This guy actually had the nerve to reverse park!
Aside from his height being somewhat short, he looked every bit the part of a special operations soldier.
"Don't look!" Kudo Yusaku pressed Conan's head back down, crouching against the wall himself, considering their next move.
The newcomer wasn't dressed as a Metropolitan Police Department officer, nor a Public Security Bureau agent. His attire resembled that of a mercenary.
He instantly concluded the other party wasn't Japanese police!
Is he an operative from one side of this gunfight?
This outfit was too professional. He'd seen similar gear when researching in conflict zones—mercenaries, assassins, bounty hunters—any were possible.
Furthermore, this person didn't seem to belong to either side in the gunfight. There were bullet holes on both sides of the vehicle, clearly indicating both factions had fired at it. If one side were allied with the van's driver, the vehicle wouldn't have been attacked from both directions.
Based on the gunfire patterns, this person didn't seem to have fired at them either.
Strange.
Kudo Yusaku's analytical mind worked overtime, trying to piece together this new element in an already chaotic situation.
(End of Chapter 68)
[+100 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]
If you enjoyed this chapter, leave a Review!
P*atreon/Soulforger (30+ advanced chapters)
Buy me coffee - ko-fi*com/soulforger01