(The shot rang out, and a life was lost...Chaos erupted like a giant boulder thrown into a lake. With Kuchiba Hiro at the center, people began to flee in a frenzy. Screams, cries, and the sounds of pushing and trampling instantly turned the food street into a living hell.
A more well-equipped and professional Special Police Team was rapidly closing in from both ends of the street, their shotguns, rifles, and ballistic shields particularly eye-catching.
Kuchiba Hiro ducked into the panicked crowd without hesitation, merging like a drop of water into a river as he moved toward the nearest subway entrance.
Inside the subway station, things were already a mess. It was already overcrowded during peak hours, and now the panicked crowd from outside was surging in while those inside were still trying to push their way out, oblivious to the situation.
"Stop pushing! People are going to get killed!" someone inside the station shouted at the top of their lungs.
"People are already dying outside! There are guns! A criminal is shooting!" countered someone who had just escaped from outside, their face pale with terror.
These words were like lighting the final fuse, causing even more people to desperately try to squeeze into the relatively enclosed subway station for shelter.
The announcement for the departing train rang out. Kuchiba Hiro's gaze sharpened; time was running out. He drew his pistol without hesitation and aimed at the ceiling—
Bang!
The deafening gunshot was particularly terrifying within the enclosed space.
"Everyone, get out of my way!" he roared.
The crowd instantly parted like the Red Sea before Moses, fearfully opening a path. Kuchiba Hiro dashed down the platform like an arrow from a bow and slipped into the crowded carriage at the very last second before the doors closed.
The doors shut behind him. The Special Police Team members, arriving a step too late, could only watch helplessly as the subway train started moving.
"Report! The target has boarded Subway train A711! Repeat, the target is on the train, and there are many civilians on board!" the captain reported urgently into his communicator. "Requesting instructions!"
The higher-ups made a swift decision: "Do not attempt a forced interception! Order the subway to continue running its original route. All units, pay attention: set up perimeters at all stations along the way and evacuate the public! Capture him only after he gets off! Repeat, ensuring public safety is the primary objective!"
As the subway traveled through the tunnel, a fearful silence filled the carriage. Everyone stayed as far away as possible from the young man radiating danger. Kuchiba Hiro leaned against the door, his breathing steady, as if the pursuit from moments ago and the current siege had nothing to do with him.
The train announcement played: "Dear passengers, the next stop is Chiba City Station..."
Kuchiba Hiro's eyes flickered slightly.
Outside the subway station, it was unusually empty; the once-bustling crowds had already been cleared. At the exit, SWAT officers in steel helmets and bulletproof vests, holding riot shields and rifles, formed a wall of steel, their muzzles all aimed at the station exit.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, several gunshots rang out from inside the station! Immediately following them were deafening, terrified screams!
The passengers poured out of the exit like ants from a disturbed nest! The crowd instantly overwhelmed the Special Police Team's carefully prepared perimeter!
"Don't push! Back up!" the SWAT captain tried to maintain order, but it was completely futile.
Kuchiba Hiro moved through the chaotic crowd like a ghost. Most of the SWAT officers' attention was occupied by the panicked civilians.
However, a sharp-eyed sniper at a high vantage point caught sight of his unusually calm figure. "Target spotted! He's in the crowd! Moving toward the west exit!"
But the warning came a step too late. Kuchiba Hiro had already slipped out of the encirclement like a fish in water and rushed onto the street. He spotted a taxi that had just pulled over, the driver poking his head out to watch the commotion.
Kuchiba Hiro yanked the door open, roughly pulled the driver out, slid into the driver's seat, and floored the gas!
The battered yellow taxi let out a roar, tires smoking as they gripped the pavement, and surged forward!
"Target has hijacked a yellow taxi! License plate Chiba..." the sniper reported quickly.
"After him!"
Sirens wailed as several police cars and armored vehicles immediately gave chase like hounds on a scent!
A real-life version of Grand Theft Auto was playing out on the streets of Chiba City.
Meanwhile, in front of a used car dealership.
Higashiyama Akai (from "Chainsaw Man") gripped a slightly yellowed and faded key tightly, her body trembling slightly with excitement and happiness.
That white, compact used car she had meticulously chosen over countless days and nights sat quietly by the roadside.
It wasn't just a car; it was the first thing in her 25 years of life that was entirely her own—a massive, solid support. It was a mobile space she could call "home."
The Female Salesperson smiled broadly and reminded her once more, "Miss Higashiyama, congratulations. Don't forget the ten-year repayment plan."
"Mhm! I know! Thank you!" Akai nodded vigorously, her eyes slightly red. She walked toward her beloved car with a joyful step, wanting to touch that beautiful future.
However, before she could take more than a few steps—
ROAR!!!
A bullet-riddled yellow taxi, billowing black smoke like an out-of-control beast, tore past her at a terrifying speed! The resulting gust of wind whipped up Akai's skirt.
Immediately after came an even more deafening engine roar and the screech of brakes!
Several heavy armored vehicles and police cars completely ignored the area, ruthlessly plowing through to pursue the car ahead!
CRACK—CLANG—!!!
The ear-piercing sound of twisting metal exploded!
In the reflection of Akai's suddenly hollow eyes, her white car—of unknown history and not yet truly hers for even a day—was mercilessly crushed, flattened, and shredded by the heavy riot wheels... eventually becoming a heap of twisted scrap metal that no longer resembled its original form.
A deformed tire rolled to her feet with a clatter and stopped.
The world fell silent.
Akai slowly, agonizingly slowly, lowered her head to look at the remains of the tire at her feet. Then she slowly looked up at the saleswoman, whose smile was now completely frozen on her face.
Her voice was as light as a feather, carrying an ethereal quality: "Does this... have insurance? Can it... be exchanged?"
The saleswoman's lips twitched a few times as she struggled to maintain a professional, polite, and reserved smile, showcasing the institution's professionalism. In a flat yet enthusiastic tone, she said quickly, "Miss Higashiyama, we completely understand how you feel. Look, we have several other models with similarly high cost-performance ratios. The down payment is lower, and the loan period can be appropriately extended. Would you like to..."
Higashiyama Akai said no more, just stared blankly at the heap of scrap metal as if her soul had been crushed along with the car... Kuchiba Hiro's driving skills were at the level of being one with the vehicle; the steering wheel was like a toy in his hands. Narrow alleys and congested traffic became his tools. He maneuvered the battered taxi through all sorts of thrilling drifts and sharp turns, narrowly avoiding the blockades every single time.
He didn't even need to look back; judging solely by the rearview mirror, he extended one hand out the window with his gun and pulled the trigger—Bang! Bang!
Precision shots! The tires of the closest pursuing police car instantly burst, causing the vehicle to spin out of control and roll, crashing to a halt by the roadside and completely blocking the path for the cars behind it.
But more police cars flooded in from all directions. Heavy roadblocks were set up at every intersection leading into the city, with muzzles bristling.
Kuchiba Hiro's gaze turned cold as he slammed the gas pedal to the floor! The taxi's engine let out a strained roar as he charged straight toward a seemingly weak point in the roadblock!
"Fire! Stop him!" the commander ordered.
Ping! Clang! Bullets rained down on the car body, and the glass shattered instantly! But Kuchiba Hiro stayed low, and the taxi, like a charging bull, forced its way through the roadblock, speeding toward Sōbu High School riddled with bullet holes and covered in broken glass!
This won't work; I have to lose them!
Kuchiba Hiro's eyes swept over the entrance to the overpass ahead, and a daring plan instantly took shape.
He jerked the steering wheel, and the taxi surged onto the overpass. The police cars behind him followed relentlessly.
At the apex of a curve on the overpass, a flash of madness crossed Kuchiba Hiro's eyes. He aimed straight for an emergency escape ramp and charged!
"Is he crazy?!" the pursuing police cried out.
The yellow taxi soared through the air, tracing a perilous arc before slamming heavily onto a relatively empty road below. With a massive crash, the chassis nearly fell apart, but the four wheels were still spinning frantically!
Kuchiba Hiro wrestled with the steering wheel to stabilize the car, then accelerated again, instantly leaving the police cars—still searching for an exit on the overpass—far behind.
In a secluded neighborhood, Kuchiba Hiro abandoned the nearly totaled taxi. His gaze scanned a row of parked cars, and he quickly selected a black sedan that looked ordinary but had decent performance. He smashed the window with his gun butt, ripped open the wiring panel, and expertly hotwired it. The engine roared to life.
The black sedan silently merged into the traffic, finally heading toward its ultimate destination—Sōbu High School.)