Another loud bang. A shop not far away suddenly exploded in a shower of sparks, and a powerful blast wave hit them immediately.
Nearby objects were blown over and rolled everywhere. Heavy things slammed onto the ground, onto the walls, and even into people's bodies…
Countless screams were swallowed by the roaring air.
"Ran, grab me!"
Sato Miwako quickly pulled Ran closer and grabbed the back of the bench to keep herself from being swept away by the blast.
Behind the two was a big open space in the middle; if they fell, they would crash straight down to the first floor.
Luckily, the blast wasn't at full strength here—the explosion site was still some distance from them.
Another explosion. This time it was right where the popcorn stand was—very close to the two women.
A strong blast of hot air, carrying flames, burst outward. The crowd nearby was instantly swallowed by smoke and fire. They couldn't even scream before they were gone.
Thick black smoke rolled in. Red flames flickered inside it, like something alive, choosing people to devour.
Sato Miwako's face changed sharply. Horror flashed across her eyes.
Ran behind her couldn't help letting out a terrified scream, her eyes full of fear.
The smoke hadn't reached them yet, but the blast arrived first. Like a huge force, it shoved at their bodies.
The veins on Sato Miwako's hand stood out. She clenched her teeth and bit her lip hard, cold sweat running down her face.
[I can't… I can't hold on.]
One arm was supporting the weight of two people, and the blast kept slamming into them. Her grip was already at its limit.
A second explosion. It wasn't another bomb, but a gas tank exploding—and the blast wave was just as strong.
Sato Miwako couldn't hold on any longer.
Her hand slipped.
The two were thrown back again and again by the blast, their bodies lifting into the air as if weightless.
Behind them was the open space—five floors high.
On the first floor below, several bodies were already lying there.
At the last moment—
The two women suddenly felt a large hand lock around their waists. Their bodies stopped abruptly, then were pulled down fast.
"Turn around. Get low. Stay in my arms."
A serious voice rang in their ears. There was no time to think. Their bodies moved on reflex, both of them turning at once and pressing into his arms.
A thick sheet of foil was thrown over their bodies.
The next moment, a wave of burning heat slammed into them. The two women felt pain shoot through them, as if hit by something heavy, their chests aching faintly.
But it only lasted an instant. It calmed down quickly.
The black smoke carrying flames seemed to split, rolling down past them on both sides.
Ran opened her eyes then—and her face went pale at what she saw.
Sato Miwako looked up at the person protecting them in his arms, surprise flashing across her eyes.
"Heiji, why are you here too?"
Ran was also shocked.
"Now isn't the time to talk." Heiji's expression was serious. "From the sound and the power, this isn't just one bomb. There will definitely be more."
The heat was still pressing down on the three of them.
Sato Miwako and Ran suddenly felt drops on their faces. They looked up—Heiji was covered in sweat, sweat pouring down and dripping onto their heads.
"Heiji, what's wrong with you?"
Sato Miwako's expression changed.
Heiji gave a faint smile.
"Nothing. Just a bit hot."
It was far more than "a bit." Even with a thick layer of foil, it couldn't fully block the heat from the blast. Luckily, foil can take high heat, and this heat wave wasn't at its worst.
Otherwise, even with foil, it wouldn't have protected them.
"Heiji, did you get burned?"
Ran reached out, wanting to touch his back.
"Don't. Don't touch."
Even though Heiji protected himself as much as he could, when the blast hit, the foil pressed tight against his back. Heat went through it and burned him.
Sato Miwako carefully touched the foil on his back and pulled her hand back at once, her face turning pale.
"Heiji, we have to leave here right now."
Just touching it once blistered her finger. That alone showed how hot it was.
"Not yet. We can't move right now—there's still a second heat wave."
From experience, this kind of blast and heat often came in two waves.
"But your condition—"
"It's fine. If we move, the blast could shove us down."
The open space in front of them had already lost its railing. If the blast pushed them, they would fall.
Very quickly, Heiji's words were proven right.
Thick black smoke rushed in again. Sato Miwako and Ran felt the impact in their chests again.
This time they finally understood why.
Their faces flushed instantly.
Because they were squatting down and pressed into Heiji's arms, their bodies were against his legs. When the blast hit, the impact naturally slammed into them.
After quite a while, Heiji suddenly threw the foil aside, grabbed both women, and ran hard toward the emergency stairs.
"Don't look back. Just run straight for it."
Heiji's voice was cold and urgent.
Sato Miwako and Ran weren't slow either. They ran with everything they had; the stairwell was right in front of them.
Suddenly, a loud bang came from the floor above. The building shook violently.
Heiji pulled the two women into his arms, his face turning sharp, and jumped back.
The upper floor collapsed. Chunks of concrete crashed down, blocking the stairwell entrance completely.
The lights flickered and went out. Emergency lighting turned on automatically, casting a weak glow that barely let people see what was happening around them.
Heiji hit the ground. Sato Miwako and Ran landed on top of him.
In another situation, having two soft bodies pressed against him might have been distracting. Right now, it was the worst possible timing.
The burning pain on his back—enduring it didn't mean it didn't hurt.
Sato Miwako and Ran reacted and quickly got off him.
Heiji shook his head, signaling Sato Miwako not to support him, and slowly sat up. His back felt like it was on fire, but that wasn't the most urgent issue.
The surroundings were dim. Not far away, people were sitting in small groups, everyone's eyes filled with fear.
"It looks like we're trapped."
Heiji frowned.
"This was planned. The purpose was to turn this place into a locked-in trap."
"Why would the culprit do this?"
Sato Miwako asked, brows tight.
"Only one reason." Heiji's gaze hardened. "They did it to trap someone."
Heiji already remembered what case this was: the first movie, The Time-Bombed Skyscraper.
[Damn, it's been too long. I've forgotten most of it—no wonder I couldn't remember.]
"Who are they trying to trap?"
Ran still sounded shaken.
Heiji glanced at Ran and shook his head.
"Don't know."
"Ran, call Kudo. Ask where the bomb is."
Heiji didn't want to waste energy searching anymore.
Ran froze slightly, then reached for her phone.
Her expression froze.
"My phone is missing."
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