ALL NOVEL Chapter 248: Chapter 248: Pressure
Akikawa Kyousuke still clung to his own ideas and expressed his disapproval and criticism of Kaitou Kid's behavior.
However, this time, Toru Amuro did not respond to Akikawa Kyousuke.
He set aside his usual smile and said nothing. He simply looked at the artist in front of him with a condescending silence.
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Everyone has their own safety zone.
This refers to the physical distance at which people feel comfortable interacting with others.
The range of 0 to 45 centimeters is a very private area called the "intimate distance."
If this zone is invaded by another person, unless it is someone extremely close, it often causes significant discomfort.
And now, there was no doubt that Toru Amuro had invaded Akikawa Kyousuke's space.
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This was the "silence tactic" Toru Amuro used when interrogating prisoners.
The technique aimed to exert psychological pressure on the other person through silence and continuous eye contact, making the individual feel uneasy in the silence.
At the same time, Amuro's act of invading Akikawa Kyousuke's personal space also applied immense psychological pressure.
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As someone who passed the first-class national civil service exam, joined the Metropolitan Police Department, and underwent systematic police academy training, Toru Amuro clearly understood how to break down an opponent's psychological defenses.
Toru Amuro had specifically researched the work commission Akikawa Kyousuke had accepted, just to approach him.
However, his goal was not to form a good relationship with Akikawa Kyousuke or to get him to voluntarily confess his crimes.
What Amuro wanted was to understand what kind of person Akikawa Kyousuke truly was through direct interaction.
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By doing this, Toru Amuro could select the most suitable method to deal with Akikawa Kyousuke.
After just a few days of contact, Amuro already understood one thing:
Dealing with Akikawa Kyousuke was far from simple.
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This was because, despite everything Akikawa Kyousuke had done so far, while not perfect, there was no direct evidence that could convict him.
Moreover, Akikawa Kyousuke—who clearly followed extremely twisted behavioral principles—was still very aware of the kind of views on right and wrong that were accepted and acknowledged by the public.
As such, the artist persona he portrayed was the most perfect disguise for his true self.
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Toru Amuro concluded that when facing someone like Akikawa Kyousuke,
rather than using verbal threats or direct interrogation,
creating internal conflict and pushing the other person into a state of stress would often yield better results.
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And indeed—
Toru Amuro discovered that, under the pressure of his close, silent stare, the emotion called "trembling" gradually surfaced in the disguised expressions of confusion and bewilderment on the artist's face.
This was due to the combined effects of the "tense atmosphere" and the "uneasy silence."
Akikawa Kyousuke was undoubtedly feeling psychological pressure and had begun to reflect on his behavior.
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For someone like Akikawa Kyousuke, who could commit crimes against others without any psychological burden,
the waste of police resources caused by Kaitou Kid was a trivial matter in comparison.
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Kyousuke must have realized that Amuro had seen through his façade and touched upon his true thoughts.
Thus, when faced with this unexpected attack, it was natural for Akikawa Kyousuke to feel panic.
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In this silent confrontation that lasted nearly thirty seconds, Akikawa Kyousuke was the first to break.
He looked away, avoiding eye contact with Toru Amuro.
Then, with a hint of guilt, he said:
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"What's the matter, Mr. Amuro?
Why did you suddenly become so serious? It's a little scary."
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"I simply think that, in Akikawa-kun's heart, the things Kaitou Kid has done are insignificant, aren't they?"
Toru Amuro, having achieved his goal, broke his silence and responded.
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Toru Amuro noticed that Akikawa Kyousuke, who had looked away, made a subtle movement of raising his eyebrows after hearing his words.
Although Amuro couldn't see Kyousuke's pupils,
he knew they must have dilated in shock at that moment.
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"No, no, no! How could I have such thoughts?"
"Stop joking, Mr. Amuro."
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Akikawa Kyousuke put on an expression as if he found Amuro's words utterly ridiculous. He stood up abruptly and began pacing the stage.
It appeared as though Kyousuke was angry about being interrogated, but in truth, this was a way for him to actively create distance from Amuro.
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All of this was a manifestation of Akikawa Kyousuke's discomfort under the psychological pressure Amuro had exerted.
Naturally, Toru Amuro wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by.
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He didn't allow Kyousuke to put a safe distance between them.
Amuro immediately reached out, grabbed Kyousuke's shoulder, and said in a deep voice:
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"Let's not talk about stealing. For Akikawa-kun, even killing innocent people isn't something unacceptable, is it?"
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Amuro then saw Akikawa Kyousuke turn around and look at him, his face filled with horror.
"Mr. Amuro, what on earth are you talking about?"
"Am I wrong?" Amuro asked.
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"Of course, you're wrong! How did you even come to such a conclusion?"
Kyousuke stared at Amuro with an incredulous expression, his voice rising.
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"Akikawa Kyousuke, your mother, Ryoko Akikawa, was killed on August 23rd of last year by a woman named Chianti on the national highway.
That same woman, Chianti, was found dead at the entrance of Kosen-an, a hot spring hotel in Hakone, on March 20th this year.
And, as it happens, Akikawa-kun, you were invited to perform at the Kosen-an temple at that time."
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"I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't kill her," Kyousuke denied.
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"Chianti was killed by her accomplices, but the police found evidence of severe subcutaneous hemorrhaging in the carotid artery on Chianti's neck.
At the same time, there were clear signs of hydrogen sulfide poisoning in her body," Amuro continued.
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"This has nothing to do with Akikawa-kun, right?"
"I'm sorry. I have no idea what you're talking about," Kyousuke denied once more.
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However, this time, Kyousuke's tone wasn't as firm as before.
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"After the incident at the Minato Film Festival, the Metropolitan Police installed a tracking and listening device on Akikawa-kun's mobile phone.
A public safety detective responsible for investigating Akikawa-kun learned about the Hakone incident that day and went to Hakone.
But strangely, Akikawa-kun's location suddenly changed.
Later, the detective tracking your phone was found dead at the Ebina service area in Kanagawa Prefecture, shot to death."
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"Akikawa-kun, do you have any explanation for this?"
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(End of the Chapter)