Chapter 40 fourth quarter

Considering the time, the car should have arrived in Hokkaido. On the one hand, the Totsukawa Police Department got in touch with the Hokkaido Police Headquarters, and then flew to Sapporo immediately with Kamei.At Chitose Airport, the Miura Police Department of the Hokkaido Police Station came to pick him up.This is a young police officer in his thirties. "Just now, we have notified the hot spring resorts and main roads in the city, and we will pay close attention to the whereabouts of that car. If something happens, we will also prepare a helicopter." Miura said with high spirits.

"Thank you very much for the support of the Dao Police Department!" As soon as the Totsugawa Police Department’s words of thanks came out, Miura smiled and said, “Where is it! That’s a vicious criminal who hijacked 500 million yen and killed many people. We will definitely cooperate with you.” The Totsugawa Police Department and Kamei went to the Hokkaido Police Headquarters to wait for the time being.After three o'clock in the afternoon, there was information that a man and woman similar to Asano and Sayoko Ihara were resting at Sounkyo Hot Spring. The criminal police of Shangchuan Police Station got the news and drove to Sounkyo in a police car.Totsukawa Police Department and Kamei asked Miura Police Department for a map of Hokkaido.

Sounkyo is roughly located in the central part of Hokkaido, going south to Obihiro, then going north, passing Kamikawa, and reaching Asahikawa.Perhaps, after Asano and Ihara Sayoko arrived in Kushiro by ferry, they drove to Obihiro, from here they took National Highway No. 273 and headed north. The Totsugawa Police Department and Kamei waited anxiously for the next news. Another call came in, reporting that a man and woman similar to Asano and Sayoko Ihara had left the hotel in the morning and signed Jiro Kato and his wife Kyoko on the hotel's accommodation registration form.To be on the safe side, Totsukawa telegraphed his name and address to Nishimoto in Tokyo and asked him to investigate and verify.

"The helicopter can take off immediately." Miura came in and urged. This is a large helicopter.Totsukawa and Kamei boarded the plane together with the detectives from the Provincial Police Station. Accompanied by the violent sound of the engine, the helicopter rose slowly. After rising to a height of about 1,000 meters, the helicopter flew all the way in the direction of Asahikawa. It goes without saying that during this period, wireless telephones came in one after another. After leaving Sounkyo Onsen, where did the couple go north?Or go south?Unknown for now. The mountains and fields in front of us are beginning to show the scenery of early winter. In Hokkaido, the annual red leaf season has changed from brilliant to plain.

There was a message from the wireless phone that a Mercedes Benz 300SL was found near Kumohira Hot Spring after coming out of Sounkyo and heading south along National Highway No. 273.The people in the plane suddenly tensed up.It turned out that it was an ordinary Mercedes-Benz. "Many colleagues have never seen this 1954 Mercedes-Benz classic car." Miura said regretfully. About an hour and a half later, the helicopter landed at Asahikawa Airport and immediately replenished its fuel. Reports of problematic Mercedes refueling came from a gas station near Nayoro. The gas station is located on National Highway No. 40.

According to the staff at the gas station, the car was a 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL, and the passengers were a middle-aged man and a woman in her thirties. It seems that this couple must be Asano and Sayoko Ihara. The Totsukawa Police Department and others rushed to the plane and tracked down the Mercedes-Benz 300SL.National Highway No. 40 departs from Asahikawa, passes through Nayoro, and goes straight north to Wakkanai. The helicopter flew along Route 40 at a low altitude of 200 meters. The Totsugawa Police Department and Kamei looked at the map and the scenery flowing in front of them interactively.

National Route 40 merges with Route 239 at Nayoro.If you transfer to Route 239 from Nayoro, you can drive to Monbetsu and Abashiri. Did Asano and the others go straight north along National Highway No. 40?Or after refueling at a gas station near Nayoro, turn to Line 239 and drive in the direction of Abashiri? What is presented right now is the row upon row of houses in Nayoro Town.The helicopter hovered temporarily in the sky. Soon, a new report came from the wireless phone.Police officers at the Meishen Police Station, about 20 kilometers north of Nayoto, discovered the problem with a Mercedes-Benz 300SL.

Judging from the time, it should be Asano's car. The hovering helicopter immediately flew north at full speed.Fly as close to National Highway No. 40 as possible, and the vehicles driving on the road below are clearly visible. A woman sitting in the passenger seat of a cabriolet looked up at the sky with a terrified expression. Because it is just between the red leaf season and the ski season, there are not many cars on the road. "It's past Meifu now." Miura said loudly. Next to the National Highway, the track of the JNR Soya Main Line also extends northward. The helicopter has flown over the Yinweizi Mansion.

National Highway No. 40 here is divided into two roads, left and right. Going left, it still belongs to No. 40, heading for Wakkanai. The road on the right is renamed National Highway No. 275, exits the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, and then joins No. 238.And this Line 238 also leads to Wakkanai. The Asahikawa Police Station dispatched police vehicles to search all the way north. At the same time, the Wakkanai Police Station also dispatched two police vehicles to search for the problem Mercedes along National Highway No. 40 and No. 238 respectively. "Be sure to stick to National Highway No. 40 and head towards Wakkanai!" Miura instructed the driver.

The Totsukawa Police Department and others stared at the vehicles driving on the road below. "Haven't caught up yet? It's a bit strange." The driver said. (If this is the case, will you turn to Line 275 at Omikafu and escape to the Sea of ​​Okhotsk side?) Below, on the Soya Main Line, a train rumbles north. On the left side of the road is a vast wet meadow known as the Sarobates Plain. So far, there is still no trace of the Mercedes-Benz in question. Maybe it has gone to the other side of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk?Or take a turn off before reaching Sarobez Plains? The fork leads to Fufu Hot Spring.

"What should we do? Are we still flying in the direction of Wakkanai?" Miura asked. "Go ahead, maybe new information will come." Totsukawa Police Department said. The helicopter flew towards Wakkanai at full speed. However, neither the police cars of the Asahikawa Police Station nor the Wakkanai Police Station sent any more information. You must know that the police cars of the two police stations were outflanking the north and south from National Highway No. 40 and No. 238 respectively. Since there is no news, it is likely that Asano and his group turned the car into the side road halfway. The helicopter landed at Wakkanai Airport, refueled immediately, and then took off again. Hoping to find Asano's gang's Mercedes before the sun goes down. If there is nothing wrong with them leaving Nayose and heading north, then they must have turned from the national highway to the Hokkaido highway in the middle of the journey. Starting from Wakkanai, going south along the coastline of the Sea of ​​Japan is Route 909. The road to Fengfu Hot Spring is the Daoist Highway No. 724.The one that can look forward to the Sarobez Plain is the 1018th Route of the Road Circle.In addition, there are several other highways. At this moment, the helicopter is heading south along the coastline of the Sea of ​​Japan. Entering the Sea of ​​Japan in the early winter season, the wind is quite strong, and white waves are set off on the sea. Next to the coast is a two-lane road.On the other side of the sea, you can see the two islands of Rebun and Rishiri. From halfway on, the road conditions below seemed to be getting worse. "This road is closed to traffic in winter," Miura said. In fact, even at this time, there is almost no traffic in sight. Twilight gradually merged.Will Asano's group's car completely disappear in the darkness?Anxiety and restlessness began to spread among the criminal police. Suddenly, Kamei yelled "Ah!" "Look! That car!" Kamei's voice hadn't finished yet, and the helicopter had already flown far ahead. The driver quickly turned the helicopter back and lowered its altitude. Below is the deserted coastline and the road that runs along it. On the land side are sand dunes and virgin forests, which are endless. "Ah! That car!" Kamei called again. The helicopter quickly hovered, and then slowly lowered its altitude further. I saw a car parked on the side of the road, the door of which was tilted to both sides like wings. Without a doubt, this is exactly the Mercedes 300SL to look for. However, there seemed to be no figure in the driver's seat.Will the suspect run to the nearby virgin forest?The Miura Police Department used a wireless phone to inform the ground personnel of the location of the Mercedes-Benz in question. "Is there a landing site near here?" The Totsugawa Police Department asked the driver like a roar. "Probably not," the driver replied. "Police! Someone got into the car!" Kamei called out in a shrill voice.Totsukawa hurriedly looked down.I saw two black figures walking over and jumping into the Mercedes-Benz. The car started violently, then shifted to a higher gear and drove quickly.Naturally, the helicopter no longer needs to land, and immediately cancels the hovering state, and moves closely with the car. The Mercedes-Benz fled frantically to the north along Route 909. As if coordinating with it, the darkness rapidly expanded in all directions, dominating the surrounding environment in a blink of an eye.The road, the sea, and the Mercedes-Benz, which were still clearly visible just now, all disappeared into the darkness. The only thing that can be used as a tracking target is the headlights and red taillights of a speeding Mercedes-Benz.Suddenly, the headlights and taillights disappeared. No, it should be said that Asano disappeared. The helicopter had to hover, and the detectives looked down desperately.Due to the lack of moonlight, it was difficult to discern the outline of the coastline. The headlights and taillights came on again.The car is still moving north. "Is that car?" After careful identification, it turned out to be the lights of other cars. "Bastard!" The driver couldn't help cursing. Although there are not many cars on the road, it is difficult to identify the Mercedes in question. "What should I do?" the driver asked Miura. "The police car will be here soon." Miura said to Totsukawa. "In this case, we might as well go back." Totsukawa Police Department said. In this state, it is no longer possible to track the Mercedes-Benz of Asano's group from the helicopter, only the police car that entrusted the mission. The helicopter climbed up and flew towards Wakkanai Airport.