As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider

"They injected us with a red serum, saying it would give us superpowers. Most of us died. Those who survived became their weapons."

One photo after another was held up to the camera: a child covered in tubes, a young man with cracked and bleeding skin, a man screaming inside a glass cage. Each photo was labeled with a number, name, and experimental result—"Failure, Destroy," "Failure, Destroy," "Partial Success, Keep for Observation."

"They say it's to protect the country," Kurago Genshu shouted hysterically. "But we're human too! We have families! We have friends! Why are we being used as guinea pigs!"

The noodle shop was deathly silent. The bowl in the old man's hand crashed to the ground and shattered. Xiaoxue covered her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes.

Lin Chen stood there, staring at the shocking photos on the screen, his face expressionless. He had known for a while that the authorities wouldn't be completely clean, but he hadn't expected it to be this dirty.

Inside the G3 base, Takahiro Omuro stared at the screen, the mouse clattering to the floor. His face turned deathly pale, he gasped, and his fingers furiously tapped the keyboard.

While patrolling Shibuya, Makoto Hikawa received an urgent communication from Omuro and slammed on the brakes. He turned on the car's television and saw Genshu Kurago holding up the last photograph—a group photo of more than thirty people, each face filled with despair.

"Today, I am making this evidence public." Canggu Genshu looked at the camera with a resolute gaze. "I know I don't have long to live, but I want everyone to know what those high-ranking officials really are."

Hikawa Makoto gripped the handle tightly, his knuckles turning white. He paused for a moment, then pressed the communicator: "Omuro, request operational clearance from the Metropolitan Police Department's Countermeasures Headquarters. Target: News Headquarters. Request support from nearby patrol officers."

"Hikari, it's too late," came the voice from the tail section.

Hikawa Makoto looked at Kurago Genshu's eyes on the screen, then glanced at the unresponsive application interface. He took a deep breath, abruptly turned the car around, and sped towards the news headquarters.

At 2:32 PM, Bingchuan Cheng arrived at the news headquarters in his G3-X. The building was already surrounded by reporters and onlookers, flashbulbs going off everywhere. Special police officers, shields in hand, completely blocked the entrance.

Just as I was about to push through the crowd, a familiar voice came from behind me.

"They came too slowly."

Hikawa Makoto turned around and saw Hojo Toru leaning against a black police car, a cigarette between his fingers. His face was grim, and his eyes were filled with anger.

"How did you get here?" Hikawa Makoto's voice came through the armor: "You didn't receive orders and shouldn't have acted on your own."

"Don't give me that crap." Hojo Toru stubbed out his cigarette. "I arrived ten minutes earlier than you, and all the exits of the building are already sealed off. Either we go in together, or you wait outside to collect my corpse."

Bingchuan Cheng remained silent for a moment, then stopped arguing. The two strode into the building.

The door to the live-streaming room was ajar, and there was no sound from inside. Pushing the door open, one found Canggu Yuanxiu sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall, holding the last photograph in his hand. The female anchor and staff huddled in a corner, trembling.

Hearing footsteps, Kurago Gensuke looked up. Seeing Hikawa Makoto in his G3-X armor and Hojo Toru in his police uniform, he showed no fear, but rather a relieved smile.

“You’ve come.” He placed the photo on the ground and slowly raised his hands. “I won’t resist. I just want everyone to know the truth.”

Hikawa Makoto stood there, looking at the scattered documents and photos on the ground. His hand holding the gun was as steady as a rock, with only his knuckles slightly tightening.

"Take him away." The voice remained steady, but upon closer listening, there was a barely perceptible hoarseness.

Two special police officers went in and handcuffed Kurago Genhide. He did not resist and obediently followed them out.

Reporters swarmed around him, microphones practically shoving in his face. Flashbulbs blared, illuminating his pale face with stark clarity. He didn't shy away from the cameras; instead, he shouted:

"Everyone, look! Your missing loved ones might be in these photos!"

"The Metropolitan Police Department's high-ranking officials are the real culprits!"

Hojo Toru suddenly stepped forward, blocking Kurago Genshu's path, and said to the camera, word by word:

"I am Toru Hojo from the First Investigative Division of the Metropolitan Police Department. I guarantee with my badge that I will thoroughly investigate this matter and give all the victims an explanation."

An uproar erupted. Hikawa Makoto stared at Hojo Toru's retreating figure. Could Hojo really utter such words?

The communicator rang; it was Sumiko Ozawa.

"Take them back to base. Notify Lin Chen to come immediately. If Hojo Toru is willing to come, bring him along too." The voice was unusually calm, suppressing anger.

At 3:05 PM, Lin Chen arrived at G3 base. The atmosphere was oppressive; all the staff members had their heads down and no one spoke.

In the interrogation room, Kurago Genhide sat behind a table, handcuffed. Ozawa Sumiko stood opposite him, with documents spread out in front of her. Hikawa Makoto and Lin Chen stood beside them, Hojo Toru leaned against the wall, and Omuro Takahiro sat on the corner of the table, his fingers flying across a tablet.

“Tell us everything you know,” Ozawa said coldly.

Canggu Genshu looked up at the five of them and slowly spoke.

The underground laboratory is located beneath an abandoned factory in Tokyo Bay. The person in charge is Dr. Murakami. The purpose of the experiments is to replicate superhumans and create controllable super-powered soldiers.

“They kidnapped homeless people, missing persons, and ordinary people like me from all over the country. There were 327 people in total, and only 23 survived.” His voice was calm, as if he were talking about someone else’s story.

"Last month, the lab suddenly exploded, and the entire second basement level collapsed. In the chaos, we broke through the ventilation ducts and escaped."

Kuroko Genshu's voice remained calm, but his fingers unconsciously tightened their grip on the handcuffs. "When I ran, I saw Dr. Murakami leading several researchers towards the third basement level, carrying several black hard drive cases. But I don't know if they survived, or if anyone was still inside after the explosion. Most of the people who escaped went into hiding, but I decided to expose this."

"Why didn't you just call the police?" Bingchuan Cheng couldn't help but ask.

Canggu Genshu laughed, a very sarcastic laugh: "Call the police? The higher-ups are the masterminds behind this. Where do you think Dr. Murakami's funds came from? Where do you think the Awakened Ones who were arrested ended up? They don't want to protect the people at all; they want to arrest all the Awakened Ones, either to use them as test subjects or as weapons."

The interrogation room was deathly silent.

Ozawa clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She knew from the beginning that the Metropolitan Police Department leadership was using G3, but she never expected it to be this ruthless.

Takahiro Omuro gasped, his face pale as he stared at the tablet: "Captain Ozawa! We've intercepted the Metropolitan Police Department's highest-level encrypted communications! Fifteen minutes ago, they dispatched a special operations team, their target being that experimental base!"

All eyes were on him.

"The order is: completely destroy the underground laboratory, destroy all data, and kill all survivors," Omuro said, his voice trembling.

Xiaoze was silent for a moment, then she raised her head, her eyes unusually firm.

"Omuro, immediately locate the coordinates of the abandoned factory in Tokyo Bay."

"Glacier, prepare all weapons for G3-X. We will depart in ten minutes."

"Hojo, take your men and block all roads around the factory. No one is allowed to enter or leave."

Everyone was stunned. They thought Xiaoze would break down in anger, but they didn't expect her to make a decision so quickly.

“We acted without orders from our superiors, which violates regulations.” Hojo Toru frowned.

“Regulations?” Ozawa sneered. “When those people were using innocent people as guinea pigs, did they ever think about regulations? From now on, G3 team will cease receiving any direct orders from the Metropolitan Police Department’s higher-ups. All operations will be under my full authority. We will only do what we believe is right.”

Hojo Toru looked into Ozawa's eyes, remained silent for a moment, and nodded: "Okay, I'll work with you."

“Doing this violates the Metropolitan Police Department’s basic regulations.” Hikawa Makoto stepped forward. “Complete evidence should be collected first and submitted to the inspection department.”

“What if the oversight department has also been infiltrated?” Xiaoze turned his head, his eyes sharp. “Hikari, I know you follow the rules, but now the rules can’t protect anyone.”

Hikawa looked into Ozawa's eyes, then at the shocking photo on the table. After a five-second silence, he slowly nodded: "Understood. I'll go prepare the equipment."

Lin Chen watched Xiao Ze's retreating figure, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. He had originally thought that the G3 team would collapse along with the Metropolitan Police Department, but now it seemed he was wrong.

Just then, the interrogation room door was kicked open. The assistant in the back room rushed in, his face pale and his voice trembling:

"Captain Ozawa! Something's happened!"

The group followed their assistant to the control room. News footage from around the world was playing on screens covering an entire wall.

"A large crowd gathered in front of the Metropolitan Police Department, including many awakened individuals. They held signs that read 'Give me back my loved ones' and 'Severely punish the murderers,' demanding that the truth about the experiment be revealed and those involved be arrested."

Small-scale protests have occurred in Osaka, Nagoya, Yokohama and other places, with the number of participants increasing rapidly.

"Someone has released the complete list of the test subjects, and more than two hundred people have confirmed that their relatives are on the list."

Takahiro Omuro's face was deathly pale, his fingers trembling as he typed on the keyboard: "Energy radar shows that more than two hundred energy signals are moving toward the Metropolitan Police Department throughout the city. They are all Awakened, emotionally agitated, and their energy fluctuations are extremely unstable."

He stumbled back a step, nearly falling: "It's over...it's really over..."

"Contact the Metropolitan Police Department's Countermeasures Headquarters immediately and ask them how they plan to handle this."

The phone rang for a long time before someone answered. But instead of the head of the countermeasures headquarters' voice, a cold, electronic voice said, "The number you dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later."

"They hung up the phone." Takahiro Omuro looked up, his face grim. "I just found out that all the top brass of the Metropolitan Police Department have moved to the underground command center; only a few junior officers remain in the building. They issued a statement claiming it was a malicious rumor and that they are doing everything they can to track down the person spreading it."

This statement acted as a fuse, completely igniting public anger.

On the screen, the marchers outside the Metropolitan Police Department begin to storm the police cordon. SWAT officers fire tear gas, but the enraged Awakened Ones use their superpowers to deflect the tear gas back. Glass is smashed, cars are overturned, and the Metropolitan Police Department doors are forced open.

Chapter 83 The Collapse of Order

Over the next two days, Tokyo descended into unprecedented chaos.

On the first day, the protests were confined to the vicinity of the Metropolitan Police Department and government buildings. The activists demanded that the government hand over the heads of the experiments and release all detained test subjects. Many rank-and-file police officers, after seeing photos of the test subjects, also laid down their weapons and joined the protests.

The next day, chaos began to spread throughout the city.

Some people took advantage of the situation to loot, vandalize, and burn; supermarkets, banks, and shops were ransacked. Others began retaliating against police and government officials, resulting in shootings in multiple locations. Still others, under the guise of "avenging experimental subjects," attacked ordinary citizens, creating panic.

Schools were completely closed, factories shut down, public transportation was paralyzed, and hospitals were overflowing with the injured. People stayed home, afraid to go out, and could only learn about the situation outside through television and the internet.

On television, government officials continued to deliver empty speeches, claiming they were "investigating the matter" and "would definitely give the public an explanation." But no one believed them. The government's credibility had completely collapsed.

The G3 team's operation was also forced to a halt.

The Metropolitan Police Department's Countermeasures Headquarters issued a direct order via emergency channel, requiring Team G3 to immediately proceed to Metropolitan Police Headquarters to protect high-ranking personnel. Sumiko Ozawa refused to comply, resulting in the base being cut off from all external supplies and communications.

Makoto Hikawa and Toru Hojo patrolled the streets every day, trying to stop extreme acts of violence. But faced with the chaos engulfing the entire city, their combined strength seemed utterly insignificant.

Everyone was puzzled by one thing: Hojo had changed drastically after disappearing for two days.

At 3 a.m. on the third day, the main control room of G3 base was brightly lit.

Sumiko Ozawa sat at the control panel, her eyes filled with exhaustion as she watched the crime data constantly refresh on the screen. Toru Hojo leaned against the wall, sipping water from a bottle. Makoto Hikawa sat in the chair beside her. Takahiro Omuro continued typing, his fingers already stiff.

Lin Chen stood by the window, looking at the dark night sky outside. In the distance, flames soared into the sky, illuminating half of the city.

Tokyo, once a bustling metropolis, has now become a living hell.

And all of this is not because of the Unknown, but because of humanity itself.

"The energy radar shows a group of over eighty Awakened individuals moving this way," Takahiro Omuro said in a hoarse voice. "They're moving quickly and are expected to arrive in twenty minutes."

Sumiko Ozawa looked up at the rapidly moving energy signals on the screen, her eyes regaining their resolve.

“They think we’re in cahoots with the Metropolitan Police Department.” Makoto Hikawa stood up and picked up the helmet lying beside him. “They want to destroy this place.”

“Then let them come.” Hojo Toru threw the water bottle on the ground and drew the pistol from his waist. “We haven’t done anything wrong, we’re not afraid of them.”

"Ooshima, activate the base's Level 1 defense system," Sumiko Ozawa ordered. "At the same time, release all the evidence we've gathered over the past two days, including Dr. Murakami's identity, the location of the laboratory, and the list of implicated high-ranking officials in the Metropolitan Police Department."

"Understood." Takahiro Omuro nodded, took a deep breath, and forced himself to calm down.

"Hikawa, Hojo, and Lin Chen, the three of you guard the base entrance," Ozawa Sumiko continued. "Try to avoid conflict with them first. Tell them we're not with the Metropolitan Police Department leadership, we're investigating this matter, and we'll give them an explanation. The base's automated defense system will cooperate with you; don't fire unless absolutely necessary."

Just then, the base's alarm suddenly went off. The red alarm lights flashed incessantly, stinging the eyes.

“They’re here.” Takahiro Omuro’s voice trembled slightly, but his fingers remained firmly on the activation button for the defense system.

Hikawa Makoto put on his helmet and gripped his rifle tightly. Hojo Toru checked the magazine in his pistol and released the safety. Lin Chen also took out his Earth Emperor phone.

Sumiko Ozawa looked at the three of them, her eyes filled with trust: "Be careful. Hold this place; we still have hope."