After six years of silence, the Laughing Man has returned. Taking over the cyberbrain of a police officer, the Laughing Man threatens Superintendent-General Daidō at a press conference, discussing the illegal use of intercepters, aired live throughout the nation. In three days the Superintendent-General is to give a speech about the progress in the Laughing Man investigation. Chief Aramaki puts his unit on the case to make sure that the Laughing Man does not make good on his threat. The first information Section 9 looks at is Police HQ's investigation of Nanao A, who the police suspect is the Laughing Man.