During a press conference in the previous episode, Superintedent-General Daidō had been publicly threatened by the person known as the Laughing Man. Through an intermediary, the Laughing Man had demanded that Daidō reveal "the truth" or else he would be, "removed from the stage."

For six years the Special Investigations Unit, which is part of the Metropolitan Police that Daidō oversees, has been working on this case. It now seems that they have found a possible suspect in Nanao=A, a man with dubious connections. Still acting from behind the scenes, Section 9 continues their own investigation into the Laughing Man incident.