Chapter 69

The Escape, Part 1 (脱獄記 前篇,) is the 69th chapter of the Bungo Stray Dogs manga.

Summary
In his confinement, Mushitaro writes a letter to his deceased friend Yokomizo, telling him about his life there. Suddenly, Kyōka comes bursting through the ceiling along with Atsushi. The latter says that they have come to rescue him to seek his help in proving that the Agency has been framed. Mushitaro initially refuses, as he does not want to share the information he has on the Decay of the Angel with the Agency, and he is also no longer interested in the outside world. However, Kyōka brings up the word "manuscript" as previously instructed by Ranpo as a sort of a blackmailing tactic against Mushitaro, making him agree to the escape.

On the way out, Mushitaro tries to get the Agency members captured by nearby soldiers by making a scene for various petty reasons, but Kyōka always manages to scare him silent. Atsushi looks outside the window and notices Ango standing outside with troops from the Special Division for Unusual Powers. Mushitaro starts freaking out and reveals that Ango is in fact the head of the criminal group known as the Seventh Agency, which was created by the government. The said agency is responsible for cover-ups of political crimes and illegal tactics, as well as for hiding scandals. Mushitaro states that if Ango catches them, he will be imprisoned until he dies and that Kyōka and Atsushi will be made to disappear.

Mushitaro comes up with a plan to get away confidently, slipping through camera footage using his ability. However, in the end, the three are nearly surrounded along their route when Atsushi notices Ango and his soldiers coming towards them. Knowing the suspects' respective abilities most likely due to his ability, Ango instructs the troops to establish a perimeter to avoid the suspects from escaping.

Desperately thinking of a plan, Mushitaro recalls Yokomizo and his locked room stories — wherein criminals disappear like mist in a room with no exits — which Yokomizo believed to be such great mysteries. As a result, Mushitaro takes inspiration from Yokomizo's words and becomes determined to escape their pursuers in their situation.