Chapter 1: A Life Made, This Lifetime Is Set

Tokyo, Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital.

Golden sunlight entered the dim department through the gaps in the blinds, strands of golden silk illuminating the thick piles of documents on the table and making the white tile floor shine; under the reflection of the light, the entire dim office looked as magnificent as Toyotomi Hideyoshi's golden tea room, with layers upon layers constantly shifting, like the steps of an ivory tower, rising higher with every step.

Yet it was also cold and desolate.

The cold air drifting in from outside felt bone-chilling when inhaled, and the entire department was as noisy as a marketplace, with everyone busy with their own affairs.

According to custom, today was the morning rounds for Professor Zaizen of the First Surgery Department.

Amidst the movement of white coats and nurse uniforms, only one young man stood out of place; on his desk sat a cardboard box filled with documents and books.

Grabbing his white coat and throwing it over his shoulders, the tall young man with a cold, handsome face packed away a stack of documents, stood up abruptly, and spoke in a voice like a booming bell, like a thunderclap on flat ground: "Everyone!"

The busy, noisy First Surgery Department instantly fell silent, and over a dozen pairs of eyes stared at the young man simultaneously, filled with confusion, displeasure, disdain, and even sympathy, among other things.

"I have been in your care for a long time!" the young man continued loudly, his tone booming but his voice cold: "Starting today, I will be transferring to the Forensic Pathology Department. May we meet again if fate allows!"

Having said this, the young man bowed slightly, picked up his box, and walked out of the First Surgery Department with long strides.

The name tag on his white coat swayed incessantly.

"Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital, Forensic Pathology Department, Intern Physician, Uesugi Muneyuki."

Ignoring the whispers behind him, the young man clutching his box walked against the flow, leaving the First Surgery Department behind; a commotion came from the hospital entrance outside, and another tense morning had begun.

Patients seeking treatment walked into the hospital lobby one after another, nurses in clean white uniforms were registering patients at the front desk, doctors from the emergency department jogged by pushing IV drips, an elderly person with a pale face sat on the hollow iron chairs in the lobby staring blankly at the big screen, and parents anxiously brought their children to inquire about their conditions.

Busy, noisy, and orderly.

Only he was out of place, as lonely as an isolated island in the ocean.

Intern physicians were not allowed to use the elevators alone, so he could only carry his cardboard box through the corridors and stairs.

The Pathology Department was located in the corner of the medical building with the worst lighting; compared to other departments, it was colder and gloomier, the air filled with the unique scent of disinfectant and dust. The glass door at the end of the corridor was locked, and a pile of discarded IV poles, wheelchairs, and hospital beds were stacked together, blocking the path to the deeper areas. The morning sun had not yet reached this place, but the haze of death had long since shrouded it.

A hospital is a place where death occurs every day, and doctors are a group of people who make a living by writing about the life and death of others.

It was terrifyingly quiet here, but that was not strange, because other places were for the living, while this place was for the dead.

Upon opening the door, one was hit by a strong smell of formalin; human organs were soaked in bottles arranged on shelves, layers of document bags told the history of humanity's struggle against disease since prehistoric times, and residual imaging data was displayed on a monitor. An elderly man with a face as thin as a monkey's, deep wrinkles, and hair combed back, his head sparse on top, looked up from a pile of report papers.

"You've arrived?" His voice was very dry.

"Nice to meet you, I am Uesugi Muneyuki. Starting today, I will be interning under you, Professor Okochi. Please treat me well." The young man bowed in a somewhat non-standard way while holding his cardboard box.

"I have already heard." The old man raised his head and leaned back into his soft chair, his brows slightly furrowed, his deep eye sockets and aquiline nose exuding an unprovoked sense of authority, his hands pressed against the armrests: "You are here to be a doctor, not to run for Lawmaker. This is a National Hospital, not a place to see who has the loudest voice."

"……I apologize." The young man's face was as indifferent and cold as the cool moon in a well; he put down the box and bowed slightly: "I was just……"

"I had originally intended to stop taking on apprentices, if not for your grandfather's request." The old man put down the documents in his hand, interlaced his fingers, and stared at the young man with cold eyes: "Have you really thought this through? The field of forensic medicine is a very famous '7K' industry."

"Do I have any other choice now?" Uesugi Muneyuki bowed again: "Before I officially become your disciple, I would like to ask you one thing."

The old man did not speak; he simply signaled with his eyes for Uesugi Muneyuki to continue.

"Was I wrong to do that?"

"Uesugi-kun." The old man seemed to have anticipated this question; he pondered for a moment and shook his head: "Whether to tell a patient their exact condition is a question that will never have a correct answer. Medicine does not possess absolutes; we are engaged in an eternal war."

"Perhaps as Zaizen said, your personality is better suited for looking at the dead than the living, because the dead do not speak, and we only need to state the facts clearly." Before the old man could finish speaking, an even louder sound came from above the ceiling.

An emotionless electronic female voice traveled through the cold corridor of the Inpatient Department, followed closely by the sound of dense footsteps.

"Professor Zaizen's general rounds."

Being a professor leading morning rounds is every doctor's dream, and now that dream was already out of reach.

"In a National Hospital, the one with the loudest voice is the professor." Uesugi Muneyuki glanced at the ceiling: "And also the one with the best medical skills."

"We have too many politicians here, but very few doctors." Professor Okochi interlaced his fingers and managed a faint smile: "If there are no other questions…… welcome to the Forensic Pathology Department, Uesugi."

Uesugi Muneyuki returned an equally awkward smile; a complex pain lingered in his chest, both aching and somewhat pleasant. He recalled his experiences over the past 22 years, and ripples appeared in his eyes.

He was not from this world; according to the traditional definition, he was a transmigrator from the Celestial Empire.

But unlike other transmigrators, Uesugi Muneyuki only awakened in his second year of high school. The reason was that he had accidentally touched the Bishamonten statue that his brother Uesugi Sadanori had brought back from an archaeological site. At that moment, he finally recalled his past life and recovered the memories of his previous existence.

Yes, he was born into the Uesugi Residence, the same Yamauchi Uesugi family as the Dragon of Echigo, Uesugi Kenshin, and the same Yonezawa Uesugi Clan as the Feudal Lord of Yonezawa Domain, Uesugi Kagekatsu. He was the second son in the family, having lived a superior and affluent life since childhood; his grandfather was a professor at the University of Tokyo, his father was the director of the Tokyo Cultural Exchange Hall, and his brother was an Archaeological Researcher at Waseda University.

Regarding how to accept the fact of his transmigration and how to accept his new identity, Uesugi Muneyuki had learned to silently accept it over the past few years. Regardless, life had to go on, and regardless, he had to strive to live, to live well.

Naturally, there was also the matter of finding that missing 'her'.

A side effect of the transmigration was that Uesugi Muneyuki liked things that were real; nothing made Uesugi Muneyuki feel more grounded than seeking the truth within a fake world.

He liked the truth.

Unfortunately, the patients did not seem to like it; he received the most complaints in the medical department. When other doctors and nurses tried to use "well-intentioned" lies to gently test whether patients understood their conditions, what Uesugi Muneyuki liked to say most was, "It is cancer."

And his medical skills could not really be considered brilliant; being able to get into Tokyo Medical and Dental University was merely the result of him bringing out the grit of a small-town test-taker from his past life and rote memorizing everything.

The result was that Uesugi Muneyuki was transferred from the glorious Surgery Department to the Forensic Pathology Department.

Forensic medicine? Even a dog wouldn't study it!

Pathology department? Even a dog wouldn't go there!

Historically, the most popular department in a hospital has always been surgery. The Forensic Medicine Department not only had no perks, but basically had no research projects, nor was there any seniority system to allow for gradual promotion. Dirty, tiring, and dangerous were the synonyms for this profession; once you were stained with the stench of a corpse, no matter how many times you bathed, you could never wash it off.

Being transferred to the Forensic Pathology Department, Uesugi Muneyuki's life was truly "made" now.

Moreover, this was a cursed profession; in the medical history of this world, the probability of forensic doctors dying mysteriously or suffering sudden death from acute illness seemed much higher than that of ordinary doctors. No normal person would want to touch it.

The "7K" mentioned by Professor Okochi referred to "dangerous, dirty, tiring, strict, no breaks, no makeup, and unable to get married," representing the seven types of work environments that Japanese people hate the most.

Unfortunately, forensic medicine checked all the boxes.

Now the whole family was finished.

Persuading people to study medicine brings down the wrath of heaven; persuading people to study forensic medicine leads to an eternal cycle of Avici hell, eating at the same table as Nurgle.

But Uesugi Muneyuki had no other choice. Perhaps as Professor Okochi said, he was better suited to looking at the dead than the living; with the dead, there was no need to consider so much.

"Familiarize yourself with the environment first; the people from the Police Station will be here soon." Professor Okochi returned to his calm, unruffled expression: "Is this your first time coming into contact with a corpse?"

"Yes." Uesugi Muneyuki was also concise; facing this "fake" world after his transmigration, he always maintained a cold face.

The already cold and quiet environment did not gain any more vitality because a newcomer had arrived. Professor Okochi sat behind his desk, Uesugi Muneyuki cleared out a workspace, and the old man and the young man remained silent, without even a shred of basic pleasantries or small talk.

Professor Okochi, a professor in the Forensic Pathology Department at Tokyo Medical and Dental University, once served a term as the Division Director of the university's medical school, and like Uesugi Muneyuki's grandfather, is a recipient of the Emperor's Award; he is a true heavyweight in the medical world.

It's just that he is not easy to get along with; if it weren't for his grandfather stepping in, he absolutely would not have taken him on.

There is always a feeling of Bodhi Patriarch taking on Sun Wukong.

So the question arises, when will Professor Okochi knock him on the head three times?

Uesugi Muneyuki arranged his things, waiting for the arrival of the Police Station.

Why did he come to study medicine?

The reason is simple: his family proposed a condition to him. As a famous scholarly family, they promised that if Uesugi Muneyuki could get into a university at or above the level of a Super International Class A University, or a university designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the family would pay his full tuition, miscellaneous fees, and living expenses.

Uesugi Muneyuki had no reason to refuse this proposal.

Spending two years, Uesugi Muneyuki raised his deviation score from 20 to nearly 70, eventually getting into the medical school of Tokyo Medical and Dental University, and his family cheered with joy.

Human joys and sorrows are not shared; Uesugi Muneyuki's sole purpose was to obtain the family's support.

Yes, the annual tuition for Tokyo Medical and Dental University is as high as 1.3 million yen, and if you add in miscellaneous fees, equipment costs, club fees, and living expenses, it costs at least 3 million yen a year.

Even as a transmigrator, Uesugi did not have the courage to shoulder over 8 million yen in scholarship loans before even entering society.

Yes, most scholarships in Japan are loans that must be repaid, and the annual interest rate is never lower than 3%; scholarship loans have even become a type of financial product.

Damn these Japanese days.

…………

After waiting for a while, someone arrived.

Two tall men in suits knocked on the door of the Forensic Pathology Department; one was old and one was young. The older man in the suit had a center-parted hairstyle, greasy hair, big eyes, and a big nose, and looked to be in his forties.

The younger man in the suit had small eyes, a thin, pockmarked face, and a fierce appearance, his cropped hair looking fresher than his greasy superior's.

"Excuse me, we are troubling you again, Professor Okochi." The older man in the suit took out his identification.

"Assistant Police Inspector Naoki Tanaka of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Otsuka Police Station."

A detective?

Uesugi Muneyuki thought calmly, because only detectives would wear plain clothes all day.

Is there a case?

The other person, Police Sergeant Kuwabara, also introduced himself.

One old and one young, a very classic pairing.

"Let's go." Professor Okochi stood up slowly, and Uesugi Muneyuki hurriedly introduced himself.

"A newcomer?" Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka looked at Uesugi Muneyuki with interest: "Whoa, it's been a long time since I've seen a newcomer like this come to study forensic medicine. You're named Uesugi, right? The Uesugi of Uesugi Kenshin?"

"That's right, the Uesugi of Lord Kenshin." Uesugi Muneyuki only felt a sense of greasiness rushing toward him.

"Then your first time will be taken by me, Naoki Tanaka!" Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka said strange things, taking the initiative to reach out to Uesugi Muneyuki: "There are many elderly people in this area, so I may have to trouble you often in the future. Please treat me well!"

"Much..." Uesugi Muneyuki reluctantly shook hands with Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka; the other person's hand was very greasy.

Sure enough, as soon as they sat in the police car, Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka became particularly interested in Uesugi Muneyuki.

The steel and concrete on both sides retreated crazily, and the conversation inside the car did not stop.

"Hey, kid, you look so handsome, do you have a girlfriend? Are her breasts big?" Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka was in high spirits; what elderly people in the Japanese workplace love most is teasing newcomers and asking all kinds of embarrassing questions. He could see that Professor Okochi had no intention of shielding Uesugi Muneyuki, and Uesugi Muneyuki himself was a pure newcomer still in his internship, naturally a good target for bullying.

This is a common obedience test in the East Asian cultural sphere, a glorious and brilliant traditional culture.

Heh, the end of a forensic pathologist.

Uesugi Muneyuki rolled his eyes and said irritably: "No girlfriend, but I do have a lover, from Musashino University. Her breasts aren't big, but her legs are quite long. I should be able to date her for a few more months before switching to the next one."

"Whoa, little brother Uesugi, you play quite wild~" Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka was very familiar, eating a rice ball in his hand in big, sweet bites: "Get ready, though this time it should be over very quickly."

"The deceased is Endo Masao, 72 years old, three generations living under one roof. The deceased was once a foreman for a construction company, and his body had entered a semi-incapacitated state since he turned 70."

"Yes, on the day of the incident, the deceased did not get up, but the family did not pay attention. It wasn't until near noon, when the family went to check on him, that they discovered he had committed suicide by hanging. The situation and the scene basically match what the family said. We need a professional doctor to issue a death certificate."

"I see." Uesugi Muneyuki was expressionless: "Is it not an unnatural death?"

"Where would there be so many unnatural deaths?" Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka looked very tired when he brought up this question: "Just close the case as a suicide. This is your first time performing a dissection on a corpse; you don't want things to become troublesome, right? Little brother Uesugi?"

Me? You're letting me do it on my first time?

Seeming to have noticed Uesugi Muneyuki's expression, Professor Okochi finally spoke.

"Yes, you will do it."

Heh, touching a corpse on the first day.

Uesugi Muneyuki closed his eyes.

This life is truly here.

After holding it in for a few months, I finally managed to squeeze out the new book. This time I will try a slightly different route, please support me.

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(End of this chapter)