Chapter 2: , Can Corpses Talk?

Bunkyo Ward, one of the twenty-three wards of Tokyo, is an academic hub in the central region of Tokyo. Dozens of higher education institutions, including the main campus of Tokyo University, have established parts of their campuses in Bunkyo Ward, and naturally, this includes the Tokyo Medical and Dental University where Uesugi Muneyuki is enrolled.

With the sprawl of universities and land being worth its weight in gold, one can see many super-large apartment buildings known as "Tower Mansions" in Bunkyo Ward, but there are still more detached houses and low-rise campus buildings. The roads are very congested, with a constant flow of people, mostly office workers and students. A unique scholarly atmosphere permeates the air of Bunkyo Ward. Cherry blossoms are in full bloom on both sides of the road, but the hurried Tokyoites have no time to appreciate them; they only deserve a fleeting glance while waiting for traffic lights before they must busy themselves with making a living.

The road is not long, yet there are over a dozen traffic lights along the way. Police Sergeant Kuwabara is driving, and Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka is chatting with Uesugi Muneyuki intermittently. Although Uesugi Muneyuki's attitude is not particularly good, Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka is tireless; it is evident that although he is very tired, he is in quite a good mood.

Uesugi Muneyuki feels irritable and displeased, but he cannot truly fall out with the police, so he can only answer reluctantly. An Assistant Police Inspector might not be much at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, but someone like Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka, who works as a detective at a local police station, is already considered a capable officer. If Uesugi Muneyuki continues to pursue the path of a Forensic Pathologist in the future, he will truly have no shortage of contact with this guy.

The lowest rank for Japanese police is Patrol Officer; this rank is generally not considered a formal appointment, which is to say it corresponds to an "auxiliary police officer." Patrol Officer is the lowest and most exhausting rank in the Japanese police. Above it is "Patrol Sergeant," a rank specifically established as a consolation for those who have not successfully transitioned from "auxiliary" to regular status after 5 years. Although the rank does not actually rise, the benefits and status are slightly better.

Above Patrol Sergeant is Police Sergeant; only upon reaching this level is one considered a formally appointed staff member. Takagi Wataru from *Conan* is a Police Sergeant. This level is also a labor-intensive one and is considered the most exhausting tier. Whenever you see someone standing guard on the street, chasing criminals by car, running around on the front lines, or isolating a scene with their hands behind their backs, nine times out of ten, it is a Police Sergeant.

Further up is the Assistant Police Inspector; only at this rank does one have the authority to independently handle cases and enforce the law. Sato Miwako from *Conan* is at this level.

"So, little brother Uesugi, why did you come to be a Forensic Pathologist?" Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka says with a rice ball in his mouth: "The monthly salary for an intern Forensic Pathologist like you is only 220,000, the same as Kuwabara, but we police get seventeen months of pay. Namu San, you could make more than that in a week if you went to be a host."

Professor Okochi says nothing, Police Sergeant Kuwabara giggles incessantly, and the police car is filled with a joyful atmosphere.

In the Japan of this world, Forensic Pathologists are extremely scarce. Only the two cities of Tokyo and Osaka have specialized forensic institutions. Furthermore, due to cultural traditions, ethnic customs, religious beliefs, and the frequent occurrence of mysterious incidents, very, very few people are willing to be Forensic Pathologists, let alone a young, handsome man like Uesugi Muneyuki who transferred from the Department of Surgery.

Uesugi Muneyuki sighs and decides to turn up the intensity: "Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka, the tuition for Tokyo Medical and Dental University is 1.3 million a year. If you count club fees, equipment, and various miscellaneous expenses, then the money spent on studies in one year is 2 million."

"Tuition can be paid in advance every half year. Student apartments in Bunkyo Ward cost about 60,000 a month for the cheaper ones. No matter how much you save on clothing, food, water, electricity, and daily expenses, 100,000 yen a month is a must. That is why over sixty percent of students in the university are doing various part-time jobs to subsidize their expenses."

"But I am different. I haven't worked a part-time job for even a single day in these four-plus years. Just as I started university, my family paid for my tuition and miscellaneous fees for all five years in one go. I live in a single apartment provided by my family, with a market value of 120,000 a month, and my father also gives me 300,000 in living expenses every month. As long as I work properly and live properly, my family doesn't care about this bit of money." Uesugi Muneyuki raises an eyebrow: "But if I want to drop out halfway, if I refuse to accept the school's recommendation to transfer to the Forensic Medicine Department, Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka, do you guess my family will still support me? Can I still continue to live in the apartment?"

Every word from Uesugi Muneyuki makes the smile on Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka's face disappear by a fraction.

Namu San! This little brother is a rich kid!

Are you showing off?! My take-home pay is only 350,000 yen a month!

It is not until hearing the end that the smile finally returns to Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka's face. Thinking that even a rich little brother has to engage in forensic work and keep company with corpses, Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka's mood feels much better.

Wait!

Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka suddenly realizes something: "Uesugi? Bunkyo Ward? Could it be, little brother, your Uesugi is the Uesugi of Uesugi Kenshin?!"

"Otherwise? Could it be the Uesugi of Uesugi Tatsuya?"

Uesugi Muneyuki's words kill the game; Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka finally stops talking. Professor Okochi, however, cannot help but glance at Uesugi Muneyuki, but immediately closes his eyes again.

Silence returns to the car, and Uesugi Muneyuki rubs his eyes.

If he does not accept the recommendation, he can only drop out of Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Once he drops out, his family will definitely cut off all funding for him, and his only ending will be to find a job at a local clinic.

Uesugi Muneyuki will not do such a thing. What era is it now? He knew from his previous life that these days, if you insist on suffering without needing to rely on your family, there is something wrong with your brain.

But if you think you don't need to work hard just because you can rely on your family, that is also pure stupidity.

His father promised 300,000 in living expenses every month for the five years of university. Therefore, according to Uesugi Muneyuki's estimation, this 300,000 can be received at most until April of next year, and it is already May now; he can receive it for at most one more year.

Actually, Uesugi Muneyuki knows very well that as long as he softens his stance, his father would be willing to continue giving him living expenses. But he has already spent 25 million of his family's money over the five years of university. To still ask his father for living expenses after starting work—given Uesugi Muneyuki's own pride, he cannot do it.

As a result, now he cannot look at the living and has to look at the dead; he cannot be a glorious surgeon and has to be a Forensic Pathologist.

So be it. Having lived two lives, this time I, Uesugi Muneyuki, will truly have severed the ties of the world and exhausted the golden sea.

————I am the separator line for exhausting the golden sea————

The Endo Residence is located in a relatively remote residential area in Bunkyo Ward. This place is full of old "detached houses" from the eighties and nineties. Specifically, it is the kind of single-family house like Nobita Nobi's or Crayon Shin-chan's. Although it is a detached house, the actual living area is very narrow. Three generations live together in a two-story house totaling no more than sixty square meters.

The architectural style of Japan dictates the existence of a large number of "detached houses." This is different from the dense pigeonholes and giant high-rise residential buildings of the Celestial Empire in his previous life, so people can often identify which country it is through a single city photo. However, because land prices are very expensive in Tokyo and Osaka, there are also a large number of high-rise residential buildings. Good residences are called "Tower Mansions," worse ones are called "apartments," and even worse are "housing complexes."

"Excuse me." Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka shows his police ID at the door.

The deceased's son, Endo Masao, is about 40 years old, with a complex expression and a decadent appearance; he looks like he hasn't bathed in days. Seeing the police arrive, he only responds softly. The daughter-in-law, Endo Matsu, suppresses her emotions and holds her little grandson in her arms.

"We are here to issue the death certificate." Entering work mode, Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka's expression becomes much more serious.

"Sorry for the trouble." Endo Masao bows and clears the way.

The house is very typical Japanese-style. The tatami mats, wooden stairs, and screen doors are very old, and they creak when walked upon. The old chandelier emits a faint light. The corpse is placed in the old man's room, with a white cloth covering the face, appearing particularly eerie in the dim environment.

"Uesugi, today is your first time, so you do it." Professor Okochi says calmly: "The judgment of suicide is very simple. You were originally from the Department of Surgery, so you should be able to judge it easily. You only need to verify the method of death, then sign the death report stating the cause of death, and it can be successfully completed."

"Yes, it is just that simple, little brother Uesugi, I believe in you." Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka pats Uesugi Muneyuki on the shoulder: "Just finish it quickly; this is the simplest job. It is very common for the older generation who have struggled to be unable to accept the fact that they cannot take care of themselves in their later years and need family care, choosing to end their lives to reduce the burden on the family."

Uesugi Muneyuki nods. This is the traditional culture of the "little days." He takes a few deep breaths and tremblingly tries to reach out his hand, wanting to lift the white cloth on the corpse's face.

Just as he reaches out and grabs the white cloth, the old man under the white cloth suddenly trembles.

This tremble scares Uesugi Muneyuki into breaking out in a cold sweat; he recoils repeatedly as if electrocuted and bumps his butt against the cabinet behind him!

Thump~

The doll on the cabinet falls to the ground, followed by Uesugi Muneyuki's uncertain gasping: "The, the corpse moved? Professor!"

Laughter erupts all around. The old professor says nothing, the two detectives laugh non-stop, and Uesugi Muneyuki notices that the son, Endo Masao, has a complex expression, while the daughter-in-law, Endo Matsu, cannot help but laugh, but immediately restrains herself and covers her little grandson's eyes with both hands.

"This is Corpse Stiffness." Professor Okochi is not surprised by this: "Uesugi, more than 20 hours have passed since the deceased died. The condition of Corpse Stiffness begins to weaken as the protein in the body decomposes, so we will see the dead body have faint signs of movement under external stimulation. This should be common sense."

I lost my composure! So why on earth did I want to study medicine back then?

Oh right, it was because she once told me that she was a top student who graduated from the Medical Department of Osaka Naniwa University.

Uesugi Muneyuki regains his composure. He warns himself that he must get used to it, and then begins the autopsy.

The deceased, Endo Masao, 72 years old, semi-incapacitated since 70. Lifting the white cloth on his face, Uesugi Muneyuki notices a towel wrapped around the corpse's neck, traces of ulceration and bruising near the lips, and eyes tightly closed.

"Why is there a towel wrapped around it?" Uesugi Muneyuki is a bit puzzled.

"Oh, it's because Father often couldn't control his drool, leaking half of what he ate while eating, so there must be a towel to wipe his mouth at all times. Sorry, my wife is very busy with the child, and sometimes the towel isn't changed in time, so there are signs of some ulceration." Endo Masao hurriedly bows to apologize: "Yesterday morning, my wife was also too tired, and seeing that Father didn't get up, she didn't call him, and then at noon..."

Uesugi Muneyuki removes the towel, and sure enough, there is a deep ligature mark on the neck.

"How is it, Uesugi, confirmed? No questions, right? There is a ligature mark on the neck, the deceased was in a semi-incapacitated state and unable to leave the house, and there are no suspicious circumstances nearby. Without a doubt, it is a hanging suicide." Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka crosses his arms: "If you feel it's okay, sign the death certificate."

However, Uesugi Muneyuki does not answer.

When he touched the corpse, something was triggered.

His right hand is glowing! And he is the only one who can see that his right hand is glowing!

What is this? Why is this?

Wait, what exactly is this world...

"I..."

Uesugi Muneyuki was forced to swallow before he could finish speaking; he seemed very uncomfortable, so uncomfortable that he kept dry-heaving and coughing violently.

Is this newcomer going to be okay?

Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka asked Professor Okochi with his eyes.

Professor Okochi sighed lightly; it was normal to be like this when facing a corpse for the first time, but this did not make for a qualified Forensic Pathologist.

"I'll do it." The old professor took out rubber gloves.

"Wait... wait!" Uesugi Muneyuki dry-heaved, clutched his own throat, and said with difficulty: "Regarding Mr. Endo's death, I have questions!"

The earth-shattering words pierced through the wooden structure of the building.

Everyone present was dumbfounded.

"What kind of joke are you making, little brother Uesugi." Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka was the first to react; he put his hands on his hips, both annoyed and speechless: "Can you not say such troublesome things?"

"Look, there are ligature marks on the deceased's neck, the body has entered Corpse Stiffness, and there are no suspicious persons nearby; if this isn't suicide, then what is it?" The wrinkles on Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka's face were almost squeezed together: "With such a simple suicide, what else is there to be suspicious about? It's so obvious; if it's not suicide, could it be murder?"

"This, it cannot be determined yet." Uesugi Muneyuki wiped his nose hard, looking at his right hand full of doubt; faced with Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka's question, Uesugi Muneyuki's expression was also uncertain, but he insisted: "I believe the cause of death of the deceased cannot be determined, and I request an Administrative Autopsy!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka's face turned black.

According to the Japan Corpse Dissection and Preservation Act, if the Forensic Pathologist performing the Autopsy cannot determine the cause of death, the body must be further dissected; this is done to protect the human rights of the deceased, and even if it is unrelated to a crime, a Forensic Pathologist can request a Dissection, which is an Administrative Autopsy.

If the body is confirmed to be related to a crime, then the Dissection will be conducted under the direction of a Prosecutor, which is a Judicial Autopsy.

Once the words "Administrative Autopsy" were spoken, the Endo family's faces turned deathly pale, and upon seeing this scene, Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka simply pulled Uesugi Muneyuki aside to signal for a private word.

In the dim corridor, the middle-aged Detective pressed his hands on Uesugi Muneyuki's shoulders: "Newcomer! Newcomer Forensic Pathologist! Can you not do such troublesome things?"

"This is as obvious a suicide as it gets! I've handled I don't know how many cases in Bunkyo Ward over 20 years; elderly people who have lost their independence cannot accept their situation, feel they are a burden to their families, and choose to end it themselves—isn't that a very normal thing?"

"We checked, there are rope marks on the ceiling beam, ligature marks on the neck, and the family's description is consistent; in this situation, if you just sign the appraisal report, won't this matter be over?" Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka wrinkled his face: "I've been busy since last night; can you just have some pity on me, please? Can you?"

Uesugi Muneyuki still shook his head: "No, the cause of death cannot be confirmed yet; an Administrative Autopsy is required."

"You... are you sick?" Assistant Police Inspector Tanaka was speechless at this young man.

"Um..." Just at this moment, the deceased's son, Endo Shosaku, also snuck closer; his expression looked both nervous and displeased: "Mr. Forensic Pathologist, is a Dissection really necessary? Father once said during his lifetime that he hoped to be buried with dignity."

"A Dissection is necessary." Uesugi Muneyuki said coldly; he stared fixedly at the deceased's son with a pair of sharp eyes and suddenly smiled: "Mr. Endo, killing your own father with your own hands, it doesn't feel good inside, does it?"

The young Forensic Pathologist's eyes were like needles, like sharp scalpels, tearing open the deepest secret in his heart.

Endo Shosaku's face turned deathly pale; faced with Uesugi Muneyuki's sharp gaze, his expression was blank: "Mr. Forensic Pathologist, what, what, what are you saying? He is my father, why would I..."

It's true!

Uesugi Muneyuki saw Endo Shosaku's complexion and finally confirmed the truth of the matter.

It really was him! The deceased's son had actually colluded with his daughter-in-law to strangle his own father to death!

He raised his right hand, and in his eyes, the azure gemstone beneath the skin of his right hand was glowing.

Just a moment ago, the moment he reached out and touched the corpse, the azure gemstone's halo had a miraculous reaction with the dark green Dead Soul.

The deceased had spoken!

The Dead Soul of Endo Masao told Uesugi Muneyuki that this was not a suicide, but a murder!

Can a corpse talk?

I was busy preparing the contract, sorry for being late~

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(End of this chapter)