Chapter 882

PS：The Tenshi binged on too many large shrimp, sea cucumber, and thyme, had a slight allergy, so today's update is one chapter first」

Uesugi Muneyuki hung up the call to the Metropolitan Police Department, stood at the main building entrance, and looked at the winding mountain road in the wind and snow.

The great Tōhoku, is my hometown~

The suona blew out a beautiful appearance~

But this suona is made of human bones……

He exhaled a puff of white air, rubbed his frozen fingers, and turned a very practical problem in his mind—what would he say when the police arrived later?

Could he really say, "I used spirit vision to see resentment here, followed the traces over, and found the dry spring packed with corpses"?

The Metropolitan Police Department people believe him, but the Aomori Prefecture Police do not.

Grassroots criminal investigators do not believe him. Prosecutors do not believe him.

Judges believe him even less.

He needs a reason that holds up scientifically, conforms to forensic standards, and can shut everyone up.

What a hassle!

Shirakawa Mai stood beside him, watching his expression, then suddenly laughed, she stretched out her arms and hugged Uesugi Muneyuki's neck, and kissed him on the lips: "What's wrong? Junior Student?"

"I'm thinking of an excuse." Uesugi Muneyuki said with a wry smile: "I can't exactly say I saw it through spirit vision, can I?"

Shirakawa Mai pulled her scarf up, covering half her face, leaving only her eyes exposed, those eyes holding a smile: "Oh, hē hē gòu gōu, exaggerated, we Uesugi teachers are the Metropolitan Police Department's Chief Forensic Examiner, the god of solving cases, Hikawa's Sherlock Holmes, the Metropolitan Police Department's Ultimate Weapon, and now you're actually worrying about how to explain to the police why you found dozens of corpses in a half-abandoned ranch."

Her eyes curved: "You could just say you 'ate hot pot while singing,' and then you found them?"

"Better to say it was Senior Student Mai's divination." Uesugi Muneyuki laughed.

"Oh, do as you like, anyway our Shinto is just like Indian medicine, emphasizing wind, water, fire, earth, everything can be discussed in terms of 'catching a chill' or 'getting fired up,' but whether you say it this way is one thing, whether the other side believes it is another." Mai Xuejie laughed. "Hē~ sure enough, you're unreliable." Uesugi Muneyuki glared at her, but the corner of his mouth unconsciously curled up a bit.

It's fine, I still have a second round!

He took out his phone, flipped to the contacts, dialed a number, it rang three times, and connected.

"Hello? Muneyuki?" The voice on the other end was somewhat hoarse, carrying the laziness of just waking up, plus a hint of hard-to-detect fatigue. Ishihara Mikoto, six months pregnant, resting at the Uesugi Mansion, was woken by the phone and probably hadn't gotten out of bed yet.

"Mikoto, it's me."

"Hmm……what's wrong?" Her voice cleared a bit, probably sensing the unusual tone in his speech, she couldn't help but complain: "Could it be another case? Oh God, you can run into cases even in that kind of place in Aomori? Are you really Hikawa's Sherlock Holmes or Hikawa's Hades?" Uesugi Muneyuki briefly explained the situation—the ranch, disabled people, large numbers of corpses, cult rituals, and his need for a "reasonable, scientifically explainable discovery reason."

He spoke quickly, clearly, as if giving a case briefing.

The other end fell silent for over half a minute, Mikoto thought for a long time before speaking, her voice now fully awake, carrying the calm and order familiar to Uesugi Muneyuki, belonging to a forensic researcher.

"Listen carefully." Mikoto said slowly: "You tell the police this—when you were investigating the hotel's paranormal incident, you noticed the hotel's groundwater was abnormal. As a forensic examiner, you have professional sensitivity to water quality, so you took a water sample and did a simple test, finding high levels of putrescine and cadaverine in the water. These two substances are biogenic amines produced by protein decay and decomposition, usually found where bodies are buried or large amounts of organic waste are dumped. You followed the groundwater flow upstream, found the contaminated water source—namely, this ranch's dry spring. As a forensic examiner, you have a duty to investigate whether the pollution source involves illegal disposal of corpses or animals."

"So you entered the ranch to inspect. During the inspection, you noticed an abnormality beneath the ice of the dry spring, observed through the ice layer and found a suspected human-shaped object. You also noticed suspicious biological material products inside the main building—such as those garments made of human skin and bone-made utensils. You suspected this was a case involving multiple corpses, possibly spanning decades, of serial murder or illegal corpse disposal, so you reported it."

She paused, then added: "Note a few details—first, you took the water sample at the hotel, not at the ranch, so no one will ask you 'Why did you take water at the ranch?' Second, putrescine and cadaverine are real chemical substances, commonly used in forensic identification, not made up. Third, you are the Chief Forensic Examiner, you say you did a water quality test, no one will question it. If someone asks, you can say the sample has already been sent to Tokyo for analysis, results not out yet. Drag it out a few days, wait for the case to be defined, then no one will keep asking."

Uesugi Muneyuki listened, ran it through in his mind, then said: "Mikoto-nee, your brain……it's a shame you're not sitting in this position of mine."

The other end transmitted a light laugh, carrying a bit of weariness, also a bit of pride: "I was never inferior to you, just lacked your luck. Alright, you handle your side, I'll go back to sleep."

"Mmm, rest well."

"You too. Don't overdo it." She hung up the phone: "The baby's dad"」

This sudden "baby's dad" made Uesugi Muneyuki's heart jolt.

However, he already had no bullets left, he'd fired them all last night.

Uesugi Muneyuki put his phone back in his pocket, and repeated Ishihara Mikoto's reason verbatim.

Shirakawa Mai listened, nodded, her expression carrying a hint of "as expected" approval: "Looks like this Mikoto-nee of yours isn't just here to give you star-anger power, she's actually got some other uses too~"

"Tsk, talking purely about forensic pure ability, I'm actually not as good as Mikoto-nee."

"She's pregnant now and can still think this thoroughly, no wonder she's the one who got you onto the forensic path." Shirakawa Mai paused: "But, how do you plan to explain that you, a forensic examiner, carry water quality testing tools on you?"

"Because I'm Uesugi Muneyuki." He said, tone flat as if saying today's weather is nice: "Whatever I carry, no one will find it strange."

Shirakawa Mai looked at him, and smiled.

That smile held a bit of helplessness, also a bit of pride—this man, indeed, has the right to say such things.

The two stood at the main building entrance waiting for police, in the wind and snow, that sheet-metal building and that dry spring blurred into a gray-white outline in their vision. Uesugi Muneyuki leaned against the doorpost, lit a cigarette, took a puff, the smoke torn apart by the wind, instantly vanishing into the air.

"Japan in such places." He suddenly said: "How can cults be so rampant here?"

"After social atomization, people always need some faith and spiritual寄托, some like winning, some stare at mobile game gacha every day, some wander around as stringers, some run fan circles." Shirakawa Mai Xuejie said casually: "Some spend all day arguing that Ultraman Dijaga's radiant form beats everything, others like to say the Tumu Fortress is in Germany, Empress Jingu crossed the sea over two thousand years ago to strike Korea in a flash, isn't that all the same logic? Oh, and there are those who spend all day arguing about me and you with GAKKI-san."

"My GAKKI? Clearly it's Hoshino Gen's GAKKI, it's Tongliao's GAKKl!"

"Indeed." Uesugi Muneyuki said seriously: "Actually all this is the civil servant group's conspiracy, the great Aryan-Slavic Khagan Esen was to rescue the sacred Ming Tenshi Zhu Qizhen from the evil control of the civil servant group, while paying tribute to the legendary world liberator Nurhaci! Thirteen Deputy Gundams rise up!"

"Pfft! Are you still going to say Zhu Qizhen carelessly lost the Yongle YKC48 Management Cover-up in Cologne Cathedral?" Shirakawa Mai Xuejie laughed. "The bones buried under Cologne Cathedral are exactly the piled white bones of my great Ming Deji Xuanwei司 soldiers!"

The two looked at each other and smiled.

They matched, all matched!

These two people are Inner World existences, Shirakawa Mai originally didn't care that much about human life, as an Inner World Person she lacks empathy for ordinary people, while Uesugi Muneyuki has seen too much.

"This is a carefully designed conspiracy." Uesugi Muneyuki suddenly said: "Senior Student, do you know the difference between Japan and the United States in cultural aid?"

Americans and Japanese are different at the core.

Americans will take advantage if they can, mooch if they can, today they get food stamps, tomorrow they go to the supermarket to exchange for steak, the day after they feel it's not enough and can still go to government offices to hold signs and protest.

They don't feel ashamed, because that's their "deserved rights."

So the American aid system must be designed as "active application"—you want it, you speak up, if you don't speak up, no one gives you. Because once the flood comes, countless people will loophole, take relief grain back to hoard in garages to get moldy.

Japanese are different. Japanese are reserved, hate to trouble others, unwilling to ask for help.

Sometimes they'd rather let one person starve to death at home, neighbors might not even know he lost his job.

So the Japanese aid system must be designed as "universal coverage"—no need for you to speak up, the government actively sends welfare to your hands. Because if you don't send it, those truly in need will never come forward to ask.

This is why national conditions differ and cannot be mechanically copied.

And the two sides' attitudes toward charity also differ.

Japanese people's donation tendency in developed countries is the lowest, because in the eyes of Japanese people, they have already paid so much tax that it is equivalent to doing charity; the state has collected the money, and relief is the state's responsibility, rain I have no melon.

Moreover, they are actually very clear that the money they donate basically does not reach the hands of disaster victims; on the contrary, folding a big pile of little stars and paper cranes really can reach the hands of disaster victims.

Only when something like the "Great East Japan Earthquake" truly occurs do Japanese people enthusiastically donate.

And Americans are very enthusiastic about doing charity; in reality, civilian charity NGOs and countless grassroots organizations are extremely keen on this, everywhere. "I know, the disabled people at this ranch are just the loophole in the Japanese-style relief system." Shirakawa Mai lowered her voice: "The government gives welfare to them, arranges work for them, writes the result 'they have already been relieved' in the report, and then no longer manages them. Because they have already been 'relieved,' their existence has already been resolved, and they do not need to be seen again. When they 'resign,' welfare institutions think 'oh, they have gone to society to live independently,' local governments think 'oh, their welfare burden has been transferred out from us,' and no one goes to ask one by one where they went? Are they living well? Are they still alive? Because asking requires cost, requires people, requires money. And no one is willing to spend more cost on those who have already been 'resolved.'"

"Yes, this is probably the reason why such a place can continue to operate for many years." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded: "Anyway, people have already been relieved, afterward it is their 'voluntary resignation,' and thereafter no one pays attention."

"You say this matter, does the Tsugaru family know?" The senior student said in a low voice.

"Hehe, I think…… they are doing it on purpose." Uesugi Muneyuki raised his eyebrows.

The two people were silent for a while.

In the distance, the police siren sound grew closer and closer.

After ten or so minutes, the first police car drove into the ranch.

A white Toyota Crown, with the words "Aomori Channel Police" printed on the car door, splashed snow mist in the snow.

Before the car had even stopped steadily, a middle-aged man in a dark blue uniform jumped out from the front passenger seat, followed by several young police officers, their expressions all that kind of tension and bewilderment when just receiving an urgent task.

The team leader was a police inspector from the Criminal Investigation Division of the Aomori Prefecture Police Headquarters, surnamed Sato, in his forties, with wrinkles on his face as if carved by wind and snow. He stood at the main building entrance, looking at Uesugi Muneyuki, first saluted, then spoke, his voice somewhat tense: "Uesugi Chief, I am Sato from the Criminal Investigation Division of the Aomori Prefecture Police. The Metropolitan Police Department said you discovered……a large number of corpses?"

"Follow me." Uesugi Muneyuki turned and walked toward the dry spring.

Inspector Sato followed behind, and several police officers also followed up.

The snow was very deep, stepping on it produced a "creak creak" sound, especially clear in the open snowfield.

Several people walked to the edge of the dry spring, Uesugi Muneyuki squatted down, used gloves to sweep away the snow on the ice surface, the ice layer was transparent, and the things below were faintly visible in the grayish-white daylight. Inspector Sato also squatted down, looking beneath the ice layer.

Several people looked for half a minute before they could see clearly what was beneath the ice layer.

Then he stood up, retreated two steps, his face as white as the snowfield behind him.

His lips moved a few times, wanting to say something, but he said nothing.

A young police officer following behind him looked beneath the ice layer for a long time, then directly turned and ran to the side, bent over and vomited, his voice echoing in the open snowfield, like some injured animal calling.

Another police officer stood in place, the whole person as if nailed there, eyes fixed on the ice layer below, pupils contracted to the size of a needle tip, the walkie-talkie in his hand fell onto the snow, making a "puff" muffled sound.

Inspector Sato took a deep breath, squatted down, and looked again for the second time.

This time he looked more carefully—those twisted limbs, those open mouths, those wide-open eyes. Layer upon layer, neatly arranged, like goods on shelves.

He stood up, picked up the walkie-talkie from the snow, pressed the talk button. When he spoke, his voice was very steady, but the hand holding the walkie-talkie was trembling: "Chief, I am Sato. Scene confirmed. Large number of remains discovered in the dry spring, quantity……preliminarily estimated over thirty. The scene also discovered suspected bone-made utensils and suspected skin-made products! We need support! Forensic pathologists, forensic identification division, mobile team, maintenance squad—all needed. Please immediately contact the Immortal Law Medical Bureau and the Metropolitan Police Department, please send personnel to support!"

The walkie-talkie was silent for a few seconds, then came an aged but steady voice: "Understood, we must reassemble the police force! You hold the scene, no one may enter or exit."

Inspector Sato put down the walkie-talkie, turned and looked at Uesugi Muneyuki.

What exactly are you……the Hikawa Sherlock Holmes or the Hikawa Paul Bunyan???

"Uesugi Teacher," his voice somewhat hoarse: "How did you discover this place?"

Uesugi Muneyuki looked at him, expression calm.

Water quality testing, cadaverine, putrescine, groundwater pollution source tracing.

"……That's how it is." He finally said.

Inspector Sato listened, nodded his head, and did not ask further.

He believed it.

Because he is Uesugi Muneyuki.

The police who arrived at the scene opened the main gate, glanced at the scene from afar, and quickly realized what kind of place Uesugi Muneyuki had discovered.

Something happened!

Something major happened!!!