I, Aki Tomoya, will not be a simp.

Page 254

Speaking of the former, we must mention Japan's damned atmosphere and culture. The bizarre concept of victim blaming exists everywhere, but Japan is arguably one of the places where it is most severe.

The latter, if analyzed, can be traced back to the bursting of the bubble economy, where the Plaza Accord by the United States almost made it impossible for Japan to recover.

From a time when everyone held their heads high to a time when many companies went bankrupt and countless people lost their jobs, perhaps the homeless person you see on the neon-lit streets today was once the owner of some startup company.

Osaka's slums are just a wall away from its most prosperous areas; there are many poor people in the neon-lit city, and many who can't make a living.

"Yeah, it's almost Christmas, let's not cause any more trouble. It's probably suicide!"

When Mori Tadashi heard Aki Tomoya mention Christmas, he couldn't help but speak up.

Although he had grown somewhat accustomed to this aversion to trouble, even he himself knew that it was impossible to get a group of forensic scientists with strong principles to give him the runaround.

Mori Tadashi's words, aside from making him seem unreliable, are utterly meaningless.

An autopsy is still necessary. Since there are doubts, this detective had better listen carefully.

Two autopsy tables were set up, one for the Sancheng class and the other for the Nakado class, to conduct autopsies on the bodies brought in by the police.

The first few bodies were all found to be dead without any issues; autopsies confirmed that they were all cases of suicide by charcoal burning and poisoning.

"Suicide, nice!"

The way Mori Tadashi suddenly raised his fist and shouted suggests that he desperately wanted the case to be classified as a mass suicide as soon as possible. That way, he could just write the report and wouldn't have to bother with any investigation.

If it is determined to be a homicide, then Mori Tadahisa will have no choice but to lead an investigation.

Before this guy even confirmed it, he really hoped it was all suicide; he really didn't hold back when it came to finding things troublesome.

However, if it is confirmed to be homicide, Mori Tadahisa must continue the investigation.

To put it nicely, Mori Tadashi didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble; to put it bluntly, he was neglecting his duty.

As an outsider, it's difficult to judge whether this guy is tired of his job, but at a time like this, facing a policeman like this, one doesn't know what to say.

Tadaharu Mori hoped that UDI could provide a report on the nature of these deaths, which were all suicides by burning charcoal. After the first few bodies were confirmed as suicides, he breathed a sigh of relief.

There's only one female body left. Once we determine the cause of death for this last woman, we can decide what to do next.

If it was suicide, then all you need to do is write a report.

However, if there is any suspicion of homicide, it must be investigated further.

Mori Tadashi secretly hoped it was a suicide.

However, things didn't go as planned. Mikoto Misumi eventually found something suspicious about the female corpse, proving that the last female corpse was different from the other remains and that there was a high possibility that it was murdered.

Upon hearing the assessment of the nature of Misumi Mikoto's death, Mori Tadashi closed his eyes, resigned to accepting the reality.

"I'm going to be busy again!"

We're certainly busy. Since it's a homicide case, it's necessary to investigate further.

First, we need to find out the identities of all the deceased, especially the female corpse.

……

The job of a forensic pathologist is to perform autopsies, determine the cause of death, provide the police with scientific analysis, and provide clues that can help solve the case.

However, the forensic scientists at UDI are a bit strange, because some of them seem to want to do even the investigation work.

"Kube-kun, are you investigating a case again?"

Aki Tomoya knew that Misumi's class was investigating the case.

Not only does she work as a forensic pathologist, but it seems that Mikoto Misumi also takes on the role of a detective.

"Huh, huh, huh! What?!"

Kube Rokuro, who was looking at his phone, was startled and didn't hear what Aki Tomoya was saying at all.

The latter gave Kube Rokuro a strange look, his gaze lingering subtly on the other's phone screen.

"Is the report about the suicide by burning charcoal related to that previous case?"

Aki Tomoya assumed that Kube Rokuro was looking at reports of previous cases, but he had no idea that the news on Kube Rokuro's phone was from decades ago.

Kube Rokuro nodded and then shook his head, a reaction that left Aki Tomoya puzzled.

At the same time, Aki Tomoya also saw some guilt in the other person's eyes.

It's really strange; I have no idea what this guy is feeling guilty about.

"Are you OK?"

Chapter 293 Curiosity Killed the Cat (1/?)

The claim that four people made a suicide pact through a website was made before the true cause of death of the unidentified woman was confirmed.

The other three victims, according to police investigations, were either terminally ill, unemployed, divorced, or filled with despair about life.

Their cause of death was clear: carbon monoxide poisoning.

The last unidentified female corpse, although it superficially exhibited characteristics similar to death from carbon monoxide poisoning, with its surface appearing orange-red, actually died from freezing.

A note was found in his stomach, undoubtedly a message left before his death.

There is a strong possibility of murder.

The other three made a suicide pact through a website, but the remaining woman may have been murdered and her death staged as a carbon monoxide suicide like the others.

People who want to commit suicide drag others down with them. The previous victims seemed quite desperate before their deaths, but involving innocent people is despicable.

In Misumi's class, Kube Rokuro assisted in the investigation of several questionable cases. It's unclear whether this "meddling" was influenced by Misumi Mikoto or if he was simply interested in such matters himself.

However, this boy who took the exam three times before finally getting into a third-rate medical university is acting a bit strange now.

"No, it's nothing, I was just thinking about something..."

Kube Rokuro put the phone screen back in his pocket, his tone somewhat ambiguous.

What he had just seen was not a report about the case, but a news article from decades ago that someone had given him earlier.

However, he couldn't directly tell Aki Tomoya, who was next to him, that the news he was watching was about Misumi Mikoto.

"Aki-kun, do you know anything about Dr. Misumi?"

Just then, Rokuro Kube tentatively asked.

Aki Tomoya has been at UDI longer than him, and I wonder if he knows anything about Misumi Mikoto's past.

However, Kube Rokuro's question made Aki Tomoya frown.

"As far as I know, Dr. Misumi is a very skilled forensic scientist."

Is that all?

It seems like they don't know much about it...

Kube Rokuro pushed up his glasses and remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.

Aki Tomoya felt increasingly puzzled, not understanding what the other party was worried about.

Are you curious about Dr. Misumi?

Aki Tomoya asked.

Unlike him, he is also a medical student working part-time here, but it feels like Kube Rokuro's mind isn't on these things.

To put it nicely, it's called letting nature take its course; to put it bluntly, this person probably hasn't figured out why they studied medicine or why they're doing this part-time job.

At least while working here, Aki Tomo doesn't have much time to think about other people's affairs.

"It's alright..."

As if his secret had been exposed, Kube Rokuro replied awkwardly.

Does he mean to say that he even knows that Mikoto Misumi's original surname was Amamiya, that her family suffered a sudden change when she was young, and that her biological parents and younger brother were killed by her mother?

To be honest, Kube Rokuro had mixed feelings after being told what had happened.

Such a remarkable person, yet he has such a past.

"...Sometimes I'm quite curious about Dr. Nakado."

Aki Tomoya said the same thing.

There's nothing wrong with being curious about other people's affairs, just don't do anything stupid out of a sense of cleverness.

Based on past experience, Nakado Kei is a guy with a foul mouth, but he doesn't seem as cold and unapproachable as he appears.

Aki Tomoya was curious about why that big shot was lying on the dissection table and what his past was like. He tried to ask him a few times, but he didn't get any answers.

Since the other party was unwilling to talk, he didn't plan to ask any further questions or even investigate on his own.

Why investigate other people's past when they don't even talk about it? Isn't that just being a busybody?

"Speaking of Dr. Nakado, I really admire how you managed to get along with him!"

As if he had found an opportunity to change the subject, Kube Rokuro immediately shifted the topic to Nakado Kei.

Kube Rokuro had heard Sakamoto Makoto mention Nakado Kei's involvement with UDI.