Chapter 25: The Shinagawa Train Corpse Case

July in Tokyo is like a furnace, baking the earth. Outside, the sun burns with intense heat, while inside, the air conditioning hums a gentle breeze. The Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital is as busy as ever, with a constant stream of people coming and going.

In terms of medical prowess, the hospital is considered top-tier but at the lower end of the spectrum, slightly behind the prestigious University of Tokyo Hospital and other world-class medical institutions. However, it possesses a unique advantage: it specializes in dentistry and rare, complex diseases. As a result, it attracts a steady flow of patients, including those with rare conditions that baffle even the most advanced frontier medical technologies, making them invaluable for research.

This has led to the hospital housing many patients who have no hope of recovery; all they can do is wait for the end.

Uesugi Muneyuki has not been in the surgical department for long, but he deeply detests certain medical practices. He understands that the wealthy get the best service while the poor must fend for themselves—after all, the hospital is not a charity. What truly disgusts him is the disparity in how different cases are handled.

If a case has research value, the hospital pulls out all the stops to keep the patient alive, using "white lies" to give them false hope. Once the patient is drained of all vitality, they persuade the family to consent to an autopsy to secure precious samples. Conversely, if a case has no research value, they subtly or overtly demand the patient be transferred, sometimes even forcibly packing them off to lower-tier hospitals to wait for death.

What is the true essence of medicine? Is the ultimate goal of medical science the advancement of frontier technology, or the complete healing of all patients?

This is one of the ultimate dilemmas in human history, and Uesugi Muneyuki has no answer. All he can do is refuse to conceal, refuse to deceive, and refuse to profit. It is that simple.

Precisely because of this, he could not survive in the surgical department.

Reflecting on it, Uesugi admits his mentality was somewhat twisted after he awakened. It was only after unlocking the "Dead Soul Pact" and receiving a form of compensation that his mindset gradually stabilized.

"If Director Ukai hadn't handpicked me back then, I might still be running errands for Professor Zaizen in the First Surgery Department," he mused. "Of course, being a surgeon isn't bad, but forensic medicine offers me a much broader horizon."

Uesugi toyed with his pen for a while, returning to his studies. He focused on anatomy texts, reading about "vital reactions" and contemplating how to better integrate the information from the Dead Soul Pact with his forensic expertise to ensure his findings were well-supported.

A moment later, the office door opened, and Professor Okochi walked in with his briefcase. As a retired professor rehired by the university, he is exceptionally punctual unless something urgent arises.

Uesugi immediately stood up, intending to say good morning, but stopped when he saw the peculiar expression on the professor's face. "Uesugi-kun, there is a policewoman at the door looking for you."

A policewoman?

Uesugi was taken aback. He glanced toward the door and saw Ikeda Erena peering in.

Her crisp, tea-colored hair, cut just above her ears, was impeccably groomed. Her brows carried a unique, heroic air, and her light brown eyes held a trace of aloofness. She stood at the door in a sky-blue long-sleeved police uniform shirt paired with a navy blue skirt. Her beautiful, striking face showed a hint of nervousness, which only eased the moment she saw Uesugi. Her impressive, curvaceous figure relaxed along with her mood.

Her long legs, wrapped in matte nude pantyhose, were slender and straight. Even in basic black low-heeled commuting shoes, the arch of her foot, covered by a thin layer of silk, appeared silky and soft.

"Ms. Ikeda?" Uesugi greeted her. Seeing her in uniform, even Uesugi, who had cycled through many lovers in high school and college across two lifetimes, couldn't help but feel his eyes light up. The combination of the uniform, the stockings, and Ikeda Erena’s unique blend of feistiness, sunshine, and cold aloofness was simply breathtaking.

"Good morning, Mr. Uesugi. I need your help with something." For some reason, seeing Uesugi automatically lowered Ikeda’s mental and physical guard. However, noticing Professor Okochi present, she remained tense and said stiffly, "It’s an autopsy. Please come with me."

"Alright, one moment, let me gather my things." Uesugi nodded, gesturing for her to wait a moment. "Is there a new case at the precinct?"

Uesugi had a vague feeling that "Old Man Tanaka" and his crew were intentionally dumping this hot potato on him. Ever since Erena had visited him once, those guys stopped coming altogether, always sending Erena to fetch him instead.

In Tanaka’s words, Erena was a super-troublesome "boss killer" who exploded at the slightest touch, but Uesugi felt that after getting to know her, she wasn't that strange at all. He had always seen her in neutral office wear—trousers and leather shoes—which were nice, but he always felt something was missing. Seeing her in a police uniform with a skirt and heels today was a feast for the eyes.

"Inspector Moritsugu from the Shinagawa Precinct in Shinagawa Ward has asked for your help," Ikeda said. She felt uncomfortable under Professor Okochi’s scrutiny, so her tone remained rigid. "During a routine inspection by JR East, a corpse was discovered under one of the commuter trains!"

"Oh?" Uesugi’s interest was piqued.

Things were getting interesting. He gathered his things and signaled, "Let’s go."

"Right." The scrutinizing gaze of Professor Okochi made Ikeda very uncomfortable. As soon as Uesugi said they were leaving, she turned and strode away, the sound of her black patent leather heels clicking crisply against the floor as she hurried to keep pace with him.

***

Once they were outside, Uesugi asked with interest, "Why the uniform today? Don't you detectives usually go without them?"

"We still have to wear them for monthly meetings, annual ceremonies, and certain official activities." The area was noisy, with the hospital lobby bustling with people, a far cry from the quiet peace of the forensic pathology department. Yet, Ikeda felt much more at ease. "I was supposed to attend a regular meeting today, but received a last-minute notice to come find you."

It was just the two of them again, which felt very comfortable.

"But if it’s the Shinagawa Precinct, shouldn’t someone from their station come to find me?" Uesugi wondered. "Why send you?"

Ikeda’s expression shifted instantly, and the sound of her heels hitting the ground grew heavier. "Who knows?"

"It’s fine, though. I actually feel more at ease working with you. If it were someone I didn't know, we’d have to go through the trouble of adjusting to each other again. I’m a forensic doctor; my job is to get to the truth, and I find complex interpersonal relationships quite tiresome," Uesugi added.

Hearing this, Ikeda’s expression softened. She smoothed her tea-colored bangs with her fair wrist, thinking that this was how a normal man should be. Her steps grew lighter. "Too many people here. Let’s talk in the car."

"Right."

Even though it was the height of a sweltering summer, it felt like a warm spring day. Being around Uesugi made Ikeda feel as if she were in a serene forest with mountain streams. The man’s jade-like presence seeped into her heart, bringing a sense of peace and safety that made her less tense and less prone to emotional outbursts.

After getting into the car, Ikeda awkwardly stepped on the brake, not starting the engine right away.

"What’s wrong?" Uesugi put down his briefcase, noticing her hesitation.

"About that club... the Metropolitan Police Department took over. The investigation concluded that Takigawa Tsubasa was indeed a former yakuza member, but the result was that the KJDZ Club was left to handle it internally. Tsubasa was expelled and is now missing." Ikeda bit her lip, looking deeply unsatisfied. "In the end, the true culprit wasn't punished at all. If I had known, I should have..."

"Article 1, Section 1 of the Police Duties Execution Act of Japan states that police officers must fulfill their duties to protect the life, body, and property of individuals, prevent crime, maintain public safety, and enforce the law, with loyalty to their duties as their primary responsibility. Based on this law, police are responsible for protecting the safety of the citizens," Uesugi said softly, eyes closed. "However, there is no law that protects the police officers themselves."

"What do you mean?" Ikeda asked, confused. "So, we should..."

"What I mean is, before doing something, we must prioritize thinking about how to protect ourselves," Uesugi said, shaking his head earnestly. "People who can open clubs like that in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho—who are they backed by? They have ties to people even higher up than the Metropolitan Police Department. Ms. Ikeda, you don't really think the evidence we submitted is enough to shut down a club, do you?"

"I don't care!" Ikeda slammed the steering wheel in anger.

"But I do!" Uesugi retorted sharply. "Are you an idiot? If you love exploding things so much, why don't you just shoot the host directly?"

Ikeda froze.

Uesugi exhaled through his nose, thinking it was no surprise Tanaka and the others were afraid of her. Still fuming, he shook his head. "If you had actually done that, the result would be that the matter wouldn't be solved, the host would be fine, the club would stay open, and Ms. Ikeda Erena would have 'mysteriously disappeared' during the investigation. The Otsuka Precinct would express their 'deep concern,' declare you legally dead three years later, and perhaps we’d see you in Bali in the future."

With every word Uesugi spoke, Ikeda’s expression turned uglier. Just as she was contemplating punching him, Uesugi said earnestly, "So, now you see how hard it is to actually accomplish something? The path I chose is the most effective way possible while ensuring we stay safe."

"Believe me, Ms. Ikeda, I am always on your side."

Ikeda’s brows lifted slightly, and her low mood was swept away by his words.

That was exactly what she wanted to hear.

In interpersonal relationships, having "aligned values" is considered an extremely important reference point. For most men, "aligned values" is a rational construct, representing whether their logic is self-consistent and acceptable to others. For women, who are more emotional, right or wrong is secondary; what matters is: "Are you on my side?"

Uesugi’s stance fit Ikeda’s needs perfectly. He was consistently conveying one meaning: "Our values are the same, and I am always on your side."

That was enough.

"But... is the club really going to continue operating without any consequences?" Ikeda’s tone weakened; she was still feeling a bit of resentment.

"We focus on the facts, not the people, Ms. Ikeda," Uesugi narrowed his eyes. "Currently, there is no evidence to prove the club is involved in criminal activity. That is the conclusion we reached together, isn't it?"

Ikeda finally had nothing left to say. "I understand what you mean. Thank you, Mr. Uesugi."

"Can we go now?" Uesugi smiled and nodded.

*Dodged another bullet today!*

Ikeda was about to say something, but she noticed Uesugi’s eyes, which had been looking sincerely into hers, uncontrollably drifting thirty centimeters downward. The faint smile on the tall beauty’s face vanished, and she shot him a glare, letting him know she’d caught him, before stepping on the gas.

The feeling of being offended diminished slightly; Ikeda realized she didn't seem to care as much as she thought.

Uesugi quickly shifted his focus. "Alright, let's talk about the incident."

"Right." Ikeda began to explain what had happened.

Tokyo's rail transit is divided into three major systems: JR East, the subways, and six major private railway lines. The subways and local JR lines are the primary modes of daily commuting, a hellish path every office worker must endure.

The problem this time was with a JR East commuter train. According to regulations, every train is sent to the Shinagawa maintenance plant for inspection after three months of continuous operation. It was during this inspection that the workers found the issue.

A body part had been found stuck to the underside of one of the trains!

The discovery shocked the maintenance workers, who immediately called the police. Inspector Moritsugu of the Shinagawa Precinct arrived at the scene.

The situation left the police in a bind: they didn't know the time of the incident, the location of the incident, the identity of the victim, or whether it was suicide or murder. When they brought in a local private clinic doctor, the man said he was completely out of his depth.

That was when Inspector Moritsugu remembered his contemporary—Tanaka, the assistant inspector at the Otsuka Precinct.

"Don't you know a brilliant forensic doctor? The one who helped your criminal investigation division get a commendation from the Metropolitan Police, the one who was injured in the 'Woman with the Blade' incident, and who later provided the letter of apology? Dr. Uesugi, right?"

"Lend him to us for a bit, will you?"

It was hard to refuse a request from a contemporary, and since the Otsuka Precinct's criminal division only had one convenience store theft case to handle in July, Tanaka agreed to the introduction without hesitation.

Tanaka only had to agree, but Uesugi had a lot to consider.

"A body part? How large?" Uesugi frowned.

"Only a portion of the torso and a portion of the right leg," Ikeda said. "But I don't know the specifics."

Judging by her description, it was likely less than 30% of a human body.

Uesugi clenched his fists.

This was going to be difficult.