Chapter Eight: The Green Ghost, the Red Ghost, the Black Ghost, and the White Ghost

The first time Uesugi Muneyuki smelled the scent of a decomposing body, it left an indelible mark on his soul. It was not merely a physiological stench, but one that felt embedded in his very genes—a primal, untouchable odor that drove itself into the human brain like a steel nail. Even if removed, the agony did not cease; it doubled.

In reality, the repulsiveness of putrefaction surpasses almost every other discomfort; it is a visceral form of spiritual corruption. This corruption ignores all defenses. A few layers of plastic clothing are useless; perhaps only specialized hazmat suits and gas masks offer any resistance, while ordinary garments and rubber gloves provide absolutely no barrier. Furthermore, it possesses a chilling, adhesive quality. It seeps through the skin and lingers within the body, impossible to scrub away or mask with perfume. Even after a month, the phantom scent still drifts through one's nasal cavity, ruining appetites and causing endless distress.

Legend has it that the smell of death is a fear signal etched deep into human DNA. Throughout the tens of thousands of years of human evolution, ancestors frequently encountered the corpses of their kind in the wild. To those early humans living in primitive conditions, the scent was a warning sign of a lethal threat nearby, demanding immediate vigilance. This alarm, inscribed in the genetic code, persists to this day.

Uesugi thought to himself, *No wonder those policemen are all standing outside, refusing to come in. It turns out they despise this smell as much as I do! Damn old geezers, just you wait.*

As Uesugi tried to suppress his physiological discomfort, the Cyan Stone beneath his right hand suddenly flashed with a soft, cool minty sensation. It instantly banished the stench and physical unease; the odor particles in the air were dissipated by the stone’s power, unable to touch him again. *Hmm,* Uesugi thought, naming the stone in his hand. Considering its constant cyan glow, "Cyan Stone" would do.

Professor Okochi, however, showed no reaction; it seemed the old man was already accustomed to it.

"Where is the body?" Protected by the stone, Uesugi felt much better. He turned to the nearby firefighter and asked, "Where are the remains?"

His rapid adaptation surprised both the professor and the firefighters, while the policemen watching from outside were left in awe. *This kid isn't even afraid of the smell. Perhaps he’s a natural-born forensic examiner!*

"Over here," the fully armored firefighter pointed toward the closet.

The apartment was furnished simply in a typical modest Japanese style. Tatami mats covered the floor, and the one-room layout felt cramped and aged, with dusty chandeliers and heaters that made the place feel like a relic of the Showa era. Even the battle-hardened Professor Okochi narrowed his eyes at the sight inside the closet.

Two elderly people lay inside. The man was wrapped in a blanket, pressed over the body of the woman. Both were hunched and gray-haired, having clearly been dead for some time. The man’s body had begun to decay; despite the firefighters' efforts, flies and maggots were still visible. Reddish-brown and black cadaverous fluid had soaked through the blanket, emitting a foul odor.

The woman’s body, however, remained largely intact, showing only slight signs of decay. Her abdomen had begun to liquefy, and her subcutaneous tissue had turned a pale green. There were some scars on her body—evidently fresh ones.

Uesugi and the professor exchanged a look of confusion. *Kodokushi* (lonely death)? But there were two bodies. A double suicide? But the rates of decomposition...

Uesugi recalled the forensic texts he had memorized. After death, glycogen in the muscles decreases, and lactic acid increases, affecting ATP activity. This causes the muscles to contract and joints to stiffen—*rigor mortis*. However, as proteins break down after 20 to 24 hours, rigor mortis fades, and putrefaction begins. Generally, it starts in the gastrointestinal tract; the lower abdomen dissolves first, the cornea turns cloudy, and the subcutaneous tissue turns pale green as putrefactive gases accumulate. This is the "Green Ghost" stage.

As decay accelerates, the green fades, and the stench attracts flies. The body turns reddish-brown as gases cause extreme bloating—the "Red Ghost" or "Giant's View." Further decay dissolves organs and muscles into black-brown fluid—the "Black Ghost." Finally, when only the skeleton remains, it is the "White Ghost."

The progression is: Rigor Mortis—Green Ghost—Red Ghost—Black Ghost—White Ghost.

Yet, the scene before them defied this. The man on top was clearly a "Red Ghost," while the woman beneath him was only a "Green Ghost." Their times of death did not align.

Professor Okochi shared the same assessment. Uesugi instinctively wanted to awaken the spirits, but hesitated. What would he even ask? The previous communication had been accidental, and he didn't understand the mechanics. What if it consumed too much "soul essence"? What if there were time limits? He decided to wait and gather more information first.

After a preliminary survey, Uesugi left the apartment. Outside, a crowd of curious onlookers had gathered—mostly neighborhood women in their fifties to eighties. The police had cordoned off the area and stood with their hands behind their backs, refusing to answer questions.

"Well? My young forensic whiz, Uesugi, can you confirm if it was suicide or homicide?" Assistant Inspector Tanaka approached, nudging Uesugi with his shoulder and gesturing to the crowd of thirty or forty people waiting for answers.

"What is the situation?" Uesugi asked, ignoring the question. "Why is it suspected to be homicide, yet remains unconfirmed?"

Officer Ito stepped forward to explain. The deceased were Masato Ishizaka, 79, and his wife Hiroko, 75. Their children had passed away, and they had no remaining kin. They lived on pensions and odd jobs. The wife had suffered from Alzheimer's for years, often getting lost or failing to recognize people. Her husband would constantly retrieve her from the police box, bowing in apology—it had become part of his life.

But it was more complex than that. According to the police, the wife also suffered from hypertension, diabetes, arrhythmia, salmonellosis, atherosclerosis, colitis, arthritis, lichen, gout, and myocardial infarction. The husband had cared for her entirely alone, living in extreme poverty.

"You suspect the husband couldn't take the pressure, so he killed her and then committed suicide?" Uesugi summarized.

"Exactly," Inspector Naito nodded. "Look at the scene—it looks like Mr. Ishizaka is pressing down on Mrs. Ishizaka... perhaps suffocation?"

"So it's a murder case?" asked Officer Kuwabara.

"It doesn't seem like it," countered Officer Takasaka. "The neighbors say they were deeply in love. Mr. Ishizaka never complained, no matter how hard things were. Everyone says he was a good man."

The officers argued back and forth. Uesugi realized the crux of the matter: did they commit suicide together, or did he kill her first? The body states suggested the latter, as the man was a "Red Ghost" and the woman a "Green Ghost," implying a gap of at least a day. Given the wife's illness, the husband reaching his breaking point seemed logical.

Uesugi returned to the scene. The Cyan Stone glowed, and under his will, the spirits of the couple were awakened.

Amidst a ghostly green light, their souls rose. Unexpectedly, before Uesugi could ask anything, the gray-haired woman frantically patted her pockets, sobbing: "Masato... the candy... it's gone... I can't find the candy..."

"The candy is right here, Hiro, it's right here," the equally aged husband wept, holding her tightly and pointing to his own mouth. "It's in my mouth! Look!"

"Sob... the candy is there... Masato... I love you."

After comforting her, the husband turned to Uesugi with a serious expression. "Apologies, sir. My wife has caused you worry."

"Mr. Ishizaka, I am Uesugi Muneyuki, a forensic examiner. I have... special abilities. I awakened you to ask one question." He briefly explained the situation.

"What?" The husband’s eyes flared with anger, like an aging lion exerting its final strength. "You say I... killed Hiro? How despicable! How could I ever kill her?! Those thieves of taxpayer money! Even now, they won't leave us alone? What did we do wrong? We did everything we could not to be a burden!"

"So, it was a mutual suicide?" Uesugi asked, noticing the power of the contract taking hold.

"No, my wife died of natural causes," the husband said, his eyes filled with pain. "That morning, I tried to wake her, but she didn't respond. I knew, I always knew this day would come. She was so ill, so I decided to take poison. I was prepared to leave this world with her."

He smiled sadly. "She was my life. If she was gone, I couldn't go on."

"What poison did you take?"

"Sleeping pills."

"In Japan, you need a prescription for large quantities," Uesugi frowned. "How did you get enough?"

"As I said, I was prepared," the husband replied. "I don't know how you did this, but I truly committed suicide. Since you know the truth, please help us. I don't care about myself, but I don't want Hiro to be harmed again!"

The contract was sealed.

The connection severed, and Uesugi felt a wave of exhaustion; the stone’s light faded. The husband claimed they died together, yet the woman died naturally. Why the difference in decomposition?

Uesugi looked at the bodies again. The man was a "Red Ghost," the woman a "Green Ghost." He thought, then looked at the orientation of the room. The rain began to fall outside, and a flash of lightning illuminated the decaying bodies.

The young examiner stood still for a moment. Then, he looked at the north-south orientation of the apartment.

*Got it!* He knew exactly what had happened.