Letting the police take the major credit while he played a minor supporting role was a good thing. In the future, he could keep asking Officer Takagi to be his tool man with a clear conscience.
Besides, drug trafficking involved far too many things behind the scenes. Jiang Hang had no desire to be held up by the police as a target and then catch the attention of certain dangerous people.
In short, after exchanging a few rounds of mutual business flattery with Inspector Megure, Jiang Hang found an excuse to leave.
Before leaving Moon Shadow Island, he still had someone to meet.
While everyone's attention was focused on the police's sudden operation, at the island's only clinic, a delicate-looking doctor with a ponytail stood at the entrance, also watching the police constantly moving around the harbor.
There was a trace of confusion and relief in his eyes. When he sensed someone approaching, he hurriedly said, "Sorry, I have something going on today. Please come back tomorrow..."
Suddenly, the words he was about to say caught in his throat.
Because he saw what the visitor looked like.
"Dr. Narumi Asai, to be precise, your name is Seiji Aso. You are Keiji Aso's only surviving son from back then." After arriving on Moon Shadow Island, this was Jiang Hang's first time approaching the clinic and his first time meeting Seiji Aso.
"Because you fell seriously ill and were hospitalized in Tokyo, you did not follow your parents to Moon Shadow Island and thus escaped disaster. After your parents and younger sister died, you were adopted by the Asai family and changed your surname. After graduating from Todai Medical School with outstanding grades, you quickly obtained your full medical license. But instead of working at one of those large hospitals, you returned to Moon Shadow Island, disguised yourself as a woman, and worked as a doctor at this clinic for two years."
"These past years must have been hard for you." Jiang Hang spoke of the other man's identity and experiences over the years with a slight sigh.
Although Jiang Hang had known from the anime that Seiji Aso was genuinely an incredibly convincing cross-dresser, only after meeting him in person did he realize that Seiji was on an entirely different level from all the so-called cross-dressers Jiang Hang had seen before his transmigration.
At the very least, without activating Eagle Eye, Jiang Hang could not see any flaw in Seiji Aso's disguise. Even his Adam's apple was naturally much smaller than that of most men. Jiang Hang only noticed that after activating Eagle Eye.
"Mr. Jiang Hang..."
Seiji Aso had clearly recognized Jiang Hang. After all, he had personally sent that invitation letter.
In an instant, countless possibilities regarding Jiang Hang's arrival flashed through his mind.
A somewhat bitter smile appeared on his face.
"As expected of Famous Detective Jiang Hang. I had originally planned to transfer your payment to you today, but before I could pay you, you had already solved the case." He was using his natural voice now, though even that voice sounded rather androgynous.
"Ah... sorry for stopping your revenge plan. But I don't suppose you're going to hold a grudge and come take revenge on me because of it, right?" Jiang Hang was joking, while Seiji Aso shook his head firmly.
"Of course not. I had always hoped someone would stop me. And now that those people have been arrested and received the punishment they deserved, there is no longer any need for my revenge."
"Then I'm relieved." Jiang Hang smiled. "Two years ago, Mayor Kameyama's death and that Moonlight Sonata coming from the piano room were related to you as well, weren't they?"
This was the final question of the case.
Seiji Aso did not deny it.
"I came to this island disguised as a woman to investigate the cause of my parents' and sister's deaths, and Mayor Kameyama was the person I wanted to get close to." A look of remembrance appeared on Seiji Aso's face.
"That man had improper intentions toward me and invited me to the piano room late at night. But when he learned that I was Keiji Aso's son, fear triggered a heart attack and he died. Before he died, though, I learned the truth about what happened back then and decided to take revenge on them... But now, it seemed that once you arrived on Moon Shadow Island, my revenge had already come to an end."
Jiang Hang fell silent for a while and did not ask any further questions. Kameyama Isamu had died of a sudden heart attack. That was the police's conclusion, and it was the best possible outcome for him.
He handed the copy of the sheet music in his hand to Seiji.
"This is the last thing your father left behind. The original has been taken by the police as evidence, and it will probably be a long time before it can return to you. There's nothing I can do about that, so take this copy for now."
Hearing Jiang Hang's words, Seiji Aso accepted the copied sheet music from him with some astonishment.
"I lived on the island for two years, yet I never knew my father had left this behind... Thank you, Mr. Jiang Hang..."
"I think you know the code written on it. The first part contains the evidence he recorded regarding the crimes of Nishiki Ken and the others, while the latter part is what he wanted to say to you in the end."
Seiji Aso nervously turned to the back of the sheet music. Following Jiang Hang's explanation, he began reading from the final passage.
Familiar with the code, he quickly understood the final sentence his father had left for him.
"Seiji, you must stay strong and live on, even by yourself."
Though it was only a simple sentence, his eyes could not help growing moist as he looked at it.
Seeing that Seiji Aso did not want to cry easily in front of him, Jiang Hang did not say anything else.
At a time like this, all he needed to do was leave the other man enough private space.
He turned and walked toward the inn.
But the moment he turned around, Jiang Hang heard soft sobbing behind him.
He looked up at the clear blue sky overhead and sighed faintly.
Then he left without looking back, leaving Seiji Aso alone where he stood, unable to stop his tears as he released his emotions.
Forensic Medicine Was a Profession That Existed for the Future
Jiang Hang had originally thought that if he wanted to see Seiji Aso again, he would have to leave it to fate.
But unexpectedly, the next day, when they boarded the ferry back to Tokyo, they ran into Seiji at the harbor, dragging a suitcase behind him.
Today, Seiji Aso was no longer dressed as a woman. Instead, he wore a relatively androgynous outfit.
Still, in most people's eyes, this exceptionally pretty young man would probably be mistaken for a woman.
Seeing Jiang Hang and his group, Seiji Aso was slightly surprised. But after hesitating for a moment, he still came over and greeted Jiang Hang.
"Mr. Jiang Hang, are you leaving Moon Shadow Island?"
When a handsome "girl" suddenly walked over to greet him, Koharu Yoshino could not help glancing at Jiang Hang, as though suspecting that something unspeakable existed between him and this "girl."
"Yes. Since everything here has been resolved, it's time for us to return to Tokyo." Jiang Hang greeted him, then asked, "Dr. Aso, are you going back to Tokyo too?"
When she heard Jiang Hang address the other person as Dr. Aso, surprise appeared on Shizuka Sakaki's face. It was only yesterday, after they had discovered the truth of that year by following the sheet music, that they learned Keiji Aso still had a son alive.
However, Jiang Hang had not told the two women the full truth of the incident yesterday, so they did not know that Seiji Aso had also been living on the island under a different name.
"Aso... Could it be that you are?" Koharu Yoshino widened her eyes and directly asked him.
"Keiji Aso was indeed my father. This time, I truly have to thank Mr. Jiang Hang for uncovering the truth of that year and allowing me to see the sheet music my father left behind before his death." Seiji Aso bowed slightly to Jiang Hang. His emotions were much more stable than yesterday, and then he explained further.
"I originally came to Moon Shadow Island to investigate my father's cause of death. Now that everything has come to light and the criminals from back then have all received the punishment they deserved, I have no reason to remain on Moon Shadow Island. I'll return to Tokyo first to tell my adoptive parents, then come back here to handle my resignation."
The group boarded the ferry together. After Seiji separated from their group, Koharu Yoshino quietly asked Jiang Hang what exactly was going on.
"She's Keiji Aso's son?"
"Not she. He. He's just rather pretty, but he's actually a man." Jiang Hang deliberately reminded her.
"No way. Her—no, his skin is so well cared for! You can't tell at all from his appearance that he's male!" Koharu Yoshino cried out softly, seemingly unable to believe he was a man. "Jiang Hang, you aren't joking with me, are you?"
Jiang Hang rolled his eyes at her. "Do you think Keiji Aso couldn't even tell whether his own child was a son or a daughter?"
Koharu Yoshino nodded as if she had realized something, but the next moment, she suddenly reacted.
"Wait, Jiang Hang, how did you find him? I asked around. There was no one on the island with the surname Aso!"
"Because after he was adopted, he changed his name to Narumi Asai. Isn't it normal that you couldn't find anyone surnamed Aso?" Jiang Hang answered casually.
"Then where did you learn that he had changed his name to Narumi Asai? No one on the island seemed to know he was Keiji Aso's son!" Having just raised her information-gathering skill to beginner level the night before, Koharu Yoshino successfully found the blind spot.
Jiang Hang immediately coughed twice. He had originally intended to brush it off with "That's basic deduction," but looking at Koharu Yoshino's curiosity-filled eyes, he ultimately told her the truth despite not wanting to.
"I asked Officer Takagi about it. I already knew his identity before coming to Moon Shadow Island." Jiang Hang briefly explained the source of his information.
Then Koharu Yoshino ran off to a corner by herself to wallow in despair.
"What happened to Yoshino...?" Shizuka Sakaki, who had not heard the earlier conversation between Jiang Hang and Koharu Yoshino, asked curiously.
"She took a slight hit, but it's fine. She'll probably recover before we reach Tokyo." Jiang Hang smiled and told Shizuka Sakaki not to worry about her.
He sat in his seat for a while before growing restless, so he went out onto the deck to enjoy the sea breeze.
Unexpectedly, there was someone else who had the same idea.
Seeing Seiji Aso gazing at Moon Shadow Island, which had already become nothing more than a silhouette in the distance, Jiang Hang walked over, greeted him, and asked, "Still thinking about your father?"
Seiji Aso nodded. "Although I learned the truth two years ago, when I think about it now, it still feels rather complicated."
He had felt his father's love and remorse for him through that sheet music, but the mistakes his father had made back then and the tragedy those mistakes ultimately caused could not be erased either.
Sensing Seiji's complicated feelings, Jiang Hang did not say much more about the matter and instead asked about his plans for the future.
"Have you thought about what you'll do after resigning from Moon Shadow Island?"
Jiang Hang asked because he had just suddenly considered the possibility of recruiting Seiji.
Seiji Aso was indeed talented. At the very least, he was a graduate of Todai Medical School, a title countless high school students dreamed of attaining one day.
If Jiang Hang could train him into a renowned doctor, that would probably be quite fulfilling as well.
Unfortunately, Seiji seemed to have already made up his mind.
"Yes. I plan to become a forensic pathologist." Seiji Aso's words slightly surprised Jiang Hang.
Although forensic pathologists were also doctors, even Jiang Hang knew that their status and treatment were vastly inferior to those of ordinary doctors. Many people did not understand them at all, believing forensic pathology to be a profession that spent all day facing corpses. After all, doctors could save lives, while even the greatest forensic pathologist could not bring the dead back to life no matter how much time he spent around bodies.
Dangerous, dirty, exhausting, demanding, no vacations, no makeup, unable to marry. Since these terms all began with K in Japanese, people working in forensic pathology jokingly called it a "7K" profession.
Doctors were highly paid, while forensic pathologists were underpaid and looked down upon. Combined with Japan's already low autopsy rate, this meant that although countless people wanted to enter medical school, only a handful ultimately chose to become forensic pathologists.
Of course, perhaps because murders occurred so frequently in this world, there were quite a few more forensic pathologists than Jiang Hang had known in his previous life. But even so, the total number in all of Japan was pitifully small, probably only just over two hundred.
For a country with a population exceeding one hundred million and over one million deaths every year, that was almost unimaginable.
"Have you really thought this through?" Jiang Hang looked at him. "The path of a forensic pathologist is very difficult."
"Over these past two years, I've actually been teaching myself about this field for the sake of that revenge plan." Seiji Aso did not deny that he had once wanted to commit murder for revenge.
"I once heard someone say that forensic medicine was work that existed for the future. I did not really understand what that meant at the time, but now I think I understand it a little."
"Every year, more than one hundred thousand people in Japan die unnaturally. Yet among those hundred thousand people who die in accidents, fewer than a thousand bodies are autopsied."
"When my father died, after the police ruled it a suicide, they did not have a forensic pathologist perform an autopsy either. I have always wondered whether, if there had been a forensic pathologist to examine my parents' bodies back then, the truth of their deaths might have been discovered at the time."
Seiji Aso met Jiang Hang's gaze openly.
"I cannot become as brilliant a detective as you, Mr. Jiang Hang, but I do not want tragedies like mine to happen again."
"All I can do is become a forensic pathologist, speak for those who died unexpectedly, and uncover the buried truth for those who are still alive."
Damn System, You Set Me Up!
Seiji Aso had found a new goal, and Jiang Hang was also gratified that he had successfully saved someone's future.
He did not know what sort of future awaited him, but at least for now, he felt that what he was doing was meaningful.
After getting off the ferry and waving goodbye to Seiji, Jiang Hang thought that perhaps the next time they met, Seiji Aso would already be a forensic pathologist capable of standing on his own.
Though the phrase Seiji had mentioned—"forensic medicine was work that existed for the future"—somehow sounded familiar to him.
But he did not think much about it and began taking stock of what he had gained from this trip to Moon Shadow Island.
Strictly speaking, he had solved three cases on Moon Shadow Island: Keiji Aso's self-immolation case from twelve years ago, the Moon Shadow Island drug trafficking ring case, and Seiji Aso's revenge, which he had stopped.
However, in the system's assessment, these three incidents had been combined into the "Moon Shadow Island Incident," and Jiang Hang had completed his first case rated five stars by the system.
Jiang Hang had been quite surprised when he learned from the system that it was a five-star rating.
After all, he had not caused much of a stir in this case. There had been neither some "boom" explosion effect nor any heart-stopping climactic moment. Compared to the grand scenes in Conan movies, like satellites crashing into buildings or helicopters strafing Tokyo Tower, it was nothing at all.
But the Moon Shadow Island drug trafficking ring had dealt drugs for over ten years. Over those ten years, it had likely been connected to an unknown number of suppliers and distributors, and the amount of drugs that had flowed from Moon Shadow Island into Tokyo was probably staggering. Considering the dangers of drugs and the social impact this case could have, a five-star rating was not surprising.
And for solving a five-star case, the system had generously given corresponding rewards.
First was the monetary reward. There was nothing much to say about that. Jiang Hang planned to buy the office space for his detective agency once he returned.
Next was an Advanced Training Manual. This was Jiang Hang's first time receiving one. Its function was simple: it could train a skill Jiang Hang currently possessed to the advanced level. However, things that were more like innate talents, such as Eagle Eye or Presence Concealment, could not be improved through training.
Jiang Hang looked over the skills that could use this Advanced Training Manual. There was no need to raise Lockpicking, Assassin's Footwork, or Sword Cane Mastery to advanced level for the time being.
That left only Disguise and Fighting Technique.
Jiang Hang was not in a hurry to choose, and instead looked at the final skill.
Mind's Eye (Advanced).
This was the third advanced skill Jiang Hang had obtained. According to its description, it would greatly improve his perception of danger. At the same time, he would have to undergo corresponding training in the training space to improve his insight and reaction ability, ensuring that even when at a disadvantage in battle, he could grasp both his own condition and his enemy's capabilities.
Judging from the description, it was an extremely useful ability. If Jiang Hang currently had some bad feeling out of nowhere, it was probably nonsense. But after mastering this skill, if he sensed danger again, it would mean there truly was danger.
Still, Jiang Hang's head hurt whenever he saw a skill that required him to enter the training space.
Beginner-level skills were fine; he could master them after enduring a little hardship. But advanced skills were different.
Before you continue