Chapter 40. Former Detective Zhen Xia.
"Another doll...?"
Yashiki Kazuo murmured as if in a sigh.
Many years ago, after his younger sister, Kujo Saya, found the sealed doll in the museum's warehouse, Yashiki Kazuo's life changed.
When he first learned that Tsukino, Chiya and Ouma Kokichi had marks on them, Yashiki Kazuo's first thought was about the doll that was still sealed in his warehouse.
However, these two high school students... no, back then they should be called soon-to-be high school students, the marks on their bodies were not the same as the previous death mark in appearance, nor did they have the effect of causing amnesia.
Furthermore, apart from the extra marks on their bodies, nothing else seemed amiss... making it impossible to trace the source, so the matter was temporarily shelved.
Almost a year passed, and when Yashiki Kazuo unexpectedly received news from Tsukino and the other person again, he heard information about the doll from them once more.
After a brief, low sigh, Yashiki Kazuo snapped out of his reverie and began talking to Tsukino and Chiya, who were drinking water with a dry mouth after their long speech, and Ohma Kokichi, who was munching on a cookie he had bought from the convenience store. He then began to recount the progress of his investigation to them.
Although it's progress, it doesn't seem to be of much help to the two of them. After all, investigating supernatural tales isn't that simple, especially since the dolls in the Kujo Mansion existed during the war and have been around for quite some time, making it difficult to trace anything related to them.
But it's better than having no news at all.
"...Wow, although I've heard some rumors before, I have to say, he truly lives up to his reputation as a 'strange doctor'! This uncle's life is certainly quite colorful!"
Wang Ma Xiaoji clasped his hands together, his eyes seemingly sparkling with stars.
"Please be sure to sign this for me! If you post it online using the 'can exorcise evil spirits' gimmick, you might be able to sell it for a lot of money!"
Over the years, Kazuo Yashiki has met many unique individuals on his journey of dealing with the supernatural, but someone with a personality like Ouma Shokichi is truly rare: "Is this... a joke?"
Wang Ma Xiaoji: "Why would you think that, Uncle? I'm very serious! As the head of the organization, I always keep my word!"
Kazuo Yashiki: "Really? But it doesn't sound very believable..."
Tsukino and Chiya put down their teacups. He didn't join their conversation, still pondering what Yashiki Kazuo had just said: "The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons..."
This was the first time he had ever heard of this concept.
The traditional "Hyakki Yagyō" (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons) likely refers to the scene of yokai (supernatural beings) appearing in groups on the streets at night.
However, the "Hyakki Yagyō" (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons) that Yashiki Kazuo mentioned refers to a phenomenon where "oddities arise from oddities, causing great tragedies," just like the Death Mark of the past and the incident that occurred at Konoeen Academy.
Indeed, the supernatural doesn't form so easily. The number of people who die unjustly in this world is not small, but not everyone can become a supernatural being due to deep-seated obsessions. Otherwise, the existence of supernatural beings would be common knowledge long ago.
Whether it was the Death Mark incident or the Sibito incident at Konoeen Academy, the strange creatures that appeared were all formed by the power of the people behind the events.
Through their investigation, Yashiki Kazuo and Masashige Go were able to confirm the claim that "there is always a strange presence of dolls at the center of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons".
Come to think of it, strange events aren't something you encounter so easily. But whether it's the Death Mark and Sipitari incidents of the past, or the things that Chiya and Ohma Kokichi have encountered one after another now, strange events are happening one after another, as common as pebbles on the roadside.
So the reason why strange events suddenly increase at a certain period is that they all have a common behind-the-scenes force that turns resentment and obsession into the bizarre—in the Death Mark case, it is the doll sealed in Kujo Mansion; in the Sibito case, it is the bride who once possessed the doll; and for Chiya and the others... it is Aurora, of course.
Without a doubt. Tsukino and Chiya thought to themselves that they and Ohma Kichi had probably encountered a situation similar to the "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons."
Since the Death Mark incident, Kazuo Yashiki and Satoru Mashita have been investigating information related to the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. According to Satoru's conjecture, to successfully find the origin of those dolls, they need to unravel the mystery of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. But as mentioned before… investigating is not such a simple matter.
perhaps……
Tsukino and Chiya thought to themselves.
After dealing with Aurora, I might join Mr. Hachishiki and Mr. Mashita in their investigation of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.
"By the way, Tsukino Kazu." After briefly explaining the progress over the past period, Yashiki Kazuo took the documents he had already prepared and placed them on the table. "These are the documents you asked about before."
"Huh? What? What suspicious deal are you making behind my back? We're all in this together, riddle teller, no more!"
Ouma Kokichi, who was already sitting next to Tsukino and Chiya, curiously leaned closer and looked down at the documents that the black-haired boy had unfolded.
Kazuo Yashiki explained, "These are various materials related to dolls and the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons that we obtained during our previous investigations."
Tsukino and Chiya nodded: "Yes. Because there is a difference between hearing others tell us and seeing the information with our own eyes, I asked Mr. Hachishiki before I came if we could see it with our own eyes."
Of course, there's nothing wrong with it.
Tsukino and Chiya spread the documents out on the table for Ohma Kokichi to review: "Mr. Hachishiki, may I take a picture?"
Yashiki Kazuo nodded, and then Tsukino and Chiya took out their phones and carefully photographed the contents of the document.
There's still some time before Mr. Mashita arrives, so before that...
Let's read these materials first.
*******
"Hmm... looking at it this way, this puppet really does have a certain history. No wonder its strength is extraordinary."
Wang Ma Xiaoji stroked his chin and, after taking a few glances, came to a conclusion.
"Those weird artists and the cloth-striped figures we encountered before were obviously from modern society, not to mention their true identities... well, those who know, know~! So in terms of strength... that puppet is definitely more powerful~"
There isn't much information here, but... considering the difficulty of investigating strange events, it's actually quite a lot.
What caught Tsukino and Chiya's attention the most was a document that looked like an ancient text.
The contents of this document are highly confidential. It was something that Zhen Xiaowu, a former criminal police officer with certain connections, went through a lot of trouble to obtain.
However, despite the claim that this ancient document is "highly confidential," even if it were freely shown to outsiders, it's unlikely that many people would truly believe its contents.
The document contains two accounts of the "cursed doll"... or more accurately, the "doll currently sealed in Kujo Mansion".
The first theory is that the doll was created using magic by an unknown puppeteer at the end of the 19th century.
The second theory is similar to the case of the doll in Konoeen Academy, suggesting that the doll was possessed by the spirit of a tragically deceased girl.
In the distant past, there was an incident in Japan where the cause of strange markings appeared on people's bodies, and they subsequently died. The solution to this phenomenon was the sacrifice of a blonde, blue-eyed Western girl.
The markings were temporarily resolved after the sacrifice, but they reappeared after a while. Therefore, the authorities performed another human sacrifice…
As times progressed, human sacrifice was gradually regarded as an inhumane act. As a result, in subsequent sacrificial rituals, the living were replaced by dolls in the shape of young girls infused with spiritual power.
"...This may be the origin of the 'cursed doll'."
Of course, it's just a possibility.
After taking the photos, Tsukino and Chiya checked the pictures on their phones again before putting them away.
“Aurora used to call the person in Kujo Mansion ‘senpai’. Could she be like ‘that’ sealed in Kujo Mansion, possibly a doll that was once sacrificed?”
"But it did say before that it was an 'imitation', right?"
Wang Ma Xiaoji proposed another possibility.
"The term 'senior' might refer to the fact that the dolls in Kujou House are Aurora's 'senior' in terms of being haunted dolls. Perhaps they have no other connection besides both being doll monsters?"
“If Aurora is also a resentful spirit possessing a doll, things would be much simpler if we could know its past and thus resolve its obsession.” Tsukino and Chiya sighed softly. “This solution is better than a seal that will eventually be broken again.”
At least the strangeness that has been freed from obsession will probably not reappear to cause harm.
Tsukino and Chiya wouldn't think things were too simple. He himself was still too inexperienced. What if there really were strange beings that could still exist in the world even after their obsessions had been resolved?
"Hahaha, so it turns out that Tsukino sometimes makes these kinds of escapist remarks too~!"
Wang Ma Xiaoji joked.
"But our situation is actually better than Uncle's back then, right? After all, neither Kozuki nor I have lost our memories, and we directly know the identity of the culprit. Moreover, the sealing tools we use here haven't been contaminated to the point that they need to be purified over time before they can be used."
"Our only problem now is—are the small props used for sealing, like those for chanting Buddha's name, easy to find?"
Of course, it's not easy to find. Otherwise, if Yashiki Kazuo hadn't lost his memory back then, he could have easily taken out another spiritual tool that could be used for sealing, instead of risking taking out the corrupted Nenchi Buddha.
Kazuo Yashiki: "I will keep an eye out for you and also ask the psychics I've met during this time. I will let you know as soon as I have any news."
Tsukino and Chiya: "Thank you, Mr. Hachishiki. I also know people who know people at shrines and temples, and I asked her to keep an eye out for me."
Wangma Xiaoji: "Eh~? I've never heard of this before. Although Kozuki always says that she is an ordinary person, the friends she knows are all very capable."
"No, not exactly friends, just acquaintances. And I don't know any of the people at the shrines and temples she knows. However, regarding the fact that all the friends I know are very capable..."
Tsukino and Chiya glanced at Ohma Kokichi.
"Perhaps that's true, because you, Ouma, are very good."
"Oh dear..." The purple-haired boy had already guessed what the other person was going to say when he looked over, but he remained unfazed by the words. "Is Kozuki complimenting me? But it's not certain that I'll get any benefit from it."
"We're just stating the facts," Tsukino and Chiya said, their expressions unchanged. "By the way, since there's no further progress on the doll issue for now, Mr. Hachishiki, may I ask..."
Tsukino and Chiya, who were about to reveal another reason why they had come to Kujo House in H City, suddenly stopped.
He heard footsteps coming from behind him.
"Hey kids, looks like you're right on time."
—Should we say this is a case of "speak of the devil and he shall appear"?
The person who arrived was none other than former detective Masashige, who had been delayed by some unforeseen circumstances. Tsukino and Chiya had originally thought he would arrive later, but he arrived much faster than expected.
That makes sense. Although they might be accused of judging by appearances, Tsukino and Chiya genuinely felt that Makoto Shinji looked like the kind of person who was decisive, efficient, and quick to act.
“Seriously…” Yashiki Kazuo stood up to greet him, while not forgetting to complain a little, “You could at least ring the doorbell or knock on the door.”
Makoto has done this many times before: he opens the front door of the Kujo Mansion without knocking and enters directly.
"Ha, let's talk about that after you've developed the habit of locking the door, Hachishiki."
Makoto seemed completely unconcerned about this. The man's sharp gaze swept over Ouma Kokichi before finally meeting Tsukino and Chiya's eyes.
"It's been a while, Tsukino Kazu. I heard from Hachishiki that you've been going to school recently?"
Is this how we start our conversation when we meet again?
Despite Masashita Gou having said things like "I don't want to meddle," Tsukino and Chiya were still convinced that Mr. Masashita, despite his sometimes harsh words, was actually a good person. He had come to the haunted locations many times knowing there was danger, and even later ran a detective agency that focused on solving supernatural phenomena.
This is why, after hearing Ouma Kokichi's evaluation of the police, Tsukino and Chiya said something like, "You might like Mr. Mashita."
So the black-haired boy naturally assumed that the words were genuine concern from Xia Wu. After all, this person was a former policeman, and even if it was just a professional habit, it was normal for him to pay attention to a student who seemed to have run away from home and was wandering the streets late at night.
If possible, Tsukino and Chiya would actually like to try working at Mr. Mashita's detective agency, since he doesn't seem like the kind of person who would be stingy with wages.
The thoughts in his mind did not affect Chiya's immediate response in reality. He politely replied, "That's right, I enrolled in Hope's Peak's preparatory course... This is a classmate of mine from the same school."
Tsukino and Chiya didn't offer much explanation, only touching on the surface, leaving more opportunities for Ohma Kokichi and Shinjiro to communicate on their own.
Perhaps Shinjiro's seemingly fierce and unapproachable appearance might scare some people who meet him for the first time, but this definitely does not include Ouma Kokichi.
Rather... does Ohma Kodakatsu, who can calmly ask "Is this tag?" even when he sees something strange for the first time, actually have anyone who is afraid?
Even if it exists, it's probably impossible to tell from the surface.
"Oh~! So this is the legendary Mr. Mashita~! How should I put it... let me think... Hmm, seeing is believing indeed." The purple-haired boy openly and generously scanned the man he was meeting for the first time with an interested look.
"No need for formalities."
Since he estimated that the conversation would continue for quite a while, Makoto Shinobu simply sat down as well.
"I know you... one of the undergraduates of Hope's Peak this year, the 'Ultimate Leader'. Tsukino Kazuya mentioned me to you before?"
"That's right, that's right."
Wang Ma Xiaoji nodded repeatedly in agreement. His smile grew even wider, which made Qianye, who was watching him, notice the undisguised malice in his smile.
"Kozukino often mentions Mr. Mashita, so I've been longing to meet him for a long time! What did Kozukino say before? Oh right, it was like this..."
"—Mr. Masashita is such a handsome, learned, selfless, ambitious, unconventional, and endearing person! Wow, he's truly amazing!"
Tsukino and Chiya paused slightly in their hands holding the cookies: "..." It wasn't that exaggerated, and because it was so obvious, he didn't even bother to refute, "I didn't say that."
Yashiki Kazuo: "Is that so? I don't think this is what Tsukino Kazu's original words were."
Shinji clicked his tongue: "Even if you say that, I won't be foolish enough to take it as a compliment. Hachishiki, you really do attract a lot of troublesome little devils around you."
As the troublesome kid before Ouma Kokichi arrived, Tsukino and Chiya were still stuffing convenience store cookies into their mouths. Unable to respond for the moment, he could only give Mashita an innocent look that only he himself could see.
But Ouma Kokichi chose to let the war spread. The purple-haired boy gestured for Tsukino and Chiya to come closer, and then said in a voice that seemed soft but could be heard by everyone present: "Tsukino and Chiya, Inspector Mashita said you're a troublesome brat."
Having already swallowed the biscuit, Tsukino and Chiya calmly retorted, "No, Mr. Masashita was talking about you."
After thinking for a while, Yashiki Kazuo ultimately decided not to say what he was thinking: "In Masashita's eyes, you are all just troublesome brats."
"Is that so?!" Wang Ma Xiaoji exclaimed in shock. "Amazing! No wonder you're the police officer praised by Kozuki no Kazuha. You saw right through my identity as the head of an evil secret society with nearly ten thousand members."
"It's been a long time since I've encountered such a perceptive police officer. Great! I'm feeling excited again, something I haven't done in a long time!"
He clenched his fists, and his expression was as enthusiastic as he had said.
"Memories of my youth suddenly flashed before my eyes like a revolving lantern. Yes, it was a youth filled with betrayal, bloodshed, fights, life and death, explosions, and being chased by the police! I loved playing games with the awesome cops!"
"Forget it, I have no interest in playing games with a brat spouting nonsense. Besides, I'm no longer a police officer."
As he said before, the sharp-tongued Shinjiro, who treats everyone equally regardless of age or gender, is indeed not good at dealing with minors.
In particular, Wang Ma Xiao Ji is clearly not the type to obediently follow orders, so I always feel that getting along with him would be more troublesome.
A reliable adult male made an extremely wise judgment.
Before Wang Ma Xiaoji could say anything that would complicate matters further, he proactively cut off the conversation, stating his purpose directly: "Have you finished discussing the dolls? If there's nothing else, let's talk about the next steps. I've decided to go directly to that school tonight. What are your plans?"
Kazuo Yashiki: "I'm sorry, but I have an appointment with the editorial department tonight to discuss matters related to going to sea."
This means we cannot go together.
The question that Shinji asked earlier was related to another purpose for Tsukino, Chiya, and Ohma Kokichi's special trip to H City.
In addition to learning more about the dolls in greater detail, they also planned to visit the school in H City where paranormal phenomena had recently been reported.
On this point, Shinjiro also has the same intention.
The detective didn't say much about it, but Tsukino and Chiya guessed that he might have received the case from someone else. However, considering that a good detective shouldn't easily reveal a client's privacy, Chiya didn't ask any further questions.
Just like the stories that circulated before about the "Ghost Painter" and the "Bag Man," the middle school they noticed this time also had its own ghost stories passed down by word of mouth.
This is a story that happened only recently.
The story takes place in a middle school. Unlike the "abandoned schools" that are often the subject of ghost stories, the school where paranormal phenomena are now occurring is a middle school that is still in operation. Just yesterday, which was a weekday, the students were still attending school as usual.
It is said that the story began with a teacher.
After leaving get off work, the teacher realized that he had left something important in the school office, so he went back to retrieve it that evening.
In this respect, teachers have relatively more freedom than students. He explained the situation to the school security guards and successfully entered the school.
Then, as he was about to leave after successfully retrieving his items, he saw something unbelievable—
The ground was littered with the gruesome corpses of his students.
The teacher was too terrified to escape over the corpse, and his fear prevented him from making rational decisions like calling the police. Ultimately, because he didn't emerge for a long time, the security guards came to find him.
However, when the security guards arrived, they saw nothing. The teacher was astonished to find that the bodies on the ground had suddenly vanished, as if nothing had ever happened.
Ultimately, the incident was dismissed as a hallucination. However, the teacher firmly believed that "it's impossible to hallucinate so many corpses." Later, a student who was a paranormal enthusiast heard about the incident and, feeling a bit apprehensive, secretly sneaked into the school one night after school to test his courage. He also witnessed the deaths of his classmates and seemed so frightened that he still hasn't dared to return to school.
...This is the latest campus ghost story circulating in H City, about a certain junior high school.
While seeing a classmate's corpse at school is certainly terrifying, compared to the previous two ghost stories I've heard, this one seems to involve no actual injuries or deaths.
However, whether the matter is true or false, and what the truth is, we still have to see it for ourselves to know.
Having finally arrived in H City, and since we're already here, of course we have to go and take a look!
“I have nothing else to do with Kozuki. Or rather, we came here for this very reason,” said Ouma Kokichi with a smile. “Then please take care of me then, Mr. Masashita.”
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Author's Note: When I was writing the photo, I felt I wasn't quite sure how to balance it. I made him a bit too sarcastic and then deleted it [covering face and peeking]. I almost poisoned myself by licking my lips in the photo (x)
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