Chapter 31 2. Life on the island

In Kyushu, Xia Ri still refused to leave. Yoshiyuki Harada came to Isahaya in Nagasaki Prefecture. October 3rd, depending on the season, it may be late autumn, but there is no such feeling on the skin.The dryness in the air has increased.In Harada's heart, he has realized the loneliness of late autumn, no, it is the loneliness that precedes the change of seasons, and has long been buried in his heart. The investigation is blocked in all directions - it is becoming more and more obvious.Minegishi didn't get the information either, and he seemed to be worrying about it too. All breaches are blocked.Harada gave up.The Institute of Tropical Infectious Diseases, where the old army and navy secretly researched something, has melted into the darkness that cannot be excavated.

Unable to revive the nightmare of more than 30 years ago by personal strength, Harada was condemned by despair.Although the direct murderer has been killed, the revenge cannot be said to be successful until the hammer is thrown at Professor Shimanaka and Chief Secretary Nakaoka. Harada was thinking about direct revenge.No matter from what angle the sunlight can reach the obliterated mystery.Even if kidnapped and tortured, Shimamaka and Nakaoka should tell the truth—this decision gradually became stronger in my heart. Isahaya Clinic. In front of this signboard, Harada stopped in his tracks.

The head of the Isahaya Clinic, Yuhiro Goto, graduated from Tei University's Faculty of Medicine and worked at the Army's Omura Hospital when the war was defeated.Harada found out from the roster of graduates that he and Shimanaka were students of the same period. A student at the same time and a doctor, he may still have memories of the time when the island was a military doctor.Harada harbored this glimmer of hope.If there is nothing to be gained from the interviews with the students of the same period, then stop the investigation and immediately take action at that time - this is Harada's established policy.

The interview with Dean Arihiro Goto was not only because he was a classmate of Shimanaka. In Shimanaka's military register, it was recorded that after graduating from the Faculty of Medicine, he was appointed as a second lieutenant in the army and immediately worked in the Army Omura Hospital. He was awarded a lieutenant officer, and immediately after obtaining a doctorate he was awarded an assistant officer.Regardless of these, Shimanaka was sent to Kurasi Island as a military doctor in October of the 17th year of Showa. Simultaneously with Shimanaka's appointment as a second lieutenant, war broke out.During this period, he worked at Army Omura Hospital for about a year.Dean Goto had the same experience.If you ask Goto, maybe you can get something——Harada has a fluke mentality.

He also knew that this was like grasping at a straw. Ask to see the dean. Dean Goto softly called Harada into the consultation room.He has a thin face, and he has a bright and upright personality at first sight. Unlike Shimanaka, he is indeed a town doctor who sticks to people's hands and is a good grandfather. "Is it a long story?" "Yes. I want to occupy your time when sir is free..." Goto greeted the nurse with a voice that no one could hear. "I have something urgent to stop working." Goto stood up, as if his left leg was uncomfortable. "But, sir..."

Harada didn't want to disturb his medical treatment. "And the kids," Goto smiled. "Patients are more likely to seek out children than me. Well, please." Goto introduced Harada into the same residence as the clinic. "There are visitors from far away, and they are juniors." He ordered the maid and brought out the beer. "Oh, what's the matter with you?" "That's right, sir, do you know Professor Shimanaka Shohei?" "Of course I know." Goto replied immediately. "I'm a doctor in the town, and I'm a professor in the island—good luck."

he laughed. "He was with you at Army Omura Hospital?" "That's right, he and I are classmates at the same time." "I want to know about Professor Shimanaka's time as a military doctor. I can tell you in advance that I'm not trying to frame the professor, but..." Harada believes that it is better to tell the truth to a certain extent according to the specific target.The medical field is narrow, and a young doctor's search for the professor's past can easily arouse resentment, especially when Goto is Shimanaka's classmate and old friend.

"Just, what?" Goto looked at Harada. "He holds the key to unlocking the killing." "murdering case?" Goto put down his drinking glass. "yes." Harada gave a brief explanation, but of course he would not name Nakaoka. "A terrible thing!" After listening, take a short rest, Goto said with emotion. "I don't know what I can get from sir. It's just that I have sworn to the dead father and sister. But what exactly does the Institute of Tropical Infectious Diseases in Curasi Island have? Why is it erased from all records If you don’t understand this point, you can’t take revenge on your opponent.”

"For this kind of thing, Shimanaka-kun is the instigator of the murder, is it possible?" A light flashed across Goto's eyes. "possible." Harada answered bluntly. Goto was silent for a while. "So, what do you want to know?" When asked, his expression relaxed. "Professor Shimanaka was dispatched from Omura Hospital to Curasi Island. If, sir, you ever heard anything about him at the research institute..." "That, I made a mistake." Goto interrupted Harada's words. "That……" "Shimamaka-kun stayed at Omura Hospital for about a month, and was immediately sent to the battlefield."

"But, then—there won't be any jokes, right? In the military register..." "If this is the case, then there is a mistake in the military registration book. I attended Shimanaka-kun's farewell party, so it can't be wrong." Goto asserted. "..." "Why, is that so..." Goto muttered to himself. "Where did Professor Shimanaka go?" Harada was shocked.Not only the Institute of Tropical Infectious Diseases, but even the military history of the island, the military deliberately concealed it.His body was shaking with excitement. "Where you were enlisted is a military secret. Even if you ask, I'm afraid you won't tell. However, I received a letter from Harbin in only half a year. So I know that Mr. Shimamaka joined the Kwantung Army."

"It's Harbin..." "Because of good health and hard work, I was promoted to lieutenant sergeant—there is only such a letter. I want to reply, but I don't have any station or unit number, so I have to give up." "So, Professor Shimanaka never returned to Omura Hospital?" "No." Goto shook his head. "I suffered from gangrene when I graduated, so I couldn't go to the battlefield. I worked in Omura Hospital for a long time after I was defeated. I never heard from Shimanaka again. Now, when I go to Beijing, I still exchange greetings with him. That's all. That's all." "Back then, the tropics..." "No, I heard that they were incorporated into the Southern Expeditionary Army from the Kwantung Army." "yes?……" Harada sighed, feeling a deep sense of exhaustion.The research institute was buried, and even the military calendar was buried.Before that, no matter what, you can still look for it, but from now on, you don't know where to start.This is the so-called army, the army of state secrecy.What's the use of only one place name in Harbin? "Visiting you unexpectedly..." Harada apologized. "please wait a moment." Goto kept Harada Wan who had got up: "I have no hatred for Shimanaka-kun. It stands to reason that the conversation can end here, but after listening to your words, I understand your difficulties. If, as you speculate, Shimanaka-kun is the mastermind behind the incident, that is a decision. Unforgivable. A doctor, murdering..." Goto's tone became sharp. "If it's a misunderstanding or misinterpretation, that's fine. But it's scary when it's brought out on a tray——after hearing the results of your previous investigations, I can't help but speculate like this." "..." "Did you know that Shimadaka-kun studied bacilli in the Bacteriology Research Classroom of the Tei University School of Medicine?" "Ok." "Well, I have investigated it. The so-called bacilli are long, thin rod-shaped bacteria, such as cholera and typhoid fever. It is recorded that Shimanaka stayed in the bacillus classroom, and it is presumed that this is why he was assigned. to the Institute of Tropical Infectious Diseases." "What about the so-called Kwantung Army Unit 731?" "Kanto 731 Unit!" In an instant, Harada was like being watered. Unit 731 of the Eastern Army—an alias for the Kwantung Army's Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department. What didn't I think of here? ——Harada was surprised, and his body convulsed uncontrollably. "You have chased here, but you didn't think of the 731st Unit. This is probably because Shimanaka-kun has no military status in the Kwantung Army. You were sent directly from the Omura Hospital to the Southern Dispatch Army-this is also a last resort. ?” Goto seemed to sense Harada's heart. "yes." I was thirsty, and my voice changed a little. "When I was listening to your speech, I felt that there was a complicated background here. It is not clear whether the Institute of Tropical Infectious Diseases on Kuraxi Island has any relationship with the 731st Unit of the Kwantung Army. Generally speaking, there is no. From Kura Judging from the scale of the research institute in West Island, it may have conducted remarkable research. However, from the analysis of the external conditions and phenomena you mentioned, it is similar to the 731st Unit of the Kwantung Army." People often adopt a special posture when they are telling secret things.Goto leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Ok." Staring at Goto's wrinkled ears, Harada nodded.