The police car parked opposite Mihana Funeral Parlour. As Luo Shu and Kisara alighted, Juzo Megure and Miwako Sato emerged from two adjacent police vehicles, accompanied by three colleagues.
"Director Luo."
Juzo Megure, entirely dressed in brown, including his hat, adjusted his headwear as he approached:
"The Mihana Funeral Parlour opposite is where yesterday's corpse theft occurred."
Accompanying Luo Shu across the road, Juzo continued:
"After departure, I contacted the holding company behind Mihana Funeral Parlour to arrange their representative's attendance."
"They control seventy per cent of the private crematoriums and have partnered with funeral companies, temples, and shrines to provide funeral services. You could say they're the giants of Tokyo's funeral industry."
"Oh, by the way, the gentleman standing at the entrance is Mr. Guo Yi, the manager of this crematorium."
At that moment, a friendly-looking young man with slightly round cheeks, dressed in a blue suit, approached the entrance of Mihana Funeral Parlour. Bowing politely, he greeted them in fluent Japanese:
"Officers, I'm afraid we'll have to trouble you again this time."
"No, no, the trouble is all mine," Juzo Megure replied with an apologetic bow before turning to introduce Luo Shu to Guo Yi:
"Let me introduce you. This is Luo Shu, Director Luo, who's leading this investigation."
"Director Luo, what an honour." Guo Yi's eyes flickered with something unreadable as he hurried forward with an ingratiating smile.
"Hello, Mr. Guo." Luo Shu greeted him in fluent Chinese: "Since we're both strangers in a foreign land, let's skip the formalities. The investigation takes priority."
Through the earlier intelligence dossier, Luo Shu already knew that Mihana Funeral Parlour was a Sino-Japanese multi-holding enterprise, with its major shareholder being a Chinese company. Thus, he wasn't surprised – and even felt somewhat comforted – to find a fellow countryman in charge here.
Though this comfort was minimal, given how Chinese abroad were notorious for exploiting their own kin. Not that it was certain in this case, as overseas Chinese communities included those who identified as citizens of the Republic, Qing dynasty, or even Ming dynasty – all equally prone to mutual exploitation.
"Ah, yes, yes, Director Luo is absolutely right." Guo Yi's face broke into a smile as he responded in Chinese, then quickly switched back to Japanese for Megure's benefit: "The investigation takes priority, of course. Please follow me, gentlemen."
Guo Yi's manner was exceedingly amiable, as if he hadn't a temper in the world.
Yet according to the intelligence reports, Luo Shu knew full well this was the same man who'd contacted yakuza to machine-gun Ghouls caught stealing corpses. The same man who'd proposed selling captured Ghouls along with certain cadavers to other organisations, compensating the company's losses through the profits.
Anyone who took this smiling man for a pushover would be a fool.
Mutual flattery being the order of the day, the group followed Guo Yi's polite lead into the funeral parlour.
As they walked, Guo Yi began his introduction:
"Director Luo, Inspector Megure, let me brief you about our operations here."
Clearing his throat and speaking deliberately, slowly – perhaps concerned about Luo Shu's Japanese proficiency – he explained:
"Mihana Funeral Parlour is one of only two funeral service providers in Mihana Town, and the sole private operator. Given the substantial local demand, we serve approximately sixty clients daily."
"However, as our daily cremation capacity is thirty-five, we often find ourselves with... certain surplus resources."
At this, Luo Shu's eyes gleamed slightly as he deliberately quipped in Chinese:
"Business must be thriving here, Mr. Guo!"
Guo Yi immediately adopted a knowing expression, replying in kind:
"Not at all, just the little devils showing their appreciation."
"Due to the high volume of business, our facility also provides some accommodation services."
Hearing Guo Yi's words, the uninformed Juzo Megure asked in confusion, "A crematorium offers accommodation?"
At this, Luo Shu glanced at Juzo Megure but said nothing.
Meanwhile, Wataru Takagi, who had handled cases here before, quickly stepped forward to remind the seldom-visiting Juzo Megure:
"Inspector Megure, the guests staying here aren't human."
Juzo Megure's face turned green as he immediately understood what kind of 'guests' these were.
Meanwhile, Guo Yi led the group around the right side of the crematorium, arriving at a large gate bearing the sign 'Tongfu Hotel'.
"...It stinks." Kisara, with her keen sense of smell, immediately covered her nose upon reaching the hotel.
Luo Shu, who could also detect the odour to some extent, maintained a stoic expression, though his gaze grew heavy.
The thought that these corpses had become food for Ghouls left him distinctly uncomfortable.
Guo Yi then explained quietly: "Due to high demand, some bodies require booking for cremation. Storing corpses is inconvenient, so our institute established this hotel within the crematorium grounds."
Her tone turned slightly sharper as she continued:
"The fee is approximately 10,000 yen per day, equivalent to 500 yuan. With an average of 200 'guests' daily, this constitutes a major income stream for our institute, so we treat all stored corpses with utmost care."
Luo Shu understood Guo Yi's position - paid corpse storage going wrong would mean massive compensation for the crematorium. According to the case files, the Ghouls had stolen significant quantities. Frowning, he asked:
"Did the Ghouls break into this hotel to commit their crimes?"
"Correct." Guo Yi's voice grew sombre.
While Japanese people willingly spent on funerals, that was a one-time expense. This specialised corpse storage provided stable, ongoing revenue - explaining why the perpetually packed crematorium never expanded.
Firstly, Japan's private land ownership made acquiring space for expansion difficult. Secondly, corpse storage fees were lucrative and reliably manageable.
But then appeared corpse-eating Ghouls, driving Guo Yi and his Chinese backers to desperation. With Ghouls stealing bodies nightly, the crematorium faced ruinous compensation claims - high storage fees meant equally high payouts when things went wrong.
"The first theft was discovered by one of our staff. Surveillance shows he confronted the thief, likely assuming an ordinary robber, and tried to drive them away. He was brutally killed, along with that night's security patrol and gatekeeper - six deaths total, with no bodies recovered."
Guo Yi explained heavily as she led Luo Shu's group into the still-unrepaired hotel, its walls pockmarked with bullet holes.
The Chinese capital controlling Japan's crematoriums maintained official connections, having purchased shares from a former prime minister's family business. Thus, even the morally upright Miwako Sato ignored the conspicuous bullet marks - bullets hadn't killed people but man-eating monsters, with higher authorities turning a blind eye.
Walking the corridor, Luo Shu observed the narrow corpse storage rooms and overturned coffin lids. Noticing the 'Made in Caoxian' English text and 'Caoxian Manufacturing' Chinese characters in a coffin corner, he remained silent, merely asking:
"How many bodies were stolen in total?"
"Including those Ghouls who escaped with corpses yesterday, we've lost about 170 bodies. Some others are missing parts of their remains."
Guo Yi said this with a bitter laugh in Chinese: "The families haven't been informed about the missing bodies yet, but we can't hide it forever. As outsiders, we'll have to compensate for whatever's necessary. There's no avoiding it."
Luo Shu's eyes flickered slightly, but he remained silent. After all, the crematorium was just protecting its own interests.
170 bodies, some with missing limbs, plus several dead employees... No wonder Guo Yi had gone mad enough to use machine guns against the thieving Ghouls. This was practically driving the crematorium to ruin.
At this moment, Guo Yi glanced at Juzo Megure and others who deliberately avoided looking their way, gritted his teeth, and said in Chinese:
"Director Luo, when away from home, one relies on fellow countrymen. For someone as young as you to reach the rank of Director, you must have considerable capabilities."
"Let me be frank. With these damned Ghouls causing such trouble, the cremation business is doomed. We can't possibly keep defending against them with machine guns forever."
"In Japan's private cremation industry, our fellow countrymen hold the majority share. If we lose this business, tens of thousands of our people and their families will be left without livelihoods."
"So regarding those Ghouls... I'm begging for your help. Please make the Metropolitan Police Department take this seriously. Ideally, pressure them to stop targeting our livelihood so we can catch our breath."
Here, Guo Yi held up four fingers to Luo Shu.
"Four billion yen. Through our channels back home, funds are transferred to any account you specify. Additionally, we'll donate another two billion yen to the Metropolitan Police Department."
'So the MPD gets one-third, and I get two-thirds?' Luo Shu's eyes gleamed as he recalled the SDS funding shortage he'd divined through the Mysticism Encyclopaedia. After some consideration, he said:
"That's not enough."
Guo Yi's expression changed at these words, though not with particular surprise. Countrymen cheating countrymen - he was used to it. With so many Chinese people around, there were always such types.
"100 million USD, roughly 13 billion yen - I'll round it down. The MPD gets one billion yen designated for its investigation division. In return, I'll ensure Ghouls never trouble you again."
Guo Yi blinked in stunned silence.
Luo Shu then added casually: "By the way, how much compensation are you paying for the lost bodies?"
After hesitation, Guo Yi explained: "About 100 million yen per family. Although we only lost around 170 bodies, the headquarters is preparing 50 billion yen in compensation funds. Some difficult cases require more."
"Give me 8 billion yen, and I'll supply you with bodies." Luo Shu narrowed his eyes playfully. "Ghoul corpses - they burn spectacularly. Oh, and I'll handle the cosmetic preparations too."
"But in return, I need information from you. Like any live Ghoul captives you've caught - I need their intel to mobilise the MPD, even get Japan's Diet to order Ghoul extermination."
Guo Yi gaped momentarily, then gave Luo Shu a thumbs up:
"Now I understand - Mr Luo is a man who thinks big!"
With this, Guo Yi enthusiastically grasped Luo Shu's hand.
"We'll invest this money!"