Chapter 104: Constitution (Fourth Update)

“I haven’t eaten since yesterday evening, I’ve been busy rushing around since then.”

“Under normal circumstances, no one would specifically choose a dessert shop just to order a huge pile of sweets!”

“Can’t help it, my body just handles things this way… Eating regular high-calorie foods is usually fine, but for some reason… when it comes to times like this, I especially crave something sweet.”

Fang Jing glanced over and realized the other person had eaten quite a lot indeed.

“Also, what did he mean by ‘constitution’…? What exactly was the point of that remark?”

“Luckily, I got a discount coupon from a childhood friend who works here. It’d be a waste not to use it. I’m a poor student; I budget my living expenses carefully every month. Otherwise, by month’s end, I’d be stuck eating bean sprouts and breadcrumbs…”

He reached out and slid a file across the table.

“See for yourself!”

Fang Jing gave him a puzzled look, but Karasawa Meisuke ignored him, continuing to eat his dessert.

Shaking his head, Fang Jing casually opened the file. Inside were shocking photos inserted among written reports — pictures of corpses in horrific states. Most appeared half-eaten; others showed nothing but severed legs and arms.

“…These, all of these, were done by ‘them’.”

Even without explicit explanation, Fang Jing guessed this was related to beings like the “Corpse Hounds.”

“Yes. We later discovered another group of Corpse Hounds lurking within the city. They’re organized. And precisely because they’re a secretive organization, tracking them down is much harder; we can’t easily identify them through usual screening methods…”

Karasawa Meisuke set down his spoon. He spoke with a flat tone and serious look. “They use the convenience of the internet to gather. They’re far more hidden now than when they acted as lone wolves. Because they learned organization, they can cooperate to hunt humans. Finding single targets acting alone was actually easier.”

In the past, to find a Corpse Hound hiding among people, locating individuals who suddenly became reclusive and shut themselves indoors without warning was a relatively straightforward method of tracking them down.

But the organized Corpse Hounds gather together, covering each other’s tracks. They form groups and mimic human group activities.

“Recently, they’ve found an even sneakier hunting method. They target overlooked loners and misfits, posing as workers in the adult services business online to lure their victims. Once contact is made, they take them to various adult hotels. Their accomplices lie in wait inside these hotels. After killing, the bodies are smuggled out of the hotels. Entry/exit records and temporary surveillance footage are deleted by members posing as staff. Even if the police notice someone missing, they can’t find any solid clues…”

“Those monsters’ target is the flesh of the dead. Whether freshly killed bodies or corpses, it’s all food to them. No corpse means no definite victim… There’s no way for the police to escalate the investigation. Conversely, tracking them by following police investigation gaps becomes more difficult for us.”

“These photos are one of the only pieces of intelligence the Fang Hunter Organization managed to scrape together. But with this little information, gathering any useful leads is incredibly tough. Trying to investigate a group deliberately hiding among millions in this huge city… it’s far from easy.”

“Alright… but what does this have to do with me? I mean, why invite me out today?”

“Nishizuka… do you recognize the girl in this photo?”

Seeing Fang Jing show no reaction, Karasawa Meisuke finally accepted that this was genuinely his character.

“Kuranaga Kuraruka.”

Fang Jing raised an eyebrow. This was an unexpected acquaintance.

“I do know her… Why?”

“Would you prefer me to tell some lies to make you feel better, or tell you the truth?”

“Please skip the unnecessary talk.”

“Okay, the truth is… Kuranaga Kuraruka was likely infected months ago. She transformed successfully. She’s a full-fledged monster now — a ‘Corpse Hound.’”

“You… What makes you say that?”

“I had my suspicions about her involvement in this case since seven days ago. And, even more importantly… you’re probably deeply connected to this too.”

“Why say that?”

“The reason lies in this photo.”

Karasawa Meisuke pressed his fingertip onto Kuraruka’s picture. After hesitating for a moment, he spoke frankly.

“My constitution has been different since birth. From a young age, I gradually started seeing things ordinary people can’t… Only, I can’t fully explain it. Those ‘things’ weren’t simple ghosts or spirits. Someone once told me my constitution is that of a spirit channeler, also known as a medium.”

(Medium… Karasawa is a medium? That explains so much…)

Fang Jing’s posture straightened up. He listened intently as Karasawa continued.

— Mediums, seen by ordinary people as spirit channelers, were known in ancient times as witch doctors, sorcerers, or shamans.

Humanity had survived and thrived since ancient times, yet as Fang Jing had learned, this world harbored all sorts of incredible beings.

“Nocturnals,” “Evil Filth,” even the imagined deities and demons born of human fantasies were considered real. Only in modern times did humanity begin to view the world rationally through science.

Yet, inexplicable Strange Phenomena didn’t vanish. It was as if the world deliberately showed its absurdity and malice.

Humans could no longer live in constant fear, nor did they have anything left to pray to. Even in this present world, while most live unknowingly under the sun, malevolent things stir restlessly in the shadows.

Unlike ancient times, modern people often don’t even realize these beings exist.

Only occasionally are there exceptions. Like natural spirit channelers — the mediums. The powers they hold can’t directly confront “Strange Phenomena.” But many possess abilities like sensing danger or foreseeing events.

Following their guidance offers ordinary people ways to avoid the dangers lurking in the shadows.

“That’s the theory, sure, but not every medium’s constitution is identical…”

Karasawa picked up the photo.

“My constitution allows me to glean information from touching photos, pictures, or portraits. For instance, if I hold a photo of someone, I can feel their recent emotions, lingering thoughts, or fragments of what they saw…”

“…That’s just wild.”

Even now, Fang Jing couldn’t help but click his tongue at the sheer implausibility… what kind of chaotic ability mechanics was this? Though, honestly, such a skill seemed quite overpowering.

“It is wild. But frankly, this constitution isn’t exactly beneficial. At least, it hasn’t brought me much good—more like a heap of trouble.”

He shook his head with a sigh. “Touching photos costs way too much energy. Worse, sometimes you pick up nasty, clingy ‘stuff.’ Photos of the living are bad enough, but photos of the dead? That can bring truly massive danger.”

“I see. That’s why Amasue Suetora sought you out for help.”