Agent: Intercepting Yu Manli at the start!

Chapter 136 This matter is of utmost importance!

In the cramped room, Yasuda Jiro immediately spotted Shirakawa Yoshinori's corpse!

The body was clearly decomposed, covered with dark brown lividity, and the flesh was limp and sagging, emanating a constant stench.

When a person has just died, their pupils become dull, like glass beads; one minute after death, their skin begins to turn bluish-gray, and their muscles completely relax; within one to four hours, rigor mortis gradually forms, and their hair stands on end; after eight hours, their body temperature completely dissipates; and after three to eight hours, the stiffness begins to subside.

Normally, within 24 to 72 hours after death, bacteria multiply rapidly in the body, and the internal organs begin to decompose; within three to five days, the body becomes swollen; within eight to ten days, the abdominal cavity is filled with putrefactive gas, and the skin turns from green to red.

Yoshinori Shirakawa had been dead for seven days. The hot and stuffy archive room accelerated the decomposition process, making the stench of his body particularly strong and pungent.

The smell seeped out quietly through the crack in the door, undetectable to humans, but it couldn't escape the military dog's incredibly sensitive nose—its barking was the most direct and real alarm!

Despite the severe deformity of the corpse, Yasuda Jiro recognized it at a glance: the rotting corpse in front of him was none other than Shirakawa Yoshinori, the highest military commander in Shanghai!

"General Shirakawa?!"

He blurted it out, his face changed drastically, his eyes widened, his mouth opened halfway, and he froze on the spot.

His expression changed rapidly: first, an incredulous astonishment, then a chilling fear, and finally, a deep sense of confusion and unease.

How could Yoshinori Shirakawa have died here?

Who did it?

Why has no one noticed that he has been dead for so long?

A series of questions exploded in his mind, almost causing him to have a mental breakdown.

But one thing is beyond doubt—the death of Yoshinori Shirakawa means that the highest-ranking Japanese general to die in battle in China has been born, and his military rank has reached that of general!

Yasuda Jiro stared at the festering corpse, his mind buzzing and blank.

He just couldn't understand it: how could a high-ranking Japanese general and the supreme military commander of Shanghai die silently in a closed archive room?

Great general!

That's the top rank at the very pinnacle of the Japanese military!

According to the Japanese military rank system at the time, the ranks were as follows: General, Lieutenant General, Major General, Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Major, Captain, First Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant, Warrant Officer, Sergeant Major, Sergeant, Corporal, Private First Class, Private Second Class, Private Second Class.

The army had the rank of Marshal, but the selection had to be made personally by the Emperor—usually from among generals with distinguished military achievements or deep seniority, and the title was conferred in person by the Emperor. However, strictly speaking, Marshal was more of an honorary title than an actual military rank, since most people only reached the rank of General in their lifetime.

General Yoshinori Shirakawa died mysteriously in the secret archives room.

The entire sealed room was filled with a strong stench of decay. The body was highly decomposed, and preliminary assessments indicated that it had been dead for at least seven days. The sweltering summer heat accelerated the decomposition, and the archive room door was tightly sealed, preventing the odor from escaping—the faint smell seeping from the cracks was practically undetectable to the average person. Had it not been for a routine patrol by the military police headquarters, the body would likely have remained hidden in the shadows.

When Yasuda Jiro saw Shirakawa Yoshinori lying on the ground, his heart sank. He was shocked and felt a chill run down his spine. He remained stunned for a long time before snapping back to reality and urgently ordering his men, "Quick! Get the forensic doctor here immediately!"

When the forensic doctor arrived, his primary task was to determine the cause and time of death in order to reconstruct the events of that day and find out why this general died alone in a heavily guarded, confidential archive room.

"Yes!" The subordinate turned and ran off.

This is no small matter!

The sudden death of a Japanese general will undoubtedly cause a severe shock throughout the military and even the country.

Soon after, the forensic doctor arrived at the scene and conducted only a surface examination, without performing an autopsy.

—How dare we disturb the remains of a great general?

After a cursory examination, the forensic doctor frowned and said solemnly, "Reporting to Yasuda-kun, based on the examination of the body at the scene, General Shirakawa should have been dead for about seven days."

"As for the cause of death, no obvious fatal wounds have been found, nor are there any signs of a struggle. Only an autopsy can confirm the cause. However, given General Shirakawa's special status, it is not appropriate to examine his body."

"Furthermore, the severe decomposition of the body complicated the basis for judgment."

Zhou Xiao precisely pierced Shirakawa Yoshinori's temple with a fine steel needle, the wound being as thin as a needle tip and extremely difficult to see with the naked eye; after the corpse decomposed, it was completely hidden in the subcutaneous tissue.

This is precisely the key reason why forensic experts have been unable to determine the cause of death to this day.

Yasuda Jiro blurted out, "What? This is so strange? The cause of death is unknown? There's not even a hint of a struggle?"

"Then there is only one possibility—the murderer caught him off guard and launched a surprise attack, killing him instantly."

Although no autopsy was performed, the forensic doctor provided crucial information: the time of death was essentially confirmed.

Yasuda Jiro immediately summoned the two military police officers who were on duty that day.

As soon as the two entered the house, their expressions changed drastically, filled with disbelief.

One of them exclaimed, "Didn't General Shirakawa leave earlier? How could he be dead here?"

Another person chimed in, "That's right! We saw him walk quickly out of the archives!"

Yasuda Jiro's face darkened, and he said sternly, "Tell me the whole story clearly, without omitting a single detail!"

The military police officer in charge of guarding the room replied, "That day, General Shirakawa came to the archives and said he wanted to access a batch of extremely important intelligence and documents. He then opened the door and entered himself."

"When we entered, he specifically instructed us that no one was allowed to enter without permission."

About half an hour later, we saw him walk hurriedly out of the archives. We didn't dare to ask any more questions and locked the door as usual.

As Yasuda Jiro listened, he glanced at the neatly dressed corpse on the ground. Suddenly, he realized what was happening and flew into a rage: "Baka! The murderer killed General Shirakawa, then changed into his uniform and swaggered out! Why didn't you stop him and question him?"

A military policeman, with a pained expression, explained, "Sir, that man's back view, height, and gait are extremely similar to General Shirakawa's. Plus, he's our superior officer; how could we dare to question him?"

This is true.

How dare a mere military policeman intercept a general for questioning?

That's why the murderer was able to get away with it.

But this also left Yasuda Jiro with an important clue: the killer's physique and outline closely matched those of Shirakawa Yoshinori.

This is precisely the only flaw exposed in Zhou Xiao's "golden cicada shedding its shell" plan.

However, the meticulous Zhou Xiao had already anticipated this, and the follow-up actions were already in place—everyone who might recognize his back would soon be silenced forever.

Yasuda Jiro stared down at the stiff, cold body on the ground. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke: "Immediately call the Japanese headquarters in Shanghai—General Shirakawa… We've found him."

The storm that Yoshinori Shirakawa's death will unleash is something that Jiro Yasuda cannot yet foresee.

But he knew that this matter could not be covered up.

A general died in a highly confidential location that should have been absolutely secure, in peacetime, off the front lines, and in a private setting. If the news were to leak, it would surely cause an uproar throughout the country.

More importantly, he is currently the highest-ranking Japanese soldier killed in action during the invasion of China—and he did not fall on the battlefield, but rather silently behind this tightly closed iron gate.

News of Yoshinori Shirakawa's death quickly reached the Japanese military headquarters in Shanghai.

The news sent shockwaves through the city, causing widespread panic.

The entire Shanghai command knew that Yoshinori Shirakawa had been missing for seven days. Everyone was on edge, but no one dared to ask a single question about his whereabouts or inquire about any rumors in private—the slightest mistake could lead to being labeled a "spy" and detained and interrogated on the spot.

No one expected that this powerful general would have been murdered.

It's simply unbelievable.