Pathway to Japanese Literature

1

Deep beneath Greater Shanghai, two hundred meters underground where cosmic rays couldn't reach, there lived that eccentric genius Dr. Kin - a scientist so renowned readers must already be familiar with his legend.

The countless new superweapons Dr. Kin had invented to date were literally too numerous to list; even those known to readers alone must have numbered ten or twenty.
Each time these new superweapons were invented and released into the world, they would invariably stir up some dreadful commotion, leaving the faint-hearted unconscious every single time.
Among them, Commissioner Shō Kaiseki—that reliant warlord—suffered such immense damage from the weapons invented by his fellow countryman Dr. Kin that he had nearly lost his life countless times; his hatred for Kin was no mere grudge like Ms. Iwaya Iwako’s resentment toward Iemon-dono, but rather a loathing tenfold or more intensified by affection turned bitter.

“Damn it all... I must have someone snuff out that Dr. Kin’s life while I still draw breath...”

Thus Commissioner Shō Kaiseki had transformed into a fireball of obsession, resolving in this pitifully desperate state to land a retaliatory strike even at the risk of a fifty-fifty chance to kill or be killed.

Now, the anti-Kin policy had been finalized.
So then—by what means should they utterly destroy that big-headed Dr. Kin?

Shō gathered his executives at a certain location and held secret meetings thirty-nine times in succession, until something resembling a conclusion finally emerged from the meetings.

The conclusion consisted of the following two points.

Dr. Kin Disposal Plan

1. Install Dr. Ōsuiken to restrain Dr. Kin and, as necessary, lure him out.

2. Prepare all manner of enticing bait, successfully secure access to the disposal organ at a certain country’s embassy, and employ said organ to dispose of Dr. Kin.

Now, this Dr. Ōsuiken was a modern-era scientific genius of rare caliber who had recently returned from the Soviet Union—moreover, since he had once taught Dr. Kin in the past, making him Kin’s former mentor, and was therefore deemed an eminent scholar, they had formulated a plan to enlist Dr. Ōsuiken’s aid.

Moreover, regarding what was called the Disposal Organ at the Certain Country’s Embassy—as you may already know from recent newspaper reports—in short, a disposal organ was an organ that disposed of human beings. To take an example of disposal organs we commonly encountered in our daily lives, something like a crematorium was precisely one such disposal organ.

By whatever means they managed it, the Dr. Kin Disposal Plan finally began moving smoothly on track as autumn drew to a close that year, when a sudden cold northwesterly wind started sweeping through the streets.

Around that time, an unsigned, thick document arrived at Dr. Kin’s residence.
When Dr. Kin opened the envelope and read its contents, he found the scroll adorned with wistfully sentimental phrases that concluded by earnestly awaiting your presence—and only at the end did the sender’s name finally appear: the Great Dr. Ōsuiken.

“Ah, how nostalgic! Great Teacher Ōsuiken!”

With that, Dr. Kin abruptly changed his demeanor and solemnly received that peculiar document.

“You must come to my post.
“I can’t speak this loudly, but I shall soon be dismissed from the embassy myself.
“While I still hold authority as the Translation Director, you must come visit me!”

And with that, Dr. Ōsuiken had disclosed a great secret.
For Dr. Kin—who had long heard of that land’s scenic beauty—the thought of visiting it at least once had already taken root.
Then came an invitation from his former mentor.
Deeply devoted to his teacher’s benevolence, Dr. Kin found himself profoundly moved by the prospect of both paying homage to the Great Teacher’s august countenance after so long and, while there, being granted the chance to tour that very land.

And so Dr. Kin resolved to depart.
It was finally one week later that he departed from Shanghai.
During the week leading up to his departure date, Dr. Kin devoted himself entirely to preparing for the journey.
That is to say, he specially self-made three large trunks and packed into those trunks various miscellaneous small items of his own creation.
It was truly a laborious departure preparation.
When we ordinary people travel, we simply go to a department store to buy one fiber trunk, then gather ten-sen toothbrushes, scalp tonics, timetables, and flea powders from a ten-cent store to haphazardly stuff inside before departing—a process of effortless convenience that stood in stark contrast to this preparation, a veritable chasm between heaven and earth.

Now then, let us take up paper and pencil and chase after Dr. Kin.

2

At first, Dr. Kin rushed to the airport carrying three trunks but was immediately refused.

“I truly regret to inform you, but such heavy, large luggage cannot be loaded onto the company’s airplanes…”

“It’s big, but it’s not that heavy.”

“…Moreover, the air currents in your destination area are currently extremely unfavorable—air pockets and such… Additionally, we regret to inform you that the scheduled route to your destination has been suspended indefinitely since the day before yesterday… Furthermore…”

“Ah, that’s enough.”

Dr. Kin cut off the service staff’s words,

“If there happens to be an old useless airplane lying around, I’d like you to sell me one—how about it?”

“When you say an old useless airplane...”

“In other words—torn wings, chipped propeller tips, holes under the seats—a beat-up plane like that’s perfectly fine.”
“Anyway, as long as it looks like an airplane shape-wise, has an engine—even a token one—and something shaped like a propeller attached, that’ll do.”

“What do you intend to do with such an airplane…?”

“Oh, I’ll get in it and fly it myself.”

“There’s no way such an airplane could fly.”

“Once I’m aboard, it’ll fly.”
“I haven’t time to explain details—just tell me straight: will you sell me that plane or not?”

“We’d gladly sell you one, but unfortunately we’ve no such dilapidated aircraft in stock at present…”

“You don’t have any?”
“Y-you should’ve said that sooner.”
“You’re keeping me here with this droning on about worthless nonsense when I’m so busy… Hah! If I don’t hurry, I’ll miss my meeting time with the Great Teacher and won’t make it into ○○!”

Dr. Kin glanced at the large watch on his wrist, effortlessly shouldered those three massive trunks of his, and hurriedly left the airport.

The service staff member who had seen him off tilted their head slightly with a deep sigh,

“But he’s quite a strong old man.
“To think he’s carrying those huge trunks so effortlessly…”

Dr. Kin’s figure appeared at the pier this time.
Fortunately, an approximately 8,000-ton Australian steamship was just about to depart, so Dr. Kin—seizing this opportunity—shoved aside the crew, forcibly boarded the vessel, and took up position in the saloon.

“Excuse me, sir, I’m afraid there are no cabins available.”

The purser came to where Dr. Kin was with a stern expression.

“A cabin? There are cabins, aren’t there? Look here—isn’t there a perfectly spacious room available right here?”

“This is a saloon, sir—not a cabin. As you can see, even were you to retire for the night here, I’m afraid there isn’t even a bed available.”

“No, I’ll sleep on this sofa, so don’t you worry.”

“That would be problematic. In that case, we shall arrange the cabins and prepare a room with a bed for you.”

“Do as you please. As long as there’s a pretense of me having boarded this steamship, that’s all I need.”

“Huh? When you say ‘pretense,’ sir…”

“That’s my business. By the way—what time is this steamship scheduled to arrive at ○○ Port?”

“The arrival at ○○ Port is scheduled for the evening of the day after tomorrow.”

“What’s this about the day after tomorrow in the evening? That’s terribly late, don’t you think? I can’t be waiting around that long.”

“Even if you say you can’t wait, there’s nothing we can do about the scheduled time now.”

“Ah, that’s quite enough now. I’ve decided we arrive at ○○ Port by tomorrow morning, so you needn’t say another word.”

“I… see.”

There wasn’t a single person aboard the ship who didn’t think Dr. Kin was out of his mind.

3

For Dr. Kin’s sake, Cabin 222 was vacated.

“This cabin number’s downright easy to remember, I tell you!”

Dr. Kin once again hefted the three trunks and moved to the room.
When the boy tried to take the trunks, Dr. Kin let out a strange cry and scolded him.

Soon, night fell.

Before long, a tremendous commotion broke out at the ship’s bow.
The waves cleaving through the bow had risen so high that they kept sweeping the deck equipment into the sea with no way to stop it.
Soon after, three sailors and one crew member were swept away by those towering waves and went missing.

Even when it was reported that crew members and deck equipment had been swept away due to the excessively high waves cleaving through the bow, those who hadn’t witnessed it refused to believe.

“I’m telling you, the waves are rising all the way up to the mast!”

“Don’t give me that nonsense.
“Even in the worst storms, they only come rushing up from the bow onto the deck.
“Waves rising all the way to the mast? Don’t be absurd—that’s impossible!”

“No—since that absurd thing is actually happening, it’s an utterly absurd situation.”

Amidst such commotion, a secret uproar was also occurring on the bridge.

“It’s truly strange.”
“The engine room claims they’re making fifteen knots, but actual measurements show this steamship’s hitting forty-five knots!”

“That’s right.”
“It might indeed be reaching that speed.”
“Could it be that the engine room’s gauges have gone haywire?”

“Because it was all too strange, I’ve now ordered the engine room to reduce speed to zero knots.”

Before long, a report came from the engine room stating that they had halted engine operations.

“What? They halted engine operations? Don’t be absurd.”
“According to actual measurements right now, this ship is moving at forty knots—isn’t she?”

“Couldn’t it be coasting on inertia?”

“Who knows?”

While they were saying this, the needle on the actual speed gauge jerked sharply to the right again, and the speed increased to forty-eight knots.

“This is ridiculous.”
“The engine stops and speed increases—what’s happening here?”
“I’ll tear up my engineer’s license!”

“No—I’ve gone mad.”

“I resign as captain.”

Amidst the clamor, the ship’s hull suddenly received a tremendous impact with a loud sound, rocked violently back and forth—and then abruptly came to a complete stop.

This is bad!
The sailors, who had thought they were losing their minds, leaped up in panic and rushed out to the deck.

Then what an absurd situation this was.
Before the steamship lay a beautiful flower bed.
Behind the steamship there was a road where a car lay overturned.
To starboard stretched a town.
To port too stretched another town.
This was strange.

“Hey! Where’s the sea gone?”

The sailors were all on the verge of losing their minds twice over, but among them stood a resolute individual who pronounced a definitive judgment about the ship’s location.

“Hey! No matter how you look at it, our steamship’s been hauled up onto XX Port’s land! This is XX City!”
“There’s no way such nonsense could happen! If this were XX Port, we couldn’t dock for two more days!”

“Don’t talk nonsense! Even to your eyes, it should be clear that this is XX City. Look over there! Can’t you see the tower of the oft-mentioned, all-too-familiar Kibakan over there?”

“Hmm, this is strange.”
“That is indeed Kibakan.”
“So maybe it’s true after all—the claim that our steamship has run aground in XX City.”

While they were saying such things, Dr. Kin emerged from the cabin. Carrying those three trunks with ease, he crossed the ship’s rail and was about to descend into the flower garden when the sailors, startled, rushed to the doctor’s side.

“You mustn’t disembark from there.
“For one thing, the customs haven’t even arrived yet.
“Without inspecting the trunks, disembarkation is impossible.”

“What a bother you’re making of this,”
“Well then, I’ll open them now—you take a quick look and have someone jot it down somewhere to show customs later.”
“Here, take a look.”

With that, Dr. Kin popped open the three trunks with a trunk-maker’s crisp efficiency—snap, snap, snap—revealing their contents.

“Here, take a look.”

Having been thus urged, the Chief Clerk marched over with forced vigor and found himself compelled to inspect the trunks’ contents.
But the instant he looked inside, his face twisted in bewilderment—

“Excuse me, sir.”
“This will incur considerable taxes, you know.”
“Is that clear?”

“Taxes? No such thing applies here.”
“Every last item counts as personal effects.”

“I wouldn’t say that’s necessarily the case.”
“But there’s no sign of clothes, shirts, or toothbrushes—things that should be personal belongings!”
“What’s packed inside are things like radio equipment, pliers, wire, batteries, vacuum tubes, gyroscopes, that peculiar motor of yours, crankshafts, springs, rivets, loudspeakers…”

“Since counting them endlessly gets you nowhere, why don’t you give it a rest already? In short, everything I just listed are my personal belongings, so I can’t have you misunderstanding.”

“Of course, since there are no new items, it’s clear they aren’t merchandise.”
“Very well then.”
“We’ll make a note of the item names, but for now, we’ll proceed without imposing any taxes and allow you to pass through here.”

“Ah, you’ve finally started to grasp the situation.”

Dr. Kin frantically gathered the tools scattered about the spot, put them into the trunk, and closed the lid. And then he effortlessly hoisted it onto his shoulder.

“Wait a moment, please.”
“Somehow, it looks like you’re carrying empty trunks.”
“Well then, let me try holding them for a moment.”

When the Chief Clerk tried to lift the trunk, it was indeed as light as an empty one.

“Hmm, how strange.”
“With all those heavy tools inside, it’s this light—it’s like magic.”
“Sir, you’ve promptly removed those tools from the trunk and hidden them somewhere, haven’t you?”

“Don’t joke around like that.
“Those personal belongings are right inside.
“Look—exactly like this...”

Dr. Kin went out of his way to open the three trunks once more and show them to the Chief Clerk and the others.

The tools were properly packed to the brim.

“That’s strange.”

The Chief Clerk selected a small motor from among them and took it out.

“Hmm, just the weight of this motor alone is almost heavier than the trunk.”
“So if Trunk B containing a heavy item A has a total weight of A plus B plus alpha that’s lighter than the original A—what kind of arithmetic is this?”
“I can’t seem to make the equation work.”

“Hey, Mr. Chief Clerk.
“Seems like you scored excellent or top marks in arithmetic back in middle school.”

said Dr. Kin,

“But when it comes to my trunks, that naive arithmetic doesn’t hold water.”
“I’m too busy to give explanations, but this is an established fact.”
“To put it plainly, there can be situations where A is greater than A plus B plus alpha.”
“If you ever solve this riddle, I might even reward you with an artificial guinea pig.”

“Hmm, really now?”
“But I simply can’t make sense of it.”
“Please—explain it properly right now.”

“So… you’ve decided you want to hear it, have you?”
“Well then, I’ll give you a little explanation.”

Dr. Kin, who should have been in a hurry, suddenly settled down leisurely there,

“Now then,
“Let us assume there were five component parts here named A, B, C, D, and E.”
“Let us assume each weighed 10 kilograms, making for a total weight of 50 kilograms.”

“Yes, I understand that arithmetic.”

“However, when you measure those component parts A–E all together, the total weight comes to a mere 20 kilograms.”

“That’s precisely what I just don’t understand.”
“If there are five items each weighing ten kilograms, the total will always be fifty kilograms.”

“However, that’s precisely the despicableness of so-and-so for you.”
“Now then.”
“If you take apart components A–E and measure each one individually, the total comes to fifty kilograms.”
“That’s correct.”
“When you combine those components and measure them, lo and behold, they weigh twenty kilograms—there’s only one case where this happens.”
“That is when the device assembled from those components happens to be a Gravity Neutralizer.”

“Huh? When you say ‘Gravity Neutralizer’…”

“In other words, an instrument that negates gravity—the source of weight—is what we call a Gravity Neutralizer.”
“That Gravity Neutralizer made from fifty kilograms of parts could negate thirty kilograms of gravity once assembled.”
“So fifty kilograms minus thirty kilograms leaves twenty kilograms remaining.”
“You see how this arithmetic holds perfectly now, don’t you?”

“Whoa—this completely blows my mind!”

With that, the Chief Clerk widened his eyes,

“So what does that mean? Are all the contents of the three trunks you’re carrying nothing but complete component parts for a Gravity Neutralizer?”
“And why on earth are you walking around carrying three Gravity Neutralizers?”

“I hate to say it, but your imagination is a bit lacking.”
“The personal belongings in my trunks can be assembled into a Gravity Neutralizer when needed; into a radio transceiver when required; into weapons—no—mumble mumble mumble—that is to say, in other cases, even into something like a pump.”
“So? Are you stunned?”

“Huh… So that’s how it works?”
“This… this really blows my mind.”
“And listening to all this… I’m getting more and more tempted by those trunks of yours. How about it—could you spare one for me…?”

4

“Nah—let’s save that for next time. I’ve come to this ○○ Port on urgent business now.”
“Let’s leave business discussions for another occasion.”

With that declaration, Dr.Kin effortlessly slung the gravity-neutralizing trunk onto his shoulder and strode off.
But then—as though struck by an afterthought—the Chief Clerk came scurrying after him,

“Pardon me—you there!”
“There’s one more matter I must inquire about.”
“If you’d just wait a moment...”

“Ugh, you sure are persistent!”
“Enough already—let go of me!”

“The other thing I wanted to ask is—this steamship achieved a remarkable speed unrelated to its engine room and ran aground at ○○ City. Could that extraordinary speed have something to do with the contents of the trunk you’re carrying there?”

“Ah, that’s what you’re asking about?”

Dr. Kin stopped in his tracks there,

“That has a great deal to do with it.”
“If I hadn’t been aboard, that sort of speed never would’ve been possible.”
“In other words, that was me assembling the component parts inside this trunk in the ship’s cabin to create one powerful propulsion device.”
“And because I operated that, that’s how we made it here in one day instead of two and a half days.”

“Huh, so that’s how it was after all.”

“Actually, if you use that device of mine, you won’t need steamships or airplanes—you can travel swiftly and properly.”
“However, if I were to do that, it wouldn’t escape public notice.”
“Therefore, I’ve made it a practice to ride in some seemingly ordinary vehicle.”
“Once aboard, I assemble that powerful propulsion device at my convenience, operate it, and even if I just give it a little tweak, I can produce speeds that would rank as fast for a steamship like that one.”
“Well now—that should suffice here, shouldn’t it?”

Dr. Kin, appearing fond of the commoner class and uncharacteristically free of impatience, delivered a round of his popular lecture aboard the ship that had serenely ascended the hill.

“Ah, right!”
“Where might that Certain Country’s Embassy be located, I wonder?”

This time, it was Dr. Kin who spoke up.

“If it’s the Certain Country’s Embassy—look over there at the mountain’s foot. You’ll see a castle-like building with a pretty flag fluttering atop its tower.”
“That is the Certain Country’s Embassy.”
“But sir?”
“If you mean to go there, I’d advise against it.”

“Why’s that now?”

“Well…that embassy had rather a poor reputation at the time.”
“In the past year alone, seven thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven people passed through its gates.”
“Yet only four thousand four hundred and forty-four ever came out.”
“Don’t you find that peculiar?”

“I don’t find it particularly strange, I must say.”
“If you do the arithmetic, the answer comes right out, doesn’t it?”
“Seven thousand seven hundred seventy-seven minus four thousand four hundred forty-four equals three thousand three hundred thirty-three—that’s what your arithmetic shows.”
“In other words, this number represents the current count of embassy staff members residing within the Certain Country’s Embassy.”
“Well? Isn’t that simple arithmetic?”

“No, that’s not how it is…”
“Those embassy staff members number a mere three hundred thirty-two!”

“A mere three hundred thirty-two.”

“That’s correct.
“In other words, performing another subtraction—three thousand three hundred thirty-three minus three hundred thirty-two equals three thousand one. These three thousand one people entered that Certain Country’s Embassy only to never exit, never return, and not even reside within its walls—they exist as mathematical anomalies.”
“Therefore, sir, I must advise you not to become part of those irrational numbers—heh.”

“Ah, I understand perfectly indeed.”
“However, when it comes to me, Dr. Kin, there’s no need for concern.”
“Well then, farewell, farewell!”

After bidding farewell to the Chief Clerk, Dr. Kin straddled the gunwale, slid down the sloping ship's side like a slide, and landed with a thud—trunks and all—in the middle of a flowerbed where a hundred flowers bloomed in profusion.

5

Well then—being the short-tempered Dr. Kin that he was—without a thought for his own peril or the adversary’s designs, he strode briskly up to the entrance of the Certain Country’s Embassy and barged straight in.

“Is the Great Teacher not present?”
“Where might Dr. Ōsuiken’s chambers be located?”
“Dr. Kin has come to pay his respects!”

At last, through Dr. Kin’s own diligent searching, he uncovered what proved to be Dr. Ōsuiken’s morning-slumbering parlor.

“Well, well—if it isn’t Kin? I thought your arrival was still two or three days away and let my guard down—but here you are already!”

Great Teacher Ōsuiken found himself shocked and utterly dumbfounded before he could even feel joy.

“Great Teacher, how I’ve missed you. By the way, I’ve learned through official documents that this Certain Country’s Embassy plans to dismiss you soon—how outrageous. I shall go meet the Certain Country’s Ambassador and put a stop to this.”

“Ah, there’s no need for that.”
“It can’t be helped anyway.”

“In this proactive age, you can’t afford to withdraw with talk of ‘It can’t be helped.’"
“I’ll go strong-arm the ambassador into…”

“No, doing such a thing would be futile.”
“Not only will I be dismissed—the ambassador himself will be dismissed as well.”
“Not just the ambassador.”
“The counselors, clerks, language officers, gardeners, and cooks—they will all be dismissed.”

“Hmm—what in the world could be the reason for that…”

“To put it bluntly—this embassy’s home country is doomed.”
“The German army is already at our doorstep.”
“Therefore, this Certain Country’s Embassy has no choice but to disband.”

“Ah, so that’s how it was.”
“Still, it’s criminal to let such a magnificent building stand empty.”
“Great Teacher, I could purchase this building.”
“An absolute travesty otherwise.”

With that, Dr. Kin glanced around restlessly.
At that moment, someone beneath the bed tugged at the Great Teacher’s sleeve.

“Oh—”

The suspicious sleeve-tugging figure was none other than Commissioner Shō Kaiseki himself, who had carelessly been lodging here with beds set up.

“……If Dr. Kin discovers us, it’ll be disastrous.
“Please let me escape through the window!”

Shō’s voice turns tearful as he whispers to Great Teacher Ōsuiken.

“Good. Look at my hand and get on with it quickly.”

After coordinating with whoever was beneath the bed, Great Teacher Ōsuiken slowly turned toward Dr. Kin,

"That sculpture up there on the ceiling—you see—it's quite ancient and made of pure gold.
Observe it closely!"

"Hmm... So that's what it was."

Turning toward Dr. Kin, Great Teacher Ō waved his hand near his buttocks. The glass window sprang back with a loud noise.

“Ah, what was that noise?”

Dr. Kin’s face tightened.

“Ahahaha, that was just a cat leaping out!”

“You call that a cat?”
“Well, I must say—that’s surprising.”
“That cat of yours is quite large—I must say it seems to be about the size of a human.”

Dr. Kin said with deadpan seriousness.

Shō, who had leapt out the window, unfortunately caught on a holly tree branch—clenching his teeth with his face and limbs covered in blood—but the moment he heard Dr. Kin’s voice and was startled into panic, he thudded to the ground, thoroughly bruising his backside. Even so, driven solely by the desire to survive, he crawled on both hands like a walrus and fled from the spot.

“Anyway, Kin, you must be tired from your long journey.
“I’ll lend you this bedroom, so take a good nap.”
“In the meantime, we’ll make all necessary preparations.”

“Oh, Great Teacher, there’s no need to trouble yourself.”
“Please refrain from making any extravagant preparations…”

“Well, never mind. This room is quiet, so you should be able to sleep soundly.”
“Well then, good night.”
“I’ll wake you come evening.”

“Ah, I’m deeply obliged.”

Dr. Ōsuiken relinquished his own room to Dr. Kin and departed the space.
When exiting through the doorway, he made sure to quietly lock it from the outside.
With Dr. Kin thus canned away like preserved goods, once they finally commenced their full preparations, the embassy's disposal organ would likely become operational by evening.

As he walked down the corridor thinking such thoughts, someone called out to him from behind.
It was none other than Shō, using crutches.

“Oh, you’ve injured your leg, have you?”

“Ah, it’s because I fell from a holly tree.”
“By the way, Great Teacher—what’s that fellow doing now?”

“Ah, you mean Kin?”
“Kin is currently taking a nap in our room to recover from his travel fatigue.”
“Actually, I already dispersed sleeping drugs through the air earlier—in another twenty minutes, that Kin fellow will have his eyelids sealed shut, and after that, he’ll lie there like a corpse, snoring away for six solid hours.”

“Ah, I see.”
“That spares us considerable trouble—excellent.”
“Then there’s no need to employ this embassy’s disposal organ—I myself shall infiltrate his bedroom! With my own Blue Dragon Sword! I myself shall sever his head!”

“Very well.”
“For my sake, he was once a dear disciple, but now that he’s been seduced by evil, I suppose I must steel myself and behead him.”
“Oh—forty minutes have already passed.”
“That Kin fellow must be sleeping soundly by now.”

Great Teacher Ōsuiken, thoroughly deceived by Shō and fully intent on performing a noble act, led him along, propped a tall ladder beneath the window, climbed it, and quietly peered through to observe Dr. Kin’s condition.

However, the bed was empty.
The other bed was also empty.

"Oh—that Kin fellow! He must’ve escaped!"

As the two glared into the room in apparent disappointment at having finally let him slip away, something suddenly caught their eye.
It was a single small tank.

“Look, there’s something strange over there!”

“Who on earth brought a small tank like this here?”

The two men, wondering in surprise, sneaked in through the window and approached the tank placed in the middle of the room.

The tank’s door would not open, no matter how they tried.
However, a note had been pasted on top of the tank.

“As I shall be sound asleep within this tank until 4 PM, let no one disturb my slumber.”
Dr. Kin

was written.
Was Dr. Kin sleeping inside this tank?
Now that you mention it—indeed—the sound of loud snoring was coming from somewhere.

Commissioner Shō Kaiseki and Great Teacher Ōsuiken, try as they might, found themselves unable to lay hands on the tank and had no choice but to retreat dejectedly.
But the two gentlemen would never realize that this small tank had been constructed from Dr. Kin’s three trunks.
Dr. Kin’s snoring grew even louder at that moment.