Pathway to Japanese Literature
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The Underwater PhantomAuthor: Yamamoto Shūgorō
| Original Title | 水中の怪人 |
|---|---|
| Author | 山本 周五郎 |
| Genre | Detective & Mystery |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the shadowy canals and coastal waters of Tokyo, a series of bizarre encounters sparks panic: a drenched stranger flees into a river after a cryptic grocery store visit; a slimy, webbed hand snatches belongings from a fishing boat; and grotesque footprints haunt a ship’s cabin. Whispers of *kappa*—mythical river demons—ignite public frenzy. When Keikichi, son of an industrial magnate, vanishes during a voyage, leaving amphibious tracks, engineer Hirabayashi Bungo uncovers a chilling link to Kashima Industries’ classified project: an advanced underwater cannon. A crimson ransom note demands blueprints in exchange for Keikichi’s life, implicating a vengeful ex-employee and his experimental “free diving suit”—a rubber-clad disguise mimicking the legendary creature. As Bungo races to outmaneuver the kidnapper, explosions reveal human greed beneath the monster’s facade. Blending folklore and cutting-edge science, this tale plunges readers into a murky world where ambition blurs the line between myth and invention, leaving one question: what lurks in the depths—*human or kappa*? |
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