Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 5 Chapter 4 (section)

===8===

When we returned to base it was 4am in the morning. Just like that the meeting continued up till the next morning; when the sun rose we started work.

“First start at the location where there is definitely a chimney.”

Naru announced. The few of us set out towards the location in question. Everyone split the burden and carried the heavy equipment.

Lin-san carried the radar as though it was a treasure. This was equipment used in the poltergeist case (tl/n: novels 1 and 2) to test for the power of suggestion. Give a certain person a hint that something associated with them – for example, a vase – would move, then seal the vase in a room. If that vase really moves, the real identity of the poltergeist is that unfathomable power of humans. To create a completely sealed room, we were unable to pull an extension or something out of the room. Hence we used radar to detect monitor the activity of the vase through the wall, and inside the room we recorded it with a wireless camera. That radar looks like it is to be used for a special purpose this time. That is, to figure out the thickness of the wall. If we had a better radar, apparently we could even find out what it is like beyond the wall.

We examined all the walls facing that empty space.

“The refractive index of this wall should be the lowest.”

Lin-san pointed at the floor plan. ‘Radar’ produces electromagnetic waves, and then receives the reflected electromagnetic waves. If the refractive index of the electromagnetic waves is low, it means that this wall is easily broken. The body of the wall is very thin, or even if it is thick, it is very weak.

We hurried to the site and used the tools borrowed from Ohashi-san to knock down the wall. More easily than imagined, we made a hole in the wall. I couldn’t see any light on the other side of the wall. To see what it was like inside, the hole was expanded; it gradually turned into a huge job, the hole measured approximately 30 cm in diameter. I stuck the head of the infrared camera into that hole. The image taken by the camera appeared on the monitor.

Bathed in infrared light not visible to the human eye, the inside of the hole was clearly shown. Inside was a haphazard room of about 8 tatami’s size. There was a huge item directly facing us.

“… That, what is it?”

Naru sank into thought.

“It looks like either an incinerator or a stove or something similar…”

Indeed, the look of the room was like that of the surroundings of the school incinerator; was what I felt recently.

“Let’s go in to take a look.”

Naru announced. Then we made another hole in the wall. This time, we drummed up enough energy, and made a hole large enough for a person to pass through.

Beams from our torch lights crisscrossed in the room filled with dust. The shadow of the incinerator appeared in front of us. The walls were built in the shape of a huge box; right in the middle directly facing us were two rusted metal lids; it should be the ceramic chimney continually extending towards the ceiling. 

Masako, Ayako and I remained outside; the other 4 entered that room.

“Are you alright?”

We asked them. Bou-san said.

“… Aah. The floor is made of stone. It is really solid.”

… No, that wasn’t what I was talking about.

“It’s very smelly.”

Indeed, the room was filled with an intense rotting smell.

“There’s a door.”

Naru said softly and faced the left side of the room. Looking over we could see a slanted door illuminated by the torchlight. We could see bricks piled on the other side of the half open door. When Naru pulled the door, the entire door fell down. On the other side of the door was a completed wall.

While the wall had a window, the other side of the window was also walled up. It was a secret room completely sealed by bricks.

Bou-san eyed a wooden boxes lined up along the wall. He knelt down, and picked up the things inside the box.

“… It’s mouldy.”

Just as Bou-san studied the next box…

“… Waah!”

John let out a lament-like sound.

“What’s up?!”

At that time John had opened the lid of the furnace. Naru and Bou-san ran over. They shone their torches into the furnace from beside John, who was rooted to the ground over there.

“Hey, what happened?”

Naru continued to look at that place without moving.

“It’s best to contact the police.”

After he said that, he stood up and walked out of the room in our direction.

… Police?!

“… Hey, I said, what happened?”

I grabbed Naru, who had walked out of the hole, and asked. Naru used a very calm voice and said.

“There’s a body inside.”



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