Yes, I see. Yes, indeed
You understand what I'm speaking of
Motive? No, that's not necessary
If you will accept this contract, in that case
Yes, yes, then, allow me
To confirm the facts one last time
STRANGE CORPSE FOUND!!!
A strange female corpse with one body part missing has been discovered
(September 27, 1932 issue)
You are the eldest of six sisters
And you wish to bury your five younger sisters
If you alone of your sisters survive
There is no chance you won't be suspected
Well, well, what to do? This is quite the brainteaser
SIX STRANGE CORPSES?!?!
Following the discovery of a mutilated corpse in September of this year, six corpses, each mutilated in one place, were discovered in six places across the nation
(November 15, 1932 issue)
If all six of you sisters were to die
You wouldn't be suspected, of course
But to prepare a single false corpse
Would end up raising the risk of discovery
After much thought, meditation, and deliberation, I have it all arranged for you
I'll teach you how to pull off the perfect crime
Let us give your murder plan a flawless execution
The cost will be your right to decide the manner of your death:
When and where and how you will die
I'll teach you how to pull off the perfect crime
We'll make five corpses look like six corpses
It's the perfect crime
I shall instruct you in how this magic trick is done
First, do kill all five of them with poison, so you won't leave external wounds
Second, cut them up like in the drawing, and do wash them well
From here on, what I say is of the greatest importance, so please listen carefully
Third, you will switch the cranium of the second sister so that it is on the third
Fourth, you will switch the head and upper torso of the third sister so that they are on the fourth
Fifth, you will switch the head and torso of the fourth sister so that they are on the fifth
Sixth, you will switch the head, torso, and pelvis of the fifth sister so that they are on the sixth
Having done this, how do you like that?
What a mystery we seem to have here!
Our outcome is six corpses, each short one piece
The headless corpse will be considered to be yours, I believe
Let us dress the corpses in clothes and bury them in the mountains
Do bury them shallowly
SERIAL MURDER OF SIX SISTERS!!!
Based on physical characteristics and missing persons reports, it can be confirmed that the six victims are sisters who resided somewhere in the Tokyo metropolitan area
(November 21, 1932 issue)
It would be in your best interest to find somewhere remote to bury them
There is no danger of the cross sections being matched if you delay the time of discovery
With that, you have the perfect crime
CULPRIT STILL AT LARGE!!
All of the victims' missing body parts have been taken away. To think that they demonstrate the culprit's intentions!
(March 9, 1933 issue)
In this way, you joyously became one of the dead
Please make sure to change your name
Conceal your identity, and live modestly
This will be the price we agreed upon—the document with your cause of death
Cause of Death Document:
One year later
At home
Suicide
The trick is owed to:
Soji Shimada, from his book The Tokyo Zodiac Murders
(Honorific omitted.)