Chapter 41 : Sacrifice
The door opened wide, and someone in the pure black Jujutsu High uniform walked in. His eyes were slightly lowered, his forehead wrapped in bandages, his topknot loosely tied, his semi-long hair casually draped over his shoulders, and he held several sheets of paper in his hands.
It was Geto Suguru.
Jiang Lai steadied himself and looked across. The other person also noticed the extra figure in the room the moment he stepped in, quickly looking up with alertness.
"......Lai?" Seeing the navy blue kimono figure enter his vision, Geto Suguru's expression was somewhat stunned.
"Long time no see, Suguru-kun." Jiang Lai raised a smile, his demeanor natural. "So sudden, I hope I didn't startle you." His gaze fell on the person before him.
The current Geto Suguru hadn't changed much in appearance from when they parted years ago, but his expression was visibly much more haggard.
Light blue shadows floated under his eyes, his form was thin, and even his tied hair seemed listless.
Even so, he still habitually wrapped himself with a gentle mask, concealing his concerns.
At this moment, facing the uninvited Jiang Lai, Geto Suguru was only stunned for a few seconds before raising a smile: "Startled, no, but I am indeed somewhat surprised to reunite with you here."
"Don't worry, I didn't mess with anything in your room." Jiang Lai blinked lightly. "It's just that the scenery from this floor-to-ceiling window is nice, so I stood here appreciating it while waiting for a familiar person to return. I had asked Satoru to help me keep a pendant back then, and now I'm back to retrieve it."
Geto Suguru thought for a moment and said: "If you're looking for Satoru, he went out at noon to do a nearby mission. He might be back this afternoon. Should I send him an email?"
Jiang Lai still maintained his unruffled posture, not seeming particularly urgent: "When fate allows, we'll naturally meet. No need to inform him via email, let it be a surprise."
"Alright, then let's wait for now." Geto Suguru walked in a few steps, instinctively being polite and hospitable. "Please sit, you can sit on the bed edge or the chair. By the way, would you like some water? There's also coffee here."
"No need to be so polite." Jiang Lai adjusted his clothing slightly and sat on a stool to the side. "I don't need water or coffee either."
[Existence] didn't feel hunger.
Geto Suguru paused for a second, realizing: "Oh......I almost forgot."
Jiang Lai's gaze fell on the topknot teenager, his voice gentle, speaking with concern: "Has Suguru-kun had many missions recently? Your dark circles are quite heavy."
Hearing this, Geto Suguru paused slightly, pressing his lips then curving them, showing some helplessness as he sighed: "There have been too many curses during this period. Satoru and I have long been doing solo missions separately, so it's indeed quite busy......I've been staying up late recently drinking coffee to write mission reports."
"Too hard on you." Jiang Lai said softly. "Tea would work too. Coffee is rather bitter."
"It's still bearable." Geto Suguru replied. "I'm already used to it." Here, he paused and shook his head with a smile: "......Actually, it might be better if I lost my sense of taste someday. Cursed spirits really don't taste good."
Disgusting like a rag that had wiped vomit. Jiang Lai knew this.
Therefore, he said: "Keep some candy in your pocket, it might help. Just steal some from Satoru."
"Good idea, I'll steal from Satoru next time." Geto Suguru laughed, like dawn breaking through dark clouds, the gloom between his brows dissipating somewhat. "Stealing Satoru's candy means stealing his treasure. We'd probably have to fight."
"He'd definitely give it to you." Jiang Lai blinked, then continued half-jokingly, half-seriously: "I was originally wondering if Suguru-kun had teenage worries bottled up in his chest, keeping him awake at night and causing dark circles. After all, at this age, it's often a time of many thoughts."
The topknot teenager's fingers moved almost imperceptibly. His gaze naturally fell toward the desk area, then lifted again, his voice remaining normal as he frankly admitted:
"I do have some concerns," he glossed over lightly, "but they're just some scattered thoughts and considerations, nothing that affects sleep."
"Haven't you chatted with Satoru or Shoko about it?" Jiang Lai guided gently. "It would make for good conversation too."
"Everyone's too busy." Geto Suguru smiled, recalling for a few seconds. "......Ever since we became third-years, it's been a long time since we sat down to eat a meal together. Shoko is busy with advanced medical studies and taking care of the two Zenin family girls. Satoru is already the strongest now, and the entire jujutsu world's major affairs are waiting for him to handle."
This was the year after the Star Plasma Vessel incident, Gojo-Geto-Shoko's third year. Jiang Lai confirmed the timeline.
"Speaking of which, today is the day Haibara and the others return from their mission. They'll bring specialties from remote places." Geto Suguru continued. "Let's share them later. You can also take some to see little Maki and little Mai."
"Sounds good." Jiang Lai agreed readily. "When will Haibara and the others return?"
"Based on typical mission and travel times, probably this afternoon." Geto Suguru took out his phone and looked down. "But they haven't sent me any messages......I can't contact them either. I wonder if their phones died."
"......" Jiang Lai didn't respond. Actually, a plot point from the original work instinctively surfaced in his mind.
In the original work, when Geto Suguru and Gojo Satoru were third-years at Jujutsu High, Haibara and the others took on a mission to exorcise a second-grade cursed spirit.
However, they didn't expect this mission involved a [Window]'s observation error. The earth deity faith wasn't actually second-grade, but a first-grade cursed spirit.
The cursed spirit whose grade didn't match the estimate dealt them severe damage, ultimately leading to Haibara Yu's tragic sacrifice.
In this new series, surely they hadn't reached this plot point......But at this time, there was an additional Yuikawa Kurisu of unknown strength among the second-years. With one more person on the mission, logically they should be able to complete it successfully.
Even if they couldn't, retreating in time or delaying until support arrived should be possible.
While Jiang Lai silently recalled, Geto Suguru continued asking: "Would you like to wait here first, or should I take you to chat with little Maki and Mai now?"
"Let's sit in your room for a while." Jiang Lai blinked. "It's been a long time since I've seen the two little ones, and going empty-handed seems inappropriate. Later I'll take something from the specialties your underclassmen give you as a meeting gift for them."
He smiled: "I'll use yours without taking it for free. I'll pay you back sometime in the future."
"No need." Geto Suguru chuckled softly, waving his hand. "I was planning to share with you anyway."
Jiang Lai didn't elaborate on this point. His gaze fell on the papers in the person's hands: "You should have things to be busy with, right? Go ahead with your business. I'll just sit in your room, no need to deliberately find conversation topics to entertain me."
"Mm, alright." Geto Suguru didn't say more polite words. He placed the papers on the desk, pulled out the chair, showing a somewhat helpless expression. "Then I'll write the mission report from last time first. After just resting for two or three days, several unwritten reports have piled up."
Really hard work. It seemed that as the manga said, this summer cursed spirits were emerging endlessly, spreading like maggots.
After saying this, he added: "I also have several books here that are good for passing time. Would you like to read them?"
"No need." Jiang Lai shook his head, reaching out to catch the book that had been floating in the air. "This book is enough to accompany me."
Actually, Jiang Lai's reason for staying in Geto Suguru's room was also to have more time to understand the current situation.
He had only hastily browsed through the official website manga earlier, and many details hadn't been carefully examined and organized yet. Before sorting through this intelligence information, it was better not to rush out to wander around Jujutsu High.
Sunlight flowed down through layered leaves, entering the room through the huge floor-to-ceiling window. Both Geto Suguru and Jiang Lai sat quietly in the room, each concentrating.
The rustling sound of writing at the desk and occasional bird songs from outside the dormitory became the background white noise of the moment.
Jiang Lai looked down at his phone, organizing the updated content from the beginning again, pondering in his heart.
He had looked hurriedly the first time. To confirm the current timeline and background situation, he had skipped the Jujutsu High farewell content and jumped directly to the later Star Plasma Vessel incident.
Now reviewing again, Jiang Lai excavated important information from the Jujutsu High farewell plot about Yuikawa Kurisu. He hadn't expected his casual diversion at that time to be so effective when placed in the manga now.
The doggy Yuikawa turning his head to look at the spider web beside him, with Jiang Lai's question echoing in his ears, thoughts bubbling up naturally like spring water in his mind.
From these thoughts, Jiang Lai also understood the reality beneath this doggy Yuikawa's poor tea art performance.
A naturally cold-hearted pleasure-seeker whose every move was aimed at manipulating others' or other beings' emotions, who most loved watching others or other beings have intense emotional outbursts.
Jiang Lai rubbed his chin. If that was the case, his attention to him was probably because he found him too calm.
Most of the time, Jiang Lai maintained mystery, very calm in every gesture and movement. Even when he had verbally countered Yuikawa Kurisu, he did so with a light and breezy attitude.
What doggy Yuikawa wanted was "others' reactions." Jiang Lai didn't give him "reactions," so he focused on Jiang Lai.
Jiang Lai chuckled inwardly, his thoughts wandering for a second. This type of person was suitable for facing off against a top-tier emotionless poker face, to see who would break first.
The wild imagination was only momentary. He quickly withdrew his thoughts and opened the forum page.
【God Lai actually said goodbye this time! The previous times were all graceful departures haha, does this mean God Lai is more familiar with them now? He even gave a parting gift www】
【This pendant looks a bit familiar......I went back and flipped through the main story manga. Back then in the sleet alley, when God Lai helped Fushiguro Megumi and met with Geto Suguru in the rain alley, when the windbreaker lifted for a moment, a section was visible from the chest shirt pocket → (image) Should be this one, right?】
【Whoa!! Upstairs has microscope-level precision!! But why was what was given away taken back?】
【Upstairs, God Lai never said it was a gift haha, just asked Gojo to temporarily keep it, to be returned when they met next time. This means after they met later, God Lai took the pendant back】
【Why have Gojo temporarily keep it? Is this pendant like a protective charm? When parting, God Lai dimly sensed future turmoil and was worried, so left a pendant for protection!】
【But Gojo still got stabbed, so it doesn't seem to have any protection. Speaking of which, when Toji's hand mark was peeling off, showing the iris flower moment, the next scene gave a close-up of the pendant......
Sorry for being conspiracy-minded, but could the pendant be for monitoring people around Gojo? Could God Lai really be from the Regulatory Committee (horrified), and the gentleness is acting?】
【No way!! There's another possibility: God Lai is the Regulatory Committee's enemy, and his main body couldn't conveniently appear, so he used the pendant to see the Regulatory Committee's situation from Gojo's perspective. Woo woo, don't let my divine lord and divine child's most beautiful father-son relationship be fake......】
【Grass, [most beautiful father-son relationship] gets me every time I see it, so funny.
I think the pendant is more like a beacon. God Lai left it, and next time he'll actively follow the beacon to find his way back.
Look, the previous times at the fireworks festival and abandoned building, it was Gojo who found God Lai, but this time God Lai said to give the pendant to Gojo for safekeeping, meaning next time he'll come find Gojo.】
【Doesn't anyone want to discuss doggy Yuikawa (merciless)? So he wasn't a teacup dog after all, but a demon disguised as a doggy causing trouble, watching others struggle and getting happy about it!】
【God Lai definitely saw through it, right? Before leaving, he gently pointed out the other's disguise. Although he didn't speak directly, that kind of questioning was definitely a subtle warning! Cool boss!!】
【Woo woo, I'm very worried about Geto now. Toji should be from the Regulatory Committee or took a Regulatory Committee mission. When he "invited" Geto Suguru to be a guest, I don't know what he showed him......Suguru's state afterward was very wrong!!】
【Rationally analyzing Suguru's unfinished "use as feed to continue other" this time, combined with Geto's earlier question "should people be ranked in different classes," his experience being adopted by the Regulatory Committee, the pattern on his forehead, and the unknown blank letter, we can roughly summarize:
The Regulatory Committee classifies the public by certain standards, and one classification is "feed."
They most likely use low-grade people as feed, through some cursed tools or other means, to extend high-grade people's lives or make some kind of deal.
Geto Suguru was probably a chosen promising candidate (or useful tool) that the Regulatory Committee identified. The growing pattern on his forehead might be some kind of contract, either binding or protective, hard to say.
The Regulatory Committee has been waiting for Geto Suguru's reply and choice. This Star Plasma Vessel incident, having Geto Suguru visit as a guest, might be to further let him know the inside story and shake his emotions.】
【Waa, upstairs analyst!!】
【Damn, so reasonable, I'm crying, my Suguru... wasn't he planning to communicate with Satoru and the others under God Lai's care before?】
【This Star Plasma Vessel incident made him bottle up his words again. "Feed" and such information is definitely inside information. You see, the public doesn't know about this side of the Regulatory Committee. In their hearts, the Regulatory Committee is still a highly regarded quality inspection organization.
Plus, if Suguru tells Satoru and the others about these things, he's worried about bringing trouble to his good friends. He definitely wants to solve these matters himself, but maybe as he thinks about it, he'll feel they're right and then join them haha.
Regardless, if the forehead pattern is a kind of binding, I think Suguru is most likely already a caged bird......can't escape.
To break free, he'd have to infiltrate deeply, lay low until removing that mark. But during their Jujutsu High period, they're still teenagers at heart, can't outmaneuver them. Most likely Suguru will actually join that side later.】
【Ahhh no way, I'm going crazy woo woo woo, God Lai! God Lai!! What to do, God Lai! Can you use magic to remove the pattern!】
What to do, I want to know what to do too. Reading to this point, Jiang Lai couldn't help but silently add in his heart. It's just that he also didn't know what that thing on Geto Suguru's forehead was.
The analysis in the forum sounded quite reasonable. It might well be some kind of contract binding, planted when Geto Suguru was adopted by the Regulatory Committee.
He just didn't know what it meant that this pattern would slowly grow. Jiang Lai pondered and considered in his heart.
【Family, don't worry. According to our previous reasoning, the main story is the second playthrough, and this [Yesterday's Past Days] is the first playthrough. The current suffering is all from the first playthrough. Believe that the second playthrough they can get a happy ending!
After all, according to our previous speculation, second playthrough Gojo most likely has memories. Gojo-sensei killing his way back to the past can avoid the first playthrough's pain!】
【......Speaking of which, how was the second playthrough started? I feel this will be a blade, crying in advance woo woo woo】
While his heart was stirring, he couldn't help but lift his eyes to look at Geto Suguru sitting some distance away.
The topknot teenager at this moment was seriously writing his mission report. From the side view, his thin figure was even more apparent.
Seeming to sense the gaze, Geto Suguru stopped his writing pen, turned his head, his face wearing a usual smile: "What's wrong, Lai?"
Jiang Lai opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Geto Suguru's phone on the desk rang with a message notification.
So he said: "Check the message first."
Geto Suguru picked up his phone. His light smile froze on his face when browsing the file content, and complex emotions of disbelief surged like a tide.
Jiang Lai's heart jumped, keenly sensing the atmosphere change.
"......" Geto Suguru gripped his phone. He took a deep breath before saying with difficulty: "......Something happened."
Three people had gone on the mission, but only two returned in the end.
The energetic boy Haibara Yu, who had been smiling when talking with Geto Suguru before leaving, saying he would bring back specialties, could never fulfill his promised commitment.
The second-grade turned first-grade curse incident from the original work happened here as well, and the loss seemed even more tragic.
In the original work, they could at least bring back half a corpse. This time, they only managed to bring back Haibara Yu's right hand that Nanami had grabbed at the last moment before he was swallowed.
The small wooden box contained Haibara Yu's bloody right hand, presented before their eyes.
"......" Jiang Lai stared at the hand in the wooden box, his lips pressed into a straight line.
Nanami Kento beside him leaned against the wall, his face covered with a towel that concealed his eyes. His usually steady voice trembled now: "We originally thought it was just an easy second-grade mission, but it wasn't second-grade at all, it was first-grade......!"
The light brown-haired teenager sitting beside him was crying so hard he could barely breathe, his face buried in his hands:
"Woo......Originally the three of us together could barely exorcise it or hold out until help came, but, but there were villagers who mistakenly entered. Haibara was dragged away and eaten by the cursed spirit to save them, woo woo......We clearly checked the area before setting up the [veil], why were there still people there......Why is it always like this, why are jujutsu sorcerers always the ones who die......"
"Couldn't all these distant missions be given to Gojo-senpai?" Yuikawa Kurisu cried. "He's the strongest, isn't he?"
Nanami Kento also murmured between breaths: "Wouldn't it be better to leave all this to that person?"
"......" Geto Suguru's expression was unclear. He closed the wooden box lid, his voice hoarse: "Rest well first, Nanami, Yuikawa."
He held the wooden box with both hands, planning to take it to Shoko.
Nanami Kento pulled the towel off his face, supporting himself against the wall to stand, silently planning to follow and send his good friend on his final journey, even though only one hand remained in the box.
The brown-haired teenager on the stool cried as if he had lost all strength, his head hanging down. When he tried to stand, he fell back. Geto Suguru, passing by, helped him up and pressed him back into the chair: "Just sit here and rest. Leave Haibara......to us to send off."
Jiang Lai also spoke at this moment: "You all go. I'll stay here to look after Yuikawa-kun."
"Alright." Geto Suguru nodded wearily, indicating agreement.
After Geto Suguru and Nanami Kento left, only Jiang Lai and Yuikawa Kurisu remained on the scene.
The light brown-haired teenager sat in place, still burying his face in his hands and sobbing softly.
Since Jiang Lai didn't speak, for a moment there was only Yuikawa's low crying sounds.
After about a few minutes, the light brown-haired youth spoke quietly, sniffling: "Sen......Senior......could you please hand me a tissue?"
"You don't need one."
This response made Yuikawa Kurisu's form pause for a second. He seemed not to have expected Jiang Lai's reply to be this.
Yuikawa Kurisu lifted his head from his hands, his dog eyes red from crying: "......What, Senior?"
Jiang Lai walked forward a few steps. His brown eyes slightly lowered, looking down at Yuikawa sitting in the chair with a condescending attitude: "You don't need one. Because you don't want to cry, you can choose not to cry."
Yuikawa Kurisu looked up, blinking his reddish-brown eyes, appearing confused and helpless.
Jiang Lai watched him, his gaze seeming to penetrate the surface and reach the interior.
Performance was timely disguise, words were bridging groundwork. Becoming the pushing hand behind the scenes, fond of those life-and-death separations, goodness falling to corruption, friendship breaking apart, beliefs crumbling. The more others suffered, the more he rejoiced.
The navy blue figure raised that ancient-colored book, pointing at doggy Yuikawa's mouth corner:
"Just now you kept your face buried in your hands crying. Was it to control the curve here?"