Chapter 76 : Who's in Trouble and Who Isn't
Sukuna said nothing more, and Jiang Lai didn't continue pressing. He already had a vague speculation in his heart.
The next step would be gradually confirming that speculation, he thought.
This small town at the foot of the mountain wasn't large. The few of them quickly completed a circuit and finished collecting relevant clues.
The entire process went smoothly, thanks to: Ohagi's outstanding handsome appearance and blind (fake) attributes that instinctively made people want to care for him, Jiang Lai's experienced Detective Conan world questioning techniques, plus Sukuna's intimidating evil aura that made people tremble and unable to walk.
Therefore, they could smoothly intercept passing people and then quickly and cleverly inquire about the information they wanted to know.
After completing the circuit, the white-haired youth and Jiang Lai began organizing clues.
"The missing children and girls are mostly from households temporarily staying here during family migrations from other villages, or people who have lived here for no more than two generations. The remainder are children from households in the northern part of the village."
Jiang Lai pieced together everyone's common points and analyzed: "That is, from a time perspective, the missing persons are outsiders and new residents. From a location perspective, the missing persons are from the northern half of the village."
"So next we should investigate the northern part of the village?" the white-haired youth said.
"No." Jiang Lai paused for a second. "We go look at the south."
"But didn't the south have no disappearances?"
"Exactly." Jiang Lai nodded in response. "That's precisely why we should go look at the south."
Ohagi's eyes behind the black-gold fabric blinked slightly. After a moment, he said with realization: "Oh, I understand. Reverse investigation to discover differences between north and south? For instance, maybe the south has some worshipped protective deity or something."
Sukuna hadn't spoken throughout. He looked completely uninterested in these matters.
Occasionally hearing Ohagi's words, he curved his lips in mocking laughter: "Protective deity? Do you think this is the capital city crowded with nobles? Such a shabby little place wouldn't have any divine favor."
Jiang Lai glanced at Sukuna, then turned back to Ohagi. He had no special reply, knowing inwardly that such cognitive differences were normal.
The white-haired youth was the Six Eyes divine child of the Gojo family, raised from childhood in a noble environment isolated from commoners, having essentially never ventured out alone before. Only at this age had he impulsively escaped from home to the outside world.
Meanwhile, Sukuna had been exposed to basically the bottom layer of society from childhood. He killed and was cold, having witnessed countless people's ugly death throes and the malice of human nature.
Jiang Lai was positioned between the two. He didn't start from either standpoint, but simply applied his Detective Conan world analytical experience to develop and analyze clues.
If these matters hadn't involved the unscientific elements of cursed energy and jujutsu, Jiang Lai would have originally planned to send the information to Kudo Shinichi, letting the real great detective help find the mastermind.
At this moment, hearing Sukuna's response, Ohagi paused slightly but still instinctively retorted: "Hah? If that's the case, then you should also provide some valuable analysis instead of always undermining from the sidelines."
"Let's hear it." Jiang Lai smiled. "Help our [punish evil and promote good] squad solve the case and end this quickly."
Sukuna still felt nauseated by "punish evil and promote good." Probably for the latter half's "end quickly," he retched and finally said irritably while waving his hand:
"You want me to say? I think the south worships an evil god that specifically catches northern people to eat."
"Evil god?"
"Or curse users, certain onmyoji, or monsters and such." Sukuna said casually. "Sacrificing children and girls is the most widespread transaction method. Don't make a big fuss about it."
The white-haired youth's eyebrows furrowed behind the black-gold strips: "Sacrificing children and girls in exchange for protection?"
"Isn't that reasonable? If you want protection, you have to pay something." Sukuna's main arms marked with black stripes crossed in front of his chest, his crimson eyes half-narrowed. "Anyway, it's other people's families dying. As long as the butcher's blade doesn't fall on your own head, it's completely not worth caring about, right?"
"So your speculation is that some people in the southern village secretly made a deal with someone or something, sacrificing lives from the northern village and outsiders in exchange for benefits for their own side?" Jiang Lai followed Sukuna's words.
The white-haired youth raised questions: "In this situation, wouldn't people in the northern village notice something was wrong? It couldn't be hidden for long."
"Maybe that monster, let's temporarily call the mastermind a monster, uses some method to blur the events." Jiang Lai thought for a moment, lowering his voice: "Or perhaps... not everyone in the north is ignorant."
Sukuna's crimson eyes turned toward Jiang Lai, snorting with laughter: "How rare, you can think of so much. I thought you saw everyone as good people."
"Of course I have my own judgment." Jiang Lai's gaze turned over, nodding in reply. Then he smiled: "How could I see everyone as good people? Do you think you're a good person in my eyes?"
Sukuna made a disgusted expression, then used his nails to create cursed blades in a threatening gesture.
"..." On the side, the white-haired youth was silent for a long while, then placed one hand behind his ear, drawing out his tone: "Ah, so troublesome. Forget it, no matter what, we'll just assume the south worships something, then find that mastermind, right?"
"Right." Jiang Lai nodded.
"Good, then let's go!" Ohagi, full of youthful spirit, decisively planted his guide cane on the ground and strode forward. "Find that family's child and the mission will be perfectly complete!"
"Just go like this? Don't we need further planning?" Jiang Lai asked one more question.
"No need." The white-haired youth's tone was relaxed. "I'm quite confident in my abilities and can handle any situation. Don't worry."
Just like Gojo Satoru during his technical school days, the Six Eyes from a thousand years ago also maintained absolute confidence at this stage. His unrestrained soul never worried about future hardships, stepping forward as if he could cross mountains and ravines.
"..." Jiang Lai paused, following behind. "Then let's go."
The few of them walked through the southern village. This part didn't seem very different from the north, except they were extremely wary of outsiders.
Under such gazes, Six Eyes, who was most sensitive to surrounding things, was the first to feel annoyed and uncomfortable. He pulled Jiang Lai through the streets and alleys, casually complaining:
"So annoying. Don't those people have anything better to do? Wherever we go, they're staring at us like we're thieves or villains."
"Relax." Jiang Lai patted the white-haired youth beside him, smiling. He wasn't surprised by these people's attitude. Some places were particularly xenophobic.
He said: "At least from this trip, we've gained something."
While wandering the streets and alleys, Jiang Lai had overheard a farm wife scolding children, telling them not to go to that "sacred place" in the back mountain.
Simply advising children not to mistakenly enter mountain forests was normal, but giving mountain forests certain special connotative titles in this context couldn't help but make one think deeply.
At this moment, dusk was transitioning to night. The sun had already fallen below the mountain, and the cold night wind was drifting.
The few people stood at the foot of the back mountain, their view filled with desolate snowy scenery. In the cold environment, the accumulated snow had only melted a little, the exposed brown earth like mottled scars.
"Should we enter the mountain now? Or eat something first?" As [Existence], Jiang Lai had no need for food. He was just asking for the other two.
"No need. We ate quite a bit while wandering this afternoon. Let's enter the mountain first." The white-haired youth flicked his tongue, planning smoothly: "Solve the mountain trouble, find that family's child, safely deliver them home, and the mission is complete. After that, we can find something to eat."
"Mm, that works." Jiang Lai nodded, then smiled: "If you want to try it after we come down the mountain, I can cook once."
"You can cook?" The white-haired youth's expression showed some curiosity as he laughed: "Hey, is it actually edible? Won't poison people, right?"
"...Not that bad." Jiang Lai coughed.
That comment was spontaneous. On second thought, although this era lacked many seasonings, with browser search guidance plus his original cooking skills, he should still be able to make decent food.
Mentioning cooking, the cherry-pink haired youth rarely turned his gaze over, his eyes showing more interest. He smiled without warmth: "Can you cook human flesh?"
"Eat boiled tree bark." Jiang Lai removed and deconstructed his fox mask, returning the same smile.
"Good good, then let's speed up the process." The white-haired youth walked briskly with his guide cane while still maintaining elegant posture. "I'm getting tired of this place anyway. Once we finish this matter, I'll move on to play somewhere else."
They entered the back mountain, stepping on dusk's last rays of light into the snow-covered forest.
The white-haired youth walked at the front, using Six Eyes to scan the surroundings and survey remaining cursed energy traces.
"...Looks like it went that way." His azure Six Eyes behind the fabric flowed, precisely detecting a residual trace on the ground.
Jiang Lai followed behind, his peripheral vision catching rats hurriedly running from the nearby woods.
There were rats in this place too? Speaking of which, he seemed to have seen rats on the street earlier too.
In that brief instant, many thoughts naturally flowed through his mind.
That rat scurried very fast, passing by Sukuna who was trailing at the back.
The cherry-pink haired youth's gaze casually assessed that rat, then in the next instant, he raised his hand and sent a cursed blade cutting toward it!
When entering the target back mountain, to handle various situations, Jiang Lai had lifted the spatial barrier around Sukuna.
At this moment, Sukuna's sharp cursed blade was no longer blocked, instantly splitting the running gray rat in two!
"I say, are you so bored you've started harming animals? Why not put some energy into surveying ahead..." The white-haired youth casually turned back, but his breath suddenly caught: "Wait, ?!"
Where the severed rat fell on the ground, a yin-yang technique pattern suddenly appeared. The spatial formation instantly transported the nearby cherry-pink haired youth!
Everything happened too quickly. No one expected that rat to actually be covered with such yin-yang techniques.
The white-haired youth was stunned for a moment, quickly stepping back: "...Is that guy okay?"
Jiang Lai paused for half a second, placing his hand on Ohagi's shoulder, saying calmly: "I think Sukuna himself will be fine, but others might not be."
Sukuna narrowed his eyes. When he opened them again, the scene before him had completely changed.
Before him was a wooden house, its cramped interior filled with the scent of children and girls.
His gaze swept around, seeing people lying scattered on the ground, bound and unconscious.
Standing before him was a figure draped in elaborate clothing. A man emanating demonic energy but disguised as an onmyoji had long hair flowing down, holding a yin-yang jade handle to his lips:
"Welcome, my friend. I hope this invitation method isn't too offensive, but I think we can still make a small deal."
He stood on what looked like an altar in the house, his tone ethereal and attitude seemingly casual.
"..." Sukuna stood in place and laughed. The next instant, his explosive body reached the man's side in a blink, grabbing his collar and slamming him hard to the ground!
Before the man could react, he was thrown to the floor. Just as he tried to lift his head and get up to fight back, the cherry-pink haired youth's foot ruthlessly stomped on the back of his head!
"Who gave you permission to lift your head?" Sukuna squeezed out a low voice from his throat, sneering: "Talk about deals? Why don't we discuss what value you have that's worth me temporarily sparing your life."