Chapter 149 : Secrets & Toji & Not a Good Person
Container? Jiang Lai raised his eyebrows slightly. This term had a specific meaning in the jujutsu world, which could be understood as a body containing not only the original owner but also another soul that had been placed inside.
Actually, he had previously speculated about the Star Plasma Vessel's life and death and whereabouts, but it wasn't until this moment when he heard it from Toji's mouth that the confirmation key finally dropped.
As expected, it was related to the Supervisory Committee.
"Why do they need the Star Plasma Vessel as a container?" Jiang Lai directly asked the most crucial question.
"Before answering this question, I need to first explain the situation of that organization."
Fushiguro Toji nodded slightly and said: "That Iris Organization, besides the surface volunteers who know nothing, also has some core members lurking behind the scenes. This part of the core members is the true face of the Supervisory Committee."
"This part of the core members is quite special. They are essentially... immortal. Or rather, they can be revived after death and will never be truly killed."
Jiang Lai listened quietly, without any particular expression on his face. He had already known this part, the core members with sun totem marks on their foreheads could indeed resurrect and regenerate after death.
What he wasn't clear about was the specific reason behind this.
Therefore, Jiang Lai didn't say much but continued listening to what followed.
However, Fushiguro Toji didn't rush to reveal the subsequent reasons but turned his face, those half-raised eyes looking at Jiang Lai with some ambiguous smile on his face:
"How about it, feeling a bit tempted?"
"What?" Jiang Lai felt somewhat puzzled, not immediately understanding what Toji was asking about.
"Immortality, eternal life and such, don't ordinary people usually pursue these things?" The floating Ghost Gentleman shrugged slightly and said: "Aren't you tempted by this? To be honest, with your abilities, you should be able to join them."
Fushiguro Toji's voice naturally carried a hoarse quality, and when he spoke lazily, it always carried some seductive undertones. The previous words seemed to be encouraging Jiang Lai to join their side.
"I'm not interested in eternal life... Actually, as I told you before, I'm somewhat special. So I've possessed eternal life before."
Jiang Lai tilted his head slightly and replied calmly: "But I threw it away and never regretted it."
Fushiguro Toji raised his eyebrows lightly, his expression between surprise and understanding, though he didn't seem to doubt it.
"Immortality, in a sense, is not a blessing but a curse." Jiang Lai paused here, then blinked: "I think you should have the deepest feelings about this, since your current state could also be considered a curse of immortality."
Ghost Gentleman chuckled lowly, then raised his head: "Oh, naturally!"
He shrugged and self-mockingly said: "This is probably part of the curse. If I go to hell, I estimate I'll have to go through all the punishments, though that seems quite interesting too. Right?"
Fushiguro Toji smiled with his scarred lips curled up. Although Jiang Lai didn't perceive the humor, he didn't voice any objection.
Jiang Lai knew this part of the content was probably exactly why Toji had initially kept secrets from him.
Very few people could resist the temptation of immortality. The naturally arrogant Six Eyes was someone Toji had previously believed could not be attracted by eternal life. Now he was added to that list.
Ghost Gentleman gradually contained his laughter, his gaze falling on the moonlight filtering through the curtain gaps, then continued: "Alright, let's continue with our previous topic, about immortality, about the Star Plasma Vessel, about containers."
"The core members of the Supervisory Committee are naturally not born immortal. The secret to death and resurrection lies in soul return and rebirth."
Fushiguro Toji said in a lazy tone: "The character who masters the power of soul reincarnation has characteristics that are difficult to control in itself, but placing it in a container makes it much more convenient."
Jiang Lai's brow furrowed slightly, an answer flashing through his mind: The one capable of soul reincarnation and mastering the ability of rebirth and regeneration is [Birth], right...? Could it be that the Supervisory Committee is using the Star Plasma Vessel as a container for [Birth]??
"That character seems to have fallen into slumber very early due to the use of power, but probably due to some agreement, someone in the Supervisory Committee core can borrow His power... it's just that the borrowed energy is very limited."
Fushiguro Toji said slowly.
"But with the powerful Star Plasma Vessel as a carrier, they only need to move it inside the Star Plasma Vessel, and the Star Plasma Vessel itself becomes equivalent to bearing part of that power, thus allowing greater use."
...As expected! They really made Little Sister Riko a container for [Birth]!
"All humans have weaknesses. The Star Plasma Vessel itself is much easier to control than those possessors of indescribable powers."
Fushiguro Toji shrugged slightly and said: "I still remember the name of that Star Plasma Vessel, Amanai Riko, and there was a maid-dressed woman beside her, right? When I took the job, I brought them both along."
Kuroi Misato was someone who had cared for Amanai Riko since childhood. Although they had no blood relationship, they valued each other like real family.
If the Supervisory Committee had gotten hold of Kuroi Misato, then indeed, they could direct Amanai Riko, who bore [Birth]'s power, to do certain things.
Jiang Lai's emotions were complex, his fingers curling slightly.
From Fushiguro Toji's account, [Birth] was in a sleeping state. His conceptual elder sister (brother) should have had to enter slumber due to excessive use of power in the early stages.
But [Birth] was naturally not foolish. Before falling into slumber, He only left a small portion of power to "collaborators" for transactions.
It was just that [Birth] might not have expected that there were concepts like containers and Star Plasma Vessels in the world.
Speaking of which, [Existence] beings couldn't interfere with worldly affairs at will. He had initially suffered divine status damage and power regression because of this.
Resurrecting and regenerating the Supervisory Committee's core members naturally belonged to non-objective usage, so [Birth]...
While Jiang Lai's thoughts were running, Fushiguro Toji continued speaking in his usual tone:
"However, this power of soul circulation, nurturing, and regeneration doesn't seem to have unlimited use either. Actually, this world has always adhered to the principle of equivalent exchange, there's no reincarnation without cost."
"But the cost can be transferred." Ghost Gentleman crossed his arms in front of his chest, raising his eyelids: "To prevent this power from being worn away and disappearing by the cost, the Supervisory Committee used certain methods... While searching for some special power source fragments, they also transferred the cost to others called 'feed.'"
Transferring costs... that's Gojo Kyufuin's [Conversion] technique! Jiang Lai's heart sank.
The missing people in society, taken by the Supervisory Committee, were used as feed thrown into the abyss of cost.
Their immortality was stolen from other people's lives.
But on the surface, they still used high-sounding reasons, saying they wanted to use [useless people to pave the way for useful people].
But in reality, they had no right to arbitrarily evaluate and judge others' lives.
At this point, Jiang Lai had finally completely sorted out most of the Supervisory Committee's situation. Although there were still some details unsolved, like why the scattered fragments suddenly awakened with power.
But at least, the most crucial part was now understood.
To summarize: [Birth] was with the Supervisory Committee; his conceptual elder sister (brother) currently had no consciousness; the Supervisory Committee used the Star Plasma Vessel's special nature to use [Birth]'s power; the cost of [Existence] beings' non-objective interference in worldly affairs was transferred to those missing people.
The air was quiet for a moment.
Fushiguro Toji seemed to have finished saying what he wanted to say. He floated to the side, watching the calm face of the black-haired youth before him.
Jiang Lai blinked slowly, his eyelids lifting slightly to meet Fushiguro Toji's gaze.
He didn't further inquire about what Toji had just said, but instead asked: "Why do you know so much?"
If Fushiguro Toji was merely the executor of the Star Plasma Vessel mission, a bounty hunter who simply took jobs and acted, he couldn't possibly have access to so much internal information.
Although what Toji knew wasn't complete, and part of it was probably his own speculation.
But regardless, these secrets weren't something ordinary people could access.
Actually, through the previous conversation, Jiang Lai already had some speculation in his heart, but he still asked it out loud.
The floating Fushiguro Toji turned his face, curling the corner of his mouth into an expression of unclear meaning:
"This question... So, do you think I'm a good person?"
Jiang Lai's eyes were calm as he replied: "That depends on the definition of [good person]. But I think your self-perception is definitely not [good person], otherwise you wouldn't have made the judgment about going to hell later."
Jiang Lai did indeed consider Fushiguro Toji a friend now, and they had mutually given trust and cooperation, but this didn't mean Jiang Lai would ignore Toji's character and actions.
He clearly understood the other party was a decisive, money-for-work bounty hunter. Definitely not a character that fit the definition of a good person.
He wouldn't think too well of the other party because of a friend filter.
Fushiguro Toji laughed heartily, his semi-transparent body floating closer, raising his head slightly with flying eyebrows: "Of course, I don't pursue being any kind of good person. I only pursue living happily for myself."
His gaze swept over: "Looks like you're still quite clear-headed and objective. Since that's the case, you should be able to guess, right? Why I know so many secrets."
"You once joined them, were a core member among them." Jiang Lai met Fushiguro Toji's gaze: "You participated in these things, so you understand them so well."
"You're not a good person, so you don't care about others' life and death. Although this doesn't mean you agree with their views, since all you cared about was that part of the benefits."
Ghost Gentleman's scarred lips curled up as he tacitly agreed with this judgment.
"I think something unexpected happened that caused the soul circulation, nurturing, and regeneration benefits not to reach you, but instead simply bound your soul."
Jiang Lai paused for half a second and nodded.
"But I think it might not have been an accident, but that you were deceived, and you knew this, which is why you hate them so much."