Chapter 158 : Even Disguises Need Sinister Filters
Considering mountain climbers' safety, Mount Fuji's climbing season for general tourists was during summer, more precisely from July to early September, about two months. To climb Mount Fuji at other times required submitting a climbing application in advance.
It was March now, naturally not Mount Fuji's open season.
However, for Little Sheep Jiang Lai and Okkotsu Yuta, this wasn't bad news but good news.
No opening meant fewer people, and the shops on the mountain were all closed. This situation was more convenient for their investigation and search.
With their abilities, they weren't afraid of low temperatures and snow, and they didn't need to enter through official climbing entrances.
Actually, they both agreed that to investigate formations that might exist in this area, they needed to search in undeveloped areas where few people went.
It was afternoon now, the air neither cold nor hot. However, before entering Mount Fuji's area, Okkotsu Yuta first went to a nearby convenience store.
Little Sheep Jiang Lai waited outside looking at his phone while also helping carry Okkotsu Yuta's sword bag.
After Okkotsu Yuta entered the convenience store, Jiang Lai, having nothing else to do, opened the Detective Conan world's manga website to take a look.
The manga maintained its usual update frequency as always, with recent updates summarizing previous events.
However, it didn't expose that Little Sheep was Jiang Lai's disguise, with related plot information presented in text form.
And the reason for Okkotsu Yuta taking Little Sheep Jiang Lai out was "special training instructed by Gojo-sensei."
Conversations involving Jiang Lai's identity were blurred, while other conversations were normally released.
However, the Little Sheep in the manga was no longer the previous cute youth image. At certain moments, he had additional shadow strokes, depicting some strange smile and unknown contemplation.
Jiang Lai: "......" Now even disguises aren't spared from sinister filters...
Joking complaints aside, Jiang Lai could understand what the manga was trying to express.
It was nothing more than subtly revealing Little Sheep's "complexity," connecting with the previous parts suggesting Little Sheep might be related to Jiang Lai.
The plot in the underground Tombs of the Star at Jujutsu High was divided into two parts in the manga.
One part was Okkotsu Yuta coming here to exchange information about the Four Guardian Towers with Tengen, and the other part was the dialogue-only exchange between Jiang Lai and [Origin].
This treatment made events that originally happened simultaneously seem like stories that occurred in two unrelated time periods.
How clever indeed, Jiang Lai thought.
Then he went online to the family group and casually reported safety to his Detective Conan friends, seeing them talk about their recent vacation and how they could go watch performances in Beika Town together if Jiang Lai was also there.
Jiang Lai smiled, responding with [Will definitely get together properly after returning.]
After a moment, he added [Pay attention to surroundings]. After all, Beika Town in the Detective Conan world was a frequent crime scene! Who knew if Matsuda and the others would be called to emergency duty while watching performances.
However, Jiang Lai didn't voice this to avoid disrupting his friends' entertainment mood.
After exiting the group chat, he habitually logged into the new series' Chinese forum.
【Ah ah Okkotsu-senpai!! My pure love war god finally appeared!!】
【This plot is another information dump. The Four Guardian Towers seem complicated, mystery-solving mode activated (pushing glasses.jpg)】
【Speaking of which, Okkotsu-senpai works so hard, babysitting while dealing with those Four Guardian Towers 2333 But Okkotsu-senpai and Little Sheep's combination looks so cute, like father and son!】
【Grass ah, why father and son, clearly it's big brother little brother…】
【Father and son cracks me up. After the father-son description of God Lai and Gojo Satoru, now we have Okkotsu and Little Sheep's father-son group (tactical lean back)】
【I have a question: isn't it too dangerous for Okkotsu-senpai to take Little Sheep out to find the Four Guardian Towers?
Speaking of which, Okkotsu Yuta doesn't seem to be hiding the Four Guardian Towers from Little Sheep Watanabe. Wasn't intelligence secrecy important?】
【Probably not dangerous. Based on previous plot, if Little Sheep is related to God Lai, his real level should be decent. Also, looking at these screenshots (shadow picture.jpg) (contemplative expression picture.jpg), Watanabe Mirai is no innocent sweetheart】
【He was never an innocent sweetheart, family! Did you forget how he scammed money (@Colorful Cloud Pig Pig)? But indeed, I also think characters related to God Lai probably won't be weak】
【The reason Okkotsu Yuta doesn't hide things from Little Sheep is probably because he can't hide it.
While he's out finding towers and giving Little Sheep special training, Little Sheep inevitably encounters tower-related information. Better to explain the situation from the start, which is more convenient.】
【Perfect, Little Sheep following along to find the Four Guardian Towers can synchronously pass information to God Lai. Maybe he'll notify God Lai to come rescue them at crucial moments. Family members really want to see handsome God Lai appear wuu wuu!!】
【God Lai appeared recently, but no pictures, only text dialogue ()
JJXX must be slacking off!! Those pages are all black background with white text, so perfunctory!! Draw proper beautiful photos of God Lai (grabbing collar.jpg)】
【Even so, I still cried... I have low tear tolerance, I'm old and can't handle family emotional knives qwq
God Lai is really so gentle. Having experienced so much suffering, yet still saying "I'm fine"... I really burst into tears】
【Me too, it made me so heartbroken QAQ God Lai give us your address, I'll come hug you!! Mama fans can't stand seeing children suffer】
【Family head... God Lai... [Birth] beauty and stinky little brother with good little brother, must reunite and be happy!!
Brain flower go die (clenched fist)】
Jiang Lai scrolled down. Below were more crying and sighs. The intelligence analysis about the Four Guardian Towers was similar to his own thoughts.
However, one comment particularly caught Jiang Lai's attention.
【Speaking of which, the first place Okkotsu Yuta took Little Sheep was Mount Fuji.
Seeing Mount Fuji, I can't help thinking of volcano-head Jogo. Except for Mahito, the special grade cursed spirits in the new series haven't appeared. Could they be here? hhhh
Jogo's statement about subverting the relationship between humans and cursed spirits seems connectable to "position switch"】
Jiang Lai focused on this, pausing in his heart as he instantly recalled what Jogo had said in the original work:
[It doesn't have to be me laughing loudly in the wilderness a hundred years from now, as long as curses can stand as humans, that's enough.]
In the original work, the special grade cursed spirits cooperated with Brain-kun for this purpose: to make cursed spirits become society's masters instead of humans.
In a sense, this indeed fit the concept of [Position Switch].
Could it be that the guardians of [Position Switch] were the special grade cursed spirits?
Jiang Lai's thoughts flowed as he glimpsed the black-haired youth walking out of the convenience store in his peripheral vision.
He exited the forum, looked up, and saw the small convenience bag in Okkotsu Yuta's hand.
"Inside are chocolate and candy, plus water and drinks. I bought a few simple things." Okkotsu Yuta lifted the bag in his hand, smiling as he explained: "Although we just had lunch, searching is physically demanding work. I thought we might need some supplements."
"Brother Okkotsu is so considerate~" Little Sheep Jiang Lai beamed with smiles, then moved his backpack from his back to the front: "Put them in my bag. I'll carry them together. You'll still need to carry your sword bag later, which isn't convenient."
"Actually it's not inconvenient. There aren't many things, and they're not heavy." Okkotsu Yuta said.
But under Little Sheep Jiang Lai's insistence, he still put the purchases into his backpack.
Little Sheep Jiang Lai patted his backpack, joking: "With everything in my bag, I can even sneak some snacks later~"
Okkotsu Yuta smiled, knowing Jiang Lai was joking with him. He spoke gently and calmly: "Senpai can eat as much as you want. I'll make sure you have enough."
"That's really touching." Jiang Lai felt this junior was truly dependable.
This exchange made the atmosphere around them much lighter. In this relaxed and pleasant mood, they walked together toward Mount Fuji.
The main roads were too conspicuous and might not be open. So Okkotsu Yuta and Jiang Lai chose a corner location with few people to enter Mount Fuji's area.
Early spring at Mount Fuji was quite cold, with even the wind at the mountain's base making faces feel chilly.
The two planned to start searching from the mountain's base.
Okkotsu Yuta had already caught several low-grade cursed spirits nearby before entering the mountain, using cursed energy to reveal the map on white paper and judging the tower's location based on whether symbols lit up.
Mount Fuji's area was vast. Even though both were jujutsu sorcerers who walked faster than ordinary people, a complete investigation would take considerable time.
So Jiang Lai thought for a few seconds and said: "How about this: let's split up now. When the sun sets, regardless of whether we have results, we'll return here to meet and regroup."
"Split up?" Okkotsu Yuta tilted his head slightly: "But the map..."
"It's fine, you keep the map. If the symbols light up, send me a phone message and I'll come find you." Jiang Lai said: "My five senses are quite sharp. Even without a map, I can easily sense anything special."
The main reason was that Jiang Lai suspected the special grade cursed spirits might be guarding the tower nearby. Acting alone would allow him to switch identities based on the situation and possibly gain trust.
But if Special Grade jujutsu sorcerer Okkotsu Yuta was beside him, even if he switched back to his main body and used cursed spirit form, those special grade cursed spirits probably wouldn't trust him.
Okkotsu Yuta trusted Jiang Lai, so he didn't say much more, obediently agreeing to follow Jiang Lai's suggestion: "Alright, I'll follow senpai's lead." He smiled brightly: "Then, see you later."
"Message me if anything happens." Jiang Lai waved, then after a second added: "If there's no time, just expand your cursed energy. If we sense each other's cursed energy fluctuations, we'll converge toward each other."
After all, the special grade cursed spirits' abilities were also formidable. Jiang Lai thought. If they really intended to fight, it would be safer for both of them together.
Of course, turning swords into plowshares would be best. It would depend on whose persuasion worked better between him and Brain-kun (not really).