Chapter 169 : The Strongest Cursed User
A gentle breeze passed by, and the wind chimes at the entrance of the dessert shop made a soft tinkling sound. Jiang Lai stepped into the dessert shop, and the rich, sweet aroma hit him in the face. The shelves displayed freshly baked little cakes.
Jiang Lai's gaze unconsciously swept around, collecting detailed information.
The shop clerk responsible for arranging the little cakes had left in great haste. The sweets on the plates hadn't been fully distributed yet, and some had even been knocked over, with cream smeared across a large area at the bottom.
In this somewhat chaotic environment, Gojo Satoru, who was leisurely sitting by the window with his long legs crossed, appeared somewhat out of place.
Facing Jiang Lai who had walked into the dessert shop, Gojo Satoru showed no particular reaction. He maintained his usual carefree attitude.
However, when the distance shortened to a certain degree, the white-haired man put down the dessert fork in his hand.
This subtle movement made Jiang Lai pause slightly in his steps.
Jiang Lai had always been unguarded around friends, so he hadn't deployed his spatial techniques around himself.
Beside his good friend Gojo Satoru from the Jujutsu world, he could always show his most relaxed demeanor, because he knew the other wouldn't harm him.
But now, with his keen senses, Jiang Lai acutely detected threads of danger in that momentary action.
His sixth sense made him cautiously stop.
"......"
Sweet aromas floated through the dessert shop, the air was incredibly quiet, and neither of them made any other movements for a moment.
Jiang Lai's gaze fell on the dessert fork the other had put down, then lifted, and he was the first to break this silence, saying: "Are you not eating anymore, Satoru?"
Gojo Satoru tilted his head slightly, then smiled: "The cake can be enjoyed later. I think your strength is worth me temporarily putting down my dessert fork and getting a bit serious."
These words were very direct. Jiang Lai could hear the meaning contained within: Gojo Satoru had put down his dessert fork to prepare for battle.
However, understanding this only made Jiang Lai's heart skip a beat.
This kind of attitude... Gojo Satoru was treating him as an enemy, but why?!
During the moment Jiang Lai was stunned, Gojo Satoru propped his chin with one hand and added: "You're quite the friendly type, aren't you, calling me by my first name instead of my surname. But I'm not so friendly. Take back that way of addressing me."
His lips still curved in a smile, but the smile was mixed with distant coldness, and the frosty chill even lowered the surrounding temperature by a degree.
The strongest Six Eyes released part of his cursed energy, and the oppressive aura pressed down like an invisible giant hand, as suffocating as heavy seawater.
Jiang Lai didn't avoid this pressure. He blinked gently: "......You don't remember who I am?"
"Have we met?" Gojo Satoru placed his index finger against his lips, leaning back against the chair back with a casual posture. "Although I usually don't remember people well, I should have an impression of someone with your level of ability."
The white-haired man seemed to think for a few seconds, then spread his hands gracefully and said simply: "Forget it, doesn't matter."
Jiang Lai remained silent, watching the familiar figure before him.
The other didn't seem to be joking. Every movement indicated that he had no impression of himself.
In this world of Zhuangzi's dawn dream where butterflies were confused, had Gojo Satoru's memories about himself all been blocked?
Jiang Lai: ......Thinking back, he had once used amnesia to tease the other. Now the tables had turned, and it was the other's turn to have amnesia.
What was this? Could it be that in Gojo Satoru's subconscious, there was still resentment about his using amnesia to scare him back then, so this time he wanted to get revenge?
Jiang Lai felt somewhat amused and helpless, his thoughts running wild.
Or perhaps it was because [Crossroads] had detected that biggest variable factor, so it removed this biggest variable factor (namely, Jiang Lai himself).
Thus creating a new world.
In a short time, Jiang Lai quickly analyzed the possible reasons in his mind.
Regardless of which reason it was, the result pointed to one thing: the current Gojo Satoru didn't recognize him.
Jiang Lai took a deep breath.
Although emotionally he couldn't help feeling down, his reason was still operating, telling him he must pull himself together and find a way to solve the situation before him, to pull his friend out of this Crossroads Tower.
"So what exactly are you here to do?" Gojo Satoru leaned against the chair back, his crossed leg swaying intermittently. "Did those rotten oranges push you over to negotiate with me, or are they planning to send you to try to stop me?"
Hearing this, Jiang Lai frowned slightly, catching some information: "The news reported there was a terrorist attack nearby. Are you referring to yourself?"
"That's not very precise. I haven't done anything yet~" Gojo Satoru spread his hands, his voice rising at the end, fabricating an innocent tone.
......Which meant the terrorist attack perpetrator mentioned in the news really was referring to Gojo Satoru?!
Jiang Lai found this somewhat unbelievable. He widened his eyes slightly and said unconsciously: "Why? You're not someone who would kill innocents indiscriminately."
Gojo Satoru rested one hand on the table, tilting his head slightly and smiling: "Hmm? Are you speaking up for me... or for the rotten oranges?"
"I'm speaking up for my own judgment." Jiang Lai raised his eyelids, his tone calm. "I know you're not that kind of person."
"You talk as if you know me so well."
"I do know you." Jiang Lai nodded seriously, saying the rest in his heart: Just as you know me.
Gojo Satoru turned his face. He wore an eye mask, but it was as if he was making eye contact.
He stared at Jiang Lai for two or three seconds: "Your friendliness has reached this extent?"
These merciless and sharp words were like a sword.
Then, Gojo Satoru tapped his right palm with his left hand: "Oh, but it's not that strange either. There must be many people who want to understand me, think they understand me, and try to figure out my thoughts. Ah well, who made this invincibly handsome me so famous~~"
It was a smug, exaggerated tone, but this emotion was only surface-level.
The heart of the strongest Six Eyes remained cold.
Jiang Lai also felt somewhat cold. Although reason understood very clearly, having an intimate friend suddenly treat him coldly, anyone would struggle to adjust their emotions immediately.
He lowered his eyelids, his gaze falling to the ground, temporarily not wanting to have contact with the person before him.
Gojo Satoru by the window seemed to develop some interest, or perhaps pure mockery. His thin lips curved slightly as he drawled: "What's wrong? Nothing to say?"
"When the listener doesn't want to listen, whatever I say is wrong." Jiang Lai replied lightly. "Since you've already preconceived notions and labeled me, I have nothing more to say."
Gojo Satoru tilted his head slightly: "How did I label you?"
"You said I was overly familiar and presumptuous, and you keep trying to associate me with those rotten oranges." Jiang Lai paused. "I don't like it."
His words were incredibly sincere, with barely detectable grievance hidden within. Jiang Lai rarely cared about others' opinions. He wouldn't be hurt by malicious words or public opinion. A solid shell built a fortress around his heart. But words from friends could pierce through that shell.
"......" Gojo Satoru maintained his previous posture. After a moment, he lowered his crossed hands. "What a strange fellow... I'm a bit confused about your purpose for coming here."
His tone wasn't as frivolous as before, now slightly more stable, carrying some seriousness.
Then he added: "Well, but hearing you also use the term 'rotten oranges' does feel more familiar. It seems you weren't sent by those old geezers? Then what are you doing here?"
"I heard there was a terrorist attack." Jiang Lai said. "So I came to see what was happening."
It sounded just like "hearing strange noises from the closet and opening it to check" in a horror movie.
This straightforward answer left even Gojo Satoru with a rare expression of being at a loss for words, because he could tell the other was speaking the truth.
In a brief fraction of a second, Gojo Satoru found himself somewhat speechless.
Jiang Lai's response was indeed the truth, just not the complete truth. He didn't mention that his next objective was to use this opportunity to find the other.
After a moment of quiet air, Gojo Satoru rested one hand against his curved lips: "I'm momentarily at a loss for words. But I feel you're rather interesting, adding some entertainment to my boring life."
"So, as a reward, I'll chat with you a bit more." Gojo Satoru picked up the dessert fork from earlier with one hand, saying cheerfully, "There's no terrorist attack. I just came to eat desserts. Today is the special sale day for Mori no Kusa strawberry mousse. Of course~ I couldn't miss it."
His voice rose slightly, sounding like he was in a good mood. His crossed leg swayed lightly with the rhythm, a picture of leisure.
The cold pressure that had faintly appeared earlier now quietly withdrew, coming and going like the tide without a trace.
Jiang Lai still stood in place. He wasn't sure whether the other's words had always been like this, or if he had changed his mind at the last moment. But he felt it was probably the former.
Actually, he still didn't understand what exactly was going on with Gojo Satoru here.
So he simply continued asking: "Since you're just passing by to eat desserts, why would the news report it that way?"
The reason he asked directly again was because Jiang Lai could see that Gojo Satoru was currently in a decent mood, probably because he was enjoying his dessert.
Or perhaps subconsciously, Gojo Satoru still remembered him, so even though his memories were temporarily blocked, he would still show more patience and tolerance toward him.
Hearing Jiang Lai's question, Gojo Satoru's eyebrows raised slightly under his eye mask: "Are you really from the jujutsu world? You're like a primitive person who just came out of seclusion in a cave, or some guy who popped out of ancient ruins? Your clothes are pretty retro too."
Jiang Lai: "......" He didn't want to speak again.
At this moment, Gojo Satoru had already finished that small cake. He put down the dessert fork in his hand, gently wiped his hands with a wet napkin beside him, then lowered his previously rolled-up sleeves.
Sunlight from outside the window shone through the glass, illuminating the white-haired man's perfectly refined profile.
He looked nonchalant, his thin lips slightly parted, and in his casual movements, he revealed some dangerous undercurrents, like a snow mountain storm sweeping across a cliff and bursting forth with a trace of sharpness, or like the glint in a beast's eyes flashing in the dark night when it lies dormant.
Words were then slowly spoken:
"Because I am the strongest cursed user."