Chapter 201 : The Big and Little Foxes
The black little fox's big ears trembled lightly, its wet little paws pattering back and forth on the ground.
It looked at Gojo Kyufuin, then at Jiang Lai, then at Gojo Kyufuin again, then at Jiang Lai again. Its spinning dizzy eyes were like a swaying pendulum, making it difficult to read any specific expression on its face.
Jiang Lai was somewhat surprised by the Nightmare Fox's appearance, then wondered if Geto Suguru was also here.
Logically, the Nightmare Fox always stayed by Geto Suguru's side.
Beside him, Gojo Kyufuin tilted his head slightly and asked with a smile: "An enthusiastic little Special Grade. Do you know each other?"
Jiang Lai paused imperceptibly for just a second, then answered: "We know each other."
He didn't try to lie here, since one lie would require countless other lies to cover it up.
Moreover, he had indeed gone on missions with Geto Suguru and Mahito before. He wasn't sure if Mahito had revealed anything about him, this black-haired Special Grade cursed spirit, to the Supervisory Committee.
This question wasn't necessary to hide. The details that needed secrecy could be handled with verbal artistry later.
So Jiang Lai frankly answered Gojo Kyufuin's question.
"I see, no wonder it came looking for you." Gojo Kyufuin's lips curved in a perfectly gentle smile as he nodded.
Jiang Lai organized his subsequent words in his mind, so he could respond logically if the other pressed further.
However, Gojo Kyufuin didn't ask more questions. He simply drew out the exquisite folding fan tucked at his waist, lightly resting it against his chin as he asked sideways:
"Since you know each other, shall we go together? Or, if it understands the banquet, you could accompany each other, and I won't disturb you."
His words and manner were quite polite, maintaining appropriate distance.
Jiang Lai knew this voluntary withdrawal didn't mean giving up on probing, but rather preparing to advance by retreating, laying long-term plans and switching observation angles to proceed.
"We know each other, but we're not familiar. There's no need to go together." Jiang Lai replied this way. His eyes glanced lightly at the liquid fox pacing with small steps on the ground, his expression indifferent.
Though he indeed wanted to feed the little fox again, now wasn't the time for intimacy. Excessive contact would only expose more.
So he chose rejection and distance.
Having said this, Jiang Lai was somewhat worried the Nightmare Fox might show too much emotion, exposing that their relationship was more than just acquaintance.
He lowered his eyelids, constantly watching the Nightmare Fox's movements on the ground, ready to adjust his next move in real time.
Fortunately, the Nightmare Fox didn't say much, nor did it cling persistently or continue looking pitiful begging for food.
At this moment, hearing Jiang Lai's reply, it stood up, yawned greatly, then swished its tail and walked away leisurely with wet, pattering steps.
As if its earlier pouncing had just been a prank, the little Special Grade had had enough fun and wandered off.
The black liquid fox was, after all, an [Existence] derivative with natural spirituality and understanding with Jiang Lai. Though it looked not very smart, it actually had its own wisdom.
So it knew what attitude to show when.
Facing the black liquid fox's leisurely departure, the tension in Jiang Lai's heart finally relaxed.
He mentally gave the smart little fox a thumbs up, and by extension, also praised Geto Suguru, this Nightmare Fox's foster father (?), for his education.
Speaking of which, Geto Suguru should be here too. It's just that the banquet hall was too large, with too many cursed spirits, so Jiang Lai couldn't notice everything.
For Geto Suguru, a cursed spirit manipulator, wouldn't a banquet gathering Grade 1 and Special Grade cursed spirits be like a buffet (unappetizing but nutritious) scene......
It's just a pity this wasn't a suitable place for dining.
Jiang Lai's mind wandered for a moment, then his thoughts returned.
Beside him, Gojo Kyufuin's gaze followed the black liquid fox as it blended into the crowd of cursed spirits.
After that small figure disappeared, he naturally withdrew his gaze and continued to smile as he led Jiang Lai forward.
"Well, it's gone. In that case, let me continue showing you around."
Gojo Kyufuin in his moon-white robe made another "please" gesture, then led Jiang Lai from the edge toward the banquet center.
The banquet center was the liveliest place for the cursed spirit crowd, where most cursed spirits gathered.
Gojo Kyufuin turned his face, raised his slender fingers to point in various directions, saying gently: "This area is the banquet's dance floor, that area is the dining section, and over there are the entertainment and rest areas."
Though cursed spirits didn't need to eat or sleep, this banquet clearly imitated and mixed human society's entertainment, bringing all these elements together.
Jiang Lai's gaze swept through each area in turn, finally settling on the entertainment area in the southern position.
When he was secretly observing from the side earlier, he had noticed that the southern area had many quite novel entertainment facilities imitating human society.
For example, balloon popping to win prizes, special game machines, claw machines, and dance machines.
However, these facilities all had very cursed spirit underworld characteristics.
The balloon popping game required using cursed energy to attach to bone spikes provided on-site for remote piercing, with technique assistance not allowed.
In the special game machines, the monsters in the adventure games were jujutsu sorcerer images. Jiang Lai glimpsed a familiar pixelated white-haired, blindfolded man among them, who was the final boss.
The so-called "dolls" in the claw machines were lumps of unclear flesh and bone, along with some cursed tools and objects emanating eerie auras.
The dance machine seemed to play songs by the cursed spirits themselves, with somewhat eerie lyrics, while strangely shaped cursed spirits dancing above used various parts of their bodies to touch the keys below.
Overall, they were both underworld and novel entertainment equipment. Jiang Lai had never imagined that cursed spirits in the new series would have such lifestyles.
Jiang Lai didn't hide his gaze falling on the entertainment area.
So Gojo Kyufuin relaxed his brows and eyes, standing in place and nodding slightly: "It seems you've found a place of interest. I won't disturb you further and will return to my business."
His folding fan had already been tucked back at his waist, and what he now held was a scroll drawn from his sleeve.
His narrow light blue eyes rippled with a gentle smile as he gracefully performed a shallow bow, every gesture showing princely elegance.
Then he turned and truly walked lightly toward the original corner position as he had said.
"......" Jiang Lai's gaze fell on that moon-white figure, thoughts flowing in his mind.
Gojo Kyufuin had initially approached him proactively, but afterward didn't probe much, instead stopping at just the right point each time.
He didn't know what this guy was thinking or what he ultimately wanted to do.
But it didn't matter. He'd meet soldiers with soldiers and water with earth. Jiang Lai wasn't worried about being outmaneuvered.
He had plenty of experience dealing with various bt's from the Detective Conan world (laugh).
The brief contact made Jiang Lai notice several details: one was the scar on the other's hand side that he'd initially observed, another was the "guardian" information the other had revealed, and another concerned the folding fan.
When Jiang Lai first saw Gojo Kyufuin from afar in the past timeline, the other had held a folding fan.
In the modern timeline, when Gojo Kyufuin blocked Mahito's attack and protected his Little Sheep disguise, he had also used the folding fan.
Now, at the banquet venue in yet another outfit, he had still specifically left space at his waist for the folding fan.
Across these three encounters, Gojo Kyufuin's clothes were all different, but the folding fan was always the same one.
From this, the folding fan was very important to Gojo Kyufuin, like a weapon, but not entirely.
Jiang Lai organized these clues in his mind, then refocused his attention on the present.
Gojo Kyufuin had returned to his original spot. He should wander around this area and see if he could gather any new intelligence. Playing around a bit wouldn't hurt either.
Jiang Lai was in good spirits.
He stepped forward, his windcoat's hem drawing a shallow arc in the air.
The entertainment area was noisier than other places, with cursed spirits of all sizes surrounding the entertainment machines.
Jiang Lai silently moved through the crowd of cursed spirits, his gaze sweeping over the series of entertainment facilities before settling on a claw machine in a relatively secluded position. There were no other cursed spirits nearby.
Jiang Lai wasn't very interested in the other entertainment equipment. His attention to this claw machine had a simple reason: the cursed tools and objects inside.
If he could grab one or two, it would count as an unexpected bonus.
Jiang Lai observed the machine. This claw machine was somewhat similar to those in the human world, but had no coin slot. It seemed to operate by directly pressing the control keys.
So he pressed the start key and used the joystick to control the claw to grab dolls.
Having taken care of children in the Detective Conan world before, Jiang Lai had already mastered skilled claw machine techniques, so he successfully grabbed a cursed tool.
Unfortunately, this claw machine had settings at the chute. The cursed tool collided there and didn't successfully fall into the exit.
Jiang Lai: "......" It seemed cursed spirits also understood how to create tantalizing but unwinnable claw machines.
He exhaled, shook his head slightly, and planned to change locations. But just then, a withered long hand suddenly extended from the middle of the claw machine, blocking Jiang Lai's path!
[Please provide game coins.] A somewhat strange mechanical voice sounded.
"?" Jiang Lai was slightly stunned, somewhat surprised by the scene before him.
This claw machine had no coin slot, but was actually a pay-later system?
But what were game coins? Jiang Lai was hearing this term for the first time here.
[Please provide game coins.] The voice continued. [Otherwise, you will be added to the blacklist and forcible measures will be taken. You will be prohibited from participating in cursed spirit banquets thereafter.]
......There was actually a blacklist system! Unable to participate in cursed spirit banquets afterward?
Jiang Lai's eyes narrowed as he suddenly realized:
Gojo Kyufuin had actively brought him here but never explained the detailed rules.
Like a beautiful mermaid guiding navigators to new waters, singing only enchanting songs in her throat, never speaking of the dangers in these waters.
Was this counter-probing, or a trap? Or perhaps both.
Jiang Lai clicked his tongue lightly in his mind: he had been slightly careless, thinking that coming here would allow slow exploration, not expecting to stumble at such a place, being led to trigger rules.
But he remained very calm, quickly thinking of countermeasures in his mind, planning several violent and non-violent backup routes.
The strange mechanical voice continued: [Ten-second countdown begins. Ten, nine, eight......]
"I'd also like to play a few rounds. I'll pay the game coins together."
Another voice suddenly sounded nearby.
A bun-haired young man in black and gold robes smiled with squinting eyes, his wide sleeves swaying with his movements.
He tossed several round deep purple waxy leaves into the extended withered hand.
The newcomer was Geto Suguru.