Chapter 202 : Doubts and Dance Invitation
Geto Suguru lightly tossed the round deep purple leaves into the open withered hand. The withered hand quickly withdrew, and the mechanical voice at the scene also disappeared.
Jiang Lai paused for a second, then said in a politely distant tone: "Thank you."
"So it's you." Geto Suguru's acting was also excellent. He glanced at Jiang Lai with squinting eyes, his lips maintaining an unchanging smile. "If you could stop blocking the way, I think I'd say 'you're welcome.'"
This was a slightly sharp and arrogant response, very fitting for Geto Suguru's current curse user image.
Their current interaction was to deflect attention. Geto Suguru had provided the general script for both of them, so Jiang Lai continued acting along with this scenario.
So he didn't respond, stepping aside from the claw machine.
The bun-haired man in black and gold robes stepped forward to the claw machine, clearly targeting one of the cursed objects inside as he operated the claw.
Apart from those initial exchanges, Geto Suguru didn't communicate further with Jiang Lai. His gaze remained on the claw machine, as if his interest really lay in one of the cursed objects inside.
Geto Suguru didn't show familiarity with Jiang Lai. His earlier intervention to pay the game coins together seemed merely because he was too lazy to be delayed by trouble, just a casual gesture.
This was a smart approach, Jiang Lai understood. After all, with so many people and eyes around, who knew if some hidden gaze was watching their interaction?
He didn't linger there. According to their current script relationship and identities, they wouldn't have more interaction.
Jiang Lai adjusted his windcoat collar, glancing back one last time before preparing to leave.
In that final glance before departing, he glimpsed a pair of pointed ears emerging from under Geto Suguru's wide sleeves.
The black liquid fox was wrapped around Geto Suguru's wrist, finally poking its head out to carefully peek at Jiang Lai.
This movement was very small, and the black Nightmare Fox blended with Geto Suguru's sleeves, almost becoming one. If not for Jiang Lai's excellent vision as an [Existence], he wouldn't have noticed the liquid fox.
Jiang Lai paused slightly in his heart but showed no excess expression on his face. He roughly understood.
It seemed the liquid fox had earlier noticed where Gojo Kyufuin was leading him and had been prepared.
Its earlier departure wasn't just to show unfamiliarity with Jiang Lai, but also to notify Geto Suguru so he could come to the rescue in time.
It really was a very, very good little fox. Though it looked silly and was always hungry, it was actually smart and spiritual.
Jiang Lai felt an inexplicable sense of pride, like watching his own child grow up.
At this moment, he wanted to feed the little fox, but there didn't seem to be an appropriate opportunity.
Jiang Lai's thoughts paused as he lowered his hand, pinching a faint trace of cursed energy between his fingers.
At the corner, Jiang Lai lightly and covertly struck it against an unimportant decorative candle in the wall corner.
The liquid fox peeking carefully at Jiang Lai from Geto Suguru's sleeves obviously noticed this scene, quickly perking up its ears and looking quite happy.
Very good. Jiang Lai withdrew his gaze, his lips curving almost imperceptibly. Since the Nightmare Fox had noticed, after he left, it would probably pass by for a bite.
This counted as feeding it.
It was just a pity he could currently only give it such inconspicuous little snacks.
In the future, he would definitely let the little fox have a proper meal.
Jiang Lai left the entertainment area and withdrew his thoughts, focusing carefully on what had just happened.
At this cursed spirit banquet, the invitations were diamond-shaped deep purple leaves, and the game coins were round deep purple leaves.
So similar, they clearly came from the same source, just differentiated by shape for different functions.
The withered hand that had extended from the game machine earlier had a faint purple glow on its surface. Thinking back, the surrounding cursed energy aura also seemed familiar, similar to the invitation he had obtained.
Could this banquet hall actually be an area supported by a large cursed spirit? Or perhaps simply inside this giant cursed spirit's body?
And both the invitations and game coins, these two types of leaves, were parts distributed by this cursed spirit.
This seemed possible too. In that case, this cursed spirit indeed controlled the power of [admission] and [expulsion], Jiang Lai thought.
However, with so many cursed spirits present and mixed auras, he could hardly directly judge the accuracy of his guess.
But ordinary cursed spirits rarely had such planning and organizational ability. The Supervisory Committee was probably really running things behind the scenes, Jiang Lai's thoughts flowed.
What was the Supervisory Committee's fundamental purpose in operating such a "cursed spirit banquet"? Could it really just be to win over cursed spirits?
He felt it wouldn't be so simple.
Jiang Lai's wariness of the Supervisory Committee was very high. He knew Brain-kun was never one for fair exchanges, but an old schemer who could swindle others out of everything.
This cursed spirit banquet appeared to be a benefit, but might also contain possibilities for trapping cursed spirits.
Speaking of this cursed spirit banquet......
Jiang Lai's thoughts involuntarily drifted back as his gaze once again glimpsed the moon-white figure sitting quietly in the corner.
The man in robes and hood had a beautiful profile gentle as water. He held a scroll in one hand, sitting peacefully in his chair amid the clamor.
But Jiang Lai had no good feelings toward him. He frowned slightly, returning his thoughts to Gojo Kyufuin.
Why had Gojo Kyufuin set him up like that just now?
Looking back, Jiang Lai felt the other's actions were full of suspicious clouds.
Based on the intelligence he had gathered about Gojo Kyufuin, this guy usually adopted a gentle, caring style in daily life.
Initially, Gojo Kyufuin would subtly build favorable impressions, never letting targets sense anything wrong. The target might not suspect him as the culprit even unto death.
But Gojo Kyufuin's trap just now was clearly inconsistent with his previous style.
Though this method of misdirection was also very subtle, when Jiang Lai was expelled, he would definitely realize Gojo Kyufuin's misleading operation behind it.
In that case, forget favorable impressions. That he didn't develop negative feelings was due to Jiang Lai's good mentality.
Looking at the possible results of this operation, could Gojo Kyufuin really be planning to silently and reasonably expel him from this banquet?
Was this targeting him due to some special guess about his identity, or simply seeing his considerable strength that might affect subsequent plan developments?
Unfortunately, Suguru probably didn't know much either, otherwise he would have definitely hinted covertly just now, rather than saying nothing more after simple acting dialogue.
Jiang Lai's thoughts churned.
He temporarily didn't know why Gojo Kyufuin would act this way, but he had already deduced that this banquet was definitely not just cursed spirit social entertainment.
There was definitely more hidden beneath. Like the tip of an iceberg moving slowly on a calm sea surface, with thicker, heavier ice hidden below.
Having organized the intelligence in his mind, Jiang Lai felt some pressure but also considerable relief. His mood was pleasant and his expression bright.
There were indeed many suspicious clouds here, but precisely because mysteries kept appearing, it meant this trip wasn't wasted and he could definitely collect good intelligence.
Having readjusted his mindset, Jiang Lai wore a light smile as he walked step by step toward Gojo Kyufuin.
He wanted to see what exactly Gojo Kyufuin intended to do and what he would do next.
Jiang Lai approached, his steps light and steady, the feather necklace around his neck gently swaying with his pace.
When still some distance away, Gojo Kyufuin seemed to sense it and looked up.
He turned his face, his light blue eyes glimpsing Jiang Lai, showing slight surprise before returning to a smile.
"You're back? I thought you'd play longer. After all, you seemed quite interested in that area." Gojo Kyufuin's tone was gentle.
"I was interested, but I couldn't play much." Jiang Lai replied lightly. "Those entertainment machines over there aren't just for anyone to use, are they?"
He directly pointed this out, unhesitatingly going with a straight attack.
Gojo Kyufuin's expression froze slightly. He put down his book and turned his body completely, saying: "I'm sorry, I thought you had plenty of game coins. It seems you really are attending a cursed spirit banquet for the first time."
Jiang Lai didn't refute.
[First time attending a cursed spirit banquet] was fact and an unnecessary point to hide, since his identity was indeed a "Special Grade cursed spirit" that had only recently appeared.
Gojo Kyufuin's narrow eyes were full of sincerity as he nodded: "It was my oversight. I should have asked more questions earlier, but I was still thinking about the book's content and forgot this point."
"I almost did a disservice with good intentions, but fortunately you didn't encounter any trouble."
Of course there had been trouble, just that it was resolved.
Jiang Lai naturally didn't believe the other had truly forgotten, but he had no intention of pursuing it now because that wasn't his focus.
So he brushed it off lightly: "It was nothing. I just walked around a few circles and came back."
"I see. It seems you didn't have a good time." Gojo Kyufuin's brows creased slightly as he put his book away in his sleeves and stood up, his voice clear: "As compensation, let me personally show you around this time."
He gracefully bowed, his posture elegant and generous. Several strands of long hair naturally cascaded down with gravity, which he then tucked behind his ear.
After simply arranging his appearance, Gojo Kyufuin smiled: "Perhaps you'd be interested in the dance floor?"
At the dance floor, Jiang Lai had previously observed the cursed spirits' dancing. It was somewhat similar to the human world's but not entirely the same. Since cursed spirits had no gender meaning, ballroom dancing also had no so-called male and female steps.
Facing Gojo Kyufuin's words, Jiang Lai raised an eyebrow slightly and said calmly: "Are you inviting me to dance?"
"If you're willing." Gojo Kyufuin smiled politely. "It would be my honor."