Chapter 218 : A Thread of Hope
Without waiting for the higher-ups on the other end to say more, Gojo Satoru decisively hung up the phone and tossed the phone back toward the auxiliary supervisor.
The auxiliary supervisor frantically caught the phone, his gaze hesitating as it circled around Gojo Satoru.
"What is it?" Gojo Satoru asked casually.
"That, Gojo-sensei." The auxiliary supervisor hesitated for a moment, but still dutifully said, "When do you... and young Watanabe plan to visit the higher-ups?"
"That question, huh." Gojo Satoru smiled, shrugging his shoulders, "Didn't I just say? If the higher-ups pay, we'll naturally make time for a trip. If there's no money, then no need to waste time."
Little Sheep Jiang Lai gave a thumbs up beside him.
The auxiliary supervisor's forehead broke out in sweat again, though this time it wasn't from fear.
The white-haired man waved his hand, his long legs striding forward, his tone light: "Anyway, if the higher-ups have made up their minds, just send an email: I'll reply based on my mood."
The strongest had always been completely free. The auxiliary supervisor could only bow, praying in his heart that everything would go smoothly and that the higher-ups wouldn't blame him for any later consequences.
After all, he was just here to clean up the aftermath and deliver messages. If the strongest Six Eyes didn't agree, there wasn't much he could do. He couldn't exactly go fight him with an egg against a rock, could he?
Looking at it this way, that brown-haired boy's suggestion didn't seem too bad... Although it sounded somewhat ridiculous, at least it gave clear trading conditions, got Gojo Satoru to agree, and put the pressure on the higher-ups rather than himself.
Thinking about it this way, the auxiliary supervisor's gaze toward Little Sheep Jiang Lai became much gentler, even carrying some gratitude.
Problems that could be solved with money weren't really problems! Those who put pressure on the boss rather than the underling were good people!
In this brief moment, the auxiliary supervisor grasped the mysteries of life (not really).
Noticing the auxiliary supervisor's attention, Little Sheep Jiang Lai blinked lightly.
He didn't have mind-reading abilities, but through micro-expression observation, he could generally sense the auxiliary supervisor's mood.
These days, there were still people who felt joy even when being swindled for money? He hadn't expected such an honest person still existed in the jujutsu world. How touching.
Or perhaps he was feeling joy about the higher-ups being swindled for money: that would be an even more unexpected surprise, indicating they were allies with different positions but shared志同道合 enjoyment in watching the rotten oranges' misfortune.
After some internal self-mockery, Jiang Lai's expression didn't show any excess emotion. He took small steps following behind Gojo Satoru, step by step leaving the devastated Mount Shichi.
Before leaving this mountain area, Jiang Lai looked back one last time.
The ice crystals in the mountain crevice on that side peak glittered with fragments of light, like tears falling under moonlight.
Just like the tear that slid from the corner of Kuroi Misato's eye during the farewell of the Star Plasma Vessel incident years ago, finally splashing down on this empty Mount Shichi.
The howling night wind carried coolness as it blew past, dispelling the last trace of warmth around them.
After Jiang Lai and Gojo Satoru came down the mountain, they got in the car.
The two didn't rush to leave. Instead, they planned to wait another day, and after the higher-ups gave their reply, then decide on their subsequent itinerary.
Actually, both of them knew in their hearts that it wouldn't be long before the higher-ups contacted them.
Those old folks' attitude today was just impotent rage; in the end, they would obediently pay up.
The rotten oranges all had their own internal calculations, knowing that paying money was a small matter while delaying confidential affairs was big. Presumably, those among them who were connected to the Supervisory Committee were now having headaches about how to explain and make amends.
The Supervisory Committee wasn't as good-tempered and kind-hearted as they appeared on the surface; there might be some punitive measures.
So the higher-ups had to quickly find Gojo Satoru and Little Sheep Jiang Lai, obtaining some important intelligence from them to compensate for this unexpected loss.
Jiang Lai and Gojo Satoru had already polished their script in their hearts and weren't afraid of being questioned at all. This time, they held the initiative, so there was no anxiety or impatience.
Gojo Satoru drove back to the city.
He didn't own property in Wakkanai City, but with his money power, he had already chosen a clean and comfortable high-end inn.
Because Little Sheep Jiang Lai's status was that of a minor, according to this inn's requirements, he couldn't book a single room alone. Plus, considering safety factors, Gojo Satoru simply chose a double room.
This inn's double room combined Japanese traditional style with Western minimalist style, containing two single beds inside.
Little Sheep Jiang Lai bounced onto the bed by the window, looking through the window toward the overlapping mountain shadows in the distance.
"Get some rest early." Gojo Satoru rarely refrained from making jokes, his eyelashes slightly lowered, his expression showing faint weariness.
It wasn't fatigue from today's battle, but rather from those changes: originally thinking that after searching for clues and finding Kuroi Misato, everything could proceed smoothly and perfectly.
Who would have thought such an accident would occur midway, with the woman in his memory having already been devoured by some unknown monster.
Not only could they not obtain intelligence from Kuroi, but they also had to face the situation of being unable to save her, plus the troublesome aftermath from the higher-ups...
Gojo Satoru rarely let his weary emotions show, but in front of his good friend, he neither concealed them nor needed to. Right now, he looked like a dejected big white cat that had suffered defeat.
Sensing Gojo Satoru's emotions, Jiang Lai drew the curtains, turned around, and replied equally seriously: "You should sleep early too: other matters, we'll sort through them slowly afterward."
After a half-second pause, he added gently: "Thank you for today, Satoru. If you hadn't pulled me, I actually hadn't reacted yet."
"Hmm?" Gojo Satoru raised his eyebrow slightly, then understood what Jiang Lai was referring to, recovering some energy, his tone slightly rising, "I am the strongest Six Eyes, naturally I can see something: that guy's aura was off, so I pulled you along."
"The cooperation afterward was perfect too." Jiang Lai's eyes crinkled with a smile as he gave a thumbs up, "Little Sheep was especially happy earning little money, even happier swindling money from rotten oranges."
"Those rotten oranges..." Gojo Satoru snorted with laughter, then nodded, "No need to be polite. Remember to add more money-swindling items next time, preferably making those old folks pull out their coffin funds."
With just these few simple exchanges, Gojo Satoru's mood had already extracted itself from the earlier gloom, returning to his original carefree, laughing self.
So Jiang Lai also raised his eyebrows and smiled, going along: "Alright, agreed. Next time I'll continue to include you in money-swindling activities: so, happy cooperation!"
"Happy cooperation~~"
After chatting for a few sentences, the two prepared to wash up and rest.
Gojo Satoru had already sent Geto Suguru an email with the latest situation, informing him about the [Kuroi Misato] incident.
Geto Suguru's attitude toward this was also very complex, though only fragments of emotion could be conveyed through the phone email.
Being within the Supervisory Committee, Geto Suguru indeed understood those guys' methods better than Jiang Lai and the others. Initially deducing Kuroi Misato's existence at Mount Shichi was also based on the intuition from constant contact.
But he couldn't be as shrewdly ruthless as Brain-kun, so he hadn't been able to guess that the final result would be like this.
Lights out, no words.
Jiang Lai lay on his back on the bed, his gaze following the swaying moonlight spots on the wall, rarely spacing out before sleep.
Images of Kuroi Misato from the original work circulated in his memory, and Jiang Lai felt slightly sad in his heart.
This emotion came partly from his knowledge of the original work, and partly from being infected by his good friends Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru's emotions.
...Was there really no way?
Thoughts flowed slowly through Jiang Lai's mind as he gazed at the wall by the window.
Too much time had passed. With the soul already departed and integrated into reincarnation, he couldn't bring her back through space-time reversal. To bring back Kuroi Misato, unless there was a method involving souls...
Wait.
Jiang Lai's thoughts suddenly stopped.
Like lightning and thunder, he suddenly remembered that his conceptual older sister (brother) was precisely someone who could contact souls!
Thinking of this, Jiang Lai's heart pounded, beating rhythmically in his chest.
His heartbeat quickened, but his mind became increasingly calm.
In the former Trillion Year Hexagram chapter, [Birth] in magnificent twelve-layer court dress held a fishing rod, sitting by the poolside letting souls voluntarily take the bait, selecting candidates for reincarnation and rebirth.
They could interfere with souls and reincarnation. The Supervisory Committee was precisely using this ability of theirs, stealing some from it to maintain the "immortality" in their contracts.
And now, [Birth] slumbered within Amanai Riko, who served as their container.
Last time, using the power [Origin] had given him, Jiang Lai had met with Amanai Riko through dream connection, but hadn't been able to see [Birth]. The wary Riko had pushed him out of the mental world.
Now, perhaps he could try connecting with her again, Jiang Lai thought. Kuroi Misato's matter was something Riko should know the truth about most.
The Supervisory Committee would never think that Jiang Lai could still contact Amanai Riko through the dream world. As long as they formed a united front, they could work together against the enemy from inside and out.
However, how could he make Riko believe that what he said was fact and not another lie? Kuroi Misato's true fate was probably something Amanai Riko would prefer to believe was an illusion.
After all, Riko wasn't familiar with him and wouldn't easily place her trust in him, which was understandable. Jiang Lai sighed inwardly, then slowly contemplated.
If only he could find someone familiar to Riko to tell her the truth.
Thinking this, Jiang Lai's gaze unconsciously moved to the white-haired man on the bed next to him.
Satoru should be someone Riko would believe, right!
However, how could he bring Gojo Satoru into the dream connection as well?
Jiang Lai pondered, comparing and recalling his encounter with Sukuna's innate domain after touching the finger years ago, and the method he and Gojo Satoru had developed for combination domains in the [Crossroads] Tower world, turning his thinking toward cursed energy.
The principle of dream connection was probably [Existence] resonance on one hand, and cursed energy on the other.
If he fused cursed energy and then initiated dream connection, could he bring Satoru along as well?