Chapter 243 : Electronic Spirits, The Beginning of Evolution
After the rules were read out, Itadori Yuji couldn't help but want to leave the basement and go to his companions' side. However, Little Sheep Jiang Lai and Choso both stopped him immediately.
"It's not time yet." Jiang Lai's mind was clear, his soft boyish voice very calm at this moment, "Right now is when the layout has just unfolded, when the enemy is at their most relaxed, thinking their grand plan will succeed. We need to make good use of the enemy's period of negligence and can't expose the truth too early."
Choso nodded in agreement, saying: "That's right. If you, Yuji, appear in the public eye and the enemy side knows about it, they'll realize the plan has changed. There's a certain probability they'll take extreme measures."
Itadori Yuji wasn't the type to act rashly without regard for consequences. Hearing the analytical words of Little Sheep Jiang Lai and Choso, he quickly calmed down and understood the severity of the problem.
The cherry-pink haired boy settled his emotions and said sincerely: "I understand. Sorry for saying such selfish words just now." He raised his golden-orange eyes, "I'll wait patiently in the basement until the moment they need me."
Choso nodded, his expression showing the comfort of an elder brother: "Don't worry, Yuji, everything will be fine. This time won't be wasted either. We can continue training to consolidate and improve your strength."
"Alright." Itadori Yuji's brows and eyes were determined, showing the youthful spirit characteristic of a young man, "I'll work hard to train more skillfully... I want to use it to protect others."
"Of course, you can do it." Little Sheep Jiang Lai's face bloomed with a mischievous smile, "Right now, you're our secret weapon."
"The literature of fake death that appears at the end to startle the enemy! Or, more accurately, the highlight literature of a manga protagonist descending from heaven?"
Itadori Yuji was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then blinked: "Coming back from the dead certainly has dramatic impact... but I probably can't live up to the title of protagonist." He touched his nose and joked, "I read manga too, but there probably isn't a protagonist with my kind of luck and experiences, right?"
"No, Brother Itadori, you don't understand. What Japanese manga artists love most now is torturing protagonists, literally spilling youthful blood." Little Sheep Jiang Lai put on a profound expression and said with utmost seriousness, "Times have changed, and manga artists' mental states have changed too."
Itadori Yuji: "?"
Itadori Yuji: "Haha, is that so? Then I probably haven't been exposed to enough of them."
The cherry-pink haired boy scratched his cheek with his index finger and replied with a smile. He was someone who cared about others in his words and actions, so he didn't refute Little Sheep Jiang Lai's words.
Even if he didn't understand, he went along with Little Sheep Jiang Lai's scenario.
"But don't worry, Brother Itadori," Little Sheep Jiang Lai patted his chest with high spirits, "I'm a fan of happy ending manga."
He turned his round, dark eyes toward Itadori Yuji, his voice slightly childish but very steady: "All who are separated will eventually reunite. I've always believed this."
These words seemed like they should be spoken by his true form, but actually the Little Sheep disguise was very suitable too. The story of Watanabe Mirai and Hiroki Kyubey had always embodied separation and reunion.
"..." Itadori Yuji's expression paused slightly, then he smiled, "Yes. All who are separated will eventually reunite. I believe this too."
Perhaps he would have to wait a long time, perhaps it would take 1,000 years, but he had finally welcomed his reunion. So he believed that the future would definitely embody beauty.
After a simple discussion in the basement, in just one day, they had decided on the next steps.
Itadori Yuji would temporarily continue hiding in the basement for training, with Choso providing training guidance and personal protection.
And Little Sheep Jiang Lai, after his Electronic Spirits technique reached evolution conditions, planned to leave the basement and officially enter the battlefield above ground.
"Don't worry. Although I look like a child, I have extraordinary special skills." Little Sheep Jiang Lai waved his hand with a bright smile, "I'll go out and test the technique evolution effects to avoid destroying the basement."
"By the way, as technical personnel, I still need to connect with the front lines. Regardless, I'll notify you if there's any situation."
Here, he cheerfully added: "Contact fees and intelligence fees are all friendship prices~"
Itadori Yuji tactically leaned back: "...!!"
There it was, the ubiquitous small money trap!
Little Sheep Jiang Lai's appearance didn't reveal whether he was serious or joking. The brown-haired boy with a low ponytail walked briskly and disappeared at the basement stairway entrance.
Itadori Yuji watched the other's departing figure, seeing that door open and close again.
The world outside was undergoing earth-shaking changes.
Everything will be fine, right? Itadori Yuji asked and answered himself. Yes, everything will be fine.
Jiang Lai walked out of the basement and opened his phone. There were several new emails inside.
The first one was from Yoshino Junpei.
Ever since Little Sheep Jiang Lai taught him hacking techniques that year, Yoshino Junpei had been devoted to researching this field. With the combined enhancement of talent and effort, he had already become a particularly skilled young hacker.
After the Mount Shichi incident occurred, Jiang Lai had a premonition of decisive battle, but he knew that with his front-line busyness, it would be impossible to constantly monitor small changes in society, so he privately contacted Yoshino Junpei and asked him to help collect information.
Yoshino Junpei could see cursed spirits. Ever since experiencing the school incident, through what Little Sheep Jiang Lai told him, he also knew about the existence of cursed spirits and jujutsu sorcerers.
His current level allowed him to secretly infiltrate the [Window] information network. During this time, Yoshino Junpei had been collecting intelligence from nodes in the information network, using intelligent programs to compile and analyze.
Now, this intelligence compilation had been sent to Little Sheep Jiang Lai's phone.
Perhaps they could glimpse some intelligence about the barrier core from these [Window] detections of cursed energy fluctuation patterns in various places. No matter how Brain-kun concealed things, some objective factors couldn't be hidden.
Jiang Lai replied to Yoshino Junpei, sending a cute emoji, reminding him to be careful and stay safe during this time. Then he downloaded the attachment.
The attachment resource downloaded quickly, but Jiang Lai didn't rush to open it. Instead, he planned to finish reading the emails first, then gradually analyze the received intelligence.
The second email was from Geto Suguru.
Geto Suguru was currently still infiltrating the Supervisory Committee. After surviving the previous trust crisis, the Supervisory Committee's attitude toward him was still acceptable, no longer guarding against him.
For this human evolution plan, Geto Suguru even deliberately showed enthusiasm for using this opportunity to eliminate ordinary people in society and create a world with only jujutsu sorcerers.
His acting was naturally excellent, so the Supervisory Committee confidently entrusted him with the social aspects of the plan.
In the email, Geto Suguru generally described the situation on his side.
Although Brain-kun had forcefully laid out the barrier and read the rules, society couldn't immediately develop according to his desired survival of the fittest.
So the core members of the Supervisory Committee would secretly promote during this process, pushing the tense and chaotic but evolution-possible atmosphere to its peak.
Geto Suguru said in the email that he could use some methods during this process to try to stabilize the social unrest situation as much as possible, slow down the speed of chaotic mutual killing, and buy time for Jiang Lai and the others.
It sounds difficult... If it's Suguru, he should be able to do it. Jiang Lai thought silently. After all, he was someone with cult leader potential. Whether bewitching people's hearts or comforting them, he was very good at both!
But time was indeed limited, and he could only delay for a period. Otherwise, the Supervisory Committee would definitely notice.
Jiang Lai steadied his mind. He replied to Geto Suguru, still telling him to prioritize his own safety and leave other matters to them.
The third letter was from Gojo Satoru.
Gojo Satoru wrote a long string of complaints about the rotten oranges at the beginning of the letter, mocking how those old guys had only now seen through Brain-kun's conspiracy, holding meetings and raging impotently, then being attacked and bitten by suddenly appearing cursed spirits.
Of course, Gojo Satoru wasn't present at the time. The higher-ups wouldn't call the strongest when holding meetings. They always secretly plotted first, then summoned Gojo Satoru from their high position.
This time, when Gojo Satoru received news of the higher-ups being attacked, he wasn't in any hurry to rush over. By the time he leisurely went over, the higher-ups had already been mostly cleaned out by the suddenly appearing group of cursed spirits.
Brain-kun was a ruthless character. He would squeeze and exploit value when it could be squeezed, then find a way to dispose of these insiders when they had no value.
This cursed spirit attack left no one able to find the mastermind behind it. In fact, those cursed spirits had no clear commander either. They were semi-intelligent cursed spirits with intelligence but not much. After hearing the rules, they found nearby densely populated areas to attack.
It just so happened that the higher-ups were holding a meeting. Wasn't that a densely populated area?
Because the original higher-up headquarters was destroyed during the Ryomen Sukuna vessel execution incident, this newly built temporary headquarters hadn't yet set up proper barriers and defenses, so the cursed spirit group found a loophole.
It could only be said that everything was a coincidence.
Gojo Satoru said in the email that now there were temporarily no rotten oranges giving blind commands from behind.
As for whether more rotten oranges would take office later... well, considering the current social situation, a new wave of higher-ups probably wouldn't be assembled anytime soon.
It was just a pity that after the cursed spirits struck, he couldn't strike anymore. Gojo Satoru sighed in the letter. You should know, he had long wanted to beat up that group of rotten oranges.
Later, he became serious and described part of the outside situation. Currently, Gojo Satoru, as the strongest, was stationed in Tokyo, serving as a pillar.
With him there, Tokyo's situation wasn't so chaotic. Currently, Tokyo had the most jujutsu sorcerers, and with Gojo Satoru stationed there, he could play a role in reducing unrest and panic.
Jiang Lai also replied to Gojo Satoru, telling him that he had come out and would next try to find the barrier core.
After Jiang Lai finished sending his messages, Silver Snake little Akira climbed onto his shoulder and said with the hissing sound of a snake flicking its tongue: "The last training session has reached evolution level. When do we start evolving, Big Brother Jiang Lai?"
Jiang Lai's attention returned to the present.
He indeed planned to test the evolution effects with the Detective Conan friends, but when it came to this moment, he still couldn't help hesitating for a moment.
Although techniques were beneficial to users, becoming stronger and more stable, what if something bad happened?
Kurosawa Akira seemed able to sense Jiang Lai's mood. He said calmly: "We can start with me first. I'm right beside you, and I'm prepared."
His clear, cold voice sounded by his ear, "I have absolutely clear rationality. Whether I succeed or not, I won't harm you."