Chapter 41 Sacrifice
The door opened, and a man in a pure black college uniform walked in. His eyes were slightly lowered, a bandage was wrapped around his forehead, his hair was tied up in a loose bun, his semi-long hair was casually draped over his shoulders, and he was holding a few pieces of paper in his hand.
——It’s Geto Suguru.
Jiang Lai stood still and looked over. The other party also noticed the extra figure in the room the moment he stepped in, and quickly raised his head to look at him with vigilance.
"......Lai?" A figure in a navy blue kimono flashed through the curtain, and Xia Yujie looked a little stunned.
"Long time no see, Jie Jun." Jiang Lai smiled and looked at ease. "It's so sudden, I hope I didn't scare you." His eyes fell on the person in front of him.
At this time, Geto's appearance had not changed much from when they parted, but his expression was visibly much more haggard.
There was a faint blue shadow under his eyes, he was thin, and his tied-up hair made him look listless.
Even so, he still habitually wrapped himself in a gentle mask to hide his thoughts.
At this moment, facing Jiang Lai who came uninvited, Xia Youjie was just stunned for a few seconds, then smiled: "I was not scared, but it is indeed a bit unexpected to meet you here again."
"Don't worry, I didn't move anything in your room." Jiang Lai blinked lightly, "It's just that the view from the French window here is nice, so I stood here to admire it and wait for an acquaintance to come back - I asked Wu to keep the tablet for me, and now I'm back to get it."
Xia Yujie thought for a moment and said, "If you want to find Wu, he left school at noon to do a mission nearby. Maybe he will be back in the afternoon. Do you want me to send him an email?"
Jiang Lai remained calm and unperturbed, saying, "We will meet if we are destined to. No need to send an email to inform each other. Just let it be a surprise."
"Okay, wait a minute then." Xia Yujie walked in and greeted politely, "Please sit down. You can sit on the bed or on a chair. By the way, would you like some water? There's also coffee here."
"You don't have to be so polite," Jiang Lai adjusted his clothes and sat on a stool at the side, "I don't need water or coffee either."
[There is] no sense of hunger.
Summer Oil Jay paused for a second, then responded, "Oh... I almost forgot."
Jiang Lai's eyes fell on the boy with the ball-shaped hair, and he said in a gentle and caring tone: "Do you have a lot of tasks recently, Jiejun? You have dark circles under your eyes."
After hearing this, Xia Yujie paused slightly, pursed his lips and then curled them, and sighed with a bit of helplessness: "There have been too many curses during this period. Wu and I have already separated to do individual missions. It is indeed quite busy... Recently, I have been drinking coffee and staying up late to write mission reports."
"It's too hard." Jiang Lai said softly, "It's okay to drink tea. Coffee is more bitter."
"It's not bad." Xia Yujie replied, "I'm used to it." Here, he paused, shook his head and smiled, "...In fact, it might be better to lose the sense of taste one day. The taste of the cursed spirit is really not that good."
Disgusting like a rag that wipes away vomit. Jiang Lai knows this.
So he said, "It might be better to put some candy in your pocket—or just steal some from Wu."
"Okay, I'll steal Wu's candy next time." Xia Yujie smiled, like a ray of light breaking through the dark clouds, and the depression between his eyebrows dissipated a little. "Stealing Wu's candy is like stealing his treasure. I guess we have to fight."
"He will definitely give it to you." Jiang Lai blinked, and then continued half-jokingly and half-seriously: "I was originally wondering if Jiejun had dark circles under his eyes because he had a lot of worries in his heart and couldn't sleep at night - after all, at this age, people always have a lot of thoughts."
The ball-headed boy's fingers moved imperceptibly, and his eyes naturally fell on the desk. He raised his eyes again and admitted calmly in his usual voice:
"I have some concerns," he said lightly, "but they are just some random thoughts and it won't affect my sleep."
"Didn't you talk to Wu or Xiaozi about it?" Jiang Lai asked, "It just so happens to be a topic."
"Everyone is too busy." Xia Yujie smiled and recalled for a few seconds, "...Since we entered the third year, we haven't sat down to eat together for a long time. Naoko is busy studying medicine and taking care of the two girls from the Zenin family. Wu is now the strongest, and all the major events in the world of spells are waiting for him to rush around."
It was the year after the Star Plasma Body, Wu Xiaxiao's third year. Jiang Lai confirmed the timeline.
"Come to think of it, today is the day when Haibara and the others return from their mission, and they will bring back specialties from far-flung places." Kagome continued, "Let's share them together later - you can also bring some to see Maki-chan and Mayui-chan."
"Okay," Jiang Lai agreed happily, "When will Huiyuan and the others come back?"
"According to the normal mission and traffic speed, they will arrive around the afternoon." Xia Yujie took out his cell phone and looked down at it. "But they haven't sent me any messages... I can't contact them either. I don't know if the phone is out of battery."
"..." Jiang Lai did not respond. In fact, a plot point from the original novel subconsciously popped up in his mind.
In the original work, when Geto Suguru and Gojo Satoru were in their third year of technical high school, Haibara and the others were given a mission to exorcise a second-level cursed spirit.
However, they did not expect that this mission was due to an observation error by [Window] - the belief in the God of Land was actually not a second-level cursed spirit, but a first-level cursed spirit.
The cursed spirits, whose levels did not match their expectations, dealt them heavy damage at the time and ultimately led to the tragic sacrifice of Haibara Yu.
I don’t think the new series will reach this point in the plot this time… However, there is a second-year student named Yuukawa Kurikawa whose strength is unknown. With one more person on the mission, the mission should be completed smoothly.
Even if it is not possible, it should be possible to withdraw in time or delay until support arrives.
While Jiang Lai was reminiscing in silence, Xia Yujie continued to ask, "Do you want to wait here first, or should I take you to talk to Xiao Zhenxi and Mayi now?"
"Sit in your room for a while." Jiang Lai blinked. "I haven't seen the two little guys for a long time. It's a bit inappropriate to go empty-handed. Later, take one of the special products given to you by the younger generation as a meeting gift for them."
He laughed and said, "Your use is not in vain. I will return it to you in the future."
"No need." Xia Yujie chuckled and waved his hand, "I was going to give it to you too."
Jiang Lai didn't say much here. He looked at the paper in the hand of the person in front of him and said, "You must be busy with something, right? Just be busy. I'll just sit in your room. There's no need to find a topic to entertain me."
"Well, okay." Xia Yujie didn't say any more polite words. He put the paper on the desk, pulled out the chair, and showed a half-helpless expression, "Then I will write the last mission report first - I only rested for two or three days, and I have already picked up several reports that I haven't written yet."
It's really hard. It seems that it's really as described in the comics. This summer, cursed spirits appear in endless numbers and spread like maggots.
After he finished speaking, he added: "I have a few more books here, they are good for killing time, do you want to read them?"
"No need." Jiang Lai shook his head and reached out to catch the book that had just floated in the air. "This book is enough to keep me company."
——In fact, the reason why Jiang Lai stayed in Geto's room was to spend more time to understand the current situation.
He just glanced through the official comics and had not had time to pick out and sort out many details. Before sorting out the information, he decided not to rush out to travel around the college.
The sunlight streamed down from the overlapping leaves and shone into the house through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows. Xia Yujie and Jiang Lai both sat quietly in the room, each concentrating.
The rustling sound of writing on the desk and the occasional bird calls outside the dormitory become the background white noise at this moment.
Jiang Lai looked down at his phone, he went through the updated content again and thought in his mind.
He had just watched it hastily for the first time, and in order to get a clear idea of the timeline and background at that time, he skipped the part where the senior officer said farewell and jumped directly to the astral plasma incident later.
Now, when he re-read it, Jiang Lai found important information from the parting scene at the college - about Yuikawa Kurita. He never thought that what he had just casually discarded would be so useful in the comic.
The dog Jiechuan turned his head to look at the spider web beside him, Jiang Lai's question echoed in his ears, and his thoughts gurgled out naturally in his heart like a spring.
From these thoughts, Jiang Lai finally understood the truth behind the dog Jiechuan's inferior tea art performance.
A person who loves fun and has a cold nature. Every move he makes is to stir up the emotions of others or other creatures. He loves to watch others or other creatures have dramatic emotional outbursts.
Jiang Lai touched his chin. If that was the case, he probably cared about me because he thought I was too calm.
Jiang Lai was mysterious most of the time, and was very calm in his every move. Even when he responded to Kawashimaru with words, he did so in a nonchalant manner.
What the dog Jiechuan wanted was "other people's reactions", but Jiang Lai didn't give him any "reaction", so he started to pay attention to Jiang Lai.
Jiang Lai laughed in his heart, and his mind wandered for a second. This kind of person is suitable to face a top three-faced paralyzed player, and see who can't help but fail first.
His imagination only ran wild for a moment before he quickly regained his composure and opened the forum page.
[Rai Shen actually said goodbye this time! He left the scene in a carefree manner in the previous times. Does this mean that Lai Shen is more familiar with them now? He even gave them a parting gift.
[This card seems familiar... I went back and flipped through the main comic. In the rainy and snowy alley, when Rai Shen helped Fushiguro Megumi and met with Geto Suguru, the moment his windbreaker was lifted up, a part of the shirt pocket on his chest was exposed → (Picture) This should be it? ]
[Oh my god! The microscope upstairs has become a spirit! But how come the one I gave away is back again? ]
【樓上，萊神本來也沒說送啊hhh，只是讓五條臨時保管，下次見面的時候再收回。說明後來他們見面後，萊神又把牌墜收回去了】
【為什麽要讓五條臨時保管？這個牌墜是不是類似護身符呀，當時分別時，萊神茫茫之間感受到後續波折，不放心，所以留了個牌墜守護！】
【可是五條還是被捅了啊，感覺貌似沒有防護。說起來，當時甚爾手上痕跡剝落，一瞬鳶尾花的時刻，下一幕給了牌墜特寫……
對不起我陰謀論一下，莫非牌墜是借助五條監視周邊人用的？萊神不會真的是監管會的人吧（驚恐）溫柔是演技？】
【不是吧！！還有一種可能，萊神是監管會的敵人，本體不方便出場，借助牌墜、從五條的視角來看監管會的情況。嗚嗚，我的神明神子最美父子情不要摻假啊——】
【草，[最美父子情]這個看一次蚌埠住一次，笑死了。
我倒是覺得牌墜有點像是個信标，萊神留下它，下次就會順着信标主動找回來。
——你們看，前幾次煙火大會和廢棄大樓，都是五條找的萊神，但是這次萊神說牌墜交給五條保管，說明下次會來找五條。】
【沒人想讨論一下狗狗結川嗎（無慈悲）原來不是茶杯犬，而是惡魔裝成狗狗去惹事看別人掙紮然後開心得一批啊！】
【萊神肯定看破了吧，最後離開前輕輕點破對方的僞裝，雖然沒有直言，但是那樣的問句，肯定是隐晦的敲打！帥氣大佬！！】
【嗚嗚，我現在很擔心夏油。甚爾應該是監管會的人或者接了監管會的任務，他當時“請”夏油傑去做客，不知道帶他去看了什麽……傑後來的狀态很不對啊！！】
【理性分析一下傑這次沒說完的“用作飼料延續其他”，結合之前夏油問的“人應該分三六九等嗎”，以及他被監管會收養的經歷、額頭的紋理、未知的白紙來信，可以大體總結出：
監管會以某種标準對大衆進行分類，這個分類中的其中一個便是“飼料”。
他們很大幾率是把低等級的人當成飼料，通過某種咒具、或者別的什麽，用以延續高等級的人的生命、或者做某種交易。
夏油傑大概是被選中的、監管會認定的好苗子（或者好工具）。額頭生長的紋理可能是某種契約，要麽是束縛要麽是保護，很難說。
監管會一直在等夏油傑的回複和選擇。這次星漿體事件，監管會讓夏油傑去做客，也許就是為了進一步讓他知曉內幕，搖動他的心緒。】
【嗚哇、樓上分析帝！！】
【我草，好有道理，哭了啊，我的傑——不是之前還在萊神的關切下，打算和悟他們交流了嗎？】
【這次星漿體事件，又讓他把話憋回去了吧。“飼料”這些信息，肯定是內幕，你看大衆都不知道監管會的這一幕，在他們心裏，監管會還是地位很高的質量檢測組織呢。
而且這些事情，傑和悟他們說了，擔心會給好友帶來麻煩。他肯定想自己解決這些事情，但說不準想着想着，就覺得他們是對的，然後加入了hhh
無論如何，如果額頭紋理是一種束縛，我覺得傑大概率已經是籠中物了……跑不掉了吧。
要想擺脫，也得先深入卧底，蟄伏到去除那個痕跡再說。不過高專時期的他們心性還是少年呢，鬥不過，八成後續傑會真的加入那邊。】
【啊啊啊不要啊，我瘋了嗚嗚嗚，萊神！萊神！！怎麽辦啊萊神！能不能施展魔力去除紋理啊！】
怎麽辦，我也想知道怎麽辦啊。看到這裏的江萊忍不住默默在心中接上。只是，他也不知道夏油傑額頭的那東西到底是什麽。
論壇中的分析聽起來倒是比較有道理。說不準就是一種契約束縛，在夏油傑被監管會收養的時候，就種下了。
只是不知道這個紋理還會慢慢生長是什麽意思。江萊心中斟酌思考着。
【家人們，別擔心，依照我們之前的推論，正篇是二周目，而這個[昨日昔日]是一周目。現在的苦痛，都是一周目的，相信二周目的他們能夠拿到he結局！
畢竟依照我們之前的推測，二周目五條大概率有記憶，殺回過去的五條老師可以避過一周目的痛痛！】
【……話又說回來了，二周目是怎麽開啓的？感覺這裏會是一把刀刀，提前落淚了嗚嗚嗚】
在內心晃動的時候，他忍不住擡起眼眸，看向隔了一段距離坐着的夏油傑。
此刻的丸子頭少年正認真書寫着任務報告，從側面看，更能感覺出他身形的清瘦。
似乎是感知到視線，夏油傑停下書寫的筆，側過頭，臉上挂起如常的微笑：“怎麽了，萊？”
江萊張了張口，還未開口說什麽，只見夏油傑桌面上的手機便響起來信提示。
于是他說：“先看信息吧。”
夏油傑拿起手機，淺淡的笑容在浏覽到文件內容時便僵在了臉上，不可置信的複雜情緒如潮水般轟然湧上。
敏銳感知到氣氛改變的江萊心頭一跳。
“……”夏油傑攥着手機，他深呼吸了一口氣，才艱澀地吐出，“……出事了。”
——
三個人前去的任務，最終回來的只有兩個人。
離開前還在笑容滿面地與夏油傑對話，說着要帶特産回來的元氣少年灰原雄，永遠履行不了約定好的事情了。
原著裏那件二級變一級的詛咒事件，在這裏依然發生了，并且損失境況似乎更為慘烈一些。
當年原著裏還能帶回半個屍體，這次只來得帶回灰原雄被吞咽前，七海最後攥住的他的右手。
小木盒裏裝着灰原雄血淋淋的右手，呈現在眼前。
“……”江萊盯着木盒裏中的手，唇角抿成一條直線。
一側的七海建人靠在牆面上，臉上覆蓋着遮蔽眼部的毛巾，平日裏穩重的聲線此刻顫抖起來：“原本以為只是輕松的二級任務，結果那根本不是二級，而是一級……！”
旁邊坐着的淺茶色發少年哭得上氣不接下氣，臉埋在手心：
“嗚……原本我們三人一起能夠勉強祓除、或者撐到援助來的，但是、但是那邊有誤入的村民，灰原為了救他被咒靈扯去吃掉了、嗚嗚……明明設[帳]前都清查過場地了，為什麽還有人在……為什麽每次都是這樣、每次死的都是我們咒術師啊……”
“這種出遠門的任務都交給五條前輩好不好？”結川栗芥在哭，“他是最強不是麽。”
七海建人呼吸間也跟着喃喃吐出話語：“這些都交給那個人不好嗎？”
“……”夏油傑神情不明，他将木盒蓋子合攏，嗓音低啞，“先好好休息吧，七海、結川。”
他兩手捧着木盒，打算将其帶到硝子那邊。
七海建人将臉上的毛巾一把扯下，扶着牆站起來，沉默地打算跟去送自家好友最後一程——盡管盒中僅剩下一只手。
茶色發少年在凳子上哭得似乎脫了力，垂着頭，想起身又摔回去。路過的夏油傑扶了他一把，又将其按在座椅上：“先坐在這裏歇着吧，灰原……交給我們去送。”
江萊也恰在此時開口：“你們去吧。我在這裏照顧結川君。”
“好。”夏油傑疲倦地點點頭，表示應下。
在夏油傑和七海建人離開後，現場只剩下江萊和結川栗芥。
淺茶色發少年坐在原地，依然将臉埋在手心中低聲啜泣。
因為江萊并未開口說話，所以一時之間，這裏只有結川低低的哭聲。
大概過了幾分鐘，淺茶色發青年低低地開口，抽噎着說：“前、前輩……能麻煩您遞給我張衛生紙嗎？”
“你不需要。”
這句回話讓結川栗芥身形頓了一秒，他似乎沒想到江萊說出的回複竟然是這個。
結川栗芥從手心中擡起頭，狗狗眼眼尾哭得泛紅：“……什麽，前輩？”
江萊向前走了幾步。棕眸略垂，以一種俯視的姿态睨着坐在椅子上的結川：“你不需要。因為你不想哭，可以不哭。”
結川栗芥擡起頭，眨巴着紅褐色的眼睛，看起來一副茫然無措的樣子。
江萊注視着他，目光仿佛穿過表态深入內裏。
表演是适時的僞裝，言語是鋪墊的橋梁。成為背後一雙推動的手，鐘愛于那些生離死別、善良堕落、友情決裂、信念破損。他人越痛苦，他就越喜悅。
藏青色身影擡起那本古樸色的書冊，遙指着狗狗結川的嘴角：
“——剛才一直埋在手心中哭，是控制不住這裏的弧度麽？”