Chapter 8 Jiang Lai: It’s a ghost, I don’t worry!

What is it like to wake up with 99+ messages?

Jiang Lai: Thank you for the invitation. My conditioned reflex is the fear of missing 8 a.m./being late for work/forgetting a meeting.

But wait, haven’t I already graduated from college/taken a break from work/travelled? ?

It took Jiang Lai a few seconds to react after he woke up hazily, and then he broke away from the instinct that was engraved in his DNA.

Yes, I have traveled through time and am still trying to find my way back. He calmed down and turned on his phone.

It seems that it is a message from Matsuda and the others... Could it be that the manga has been updated again? Jiang Lai's mind was filled with thoughts. The update was so fast. However, maybe it was because the speed of time in the two worlds was different.

As Jiang Lai had guessed, all the notifications were from the "Loving Family" group chat. Jiang Lai scrolled to the top and started browsing through them one by one.

The first few messages were @ him, telling him that the comics had been updated and he could read them on the official website (with a link at the end).

Jiang Lai clicked on the link and quickly read the update. While taking note of the key points in his mind, he was also somewhat surprised by himself as depicted in the comics at the train station at that time.

Was he so powerful back then? He pondered for two seconds and raised his thumb inwardly. Okay, I'll give another red envelope to the Hell Filter!

However, when the real person greeted him, he seemed to be quite interested in him. And he didn't expect that when he met Yuji, Sukuna actually glanced at him silently...

Jiang Lai rubbed his temples. Attracting the attention of these guys is not a good thing. Isn't it a bit absurd to involve two special-class people at the beginning?

Forget it, let’s take it one step at a time.

At least for now, these two special-grade cursed spirits have shown no hostility or aggression towards him.

No matter what, you still have to enrich yourself as soon as possible and make yourself stronger. Jiang Lai is very clear in his heart. Don't expect the mercy and inexplicable interest of the enemy. Only when you have the strength of your own army can you have the capital to survive and negotiate.

He exited the comic's official website and roughly browsed through a few posts in the forum, pondering as he read.

After browsing the whole, although netizens have guessed that he is a person with higher power, there is no specific guess, only a vague impression.

Jiang Lai tried to feel himself, attempting to draw out the "primordial power" that might exist in his body - but unfortunately, he still didn't feel anything special.

Is it because the guesses about his abilities are not specific enough? He recalled that some of the skills he had learned in the scientific world and through forums were specific to a certain category.

It seems that we can't just start with superficial transformation. Jiang Lai stroked the back of the phone with his fingertips, thinking about it in his heart. He needs to be guided in a specific direction.

He remembered the conversation between him and Matsuda Jinpei in the group. With the help of the pseudonym Gojo Rai, he could develop a technique that was similar to having no limits, but not really no limits.

But a technique like this with no limits... Jiang Lai said. This thing is a bit difficult to express. How can I act so that people in these two worlds can believe it?

Jiang Lai temporarily recorded this point in his memo, intending to think about it carefully and work out a reasonable route.

Then, he returned to the chat group again.

The following content is the discussion between Matsuda, Morobushi, and Xiao Zhao around these words, as well as what happened in the world of science.

The great detective Shinichi Kudo is also mentioned in it.

Amid the conversations among relatives and friends in the group, Jiang Lai smiled, and the scene of the communication seemed to emerge in front of his eyes.

During this time, Jinpei Matsuda from the scientific world also contacted Shinichi Kudo.

Of course, Kudo Shinichi and Jiang Lai also knew each other, although it was a misunderstanding at first - when he was still Conan, he was often frightened by Jiang Lai who was shrouded in the filter of the underworld (Jiang Lai: Actually, I am a good person, really!).

Of course, they eventually revealed their identities and united the two. After the scientific world overthrew the winery and produced an antidote, Kudo Shinichi returned to his high school student status and continued his brilliant career as a detective.

At the moment, Kudo Shinichi is both a good friend and a famous detective with an outstanding mind. Naturally, he is the best choice to help analyze clues.

So, the next day after school at Teitan High School, Matsuda Jinpei and the others went to look for Kudo Shinichi.

After hearing this, Kudo Shinichi paused and crossed his hands on the table. "I understand. Is this a gift for the mystery game planned by Jiang Lai? Thank you. So in this game, the murderer is one of the three of you?"

Matsuda, Morobushi, and Xiao Zhao: "???"

Kudo Shinichi's blue eyes were filled with the seriousness and liveliness of solving a case. He raised his eyes and said calmly, "Start from the beginning. Officer Matsuda, please repeat the whole process from the airport to returning home."

Matsuda Jinpei gestured and explained: "No, it's not a mystery game, and there is no acquaintance committing the crime! Although it sounds ridiculous, Jiang Lai really traveled through time!"

The air is quiet for three seconds.

Kudo Shinichi: "...But, time travel doesn't sound scientific no matter how you look at it."

"Well, actually, our world isn't that scientific... growing bigger, shrinking, rejuvenating, and so on." Matsuda Jinpei complained, and added in his mind, "There's even more outrageous things like resurrection from the dead and creating something out of nothing."

Zhu Fu Jingguang patted the detective's shoulder, his eyebrows slightly curved, and said in a gentle voice: "Although it sounds unexpected, the accident did happen."

Kurosawa Akira raised his calm green eyes and said nothing, but his expression said it all. He silently took out a comic book from his bag.

"Jujutsu Kaisen (New Series)?" Kudo Shinichi looked down and saw the name, his expression a little surprised. "Not long ago, my classmate Komura handed me a copy and asked me to help analyze the hidden information in it when I'm free."

"Hmm... I remember that Komura-san and Kayo-san have been discussing something called Gojorai recently."

Matsuda Jinpei: "Oh, yes, yes, this is Jiang Lai!"

Kudo Shinichi: “?”

Kurosawa Akira's expression remained unchanged. He flipped through the pages and came to a full-body photo of Jiang Lai. He showed it to the person in front of him: "When you were analyzing the details of the comic, didn't you feel that this character looked familiar?"

The friends we usually hang out with have transformed into two-dimensional characters, and it’s actually hard to recognize them at first glance.

But after being reminded, if you focus on the characters on the screen again, you can discover many details.

Especially those slightly gloomy brown eyes, seemingly smiling but not smiling, lazy and dangerous look... the more I look at it, the more familiar it looks.

Kudo Shinichi was silent for a moment, and couldn't help but recall the feeling when he was Conan:

——This hell filter aura, no wonder it looked so familiar when I saw it, it turned out to be you, Jiang Lai!!

Kudo Shinichi: That’s how he scared me back then!!!

There is a classic quote in Sherlock Holmes: Eliminate all the impossible, and whatever remains, no matter how improbable it is, is the truth.

After briefly digesting this shocking news, Kudo Shinichi lowered his crossed hands: "...Okay, I understand a little bit." He paused for a few seconds, "And, can you explain it in more detail?"

The above is the process described by friends in the group one by one. Jiang Lai can even imagine the picture from the words.

He frowned and looked down at the screen, as if he could meet his friends through the screen.

Later, Kurosawa Akira released four photos, saying that these were the ones analyzed and labeled by Kudo at the time.

"..." Jiang Lai concentrated and looked carefully.

——These are some paper illustrations of the new comic book series, with red ballpoint pen markings on them. The circled part is the pattern of black and white iris.

Jiang Lai had seen this logo on the signs and walls of the Shou Xi Guo restaurant at that time.

But he didn't expect that they would be on the billboards at the airport, the bulletin boards at the train station, and on the card that Megumi Fushiguro showed after entering the store!

He narrowed his eyes and looked at the markings again.

The images of the airport and train station are very blurry, with only fuzzy outlines visible, hidden in the bustling crowd background of the comic.

Kudo Shinichi keenly noticed these details and highlighted them.

The pattern here looks like a logo... Could this be a popular and widely used brand in the world? I was at a sukiyaki restaurant just now and forgot to look at the name.

Jiang Lai shifted his gaze to the card presented by Fushiguro Megumi.

This part of the comics takes place in the sukiyaki restaurant, when the seat is vacated after Era leaves and Yuji Itadori and others decide to eat there.

Megumi Fushiguro took out the card with a black and white iris pattern from her wallet and handed it to the waiter.

...Uh, what is this? ...Membership card?

Jiang Lai stared at the circled iris patterns, feeling doubtful.

Logically speaking, there is no need for the comics to depict the advertising brands, membership cards and other things that are everywhere in Jue Hui so clearly, and to have them appear so many times.

unless……

On the sticky note in the photo, the detective also wrote a few concise sentences:

[The repetition of details is definitely useful, but the meaning behind it is still uncertain. It may be more than just a simple commercial brand. I suggest you pay more attention to it in the future.]

Indeed, it may not be that simple. Jiang Lai nodded.

He continued to flip through the pages, and found that Matsuda and his colleagues were speculating on possible scenarios, which were similar to the reasoning in the forum.

At the end, Morobushi Kagemitsu posted a photo of the extra-drawn page that came with the paper comic book he purchased in the group.

The added content is a few cute four-frame Q-version comics. The first three are the funny daily life of Yuji and his friends, and the last one is a single picture with rich picture.

In the picture, Q-versions of Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, and Norose Kugizaki are standing around the table with surprised expressions. Outside the store, a Q-version of a man with black hair and brown eyes is smiling with his eyes narrowed and his head slightly tilted.

In the center of the crowd is a purple gecko with mosquito-repellent eyes.

The name of this single picture is "Dying in the Surround of Crowds".

Jiang Lai: “…”

The official is good at playing with memes! The gecko got the face (bushi) of the protagonist Tiger!

But it's still cute. Jiang Lai looked at the Q version of everyone and himself in the comics and couldn't help but smile. It's a pity that he can't stand with them for the time being.

There was new content on the other side of the added content. Jiang Lai looked closely and found that what was written on it was exactly the information about the feather necklace he was wearing!

——However, the content of the narration is somewhat surprising.

"..." He raised his eyebrows and looked at the small words marked next to the feather necklace on the added page.

[It looks like an ordinary decoration, but it is actually a cursed tool that cannot be detected. This is because it has the ability to hide, blur, and distort the power of the curse.]

This passage does not point out that the feather necklace can allow him to switch between the feelings of a cursed spirit, an ordinary person, and a sorcerer, but only generally explains the control of cursed power.

Jiang Lai saw another point from this - when he possessed the technique, it might be able to be used to hide or change the deformity.

This is a very useful skill! It is equivalent to being able to clean up the crime scene. I wonder if it can also be used to transfer suspects and frame others...

Of course, this is just a metaphor. Jiang Lai said that he is a good youth.

The specific operation will be determined in practice. He thought that he should try to master the ability to control the magic power as soon as possible.

After Jiang Lai finished reading the chat records, he replied in the group.

[#Good Luck Lai-Lan#: I just woke up and saw this - thank you, family members!!]

[#Good Luck Comes#: (Otters spinning and clapping.gif)]

[#Good Luck Comes#: Please thank the Detective for me too. I will keep an eye out for the marked patterns.]

After he exited the group chat software, he happened to receive a new email notification in his mailbox.

Jiang Lai opened his email and saw that the sender was a rental agency he had left a message for consultation before going to bed.

Because he will stay in the Cursed World for a while (estimated to be quite a while), Jiang Lai plans to rent a house as a place to stay.

Before going to bed last night, he browsed the Internet and finally left his housing requirements and contact information with a rental agency with good reviews and complete credentials.

I didn't expect this agency to be so efficient. Jiang Lai blinked and opened the email.

The house this agency found is in a good location, with convenient transportation and many shopping areas nearby.

There are two bedrooms and a living room inside, with perfect lighting. The photos show that the furniture inside is surprisingly complete (in Japan, rental houses usually do not have furniture), and all the equipment is also very new.

Such an advantageous house, but the price is surprisingly low... Jiang Lai's eyes moved to the monthly rent. Why?

If this agency wasn't really well-known and reputable, Jiang Lai would have thought it was a scam. He paused and decided to call the number attached to the email to inquire.

The real estate agent on the other end of the phone was very enthusiastic. After a brief conversation, Jiang Lai asked about the price.

"Ah, well, the price is set by the owner himself." The agent hesitated for a moment and sighed, "This house...hasn't been rented out for a long time. It has some problems. Because we uphold the principle of loyalty to our customers, we will always investigate all the conditions of the house and inform you."

"What's wrong with this house?" Jiang Lai frowned slightly, "Is it because the quality is not up to standard?"

In this earthquake-prone country, you don't want a house that was built with shoddy materials and collapsed the next day. If so, no matter how suitable it is, Jiang Lai will not rent it.

Just kidding, he doesn't want to be buried in his sleep——!

"Ah, not really. This house has passed all the tests, and there is absolutely no problem with the hardware." The agent replied. She paused, as if she was struggling with how to organize her words, "But the previous tenants..."

Hearing the hesitant words from the other side, Jiang Lai had a guess in his mind: "Has anyone died in this house? Did the previous tenants all die in misfortune?"

Could it be a cursed spirit? Jiang Lai's heart sank. The frequent strange deaths could very well be caused by a cursed spirit!

The operator quickly replied, "No, there are no deaths!" She coughed and said hesitantly, "But strange things do happen. To put it simply, it's haunted."

"Ghost?"

"Although it sounds like an urban rumor, it really happened to this house. The previous tenants fled after staying for a few days at the shortest and a few months at the longest. The owner rarely goes there and sets the price low, probably because he thinks it will be difficult to rent it out," said the agent.

"Someone who specializes in this kind of thing came to see me before... but it didn't seem to help, and the haunting continued afterwards."

It lasted for a long time, and no one was killed or injured, so it should not be a cursed spirit. Jiang Lai heard this and relaxed a little. And there was also a specialist - probably a sorcerer who came to check it out, and the haunting was most likely not related to the curse.

As long as it's not a cursed spirit, it's fine. As for ghosts and the like... In the scientific world at that time, he had already gotten used to getting along with the spirit bodies of Matsuda and Kagemitsu, and even planned their subsequent resurrection!

Regardless of whether this kind of thing exists in the world of magic, Jiang Lai is not afraid of it at all.

So Jiang Lai exhaled and replied with a smile: "I was so worried at first, but it turns out it's really haunted... I feel relieved now."

The operator: “???”