Chapter 82
The summer rain always comes suddenly.
Heavy clouds covered Tokyo’s sky, and raindrops poured down, weaving a white curtain in mid-air. From afar, it looked as if the entire city was wrapped in a fine white mist.
During the on-site visit at work, a sudden heavy rain forced Sobu High School students to start grumbling about the poor weather.
“What’s going on? It started raining out of nowhere.”
“Wasn’t it sunny just now?”
“What should we do? I didn’t bring an umbrella.”
Although there were complaints, fortunately, the students had already entered the companies for their visit, and they were temporarily spared from getting wet.
Yukinoshita Yukino and Yui Yuigahama were not in the same class, and their on-site visits were at different locations. The two girls who were in her group had already left after getting off the bus.
A black-haired girl stared blankly through the glass facade of a building at the gray sky overhead.
The current career visit stirred up certain thoughts for her. According to Yukinoshita Yukino’s recognized normal life trajectory, she should be attending the university where her sister was after high school graduation, and then seek to enter politics, gradually realizing her goal of changing the world.
Now, her life has been significantly altered due to the intervention of some Parasitic Bug. Her ideal path also changed slightly.
“Creating a world where even the weak can be happy…” Yukinoshita Yukino whispered to herself softly.
Her thoughts wandered around towering buildings in the city, penetrated through thick dark clouds, flying towards the heavenly realm of her dreams.
Ding Ling Ling!
The sharp ringing of a cell phone brought the girl back to reality.
Yukinoshita Yukino took out her phone in puzzlement. Upon seeing the caller’s name, she immediately showed a serious expression, “Mr. Ijichi?”
Could this be a clue about the killer of Ōoka?
Without giving it much thought, she quickly answered the call.
“Miss Yukinoshita, we have an urgent mission that might require your help,” Kiyotaka Ijichi said sternly over the phone. “Three hours ago, our window confirmed the existence of a Curse Womb.”
“Curse Womb…?” A new term made her frown.
“In simple terms, it’s similar to how insects form cocoons or pupae. When negative energies congregate and manifest into tangible Curse Spirits, it occasionally happens in the form of Curse Wombs. If this process is complete, a Special Grade Curse Spirit will emerge.”
“A Special Grade!?” Yukinoshita Yukino was surprised, “Does that mean…”
Just like the Parasitic Bug!
Her body stiffened momentarily, and her consciousness began to drift away as she lost control of her body—a brief phenomenon experienced when control switches.
“Even among Special Grades, there are differences.” Lin Qi took over, speaking over the phone, “Where is it located? I’m heading over now.”
“At Eiji Juvenile Detention Center in West Tokyo. Five detainees inside are living alongside a Curse Womb. This case is both urgent and unusual. We have three Jujutsu Sorcerers here to search and rescue survivors first.”
“Please hurry, Mr. Lin.”
“Okay, I understand.”
After hanging up Ijichi’s call, Lin Qi dialed another number—Yukinoshita Yono.
The phone rang several times before being answered, and Yono’s voice echoed from the speaker, “What’s up, little sis? Sister is in class now.”
“Oh, Daisugino, please ask Ms. Hiratsuka for leave; I need to handle something.” Lin Qi got straight to the point.
“Daisugino… That must be Lin Qi san.” Despite finding Lin Qi’s nickname strange, Yono dared not show disrespect to the presence inhabiting her younger sister, “I understand, where are you now?”
“Field trip, in Tokyo. Ms. Hiratsuka is here too.” Saying that, Lin Qi gave her the address of the company they were visiting, and then hung up.
“Ugh, what a bossy person.” Yukiuno sighed upon hearing the busy tone. She made an excuse to her professor to skip class and drove to the address Lin Qi provided.
Elsewhere, Lin Qi glanced down at her plaid skirt and clicked his tongue.
In the next moment, he vanished from the corridor. A student from Sobu High happened to come around the corner; he rubbed his eyes curiously, muttering, “Wasn’t someone standing here just now?”
“Thank you for your patronage, and we welcome your return anytime~”
With a smile, a female student dressed in a gray hoodie and black sports pants walked out of a clothing store, holding a bag with Sobu High uniforms.
Lin Qi pulled out his phone and used it to confirm the location of the Eiji Juvenile Detention Center. He vanished into the crowd again, using pedestrians for cover.
…
“Did you hear all that?”
Kiyotaka Ijichi put away his phone and looked seriously at the three young Jujutsu Sorcerers, “Your job is just to confirm the state of those five civilians. Do not engage in battle. Even if you’re forced to fight, prioritize your survival and wait for reinforcements.”
“Reinforcements? Another Special Grade like Teacher Gotou?” Toudou Youji, a pink-haired boy, raised his hand curiously.
“He isn’t part of the college faculty, but rather the college’s ally.” Ijichi adjusted his glasses, “Furthermore, his identity is rather special.”
“Special?”
“Similar to you.”
Fushiguro Megumi explained it sternly.
“Oh oh! Is that the senior Teacher Gotou mentioned!?” Toudou Youji’s eyes lit up, “Is he one of Cursed Womb’s hosts?”
“It’s ‘she,’ not ‘he’,” corrected Fushiguro.
“A girl!?” Toudou Youji was even more surprised.
“Can a girl really handle something so repulsive, like eating a Special Grade Curse Item!?” Kugisaki Nobara, a brown-haired girl, grimaced in disgust.
“Her possession by Cursed Womb is also under consideration… though she doesn’t deny the title, yet, she hasn’t acknowledged it either.”
Thinking about Lin Qi’s ambiguity and the playful smile she wore, Fushiguro felt a headache coming on.
Her personality and power were comparable to those of Teacher Gotou—if anything could be worse, this was it.
“Well, what kind of person is that senior?” Toudou Youji asked again.
“…Are you even listening to me!?” Fushiguro’s forehead vein bulged, but looking at the boy’s innocent face, he sighed and said, “She’s beautiful.”
“Huh?”
“What?”
Toudou and Nobara exchanged exasperated expressions.
“I’ve only met her once!” Fushiguro said awkwardly, “How much could I know about her?”
Plus, he’d been frightened half to death by Lin Qi’s aura and curse energy that time.
“Enough, let’s go in.”
The spiky boy recomposed himself and marched ahead toward the Detention Center.
…
After School, then becoming a Jujutsu Sorcerer:
