Searched High and Low, Only to Find It Here

After Shoko Ieiri left, it did not take Lin Ran long to spot Satoru Gojo watching from atop a small building.

Satoru Gojo jumped straight down from the building and landed before Lin Ran, as though he already knew Lin Ran had been looking for him. "You need something?"

Lin Ran nodded. "Teacher Gojo, I'd like to go out again."

"You don't like staying at school?" Satoru Gojo began sizing up this student he had picked up halfway through the year. "The outside world isn't so peaceful. Something happened in Tokyo a couple of days ago involving a Curse User and a Cursed Spirit. Do you know about it?"

Lin Ran froze when he heard that. A Curse User and a Cursed Spirit from a couple of days ago—wasn't that the incident he had run into?

"So it was you." Satoru Gojo looked at Lin Ran with some curiosity. "You've got some nerve. You actually dared to fight a Cursed Spirit and a Curse User of that level. Weren't you afraid of dying there?"

"I happened to pass by and save your life last time, but I can't be around every time. If you die, I'll be sad for days." As Satoru Gojo said that, Lin Ran found the last sentence completely unconvincing.

"Nothing escapes Teacher Gojo's eyes. You're truly a living Zhuge Liang." Lin Ran clasped his hands toward Satoru Gojo.

"The Window found it, and then I guessed from your expression. It wasn't difficult." Satoru Gojo had no idea who Zhuge Liang was, but it was clearly meant as praise.

As for Lin Ran's encounter with a Special Grade Cursed Spirit in Tokyo, Satoru Gojo had no intention of investigating it further. From the very beginning, it seemed that Satoru Gojo had never intended to thoroughly analyze Lin Ran or pry into every detail of his life.

Lin Ran considered that a good thing. At least Teacher Gojo trusted him, though he still could not guess what the other man truly thought.

Lin Ran frowned and asked, "Then if the Window is so quick and accurate, why wasn't it discovered when an extra Special Grade Cursed Spirit appeared at the Juvenile Detention Center?"

"I asked them that too. They couldn't explain it either. They have no idea where that Special Grade Cursed Spirit came from. Two Special Grades... heh, those people really know how to play." Satoru Gojo's tone gradually darkened.

Lin Ran looked around, and after confirming no one was nearby, he lowered his voice. "Teacher Gojo, I have some snacks for Yuji Itadori. Could you bring them to him for me?"

"Burn them for him? How thoughtful of you."

"Not burn—bring. I know he isn't dead. You can hide it from everyone else, but not from me," Lin Ran said quietly.

Now it was Satoru Gojo's turn to be surprised. He realized that the student before him truly was different from everyone else. Far too different.

"How did you find out?" Since Lin Ran had exposed it, Satoru Gojo did not bother to hide it anymore. "Don't tell anyone else about this. Keep it secret, okay?"

"Don't worry about how I found out. I'll definitely keep it secret. So, Teacher, help me give this to him. There's a share for you too."

"Not bad. You know how to show your teacher some respect..." Satoru Gojo patted Lin Ran. "Go and come back quickly~"

Lin Ran quickly ran back to the dormitory, grabbed two gift bags, and handed them to Satoru Gojo. "Then about me going out...?"

"Go on, go on. Just don't die." After taking the gift bags and peering inside, Satoru Gojo suddenly smiled. "There's Kikufuku too. Nice."

"Then I'm off, Teacher Gojo. Take care!" Lin Ran laughed. Being able to go out was great. He had no idea whether Satoru Gojo was deliberately giving him special treatment or whether he had simply been allowed to leave all along.

"Remember to come back before the exchange event—if you're still alive." Satoru Gojo waved him off.

"Of course. All right, I'm going." Lin Ran hurried toward his dormitory, then suddenly remembered something and turned around to ask Satoru Gojo another question, only to find that he had already left.

"That sword on your back is nice. Don't lose it."

Lin Ran stopped in his tracks and stood there blankly. Satoru Gojo was already gone, but his voice still carried over.

He could actually see the sword on Lin Ran's back. It had been concealed. Lin Ran had carried it around for so long without anyone noticing, yet Satoru Gojo had seen right through it.

"Is this the Six Eyes?" Lin Ran suddenly let out a breath. If Satoru Gojo had been an enemy, how many of his secrets would have remained hidden?

"Better get out of here..." Lin Ran swiftly returned to the dormitory, packed a sling bag, threw it over his shoulder, and quickly left the school.

Although staying at school would help him build relationships with everyone, it was not particularly helpful for improving his strength. More importantly, their methods were fundamentally different. The others improved through theory and time, while Lin Ran improved by exorcising Cursed Spirits.

This time, Lin Ran had to find a relevant agency. There were far more Cursed Spirits than Jujutsu Sorcerers, so major agencies were desperate for Jujutsu Sorcerers.

But he had failed to find any relevant agencies last time, which was why he had gone to find a job. He absolutely could not end up working again this time.

An hour later, Lin Ran had reached central Tokyo. This time, he planned to search in several other directions and see whether he could find anything.

Pedestrians filled the streets, cars streamed past, and towering buildings, colorful signs, and glowing billboards all highlighted the city's prosperity.

The weather was getting hotter too, and the clothes worn by men and women on the streets had become thinner. The women, as always, wore miniskirts and hot pants.

Lin Ran knew that women in Japan wore skirts with bare legs even in winter. Honestly, that was impressive, but didn't they consider how uncomfortable it would be if they developed rheumatism or something when they got old?

Putting that aside, those long, fair legs were certainly pleasing to the eye—but only for appreciation.

After searching for most of the day, the afternoon heat had reached its peak, and Lin Ran had not found a damn thing.

"Pfft!"

At that moment, a man passing by farted. Lin Ran shook his head. He had found a fart, but there was no sign of any agency whatsoever.

"I'll grab a popsicle first." Lin Ran spotted a cold drinks shop ahead that also sold popsicles.

After buying one inside, Lin Ran resumed his search, licking the popsicle as he weaved through streets and alleys.

Girls passing by occasionally glanced at Lin Ran, thinking, Even this handsome guy looks so handsome eating a popsicle.

"Ah~ I really wish I were that popsicle."

Some shameless girls thought to themselves.

Lin Ran did not care about what the people around him thought and continued searching for signs of an agency.

He searched for three days straight. Over those three days, Lin Ran had practically covered more than half of Tokyo. That might have been a slight exaggeration, but he had indeed searched with great effort—and found nothing.

"Could it be that Tokyo doesn't have a single agency dealing with curses?" Lin Ran was a little disappointed. If even Tokyo had no such agencies, did he have to search other cities?

And what if there were none elsewhere either? Wouldn't that make the trip a complete waste?

"Damn it, I'll get a bowl of noodles first." Lin Ran looked at the sky. It was noon again, so he could only eat first.

If he still could not find anything that afternoon, then Lin Ran would have no choice but to hunt down Cursed Spirits himself.

"Boss, one bowl of tonkotsu sour-and-spicy beef noodles!" Lin Ran walked up to the noodle shop counter.

"Sure thing. Please pay over here." The male server raised a hand, indicating the machine where Lin Ran could pay.