Double Agent

Late at night, at a hospital on the outskirts of the Tokyo Metropolitan Area.

Lin Yi, covered in bandages, was picking through the options at a vending machine in the corridor, planning to buy a late-night snack and spend the night at the hospital.

Suddenly, his instincts in his disguised state sent out a warning. Lin Yi instinctively swung his right fist at the air beside him, his gaze following the movement.

A Cursed Spirit with the faint outline of a fly's head was drifting through the air toward the corridor.

Unranked Cursed Spirit: Fly Head.

Following the Fly Head's path, Lin Yi spotted Kento Nanami and Kiyotaka Ijichi standing in the corridor.

Ha, visitors exactly as expected.

"Please excuse us, Mr. Lin Ichiro."

Meeting Lin Yi's gaze, Kento Nanami watched as Kiyotaka Ijichi recalled the Fly Head he had sent out, then offered a stiff, formal apology.

Clatter!

Chocolate beans and a Coca-Cola dropped from the vending machine. Lin Yi took them out and gestured toward the hospital entrance.

The three walked side by side, wandering through the open space outside the hospital.

Kiyotaka Ijichi, an assistant supervisor known for his exceptional efficiency, recited the information he had long since uncovered.

"Lin Ichiro, born in Tokyo. At the age of three, he and his parents were aboard a plane bound for the United States that crashed while passing through Central America. He later joined a guerrilla force in Central America and survived as a child soldier. After the guerrilla force he belonged to failed in a coup, he was expelled from the country. He worked as a mercenary and bodyguard in the United States before returning to Japan this January. He now operates the Ichiro Trading Detective Agency in Shinjuku Ward as a City Hunter. His services include private investigation, bodyguard work, and driving out evil spirits."

"Mr. Ijichi certainly did his homework."

Lin Yi was not surprised that Kiyotaka Ijichi had dug up his entire background.

In the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, Japan had more than ten thousand bizarre deaths and missing-person cases every year. Most were caused by Cursed Spirit attacks. Tracing every case to its source was not something Japan's Jujutsu Society did. Their responsibility was simply to dispatch sorcerers for exorcism whenever residual cursed energy from a Cursed Spirit attack was found.

Lin Yi had merely found a suitable missing-person file through an intermediary, changed the name, inserted his own, and paid enough money. Just like that, he had a perfectly legitimate identity that could withstand scrutiny.

"Please forgive my offense, Mr. Lin Ichiro. You have appeared far too frequently."

"I understand. For someone who occasionally sees evil spirits, bad luck is a regular visitor."

"Not evil spirits, but curses—Cursed Spirits. Under normal circumstances, ordinary people can only see Cursed Spirits when they are on the verge of death or are being attacked by one. Mr. Lin Ichiro, your experiences have placed you on the boundary between the world of Cursed Spirits and that of ordinary people."

"Is that so? No wonder I can see evil spirits sometimes but not others. Then, Mr. Kento Nanami and Mr. Kiyotaka Ijichi, I'm in."

As Lin Yi listened to Kento Nanami's correction, he agreed before Nanami could even organize his thoughts.

"Because of what has happened to you, Mr. Lin Ichiro, I would like to ask... Hmm? Mr. Lin Ichiro?"

Only after speaking did Kento Nanami belatedly realize what Lin Yi had said. He looked at him with a strange expression.

"Huh? Isn't that why Mr. Nanami and Mr. Ijichi came to see me? With my ability to see Cursed Spirits from time to time, I should be the kind of talent sorcerers like you need, right?"

"No, Mr. Lin Ichiro. You are merely an unlucky ordinary person, with no means to fight Cursed Spirits. Please allow me to reject your application."

"That's not how it works, Mr. Nanami. Mr. Ijichi doesn't look like a sorcerer capable of dealing with Cursed Spirits either, yet he still became your companion."

"Ijichi is only responsible for observing Cursed Spirits. He is not directly responsible for exorcising them."

"Then I think I'm somewhat better off than Mr. Ijichi. As someone who has lived on jungle battlefields, well, my shooting and physical fitness are excellent. And there seem to be plenty of Cursed Spirits in Shinjuku. I live in Shinjuku, so I can observe their movements for you at any time."

Kento Nanami stopped walking and considered Lin Yi's proposal.

As a Grade 1 Sorcerer, he had the authority to decide whether Lin Yi could become an assistant supervisor. But that also meant bringing Lin Yi, an "ordinary person," into the cursed world where sorcerers, curse users, and Cursed Spirits opposed one another.

"I will have Ijichi send some information on Cursed Spirit attack cases to Mr. Ichiro by email. I hope you can still maintain this decision after reading it."

"Fine, Mr. Ijichi. Let's add each other on LINE."

Seeing that Kento Nanami had softened, Lin Yi took out his phone and added Kiyotaka Ijichi on LINE. LINE was Japan's local social app, equivalent to WeChat.

Watching Kento Nanami and Kiyotaka Ijichi leave, Lin Yi finally let out a breath of relief.

Finally, that's taken care of.

Lin Yi did not find it strange that Kento Nanami and Kiyotaka Ijichi had come to the hospital looking for him.

Just as Kiyotaka Ijichi had said, as an "ordinary person" living in Shinjuku Ward, he had shown up in front of people connected to Jujutsu High far too often.

Once at the agency, once at the police station, and now this time.

Lin Yi had happened to be present every time. If he were Kento Nanami or Kiyotaka Ijichi, he would have been suspicious of himself too.

On top of that, he had sworn brotherhood with Aoi Todo this time, and that unlucky girl, Yuko Takagi, had provided further testimony. Honestly, it was already good luck that Satoru Gojo had not come. Otherwise, he would have needed to consider how to surrender.

This was perfect.

He did not need to reveal his identity as a sorcerer, yet he could become an employee of Jujutsu High and Japan's Jujutsu Society as an assistant supervisor.

That way, even Kenjaku, that thousand-year-old monster, would need to think twice before making a move against him.

After all, attacking an assistant supervisor from Jujutsu High was different from attacking a lone nobody. The former carried the risk of attracting Satoru Gojo's attention.

With Kenjaku's cautious nature, he would not act rashly.

Just like that, the dilemma resolved itself.

On Jujutsu High's side, he could continue taking jobs and making money in Shinjuku Ward as an assistant supervisor, while earning a little informant fee from Jujutsu High. At the same time, he could mingle on Suguru Geto's side and earn some family funds.

Once the time was right, he could take the money and run. A guaranteed profit with no losses.

"Ah, I really am too smart. But doesn't that make me an undercover agent planted by Suguru Geto's faction within Jujutsu High, as well as an undercover agent planted by Jujutsu High within Suguru Geto's faction? If I run into Kenjaku again someday, maybe I can even become Kenjaku's undercover agent. Heh, this is fun."

Thinking of his current situation, Lin Yi could not help humming softly.

Only then did he call an Uber and head back to his residence in Shinjuku.

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