Author's Note:
I will try to post daily from now on.. Wish me luck!
Chapter 31: Account Balance
"Thud!" The low, powerful sound of a wooden mallet striking rang out once again.
A Jujutsu Sorcerer's keen senses allowed Suguru Geto to easily catch the gazes being cast upon him from those around him—gazes of surprise and disbelief.
He had already bid on over a dozen items, the total amount spent had reached such a staggering level that even the wealthy figures present were left wide-eyed in shock.
The auctioneer repeated the procedure numbly, "Please present your paddle once more."
Suguru Geto made a checkmark on the list with one hand and raised his paddle a little higher with the other.
Congratulations to Number 10 on a successful bid of thirty million dollars.
Suguru Geto took the pen handed to him by the staff member and signed the auction sheet with practiced ease, his heart no longer skipping a beat.
When the first few items were auctioned off, his heart would skip a beat as he converted the amounts into yen, he couldn't help but send text messages to Kobe Suzuo to ask whether he should continue increasing the bid.
After being asked so many times, Kobe Suzuo simply gave Suguru Geto a call and emphasized once again:
Suguru-kun, money is just a number to me. There's no need to be so cautious; just name your price.
Oh, right. Besides the items on the list, if Suguru Geto takes a liking to anything else, he can buy it as well; consider it compensation for your hard work.
Suguru Geto looked at the estimated auction prices of those items, acting as if Kobe Suzuo had said nothing at all.
By the time the bidding reached its end, Suguru Geto had almost stopped thinking; after all, even when playing a game, one had to worry about running out of game currency.
The card Kobe Suzuo gave him was a black card, the check was a blank check where he could write in any number he wanted.
When he first held these things in his hands, it didn't feel like much, but as Suguru Geto truly began to "spend money," a massive sense of emptiness and unreality surged into his heart.
At the moment of signing, Suguru Geto even wondered, could this be some kind of check fraud?
In fact, the check couldn't be cashed, the black card was fake—there was no money in it at all.
Once he leaves the hotel where the auction was held, the police will arrive in patrol cars from all directions to arrest him.
If he escapes on a Honglong when the time comes, will he be wanted?
Will he and Supervisor Kobe be able to return to Jujutsu High?
Kobe Suzuo took the students to eat expensive meals in luxury cars and stay in lavish suites; his style was flamboyant and extravagant, everyone knew he was wealthy.
But because Kobe Suzuo never intentionally displayed bills or emphasized specific amounts, everyone only had a vague concept of his wealth.
It wasn't until the auction ended and Suguru Geto followed the staff to settle the payment with the auction house that he finally felt a sense of reality.
A dozen or so auction items were placed in specialized storage boxes, the auction house had thoughtfully arranged them on the tabletop of the lounge for display.
Among them, two Cursed Tools and two of Sukuna's Fingers were items that Kobe Suzuo had personally handed over to the auction house, serving as a facade to deceive the Elders.
With this performance by Kobe Suzuo, money flowed out like water.
As soon as Suguru Geto entered the room, the president of the charitable foundation approached him with a beaming smile, warmly grasping his hand and shaking it up and down.
You must be Director Kobe's representative. Truly young and promising. Thank you for Director Kobe's generosity; the children will have a better life because of it..
Suguru Geto did not expect there to be such a procedure, he did not know whether he should respond with a smile or with a serious answer.
In the end, he could only maintain his persona of being a man of few words; he listened in silence and gave a single response, "That's wonderful."
The President's eyes reddened in an instant, as if someone had poked a soft spot in his heart.
Yes, yes, it will get better and better. The future of the children is always something to look forward to!
He looked up at Suguru Geto, patting the back of Suguru Geto's hand with affection and gentleness:
“You too, child, it is because of the future of young people like you that the world might become better and better.”
The Foundation President did not actually cry; instead, he expressed his gratitude once more through a speech as long as a short essay before reluctantly leaving the lounge with the staff.
Suguru Geto gazed at the room, which was filled with luxury goods and antiques exuding the scent of money; his brain, which had gone blank halfway through the auction, finally began to slowly restart.
He confirmed that the seals on the dangerous items, such as Sukuna's Finger, were intact, then summoned the newly captured Space-type Cursed Spirit.
This was inspiration gained from Fushiguro Toji's Cursed Spirit named Choubao.
But unfortunately, space-type Cursed Spirits capable of storing Cursed Tools are even rarer than Special Grade ones, Cursed Spirits capable of isolating Cursed Energy are even more elusive.
The one Suguru Geto found could only hold a few small items at most; while Cursed Tools could be stored, they would suffer from "indigestion" if left for too long.
After stowing away the items that could fit into the Cursed Spirit's space, Suguru Geto took a deep breath, pulled out his phone, dialed Kobe Suzuo.
Suguru-kun? Has everything ended smoothly on your end?
Clanging noises mixed with the sharp wails of humans being beaten struck Suguru Geto's ears, causing the words he had prepared to catch in his throat.
Sorry, it's a bit noisy on my end.
The police will arrive shortly. If any special circumstances arise, remember to restrain yourself when using your Cursed Technique, Suguru-kun.
Kobe Suzuo's slightly apologetic voice sounded somewhat distorted in the noisy environment:
Thank you for your hard work.
Suguru Geto:?
Is there actually a role for the police here?
Is there really something wrong with the black card and the check?
He looked down at the number, after confirming it was not a mistake, he asked hesitantly, "Do I need to take the cursed tools and cursed objects back to Jujutsu High immediately?"
Perhaps he had been overthinking things recently, as Suguru Geto suspected that Kobe Suzuo was hinting for him to grab his things and run as quickly as possible.
Satoru Gojo and Fushiguro Toji were both by Kobe Suzuo's side.
As long as these two don't fight amongst themselves, there is absolutely no problem in terms of combat power to protect the fragile Kobe Suzuo.
With the assistance of Cursed Spirits, Suguru Geto could return to Jujutsu High silently and at the fastest possible speed.
The police will be blocking the door in a little while.
“..”
No one replied for a long time.
After a burst of noise, the sounds of fighting and brawling gradually faded into the distance, Kobe Suzuo's voice finally became clear:
Does Suguru-kun want to return to Jujutsu High now? That is fine, just be careful on the road.
We've had a bit of an accident on our end. The false information regarding the Star Plasma Vessel lured out assassins from the Panxing Sect, Toji and Satoru-kun are currently dealing with them.
Additionally, Mr. Suzuki from the organizers told me that criminals have planted a bomb on the lower level of the banquet floor.
The police will arrive later to evacuate the crowd and attempt to defuse the bomb.
As one of the organizers of this event, Suzuki Jirokichi demonstrated exceptional psychological resilience and the ability to handle unexpected situations.
Don't worry, Kobe Brother, I've been prepared for a long time and have plenty of experience handling emergencies. There certainly won't be any casualties.
Kobe Suzuo thought of what that old man said and made a somewhat dark joke:
This is perfect. If Satoru and Fushiguro lose control in a moment and accidentally blow this building to ruins, we'll have the perfect excuse to get away with it.
Suguru Geto tried his best to extract the key information from this sentence.
There is a bomb downstairs.
The police will arrive to deal with the bomb in a moment.
Fushiguro Toji and Satoru Gojo are fighting with assassins.
Suguru Geto suddenly and abruptly recalled Kobe Suzuo's hypothesis regarding nuclear bombs and Jujutsu Sorcerers.
It was surreal, but since strange accidents always seemed to happen around Kobe Suzuo, it seemed plausible.
"I should probably regroup with you all first," Suguru Geto said sheepishly.
It had only been two hours, but it felt like two days of plot had been missed.
Kobe Suzuo thought for a moment, "Satoru-kun's side is a Taijutsu training session with Toji; it should take a little more time."
The indoor environment made it impossible to destroy the buildings, ordinary people could appear at any moment.
Satoru Gojo's whimsical nature was clearly ill-suited for this kind of battle, it was indeed his weakness.
After being maliciously provoked several times by Fushiguro Toji, those unlucky assassins became punching bags for Satoru Gojo's practice.
Then come find me on the rooftop first.
So they went to the rooftop; no wonder there were rumors. Suguru Geto said dryly, "Alright."
Suguru Geto hesitated to speak.
Kobe Suzuo asked, "How was the auction?"
"Very nervous," Suguru Geto answered honestly.
A very soft laugh came through the receiver.
Kobe Suzuo's tone remained steady and calm. "When the Kobe Family was at its wealthiest, the bank account balance was infinite."
As if sensing the anxiety in Suguru Geto's heart, he used an exaggerated joke to comfort the child.
Suguru Geto was indeed comforted, his tone was noticeably lighter. "Whoa, does that mean you could even buy a whole city?"
You could even buy a whole country, though it would be quite a hassle.
Suguru Geto was amused by Kobe Suzuo's serious tone:
Mr. Suzuo, I am quite old now; no matter how seriously you say it, I won't believe it.
Alright." Kobe Suzuo paused, "Then we'll see each other later.
He hung up the phone, the gentle smile on his face receding like the tide.
“I thought you would pretend to be Sorcerers and fish in troubled waters among that group of people downstairs.”
No one answered, but a piercing white light suddenly flashed from the shadows in the darkness.