Bro, You Smell So Good

Lin Ge, a twenty-six-year-old man with a lonely and impoverished background, dies unexpectedly in a car accident. Having grown up in an orphanage with no close family ties, his final wish is simply to be born into a good family in his next life. Instead of reincarnating normally, his soul is drawn into a forest where he encounters a talking white fox named Fox Helper. The fox reveals that Lin Ge has been chosen as a Sage, a contract holder for a place called Honmaru. Before Lin Ge can process this, he suffers from intense headaches as memories of a previous inhabitant flood his mind. He learns that the original owner of this body was a boy who died of starvation during a famine, transformed into a Hungry Ghost, and accidentally signed a contract with the Fox God. Lin Ge now inhabits this gaunt, grotesque ghost body, bound by a contract that forbids him from forming intimate relationships with his subordinates and requires him to work for the Government of the Time.

Upon arriving at Honmaru, a mystical estate guarded by a vermilion torii gate, Lin Ge meets his first subordinate, Yamanbagiri Kunihiro, a handsome Tsukumogami born from a sword. Yamanbagiri is initially cold and distant, having been betrayed by previous Sages, but Lin Ge’s earnest and naive nature begins to soften him. Lin Ge discovers that his ghostly body cannot feel fullness, yet he can consume enemies from the History Retrograding Army to temporarily satisfy his hunger. He also learns to use a marketplace system to buy goods, including a mattress and farming seeds. Under Yamanbagiri’s guidance, Lin Ge begins farming rapid-growth crops like sweet potatoes and radishes, generating income that allows him to buy gifts for his coworkers. His kindness and generosity, particularly when he buys a new cloak for Yamanbagiri, start to build a bond between them, though Lin Ge remains unaware of the depth of his subordinate’s feelings.

During a sortie mission, Lin Ge witnesses the combat abilities of his Tsukumogami, Hakusan Yoshimitsu, a healing specialist. In battle, Lin Ge’s Hungry Ghost nature takes over, allowing him to devour enemies whole. After a mission goes wrong and he falls into a black hole, Lin Ge finds himself in the modern world, specifically in Miyagi Prefecture. There, he encounters Gojo Satoru, a powerful Jujutsu Sorcerer. Lin Ge is immediately captivated by Gojo’s scent, perceiving him as a delicious meal, but Gojo is intrigued by Lin Ge’s unusual lack of cursed energy and his frail appearance. They form an unlikely friendship, with Lin Ge adopting the nickname "Strawberry Shortcake" for Gojo. Lin Ge spends his time in the modern world shopping and eating, discovering that consuming Gojo’s cursed energy techniques provides him with a sense of fullness.

Lin Ge’s absence from Honmaru causes concern among the Tsukumogami, who decide to search for him. Meanwhile, Lin Ge struggles to return, failing to activate a Return Scroll due to his lack of spiritual energy. He connects with another Sage online, Code 965, who mocks him but eventually reveals how to use the scroll. However, Lin Ge chooses to stay in the modern world longer, enjoying his newfound freedom and the company of Gojo. He invites Gojo to travel with him to Tokyo, and Gojo agrees, revealing that he is the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer. Their journey is interrupted when a cursed spirit attacks them, but Gojo defeats it effortlessly. Lin Ge, fascinated, asks Gojo to use his techniques on him, which he does, allowing Lin Ge to consume the energy.

As Lin Ge spends more time in the modern world, his physical appearance begins to change. He gains weight, his posture improves, and his eyes shift color, indicating that his ghostly form is stabilizing. The Tsukumogami from Honmaru, led by Tsurumaru Kuninaga, track down Lin Ge’s location with the help of Code 965, who leaks his coordinates. The story concludes with Lin Ge unaware of the impending confrontation, continuing his life in the modern world while his colleagues from Honmaru close in to retrieve their missing Sage.