A Scientific Urban Detective

Superpowers are the ultimate answer to everything in the world. In Academy City, anything that cannot be explained can be attributed to "superpowers," and this is generally accepted.

This inevitably leads to fixed ways of thinking.

Especially for the espers themselves, the more powerful they are, the more likely they are to overlook the power of technology itself, as if superpowers are all there is to technology.

For example, both Kofuku Mei and Kohachi Tomitsu had not considered possibilities other than superpowers before Lin Wuming brought up this hypothesis.

"Can mere technology… really do something like this?" Kofuku Mei asked.

Using superpowers to achieve various "miracles" is simple and reasonable, but excluding superpowers, most espers' understanding of the technological development of the real world is no different from that of ordinary people.

Keisaku Mitori answered, "The research institute I'm working with was originally developing liquid metal robots. They can already make liquid metal autonomously transform into human shapes and perform some basic movements."

"But it's not practical," she shook her head and said, "Compared to my ability… no, it can't compare to my Little Shadow at all!"

According to Keisaku Mitori, the current liquid metal robots can only perform the most basic tests in a laboratory environment. If they want to move, they must plan the route in advance, arrange cables on the route, or sprinkle metal powder containing silver ions as a marker…

In short, it is very troublesome and not practical at all.

Lin Wuming thought for a while and said, "But come to think of it, the thief in the surveillance video didn't actually make any particularly complicated movements, did he?"

In all the footage taken, the figure wearing the robe was only moving along the wall—it's not even certain if it took steps to 'walk'.

Hidden by the robe, it's hard to say if it was蠕动moving forward like a slime.

"Wuming, you mean…" Kofuku Mei pondered, "That thief doll might be a liquid metal robot, a prop the culprit used to mislead us?"

Lin Wuming nodded and said, "We can't rule out that possibility."

"I'll notify the security teachers immediately." Kofuku Mei immediately took out her phone.

After a while, she put down her phone with a strange expression and looked at Lin Wuming, "The teachers also thought of the possibility you mentioned. They went to the research institute to verify this guess."

Lin Wuming was not too surprised and nodded calmly. This was not surprising. After all, they are real crime-solving experts and can definitely think of all kinds of possibilities.

"So, are we going to continue looking for that suitcase?" Kohachi Tomitsu asked.

As she spoke, the girl yawned without hiding it, looking like she was already tired of it.

"Well… what do you think, Kofuku?" Lin Wuming was not interested in continuing to follow the case, so he turned to ask their team leader.

Kofuku Mei wanted to continue investigating, but seeing that the other two were not interested, she didn't want to appear too bossy.

"Then, should I report to the chairwoman first?" Kofuku Mei finally chose to ask her superior for instructions.

"Chairwoman, this is Kofuku…" Kofuku Mei immediately made a call.

But she was interrupted after only a few words, and then Kofuku Mei exclaimed repeatedly.

"…Just a moment, Chairwoman!" Kofuku Mei quickly waved to Lin Wuming and Kohachi Tomitsu to come closer, "Wuming and Kohachi are here too, please say it again…"

As she spoke, she turned on the speakerphone.

"In short," the voice of the legendary Disciplinary Committee Chairwoman came, "According to the information we have, there is something wrong with this theft case itself. Someone has already found the suitcase that was thrown into the trash can—there's nothing inside."

"Empty?" Lin Wuming asked, "Could it be that the money inside has been transferred?"

"Unlikely. We directly intercepted the garbage truck. No one should have had the opportunity to touch the box before that."

"In other words," Lin Wuming summarized, "That Shibata Saburo is lying—can we assume that?"

"It's not necessarily him who has the problem, but we can't rule out that possibility." The chairwoman said.

This case itself is full of strange inconsistencies. If Shibata Saburo didn't have a credible alibi, he would have been the first suspect of the security forces.

But now, after going around in circles, it's back to square one.

"In any case, you go and block Shibata Saburo, don't let him escape." The chairwoman ordered, "I will arrange for a psychology-based esper to provide support."

The Disciplinary Committee is the largest esper group in Academy City, and more than half of its members are level 2 or higher espers.

The main reason why the Disciplinary Committee was able to find the suitcase before the security forces was because of the use of superpowers.

The chairwoman is the supreme commander of the Disciplinary Committee, so she can mobilize all the personnel of the entire organization. In this special moment, she can send out targeted espers or other talents to deal with the problems faced.

This advantage is something that the security forces cannot match.

Speaking of psychology-based espers...

After hanging up the phone, Lin Wuming looked at Dolly and Keisaku Mitori, "Has Shokuhou come here today?"

"No," Dolly shook her head, "Misaki has been getting busier and busier recently, and she only comes once every two days or so."

Kofuku Mei marveled, "So you really know that 'Mental Out', Wuming?"

Keisaku Mitori shrugged, "You might be the only one in this room who doesn't know her?"

Kofuku Mei smiled, looking excited, "Great, if Level 5 Shokuhou Misaki takes action, she will definitely be able to find out the truth soon, right?"

"Let's not talk about asking Shokuhou for help for now, let's wait until we've seen that Shibata Saburo." Lin Wuming said.

Seeing that the culprit had been locked down and there was no need to spend time and effort investigating, Kohachi Tomitsu cheered up again.

The trio said goodbye to Dolly and Keisaku Mitori and immediately rushed to the next location.

With support from Disciplinary Committee headquarters, they easily found Shibata Saburo's location.

Unsurprisingly, the security forces had not completely ruled out suspicion of him, and there were more than one security guard arranged around Shibata Saburo.

In name, it was to assist in the investigation, so that Shibata Saburo could tell the security forces as soon as he thought of any new clues.

But in reality, it was just a disguised form of surveillance.

—At least that's how it seemed to Lin Wuming.