A Scientific Urban Detective

Kikyo Hikawa remained tight-lipped, but Lin Wu Ming wasn't disappointed. If all went well, the information he wanted should already be with Misaki Shokuhou.

After venting and confiding in her friend, Kikyo Hikawa's mood improved considerably. She declined the invitation to stay overnight and decisively took her leave.

"Kikyo, if you really do lose your job, I can help you find a teaching position," Aiho Yomikawa said as they said goodbye at the door. "I think you'd be quite suited to being a teacher."

"If it really comes to that, I'll consider it," Kikyo Hikawa said with a smile. "Don't worry, I haven't actually lost my job yet."

Precisely because she hadn't truly lost her job, she couldn't casually stay out overnight—especially at the home of a security guard.

"..." Leaving the Family Side apartment building and walking a distance away, Kikyo Hikawa sighed softly. "She seems so happy, Yomikawa... even though she's still single."

Her friend's life was so happy, and there were two underage students at home; she couldn't bring herself to say it.

Life consultations or whistleblowing, these "small actions" were not an option… No matter what, she couldn't drag them down!

"Anyway, the experiment project can't continue now. The worst-case scenario is that it will be collectively sealed away... there shouldn't be any worse consequences, right?" Kikyo Hikawa thought self-deceptively. "Once I'm unemployed and leave the research institute, it won't have anything to do with me anymore."

"So, something is really going on..." Aiho Yomikawa muttered to herself, watching her friend's departing figure.

Knowing Kikyo Hikawa as she did, she wouldn't have suddenly visited so presumptuously unless something had really happened.

However, since Kikyo Hikawa hadn't said anything, Aiho Yomikawa didn't delve any further. In any case, Kikyo Hikawa's personal safety should be fine.

"Thanks for your hard work today, Wu Ming," Aiho Yomikawa turned to walk towards the elevator. "Let's go back."

Lin Wu Ming nodded, and Tomitsu Hachisuka pushed his wheelchair forward together.

Just then, the elevator doors opened, and Misaki Shokuhou and Junko Hokaze were coming downstairs to buy drinks from the vending machine.

Seeing Lin Wu Ming and the other two, Misaki Shokuhou offered to treat them to something as thanks for the dinner preparation.

Aiho Yomikawa, with an expression that saw through everything without saying it, chuckled twice: "Thank you for your kindness, but you don't need to treat me. I have adult beverages to drink."

With that, she strode forward with a boisterous gait, stepping into the elevator first.

"Teacher," Lin Wu Ming couldn't help but remind her, "Drink less."

"Don't worry, this is nothing!" Aiho Yomikawa waved her hand dismissively. "Kikyo is a scientist, her alcohol tolerance is terrible, but I'm far from satisfied!"

"Terrible alcohol tolerance?" Lin Wu Ming was speechless.

Recalling the empty bottles all over the restaurant floor, Lin Wu Ming felt that even his past self didn't have that kind of capacity, right?

As expected, birds of a feather flock together; Aiho Yomikawa's friends are all drunks.

"Wu Ming-senpai, the information has been obtained—regarding the whereabouts of the Misaka sisters," Misaki Shokuhou's voice sounded directly in Lin Wu Ming's mind. "What needs to be done now is to find a way to verify the authenticity of the information."

Lin Wu Ming stood in front of the vending machine, pretending to be choosing a drink: "Leave this to me, I'll find a way to approach and investigate."

"No, the danger is too high." Misaki Shokuhou flatly denied. "Wu Ming-senpai, you've been so careful and cautious today, isn't it because you don't want to be noticed? If you personally approach there, wouldn't all this be meaningless?"

"Don't worry, I won't approach rashly," Lin Wu Ming chose a drink he had never had before. "I'll pay attention during my usual patrols. Just consider it familiarizing myself with the terrain."

"Speaking of which," because remaining silent all the time would also be strange, Lin Wu Ming suddenly took the initiative to speak, "Shokuhou-san."

"Wu Ming-senpai, what is it?" Misaki Shokuhou also naturally picked up the conversation. "Ah, help me choose all the types of milk on the top row."

"If it's convenient, I'd like to ask you to help me find someone," Lin Wu Ming thought of a plausible reason. "Kouki Umihara."

"Umihara… that's a somewhat familiar surname."

"Yes, he's the grandson of the Tokiwadai Middle School's chairman," Lin Wu Ming explained. "At the same time, he's also a Level 4 telekinetic. It's said that his strength is quite remarkable."

"Wu Ming-senpai wants to exchange ideas on the application of telekinesis?" Misaki Shokuhou immediately understood.

"Yes," Lin Wu Ming nodded. "The other party's status and position are a bit difficult to deal with. I hardly have any interaction with him usually, so I can only ask you for help."

"I don't mind helping, but~" Misaki Shokuhou said, "Don't forget that I won't officially enroll until next year. And Tokiwadai Middle School is an all-girls school, so even if he's the chairman's grandson, he probably can't get in, right?"

Lin Wu Ming said, "You don't necessarily have to find Kouki Umihara himself, just introduce me when you see the chairman."

Although this was a reason openly presented for others to see, Lin Wu Ming genuinely wanted to ask Kouki Umihara for advice.

To cope with the upcoming challenges, Lin Wu Ming was urgently seeking ways to improve his strength.

In terms of superpower development, because there were no specialized research institutes or teachers to guide Lin Wu Ming, the only feasible method was to ask his peers for advice.

Unfortunately, although there were many telekinetics in Academy City, there were very few who reached the Level 4, and Lin Wu Ming could only name a handful.

Ignoring Ringo Kagari after her ability went berserk, there were only two names left: Youbou Banka and Kouki Umihara.

And the former was an "enemy." Lin Wu Ming didn't think Youbou Banka would teach him, so he could only place his hopes on Kouki Umihara.

Although in the original storyline, Kouki Umihara's presence was quite subtle—in most cases, the magician Aleister was impersonating his identity and actively moving around.

But Lin Wu Ming still remembered Kouki Umihara's only moment of brilliance in the storyline—when confronting the magician Aleister's sneak attack, he used telekinesis to turn his body into "rock."

Specifically, he used telekinesis to solidify the relative position of every molecule in his body, turning it into an unbreakable armor.

Even Aleister's "Trawiscarpentic Uutogil's Lance" couldn't do anything to him.

What Lin Wu Ming wanted to learn was this move. Even if he couldn't do it to the same extent as Kouki Umihara, it could at least alleviate his predicament of his physical fitness not keeping up with his telekinesis.

Knowing that Lin Wu Ming was serious, Misaki Shokuhou certainly wouldn't refuse. Moreover, this kind of thing was indeed just a piece of cake for her.