A Scientific Urban Detective

Clap, clap, clap…

After listening to Kiyama Harumi's analysis, Kihara Gensei applauded and praised, "As expected of someone I have high hopes for. Kiyama-kun's intuition is surprisingly accurate! Even I only noticed this after observing for a long time—that's right, on the surface, the characteristic that Mumei-kun displays is the precision of his ability manipulation, but upon closer observation, you'll find that his real trump card lies in his super-fast reaction speed!"

"Eh? I guessed right!" Kiyama Harumi exclaimed softly, "Teacher, you flatter me! I just happened to…"

Kihara Gensei shook his head, "There's no such thing as coincidence. So-called guessing is actually a rapid deduction made by the brain after integrating various pieces of information. However, because the data accumulated on a daily basis differs, each person's way of thinking is also different, ultimately leading to varying degrees of accuracy in guessing. Kiyama-kun, your accumulation is profound, and you're naturally intelligent, so you can see the essence at a glance."

Kiyama Harumi beamed, almost unable to lift her head from the praise.

"Analyzing all known information carefully, it's not difficult to discover," Kihara Gensei returned to the topic, "Mumei-kun's neural and mental reaction speeds are far beyond ordinary people, so he can make the most accurate judgments and manipulations in battle, using his limited ability in the most appropriate places. With the addition of this talent, Mumei-kun's ability usage efficiency far exceeds that of other ability users."

In other words, Lin Mumei compensated for the lack of quantity by quickly mobilizing his abilities, using a level 3 ability to achieve the effect of level 4.

To put it bluntly, it's a clever trick of robbing Peter to pay Paul, using the time difference to create the illusion of "having more ability."

Kiyama Harumi pondered, "It's like a credit card's revolving repayment. As long as you operate fast enough, you can use the same amount of money to maintain the credit limit of twelve cards…"

"Oh dear, Kiyama-kun, your financial problems seem to be quite serious." Kihara Gensei looked over with concern, "Kiyama-kun, are you short on money recently?"

Kiyama Harumi nodded somewhat shamefully, "I was a little tight last month, so I used some credit cards…"

"Forgive me for being blunt," Kihara Gensei said in surprise, "Kiyama-kun is currently doing two jobs, with two salaries, and both are high-paying professions. I don't understand why…"

"Because of the children I'm responsible for taking care of…" Kiyama Harumi explained in a low voice, "Three of them have birthdays last month… As a teacher, I can't be biased, so…"

Kihara Gensei revealed an extremely gratified smile, "I see, Kiyama-kun is truly a responsible and dedicated teacher. I knew that arranging you to take care of those children was the right choice."

"Teacher, you flatter me! These are all things I should do!" Kiyama Harumi said happily.

"Keep up the good work," Kihara Gensei waved his hand after sharing the fun, "Alright, Kiyama-kun, go busy yourself with your experiment."

"Yes, Teacher!" Kiyama Harumi turned and left the laboratory spiritedly.

Talent and superpowers are two different power systems. In Academy City, there are naturally many people with superpowers, but geniuses with a certain "talent" are relatively rare—just like everywhere else in the world, "geniuses" are only a very few individuals.

And even Kihara Gensei had never encountered anyone who could integrate "talent" and superpowers to produce an effect greater than one plus one.

After watching Kiyama Harumi leave, Kihara Gensei picked up the phone—since it was a rare and precious individual, then of course, it was necessary to conduct more thorough experimental observations.

"It's time to remind Ugaki-kun to strengthen his defenses. I also have to persuade him to install more cameras…"

…

"Why should I listen to you and hire some dark side organization to strengthen my defenses?" Ugaki Shunzo said with a sneer on the other end of the phone, "Just because that brat broke in once last time? My 'Artificial Workshop' has already severed ties and drawn a clear line with illegal experimental institutions, even if he comes again…"

"Indeed, on the surface, it looks legal and compliant," Kihara Gensei said with a chuckle, "But whether it's actually an illegal experiment or not, you know it in your heart, don't deceive yourself."

Because there were quite a few grassroots researchers in the institute who genuinely liked and cared about the children, the test subjects in the Second Research Lab of the "Artificial Workshop" actually lived quite well.

Unless Ugaki Shunzo exposed his true intentions, even if Lin Mumei came to his door again at this stage, it would indeed be unlikely that he would find any evidence of his illegal experiments.

This was also why the "Artificial Workshop" was able to safely pass the large-scale inspection by the security forces this time.

"What nonsense are you talking about? My research institute wouldn't…"

"Hehe." Kihara Gensei laughed. They were all old foxes, "You can say that to the security forces, I don't have time to argue with you. Likewise, that Lin Mumei student probably won't listen to your sophistry, right?"

The reason why Kihara Gensei was so sure that Ugaki Shunzo had a problem was because he was also playing this kind of trick—Kiyama Harumi, who had just come in, was a researcher who genuinely liked those test subjects, so he had specially arranged for her to take a job at the school and take care of the test subjects who were still elementary school students.

Having said that, Kihara Gensei didn't waste any more words and hung up the phone directly. As for whether the other party would listen to his advice, that was none of his business.

After all, Kihara Gensei's purpose was just to watch the excitement and collect some data, and he had absolutely no interest in the life or death of the "Artificial Workshop."

"Hmm… Has Ugaki-kun really not realized the danger?" Kihara Gensei began to think, "Although he's arrogant and conceited, he's also a calculating person, and he values his research even more, he shouldn't be indifferent to the threat."

"Oh dear…" Kihara Gensei suddenly laughed, "Our Ugaki-kun seems to have really forgotten that the Artificial Workshop he leads has more than just the Second Research Lab."

Although the First Research Lab was shut down due to "illegal detention" and other reasons, the Third Research Lab's "internal evolution" was still going on, and it had successfully survived this crisis under the protection of Misaki Shokuhou.

To be precise, the one who truly directly threatened the "Artificial Workshop" was Misaki Shokuhou; as for Lin Mumei, he was just a secondary external cause.

However, from the conversation just now, Kihara Gensei realized that Misaki Shokuhou's existence had disappeared from Ugaki Shunzo's perception at some point.

"Truly amazing, Shokuhou-kun…" Kihara Gensei sighed, "Poor Ugaki-kun, if he ignores my advice, I'm afraid he will really be defeated."