A Scientific Urban Detective

Just as Hyouka Toumi was about to question her sternly, she suddenly saw Lin Wuming winking at her from behind that girl.

"Huh? She is..."

Tilting her head, Hyouka Toumi suddenly remembered that Lin Wuming seemed to have mentioned once that Dolly was something like a "clone," could it be...?

Despite still having many questions in her mind, out of basic understanding and trust, Hyouka Toumi decisively shut her mouth and did not continue to pursue the matter.

Fortunately, Kazari Uiharu stepped forward in time to defuse the situation.

"Excuse me, are you Misaka Mikoto?" Kazari Uiharu asked in surprise, "The Level 5 Railgun!"

"Y-yes." Misaka Mikoto touched her cheek somewhat uncomfortably; she wasn't used to being worshiped as an idol star.

"Misaka-san said she personally dealt with an explosion incident half an hour ago." Lin Wuming then explained, "I was just about to go to the scene with her to investigate. Coincidentally, you guys are here too, so why don't we go together?"

At this moment, Misaka Mikoto also noticed the armbands on the sleeves of the two girls in front of her: "Lin Wuming-senpai's companions?"

Hyouka Toumi walked over to Lin Wuming's side, separating him from Misaka Mikoto.

"We also checked along the way, and didn't find anything special." While speaking, Hyouka Toumi pushed Lin Wuming's back forward, "Let's quickly go and take a look at the explosion site."

Misaka Mikoto's brow twitched, and faint sparks of electricity flickered between her hair: "I... I feel like I'm being targeted?"

"Misaka-san, please forgive her," Kazari Uiharu explained in a low voice, "Hyouka-san... her personality is a bit impatient."

Misaka Mikoto shrugged, not really taking it to heart. She quickly sped up her pace to catch up and lead the way.

In fact, Hyouka Toumi wasn't deliberately targeting Misaka Mikoto.

In fact, she disliked all Level 5s.

Mainly that Shokuhou Misaki; from the first time they met, Hyouka Toumi had no good feelings about that pretentious woman.

It wasn't "hostility" or "disgust," just a simple "incompatibility."

Therefore, when interacting with her usually, for the sake of Lin Wuming and Koumori Aisa, Hyouka Toumi didn't reveal her true attitude, and could even cooperate with Shokuhou Misaki at some crucial times.

However, Hyouka Toumi had a straightforward personality, with clear likes and dislikes; if she didn't like someone, she just didn't like them.

Considering Shokuhou Misaki's ability—she would absolutely not stay with Shokuhou Misaki if there was a chance.

And the Misaka Mikoto she encountered now was like a copy of Shokuhou Misaki in every aspect—the same age, both Level 5s.

And... Lin Wuming was also very familiar with her, even overly enthusiastic!

Misaka Mikoto naturally came to the front of the group because she was the one providing the clues, so there was no way to exclude her.

Hyouka Toumi curled her lips and didn't say anything more.

The group of four arrived smoothly at the "scene of the accident." As Misaka Mikoto had described, it was an open rest area in a city park, with benches set around the flower beds, as well as a vending machine; some children's play facilities were also installed on the nearby lawn.

As for the trash can where the explosive device was hidden, it was next to the vending machine, not far from the benches and children's play facilities.

If that bomb had really exploded, the casualties would have been terrifying!

However, the rest area was empty at this time, appearing very desolate.

Only various scattered beverage bottles littered the ground next to the trash can, seemingly telling of the danger of the "explosion" not long ago.

"The Judgement members must have evacuated the citizens." Misaka Mikoto said, "Although there was no explosion, it was still considered an abnormal situation, and everyone present at the time was startled."

While speaking, Misaka Mikoto manipulated electromagnetic force to lift a strangely shaped large cylinder out of the trash can.

The size and shape were similar to the buckets used for cleaning in schools, but the material it was made of was very special.

To be precise, it was forcibly pieced together from various metal cans, and you could still see the colorful packaging patterns of different brands on the surface.

Looking at it closely, it had a surrealist art piece feel.

"This is the bomb?" Kazari Uiharu activated her X-ray vision, "It's just a lump of metal."

"This is an insurance container I made urgently with my ability," Misaka Mikoto explained, "When I realized the situation was bad, I used the materials I could find nearby to make this container and seal the explosive device inside."

As she spoke, this surrealist art piece quietly opened, and another "can" about the size of a normal can floated out from inside.

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"This is the actual explosive device." Misaka Mikoto said.

However, calling it a "can" was a bit of a stretch. It was riddled with holes and could only be said to have once resembled a cylinder-shaped object; you had to fully use your imagination to restore its original appearance.

Kazari Uiharu observed the wreckage: "In other words, the culprit put the explosives in this can and then detonated it?"

Misaka Mikoto shook her head and said, "I don't think it's a bomb."

Hyouka Toumi twitched her nose and also said, "There's no smell of explosives or fire; it's not an explosion."

Misaka Mikoto continued, "Judging from the power, it was indeed at the 'explosion' level. When I sealed it, I could feel a strong shockwave spreading out. The insurance container pieced together from this can had limited strength, so I could only try to guide the high-pressure airflow inside straight upward..."

At that time, the people in this rest area heard an extremely shrill scream and saw various beverage bottles discarded in the trash can flying into the air, and then falling like a scattering of flowers.

However, precisely because of Misaka Mikoto's timely and precise guidance, this explosion did not cause any casualties—only a few unlucky people were hit on the head by empty bottles falling from the sky.

"Listening to your description..." Lin Wuming also carefully observed the two metal cans, one large and one small, "This explosion is more like..."

"High-pressure gas explosion." Kazari Uiharu picked up his words, "Not an explosion caused by the combustion of explosives, but a 'cold explosion' formed by the rapid expansion of pure high-pressure gas! No wonder there were no flames or traces of burning at the previous crime scenes!"

Hyouka Toumi also understood: "In other words, this is indeed the effect of some kind of ability?"

Since it was a direct explosion of high-pressure gas, but no high-pressure containers were found at the scene, then there was only one possibility—this was the effect of some kind of ability.

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