"Hah? What nonsense are you spouting?" Lin Wuming, of course, didn't believe the warning from the other end of the phone.
"If you don't believe me, you can come and see for yourself," the voice on the other end said. "Lin Wuming, you should understand that in Academy City, Level 5 is not invincible."
After saying these incoherent words, the other party directly hung up the phone.
When he called back, he found that it was a dead number.
"Hmph, it's this kind of trick again, playing god," Lin Wuming sneered. He didn't dare to reveal his identity at all, clearly indicating that the other party had something to hide.
"Wuming, are you going to go?" Hu Feng Toumi walked over and asked.
"Perhaps that's exactly their goal," Lin Wuming shrugged, dialing Shokuhou Misaki's number. "We'll know what's going on over there just by asking..."
The receiver gave a message: "The other party has turned off their phone."
He tried Misaka Mikoto's number, but there was no answer.
Saten Ruiko, turned off; Shirai Kuroko, turned off; Hokaze Junko... turned off.
Unless all their phones broke at the same time, it was almost impossible for this to happen.
Recalling that strange phone call just now, even though he knew the other party definitely had a problem and their goal was clear—to lure him to Study Group's headquarters—at this point...
"I guess I have no choice but to go," Lin Wuming put down his teacup, stood by the balcony, and looked down, then turned and went back inside.
"I thought you were going to jump directly again," Hu Feng Toumi followed him back indoors.
"Huangquanchuan-sensei would go berserk," Lin Wuming smiled. "And the situation isn't that urgent yet."
It would definitely be a lie to say he wasn't worried at all, but to say that Misaka Mikoto and Shokuhou Misaki had both met with misfortune was even more absurd.
Lin Wuming would rather believe that all their phones really broke at the same time than believe they were all captured.
Counting the time, those monsters beyond Level 5 shouldn't be making their appearance yet.
...
"Is that all?" Black Night Sea Bird asked. "Will Lin Wuming really come?"
"Of course," Kihara Similar casually tossed aside the disposable phone. "You should also know that Lin Wuming is inherently a person with strong initiative. Whether it's true or false, just give him a reason to act, and that's enough."
"Hmm..." Black Night Sea Bird thought carefully, then nodded. "That's true. But have Misaka Mikoto and Shokuhou Misaki really been defeated? If Lin Wuming directly confirms the situation with them, wouldn't he immediately expose us?"
"Their phones are broken, so they can't be contacted," Kihara Similar said.
The Dark Side Organization, Study Group, dared to provoke a Level 5, naturally, because they had something to rely on.
That was the triple-digit FIVE_Over units!
Study Group was originally known for producing powered suits, and FIVE_Over was naturally their key research direction.
In particular, the "Atomic Destroyer" and "Railgun" units, due to having the most comprehensive data and mature technology, had a very high completion rate. Currently, they were being used as the main force against the two original Espers.
Among them, the FIVE_Over unit corresponding to Misaka Mikoto, in addition to being able to fire her signature Railgun, also had a major function—the EMP electromagnetic pulse bomb.
Destroying mobile phones and other electronic devices was just a piece of cake.
"So where are they?" Black Night Sea Bird came to the window and looked down at the street below.
"Probably somewhere fighting fiercely with robots?" Kihara Similar said indifferently. "But none of that matters. Whatever happens to them is fine, as long as Lin Wuming can be mobilized, that's enough."
"Hey!" Black Night Sea Bird unceremoniously sat on the desk, staring at Kihara Similar. "What exactly do you want to do?"
"I've told you, haven't I?" Kihara Similar said with a smile. "Just to make the 'hero' act and prove some things."
Facing such a vague answer, Black Night Sea Bird was very dissatisfied and continued to stare at him fiercely.
"Alright, you should get moving too," Kihara Similar said seriously. "'Item' is up to you. Do whatever you want with them, as long as it doesn't interfere here."
"Hmph," Black Night Sea Bird jumped off the desk and walked towards the door. "When I come back, you'd better explain everything to me properly!"
"I will, I will, now go," Kihara Similar waved his hand.
After Black Night Sea Bird left, Kihara Similar also got up and walked to the window, looking out.
This was the headquarters of the Study Group. Kihara Similar's robot development company was a subsidiary of the group, and the two parties had a cooperative relationship.
As a "Kihara", Kihara Similar's addition significantly improved the Study Group's technical capabilities. As a result, he himself was able to have a dedicated private office in the headquarters building, holding a very high position.
Youfu Chunshu, the leader of the Study Group, was also an exceptionally talented scientist, arguably a top-tier researcher below the "Kihara" family.
However, Youfu Chunshu's research direction was "biochemical intelligence," aiming to break the ability-centric theory that focused on Level as the goal, and instead to independently create Espers, completely bringing "esper ability" under the control of the wise.
In other words, his understanding of powered suits and related technologies was actually very limited.
Currently, the reason why the Study Group could make powered suits their flagship product and main source of profit was largely due to the technical support provided by Kihara Similar.
But for Kihara Similar, all of this was merely an unintentional success.
As a "Kihara," and also Kihara Gensei's disciple, Kihara Similar's research goal had always been only one: esper ability—Level 5, and even beyond that, Level 6 Absolute Power!
In contrast, designing and manufacturing some robotic devices were merely means for him to pass the time and change his mood.
And designing and developing powered suit-related technologies were even more of a hobby within a hobby.
Even Kihara Similar himself did not expect that he would actually make a fortune through this "side business," with his assets growing at an exaggerated rate.
Currently, Kihara Similar presided over the robot development company, which was transformed from the original "Black Moon Technology" building, and also had more than a dozen nominal enterprises and Institutes.
Combined with the massive platform of the Study Group, he almost single-handedly controlled all upstream and downstream channels of the robotics and powered suit R&D industries!
Therefore, the Kihara family's internal evaluation of Kihara Similar was similar to that of his teacher, Kihara Gensei—not doing his proper job.
Kihara Gensei, as a "Kihara," led the Dark Side Organization "Hound Unit," giving the impression that he preferred fighting and killing over research.
And Kihara Similar became an emerging capitalist, seemingly more obsessed with making money than with research topics...
