While Lin Wuming was getting ready to head home, Aizali, still wearing Haiyuan Guanggui's appearance, stumbled through a deserted alley on the other side.
“Where do I go from here?”
He felt lost. Originally, he had planned to betray the organization and stay in Academy City; but now, it seemed, perhaps… he should just honestly complete the organization’s mission, then leave this place and go home.
“Still thinking of leaving now? You underestimate Academy City too much.”
Behind him, another Haiyuan Guanggui—who was the real Haiyuan Guanggui—blocked the only exit.
It was a dead end.
“The genetic information of high-level espers is the most important intelligence to Academy City.” Haiyuan Guanggui raised his bandaged left arm, “Before we settle this, give me back my skin.”
...
Lin Wuming walked back with Hu Feng Toumi and Shokuhou Misaki.
Because of the series of events and the super-development that just occurred, the three of them didn't speak for a while—they didn't know what to say.
The atmosphere was a bit awkward… Looking back, it was perhaps the most awkward and helpless they had been since they met.
Shokuhou Misaki was very helpless and inexplicably mentally exhausted, feeling as if she had just gone through an intense battle. At this moment, she only wanted to rest well, not even having the thought of using Mental Out.
—From this perspective, Misaka Mikoto, this “opponent,” was even more troublesome than those true “enemies”!
It was just a pity that the “culprit” had already slipped away, which was really…
—Huh? Isn't this good? Misaka Mikoto herself gave up the current excellent situation, and now at least… they are back on the same starting line.
Because she was thinking about these complex matters, Shokuhou Misaki forgot the fact that her private car was nearby; in fact, as long as she summoned it, she could go home by car at any time, there was no need to rely on walking here…
It wasn't until her body protested that Shokuhou Misaki remembered this.
“Oh right, my car…” Shokuhou Misaki immediately pulled out her phone.
Lin Wuming and Hu Feng Toumi also stopped. With their stamina, they didn't mind walking all the way home. However, they really weren't in the mood for such a stroll today.
All parties involved in today's series of events were equally mentally exhausted. Even Hu Feng Toumi, who seemed calm throughout, just wanted to get home as soon as possible, take a shower, and then sleep soundly…
What was supposed to be a good date ended with everyone physically and mentally drained—Lin Wuming had lost count of how many silent sighs he had let out.
Sometimes, Lin Wuming even felt that Aizali was too useless, completely unqualified as an “enemy.” If he could have another three hundred rounds with the “angel”… it would be better than the current situation where he couldn't do anything at all.
“Anyway, let's go home first.” Lin Wuming echoed the previous redundant remark.
So the three stood by the roadside waiting for the car.
But the private car summoned by Shokuhou Misaki was late in arriving.
“Could it be that my sensory ability is having problems?” Shokuhou Misaki muttered to herself, “It feels like I've been waiting for a long time.”
Because Shokuhou Misaki had experienced “time slowing down” before, she was a bit unsure of her sense of time when she was with Lin Wuming.
“It's indeed been a while,” Lin Wuming agreed, “Ten minutes, Shokuhou, did you tell the car to stop that far away?”
It was somewhat inconceivable. With Shokuhou Misaki's physical strength, would she voluntarily walk so far when there was a private car available?
“No way? It should be nearby.” Shokuhou Misaki recalled, “I should have just let Runzi-jie go back first.”
To support Our Queen's date today, the Shokuhou Faction even specially formed a “Date Support Countermeasure Headquarters.” Hokaze Junko specifically made time for this, ready to respond to Our Queen's summons at any time.
However, due to Aizali's sudden attack, the “date” was cut short, so Hokaze Junko no longer needed to remain on standby.
—As for searching for the attacker, it wasn't necessary to involve the Shokuhou Faction.
Shokuhou Misaki announced the disbandment of the “Date Support Countermeasure Headquarters,” allowing everyone, including Hokaze Junko, to resume their free activities.
As a result, after losing the important assistance of Hokaze Junko, she couldn't even call a car…
“By the way,” Hu Feng Toumi frowned slightly, looking around, “Where exactly is this place? Could it be that the driver got the wrong location?”
Shokuhou Misaki was not good at using electronic devices, so when she summoned the private car just now, she also told the driver the waiting location verbally.
Out of trust in Our Queen, no one raised any objections at the time.
But now it seems…
“Shokuhou, are you really sure you gave the correct coordinates?” Hu Feng Toumi asked.
“I asked a passerby to get the location.” Shokuhou Misaki said, “It… shouldn't be wrong, right?”
As she spoke, Shokuhou Misaki also lost her confidence: “Wuming-senpai, you… never mind, forget I asked.”
Seeing Lin Wuming's helpless gaze, Shokuhou Misaki immediately realized her mistake—trying to ask a road-challenged person for directions…
No matter how reliable Wuming-senpai was in other aspects, when it came to directions, he was completely unreliable!
Otherwise, Shokuhou Misaki wouldn't have had to randomly choose a passerby to determine their location just now.
“I'll ask the driver again.” Shokuhou Misaki pulled out her phone again.
“Your phone should have an automatic positioning function. As long as you turn on coordinate sharing, the driver will be able to find you on their own.” Lin Wuming said, leaning over to help operate it.
“No signal?” Lin Wuming immediately clicked his tongue, looking up and around.
Buildings stood tall, clearly a metropolitan area within a city. There was no reason for there to be no signal!
Unless there was artificial interference—could it be Misaka Mikoto playing a prank?
“Think about it again,” Shokuhou Misaki put away her phone and took out a remote control, “It seems we haven't seen any passersby other than us for a while now.”
Was it a method like Routard Dispelling, or had they entered a special “area”?
Lin Wuming looked left and right, Shokuhou Misaki gripped her remote control, and Hu Feng Toumi grabbed her ribbon—they had already entered combat readiness.
Facing such an unexpected event, all three remained extremely calm, naturally taking their respective countermeasures.
“I,” Shokuhou Misaki said, “won't be surprised anymore today—no matter what happens.”
“Wuming,” Hu Feng Toumi also said, “You're not allowed to stop me this time.”
“If it's really an enemy,” Lin Wuming said.
Then, a figure suddenly appeared across the road.
