Lin Wuming stared intently at the gigantic test tube before him, directly asking for more information.
That's right, the most well-informed person in Academy City was right in front of him—Chairman Aleister, who possessed the "Stagnant Air Circuit", could be said to be the largest intelligence agency in the entire city—how could he not take advantage of this?
What's more, this was also for the sake of protecting Chairman Aleister's own city, so it was only right for him to put in a little more effort.
Regarding the identity of the invader, Lin Wuming actually already had a guess in his heart. The first invader who forcefully broke into Academy City in the original work was Sherry Cromwell, a Magician from the Necessary Evil Church, on the first day of the new semester...
Although the timing didn't match currently, Lin Wuming had long anticipated this—the discrepancy between the real world and the original plot.
"There is a frame in the surveillance footage that captures the invader's figure, you can take a look," Chairman Aleister said.
A woman wearing a black gothic dress, with striking blonde hair and dark brown skin, looked very imposing from her appearance.
If one excluded the interference of the clothing style, her age should have passed the "student" stage, likely around twenty-four or twenty-five.
—Confirmed, it's Sherry Cromwell.
Lin Wuming nodded in his heart. He didn't know Sherry Cromwell, but with such distinctive attire and appearance, it was unlikely he would mistake her.
"A Magician?"
Chairman Aleister said, "Yes, according to the investigation report from the crime scene, the other party used a 'Superpower outside the Academy City system'—which is actually Magic."
"..." Lin Wuming shook his head, as if sighing. "To resolve this incident as quickly as possible, please tell me all the information you have at once. You definitely know more than just this."
"Alright, I will collect the information. This will take some time," Chairman Aleister replied. "You know, I can't constantly monitor everything."
Lin Wuming didn't care whether he was telling the truth or not, he just stared at the giant test tube, looking as if he wouldn't leave until he got the desired result.
"Lin Wuming, what do you think this invader is here for?" While waiting for the information to be collected, Chairman Aleister wasn't idle, suddenly asking in a conversational tone.
"What for?" Lin Wuming said, "Since she's a Magician, if it's not just to cause destruction, then it must be for Kamijou Touma and Index, right?"
After thinking for a moment, Lin Wuming added, "And Kazakiri Hyouka, she is the symbol of the 'Imaginary Number District', so she must also be an important character."
"Your speculation is very reasonable," Chairman Aleister said, "but you missed an important target."
"Who?"
"Yourself, Accelerator 'Defective Telekinesis' Lin Wuming."
Lin Wuming felt a sense of bewilderment: "Why target me? What good would that do her?"
Although he had participated in Magic-related incidents multiple times, Lin Wuming always felt that he didn't have much interaction with the Magic side, and even less reason or value to be targeted by Magicians.
Even hostile Magicians wouldn't immediately seek trouble with Academy City's Accelerator, especially since the relationship between Academy City and the British Puritan Church was quite good.
"I'm not very clear on the specific reason," Chairman Aleister said, "but according to the information I just obtained, this Magician is currently with student Hu Feng Toumi... Ah, it seems a battle has occurred."
"Tch!" Lin Wuming couldn't bother to reply, summoning Kihara Tamski immediately.
Lin Wuming glared fiercely at Aleister, but until Kihara Tamski appeared, he didn't ask anything further.
Chairman Aleister ultimately didn't provide more valuable information. Instead, he told Lin Wuming "bad news", which Lin Wuming would definitely not agree was unintentional. In this situation, Lin Wuming didn't dare to easily believe his words.
Regardless of whether Aleister's purpose was to distract or simply to warn Lin Wuming, his goal of changing the subject was indeed achieved.
After leaving the No Window Building, Lin Wuming immediately contacted Hu Feng Toumi.
Aleister's words couldn't be fully trusted, but they couldn't be completely dismissed either—at least on this matter, he seemed to have no reason to deceive him.
Fortunately, the call was quickly connected, and from her voice, Hu Feng Toumi didn't seem to be injured.
However, a battle had indeed occurred, and the enemy was precisely Sherry Cromwell.
"Be careful," Hu Feng Toumi warned, "That woman's target is likely you, Lin Wuming. She has Magic specifically for reconnaissance, and she might have already found you... No, don't worry about me. I'm just trapped, but not injured, and I'll be able to break through the blockade soon and come to meet you."
After hanging up the phone, Hu Feng Toumi continued to observe her surroundings using the light from her phone screen.
Just as she had told Lin Wuming on the phone, she was trapped.
Specifically, she was buried in a space underground.
The female Magician named Sherry Cromwell could freely manipulate soil, stones, and even various building materials.
It was by using such Magic that she had trapped Hu Feng Toumi in an empty room in the underground street.
Sherry Cromwell seemed reckless, but as a Magician, she did not lack cunning and intelligence.
After forcefully breaking into Academy City, the first thing Sherry Cromwell did was to contact Shinkanzaki Kaori through Magic.
They were both Magicians belonging to the Necessary Evil Church, and as colleagues, they naturally had specific contact methods and codes.
Shinkanzaki Kaori had no suspicion towards this long-acquainted companion, only thinking that she had also been ordered to come to Academy City.
After all, there was currently a task to complete, which was to "investigate whether Lin Wuming knows Magic", so it was normal for other personnel to be dispatched from headquarters.
Moreover, in the exchange after meeting, she discovered that Sherry Cromwell's purpose was indeed to find out whether Lin Wuming was a "scientific magic dual cultivation" genius.
Shinkanzaki Kaori had even less suspicion.
Out of this trust, during their conversation, they didn't even deliberately avoid Hu Feng Toumi, who was practicing nearby.
Although she heard the name "Lin Wuming" multiple times during their conversation, which made Hu Feng Toumi a bit concerned, Shinkanzaki Kaori had already asked her about related matters, so Hu Feng Toumi knew that these two Magicians were just curious about whether Lin Wuming knew Magic and had no other malicious intent.
So there was no need to worry too much.
