A Scientific Urban Detective.

Chapter 735 A Meaningless Mission

"That's utterly absurd." Kanzaki Kaori frowned and shook her head vigorously after listening to Tsuchimikado Motoharu's explanation.

“It’s not absurd at all.” Tsuchimikado Motoharu revealed a mysterious smile. “As far as I know, twenty years ago, our two families did indeed conduct similar research—attempting to unify the power systems of both sides.”

"Is that so?" Kanzaki Kaori exclaimed in surprise.

Considering the timeline, it happened before the two of them were born, and given the information blockade, it's understandable that Kanzaki Kaori wouldn't know.

“Well, there are such records in the top-secret files,” Tsuchimikado Motoharu said. “Or you could ask some of the older members of the church; they should be able to find out something.”

As a spy, one of Tsuchimikado Motoharu's main jobs is to collect various intelligence, so he is always able to find out some inside stories and confidential information.

Moreover, as Tsuchimikado Motoharu said, it's actually quite easy for insiders to verify such things—just ask an older senior, and as a saint, Kanzaki Kaori still has that much face.

So after receiving Tsuchimikado Motoharu's testimony, Kanzaki Kaori stopped questioning him and looked down at the notepad again: "But how am I supposed to test him? I can't exactly fight Lin Wuming, can I?"

Kanzaki Kaori was very reluctant. She had a good relationship with Lin Wuming and really didn't want to start a war with him.

And it was because of this somewhat inexplicable task.

Then, Kanzaki Kaori glanced at Tsuchimikado Motoharu again: "This is your task."

"Spare me! I'm a spy, I can't be exposed so easily!" Tsuchimikado Motoharu hurriedly said. "Besides, my strength is too weak to detect Lin Wuming's true strength at all!"

In fact, Tsuchimikado Motoharu played a part in the rapid spread of this rumor.

Therefore, Tsuchimikado Motoharu knew better than anyone else that Lin Wuming didn't know any magic at all! He had tried to learn some magic, but he quickly gave up.

As the disseminator of false information, Tsuchimikado Motoharu wanted to "avoid suspicion" and extricate himself from the rumor as much as possible.

This is the only way to ensure the longevity of fake news...

—I wonder what that guy Aleister is planning.

On the surface, Tsuchimikado Motoharu continued to persuade her: "Big Sister, don't put too much pressure on yourself. It's not like you're going to fight Lin Wuming. It's just gathering information. Didn't you take on a disciple? Just find an opportunity to ask him when you have time."

“Tiger Bee isn’t my disciple,” Kanzaki Kaori corrected, “but is that really all there is to it?”

"Otherwise what?" Tsuchimikado Motoharu shrugged, looking indifferent. "These rumors are obviously false, so why waste so much energy on them? To be honest, in my opinion, we should just reply to headquarters that it's fake news... but I doubt they'd accept that."

Kanzaki Kaori suddenly realized, "No wonder you pushed the mission onto me. You wanted to use my name to make your judgment more convincing, didn't you?"

Kanzaki Kaori had also heard about Tsuchimikado Motoharu's situation—it was no secret that he was a "multi-faceted spy".

Under these circumstances, the information sent back by Tsuchimikado Motoharu would certainly be questioned to some extent. That's why he wanted to use Kanzaki Kaori's status as a "saint" to endorse his judgment.

However, as a partner with whom she had actually interacted, Kanzaki Kaori trusted Tsuchimikado Motoharu very much.

So she breathed a sigh of relief: "It seems that Lin Wuming is indeed fine, and there is no need to test him further."

"Well, it's really good that you trust my judgment so much, Boss." Tsuchimikado Motoharu said with a smile, "But don't you really plan to test it yourself? Judging from your expression, that's not what you're thinking." Kanzaki Kaori turned her head away in a bit of a panic, while drawing the Seven Days Seven Swords and using the smooth, shiny blade as a mirror.

In the reflection, a pair of eyes radiating intense fighting spirit are quietly looking over.

“Hehe,” Tsuchimikado Motoharu chuckled, “Even as a despicable backstabber, I can understand—the boss’s samurai spirit is burning brightly. True friends are hard to find, and suitable opponents are even rarer.”

Kanzaki Kaori remained silent, offering no rebuttal, which in fact constituted tacit acceptance of Tsuchimikado Motoharu's statement.

Since they "fought side by side" against the "power of the gods" not long ago, Kanzaki Kaori has become increasingly aware that Lin Wuming might really be an "evenly matched opponent".

For a born saint, an "opponent" is a more precious and rare existence than an "enemy".

“If the opportunity arises,” Kanzaki Kaori said softly, “I will go and spar with Lin Wuming.”

Tsuchimikado Motoharu said, "Big Sister, you've always been calm and collected, so you can decide this yourself. It's getting late, shouldn't we head back?"

Kanzaki Kaori nodded, then followed Tsuchimikado Motoharu into the dark shadows.

……

Meanwhile, in an ordinary alley in Academy City.

This alley is unremarkable and quite remote; it's rarely visited even during the day, let alone after nightfall.

The original streetlights on both sides of the alley have long been damaged for various reasons, so that now only a few bulbs remain, barely emitting a dim, intermittent light.

But its effect is very limited – rather than illuminating the road, it's more like a perfunctory effort, merely proving that the public facilities here are still operational.

But tonight, this dark and deep alleyway has been greeted by a new ray of light.

The source of the light was a human body, or more precisely, a girl in a uniform—her body emitted a hazy fluorescent glow, making it appear from a distance as if moonlight were gathered on her.

The light wasn't strong, but it was just enough to illuminate the ground around her, making it seem easier for her to walk through the alley at night.

However, the Wind-Slaying Ice Flower doesn't actually need visible light to illuminate the road surface.

The aura emanating from her body was more like a "natural phenomenon" than a specially controlled effect.

After parting ways with Lin Wuming, Feng Zhanbinghua seemed to have had her emotions and personality sealed away. She wandered around expressionlessly, and her arrival at this secluded alley was a completely random result.

Because of her fear of "Imagine Breaker", Kazakiri Hyouka instinctively avoids getting close to Kamijou Touma.

Furthermore, because she feared Chairman Aleister himself and the building he was in, Kazakiri Hyouka was even more unwilling to go near there.

That's why she was easily stopped by Misaki Shokuhou and Tomihime, and didn't get on the car with Lin Wuming.

(End of this chapter)