A Scientific Urban Detective.

Chapter 782 Sharing Information

“That’s great…” Saten Ruiko was relieved to learn that Uiharu Kazari had also decided to stay with her, but then she became dejected. “Thinking about it carefully, it seems that I am the most useless one. I don’t have any great abilities, I’m not a disciplinary committee member, and I’m not good at fighting… Shokuhou-san didn’t reject me. She really is a kind person.”

"Since you already know all this, why do you still get involved in these dangerous things?" Haru Shiori complained.

“It’s all about participation,” Saten Ruiko said. “You see, we’re friends with Shirai and Misaka, right? But the reality is, we’re always the ones left out—even though we know they don’t mean it, they just don’t want to drag us into danger, but…”

Because we are friends, it is even more unacceptable to be excluded like this.

Not to mention, it also involves the "urban legends" that Saten Ruiko is most fascinated by, which makes her even more eager to participate.

“Since you’ve already made up your mind, then I don’t need to say anything more.” Uiharu Kazari said, looking at the other side of the balcony sliding door. “I was really startled just now. I thought Saten-san had decided to participate in the competition over there.”

—A competition to win Lin Wuming as the final prize.

"How could that be?" Saten Ruiko chuckled dryly and waved her hands repeatedly. "If that were the case, I would definitely be killed by Tiger Bee."

……

"Tiger Bees, will you take them down?" Misaki Shokuhou suddenly asked in the living room.

"Huh?" Tiger Bee looked at her with a "Are you crazy?" expression.

Misaka Mikoto chimed in, "What's with all this talk? Even if it's a tiger bee, it wouldn't attack Haru and Saten, would it?"

"What do you mean even if it's a tiger bee..." Misaki Shokuhou looked over helplessly—Misaka's serious response to the question was much stranger than Toumi the tiger bee.

Just as the two Level 5 girls were about to start arguing, Lin Wuming interrupted their conversation.

"Is it really appropriate to involve the two of them?" Lin Wuming had just learned the reason for the matter from Misaki Shokuhou, and knew that Ruiko Saten was planning to personally participate in this "big event".

Lin Wuming reacted indifferently to this, and even expressed his opposition.

The main concern is that it might bring danger to the two of them.

Among Lin Wuming's current circle of friends, the two with the weakest fighting power are probably Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari.

Although Lin Wuming had once asked the two of them for help—gathering intelligence, consulting on urban legends, and so on—he only scratched the surface. After realizing that the events around him were indeed too dangerous, he stopped involving them.

If this leads to criticism that Lin Wuming "selects people based on talent" and ruthlessly discards those without talent... Lin Wuming accepts it.

It's better to be a narrow-minded person than to regret it after an irreversible tragedy has occurred!

Reality is not like the original anime, and Saten Ruiko is not a woman who truly controls the "script." If you rashly bring her into your own world, it will most likely harm her!
In fact, not only Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari, but also most of the members of the Shokuhou faction—almost all of whom are high-level espers of level 3 and level 4—rarely get involved in Lin Wuming's affairs.

Misaki Shokuhou was unwilling to put her subordinates in danger because of her own "personal matters".

"Nameless Senpai, what are you still saying at this point!" Misaki Shokuhou said helplessly. "Because of Misaka-san, Saten and Uiharu have already been classified as part of the 'Nameless Force'... Although they're on the fringes, they're still part of the group." If Lin Wuming's enemies want to make a move, Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari will be absolutely caught in the crossfire!
After all, they are the easiest targets. Even if they weren't originally in Lin Wuming's group, the enemy would force them into it, right?

"Besides, putting Saten aside for now," Misaki Shokuhou said, "Mimei-senpai also knows about Uiharu Kazari's abilities. Does she really think she knows nothing about them?"

Lin Wuming was speechless. Thinking about it carefully, it really was true. Chu Chun Shiri, this seemingly insignificant little girl, was a bug. Apart from being a weakling when it came to actual actions, she was an exceptionally outstanding existence in every other aspect!

Even because she had received various specialized training as a disciplinary committee member, Hatsuharu Shiori was slightly better than the average person when it came to taking action.

Especially in a metropolis like Academy City, where information technology is highly developed, there is almost nothing she cannot find out.

"So," Misaki Shokuhou concluded, "rather than letting them act on their own and cause unpredictable consequences, it's better to simply let them join in and share information. At least that way, they won't do anything too dangerous."

Lin Wuming nodded. Indeed, one can only feel at ease when uncontrollable factors are in one's own hands.

“Speaking of information sharing!” Misaka Mikoto exclaimed as if suddenly remembering something, “Shokuhou, you should also know when to stop with your ‘encrypted communication’ with the nameless senior!”

Electric sparks crackled in Misaka Mikoto's hair: "If you're worried about 'air loops,' I can banish them now and create an absolutely dust-free environment!"

Misaka Mikoto had long harbored resentment towards Shokuhou Misaki's habit of constantly whispering to the nameless senior.

“They’re not just guarding against the ‘airborne loop’ threat,” Misaki Shokuhou said.

"What other threats are there?" Misaka Mikoto immediately pressed. "Tell me, and I'll find a way to solve them!"

"Who knows?" Misaki Shokuhou shrugged.

"You actually say you don't know?" Misaka Mikoto exclaimed, "Then why use that excuse..."

“That’s not an excuse,” Misaki Shokuhou said. “The usual situation is that eavesdropping and spying wouldn’t be discovered, right? If they really knew there was a problem, why would they need you to find a solution?”

"..." Misaka Mikoto was speechless.

Because what Misaki Shokuhou said makes sense.

Since the source of the threat is unknown, direct mental communication through "psychological control" is the safest option.

Misaka Mikoto could understand it, but this created an unsolvable vicious cycle—she was naturally immune to "mental manipulation," so she was unable to know the true secret hidden in the nameless senior's heart...

In this respect, I have completely lost to Shokuhou, and I lost from the very beginning; and I will continue to lose in the foreseeable future...

This was something that Misaka Mikoto could not accept.

—I am different today!
At this moment, Misaka Mikoto, in particular, seemed to have a momentum of "going all out" and "pursuing the advantage".

(End of this chapter)