A Scientific Urban Detective.

Chapter 841 The real Kihara

“I have a question… Do you think my achievements are fake?” Hirata Koto asked, pointing to the documents on the table.

“Since you dared to come, I believe you wouldn’t fabricate anything,” Theristina shook her head, “but…”

Theristina used her fingertips to pick up the file next to her, flipping through nearly a hundred pages of information.

"If these results are real, then why have I never heard of the name 'Hirata Koto'?"

The scientific community, especially the top scientific community, is actually a small circle. Famous scientists, even if they don't know each other, will basically have heard of each other's names.

Even if Theristina herself wasn't qualified enough to reach that level back then, Kihara Gensei's connections were enough to introduce her to those famous scientists.

But despite searching her entire memory, Theristina could not find anyone named "Hirata Koto".

Moreover, upon closer reflection, the research findings mentioned in these materials gave her a sense of déjà vu.

“Ah…” Theristina suddenly pressed down on the stack of documents, “I remember now.”

"What did you remember?" Hirata Koto looked over with a smile.

“These are the results of Grandpa’s research,” Theristina murmured to herself.

To be precise, she was familiar with these research topics, which Theristina had seen on Kihara Gensei's personal computer.

If one or two topics overlap, it might be a coincidence, but if the vast majority of topics are the same...

"Who are you?" Theristina put down the candy box and reached under the table.

“As a researcher, hiding a gun under the table is not a good habit—that’s not a tool we should be using.” Hirata Koto looked over with a smile. “Or, do you want to take Kihara’s route?”

“It’s not a gun,” Theristina said, “it’s a ‘power reduction’ switch—I think that would be more useful.”

Theristina stared into the woman's eyes: "Lin Wuming's recent actions prove that 'standers' do exist. Considering that you have long held the power to use the superpower 'Mental Control,' it's not difficult to do something like this... right, Grandpa Kihara Gensei?"

Hirata Koto shrugged: "You might be mistaken about something. You can turn on that switch and see if your 'ability reduction' actually works."

Therese didn't hold back and actually pressed the button.

Nothing changed; Hirata Koto's expression remained unchanged, still as composed as ever.

Theristina snorted coldly. Although this move had failed, the opponent's reaction proved her guess.

—This woman named Hirata Koto is one of Kihara Gensei's "stand-ins"!
“Superpowers are a very profound subject,” Hirata Koto then said, “and not everything can be solved by a single device.”

“That’s right,” Theristina nodded in agreement. “Brainwashing and manipulation can be achieved through deep hypnosis and pre-programming. Since it’s already a fait accompli, there are no fluctuations in the AIM diffusion field, and of course, it won’t be affected by ‘ability decline’.”

That's understandable, considering Kihara Gensei frequently visits high-end research institutions and seminars, where AIM jamming devices are standard equipment. If he were that easily jammed, his Stand plan would have been exposed long ago. "Hehe, your analysis is correct," Hirata Koto said with a smile. "If you want to know, I can tell you the entire experimental process."

“However, my method can no longer be used.” Although the voice had not changed, the tone and manner of speaking had completely changed to that of another person—the one that Theristina knew very well, her grandfather Kihara Gensei.

“I lost this gamble,” Kihara Gensei said, looking at the office that used to be his. “So the losses are huge. The loopholes in the ‘external brain’ were also completely plugged by Shokuhou-kun, so we can no longer use ‘mental control’.”

“However,” he changed the subject, “you have a good relationship with Shokuhou-kun and the others now, perhaps you can ask her for help to reproduce my experiment.”

"So-called experiments are about taking over other people's bodies and creating 'stand-ins'?" Theristina revealed undisguised disgust. "Sorry, I still can't accept this kind of thing."

She found it even more difficult to accept that her grandfather had suddenly turned into a middle-aged woman.

"Do you care about this kind of thing?" Kihara Gensei looked down at his current body. "It's because you're always fixated on these trivial, superficial issues that you're not considered 'Kihara'."

"Kihara comes from a family of mad scientists, not perverts," Theristina said sternly.

"Don't be angry, Theristina." Kihara Gensei waved his hand like an old man, and then said slowly, "Now that we've come to this, the result is this—you're sitting up there, while I, this old man, can only sit down here. Without a doubt, you've won."

"Having taken everything from me, Theristina, you can undoubtedly be called a Kihara as well." Kihara Gensei clapped his hands and said, "Congratulations, your dream has come true."

"A dream come true..." Theristina frowned, her face devoid of any joy. "Does this count as gaining your approval?"

"Yes, I acknowledge your achievements."

"Ha, you think you can say such things now..." Theristina remained unmoved. She was no longer the naive little girl who would be happy for half a day because of a compliment.

“You’ve misunderstood, which is why I said before that you’re not the real Kihara,” Kihara Gensei said. “‘Kihara’ isn’t such a narrow concept.”

Admittedly, the Kihara family is generally perceived as "mad scientists," as if they wouldn't be worthy of the surname unless they produced some groundbreaking scientific achievements.

"In fact, anyone who reaches the pinnacle of their professional field is a 'Kihara.' As for what specific field that is... no one has ever given a clear definition of it."

In other words, from the perspective of the Kihara clan, Theristina's actions this time, which seized everything that originally belonged to Kihara Gensei, were enough to earn her the title of "Kihara".

——Kihara is the most unlike Kihara.

But then again, aren't all Kiharas like that? Extremely selfish, completely following their own ideals and desires, and having the ability to put them into practice and carry them out—this kind of highly individualistic existence comes together to form the "Kihara Clan".

The only thing this clan has in common is that they have nothing in common. In this world, there probably isn't a "Kihara who is like Kihara".

"You earned this title with undeniable achievements," Kihara Gensei commented. "Academic and research results are important, but battle records and victories are the most powerful evidence. You could even say that as long as you keep winning, even an illiterate idiot can add the name Kihara to his name."

Theristina, however, felt that the old man was still mocking her.

She went to great lengths to prove herself, but after she succeeded, this guy said things like "even an idiot can become Kihara"... Was he really mocking her research level?
(End of this chapter)