A Scientific Urban Detective.

Chapter 215 Back to the starting point
Superpowers are the ultimate answer to everything in the world. In Academy City, anything that cannot be explained can be attributed to "superpowers", and it is generally accepted by people.

Therefore, it is inevitable to form a fixed mindset.

Especially for people with superpowers, the more powerful their abilities are, the more likely they are to ignore the power of technology itself, as if superpowers are all that technology is.

For example, Gufa Meiwei and Hufeng Toumi, before Lin Wuming proposed this hypothesis, they had never thought of any possibilities other than superpowers.

"Can pure technology... really do something like this?" asked Gufa Meiwei.

It is simple and reasonable to use superpowers to achieve all kinds of "miracles", but after excluding superpowers, the understanding of the development of science and technology in the real world by most superpower people is actually no different from that of ordinary people.

It was Jingce Kanqu who answered, "Yes, the research institute I'm collaborating with is already developing liquid metal robots. They've already made it possible for liquid metal to autonomously transform into a humanoid form and perform some basic movements."

"But it's not practical," she shook her head again, "Compared to my abilities... no, it can't even compare to my Xiaoying!"

According to Jingce Kanqu, current liquid metal robots can only perform basic testing in a laboratory setting. To move, they must plan a route in advance, lay cables along the route, or sprinkle metal powder containing silver ions as a marker...

In short, it is very troublesome and completely impractical.

Lin Wuming thought for a moment and said, "But if you think about it carefully, the thief in the surveillance video didn't actually do anything particularly complicated, right?"

In all the captured images, the robed figure was just moving along the wall - it was not even certain whether it was actually "walking" with its legs.

Hidden by its robe, it was hard to tell whether it was crawling forward like a slime.

"Mumiko, what you mean is..." Gufa Meiwei seemed to be thinking, "That thief doll might be a liquid metal robot, a prop used by the criminal to mislead us?"

Lin Wuming nodded and said, "I can only say that this possibility cannot be ruled out."

"I'll notify the security teachers right away." Gufa Meiwei immediately took out his cell phone.

After a moment, she put down her phone with a strange expression, looked at Lin Wuming and said, "The teacher and the others have also thought of the possibility you mentioned. They went to the research institute to verify this hypothesis."

Lin Wuming was not too surprised and nodded calmly. This was not surprising. After all, he was a real expert in solving crimes and could definitely think of various possibilities.

"So, are we going to continue looking for the suitcase?" asked Tiger Bee Toumi.

As she spoke, the girl yawned unconcealedly, looking as if she was already bored.

"Hmm...what does classmate Gufa think?" Lin Wuming had no interest in continuing to follow up on the case, so he turned to ask the captain of their team.

Gufa Meiwei wanted to continue investigating, but seeing that the other two seemed to be lacking interest, he didn't want to act too dictatorially.

"Then, shall I report to the chairman first?" Gufa Meiwei finally chose to ask his superiors for instructions.

"Chairman, this is Gufa..." Gufa Meiwei immediately made a call.

But he seemed to be interrupted by the other side after just a few words, and then he heard Gufa Meiwei exclaiming repeatedly.

"...Wait a moment, Chairman!" Gufa Meiwei quickly waved towards Lin Wuming and Hufeng Toumi, asking them to come closer. "Wuming and Hufeng are here too. Please repeat your words..."

As she spoke, she turned on the speakerphone.

"Anyway," the voice of the legendary Disciplinary Committee Chairman came, "According to the intelligence we have, there's something fishy about this theft itself. Someone has already found the suitcase that was thrown into the trash can—and there's nothing inside." "Empty?" Lin Wuming asked, "Could it be that the money inside has been moved?"

"Unlikely. We stopped the garbage truck directly. No one should have had the opportunity to touch the box before that."

"In other words," Lin Wuming concluded, "that Shibata Saburo is lying—is that an assumption?"

"It doesn't necessarily mean there's something wrong with him, but we can't rule out that possibility," said the chairman.

The case itself was full of strange incongruities. If Saburo Shibata had not had a truly credible alibi, he would have been the first suspect of the security forces.

But now, after going around in circles, we're back again.

"Anyway, go stop that Shibata Saburo immediately and don't let him escape," the chairman ordered. "I'll arrange for someone with psychic abilities to provide support."

The Discipline Committee is the largest group of esper users in Academy City, and more than half of its members are level 2 and above.

The reason why the Discipline Committee was able to find the suitcase before the guards was mainly due to their super powers.

The chairperson is the supreme commander of the Discipline Committee, so she can mobilize all personnel in the entire organization. At this special moment, she can send targeted super-powered people or other talents to deal with the problems faced.

This advantage is something that the guard forces cannot match in any way.

Speaking of psychic psychics...

After hanging up the phone, Lin Wuming looked at Duoli and Jingce Kandou: "Has Shokuhou been here today?"

"No," Dolly shook her head. "Souki-chan has been getting busier lately. She basically only comes every two days."

Gufa Meiwei exclaimed in amazement: "So, Wuming, you really do know that 'Psychological Master'?"

Jingce Kanqu shrugged: "Perhaps you are the only one in this room who doesn't know her?"

Gufa Meiwei laughed and said excitedly, "Great! If it's Level 5 Shokuhou Misaki who takes action, she'll definitely be able to find out the truth right away, right?"

"Let's not talk about whether to ask Shokuhou-san for help for now. Let's wait until we meet that Shibata Saburo," said Lin Wuming.

Seeing that the criminal had been identified and there was no need to waste time and effort on investigation, Tiger Bee Toumi regained his spirits.

The trio said goodbye to Dolly and Jingce and immediately rushed to the next location.

With the support from the Discipline Committee Headquarters, they easily found the location of Saburo Shibata.

As expected, the security forces had not yet completely eliminated their suspicions of him and had arranged more than one guard around Saburo Shibata.

In name, it was to assist in the investigation so that when Saburo Shibata came up with any new clues, he could tell the guard unit as soon as possible.

But in reality, it is just a disguised form of surveillance.

——At least that’s what Lin Wuming thinks.

(End of this chapter)