This was already the second time Shokuhou Misaki had seen Lin Wuming.
Her first visit to the hospital yesterday had been solely to examine Lin Wuming's memory data. At the time, in Shokuhou Misaki's eyes, he was nothing more than an unlucky victim of an accident—someone who had ended up with amnesia combined with delusional disorder.
Yet just one day later, when she saw Lin Wuming again, she discovered that his memories now contained a great deal of interesting new content.
"What does 'transmigrator' mean? He knows me? And why, in his cognition, am I already Level 5? It should still take some time before I'm promoted, and I haven't leaked even the slightest hint to the outside…"
Simply because she casually glanced at Lin Wuming a bit more, Shokuhou Misaki immediately picked up on several pieces of information that caught her attention.
However, just as she herself had assessed, her Mental Out ability had only just stabilized at Level 4. She still couldn't freely read the deep layers of another person's memories. At most, she could peer into their current mental activity and shallow memories.
—If it were really like what Lin Wuming's cognition suggested, then once I truly reach Level 5, I should probably be able to effortlessly read the deepest thoughts in someone's heart, right?
Shokuhou Misaki felt curious—but she didn't fully trust the memory information she saw in Lin Wuming.
Academy City was, after all, a place full of schemes, calculations, and conspiracies. What you see isn't necessarily the truth. Even someone's inner thoughts could be another layer of lies.
Precisely because she possessed Mental Out, Shokuhou Misaki understood this better than anyone else: lies didn't always need to be spoken aloud. Some people could even deceive someone with mind-reading abilities like hers, so that even when she read their memories, all she obtained was falsehood.
Still, Shokuhou Misaki also felt that Lin Wuming was a victim of illegal experimentation. It didn't seem likely that he would deliberately try to deceive her. Perhaps he had access to other information channels.
—It's necessary to make contact with him again. I need to figure out where his information is coming from…
She thought silently.
Shokuhou Misaki had always deliberately concealed her true ability level. In the eyes of the Talent Academy researchers, she was still a Level 3, currently charging toward Level 4. Little did they know that her Mental Out had already successfully advanced last week—and was continuing to surge forward, aiming straight for Level 5.
With her ability to perceive human hearts, Shokuhou Misaki had long since seen through the researchers' ill intentions. From the very beginning, she knew that Talent Academy was, at its core, an illegal experimentation project.
To protect herself—while also making use of the institution's resources to further develop her ability—Shokuhou Misaki chose to conceal her true level.
Her strategy was a success. To this day, no one had discovered her real strength.
But now, the boy before her had directly identified her as Level 5.
That alone was enough to raise alarms.
—Could it be that some unknown individual or organization has been secretly observing me all this time?
For someone like Shokuhou Misaki, who believed firmly in secrecy, this was an extremely destabilizing factor—one that had to be eliminated.
With Level 4 Mental Out still burdened by many limitations, if she wanted more information, she would have to approach the target in the real world.
So she chose her timing carefully. Just as Lin Wuming was leaving the conference room, she also "happened" to pass through the corridor outside.
The two met face to face, their gazes crossing once more.
This time, however, the moment Lin Wuming recognized the girl before him, his heart leapt into alert.
—Crap! It's Shokuhou Misaki!
But on second thought, he realized that panicking didn't really serve any purpose.
From the moment Lin Wuming became aware that he had already encountered Shokuhou Misaki, he had mentally prepared himself for situations like this. As long as Chairman Aleister or the madmen of the Kihara family didn't learn the truth about him, then as an ordinary Level 3 telekinetic, he was perfectly safe—and could continue lying low without worry.
—Shokuhou Misaki… no, the Queen wouldn't harm me!
Lin Wuming firmly believed that. And…
Once he relaxed, he even had the leisure to carefully observe the girl approaching him.
—Mm, still the younger version of the Queen. And she can freely move around an outside hospital, so she probably hasn't joined Talent Academy yet. In that case, she should only be a Level 3 esper for now, and she's not holding a remote control… meaning she probably can't read my thoughts yet.
Thoughts like these flashed through his mind. Lin Wuming deliberately emptied his head, gave Shokuhou Misaki a vacant smile, and passed by her.
"…Idiot!"
This time, the voice reached his ears clearly.
Lin Wuming acted as though he hadn't heard anything, rolling his wheelchair straight ahead.
—As expected, yesterday must have been an illusion. She still can't directly transmit her voice into my head; she has to speak normally. Though I don't know why she'd scold me… Or maybe she wasn't talking to me at all?
He analyzed the situation silently. By the time he thought of responding, he had already moved far away from Shokuhou Misaki.
When he turned his head, the blonde girl was politely bowing and greeting the doctors and Anti-Skill teachers, showing no sign of looking in his direction.
This only reinforced Lin Wuming's belief that his judgment was correct.
"Lin Wuming, do you know that girl?"
Without him noticing, Tiger Peak Toumi had somehow come up behind him and grabbed the handles of his wheelchair.
Lin Wuming's entire body tensed instantly. His telekinetic ability entered first-level combat readiness, and sharp pain surged from the various wounds on his body as his muscles tightened abruptly!
Because of his ability, Lin Wuming didn't actually need anyone to push his wheelchair. But just now, distracted by thoughts of Shokuhou Misaki, he had slowed down—apparently making it seem as though he was tired.
"I'll push you," Tiger Peak Toumi said. "It's a bit late, but let's go to the cafeteria for dinner…"
She paused, as if thinking of something.
"Or… I can take you back to the ward first. If there's anything you want to eat, I'll bring it to you."
The doctors and Anti-Skill teachers behind them understood that the girl was trying to make up for having injured him by mistake, so they didn't stop her. They only informed them that they had arranged a different ward for the two of them.
Lin Wuming desperately wanted to refuse her kindness—but he couldn't find a suitable reason.
The reason was simple.
He was afraid of provoking this violent maniac and getting stabbed with seven more holes if she got upset…
He had just heard the doctors and Anti-Skill teachers mention in the conference room that this girl, Tiger Peak Toumi, was "mentally unstable," possibly suffering from manic tendencies.
Lin Wuming strongly suspected that she was hospitalized for psychological treatment.
Moreover, Tiger Peak Toumi seemed quite familiar with the doctors and Anti-Skill teachers. The adults behind them showed no intention of stopping her at all.
What was more terrifying than a lunatic with overwhelming combat power?
A lunatic with overwhelming combat power and backing.
At least, that was something Lin Wuming couldn't understand—and didn't dare to casually ask—why the hospital and Anti-Skill had agreed to place Tiger Peak Toumi in the same ward as him.
(End of Chapter)