Rescue Plan

Luo Yifang flicked his finger against Busu Dixin's forehead. The gun in her hand clattered to the floor. She clutched her forehead, tears welling in her eyes. "That hurt."

"It's supposed to hurt," Luo Yifang said, shaking his hand irritably. "Good thing it was me. Do you know you could have killed someone with that shot just now?"

"But..."

"You thought I was sent by those people in the experimental group to clean house?" Luo Yifang shrugged. "I was just messing with you. You actually believed me? If they knew you had doubts, do you think you would have been able to walk out of the lab that many times alive?"

"I..." Busu Dixin wanted to retort, but found that Luo Yifang made so much sense, she couldn't argue at all.

"Alright, just tell me where the main research institute is, and where that bastard Uncreated Substance is." Luo Yifang picked up the gun and handed it back to Busu Dixin. "Also, don't go shooting randomly next time. It was me this time, but if it were another LV.5, you wouldn't have had a chance to fire."

The bodies of espers were indeed not much different from ordinary people, at least not strong enough to take bullets to the face. However, due to the high level of development in their brains, comparing reaction times with them was definitely not a good idea. Thinking about how Misaka Mikoto could complete precise calculations and fire a Railgun in less than a second, she would probably have been electrocuted by a lightning strike the moment she drew her gun.

"That... I don't know where the main research institute is... I just work in a department specifically responsible for regulating them," Busu Dixin said with a helpless expression. "As for Number 2's whereabouts, I'm even less clear. He almost only appears during experiments, and leaves immediately after they're finished."

"Perhaps it would be better to just get rid of you," Luo Yifang said, surprised by how little information he'd gotten after all his effort. His gaze towards Busu Dixin was filled with a dangerous glint.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." Busu Dixin subtly took two steps back. "But I already have a plan. It's hard for me to carry it out alone, but it would be much easier with you."

"Speak."

"This is an experiment to help an LV.5 reach the Absolute Ability User level of LV.6. However, if the experimental subject is defeated, it means their 'aptitude assessment' was inaccurate," Busu Dixin said with certainty. "So, as long as someone defeats the experimental subject, this plan will be forced to stop."

"But you seem to have overlooked one problem. I'm Number 1, and I'm already stronger than him. The result of me defeating him wouldn't be used as a reference standard," Luo Yifang frowned. "Besides, those mad scientists would probably be more interested in seeing if Number 2 could crush me if the experiment succeeded."

Busu Dixin's expression tensed. Luo Yifang was right. Anyone in Academy City could defeat Number 2, but Luo Yifang couldn't. Because he was already stronger than Kakine Teitoku, the data generated from him defeating Kakine Teitoku might not be accepted, and the experiment would very likely continue. But... Busu Dixin's mind suddenly flashed with the bloody scenes of the Misaka Sisters being killed, and a deep sense of powerlessness washed over her. Besides Luo Yifang, was there anyone else who could defeat that monster?

"Are they truly unable to escape this tragic fate..." Busu Dixin sat powerlessly on the bed, murmuring, "Are twenty thousand lives being devoured by so-called scientific research like this?"

Hmm? Only twenty thousand Sisters? Luo Yifang was stunned when he heard Busu Dixin's words. He suddenly felt that the Tree Diagram Designer was probably a real scam, or perhaps, was Kakine Teitoku here as strong as the original Accelerator?

"The outdoor combat experiment is about to begin... If we don't stop it now, there will be no way." Busu Dixin felt disgusted by her own weakness for the first time. She had once been a shining genius, but if this matter couldn't be handled properly, it would definitely become a shadow that would haunt her for the rest of her life.

"Actually, there is an alternative plan," Luo Yifang said nonchalantly. "Completely remove Number 2 from the picture, and this plan will have to be terminated."

"What?!" Busu Dixin felt her heart lurch. "Impossible. Even if you could defeat Number 2, the Board of Directors of Academy City would absolutely not allow you to kill an LV.5 esper. That's one of Academy City's trump cards!"

"Tch, can any trash call themselves a trump card?" Luo Yifang found it somewhat amusing. Although Kakine Teitoku's eventual fate of becoming a machine for manufacturing Uncreated Substance was quite tragic, it didn't negate his sins. And now it seemed this guy was even more despicable. "Besides, when did I say I was going to kill him?"

"Then how can you make Number 2 disappear?"

Luo Yifang pointed at Busu Dixin's head. "This is the foundation for espers to use their abilities. What do you think would happen if something unexpected occurred here?"

Although Luo Yifang was smiling, that smile sent a chill down Busu Dixin's spine. This guy was no saint either. He wanted to completely cripple Number 2. Being half-dead would be more painful than complete death. From this moment on, Luo Yifang became an existence that absolutely could not be provoked in Busu Dixin's mind. Yet, when she thought of the innocent Sisters dying one after another in this experiment, she felt that Luo Yifang's actions were perhaps correct.

"I was supposed to be a cold-blooded researcher..." Busu Dixin gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Yet I've developed pity for the lab rats... I..."

"The existence of the Mass-produced Ability User Plan is itself a mistake," Luo Yifang shook his head. "What does that have to do with you? You were just forced to participate. Besides, are the Misaka Sisters really just lab rats?"

"Do you know what they say every time I want to help them?" Busu Dixin said softly. "We are just things created artificially, consumables for combat and experiments. The cost of each is only 180,000 yen. We are just products that can be mass-produced by pressing a button."

"Why, why!" Busu Dixin sobbed. She had been suppressed for too long in the experimental group. "They are just children not much younger than me! Why is this happening to them?"

Seeing that Busu Dixin was about to cry, Luo Yifang gave a dry laugh, thinking he shouldn't have brought up this topic. "Uh, let's focus on formulating the plan now and discuss how to deal with it."