Empty Nest Old Kuroko

"So why is this guy treating us to a meal!" Kuroko slammed the table and stood up, saying indignantly.

The last time Misaka Mikoto came back very late at night, Kuroko knew she had been dueling with a man, and she was going crazy. From then on, Luo Yifang's name was written in her little black book. What she didn't expect was that today, when they went out for a meal, the person treating them was still Luo Yifang!

"Kuroko," Misaka Mikoto glared at Kuroko, signaling her not to make a fuss. Didn't she see the other customers looking over?

Misaka Mikoto turned to Luo Yifang and said, "I'm sorry, Kuroko is always like this."

Luo Yifang looked at Kuroko, who was about to jump up, and was a bit clueless. What did I do to make you so agitated?

"You, pretending to be innocent," Kuroko said tearfully, "forcibly using your powerful strength to make Onee-sama and me stay so late!"

Misaka Mikoto, who was taking a sip of water, directly spat it out, her pretty face completely red. "Cough cough... Kuroko, what are you talking about!"

Kuroko was about to stand on the table and give a heartfelt speech. Misaka Mikoto couldn't stand it anymore and sent out a loving electric shock to quiet Kuroko down. After Kuroko's forehead hit the tabletop, she then said to Luo Yifang, "Sorry for the trouble."

"It's nothing..." Luo Yifang waved his hand dismissively. Isn't Kuroko just like this? If she weren't like this, it would be a disservice to her title of "Kuroko" written out, but "pervert" read. Speaking of which, Luo Yifang seemed to remember something. He fumbled around and took out a large Gekota plush toy from somewhere, handing it to Mikoto.

"So lucky, the last one," Luo Yifang smiled and handed the Gekota to Misaka Mikoto.

Misaka Mikoto took it with some delight, but she immediately realized something was wrong. "Wait, how did you know I like Gekota?"

"Come on, miss, I'm not blind," Luo Yifang pointed to the Gekota charm on Misaka Mikoto's phone, which was on the table.

Okay, realizing her preferences had been exposed again, Misaka Mikoto didn't feel shy anymore. "Um... when are Hatsuharu and the others coming?"

So she still wanted to change the subject. Luo Yifang pointed to the window outside with a bit of amusement. Two girls were looking inside, pressing against the glass, almost startling Misaka Mikoto.

Hatsuharu, who rushed in, bowed to Luo Yifang before sitting down. "Good noon, Senior Yifang. Thank you so much last time."

Kuroko, standing beside her, looked at this familiar scene as if a sharp sword had pierced her heart... She was, again... It was a pity that it wasn't snowing outside right now; it was still summer. Otherwise, Kuroko might have said, "It was me first." But why, why did even Hatsuharu greet this damn guy first!

"Oh, that was just my job," Luo Yifang invited Ruizi and Hatsuharu to sit down. "Instead, you should pay more attention. Even as part of the Disciplinary Committee, you need to pay attention to your own safety."

"Huh? You have a job?" Misaka Mikoto asked curiously. "What kind of research institution could hire you? You are someone who stands at the top of 2.3 million people."

Kuroko and the other two were a bit curious. Misaka Mikoto hadn't told them about Luo Yifang's true identity, and they only knew that he was a superpower user. They automatically understood "standing at the top of Academy City" as Level 5, not Number 1.

"Just cooperating with some experiments," Luo Yifang didn't intend to elaborate. After all, if he really told them, given Misaka Mikoto's personality, she would definitely get involved, and the plan to rescue the Sisters would not proceed smoothly.

The pleasant lunch time ended quickly because Kuroko and Hatsuharu both had work for the Disciplinary Committee, so they returned to the branch first. However, the resentful look Kuroko gave Luo Yifang before leaving was quite chilling.

"Alright! Then let's go play video games next!" Misaka Mikoto shouted energetically outside the restaurant.

Just as Luo Yifang was about to agree, the phone rang and interrupted him. He had to excuse himself for a moment and answer the call, "What do you want me for?"

Busu Dixin's voice came from the other end, "An emergency has occurred. The experiment will begin outdoors today!"

"What?" Luo Yifang asked in disbelief. "Didn't you say the outdoor experiment wouldn't start for a while?!"

"I don't know why, but the message I received said that due to the slow progress in the laboratory, they want to change the experimental site." Busu Dixin was caught off guard by the sudden change, and even her backup plan could not be used for the time being.

After hanging up the phone, Luo Yifang's brows were tightly furrowed. The first phase of the Absolute Ability User Evolution Plan was conducted in a specialized laboratory, but the location of that laboratory was probably unknown to anyone other than the core personnel involved. After all, for a dark plan of this magnitude, if any random person could know the experimental location, it would have long been exploited by those with ulterior motives. Aleister would absolutely not allow his goals to be interrupted.

It could be said that Luo Yifang could do nothing about the first phase due to the vast information gap. Moreover, his current strength was not enough to crush the entire Academy City. At least Aleister alone was enough to make him hesitate, let alone that bizarre Artificial Paradise. It's important to remember that this isn't an anime or a novel; who knows what countermeasures Aleister might have left behind. Therefore, even if he wanted to rescue the Sisters, he had to wait until the outdoor phase of the experiment.

However, he never expected that the outdoor phase would begin so soon. A cold light flashed in Luo Yifang's eyes. It seemed there was only one way...

To be honest, Luo Yifang didn't take Kakine Teitoku seriously at all. What he truly cared about was how to deal with Aleister and the survival of the Misaka Sisters. If he acted rashly, he didn't know how the Aleister of the real world would react. Those over 10,000 Sisters had now become Aleister's biggest bargaining chip, and Luo Yifang was like a police officer facing a hostage situation, unable to act.

Understanding that the current situation could not be delayed, Luo Yifang said goodbye to Misaka Mikoto and went to prepare for the next step.

Inside a black building with no windows or doors, Aleister, suspended upside down in a culture medium, still had his eyes closed. The lobby on this floor was empty except for various machines. Aleister suddenly opened his eyes and murmured in a hollow voice, "Has he started acting? Good... the next step can begin."

Luo Yifang, speeding madly through Academy City, smiled. Hanging Man... Let's see who can outsmart whom!