Zongman I fight weirdness in everyday world

"Huh? No?"

"That's right, no."

Souichirou Yagami frowned, speaking with righteous indignation.

"I am a police officer of the Metropolitan Police Department, maintaining social order, arresting evil people who commit crimes, and protecting innocent people. That's what I should be doing. What's the point of getting to know so many people?"

"Okay, you have a point."

Yagami Star couldn't refute Souichirou Yagami's point of view at all. After all, that's just his personality, rigid and inflexible. But from another perspective, this is also upholding the bottom line of justice in his heart, unwilling to associate with those petty and opportunistic people.

From this point of view, perhaps the commonalities between Souichirou Yagami and Light Yagami are more than they both imagine.

"Forget it, with your position, you wouldn't have any particularly valuable connections anyway. Counting on you to gather information? Forget about it."

Before Souichirou Yagami became the so-called head of the Special Investigation Team, what position did he hold in the Metropolitan Police Department system?

Chief of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, that's all.

The people involved this time, based on what's already known, reach the level of the Superintendent General of the Police. Even if Souichirou Yagami accumulated some connections during his tenure as Chief of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, it's still a bit far off to try and inquire about things at this level.

"You're really an unreliable adult."

Hearing Yagami Star's complaint, Souichirou Yagami looked speechless.

"Sorry, sorry. Being such an unreliable old man is really disappointing for you, a high school student. So, what do we do now?"

"Let these three people go back."

Yagami Star pointed to the three people on the surveillance screen, speaking calmly.

"I'll have Tamamo-no-Mae, Hasshaku, and Kuchisake-onna each follow one of them to see if they can get any valuable information. As for myself..."

"I'm going to a place where I can obtain a lot of political information."

......

At the same time, inside Rintaro Okabe's apartment, in Kurisu Makise's room.

"So, this is where you've been living these past few months..."

Maho Hiyajo sized up the room Kurisu Makise was living in, huffing softly.

"It's really small."

Kurisu Makise had a sweet smile on her face, and her voice was just as gentle, but the words she spoke made Maho Hiyajo stomp her feet in anger.

"It is a bit small, but if you were living here, senpai, it should be considered a very spacious mansion, right? After all, you wouldn't take up much space."

"Kurisu..."

Maho Hiyajo bit her silver teeth in anger, clenching her fists and waving them threateningly.

"After being away for a few months, you've become more and more disrespectful..."

Kurisu Makise tilted her head, feigning a puzzled look.

"Eh? Senpai, who exactly is older and who is younger? Haven't you looked in the mirror lately?"

"You... you sharp-tongued, unadorable junior!"

Watching Kurisu Makise tease Maho Hiyajo, Miko Yotsuya and Rio Futaba exchanged glances, both feeling somewhat surprised.

Of course, what surprised them wasn't the fact that twenty-one-year-old Maho Hiyajo was only 140 centimeters tall, although that was shocking enough.

What surprised Miko Yotsuya and Rio Futaba was that Kurisu Makise, who was usually so mature and composed in front of the Lab Members, even exuding a sense of world-weariness, completely unlike a young girl, actually had such a sharp-tongued and lively side.

It seems... this is Kurisu Makise's true personality, but she only shows her true self in front of people she feels very close to.

Come to think of it.

After all, Kurisu Makise's experiences, even among the Lab Members, who are all tragic protagonists and consider having both parents alive to be a rare blessing, could be considered a heavyweight.

In her childhood, she suffered from her own father's jealousy due to her talent, and was ostracized by her classmates. In the end, she went abroad to study alone. Just when her life was getting back on track, Professor Leskinen, the head of the research institute and Kurisu Makise's mentor, committed such heinous crimes and turned her artificial intelligence research into a dedicated weapon for the "Valkyrie" project.

Who could withstand that?

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Let's get back to the main topic."

Maho Hiyajo stopped chasing Kurisu Makise, panting slightly. As a scientist and otaku, her physical strength was clearly not very good.

"About the thing you mentioned..."

Noticing that Maho Hiyajo stopped halfway and cast her eyes towards Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya, who were sitting on the other sofa, Kurisu Makise didn't hesitate and spoke directly.

"Senpai, you can speak frankly. Miko and Rio both know about this."

"Oh? Is that so..."

Maho Hiyajo nodded noncommittally, then looked directly into Kurisu Makise's eyes and said, word by word.

"I've read your theory... Theoretically, there are no problems, but it won't work."

Hearing Maho Hiyajo's negative answer, Kurisu Makise couldn't help but be stunned, and then quickly asked.

"It won't work? What's the problem?"

"You used to only be responsible for theory at the research institute, so it's normal that you don't understand this aspect. I'll patiently explain it to you."

Maho Hiyajo sighed and slowly opened her mouth.

"Suppose, just suppose, we can only research the kind of AI you're talking about, which has intelligence equal to humans, or even much better than ordinary people, and also retains the powerful computing power of a computer. Have you ever thought about..."

"What level of computer would be needed to support the daily operations of this level of AI?"

"Eh?"

Hearing the question raised by Maho Hiyajo, Kurisu Makise's expression froze.

She hadn't considered this question at all.

This wasn't because Kurisu Makise was a careless person, but because after participating in the series of events created by Professor Leskinen, and after talking to Amadeus face-to-face, she subconsciously ignored this question, which she didn't think was a problem.

Because originally, Amadeus had detached from the mobile device and transformed into a physical being in the world of minds and spirits.

Since it could detach, why couldn't it go back?

It wasn't until Maho Hiyajo reminded her that Kurisu Makise realized something.

At that time, the one carrying the Amadeus program... was Professor Leskinen, not Professor Leskinen from the original timeline, but the equipment created by Professor Leskinen from the future world line.

That is to say...

That's something that will only appear in the future, something that cannot be replicated with current technology.

Even if Makise Kurisu and Hiyajo Maho are both geniuses, how could they, as brain science researchers mainly focused on theory, catch up with hardware technology that has taken who knows how many years to cross?

That's simply a pipe dream.

Not to mention, Makise Kurisu hasn't told Hiyajo Maho the whole story. The Amadeus they're working on contains not only one person's memories but also the memories of at least dozens of psychic ability users, in order to switch between soul manifestation abilities during combat, and also ensure that the main personality doesn't lose control.

This level of computing power... does the world even have matching hardware right now?

Besides, Amadeus's requirement is a portable mobile device that can be carried around. If they told her to stay in a large, immovable computer...

There's no way she'd agree to come out, right!?

"Now you understand?"

Looking at Makise Kurisu's expression, Hiyajo Maho sighed with slight helplessness.

"The professor and I have been paying attention to science magazines, specifically looking for information in this area. Roughly estimating, based on the current level of technology, it would take at least two to three years to develop hardware capable of supporting Amadeus. If we're talking about a portable device, it would take at least five to seven years."

"Five to seven years..."

Hearing the number Hiyajo Maho said, unlike Makise Kurisu, who looked disheartened and felt that her plan had already failed, Yotsuya Miko seemed to have thought of something, with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"I've answered your question. Next..."

Hiyajo Maho looked directly into Makise Kurisu's eyes and slowly opened her mouth.

"It's my turn to ask you. Have you seen the professor recently? Do you know where he is?"

Hearing this question, Makise Kurisu's heart sank.

The inevitable... has finally come...

Before Makise Kurisu could figure out how to answer, Hiyajo Maho suddenly said something that made Makise Kurisu's expression change, in a very calm tone.

"The professor isn't missing, but rather... has already passed away, right?"

"Eh? How did you..."

"So it's true."

Hiyajo Maho revealed a slight smile, propping her chin up with one hand, unable to tell what she was thinking, but her voice carried a smile and a hint of inexplicable loneliness.

"You've never been good at lying..."

"Senior, I..."

"I know very well that the professor isn't the same professor as before."

Hiyajo Maho didn't seem to want to get to the bottom of things with Makise Kurisu, but instead, she softly said to herself.

"Not long ago, maybe a few months ago, the professor suddenly became a little strange. In the eyes of others, he was still Professor Leskinen, but whenever I discussed the Amadeus project with him, what he revealed was no longer the pure longing and enthusiasm for scientific research that he used to have, but a kind of... I don't know how to describe it, like a thug seeing a firearm that can be used to inflict harm, a kind of fanaticism."

"The Amadeus project is not only a research project that you and I participated in, but also the professor's lifelong effort. Once that pure pursuit of scientific research is lost, it can no longer be faked. Even if his acting skills are good, I can feel that what the professor is pursuing is no longer the success of the Amadeus project."

"He even started coming to the research institute less and less frequently, as if he had completely lost interest in the progress of the Amadeus project. And then... he went to Tokyo City and completely disappeared."

Speaking to this point, Hiyajo Maho paused for a moment and looked at Makise Kurisu again.

"If I'm not mistaken, you should know something about this, right?"

"This... Senior... I..."

Makise Kurisu pursed her lips, appearing somewhat hesitant.

Although the members of the Overload Society had told her that if she felt it was necessary, she could tell Hiyajo Maho the truth, Makise Kurisu couldn't bring herself to make that decision at this time.

"Senior... some things... are better left unknown."

"Is that so?"

Hiyajo Maho responded noncommittally, glanced at Yotsuya Miko and Futaba Rio sitting there, and then said faintly.

"Since you've said so, then fine, but the research institute has already been disbanded anyway, and I don't have anything to do for the time being. I'll stay here for a while, is that okay?"

"Of course."

Futaba Rio pushed up her glasses, her tone flat.

"We were the ones who invited you in the first place. You can stay as long as you want."

...

On the other side, Private Shuchiin Academy, student council office.

"Long time no see, Yozora-san."

Seeing Fujiwara Chika and her two evil spheres, accompanied by an energetic voice, hopping into the room from outside, Shinomiya Kaguya first lowered her head to look at her chest, then raised her head to look at Fujiwara Chika, her voice suddenly becoming a little cold.

"Chika, please pay attention to your demeanor in the future. After all, you are the student council secretary, you need to be more composed."

"Eh? I'm very composed."

Fujiwara Chika didn't understand Shinomiya Kaguya's meaning, she just sat on the sofa opposite Yozora, picked up a small snack placed on the table and put it in her mouth, vaguely, and asked with a smile.

"So, Yozora-san, did you specifically call me over because you have something to do? Are you here to consult about matters related to love?"

"Love-related? Consult you?"

Yozora shook his head, looked at President Shinomiya Kaguya, Vice President Shijo Maki, and Secretary Fujiwara Chika in the student council office, and gave a perfectly logical statement that made all three of them unconvinced but completely unable to refute.

"Just looking at the composition of your student council... it exudes an aura of ignorance from love newbies..."

Chapter 514: The Earth's Cancer Longing for Pure Love, the High-Tech Acquisition Plan

"Don't... don't talk nonsense!"

Shijo Maki and Shinomiya Kaguya were both silent, but the great Earth's Cancer, Fujiwara Chika, chose to argue on principle.

"Although I haven't been in a relationship myself, I'm known as the love detective. Many students come to me for consultation when they encounter problems in their relationships!"

"Oh? Is that so?"