Tokyo Psychic

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Well, he is worthy of being a high school student. Even if he only sleeps three or four hours a day, he can still be full of energy when he goes to school the next day.

An old guy like me who is still a social animal can’t hold on any longer.

Kurusu Akatsuki felt that the pressure in his skull was close to bursting, so he turned off his phone and buried his face in the pillow, waiting for a peaceful sleep, when the hippocampus in his brain would help release the cache.

In fact, I entered the Velvet Room through a dream.

A luxurious and mysterious cabin, this is the layout of the Velvet Room today.

Lavenda was flipping through a deck of tarot cards behind the large desk. Spread out on the table were the Pope, the Emperor, the Faith, and the Devil, glittering.

Noticing Kurusu Akatsuki, she lifted her face and gave a sweet smile, "Welcome back to the Velvet Room, Master."

"I have obtained intelligence on the enemy." Kurusu Akatsuki went straight to the point.

Lavenda also suppressed her smile, her face tense and serious. "Please explain."

"The enemy most likely possesses extraordinary abilities like 'time travel', even to the point of manipulating timelines."

The secretary nodded thoughtfully, "It sounds like the other party is the mastermind behind all the events we are currently experiencing."

"According to the information provided by Miss Woyan, our enemies this time may be multiple 'gods'. This means that our every move in the Impression Space will be completely exposed to their observations, and we are at risk of being besieged at any time."

Kurusu Akatsuki sat down across from her. "But it seems like our only option is to return to our roots."

"Hmm...are we planning to start the sweep from City Hall?" Lavenda looked at the tarot cards in her hand and uttered the remarkable lines easily.

The Phantom Thief was speechless. "Rampaging the power center right from the start? That would make it too easy for the enemy to ambush us... This time, there are no Shadow Patrollers to provide supplies and support in the image space."

He reached over and ruffled Lavenda's hair. "We're going to Kawasaki the day after tomorrow, and Tokyo Station is located in Chiyoda Ward. I was planning to stop by the city hall's image space while passing through Chiyoda to test the enemy's reaction."

Lavenda didn't mind at all that Kurusu Akatsuki messed up her hair... He would help her comb it neatly when they were about to leave anyway. She just closed her eyes slightly like a white dove being stroked on the head, enjoying the warmth and touch left by the other's fingertips when passing through her hair.

Kurusu Akatsuki withdrew his hand. "According to the last piece of information, the most recent activity of those self-proclaimed 'gods' was in Kawasaki City."

Lavenda showed no sign of worry. She simply looked at the Phantom Thief sitting across from her with a look of trust and expectation, and said, "I wish you good luck in your military career."

In the thick stack of tarot cards in her hand, a Major Arcana card symbolizing [Love] was glowing faintly.

......

On the same night, in the deepest room on the second floor of Sakura's house, a small wooden sign was hung outside the soundproof wooden door with the words "Sakura Futaba's Secret Base" written on it.

Behind the door was a darkened bedroom. In the dim light, the outlines of stuffed dolls of all sizes could be vaguely seen, piled atop the dishevelled sheets. Along with the figurines and plastic models stacked on a pulley rack against the wall, they quietly gazed at the occupant across from the bed. A cacophony of colorful posters covered the walls, creating a backdrop reminiscent of a Ukiyo-e painting.

It was a girl wrapped in a halo almost like mist. She was curled up in an armchair, wearing only a thin dress, her long citrus-colored hair draped over her narrow shoulders.

Eight massive monitors stretched before her. The screens displayed a chaotic display of flitting pages of code and cascading function graphs. The computer's radiator hummed, emitting scalding air. The main monitor was connected to an infrared surveillance camera, capturing a clear view of the mezzanine floor of the LeBron Cafe.

Unlike the "father" who runs a coffee shop in this house, and Iserina who lives on the first floor and transferred from Kumamoto to Tokyo, the 15-year-old Sakura Futaba is an absolute genius.

After a series of devastating family changes, Sakura Futaba, who lost her mother, became a homebody after graduating from junior high. Even her guardian, Sakura Sojiro, dared not enter or leave her room, fearing she might cause her to do something harmful. Everyone assumed she was shut in to her room, using novels and anime to soothe her trauma, and they were happy to see her find a way to vent her emotions after the upheaval.

But in fact, in this small world where no one disturbs her, Sakura Futaba, who has been smart since childhood, gives full play to her talents. She is deeply trapped in the whirlpool of the Internet. In order to escape the nightmare brought by reality, she studies hacking technology hard and gains a sense of security by receiving a large amount of information on the Internet.

It seemed as if nothing could stop her exploration. Driven by a sense of dread, Futaba Sakura diligently, even desperately, studied programming and network intrusion until she mastered professional, even master-level hacking techniques. With these, she could easily break into police computer databases and obtain intelligence. It seemed that only by achieving this could she sleep peacefully at night.

At this moment, the talented hacker girl was horrified by her discovery.

Sakura Futaba, who had finally gained a sense of security from her own invincible computer skills, kept reviewing the surveillance footage.

Forget about a sense of security; she really feels like the sky is falling.

Jing Serina disappeared from the bedroom out of thin air, and the cameras secretly placed near Sakura's house did not capture any trace of her.

However, just half an hour later, she and that "Amamiya Ren" appeared out of nowhere on the street behind Sakura's house.

What is this? Teleportation? A superpowered person?!

Sakura Futaba bit her thumb and stared at the video playing frame by frame on the screen.

She had bought the cameras with the commissions she earned from the ghostwriting program, and then secretly installed them around her home and in and around LeBron late at night.

Sakura Sojiro recently took in two high school students. Sakura Futaba, who has always lacked a sense of security, was quite dissatisfied with this, so she has been secretly keeping an eye on them...

As a result, she saw such a shocking scene tonight.

Sakura Futaba took a mint from a nearby plastic jar and popped it into her mouth. Her pale, slender hands tapped at high speed on the keyboard, leaving behind a series of dancing shadows. With familiarity, she hacked into the Metropolitan Police Department's database, searching for the biographies of "Amamiya Ren" and "Isai Serina."

However, until her eyeballs were filled with bloodshot, the sky outside the window was pale, and the sunlight broke through the curtains into this space that was working all night long——

She still got nothing.

All the written information shows that "Amamiya Ren" is just an ordinary high school student who likes to play in a band. The same is true for another "Isai Serina". They seem to have no connection with the so-called "superpowers".

Sakura Futaba stood up with difficulty, holding on to the computer desk. The fatigue from working all night suddenly came flooding back at her. A moment of "orthostatic hypotension" cast a shadow in front of her eyes.

After a brief dizziness, she staggered towards the door.

Go to the bathroom, then have breakfast...The girl named "Jing Qin" had a fever yesterday and went to bed so late. She must not have gotten up yet, right?

Thinking this, she mustered the courage to open the door.

......

Jing Qinrencai, wearing her school uniform, opened the door and walked out of the bedroom sleepily.

Sakura Futaba, whose social phobia level is MAX, stood at the stairs, looking at the "suspected superpower person" who just met her with a dull expression. Her scream was stuck in her throat and turned into intermittent sobs.

The living room is empty, and people who have not slept all night and those who have just woken up and are ready to start a new day meet at this moment.

*

There is an ordinary and obscure happiness in life:

You don’t think about eating until someone brings you food. Then you realize you are hungry. You eat it up in no time and then sit there for a while without thinking about anything.

Kurusu Akatsuki, who had accidentally overslept, sat blankly at the head of the bed. An empty bowl with a little egg custard and a half-empty cup of coffee sat on the tray beside him. The time stamp on his phone had jumped to "8:12."

The time to work for LeBron is long gone.

But Sakura Sojiro didn't seem to mind that there was one less waiter in the store this morning. He even took time out of his busy schedule to make breakfast and send it to the attic.

Since Ijichi Hoshige asked her sister to post the news that Kurusu Akatsuki was working part-time at STARRY on the school forum, fewer and fewer female students have been going to LeBron to check in and join in the fun.

It seems that business has returned to its former quiet state.

Kurusu Akatsuki hurriedly changed into her school uniform, carried a tray into the kitchen, and helped Sakura Sojiro wash the dishes.

He put his guitar in the back seat of Kawahara Momoka's car before leaving last night, so he can go to school without the weight on his back today.

"Mr. Sakura looks upset?"

Kurusu Akatsuki turned on the faucet, and the cold water washed the porcelain cup in his hand. Then he asked Sakura Sojiro, who had a gloomy expression on his face.

Sakura Sojiro immediately recalled the tragic atmosphere at home this morning, as if a war was about to break out at any time. The corners of his wrinkled eyes trembled a few times, "I should have told you before? About my daughter..."

"Could she have had an argument with Jing Qin today?" Kurusu Akatsuki couldn't imagine how an autistic person could have an argument with a patient who had a fever and lost consciousness last night.

"They didn't quarrel, but she was very afraid of Jingqin," Sakura Sojiro shook his head. "When the two met for the first time, Jingqin didn't say a word, and Futaba immediately ran back to her room crying."

"I see, Jing Qin can go to school now?"

"She's gotten much better. It just so happens that the Takemi Internal Medicine Clinic in Shigenjaya opened today, so I took her there for a checkup... Well, she got a lecture from the doctor, so to speak. Jingqin is currently receiving an IV drip in the hospital." Sakura Sojiro folded the washed dishes. "Amamiya, you should get to school now, or you'll be late."

Kurusu Akatsuki wiped her hands with two sheets of kitchen paper. "Should I stop by to visit Jingqin-san?"

Sakura Sojiro looked at the time on the wall clock and hesitated for a moment. "Then why don't you just help take care of Jing Qin in the hospital? Wait until her IV drip is finished and then take her to school. I'll call the school and let you know."

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(Around 12pm tomorrow night, there will be at least chapters, with a maximum of . It's time to unleash my writing prowess. I'll try to finish the current prologue in one go while also starting the first main storyline chapter, and then move on to An and Subaru's personal stories.)

(The second update cycle, the current updates required are: two chapters for monthly tickets and six chapters for silver treasure chests.

I'm only 14 blades away from meeting the requirements for a new chapter, so if you have any freebies, please give them a try.

[For detailed conditions for adding more chapters and the group number of book friends, please see "Remarks on the Listing"]

045. [Phantom Thieves of the Heart] (Four chapters in one!!)

（周末爆更1/12、2/12、3/12、4/12。）

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【August 2022, 4. 】

【Two days left before the Kawasaki trip begins. 】

AM.8:25.

Setagaya District, Shigen Tea House.

The sky in Tokyo was gray, and it felt like a heavy rain was coming, but in fact not a drop of rain came out. It was probably because of urinary stones.

Kurusu Akatsuki stopped a traffic police officer at the intersection. "Excuse me, but could you tell me how to get to Takemi Internal Medicine Hospital?"

The traffic policeman looked embarrassed and said, "It's hard to explain this in just two or three sentences."

Kurusu Akatsuki was startled. According to Sakura Sojiro, this "Takemi Clinic" was already considered the community hospital of Shigenjaya. Where else could a community hospital be hidden?

He didn't believe it, "Can you help lead the way?"

This is when the benefits of having a handsome appearance come into play - even if the traffic policeman starts work at six in the morning, feeling tired from lack of sleep and annoyed by the monotonous and boring work, his mood will brighten when he sees a beautiful girl or boy.

The traffic police took out an old-fashioned walkie-talkie, had a brief conversation with his colleagues, and then took Risu Xiao to the community hospital.

After wandering around the alley for nearly ten minutes, they finally found a hidden rental house. It had been renovated and was now used as a clinic. The old building and the new interior seemed a bit out of place.

A sign hung at the entrance, its broken LED light flickering erratically. [Takemi Internal Medicine Clinic: Limited-edition Rejuvenation Elixir, special price: only 4999 yen per box!!]

After being led here, Kurusu Akatsuki thanked the traffic police and walked up the stairs alone.

Rather than "hospital", the word "clinic" is more appropriate to describe this place.

A young woman with short, jet-black hair, wearing a white lab coat, sat at a counter surrounded by barred windows. Her delicate features, elongated in the dim light, appeared even more three-dimensional. However, her slightly drooped eyes and even her pursed lips robbed her of any natural gentleness, leaving only a hint of coldness and rationality. A short black dress, attached to a bright red leather belt, contrasted sharply with the white lab coat. A punk-inspired decorative leather collar accentuated the slenderness of her neck and the delicateness of her collarbone.

Intellectuality and rebellion, two contradictory styles are perfectly combined in her.

She should be the doctor here, although she looks like a college student, and her appearance is so dazzling that it would be dazzling even at a high-end hotel ball, which makes people doubt whether she has the skills to diagnose and treat patients.

(028.webp)

"Excuse me, is this Doctor Takemi?"

"I'm Takemi. What can I do for you?" Doctor Takemi's voice was as clear and melodious as the sound of spring water lapping against round, soft pebbles. Then she saw Kurusu Akatsuki wearing the Shujin High School uniform and that recognizable face. "So it's you, the famous transfer student."

"Huh? Have we met before?" Kurusu Akatsuki was a little surprised.

She twirled her hair with her fingers. "After school that day, you brought a pretty junior girl to my place who had sprained her ankle... Hehe, you're amazing! Just a week after transferring to this school, you've already captured the heart of the prettiest and cutest girl in the first grade. I heard she's not only good at gymnastics but also very flexible. She also has a twin sister who studies gymnastics. Your high school life is going to be really colorful."

"I shouldn't have been to the health room." Kurusu Akatsuki selectively ignored the long adolescent delusion that Dr. Takemi described for him.

"The door of the health room was not closed at that time." After answering, Dr. Takemi looked at Kurusu Akatsuki with interest.

"Let me introduce myself again. I'm Takemi Mia. I'm the director, cashier, attending physician, and nurse at Takemi Internal Medicine Hospital... and I also work part-time as a health teacher at your school. You can usually see me in the health room on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So, are you feeling unwell?"

As he spoke, Wu Jianmiao's eyes even began to glance at the lower part of Kurusu Akatsuki's waist and abdomen.

Kurusu Akatsuki swallowed her anger and said, "I'm healthy. I came to visit Jingqin."

Hearing this, Wu Jianmiao's eyes quickly took on a look of admiration, "Jing Qin is also a very cute girl... You are really amazing."

“Just neighbors.”

"Stop talking, I understand."

So, Kurusu Akatsuki gave up explaining with an expressionless face.

Dr. Wu Jian stood up, pushed open the small door of the sales counter, and opened the main door of the clinic next to it.

*

The electric fan buzzed on the ceiling, like a spirited fly, provoking and teasing with the sound of its flapping wings, but it would never come close, deliberately stirring up the impatience in people's hearts.