In Academy City, the Paradise Project begins.

Page 167

"Dr. Kiyama?"

Higashino's voice carried a perfectly timed hint of surprise.

Kiyama Haruo looked up at the sound and saw Higashino. His eyes first flashed with surprise, then as if he remembered something, a rare serious and complicated expression appeared on his usually tired and indifferent face.

"Dr. Higashino..."

Her voice was flat and even, without any inflection.

"Perfect timing. I haven't had a chance to formally thank you for what happened last time."

She was referring to the incident involving the fantastical beasts, in which Higashino and Misaka Mikoto ultimately resolved the issue with the fantastical beasts.

Moreover, if Higashino hadn't appeared in time last time, the consequences might have been even more unacceptable.

"It was nothing, don't worry about it."

Higashino waved his hand, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over the mountain of instant noodles in her basket.

"But... I remember, your sentence shouldn't be over yet?"

Even though I know the specific reasons, I still have to put on an act when necessary.

"Ah."

Kiyama Harumi nodded.

"Thanks to the great efforts and guarantee of the doctor from the Underworld, I was able to obtain bail ahead of schedule and come out to continue to make preparations to awaken those children."

Her tone remained calm, but when she mentioned "awakening those children," a hint of unspoken determination flashed deep in her eyes.

"I see."

Higashino expressed his understanding and his gaze fell on her.

His mind raced with thoughts.

This troublesome woman, for the sake of those children, is filled with dangerous obsessions and reckless impulses; if left unchecked, she will only be a ticking time bomb.

The subsequent chaotic opening was nothing to him, but continuing it would be troublesome.

Rather than letting her cause trouble in the shadows, it's better to bring her under control now. As for the other culprit, if you have time in the next couple of days, go find him and deal with him ahead of time.

Without much hesitation, the silver-gray light in the depths of Higashino's pupils shone once more.

Higashino directly implanted trust, obedience, and the absolute certainty of never refusing my requests into her will. Like an invisible thread, it instantly entangled and subtly rewrote certain key perceptions deep within Kiyama Harumi's consciousness.

The whole process was silent. Kiyama Harumi felt that Dr. Higashino's gaze seemed to have become exceptionally trustworthy, as if he were the only close friend he could rely on in his life.

Her expression remained unchanged, still looking haggard, but the defensiveness and aloofness in her eyes when she looked at Dongye completely disappeared, replaced by an almost instinctive trust and sense of belonging.

"Is this what you usually eat?"

Higashino pointed to the instant noodles in her basket.

"How can we conduct research if we don't get enough nutrition?"

Kiyama Harumi looked down at his basket, then at Higashino, seemingly deep in thought about his words.

"Perfect timing, let's have hot pot tonight,"

Higashino's tone became matter-of-fact, and his invitation became straightforward.

"We're also with two security guards, Ms. Yomikawa Aiho and Ms. Tesso Tsuri. You should know them too. It'll be more fun with more people, why don't you come along?"

Upon hearing the names "Yomizu River Aiho" and "security guard," the previous Kiyama Harumi would have felt at least a sense of vigilance or instinctive rejection.

After all, it was these very guards who had put her in prison. But now, her altered perceptions acted like a solid barrier, isolating her from these negative emotions.

"hot pot……"

Kiyama Harumi repeated the sentence in a low voice, his eyes showing no resistance, only obedience to Higashino's suggestion.

She nodded almost without hesitation, replying in a calm yet clear voice, "Okay. Do you need me to buy anything to take with me?"

Dongye glanced at the pile of instant noodles in her basket, a playful smile curving his lips: "No need, we're buying the ingredients right now. Just leave your noodles there, we'll have something hot tonight."

Kiyama Harumi obediently placed the shopping basket back on the empty space next to the instant noodle shelf, pushed her now-empty cart, and silently followed behind Higashino.

Higashino, leading this newly joined, absolutely "harmless" member, pushed the cart toward the fresh produce section not far away, where Yomi Kawa was excitedly showing off a box of top-grade Wagyu beef to the iron-clad vendor.

Chapter 201 Hot Pot and Chaotic Openness

Higashino and Kiyama Haruo selected some vegetables and bean products, and pushing their shopping cart, they found Yomikawa Aiho and Tetsuzou Soriri arguing about "Wagyu or Wagyu beef" in the fresh food section.

"Oh, you've bought it?"

When Huang Quanchuan saw Dongye, he greeted him as usual. His gaze then fell on Kiyama Harumi behind Dongye, and the smile on his face froze instantly, his brows furrowing.

Ironclad immediately noticed it, pushed up his glasses, his expression serious, and his body subconsciously tensed slightly.

Clearly, the two women were deeply impressed by the woman who had recently sparked a large-scale riot and whom they had personally arrested.

The fact that this criminal was brazenly following Higashino made the two women nervous.

"Kiyama Chunsheng?"

Huang Quanchuan's voice carried a hint of disbelief and doubt.

"How will you be here?"

Under normal circumstances, prisoners like Kiyama Haruo should still be incarcerated.

The atmosphere became somewhat tense for a moment. Kiyama Harumi remained expressionless, simply pushing the car behind Higashino in silence.

Higashino stepped forward at the opportune moment, a gentle smile on his face, and explained naturally, "I ran into them by chance in the instant noodle section. Huang Quanchuan, Tie Zhuang, and Dr. Kiyama have been released on bail; it was Dr. Mingtu Zhuihun who helped them."

"bail?"

Huang Quanchuan frowned, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Kiyama Haruo and Higashino, as if trying to determine the authenticity of the information and Higashino's attitude.

Bail is not uncommon in Academy City. It is not uncommon for people of value to be released for various reasons.

Ironclad also looked at Higashino with doubt.

"Ah."

Higashino nodded, his tone calm.

"The guarantee from Dr. Hades is also recognized by the higher-ups of Academy City."

Huang Quanchuan stared at Kiyama Harumi for a few seconds, then looked at Higashino. Trusting Higashino, she nodded.

She sighed, her tone softening, with a hint of admonition: "Now that you're out, cherish it. Don't do any more dangerous research. Think about your students lying in the hospital; they certainly don't want you to go astray for them and ruin yourself completely."

Kiyama Harumi remained expressionless, merely nodding slightly in response. But beneath her lowered eyelids, a fleeting hint of indifference flashed across her face.

She would give anything for those children; what did a mere detour matter? But right now, she cared more about Higashino's attitude and... that hot pot meal.

Seeing Yomi Kawa's statement, Ironclad Setsori relaxed his tense shoulders, but his gaze toward Kiyama Harumi still held a hint of scrutiny.

"Alright, we've bought all the ingredients. Let's go back."

Higashino broke the silence at the opportune moment, pushing the cart toward the cashier.

The group returned to Dongye's detached villa. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the exquisite courtyard and the modern architecture, making it look exceptionally grand.

"Wow!"

Huang Quanchuan stood at the door, hands on his hips, and exclaimed in an exaggerated manner.

"Higashino-kun, this place is amazing! I remember when you first came to Academy City, you didn't have a place to stay, and I took you to Xiaomeng's place for one night? It hasn't been long, and you've not only become the strongest esper in Academy City, but you're also living in such a big villa? This leap in your life is too fast!"

Ironclad also looked around in surprise, his eyes full of envy.

As he unlocked the door with his fingerprint, Dongye smiled modestly and said, "Just lucky. This house... well, it's all thanks to a certain young lady."

Miss Guangzi's life as a kept man was so incredibly rewarding, allowing him to avoid many detours and move into a large villa. He has been grateful for his choice more than once.

"Oh~~~"

Huang Quanchuan drew out his words and nudged Dongye with his elbow, a hint of teasing in his voice.

"So you're a kept man! Not bad, Higashino, you've got potential!"

She teased him without any restraint.

Although it's unclear which girl provided such a perfect villa for Higashino, being able to afford such a thing is certainly his skill. To be honest, he truly lives up to his reputation as the harem man of Academy City; he's impressive.

"Pfft..."

Ironclad couldn't help but laugh out loud, but then realized it was rude and quickly covered his mouth, though his shoulders were still shaking.

Kiyama Harumi stood to the side, not saying a word, but a very faint, almost imperceptible hint of mockery flashed in his eyes.

She hadn't expected that someone as seemingly upright as Higashino would be such a shrewd gigolo. As for the urban legends surrounding Higashino, she hadn't heard of them, otherwise she probably wouldn't have been so surprised.

Higashino rubbed his temples helplessly and opened the door: "Come in, don't just stand there like an idiot."

So what if I live off a woman? Laugh all you want, but you'll be crying later. I hold grudges...

The group changed into slippers, carried their ingredients, and walked into the open kitchen. They quickly divided the tasks, washing vegetables, cutting meat, and preparing dipping sauces, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

Higashino Yu was in charge of preparing the secret broth and dipping sauce, and soon, a rich aroma filled the kitchen.

The hot pot quickly came to a boil, the red and white broth bubbling with enticing bubbles.

The four sat around the dining table, the steam blurring their faces and easing the slight awkwardness that had just occurred at the supermarket entrance.

"Mmm! Delicious!"

Huang Quanchuan eagerly cooked a slice of Wagyu beef, dipped it in Higashino's special sauce, stuffed it into his mouth, and squinted his eyes in satisfaction.

"Dongye, your broth and dipping sauce are amazing! Much better than the hot pot restaurants outside!"

"It is indeed very delicious."

He also took small sips of the iron-plated dish, praising it sincerely.

"Dr. Higashino is truly an all-rounder."

Kiyama Harumi ate silently, her movements somewhat mechanical, but not slow. It seemed like she hadn't eaten such hot and flavorful food in a long time. Although her face was expressionless, the act of eating itself seemed to carry a focused enjoyment.

"Dr. Kiyama, how are your students doing now?"

Looking at the silent Kiyama, Tie Zhuangli asked softly out of concern.

The relaxed atmosphere at the table momentarily froze. Kiyama Harumi paused for half a second as he picked up food, then resumed his normal actions.

She paused for a few seconds before answering slowly, "Still unconscious."

Her voice was calm, but she tightened her grip on the chopsticks slightly.

"but……"

She raised her head, her gaze sweeping over the three people present, finally settling on the bubbling hot pot, a trace of unwavering obsession flashing deep in her eyes.

"It will get better soon. I... have found a way."

Huang Quanchuan and Tie Zhuangzhui exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of worry in each other's eyes.

Although they were unsure of what Kiyama Harumi would do next, such vague statements were worrying.

However, given Higashino's presence and Kiyama's current status as a released fugitive, they couldn't say anything more.

Higashino took in their reactions without saying a word, and casually put a piece of food on Kiyama Harumi's plate: "Eat more, health is the foundation of everything."

Just as Higashino was trying to steer the conversation in a lighter direction.

Buzz…!

A sudden, deep humming sound rang out without warning, followed by a violent shaking of the ground!

"Whoa! It's an earthquake!"

Tie Zhuangli gasped, nearly losing his balance. Huang Quanchuan swiftly caught the beverage bottle that was about to tip over. The bowls and plates on the table clattered, and the hot pot broth shook violently, on the verge of spilling!

At this critical moment, a flash of silver light appeared in Higashino's eyes.

The buzzing stopped abruptly.

The violently shaking villa seemed to be paused, instantly returning to absolute stillness. The bowls and plates on the table remained perfectly still, and the hot pot soup quickly returned to calm, as if the violent earthquake had been merely an illusion.

"..."