A Core Ship From The Start
Chapter 1233 - Chapter 1233 Chapter 836 New Goals

Chapter 1233: Chapter 836 New Goals Chapter 1233: Chapter 836 New Goals “I’m back!”

Kujikawa Rise pushed open the door cheerfully, raising her hand in greeting, while Duanmu Ai and Lumiaire nodded to her.

“Back already? How was work today?”

“Very smooth!”

Kujikawa Rise, smiling happily, was thrilled. She had moved to the office about a week ago and for her, that week was blissfully idyllic–she felt so comfortable living there that she didn’t want to leave. Of course, in terms of luxury, Duanmu Ai’s office could not compare to a celebrity’s apartment, but for Kujikawa Rise, she cherished the lively and homely atmosphere, unlike before when, drained, she would return to an icy, empty room.

“Good to hear…”

Watching Kujikawa Rise’s expression, Duanmu Ai didn’t say much outwardly but sighed inwardly. Things were going smoothly for Li Shi, but it was a different story for Duanmu Ai and Lumiaire. The Phantom Thieves used as bait had mysteriously self-destructed, and the assassin attempting to kill Li Shi had vanished without a trace. Now, the only lead was a government official who had initially taken the cognitive psychology research, but that person was exceedingly cautious and hadn’t shown any slip-ups.

Even the trip to the television station had been fruitless; Duanmu Ai had almost had the Electronic Demon search every nook and cranny of the TV station. Apart from uncovering some unspeakable secrets of the top management, she found nothing of what she actually wanted.

Duanmu Ai also made contact with Dort, learning that the Phantom Thieves case had been sidelined, and the ongoing serial murder case was being deprioritized due to a lack of useful leads–this was unavoidable, as reality isn’t a game where side quests pause the main storyline.

The police were the same–not every criminal would stay put, waiting patiently for their case to be solved before they made a move; if it were that simple, there’d be no criminals.

Thus, without any leads in the short term, they had no choice but to redirect resources to other investigations.

Of course, if all else failed, Duanmu Ai had one last strategy.

That was to lie in wait.

The culprits surely intended to act within the Subspace eventually, using cognitive science, and everything until now was just preparation. If they still couldn’t find any leads, she’d just bide her time until they made their move.

Of course, this was only possible because Duanmu Ai was powerful enough; normally, if they didn’t stop the boss’s scheme, the boss would eventually appear, unbeatably powerful. Hence, the heroes needed to weaken or destroy the boss’s schemes along the way.

But… nobody said that defeating the boss when their power was at its peak means conquering the world, right?

Even if you are Invincible East practicing in Dark Wood Cliff, coming down the mountain to face an Immortal would still mean getting crushed by a flick of their finger.

Just because you can walk horizontally in the Martial Arts world doesn’t mean you can walk horizontally in the Cultivation World.

In Duanmu Ai’s eyes, the world’s ultimate boss might as well be Invincible East meditating in Dark Wood Cliff–whether they come out early or succeed in their seclusion, their end is the same…

Still, it was somewhat frustrating–wasn’t it admitting that her intelligence was inferior, allowing them to roam free?

Although Duanmu Ai really didn’t like or was good at intellectual tasks.

“What’s for dinner today? Hey? Curry again?”

“Isn’t it pretty good?”

“Curry is delicious, but let’s change it up sometimes.”

“I don’t really mind…”

“Then it’s settled.”

Hearing Duanmu Ai agree, Kujikawa Rise happily raised her hand.

“Why not let me handle dinner? Don’t let my appearance fool you, I’ve also trained on gastronomy shows. I always make successful dishes on my morning ‘Little Lishe’s Kitchen’ show.”

“That’s what you say, but do you have the time?”

While saying this, Duanmu Ai looked up at the clock; Li Shi was the last of the three to come home, always returning at around eleven or midnight, and waiting for her to cook would mean having a late dinner instead of an evening meal…

“Umm… I’ll cook on my days off.”

“Then we’ll see when you have time off.”

“Well…”

It had to be said, after that performance, Kujikawa Rise had become quite famous, appearing on many programs. At least for now, there was no chance she’d have any time to spare.

“Oh… I hope I can get a holiday sometime.”

Yawning, Li Shi sat on the sofa and casually picked up the remote to change the channel. Just then, a voice came from the TV.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m sure you are all very afraid. All the events happening lately are due to the current government’s mismanagement! The unsolved murder cases and the unnoticed bullying and criminal acts are all the responsibility of poor governance!”

“Who is this guy?”

Perhaps because the speaker mentioned the serial killings, Duanmu Ai glanced at the television to see a bald man in sunglasses standing at a podium, ranting loudly.

“As a member of the nation, I am extremely angry. What truly is a politician? Acting solely for personal interests without regard for national affairs–this is utterly absurd! I… will overthrow this corrupt regime and bring about a new, better era! Please cast your vote for me, vote for the Alliance for the Future!”

“Another boring politician.”

“Shishi Kotobuki, I often hear about him at the TV station.”

Li Shi then joined the conversation.

“Oh? What have you heard?”

“They say he’s one of the rare politicians who dares to confront the current government. He’s quite popular among the young people. After all, a lot has happened lately, hasn’t it? Like the bullying at Shoujin High School, Master Banmu’s plagiarism exposure, and the serial murders. In these incidents, the police have done almost nothing, leading to a lot of dissatisfaction and complaints…”

Speaking so, Li Shi sighed.

“At least from what I’ve heard, everyone thinks that Representative Shishi will win the next election. The staff around me have all said they’ll vote for him.”

“Is that so… What do people think of him?”

“Ugh… Just like you saw, according to TV interviews, most people think that Shishi will bring a different ethos. Many are dissatisfied with the current government because of all these incidents, and they blame them. There was also that subway accident caused by negligence in maintenance. People are hoping that elections can be held soon so that a new leader can be elected.”

“Oh? What do you think of this man?”

“Me? I’m not sure… I think he speaks well, but honestly, I always feel that this man is not a good person.”

At this point, Li Shi frowned.

“Why do you say that?”

“Ugh… It’s just a small prejudice of mine. I once attended an event at a hotel, and just as I was about to enter the elevator, this man, along with two subordinates, arrogantly walked past, pushed me aside, and entered the elevator without even glancing at me. A person like that talking about the future of the country, portraying himself as someone who would do anything for the people–I don’t believe it.”

Li Shi grimaced, clearly annoyed by the other’s rude and discourteous behavior. Unfortunately, as an idol, she couldn’t openly criticize such a politician, so she had to swallow the slight.

Hearing this, Duanmu Ai’s eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of coldness flashing through them. In this era, as humanity’s civilization was being rebuilt, different places adopted different systems, like this city that chose to have an electoral system… But of course, that wasn’t important. What was important was…

“Lumiaire, investigate this guy.”

Duanmu Ai whispered the command to Lumiaire, who was initially taken aback but then understood.

“Do you think it’s him?”

“The beneficiary is the murderer; isn’t that a normal deduction?”

Duanmu Ai had come to this realization after hearing Li Shi’s complaints. Indeed, looking at it from the ordinary perspective of investigating murders, the killings seemed illogical and unconnected. But Li Shi’s words gave Duanmu Ai a new perspective, considering both the Gang of Thieves and the serial killings. Once these were exposed, they naturally harmed the current government’s reputation and prestige.

If someone could stand up and show they were brave enough to fight, they could easily gain public favor.

Not to mention, according to Lumiaire’s previous investigations, research from the Cognitive Sciences was taken by government officials, and this man was a high-ranking politician…

He not only had the capacity but also the motive to benefit.

Moreover, from this perspective, his attempt to kill Li Shi could also be understood.

Li Shi was currently the most popular idol singer. Her death in a series of murders would put enough pressure on the police commissioner to resign in apology. It would also cause more people to feel dissatisfied with the current government and vote for him in the elections.

As for whether or not he would do such a thing, Duanmu Ai didn’t even consider it–It’s a joke, for an election, politicians would do anything.

At least now it seemed… this guy was indeed a target.

Watching the TV, where Shishi Kotobuki was giving a passionate speech, Duanmu Ai revealed a smug smile.

Maybe this time, he had found the right one.

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