Chapter 353: One sided communication

The Board of Directors is the ruling body of Academy City. Each Board member oversees a specific domain. For example, Unabara Mitsuki was previously responsible for the city's arms exports.

In other words, he was an arms dealer.

"Is the arms trade really that lucrative? How did these people divide up the profits so quickly? Isn't their speed a bit too fast? Are they like dogs, always eager to snatch the freshest meat?"

Li Mo pointed and criticized, muttering incessantly.

Kihara Noukan: #!

"Are you doing this on purpose?"

"Sorry, sorry. I forgot you're actually a dog. Sometimes I just think of you as a human brain transplanted into a dog's body."

Kihara Noukan was a dog with enhanced brain development, but its intelligence was no less than that of a human.

"No, you're definitely doing this on purpose."

"Damn it, Noukan, don't pour coffee on me."

"You have magic anyway. It's fine."

Magic was almost omnipotent. It could simplify many processes, achieving results directly from the start.

For example, cleaning clothes.

Watching Li Mo clumsily clean the coffee off himself, Kihara Noukan retracted its mechanical arm and said, "Aren't you angry about this?"

Li Mo was the one who killed Unabara, and Aleister had granted him the Board member position. In a sense, he was Unabara's successor, so the profits that once belonged to Unabara should now be his.

—Of course, Board members weren't exactly rule-abiding people… Aside from a few like Oyafune Monaka, most weren't good people. When there's a cake right in front of you, you'd naturally want a piece.

Like hyenas, they loved feasting on the remains of others.

Li Mo shrugged. "Why should I care? The arms trade can accumulate significant wealth, but I don't need it. Ah, Kihara Noukan, you jerk, what is this script? Why does it look so annoying? Blah blah blah. I thought this was just a private meeting among Board members, not a public speech."

He had come to Kihara Noukan to prepare for today's Board meeting—his first appearance. Kihara Noukan had given him a script, telling him to follow it.

The content was about self-defense, highlighting how Academy City's defenses were full of holes after the September 30th incident.

Kihara Noukan said, "It seems you really don't care about those profits. You should understand what this script represents."

"Joining their rules? Come on, I was specially appointed by the Chairman. Why should I follow their rules? It's almost time. I'll just wing it."

Li Mo: "Anyway, I'm already accessing the database. I don't care about the rest."

Kihara Noukan knew what Li Mo was doing. He was holding a tablet, using some method it couldn't comprehend to directly read the information inside. Information was fundamentally based on electronic products, consisting of "0s and 1s." An electromaster could directly hack into the database using their brain.

What espers could do, magic could do as well.

Kihara Noukan understood the potential of magic. After all, the existence of **Magic Gods**, who could destroy and rebuild the world with a single thought, proved the limitless possibilities of magic.

"It's time. I need to prepare for the meeting. Kihara Noukan, are you coming?"

"I'll pass. Although I don't know what you're planning, I'll remind you—he won't speak."

"No problem, no problem. It's fine if he doesn't speak."

"He" referred to Aleister.

Kihara Noukan: "I'll leave now. The stage is yours."

Li Mo checked the time.

In one night, he had devised a method to use magic to access the database. In fact, this magic could go even further. If imitating the Son of God could make one a **Saint**, what would happen if he imitated espers? Could he gain their powers?

He kept this idea hidden. The world of magic wasn't limited to **Idol Theory**, but there was no doubt it was the easiest theory to start with.

What was his core purpose?

To create a safe environment for Fremea, or to fulfill Kumokawa Seria's request?

This meeting… was arranged by Aleister, wasn't it?

A storm began to brew in his mind.

Then, the time came.

Li Mo entered the online meeting room.

As the main focus of this meeting, Li Mo smiled and said, "Good morning, everyone."

In reality, Aleister had only granted him the position of Board member and nothing more. But that didn't stop Li Mo from speaking confidently.

He talked about September 30th, the day **Frontline** attacked Academy City, the most significant assault the city had ever faced. Three Board members had been lost that day.

Then, he shifted the topic to the recent dark side conflict, which had claimed two more Board members.

From start to finish, he spoke matter-of-factly. Despite his lively tone, there was an underlying coldness to his words.

"Everyone, don't you think Academy City's security is too weak? In this special period, what if another solo assault occurs?"

Li Mo's voice was low, cold, yet strangely inspiring.

Even through electronic reproduction, the magic in his words was palpable.

No one objected.

No one cared.

In the midst of a war, strengthening security seemed like the right choice.

"Finally, I'd like to remind everyone that this is a world where 'a single individual can resist an entire army.'"

On the surface, this new Board member seemed harmless. He didn't care about ordinary profits but focused on other areas?

Baiseki Kiyomitsu watched the interrupted meeting, his mind filled with the new Board member's words. The subsequent discussions were just noise.

The key was the new Board member. The war in Russia was insignificant to Academy City's Board members.

"What do you think his goal is?"

The old man asked his advisor.

Through an electronic terminal, he could contact a high school girl far away.

"Old man, you're really getting senile. Haven't you noticed? Why didn't anyone engage with him during the entire meeting? Was it even a meeting? No, it wasn't. It was just him unilaterally informing everyone.

—The implication of 'strengthening Academy City's security' is that he's dissatisfied with the city's current state."

"Unabara, what's your take?" Baiseki Kiyomitsu, the old man, sensed something was off. It seemed that during the meeting, everyone had been led by the nose. "An esper?"

"No, a magician. Old man, it seems our new Board member is quite capricious. He doesn't seem to care about others' opinions or feelings. Just like… him."

"Him."

The Chairman of Academy City, Aleister Crowley.

Baiseki Kiyomitsu began to review everything from the meeting. He had to admit that the new Board member's style was very much like Aleister's.

"Unabara? What do you think I should do?"

"Do nothing. Someone else will take action. Old man, you need to understand his recent experiences. He was furious about the dark side's rebellion. Under the guise of security, he wants to change the landscape. Of course, this is just speculation.

More importantly, what is his relationship with him? Without clarity, it's best to stay put. The consequences of opposing him, I think you know, old man."

"Understood. Sorry for taking up your time, Unabara."

"No need to be so polite, old man."

Unabara Aisa hung up the phone.

She turned to look out the window.

With an external war raging, would this city also face an internal storm?