"Yo, is that Mama Mugino? This is Big Brother speaking. Say something if you can hear me... Hmm, if you can't hear me, I'll just say it again."

Kinuwata Miazu instantly flushed with embarrassment, and the other end of the line seemed to freeze for a second before a voice filled with killing intent boomed, "Who are you? Why is Kinuhata's phone in your hand!"

"Are you talking about little loli Kinuhata? Well, she now belongs to this master and is currently undergoing **. Oh, and today's first lesson is learning how to warm my bed."

"Who the hell is warming your bed, you pervert!" Before the person on the other end could react, Kinuhata Miazu exploded in anger, yelling into the phone, "Mugino, I'm sorry, I've been captured. This guy is an ally of Railgun."

"Captured? You useless trash, what the hell are you good for!" Mugino Shizuri's furious roar made Kinuhata Miazu lower her head in shame.

"Then... third companion, what is your purpose in calling me? Are you trying to use that weakling to threaten me? Hahaha!" A mocking cold laugh echoed through the phone.

"You really are infuriating," Lin Luo muttered, shaking his head. As expected, that crazy woman Mugino Shizuri had no regard for her comrades.

"The feeling is mutual," Tatsumaki showed no intention of suppressing her killing intent; her voice was chillingly cold.

Lin Luo ignored the killing intent, chuckling casually. "Actually, I didn't call you for anything important. I just wanted to confirm how my dear Mikoto is doing. I hope you'll tell me the truth."

"That brat... Hahahaha! You're a step too late. That girl has already been turned into a pile of meat. What third place? She's clearly just a wet-behind-the-ears kid. Railgun is completely undeserved! Hahahaha!" As if venting, Mugino Shizuri reduced Mikoto to worthless scraps.

Lin Luo sighed. Of course, he didn't believe a word Mugino Shizuri said. Seriously, given the connection he shared with Mikoto, if she were truly dead, he would have reacted drastically on his end. Therefore, Mugino Shizuri's words did nothing to panic him; instead, a great weight lifted from his heart.

... Mugino Shizuri had lost!

The only reason she said that was to provoke him, which, of course, was linked to her own arrogance.

The tension that had been knotting his chest finally eased. Lin Luo adjusted his tone and spoke slowly, "Please, Auntie Mugino, when you lie, could you adjust your tone a bit? Your furious voice is filled with the irritability of a woman experiencing premature menopause. If you have irregular periods, I can actually teach you a few methods. Remember not to eat too much fishy food; you should eat more eggs and ginger, etc. Oh, and according to experts, eggs can also help with breast enhancement, although you are already well-endowed... Oh, and make sure to exercise more. You know, movement is life..."

Silence reigned on the other end of the line for a full ten seconds, followed by an explosion after the quiet. Mugino Shizuri screamed, "Get over here! You bastard! I'm going to kill you! I absolutely will kill you!!"

"Whoa!" Lin Luo jumped, the high-pitched shriek nearly piercing his eardrums. He hastily pulled the phone away from his ear. "What a tyrant of a woman... Is she always like this?" He directed the last sentence as a question toward Kinuhata Miazu.

Kinuhata Miazu felt speechless, looking at Lin Luo with an expression that clearly said, Didn't you just make her flip out?

"If that's truly the case, it only shows that her mental fortitude isn't strong enough. Sigh, she's an esper Level 5, yet her psychology is so fragile. Countless tragedies in this world stem from this very weakness." Lin Luo shook his head, looking quite regretful. Though this comment wasn't loud, it was certainly audible to Mugino on the other end, prompting an even sharper and more domineering torrent of curses.

Any woman would lose their temper after hearing what you just said.

Kinuhata Miazu desperately wanted to voice that thought, but she hesitated. This guy might not kill her, but he certainly possessed the ability to anger her to death. It was best to provoke him less.

A full minute passed before the shouting from the phone finally ceased. Lin Luo brought the receiver back to his ear. "So, Sister Mugino, you've finished scolding. I've gotten the information I needed, so I think we should say goodbye now." Since he now knew Mikoto had defeated Tatsumaki, there was no point in wasting more time chatting with the woman. The tactical harassment by phone was also unnecessary.

"Tell me your name," Mugino Shizuri's voice was calm, a stark contrast to her previous furious state.

"Why? Did you fall for me and want to join the imperial harem?" Lin Luo was momentarily stunned, almost thinking he had unintentionally charmed Sister Mugino.

"I'm going to kill you!" The voice was soft, the tone firm, the attitude persistent... Good mental state, I see.

"Uh..." Right, Lin Luo understood now. He had successfully racked up Mugino Shizuri's hatred level, likely to negative infinity.

"Well, no need for a name. If you like, you can call me Big Brother, Onii-chan, or Onii-sama. I won't mind at all. Oh, and feel free to come warm my bed anytime."

With that, without waiting for Mugino Shizuri to explode again, Lin Luo decisively hung up the call.

A slight tremor ran through the ground beneath him. Lin Luo blinked, guessing that Mama Mugino was throwing a tantrum. Good, keep raging.

"Lin Luo, Lin Luo, where are you?" Just then, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.

Mikoto!

Telepathic link established!

Lin Luo rejoiced and immediately relayed his location. Soon, he saw Mikoto's silhouette at one of the passage entrances in the room. Her clothes were tattered, her face haggard, and she appeared utterly weak.

Lin Luo rushed over and supported her, anxiously asking, "How are you? Are you injured anywhere?"

"It's fine, just a bit drained," Mikoto managed a wry smile. "To be honest, I owe it to using the demolition traps left behind by that bombing girl; otherwise, I might not have made it back."

"It's good that you're back," Lin Luo comforted, instantly activating the Divine Healing spell. Although Mikoto's injuries weren't severe, her mental exhaustion was significant. This single healing session cost him over fifty points of Vitality.

And this expenditure only managed to repair Mikoto's external wounds and slightly alleviate her fatigue. To restore her fighting capability, Lin Luo's current Vitality pool was far from sufficient.

Since treating Bai Ruiye's injuries, Lin Luo had learned that this Divine Healing could not only mend physical wounds but also repair mental trauma and restore combat power, though the latter required an immense amount of Vitality.

Moreover, the Vitality required varied depending on the individual. Bai He, for instance, required four times more than Lin Luo, and that was with the added boost from the Book of Contracts; otherwise, the cost would have been even higher.

And Mikoto, who was significantly stronger than Bai He, was out of the question. The prompt from the Book of Contracts suggested that restoring her combat power instantly would require at least 800 Vitality...

Well, that was equivalent to two of his own lives!

P: Thanks to reader の for the various suggestions; they've given me great inspiration. Having such supportive readers makes me very happy, haha. Also, please cast your votes^^^^