"Can't you show anything besides just talk?" Lin Jie yawned beside him. "I've got things to do tomorrow."
"You bastard! How dare you look down on me!" The giant roared, enraged by Lin Jie's disdain. He pulled out a special syringe from his gear. "This was meant as a last resort for us B-Ranks. But since you've got A-Rank strength and speed, I'll have to use it against you."
He jammed the syringe into his neck. "You'll regret underestimating me..."
"Too much chatter." Lin Jie slammed him back into the ground.
*Heh heh heh.* A massive shadow rose from the crater. Glowing red patterns now covered its body, pulsing with eerie power.
"Is this near S-Rank strength? It feels incredible!" The giant had fully transformed into a hulking monster.
"Boring." Lin Jie leapt up, gripping his Spike Mace, and swung it downward.
"Hah! Useless! To me, you're slower than a snail!" The monster laughed, reaching out with a thick arm to grab Lin Jie mid-air.
Then—its entire arm vanished.
"What?!" The monster stared in shock. He'd seen Lin Jie's move clearly. He was certain he'd catch him. Yet his arm had been shattered by sheer force. His defenses were bulletproof—even the latest armor-piercing rounds couldn't scratch him.
"Who are you?" The monster eyed Lin Jie warily. "But don't think this wins you anything. I'm unkillable now."
Flesh writhed at the stump, regrowing an arm before their eyes.
"Do you think you're Piccolo or something?" Lin Jie tightened his grip on the Spike Mace. In a flash, he appeared beside the monster. The mace swept horizontally, shattering both legs. As the beast toppled, Lin Jie struck again and again. The monster was reduced to a limbless torso.
"Told you—it's useless!" Wounds pulsed, flesh regenerating instantly.
"I'll break every limb you regrow." Lin Jie grinned eerily.
Ten minutes later, the monster lay shriveled to human size, twitching violently on the ground.
"Looks like your drug's time ran out. Berserk potions always have side effects."
"..." The man glared silently, body convulsing before going still.
"Drugs feel great now, funeral pyre later," Lin Jie sighed. "I'll hand you to the Hero Association at dawn."
*Heh heh heh...* The man chuckled coldly. "Think beating me means victory? You've angered the worst enemy on earth."
"Tsk. A loser's bark." Lin Jie shrugged.
"I admit the organization underestimated you. Sending a mere B-Rank like me was a mistake. Next time, they'll send someone you can't possibly defeat." The man sneered. "The Evolution Corporation? Even true S-Ranks fear us."
"So what? Let them come."
"Hmph. Enjoy your fleeting triumph. Next operation, that little girl you protect will be ours. Your teammates are probably dead already. And your sister? After we crush you, I'll take good care of her."
Lin Jie's expression shifted. "I failed to protect someone once. It won't happen again."
A chilling aura erupted from him. Backlit by the moon, his black pupils glowed crimson.
"Wait! You can't kill me! That's not what Super Heroes do!" The man trembled. "And do you know who backs us? President Ouyang of the H City Hero Association! He'll never forgive this!"
"Hero? I quit that role long ago." A pitch-black Longsword materialized in Lin Jie's hand, its blade radiating red light. "You have no idea who you've provoked."
"That sword!" The man paled, recognizing the crimson eyes. "The Sword of Judgement! You're—"
Unspeakable terror flooded him. That blade haunted every criminal's nightmares. He never imagined meeting the legend who vanished five years ago.
His shock ended there.
...
Lin Jie opened his apartment door. Lin Wan shuffled out in pajamas, cradling a sleeping little girl.
"Why's it so noisy outside?" Lin Wan mumbled.
"Nothing. Super Heroes fighting monsters. Show's over."
"Oh." She nodded. "Who won?"
"The Super Hero."
"Okay. I'm going back to bed. You should sleep too."
"Goodnight." Lin Jie added, "And that's not a pillow in your arms."
"Eh? Since when?!"
...
After Lin Wan retreated to her room, Lin Jie pulled out his phone. "Xiao Zhan? It's Lin Jie. How's your side? You got attacked too? What?! A busty girl in a skintight suit?! Protest time! Why did I get a sweaty giant?! My end's handled..."
At the battle site, only a human-shaped crater remained.
...
Next morning, at the breakfast table.
"I've decided. Her name is Lin Mumu," Lin Wan declared, hugging the little girl.
"You can't just rename her," Lin Jie said.
"Why not? She can't recall her old name. We can't keep calling her 'little sister'." Lin Wan nuzzled the girl. "Right, Mumu?"
"Yep! I'm Lin Mumu now!" The girl chirped between bites.
"My sweet Mumu! I'm off duty today. Let's hit the amusement park—so many fun rides!"
"Really? I love you, Sister!" The girl cheered.
"Such a good girl." Lin Wan kissed her cheek.
"You act like you got a new toy," Lin Jie muttered.
"None of your business."
"Don't take Lin Wan out until this is resolved. It's unsafe. I'll move her somewhere secure today."
"No!" Lin Wan shielded the girl like a mother. "I promised her! We're going."
"Stop being stubborn."
"If you refuse, no more home-cooked meals for you. Enjoy your Spicy Strips forever."
...
"That's why you dragged us here?" Xiao Zhan glared, dark circles under his eyes. "Taking her out is suicidal!"
Lin Jie, Xiao Zhan, and Glasses Bro crouched under a tree in the amusement park.
"No choice. I'd starve on Spicy Strips otherwise..." Lin Jie changed subject. "Glasses, were you attacked last night?"
"I hid out. But my room was ransacked this morning."
"Evolution Corporation hit us," Lin Jie said. "Intel from the guy I took out confirms Winter Xueer's warning—they struck fast."
"One thing bothers me," Glasses Bro mused. "We wore Super Hero suits, faces half-hidden by goggles. How did they find our homes? Even our personal files?"
"President Ouyang leaked them," Xiao Zhan snapped. "Only he accesses H City Hero Association records. Great—fighting villains while worrying about home invasions. Lucky I've got no family."
"The Super Hero Registration Act is..." Glasses Bro trailed off.
"No use complaining now," Xiao Zhan sighed. "Your family okay?"
"Safe. We hid together."
"Winter Xueer was right. President Ouyang's tied to Evolution Corporation. No wonder hero families get kidnapped more often."
"Drop it," Lin Jie cut in. "Lin Wan named the girl Lin Mumu."
"Lin Mumu?" Glasses Bro considered it. "Sounds nice."
"I don't care, as long as it's not Lin Daiyu," Xiao Zhan joked. "After this, I'll get her a legal ID. She deserves a normal life."
They watched Lin Wan and the little girl queue for ice cream.
"Raised in a human experiment lab... she's probably never done normal kid stuff," Lin Jie murmured.
"Forget that. Are we really okay squatting here like weirdos?" Glasses Bro whispered. "People are staring."
"Pfft. Caring about stares is stupid," Xiao Zhan scoffed.
A young mother hurried past with her daughter.
"Mommy! Look! Pandas!" The girl pointed at Xiao Zhan.
"Come on. Stay away from them—they look shady." The mother yanked her child off.
"..."
"..."
"..."
