In H City, a man staggered out of an eyeglass store, wearing a newly bought pair of glasses on his nose.
Watching the endless stream of people, tears welled up in his eyes.
“I’m finally back… wuwu!” he exclaimed.
The man sobbing on the street was none other than Glasses Bro: “I’ve escaped that damn Inner World!”
Passersby stared at Glasses Bro crying and shouting, their eyes screaming: ‘Fucking idiot.’
‘My King, congratulations on passing the arduous trial. Hero Glasses pledges allegiance to you.’ A voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
“Thanks to you, I got out of that hellhole,” Glasses Bro said. “We’ll fight together to the end.”
While talking to the Hero Glasses on his nose, Glasses Bro didn’t notice the crowd vanishing around him.
A massive monster was wreaking havoc in the neighborhood.
“When did it appear!” Glasses Bro exclaimed, staring at the beast. “Perfect—time to test our Inner World strength.”
Battle spirit surged in him. He made to push his glasses up. At that instant, a hand slapped his head from behind, and he flung his glasses off instinctively!
“Glasses? I knew Thirteen was just scaring me,” Lin Jie said, patting his head. “When did you get back? Why didn’t you contact me?”
“Just now,” Glasses Bro replied. “Ah!! My glasses!”
He sprinted toward his fallen glasses.
“Talk after we deal with this,” Lin Jie said, grabbing his spike mace and charging at the monster.
“There it is!” Glasses Bro spotted the Hero Glasses faintly and ran. But someone was faster.
“Master!! Wait for me!! I’ll fight beside you!” A handsome guy—whose face could make girls scream—stepped right over the glasses.
“Hero Glasses!!” Glasses Bro rushed frantically to them.
Cracks now marred the Hero Glasses.
“Hold on, comrade! I’ll fix you,” Glasses Bro said. “Doesn’t that idiot watch where he’s going?”
‘My King! I feel my life fading. I won’t last.’
“Don’t talk! I’ll save you,” Glasses Bro said sadly.
‘This is fate’s design. But countless glasses await your service.’
“You’re my partner! Don’t say that,” Glasses Bro cried to the broken pair.
‘My mission ends soon. Before I die, tell the lady glasses on shelf 20, third row, third spot…’
Before Hero Glasses finished, a foot stomped down on them…
“Ah! Hero Glasses!” Glasses Bro wailed.
“Ah! I accidentally stepped on them,” Lin Jie said, scratching his head apologetically.
“You again! Last time Sage Glasses, now Hero Glasses! You’re a glasses killer,” Glasses Bro growled, glaring. If he could beat Lin Jie, he’d have punched him already.
“It’s just glasses,” Shishen said, running over. “I’ll replace them with high-end ones for my master.”
“What do you know? This was my life-and-death brother!” Glasses Bro roared.
“Forget this. Let’s eat—you look starved,” Lin Jie said, eyeing his ragged state. “You need therapy too.”
“Master, I know a great high-end restaurant,” Shishen said.
“I’ve told you a hundred times: don’t call me master! And I’m not eating with you,” Lin Jie said. “I can’t afford that place.”
“Don’t worry, Master. My treat—eat anything,” Shishen said.
“Oh? Let’s go.”
…
“So, what happened to you?” Lin Jie asked Glasses Bro. “Thirteen came back with just a pair of glasses.”
The three sat at a table. Glasses Bro shoveled food into his mouth like his life depended on it. High-end glasses—bought by Shishen en route—rested on his nose.
“Don’t ask!” Glasses Bro said. “A machine glitch dumped me into a weird world on day one.”
“A weird world?” Shishen perked up.
“It’s like reality, but rotten,” Glasses Bro explained.
“The Inner World?” Lin Jie asked.
“You know its name!” Glasses Bro stared in shock. “Heroes there called it that. Monsters and spirits are everywhere.”
“Spirits too?” Shishen gasped.
“Yeah. I walked to H City there. Cities are empty—just survivors clinging on,” Glasses Bro said. “Buildings rot; rivers are toxic sludge.”
“That’s terrifying,” Shishen said.
“Worst part: my glasses were in the surface world. No teleportation,” Glasses Bro mumbled through bites. “Those days were hell.”
“The Inner World defies modern science,” Lin Jie said. “It’s a magical realm—like hell.”
“No way? Magic?” Shishen gaped.
“Few still research it,” Lin Jie remarked. “Its ruler’s a guy named END.”
“Since when did you, a dropout, know so much?” Glasses Bro said.
“I’ve been there,” Lin Jie replied.
“What?” Glasses Bro froze. “No wonder you’re so informed!”
“As expected of my master—a true Hero,” Shishen said.
“Don’t call me master,” Lin Jie snapped.
“I’m serious,” Shishen said. “I want to be a powerful Hero. Even if I can’t match Zero, I’ll be like you—pure justice, untouched by fame.”
“You sure you mean this guy?” Glasses Bro stared at Shishen. “Aren’t you Shishen’s idol heir? Why worship this scumbag?”
“Master’s a rare true Hero!” Shishen insisted.
“He’s right. Justice-bursting folks like me are rare,” Lin Jie said, puffing his chest.
“You accept me now, Master?” Shishen beamed.
“Accept my ass!” Lin Jie grumbled. Shishen clung like glue these days—but worse, he was too handsome. Walking together made Lin Jie feel like a sidekick.
“Him? A just Hero?” Glasses Bro scoffed at Shishen. “Blind much? The guy teaching little girls ‘slash what confuses you’? He’ll be jailed for incitement.”
“Tch, you know nothing,” Lin Jie said dismissively. “Mu Mu won’t be normal. I’m prepping her for Esper life—constant combat keeps her safe.”
“She’s seven,” Glasses Bro said flatly.
“Master’s right,” Shishen nodded.
“See?” Lin Jie smirked at Glasses Bro.
“You’re totally brainwashed,” Glasses Bro sighed.
“I believe Master,” Shishen said firmly. “A Hero—even future—must fight evil anytime.”
“Stop calling me master. I’m no Hero,” Lin Jie said.
“How? You saved a girl days ago!” Shishen protested.
“But not the one possessed by the Shadow Demon,” Lin Jie said quietly. “They died innocent.”
“Don’t be hard on yourself,” Glasses Bro said. “No one’s perfect. You’re no Zero.”
“That’s why I’m no Hero. Even Zero isn’t one—we’re just garbage cleaners,” Lin Jie said. “Zero saved the world, but how many died before? The unsaveable. Why were homeless kids used in experiments? No one saved them. Mu Mu lived—but two hundred died before her. Where were we?”
“It’s the criminals’ fault,” Shishen said.
“Then what’s a Hero’s duty?” Lin Jie asked.
“To fight crime,” Shishen replied.
“Just one part,” Lin Jie said. “A true Hero guides the world to goodness—ends hate, saves the needy—not just cleans messes after. So even Zero isn’t a Hero. He’s a weapon against crises. But weapons can’t save hearts.”
“No—Zero saved me. I owe him my life,” Shishen said.
“He’s right,” Glasses Bro added. “Without him, I’d be no Hero. Without him, no thousands of Super Heroes. Zero’s always been our Hero.”
“Haha,” Lin Jie laughed, sipping wine. “That’s unfair to those never saved.”
