Dressed as King? Facing vaccine addicts right from the start!

Page 69

This question was like a sharp blade, instantly ripping open the deep wound hidden in his heart.

He clenched his fists tightly; fists that could easily crush steel were now trembling slightly.

His knuckles were white from excessive force, creating a stark contrast with his dark skin.

A long time, a long time.

His taut body seemed to have all its strength drained away, and it slowly collapsed.

In a voice filled with pain and confusion, he slowly said, "I lost... Mr. King... I lost utterly..."

"My...my body...my muscles that I was so proud of...are being corroded..."

His voice was filled with self-doubt, as if the whole world was collapsing before his eyes.

"I always thought that as long as I kept training and made my muscles stronger, I could become the strongest hero and protect everyone... But I was wrong... terribly wrong..."

"When I first... when I first felt that fear... I... I backed away... I was scared..."

In the end, this hero, known for his physical strength, had a hint of uncontrollable sob and fear in his voice.

He slowly raised his right hand, his huge palm trembling slightly uncontrollably in the cold moonlight.

For a man who sees "confidence," "victory," and "shiny muscles" as the entirety of his being, the collapse of his beliefs would be fatal.

Lin Mo listened quietly without interrupting.

He certainly knew about the battle between Blacklight and Gloribas.

After the crisis was over, he learned in detail from the Hero Association about the situation on the ground. He was quite surprised when he heard that one of the three admirals of the universe, Gloribas, had come to the ground and confronted Superalloy Darkshine head-on.

Therefore, he had anticipated Blacklight's current state.

Although Gloribas was defeated by Saitama in the original work, it is known that he definitely has some kind of strong acid ability, and that is indeed the case.

Isn't this just another "Sour Boss," or even stronger...?

At this moment, there is no doubt that Blacklight's confidence has begun to waver.

Lin Mo suddenly spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it had a strange penetrating power in the quiet night, clearly reaching Hei Guang's ears.

"What do you think is the true meaning of a hero?"

Blacklight clearly hadn't expected KING to suddenly ask such a philosophical question.

He froze, turned around somewhat blankly, and subconsciously answered:

"The meaning of a hero... is, of course... to protect the weak and defeat monsters."

Lin Mo shook his head without hesitation, rejecting this textbook answer.

"This is just what heroes do, it's the behavior of heroes. What I'm asking is, what is the 'meaning' of the existence of heroes?"

He shifted his gaze from the black light to the deep night sky shrouded in moonlight in the distance.

"Let me put it another way. You undergo rigorous training day after day, year after year, honing every inch of your muscles to their limits. What is the purpose of all this?"

"For...for becoming stronger, for victory, for...to make every muscle in my body shine with the most captivating brilliance at the moment of victory!"

Blacklight answered almost spontaneously, a belief ingrained in his very being for a long time.

"Is it just for victory?"

A faint smile appeared on Lin Mo's lips, a smile that seemed somewhat unfathomable in the moonlight.

"Then let me ask you again, what if you can't win? What if one day you encounter an enemy that you can't defeat no matter what?"

"Does this mean that your heroic career has come to an end? That your proud glory has been extinguished?"

These words struck Super Alloy Darkshine's heart like an invisible hammer.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out of his throat.

Yes... if he can't win... then what else can he do?

What remains of his pursuit of "shining" in the face of failure?

Seeing Hei Guang's face shifting between shock and disbelief, Lin Mo continued in his calm yet penetrating tone:

"Blacklight, your power is undeniable. However, it seems you've misunderstood one thing from the very beginning."

"You made 'victory' and 'glory' your goals as a hero, and you enjoyed the glory of being in the spotlight after victory."

"Therefore, when you cannot achieve victory, your strength cannot exert its power."

Lin Mo's voice struck Hei Guang's bewildered heart with precision.

He had never examined himself from this perspective.

He has always taken it for granted that he would immerse himself in training, getting stronger, and then defeating his enemies in a spectacular fashion, basking in praise and self-indulgence.

He thought that was all there was to being a hero.

"Then... what should I do?"

In Chogokin Kuroko's voice, there was a barely perceptible longing and trembling, as if he had grasped at a lifeline.

Chapter 94 The Assassination of the Zombie Man

"I cannot give you the answer."

Lin Mo finished the last sip of oolong tea in the can, then casually tossed his arm, sending the empty can tracing a perfect parabola through the air.

With a "thud," it landed steadily in the trash can at the far end of the corridor.

This action was clean and swift, as if it had brought the conversation to a close.

"You'll have to find the answer yourself with your own efforts."

He turned around, seemingly preparing to leave.

But in the instant he brushed past the massive body of the black light, he stopped, without turning back, leaving behind only a word that drifted away in the evening breeze.

"Next time, when you feel fear in battle, try not to think about whether you will win, or whether your muscles are still gleaming. Just look back and see if there are still people behind you who need your body to protect them."

"Perhaps, you will find the answer you are looking for there."

As soon as he finished speaking, King's footsteps sounded again, unhurried and deliberate. His figure gradually blended into the darkness at the end of the corridor and finally disappeared.

In the courtyard, only Super Alloy Blacklight remained, standing there for a long time.

The cool moonlight shone once again on his bronze skin.

"Behind me... are people who need protection..."

He murmured, repeating KING's words over and over again.

His fists, which had been clenched tightly with resentment and fear, slowly loosened without him even realizing it.

What he has always pursued is the glory of being a victor, and the satisfaction of his own power.

But King told him that the meaning of a hero may not lie in whether he shines or not, but in... whether he can become a solid shield to protect others.

That night, Chogokin Kuroko remained awake all night.

He didn't immediately regain his lost confidence, but he found something more important than confidence—a completely new goal.

Go and find, go and understand, the true meaning of his own being as a hero.

------

The next morning, the first rays of sunlight pierced through the thin mist and gently bathed the courtyard, gilding the rustic wooden buildings with a warm golden hue.

The chill and silence of last night were replaced by the clear chirping of birds, and everything seemed so peaceful and serene.

This tranquility was completely shattered by a startled exclamation.

"What...what's going on?!"

Bang, the first to get up, was about to go to the courtyard for his morning exercise as usual when he was startled by the sight before him as he passed a wooden corridor.

The immortal hero, Zombie Man, lay motionless on the cold floor.

A gleaming samurai sword was stuck in his chest. Bang recognized the familiar hilt and guard at a glance—it was the new sword of the S-class hero Atomic Samurai.

"problem occurs!"

Bang's shout was so powerful that it immediately alerted the other heroes in the inn.

Almost the instant the words were spoken, several figures rushed out of the rooms at superhuman speed.

"What happened, Mr. Bang?"

The first to arrive was the cyborg Genos, his footsteps heavy and hurried.

Following closely behind was the sexy prisoner, who burst through the door in an exaggerated manner, his face full of concern.

Subsequently, Metal Bat, Tank Top Master, and others also appeared, and the corridor was quickly filled with S-class heroes who had rushed over upon hearing the news.

"That's... Zombieman?" Metal Bat rubbed his sleepy eyes, somewhat incredulous. "Isn't he immortal?"

"That's... Atomic Samurai's sword stuck in his chest, isn't it?" Tanktop Master asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Could it be... that Atomic Samurai attacked him? Why?" Sexy Prisoner's eyes were also filled with confusion.

The crowd was abuzz with discussion, their faces filled with shock and bewilderment.

Genos immediately activated the eye scanning function, and data rapidly scanned his retina:

"His vital signs are stable... no, I should say his body is regenerating at a rapid pace, but it seems to be suppressed by some force... is it the residual energy from the knife?"

"Don't come any closer! Protect the scene!"

A clear yet serious child's voice rang out, and Child Emperor, carrying his signature large schoolbag, squeezed through the crowd.

He took out a pair of high-tech framed glasses from his bag, put them on, and quickly entered detective mode.

"Based on the scene, this is a locked-room mystery... no, it's a crime committed by someone you know! The murder weapon is Mr. Atomic Samurai's knife, so the prime suspect is..."

Speaking of Cao Cao, Cao Cao will arrive.

Atomic Samurai, dressed in a kimono, strode over. When he saw the zombie man lying on the ground and the knife stuck in his chest, he froze, then flew into a rage.

"Who did this?! How dare they use my sword to commit such a despicable act! It's an insult to the samurai!"

He glanced at the suspicious looks from the crowd, then turned his face away and said: