I chose the safe house, and the Human Alliance regretted it.

Early the next morning, the underground city living areas of the six major bases of the Dragon Kingdom were filled with people.

Hundreds of people, thousands of people, millions of people.

The elderly, children, young people, men, and women—they crowded on both sides of the passageway and in the square.

There was no noise, no laughter; the air seemed to freeze, pressing down on everyone's chest.

The various squares at the base were packed with people.

The entrances and exits of the five major bases—Southwest Base, Shanghai Base, Northeast Base, Tianhai Base, and Jiangnan Base—opened simultaneously, and people came out in batches.

The long-awaited sunshine shone on them, and there was fresh air, but no one cared about any of that.

All eyes were focused on the base in mid-air, on the suspended figures.

Those were all the SSS-level superhumans in the base.

They hovered in mid-air, looking down at everyone.

Southwest Base.

In mid-air, an SSS-level ability user dressed in a gray shirt looked down at the dark mass of people below and couldn't help but chuckle to himself:

"Millions of people came to see me off; even if I died this time, it would have been worth it."

His words amused those around him, but the laughter was short-lived and quickly faded away.

"Don't say anything discouraging," a middle-aged man said softly from the side. "According to the prophet's plan, we will retreat if we can't stop it."

"Sigh." The gray-clad superhuman sighed, his gaze piercing through the crowd and landing on a certain corner. "Once a fight breaks out, retreating won't be so easy."

Their conversation immediately attracted the attention of many people around them.

Even though they are SSS-level powerhouses, the top combat force of mankind, they don't have much confidence at this moment.

But they are humanity's last line of defense—when the sky falls, the tall ones hold it up.

This time, these people are the "tall guy".

"For the sake of humanity," a white-haired old man said softly.

"For humanity," those around him murmured in unison.

The gray-clad superhuman grinned. "I'm not that noble. I'm doing this for my son."

He glanced down and pointed to a corner of the crowd: "That's the kid. He's probably proud of me right now!"

Several SSS-level superhumans followed his gaze.

In the crowd below, a woman was holding the hand of a seven or eight-year-old boy, waving frantically at them.

The boy was so excited that he waved his arms and shouted, "That's my dad! Mom, look, my dad's in there! My dad's a great hero!"

The woman clung tightly to the baby boy, her eyes reddening.

Her husband is a great hero, but this time, he may never return.

The boy didn't understand much; all he knew was that his father was in mid-air, receiving a farewell from everyone in the base.

"My dad smiled at me!" the boy shouted, waving frantically at the sky.

In mid-air, the gray-clad superhuman looked at his son and smiled knowingly: "This kid is overjoyed."

Nearby, a female superhuman watched this scene with a complex expression and whispered, "It's good that you still have family to protect."

The gray-clad superhuman was taken aback.

"My loved ones all died in the catastrophe." The female superhuman's voice was calm, as if she were talking about something unrelated to herself. "Even if this catastrophe isn't extinguished, I don't plan to come back."

The surrounding area fell silent.

No one spoke; no one knew what to say.

The gray-clad superhuman opened her mouth, then couldn't help but ask, "Um... what's your name, lady?"

The female superhuman glanced at him and said disdainfully, "Don't ask. Those who left their names before the battle probably won't come back."

"Haha!" The gray-clad superhuman laughed, his eyes slightly red. "How could that be! My name is Shi Lei, I'll treat you to drinks when I get back!"

Similar scenes unfolded at several other bases.

Above the Tianhai base, an old man with gray hair stood at the front of the line.

His wife passed away ten years ago, and his son and daughter-in-law died in the disaster, leaving him with only a granddaughter.

He entrusted his granddaughter to a neighbor, left without a word, and flew into the sky without looking back.

"Grandpa!" A childish voice rang out from below, "Grandpa, come back soon!"

The old man did not turn around.

He was afraid that if he turned back, he wouldn't be able to leave.

But he has to go!

Northeast Base.

A young female superhuman squeezed out of the crowd and flew into the air.

Her mother stood below, head tilted back, lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

"Mom, wait for me to come back," the female superhuman called out, then turned and flew back to the group.

The mother finally broke down in tears, squatted on the ground, covered her face, and her shoulders trembled violently.

A roar simultaneously blared from the broadcasts of several major bases: "Tens of millions of compatriots in the Dragon Kingdom wish our heroes a triumphant return!"

"A triumphant return!"

"A triumphant return!"

"A triumphant return!"

At several major bases, tens of millions of people roared in unison, their voices echoing across the sky.

Some people cried, and some held their children and waved desperately.

Those heroes hovering in mid-air were their sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers...

At this moment, they are the hope of the Dragon Kingdom.

Jiangnan City.

Zhao Lie hovered in mid-air, looking down at the dark mass of people below.

His gaze swept over the faces—some he recognized, some he didn't.

They were all waving, shouting, and crying.

"Isn't Fatty going?" he asked.

A superhuman of SSS rank whispered beside him, "Fatty said he's guarding the house."

Zhao Lie was silent for a moment, then said, "Let him be."

He took a deep breath, his gaze hardening: "Let's go!"

Above Jiangnan City, more than a hundred SSS-level superhumans shot out, transforming into streaks of light that pierced the sky.

"We're waiting for you to come back!"

"You must come back alive!"

Below, hundreds of thousands of people waved frantically, their shouts rising in waves.

Jinxiu Tiancheng Residential Complex, Building 1.

Li An stood by the window, his gray eyes looking out.

The noise from the outside world had nothing to do with her.

Zhao Lie never asked her whether she was going to the capital.

At this moment, the supernatural power within Li An's body had subsided.

Her current strength will probably only be known to the people when disaster truly befalls Jiangnan City.

Over the Southwest Base.

"Let's go!" Shi Lei shouted, and took the lead in flying towards the capital.

"Haha, everyone, don't bother seeing us off. If we don't make it back, remember to erect a monument for us!" someone shouted down from below.

"Village chief, don't forget, I need to be included in the village annals, and my family tree needs to be listed separately!" A boy of about seventeen or eighteen shouted urgently to an old man in the crowd below.

Then he quickly sped up and caught up with the main group.

On the day he awakened to the golden age, he became an SSS-level superhuman.

He hasn't yet experienced the benefits that strength brings.

But he understood.

This time, he has to go.

Above the Tianhai base.

Before his death, a middle-aged man couldn't help but exclaim, "Death is inevitable for everyone; it can be as light as a feather or as heavy as Mount Tai—"

Nearby, someone joked, "Stop nagging, haven't you gotten rid of your teacher's occupational hazard yet?"

The middle-aged man laughed too: "Let's go, at worst it's just death."

..............

The five major bases, with hundreds of thousands of SSS-level superhumans, transformed into streaks of light and headed towards the capital city.