Heroes Return

"Big sister, what grudge do we have? Didn't we fight enough last time?" Lin Jie said to Anya, who was clinging to him again. "Speaking of which, what's with you saying you want to kill me while simultaneously saying you fell in love with me at first sight?!"

“I’m telling the truth about both of those points,” Anya said with a smile.

"What are you talking about? Who would think of killing the person they fell in love with at first sight?!" Lin Jie said, exasperated. He knew this woman was a huge problem for him. And for some reason, Lin Jie felt the same way he felt about Zhu Xian'er—she was undeniably beautiful, yet he couldn't fall for her at all.

"You're such a mean and annoying person!" Anya said to Lin Jie, her face flushed. "Do you really expect a girl like me to explain this to you? You're making me want to poison your food."

"Please make yourself clear. What exactly do you want?"

"I truly mean it when I say I fell in love with you at first sight. My Holy Mark won't lie to me," Anya said to Lin Jie with a smile. "But I've already given my whole heart and soul to Lord Zero. So, falling for you is practically an unforgivable sin for me! For that, could you please just die?"

"Are you kidding me? I would never die for your request!" Lin Jie replied.

"I knew it." Anya said, putting on a cute, pitiful expression. "Is it really not okay?"

"Trying to be cute won't work!"

"As expected, you're not the kind of person who would easily agree to die." Anya sighed when she saw Lin Jie's firm answer.

"No normal person would agree to that..."

“But even using the Judgment Sword Qi I obtained from Lord Zero, I still couldn’t kill you.” Anya said, hugging Lin Jie again. “Since I can’t kill you now, let’s just enjoy our relationship, my dear. When I have the ability or the opportunity to kill you, I will… Ahh! Just thinking about it makes my body feel strange. Killing my lover with my own hands while we’re in the throes of passion or making a baby… Ahh! I can’t help but fantasize! That feeling is just… Haa~ Haa~ At the same time, proving my loyalty to Lord Zero… Haa~ Haa~ It would definitely feel like my body and mind are on top of the world!”

"Damn! Who would fall in love with a woman who could kill them at any moment?! Are you out of your mind?"

"Come on, Lin Jie, I can't wait to slice open your muscles with my own hands. Haha~ Just thinking about it is amazing. Let's start dating happily!"

"What a joke, that's impossible," Lin Jie couldn't help but say.

"Don't worry, I will preserve your body intact."

"Hey, this is getting scarier! Hey you, the one called the Son of God, can you come and take this lunatic away from me?!"

third chapter

"Then, darling, let's get along well!" Anya smiled and hugged Lin Jie's arm again. "I've memorized your scent; I'll never forget it."

"Can't you do something about this perverted woman?" Lin Jie shouted at God's Hand beside him. "Although it does feel pretty good to have her clinging to my arm, I don't want to meet Cheng-ge at such a young age!!"

“Miss has always been like this, there’s nothing I can do about it,” God’s Hand said calmly, shaking his head.

Of course, this situation couldn't last long. After some time, when almost all the recruited heroes had arrived, Leng Yan, the SS-rank hero standing on the stage, slowly opened his mouth.

As soon as he opened his mouth, everyone present fell silent.

"Ahem, I probably don't need to explain why I invited everyone here today, right? Now, I'll briefly explain our next action plan."

As he spoke, a huge 3D image appeared beside Leng Yan. This image was a 3D projection of the Holy City.

"This is the map of the Holy City, and our mission this time is to rescue all the victims in the Holy City. At the same time, we must eliminate those so-called Ivans in the Holy City in the fastest and most efficient way! Also, after we reach Area O, the traditional noble forces in Area O will also act with us. This matter has completely shocked the world, so we absolutely cannot fail."

Next, I will provide each of you with a set of this map and our newly developed team communication equipment. For some reason, the Holy City's magical defenses have been controlled by those so-called Ivans, so our monitoring satellites are currently unable to communicate with the Holy City's interior.

Next, all heroes, please collect your communication devices. Also, I will be the commander for this operation, and the SS-rank heroes around me will serve as deputy commanders. We will have fifteen minutes for lunch, after which we must proceed to Area O to rendezvous with the heroes there.

After he finished speaking, a group of robots responsible for distributing communication equipment and lunch appeared in front of everyone. After all, there was expected to be a fierce battle this afternoon, and it was better to fill one's stomach before the battle.

"Speaking of which, the food here is absolutely awful!!" said the SS-class hero, the Swift Light Girl, looking at the food in her hands with dissatisfaction.

“There’s no need to worry about food! You should know we’re pressed for time; dwelling on this is a waste of time,” Leng Yan said calmly. “We should be thinking about our tactical roles in case we encounter the enemy next.”

“That’s right,” Captain Justice said at this moment. “If there’s the real Ivan among those people, it will definitely become an extremely troublesome matter.”

"But this food is really awful!" the girl in the instant said, pouting.

“I’ve already said there’s no time to dwell on these things now! We’re about to have a tough battle, so we should think about team coordination later,” Leng Yan said. “There are over three thousand A-rank heroes and around five hundred S-rank heroes here, and their abilities are quite diverse. We need to devise a reasonable grouping strategy after we meet up with the people from Sector O.”

"I do have some opinions about your teamwork. Basically, the tank stands in front while the ADC plays defensively and deals damage from behind. As for the mages, their job is to use skills to control or burst down enemies as soon as possible to gain the upper hand. Hahahaha! But this is just standard positioning in the game. If you want a more strategic positioning, you could consider a pure tank or pure mage combination! Hahahaha!!"

Just after Leng Yan finished speaking, a strange laugh echoed through the hall. Upon hearing the sound, all the heroes present immediately assumed battle stance and looked in the direction of the sound. They were then astonished to find that the 3D projection of the Holy City's terrain that had been playing in the hall had suddenly transformed into Ivan's image.

"Damn it! When did this bastard hack into our system?!" Captain Justice said angrily, looking at Ivan's projection.

"Those blasphemous sinners!" The Son of God's face suddenly turned grim, for he sensed a familiar object approaching: "You actually brought the Sun Ship here! Everyone prepare for battle! We haven't even had a chance to judge you, and you've already come here on your own!"

"Isn't this a common tactic? Hahaha! Harassing you while you're gathering your troops! Hahahaha! You think I'd obediently hide in the Ivan Alliance and strengthen our defenses? Hahahaha! What a joke!" Ivan laughed wildly as he looked at the SS-class superheroes in front of him: "Actually, we've prepared a very interesting game for you in the Holy Capital, provided that you can make it to the Holy Capital alive."

While Ivan was speaking, all the SS-class heroes, except for the Son of God, had already led the superheroes present to the outside of the headquarters.

Just then, a colossal sailing ship appeared on the horizon, its entire hull a vibrant gold, as if crafted from pure gold. The ship's exterior was adorned with numerous carvings and patterns characteristic of Area O. At its prow, a massive golden angel statue stood with outstretched arms, welcoming the Hero Association's headquarters.

Before anyone could react, a fireball, at least two hundred meters in diameter and resembling a miniature sun, appeared in front of the angel statue. Then, the fireball shot directly towards the entire Hero Association.

"Why can you pilot the solar ship?" the Son of God asked coldly to Ivan in the projection.

"Actually, I'm the newest apostle chosen by God, ahahahaha!! Saying that is like stealing your job, ahahahaha!!"

"Hmph! Although I don't know how you activated the Sun Ship, you can't possibly be apostles recognized by God! With your clown-like ridiculous performance?" The Son of God sneered and said, "I will make you feel the wrath of God!"

"I'm so scared! Ahahahaha!!" Ivan laughed as he looked at the Child of God before him: "By the way, calling it Sun Ship is really awful, so I've decided to name this ship Sun Ship. Ahahahaha!! Since it's just a random name, let's just call it 'Random Sun Ship', ahahahaha! Don't you think I have a talent for naming things? Ahahahaha!"

"What a joke! You think you can defeat me with just the Sun Ship?" The Son of God sneered, "Mad Fool."

"Hahahaha!! You really know how to joke! Hahahaha!!" Ivan suddenly laughed again: "You thought I really came here to duel with you? Hahahaha! Are you out of your mind?! Hahahaha! I'm just here to announce that the Holy City's war game has begun! And maybe I can kill a few contestants or something. Hahahaha! And do you really think I'll use the same operating method as you use the Sun Ship? Hahahaha! It's time to show you the piloting skills of a seasoned sky pilot! Hahahaha!! Although I've always been driving without a license! Hahahaha!"

Although Ivan's answer was quite absurd, the Son of God still keenly sensed something unusual in Ivan's words.

"What did you say! Could it be that you?!" The Son of God immediately realized something, and then his figure walked out of the hall: "Your idea is indeed very good, but this time the place you attacked is not some administrative island of the World Government. This place is the headquarters of the Hero Association, and it is not as simple as you think."

As he spoke, the Son of God walked out of the hall.

Upon arriving outside the Hero Association, the first thing that caught the Child of God's eye was countless ice balls of all sizes. A closer look revealed that these ice balls even contained glimpses of flame.

"I never imagined it could even freeze the solar fire of the Solar Ship?" The Son of God's gaze fell directly on the man standing at the very front of all the heroes. Cold Flame!

At that moment, hundreds of enormous fireballs, resembling miniature suns, appeared directly in front of the solar ship in the sky. The terrifying temperature they contained far surpassed that of ordinary fireballs. The next instant, all the fireballs simultaneously shot towards the Hero Association headquarters.

"Did you think you could attack us with this kind of power?" Leng Yan expressionlessly looked up at the apocalyptic fireball in the sky and raised one hand again, a blue flame quietly burning in it. Under Leng Yan's control, small blue flames easily collided with the massive fireball in the sky. Then, to everyone's astonishment, the blue flames enveloped the fireball the moment they touched it. The fireball then transformed into a giant ice ball and fell to the ground.

"Although I hate to admit it, with this person here, even the real Ivan couldn't defeat us," the Son of God muttered to himself, looking at the cold flame at the front.

At that moment, the entire solar ship unleashed terrifying power, and while the numerous fireballs distracted the people below, it sped towards the Hero Association.

"Hmph! Did you think we'd just get run into like the World Government headquarters?" Leng Yan, seeing the solar ship recklessly hurtling towards them, understood its intentions. He then lightly snapped his fingers.

A massive flame suddenly rose from the ground, the pillar of fire spreading directly to the rapidly moving solar ship. The fire then rapidly transformed into an ice pillar, freezing the solar ship in mid-air.

Then, to everyone's surprise, a huge icicle appeared directly beneath the stern of a frozen sailboat. The sight resembled a work of art.

"Go and bring all the crew members off the ship! They should all be frozen." Leng Yan smiled as he looked at the Sun Ship atop the ice pillar. Then, with a flick of his finger, a wide staircase formed of ice led directly to the Sun Ship in the sky.

Chapter Four

However, things still went beyond Leng Yan's expectations, because the crew members on the ship were not frozen by Leng Yan's power.

Just as Cold Flame created the steps, stone-carved soldiers, resembling statues, leaped from the ship. Their numbers were no less than those of the superheroes present.

A chaotic battle broke out in front of the Hero Association's base.

However, at the start of the battle, the superheroes found themselves slightly on the defensive. These stone-carved soldiers possessed immense strength, each wielding long-range artillery-like attacks like robots. Furthermore, these stone figures had incredibly resilient bodies; ordinary weapons were virtually ineffective against them. And even after being shattered, their bodies could reassemble themselves.

"These guys can even command the temple guards?" The Son of God glared angrily at the stone soldiers before him, a golden book appearing in his hand: "Chains, bind those temple guards."

As his words fell, countless golden chains erupted from the ground. In an instant, all the temple guardians present were bound by those almost ubiquitous chains. As the golden chains bound them, the other heroes breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the contact was brief and brief, the Hero Association has already suffered significant casualties. In other words, they've already incurred losses even before setting out.

But just as the heroes present breathed a sigh of relief, the golden chains binding the Temple Guardians were gradually absorbed into their bodies. Although new chains were immediately replaced as the old ones were absorbed, the aura of these Temple Guardians began to grow stronger little by little.

"They are absorbing the power of the Son of God!" Master of Miracles said, looking at the temple guardians. "If this continues, they will break free of their restraints sooner or later and become even more difficult to deal with. Everyone, gather these temple guardians together immediately. I will teleport them to a place where they can never return."

"No need for all that trouble," Leng Yan said calmly, then stretched his palm towards the sky. A blue flame shot directly into the air. The blue flame then exploded in the sky, turning into countless small sparks that accurately fell towards the stone golems.

In an instant, all the Temple Guardians were engulfed in blue flames upon contact with the sparks. Within seconds, thousands of Temple Guardians were transformed into thousands of ice sculptures. Then, Leng Yan snapped his fingers lightly, and all the Temple Guardians turned into ice dust at the same time.

"Alright, let's search the ship for anything else." Leng Yan then looked at the wounded and seriously injured and said, "Send those seriously injured to the medical bay immediately for treatment. They were seriously injured just from this battle. They shouldn't participate in the next battle."

With that, Leng Yan led the way and walked up to the Sun. The others followed behind him, rushing towards the frozen Sun.

However, this time when the group arrived inside the Sun, they found nothing. The ship had been almost completely emptied. Although they found traces resembling those of Ivan in the cabins, they didn't see him on board.

"Damn it! That guy isn't here! We need to go back." After searching everywhere without finding Ivan, Captain Justice immediately realized something was wrong. At the same time, the others also considered some unfortunate possibilities.

"Use this door!" A portal of light suddenly appeared in front of the Child of God. He then stepped through it first, and the others immediately followed. The next second, those who had passed through the portal appeared in the Hero Association's main hall.

To their surprise, Ivan's projection in the hall had not disappeared.

"Hahahaha! Did you all rush back because you thought I was planning something within the Hero Association? Hahahaha!!! You idiots could guess that so easily, do you really think I couldn't? Hahahaha!! A bunch of idiots! Zero is definitely the one more suited to play games with me. Hahahaha! Speaking of which, I wonder if Zero will actually come this time? I've prepared a big show for him! Hahahaha!"

"Evan! What are you trying to do?!" Captain Justice shouted angrily, staring at the still-present image. "We will definitely catch you!"

"Search the entire base! All sensory users, join the search immediately!" Master of Miracles suddenly shouted to all the heroes present.

"Hahahaha! That's right, come find me right now! If you find me, I'll consider giving you some nice rewards! Hahahaha!" At this moment, Ivan was still laughing wildly with complete confidence.

"Ah, found it."

Just as Ivan was laughing wildly, another voice suddenly appeared in the image. Immediately afterwards, Ivan in the image collapsed to the ground as if he had been struck by a heavy blow.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden change.

Immediately afterwards, the superheroes present saw Lin Jie drag an unconscious person into the hall.

"Well done, Lin Jie!" The first to react was Captain Justice: "I knew I hadn't recommended you in vain!"

"Well done." Leng Yan walked up at this moment, and Ivan's body was immediately frozen, leaving only his head outside.

"Speaking of which, what did you use to knock him out just now?" Blast, one of the SS-class superheroes who had been standing to the side, suddenly stepped forward and asked Lin Jie, "Judging from the sound, it's not any kind of metallic material I've ever seen before."

"Oh, I used the bread from lunch." Lin Jie said, taking out a piece of bread. "I must say, this stuff is much easier to use than a brick when hitting someone!"

"I told you the association's food was awful!" the girl in the instant light jumped out and said.

“Okay, I’ll go call and complain right now.” Leng Yan said, looking at Ivan who was frozen to the side, while the latter was also groggily waking up.

"I wonder if I could get a cup of hot coffee?" Evan said, looking at the person in front of him.

However, Torus ignored Ivan's words and instead pressed one of the instruments in his hand onto Ivan's head. A few drops of blood were immediately drawn from Ivan's body.

"Hahaha! You guys are still so boring! Speaking of which, shouldn't you get some candy after a blood draw and injection? Hahaha! I love candy!"

"Shut up! Or you'll regret it!!!" Torus said, looking at the genetic testing device in his hand. But to his surprise, the genes matched Ivan's perfectly: "This is impossible! You should have been killed already! Your body..."

"My body should still be in the World Government's special morgue, right? Using my body to study the overall power Zero possesses, isn't that right? Hahahaha!"