Heroes Return

……

Lin Wan arrived at Dr. Qin's research institute at the usual time today.

Unlike before, today, after arriving at the research institute, she witnessed the following conversation.

"These facilities are really old-fashioned, but they suit you perfectly," Dr. Mousse said to Dr. Qin. "As expected, country bumpkins like you have no idea about technological advancements."

"As long as it's useful, at least I can do entirely new research with these old devices." Dr. Qin said sarcastically, "Unlike some guys who use all sorts of high-end instruments but can't even produce a single result of their own. They still have the nerve to call themselves advanced researchers."

"What did you say?" Musley said, "I am a top talent from the World Academy of Sciences. Unlike you, who studied at a third-rate university and only got your doctorate at the age of 40, I got my postdoctoral degree at the age of 25. You still have the nerve to compare yourself to me."

"Hehe, I've won the Nobel Prize," Dr. Qin said.

“I have served as a technical advisor at the World Academy of Sciences!” Dr. Mousley said.

"Hehe, I've won the Nobel Prize," Dr. Qin said.

“Pshaw, my papers are featured on the front page of world science journals every year,” Dr. Mousse said.

"I have won the Nobel Prize," Dr. Qin said.

"I am a leading technical authority in dozens of fields around the world."

"I have won the Nobel Prize," Dr. Qin said.

"Do you dare say something else?"

“Great! I’ve won the Nobel Prize twice!” Dr. Qin said.

"Do you want to fight?" Musley was furious. He had to admit that no matter how high your status was in academia, a Nobel Prize could overshadow all those accolades.

“Fight if you want! Who’s afraid of who! Let me tell you, I defeated two city-level boxing champions when I was young.” Dr. Qin said without backing down.

"What are you doing?" Lin Wan couldn't stand it any longer, so she quickly came in and pulled the two doctors who were about to make a move back.

"Xiao Wan, you've come at the right time! Help me teach this shameless bastard a lesson." Dr. Qin came to Lin Wan's side as soon as she entered. "Let me tell you, Xiao Wan is someone I trained. She's a master who spans dozens of fighting disciplines. If you want to fight me, you'll have to get past Xiao Wan first."

"Doctor! I'm here to be an assistant, not a bodyguard, okay?" Lin Wan said helplessly to Dr. Qin.

“Xiao Wan, this guy is in his prime, while I’m just an old man. You can’t just watch this old man hurt me, can you?” Dr. Qin said to Lin Wan. “Besides, haven’t I always treated you well? Shouldn’t you help this old man in a situation like this?”

"..." Lin Wan was speechless at the old man: "You know you can't beat him, so why are you still putting on this fighting stance?"

"I just don't like this kid. Even though I've lost physically, I can't lose in terms of spirit," Dr. Qin said.

"Are you a child?" Lin Wan said helplessly, and then walked over to Dr. Mousse, who was standing to the side watching the two of them.

"Beat him up, Xiao Wan doesn't need to give me face." Dr. Qin was still shouting encouragement from the side.

"I'm so sorry, Dr. Qin is just a child at heart," Lin Wan said, bowing to Dr. Mousse. "Please don't take it to heart."

"Xiao Wan! Aren't you betraying your own people? Who told you to go apologize? I told you to go beat him up!" Dr. Qin shouted from behind.

"Hmph!" Dr. Mousse snorted coldly.

"Did you see his arrogant attitude? Why are you apologizing to someone who doesn't appreciate your kindness?" Dr. Qin continued to nag from behind.

"Shut up!" Lin Wan shouted at him.

"..." Dr. Qin obediently shut up.

"Isn't it because of this personality that you got kicked out of the World Academy of Sciences?" After stunning Dr. Qin, Lin Wan turned to Dr. Mu Sili and said, "You must be Dr. Mu Sili?"

"Oh? You know me?" Dr. Mousley's expression softened slightly.

“Of course I know you. Your papers are published in scientific journals every month, and I’ve read every single one of them,” Lin Wan said with an expression of admiration.

“Oh? You’ve read my paper,” Dr. Mousse asked.

“Of course, your papers are absolutely fantastic,” Lin Wan said. “I truly admire your understanding of scientific theories. To be honest, I never expected to meet you here today.”

"Haha, you've got good taste, young lady. Unlike some stubborn old men," Musli said smugly.

“No, you are very famous in the scientific community,” Lin Wan said.

“Of course!” Musley laughed and said, “You’re a very good young lady! After this research is completed, would you be interested in working at my research institute?”

“I will consider it,” Lin Wan said. “You, such an important person, shouldn’t take it to heart with Dr. Qin. He doesn’t get along with the people at the World Academy of Sciences, which is why he’s like this.”

"I'm a magnanimous person and I'll let this matter go," Musli said.

"Brother, you're right. Flattery will never fail you. If I really hit him, I can forget about ever getting my papers published in any world-renowned scientific journals again."

"By the way, what brings you here?" Lin Wan asked curiously.

“I’m here to help you complete this experiment,” Musley said.

"Hey?"

Musley looked at Dr. Qin and said, "So you're saying I'm just an assistant? I wouldn't stoop to stealing other people's research results."

"Hmph, that's more like it," Dr. Qin muttered.

Chapter Four

Lin Jie was waiting at the private airport in H City.

He received a message from Xiao Zhan and the others saying they would be landing here on a private plane and asking Lin Jie to come pick them up. Originally, Lin Jie didn't want to go, but when he thought about how Thirteen was with those people, he couldn't help but want to come and see.

"It's been an hour past the scheduled time. I guess they must have crashed somewhere," Lin Jie thought. "Looks like there's no good show to watch today."

Just then, a shuttle suddenly appeared in Lin Jie's sight.

"It's finally here," Lin Jie said, looking at the shuttle.

But then he sensed something was wrong: "Are the exhaust fumes from these shuttles all black now? That's so environmentally unfriendly. And why isn't it descending after going this far?"

Then, to Lin Jie's astonishment, the shuttle made a sharp 90-degree turn in mid-air as it reached the landing site. It then flew straight down, nose-down.

Fortunately, the parachute at the rear of the shuttle suddenly deployed, and airport staff activated emergency procedures. An anti-gravity field formed below the runway, lifting the shuttle into the air.

Subsequently, the entire airport fire brigade was dispatched.

Only then did Lin Jie realize that the black smoke behind the plane wasn't exhaust fumes at all, but rather some of the plane's components were burning. Thick black smoke billowed across the airport runway.

"As expected of Thirteen, his skill in defeating people hasn't diminished at all." Lin Jie couldn't help but give the plane a thumbs up: "This trip was worthwhile, we really got to see a good show."

Lin Jie muttered to himself as he walked toward the shuttle.

As soon as the flames on the shuttle were extinguished, a figure jumped out, saying as he leaped into the sea, "Hahaha! I knew it! The anti-gravity field at the airport is the most fun thing. I have to experience it every time I fly."

Lin Jie froze on the spot when he saw the speaker's face clearly.

The man had shaved the sides of his head, leaving only a strip of dyed gold hair in the middle. He was wearing a black leather outfit without sleeves, carrying a chain in his hand, and had two shoulder pads on his shoulders.

"Where the hell did these Mohican scum come from?!" Lin Jie couldn't help but shout in his heart.

"Hey! Brother, you're here!" The man walked towards Lin Jie. "Long time no see! Let's get a motorcycle later! I can't wait to race it in H City."

"Who are you?" Lin Jie looked at the person with a blank expression: "I don't remember knowing any Mohican soldiers."

"What did you say? I'm Thirteen! It's only been a short time since we last met and you've already forgotten me? Do you want a beating?!" the Mohican henchman shouted at Lin Jie.

"You said you're Thirteen!" Lin Jie was utterly horrified: "Wasn't it supposed to be intensive training? Did you go through some kind of end-of-the-century performance?"

You know, the last time I saw Thirteen, he was a mature and steady young man with a gentle smile on his lips. How come he turned into a Mohican soldier with an arrogant smile on his face after only half a month?

"It's nothing. I just awakened my true self," Thirteen said. "Never mind that! Brother, let's go get a motorcycle!"

"..."

"Lin Jie, it's been a long time, my good friend." Just as Lin Jie was in shock, Xiao Zhan's voice appeared in Lin Jie's ears.

"Xiao Zhan! What's wrong with Thirteen?" Lin Jie turned to look at Xiao Zhan: "What the hell is going on with your style?"

At this moment, Xiao Zhan, like Thirteen, sported a post-apocalyptic look, but the biggest difference lay in their respective roles within that era. If Thirteen's appearance was that of a lowly soldier in the apocalypse, then Xiao Zhan's was that of a protagonist.

“We haven’t changed,” Xiao Zhan said.

"You haven't changed, my ass!" Lin Jie said to Xiao Zhan, "Your outfit is one thing! But your whole demeanor has changed, hasn't it?! What's with all those muscles? And what's with those seven scars on your chest?"

"I've only become stronger through this training. I've become the successor of the new generation of Hokuto X-Fist," Xiao Zhan said. "I've mastered the Musou Reincarnation technique."

"Practice your sister! Should I start calling you Xiao Silang from now on?!" Lin Jie said to the person in front of him.

"I am who I am, and I've improved this set of boxing techniques!" Xiao Zhan said, taking out a blurred stick: "You'll see my new skill later, the Big Dipper Mosaic Stick."

"This is completely out of character! I've never seen X-Shiro holding that censored vibrator before! Give me back the real man I know!" Lin Jie looked at Xiao Zhan, whose image had turned into something resembling the end of the world, holding a censored vibrator, with a look of utter despair. "Someone please deal with this guy! By the way, where's Fei Wu? Come out and clean this up! Your boss has gone mad!"

"Are you calling me?" Bu Feiwu, dressed in a maid outfit, also came out.

“You seem pretty normal,” Lin Jie said. “What’s wrong with your boss?”

“I don’t know!” Bu Feiwu said.

"They've all turned out like this, and you still don't know what happened?" Lin Jie looked at the beautiful woman in front of him without answering.

"I'm sorry! I ...!" The latter then knelt on the ground, clutching her head, and said in a terrified voice, "I'm sorry! I'm so useless! I couldn't help at all! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Hey! I didn't say anything too harsh!" Lin Jie quickly said when he saw that she looked like she was about to cry. "I just wanted to ask you about the situation."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so useless! I can't even give you a normal answer to something this simple!" Lin Jie's words seemed to have the opposite effect, as she became even more frantic: "A woman like me, who is even less than a reptile, actually needs your comfort? I deserve to die! I'm sorry! I'm a useless piece of trash. I can't help you with anything. A woman like me must disgust you."

"Hey! What's gotten into you?"

"Please punish me, otherwise I'll feel really bad. I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Bu Feiwu kept apologizing.

“I never intended to punish you! You know, you're Xiao Zhan's maid,” Lin Jie quickly said.

"Hehe, hehe, do you think a trashy woman like me isn't even worth punishing?" Bu Feiwu revealed a strange smile, and she took out a laser dagger: "Useless trash should be destroyed as soon as possible, otherwise it's just too much of an eyesore."

As she spoke, she stabbed herself with the dagger in her hand.

"What are you doing!" Lin Jie quickly snatched the dagger from her hand: "What the hell are you doing! Can't you do something normal?"

“That’s right!” Platinum’s voice came through: “How are we going to protect H City’s safety if they all turn into this?”

"Mr. Platinum! I've finally heard a normal way of speaking." Lin Jie looked toward the voice with delight, then he was shocked once again.

At this moment, Platinum was wearing a set of glittering golden armor.

"What's with your outfit?" Lin Jie couldn't help but ask Bai Jin, "What kind of training did you go for?"

"I have become a Gold Saint through training!" Platinum said. "My cosmos is burning brightly! I can't wait to protect my goddess."

"I'm wiping my tears! When did you learn such a ruthless skill?!" Lin Jie looked at Bai Jin and said, "By the way, weren't you gay? How did you manage to turn back into a gay man after just half a month?"