Heroes Return

"Then why did you come to see me?" Lin Jie asked.

"I'm saying goodbye to you, after all, I need to escape for my life now."

"Okay, goodbye," Lin Jie said.

"Goodbye." As soon as he finished speaking, the passersby around him looked at him blankly, and everyone else in the airport returned to normal.

Volume 3, 'Zero' and SS-Class Heroes and SS-Class Criminals

Chapter One

On a remote island in the Pacific Ocean, a prison stands.

This is the world's most secure and strictly managed prison, the World Federation Super Prison. There are no ordinary criminals here; without exception, they are all among the most dangerous people in the world.

On the twelfth underground floor, Rocky was idly counting the metallic patterns on the walls. The entire room was covered by a strange radiation that could suppress Rocky's abilities.

He has been here for five years. Unlike the other SS-class criminals on this floor, Rocky was once a superhero.

Just as he was lying on his bed in a daze, a man with explosive muscles appeared outside the prison.

"Is that you, Torus?" Loki asked without looking up.

"I've come to see you, old friend."

"Are you here to persuade me to join you?" Rocky continued to lie on the bed, looking at the walls around him.

“Loki, five years have passed since that war, and we have all suffered grief and loss,” Torus said. “You shouldn’t be here. This is a prison for SS-class criminals, while you are an SS-class hero. We will welcome you back anytime you wish.”

“What the hell is SS-rank?” Rocky said. “I don’t recall ever having such a ranking system when I was a hero with my comrades.”

“Loki, the law has been in effect for five years, and it’s been very effective,” Torus said. “You should give up on it.”

"Impossible!" Rocky roared, standing up. "How did the first Witch die? How did Captain Super die? And what about Rampage and Titan? We've lost so many heroes, and you think you can make me give up with just a few words? They were all heroes!! On the contrary, these damned criminals are still alive and well here, especially that one next door, why don't you shoot him?"

"Excuse me, although I'm sorry to you that I'm alive, why don't you come and shoot me? Hahaha!!" A voice rang out from next door.

"Shut up!" Torus threatened the person next door.

"Fine, I'll just listen quietly," the person next door said sarcastically.

“Loki, it’s inevitable that there will be disagreements with the arrival of a new era, and we have also lost many comrades,” Torus said sadly. “But for the sake of the new order, sacrifices are unavoidable.”

"Why wasn't it that bastard next door who sacrificed himself?!" Loki roared at Torus. "Why are we, his comrades, the ones who sacrificed ourselves? We were the ones who saved the world! All because of your damn legislation!! And that hero ranking system?!"

“I understand how you feel,” Torus said to Loki. “But the bill is undoubtedly the right one. It benefits more heroes, and it gives recognition and cheers to many heroes who work silently. At the same time, it also ensures the livelihood of heroes. Isn’t this what all heroes deserve? Only in this way is it fair.”

"To hell with fairness!" Rocky said. "You're nothing but someone who sold the freedom of all superheroes to those in power for profit. Do you know why heroes wear masks? It's to protect their lives and loved ones!! And you sold that to those incompetent and useless people in power for a little money and applause!"

“We are still us, Loki. We just want to make life better for all heroes, and to give them more recognition,” Torus said. “Do you remember the Koveta incident?”

"You mean that incident against people with superpowers?"

“Yes, that’s when I was thinking about how to make superheroes more acceptable to ordinary people,” Torus said. “You should know what kind of treatment we received back then! Many people were disheartened! So I supported that bill.”

"By selling the freedom of all heroes to those in power?" Loki scoffed. "I don't care what others think. I didn't become a hero for money, and I'm more willing to serve that useless and stupid world government."

“Loki, you’ve already lost!” Torus said, looking at Loki. “And the World Government isn’t as useless as you say.”

"Then why is Zero protecting the world?" Loki roared. "What else can they do besides run away? Don't think I don't know about that Ark Project that wants to put elites from all fields on board! They're just a bunch of cowards planning to abandon everyone else and run away alone!"

“But they are the ones who keep the world running!” Torus said. “Do you know how many people would die without them?”

"Did fewer people die during the time they were in existence?" Rocky retorted sharply.

Hearing this, Torus could only sigh, and then his tone softened: "Loki, the world has changed in the past five years. There are very few people left who were in charge of the World Government at that time. The election has just been completed, and the new World Government Supreme Council is willing to release you."

“Am I to hand over my freedom to some powerful people?” Rocky said. “That’s impossible.”

“Please, Loki, the world needs your protection,” Torus said. “Zero has been gone for five years, but human civilization is still in danger. I hope you can continue to fight alongside me as the eleventh SS-class hero. After all, we were once comrades-in-arms.”

“You’re right, Torus, everything has changed,” Loki said. “You’re no longer the Iron Warrior Torus you used to be. Go back. I’d rather rot in jail than join you.”

“Loki, why do this?” Torus said. “Even if you don’t like the law, you’re still a hero.”

“I’ve never forgotten that I’m a hero,” Rocky said, “but I’ve been locked up here for five years! I ask you, what crime did I commit?”

As Rocky spoke, he slammed his fist heavily against the cell bars.

“Loki, since you still remember that you are a hero, why are you unwilling to stand up and help protect this world?” Torus asked.

"Of course I'll protect you. After you guys escape on the Ark, I'll fight to the last man on this planet," Loki said. "Go back and enjoy your so-called glory as the world's highest SS-class hero. By the way, speaking of which, Zero should also be one of your targets, right? After all, his identity has always been so mysterious?"

“No, Zero is a hero who has saved the world no less than ten times, and his statue now stands in every association,” Torus said.

"Is that so?" Rocky said. "Is it because Zero has disappeared? Or do you believe he is dead?"

“Loki, five years in prison have warped you completely,” Torus said.

“In my opinion, five years of high-level life have made you vain,” Rocky said.

“Think it over carefully here,” Torus said. “You are welcome anytime, and you can also see the rebuilt new world. I’ll be back in a couple of days to await your reply.”

"You don't need to come. I won't agree to it," Loki said, watching Torus's retreating figure. "I'll go see for myself."

“I heard that,” came the voice from next door. “Looks like you’re planning to escape.”

“Shut up, Ivan!” Rocky said.

"Don't be like that. We've been neighbors for five years, haven't we?" the man named Ivan said. "We're both criminals on this twelfth floor, aren't we?"

“I’m not like you, you bastard!” Rocky said. “You should be glad we’re not in the same cell! Otherwise, I would have killed you right away.”

"You? Hahahaha!!" Ivan sneered, "Since when did idiot Rocky start telling jokes? I fought Zero five times and he didn't kill me. You think you can kill me with your strength? Speaking of which, you almost got killed by me twice before, if Zero hadn't come."

“I admit, you’re the most cunning person I’ve ever met,” Rocky said. “But in this prison, you have no tricks left to use!”

"You're right, Lord Rocky, I'm so scared!! Hahaha!!!" Ivan laughed and said, "Then come and hit me!"

“I will,” Rocky said.

"Once you successfully escape from prison?" Ivan looked at Rocky and said, "Should I consider informing on you or something?"

“Sure, you can go to Gaomi,” Rocky said.

“Forget it, I won’t go into details,” Ivan said. “After all, Idiot Rocky’s entire escape operation is already complete.”

“How did you know?” Rocky asked.

“Intuition,” Evan said. “My gut feeling is more accurate than many women’s. By the way, do you want me to teach you a trick? I’m a veteran who has escaped from here five times.”

“You can just sit here and die!” Rocky said.

“If Zero doesn’t show up, I’ll stay here until I die. Speaking of which, you and I are both dissatisfied with the world right now,” Ivan said. “Why don’t we just destroy this disappointing world? Hahahaha!!! Maybe Zero will come out again then. Haven’t you always wanted to see him again? In that respect, we’re the same. What do you say? How about we join forces to destroy the world?”

“I’m not like you!” Rocky shouted angrily. “I will never team up with a dangerous madman like you!”

"If you don't want to practice, then don't practice. Why are you yelling like that... You scared my heart out of my chest..." Evan's voice came over: "Hahahaha! My heart could never jump out of my chest! But we are indeed the same. We are both disappointed with this world. We both want to find zero."

“I’m not like you, you damned madman!!” Rocky said. “I’m fighting for justice! You’re just going crazy!”

"What's the difference?" Ivan said. "The ultimate goal is the same anyway, only the process is a little different. Hahahaha! Isn't what I said quite philosophical? Actually, I have the talent of a philosopher."

As the two continued their argument, an invisible current swept across the seabed below the island...

Chapter two

As if an underwater current flowed through the seabed of the island, the outline of a submarine slowly emerged.

Inside the submarine, a man and a woman were talking.

"Eileen, how much time do we have?" the man asked the woman beside him.

“If it were before, we would only have five minutes,” Eileen said. “But thanks to this gaming helmet, we have fifteen minutes.”

“Really?” the man said. “I’ll connect to the island’s network now.”

The man then walked towards the exit.

“Be careful, Claude,” the woman said.

"Don't worry, no one can hurt me here." With that, Claude's body became invisible...

Once underwater, Claude's body seemed to disappear into the seawater, completely blending into the ocean depths. Similarly, no monitoring equipment noticed a current of water disappearing into the seabed mud.

“I’ve received the signal, Claude.” The woman’s voice echoed in Claude’s mind: “The operation is now officially underway.”

Inside the submarine, the girl was wearing a helmet. The helmet was connected to a large number of machines.

From the moment she announced the countdown, alarms blared incessantly across the island. Almost instantly, all the island's emergency equipment went out of control.

"Damn it! Notify the defense forces!!" the warden roared angrily at the operator beside him.

"The communication system has completely failed, and it is estimated that it will take at least ten minutes to restore it!" the operator said.

"You bunch of useless trash."

On the other side, not only were all the passages connecting the garrison troops to the twelfth floor sealed off, but the defensive facilities, such as the hypnotic gas originally used to prevent criminals from escaping, also began to attack the garrison troops.

The warden in the command center kept roaring, but to no avail.

At this moment, all the large doors of the underwater section of the prison were opened, and a large number of prison troops were swept away by the seawater.

"Looks like you've got something big up your sleeve," Ivan said to Rocky beside him, listening to the sirens blaring. "How about we let all the criminals out for a bit of fun? Hahaha, just thinking about it makes me laugh, doesn't it?"

“I’m the only one who’s going out,” Rocky said. “You criminals can stay here and die.”

"Hahahaha." Ivan laughed heartily. "Aren't you a criminal here too? Hahahaha."

“I’ve said it many times, I’m different from you,” Rocky said.

“That’s right.” A man’s voice reached everyone’s ears.

“You’ve come, Claude,” Loki said, looking at the man who had appeared before him.

"Loki, step back," Claude said, and a long sword made of water appeared in his hand. He swung it several times at the prison bars.

The alloy cage was easily cut in half by the person in front of him.

Stepping out of the cell, a familiar feeling returned to his body, and Rocky couldn't help but clench his fist.

"How does it feel? You haven't used your power for five years, has it gotten rusty?" Claude asked Rocky.