Heroes Return

……

On the other side of the town, Xiao Zhan and his group were still surrounded. However, around the perimeter of nearly ten million people, two world government army groups had already stationed themselves near all the outer passages.

As for Leng Yan and his group, they were still locked in a staring contest with Lin Qian and the others, but this time they had gained the upper hand. Fenrir had arrived beside them in just a few minutes, and almost simultaneously, the spacetime that had previously vanished reappeared before them.

"Where did you go?" Looking at the suddenly appearing space-time, Leng Yan's expression couldn't help but become serious.

"Hmm..." Hearing Leng Yan's question, Shi Kong tilted his head and thought for a moment before he couldn't help but say, "Before, I was controlled by my father's ability and seemed unable to move. Then that person with glasses killed my father, and then someone next to him touched me. I forgot everything. At that time, I seem to only remember walking forward."

Although the explanation of time and space was somewhat vague, Leng Yan, the Master of Miracles, and the others all understood it.

As the mental defense device of spacetime was removed, a member of the Spacetime Salvation Army who possessed the ability to apply psychological suggestion to people through touch gave spacetime a psychological suggestion, causing spacetime to keep moving in one direction.

Although it's just speculation, it's pretty much the truth. The mental defenses of time and space aren't strong, or rather, people in time and space are more susceptible to mental attacks. This is time and space's weakness, and of course, this is why Leng Yan was willing to let time and space return to the Hero Association. Because once this weakness was discovered, time and space were no longer an insurmountable obstacle.

There's no doubt that the past Romanor was aware of this weakness, and it seems she exerted some kind of hypnotic psychological manipulation on the mind of time travel. Furthermore, ordinary mental defense devices are inherently ineffective against Romanor's abilities. Therefore, time travel was ultimately controlled by Romanor.

However, after Romanoer was killed, Zhao Lei and his group removed the mental defense device on Shi Kong and had someone give him a psychological suggestion.

However, the hints they gave at the time were not about helping them fight or kill, but simply about telling Time and Space to find a place to hide first.

According to Zhao Lei, the Salvation Army doesn't kill good people. And strictly speaking, in this timeline, they haven't done anything truly evil; their help to Romanor was merely a form of mind control, like brainwashing.

Now that the issue has been resolved, time and space itself can no longer be considered a bad guy.

……

Of course, the happiest people to see Time and Space return unharmed were undoubtedly Leng Yan and his group. With the combined power of Time and Space and Fenrir, the Salvation Army here, no matter how numerous, was of no use.

However, just as the Master of Miracles was preparing to use magic in conjunction with Cold Flame, something completely unexpected happened. A sensation from the very soul seemed to have permeated the bodies of everyone present. Extreme fear erupted from the depths of each person's heart.

"This feeling! It's Zero!" Sensing this terrifying sensation, the magical runes that the Master of Miracles had secretly prepared vanished instantly: "Why is Zero emanating this terrifying feeling here?"

Fenrir himself seemed to have his fur standing on end, staring intently in the direction of the town.

Upon seeing Fenrir's gaze, Lin Qian and the girl in the instant vanished from their spot. Although the fear made them very uncomfortable, they were now filled with excitement.

Because a certain feeling can only emanate from a single person.

The noisy crowd that had surrounded Xiao Zhan and the others fell completely silent at this moment. In the instant that terrifying feeling spread throughout their bodies, almost everyone became still.

"What's wrong with you guys? Even if you're being watched by tens of thousands of people, there's no need to be this nervous, is there?" Xiao Zhan, with a serious expression, couldn't help but ask the heroes present. He had just done a funny pose by bending over to relieve his tension.

"You...you...you..." A hero beside him showed a shocked expression at that moment. He said "you" several times to Xiao Zhan, but ultimately couldn't say anything more.

This long-lost feeling left everyone present with expressions of shock.

"It's Zero! It feels like Zero is coming! That's right! It's Zero from a year ago!" Feeling this fear, Dong Xiaoye finally couldn't help but speak up. After all, Dong Xiaoye was also present when Zero appeared on the Long family building.

On the other side, Fenrir had already taken to the air, instantly transforming into a giant wave, staring intently at the town surrounded by all the Saviors not far away.

Leng Yan and the others stood directly on Fenrir's body, fighting against the extreme fear while looking towards the town, as if what was about to appear before them was not a hero but a demon king capable of destroying the world.

"Lin Jie! Ling!" Looking at the scene before him, Leng Yan muttered, "Although I don't know what you'll do next, this time, I won't let you leave. We have to have a serious talk. For the sake of all humanity, I must have a proper talk with you this time, no matter what."

After learning about the War of Annihilation, Leng Yan finally confirmed one thing: Lin Jie was indeed Zero. True masters hide in plain sight; it was unexpected that Zero had been within the Hero Association all along, right under their noses! As the actual planner of the Hero Association's development, Leng Yan knew he had to have a serious talk with Zero, for the sake of the heroes' future.

However, what Leng Yan didn't know was that this time, it seemed he wouldn't be able to have a proper talk with Zero.

PS: Second update complete, third update coming at midnight.

-------------Chapter Dividing Line---------------

"Zhao Lei, have you really mastered how to use this bottle?" Zero suddenly asked Zhao Lei.

"Of course, I have already found out how to use the bottle. As long as you are willing to become the original Zero and become the leader of the Salvation Army, I will give you all the information."

“The rebels will see the original Zero, and I will also be the leader of the Salvation Army,” Zero said calmly to Zhao Lei.

"I understand, here you go." Zhao Lei didn't suspect anything and directly handed a notebook to Lin Jie. In Zhao Lei's mind, Zero wouldn't easily deceive him. In fact, Zero didn't give off any impression of being capable of deceiving him. After all, if Zero really opposed his plan, then Zero wouldn't need to agree to his request. For Zero, all that mattered was defeating him.

At least no one in the world would have imagined that the founder of the Salvation Army was actually a completely powerless person.

This seemingly powerless individual unwittingly embarked on a path to change the world. Zhao Lei had absolute trust in Zero, as the Salvation Army was originally formed with the aim of uniting under Zero's command.

Faced with Zero's affirmation, Zhao Lei was like an excited child, seemingly unconcerned about Zero's intimidating aura.

"Now, it's time to introduce you to the members of the Salvation Army!" Zhao Lei said excitedly as he saw that he had arrived at the village entrance.

"Wait!!" Just then, the bespectacled guy, covered in cold sweat, finally managed to reach Zero's side once again. Facing Zero's gaze, the bespectacled guy gritted his teeth and actually ran straight in front of Zero.

"You can't do that! So many people will die because of you!!" the bespectacled man roared at Zero. "You're supposed to be a hero! You're supposed to be sincere, right? Then! If that's the case, please don't do it! So many innocent people will die because of this!!!"

"And then?" Lin Jie asked calmly upon hearing his words.

"And then? Are you willing to watch so many people die? Lin Jie! Please! We've known each other for so long! I know your character, I believe you wouldn't do this! You wouldn't kill innocent people! Lin Jie! Please! Don't do this. But whatever your purpose, this will only hurt yourself!" Towards the end, the bespectacled man almost shouted hoarsely, "You're my idol!!!!"

“I know, of course I know that many people may die, but I’m sorry, I still have to do it.” Hearing his words, Zero’s voice sounded unexpectedly cold: “I’ve said it before, I owe someone a favor, a favor that costs a life, and I must repay it this time.”

"By killing other people?" the bespectacled man said again. "You're Zero! You're the great hero of this world!!!"

"and then?"

"And then?" Even the bespectacled man was stunned when he heard Zero's calm question again.

"Speaking of which, how long are you going to rely on me? Why must I bear all the burdens? Why must I carry the weight of everyone's fate? Haven't I already sacrificed enough for this? A hundred battles in the True Martial World! To protect this world! I even gave my entire lifespan. And then, I lost the person I loved most because of it! And yet, what's the reality? Crime never stops, and when faced with a truly enormous crisis, you still rely on me! Still thinking I can solve everything." Zero's voice was cold and almost devoid of emotion, but every word felt like a stone pressing down on the bespectacled man: "Since I was fourteen, I've almost never lived properly for myself! For you, for the whole world, for helping others. Everywhere there are glorious principles, but what I truly hope for, no one has ever helped me, and no one can help me! So, this time, I'm quitting!"

Also, as I said before, don't label people without thinking! Don't impose your preconceived notions of what constitutes "zero" on me. I don't want to be morally blackmailed! I just want to live for myself this once, and I just want to pursue what I truly want!

"..." Upon hearing Lin Jie's words, the bespectacled man was stunned.

"Don't beg me here! And don't say things like I'm your idol!" Looking at the bespectacled man, Lin Jie simply walked past him: "Aren't you a hero? Aren't you supposed to uphold justice? If you think what I did this time wasn't just! If you think I made a mistake this time! Then it's simple! Come and defeat me!! This time, don't think someone will cover for you if the sky falls! If I really cause a huge mess this time, you'll have to take the blame yourselves! Since you keep saying you're heroes! Then try to defeat me! Prove that you are righteous!! Even weak justice is still justice!!"

After saying that, Zero walked past the man with glasses. The man with glasses was now covered in cold sweat. This was the first time Lin Jie had ever complained about these things so seriously.

"Right now, I just want to live for myself for once." This thought kept echoing in the bespectacled man's mind. Did he really understand Lin Jie? He knew almost nothing about Lin Jie's past, even though they laughed and joked together every day.

For a moment, the bespectacled man was at a loss for words to persuade Lin Jie to turn back.

"Alright! We can continue our previous topic." Leaving the bespectacled man, Zhao Lei smiled and said, "Let me introduce the Salvation Army to you! The Salvation Army has a total of 27,262,726 members. They are ready to be at your command at any time!"

The instant Zhao Lei finished speaking, countless Salvation Army soldiers appeared before Lin Jie. At that moment, Lin Jie slowly rose into the sky.

……

Silence. This is an eerie silence.

The instant Lin Jie appeared, all the Salvation Army and heroes fell silent. An eerie silence descended upon this place where twenty million people existed simultaneously. The crowds in the distance trembled, peering through binoculars at Zero in the sky. Although a sense of dread permeated their hearts, the Salvation Army members were also filled with excitement. Because right beside Zero, Zhao Lei had also been lifted into the air.

Seeing this scene, both Leng Yan and his group, as well as Xiao Zhan and his group, almost all felt a strange sensation. Zero was right in front of them, but this Zero seemed different.

"Holy crap! Did Lin Jie capture the leader of the Salvation Army?" With a comical expression, Xiao Zhan looked at Lin Jie in the sky with a puzzled expression.

"Lin Jie..." Looking at the figure in the sky, Dong Xue'er couldn't help but mutter to herself, "I never thought that I would be saved by Zero back then..."

However, just as the heroes were looking at Zero with confusion, Zero's next words were like a bolt from the blue.

"Everyone! I am Zero, the leader of the Salvation Army! It is a great pleasure to meet people from all over the world this time." Although his voice was not loud, it was transmitted to the ears of more than 20 million people present by a strange force, including all the heroes and the troops stationed on the periphery: "That's right, from the formation of the Salvation Army to now, everything has been planned by Zhao Lei and me. And now, the Salvation Army can begin the final plan."

Despite Zero's tendency to create awkward silences, the crowd still erupted in considerable excitement upon hearing his words.

Similarly, everyone around the hero felt as if they were dreaming. As for whether the Zero before them was real? In fact, his extremely terrifying aura perfectly proved his identity.

"Damn it!!!! What on earth is going on!!!" Leng Yan, standing some distance away, practically ground his teeth to powder, blood streaming from his mouth. "He just saved the world! What is Zero trying to do!!!"

Looking at Zero like this, the heroes present felt as if they were dreaming. No one would have imagined that one day Zero would jump out and tell them that he was actually a villain!

"Calm down, weren't you preparing for this moment?" Of everyone present, the only one still composed was probably Miracle Killed. As for Torus? If Fenrir hadn't pinned him down, Torus would have already rushed out to confront Zero! As one of the earliest heroes, he had witnessed Zero's glory and growth firsthand. Now that Zero had suddenly appeared and admitted in front of everyone that he was the leader of the Salvation Army, how could he possibly accept it!

Despite his struggles, Torus was determined to confront Zero and get to the bottom of things!

Similarly, it wasn't just Torus who wanted to get to the bottom of things, but most people just held back.

"I was indeed on guard against Zero! But I never imagined it would be under these circumstances! Because in my heart, Zero could never be an extreme terrorist or an ambitious man!" Leng Yan said solemnly, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. If it weren't for the Miracle Master stopping him, Leng Yan would probably have already rushed forward.

"Let's see what he's doing first," the Master of Miracles said with a wry smile. "If everything he says is true, then we may be facing the most powerful criminal in human history!"

It was at this moment that Zero spoke again from the sky.

"Now, as the leader of the Salvation Army, I will issue my first order!" Zero's words once again reached everyone's ears, and the entire Salvation Army was once again in an uproar. However, with the help of Lin Jie's aura of calm, the Salvation Army members quickly calmed down.

"Therefore, my first order is! The Salvation Army, effective today—disband!"

-------------Chapter Dividing Line---------------

Silence, a deathly silence, but this time the reason for the silence was different. This time, everyone was stunned by a single sentence, not by Zero's terrifying aura. Even Zhao Lei, standing beside Lin Jie, stared at Zero in shock! His previously composed expression vanished. He hadn't expected that Zero's first order as the leader of the Salvation Army would be to disband the Salvation Army.

The crowd began to shake violently. Not only the Salvation Army members, but even the heroes hadn't expected Zero to say such a thing.

“All of you Salvation Army members are no longer of any use,” Zero said calmly. “Zhao Lei and I planned all of this, and now, I no longer need your help.”

Zero's icy words were like sharp knives, falling directly into the ears of the Salvation Army members at that moment.

The two girls, who had been smiling just moments before, stood frozen in place. Especially the girl who, the moment Zero announced the disbandment of the Salvation Army, looked as if the sky were about to fall.

"Zero! What exactly is he trying to do?" Looking at the towering black figure in the sky, Leng Yan's expression turned serious. Even Leng Yan had to look up at Zero in the sky. This strongest human hero, the hero who had saved the world countless times, was now completely baffling to everyone present.

"Still don't understand? Idiots, I was using you." The cold voice remained icy and piercing. "And now, you are of no use whatsoever. The Salvation Army is officially disbanded from today. As for any extreme things you've done in the past, or any crimes you've committed for the Salvation Army? Sorry, I will not, and have no interest in, protecting you. As for those who funded our Salvation Army, I was merely using you too. From the very beginning, I only wanted to fulfill my own selfish desires. From the moment I founded the Salvation Army, I never thought of acting for justice. And now, I've found what I was looking for, so you are of no use anymore. As for whether you'll be arrested or what happens to you afterward, heh! Good luck!"

Zero's voice wasn't particularly harsh, but the coldness in his words seemed to freeze everyone present.

"Why?!" Zhao Lei, standing beside Zero, stared at Zero in shock. Even now, he still looked incredulous. But thinking about it, it's understandable; anyone would be surprised in this situation.

"I promised you I would let you see the Zero of the past," Lin Jie said calmly to Zhao Lei. "The Zero of the past never fought alongside anyone. Nor did he need more than twenty million burdens."

As soon as Zero finished speaking, Zhao Lei was thrown down from the sky by Zero himself.

Fortunately, Xiao Zhan caught Zhao Lei: "Brother Glasses! Are you alright? How did you get thrown down by Zero!"

"Look closely! I'm your comrade!!" Just as Xiao Zhan was holding Zhao Lei in confusion, the bespectacled man emerged from the town: "That person is actually Zhao Lei from the Salvation Army!!"

...Thus, in this Salvation Army incident, Xiao Zhan became the biggest contributor to capturing Zhao Lei, a key figure in the Salvation Army's mission...

"Ah! Now that you mention it, the colors of your glasses frames really are different." Xiao Zhan said in surprise after hearing the shout from the guy with glasses not far away.

"Are you face blind too? What's with recognizing people with your glasses frames?!" Upon hearing Xiao Zhan's words, the guy with glasses couldn't help but shout.

But Zhao Lei, who was being picked up, ignored their nonsense and stood up abruptly, looking directly up at the zero in the sky.

"Are you sure you want to do this?!" Zhao Lei shouted angrily at the zero in the sky.

Zero in the sky said nothing more.

In the distance, Leng Yan stared intently at Zero in the sky, watching this scene: "He's changed the charges against all the ordinary people in the Salvation Army!!"