Heroes Return

"Is that so? Is that why you're so confident you can defeat me with just that sword?" Xiang said as he flew away. "Because your physical abilities are stronger than mine? Then I'll show you how to improve."

As he spoke, Xiang's entire body stood quietly on the sea surface, just like Lin Jie, and at the same time, a large amount of steam emanated from Xiang's body.

"You've switched to second gear?" Lin Jie couldn't help but ask.

However, now that the restrictions were lifted, Xiang wouldn't listen to Lin Jie's words. His bloodshot eyes glared fiercely at Lin Jie. The next second, he disappeared from the surface of the sea, reappearing in front of Lin Jie, and kicked him in the face.

Lin Jie's giant sword was blocking his way, but Xiang immediately changed the direction of his body.

At the same time, he once again anticipated Lin Jie's movements and dodged the giant sword in Lin Jie's hand based on Lin Jie's reaction. He then struck towards Lin Jie's lower body, and immediately stepped back to avoid Lin Jie's kick.

"Hahaha, I could predict it! I can keep up with your movements now! Hahaha!!" As he regained his confidence during the exchange, he was once again sent flying by Lin Jie's giant sword.

Lin Jie didn't care what he saw a few seconds later, or what he might be thinking. He still slammed his greatsword down hard, sending Xiang, who had activated his buff, flying once again.

Although Xiang's strength increased by more than one level after the restrictions were lifted, it still didn't have much effect on Lin Jie.

Lin Jie reappeared beside Xiang, his greatsword striking out at him once more. Although Xiang had anticipated Lin Jie's move, he had just regained his footing and, even if he had predicted the attack, he had no way to dodge it.

At this moment, Lin Jie increased the power of the giant sword in his hand, slamming Xiang away into the distance.

It kept rolling on the sea until it smashed through three exposed rock pillars and reefs before finally stopping on a small island.

Lin Jie appeared beside him once again, but this time Lin Jie did not make a move, because Wei Xiang was no longer able to stand up.

"Damn it, just how strong are your physical abilities?" Xiang said, lying on the ground unwillingly.

"Now we'll hand you over to those government people for ideological reform," Lin Jie said, reaching out to grab Xiang's arm.

However, Xiang injected himself with a syringe first, and then red patterns began to appear on his body.

Lin Jie recognized him.

"That's T-3 Evolution Fluid? You guys do business with Evolution Company? That company really does sell dangerous products everywhere," Lin Jie couldn't help but say.

"You'll know when you die." Xiang slowly stood up from the ground.

The evolution fluid not only strengthened his body, but also enhanced his abilities.

“Now I can clearly see all your movements in the next few minutes,” Xiang said to Lin Jie. “At the same time, my body has been strengthened a second time. If you still don’t use that sword, you’re dead.”

"You can try." Lin Jie still had no intention of using the longsword.

"Then go to hell." Xiang said, trying to rush towards Lin Jie, but the next moment he found that he couldn't even take a step. His whole body felt like it was being pressed down by an invisible mountain. Let alone taking two steps forward, even standing was a difficult thing.

"Do you really think this sword is only good for being sturdy and huge?" Lin Jie slung the bladeless greatsword over his shoulder and walked step by step toward Xiang.

Xiang already knew what Lin Jie was going to do next, and couldn't help but shout, "Long live the Salvation Army!"

"Long live your grandpa!" The next moment, Lin Jie's heavy fist slammed into Xiang's face, turning Xiang's head into a pig's head. Then, carrying the unconscious Xiang on his back, he rushed towards the future battlefield.

Not long after, Lin Jie reappeared on a sea creature warship, with Xiang on his shoulder.

By this time, the battle on the Future was drawing to a close, and the sea was practically covered in soap. The sailors and defense machines on deck had been wiped out by the overwhelmingly superior sea creature soldiers and World Government agents.

In the captain's cabin, the admiral threw a bar of soap out and then locked the door. Leaning back in his seat, bright red blood flowed from the admiral's shoulder, staining the soap in his hand crimson.

A figure from the future appeared before the admiral.

"Just received news that Xiang has been taken down." The admiral said, looking at the signal displayed on the computer. "This time we have completely failed. Damn it, I don't know why I've been having such bad luck ever since we set sail."

"I will unleash full firepower in a counterattack," Future said.

"No, the future, cease fighting." The admiral said, pressing an energy gun to his temple: "The warriors of the Salvation Army must never be captured alive in disgrace, but you are different. You are just a ship, a core AI. After I die, no one will make things difficult for you. As long as we have people within the government working together, you will still be able to return to sailing the seas."

But at that moment, Mirai gently embraced the admiral.

"Do you remember what we said when we first met?" Future's words, though seemingly casual, clearly revealed a fluctuation of emotion.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Epilogue

Upon hearing the words about the future, the admiral couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Of course I remember," the admiral said. "I was much more handsome back then than I am now."

Despite saying this, the admiral did not lower the gun in his hand.

"Since we've failed, let's walk the final path together." Mirai said calmly to the admiral. As Mirai finished speaking, a red self-destruct alarm sounded throughout the entire ship.

Upon hearing the alarm, the soldiers and agents who had been fighting on the ship all ran overboard. Before long, only the admiral remained alive on the Future.

"Hahaha, this trick always works!" The admiral struggled to his feet, looked at the control panel in the captain's cabin, and pulled Future's hand, saying, "Let's pull off this last job, and then retire together!"

As he finished speaking, the Future sprang into action once more. Almost all the still-functioning cannons began firing wildly in all directions, and the ship's red alert had ceased.

Only then did everyone realize that the alarm had been a ruse; now, the admiral was the only living person left on the entire Future. However, boarding the Future again was impossible. Whenever someone approached the Future, a barrage of artillery fire would be unleashed upon them.

At the same time, the Future's main guns began to unleash a large amount of firepower on the surrounding sea creature warships.

Faced with the Future's frenzied counterattack, in order to minimize losses, the Sea Clan's naval commander completely ignored Mr. K's request to preserve the Future's main engine and ordered the navy to sink the Future.

Hundreds of warships simultaneously launched a carpet bombardment of the Future, and under such intense firepower, the Future quickly lost its ability to evade, constantly being struck by a barrage of heavy artillery fire.

In the captain's cabin, where alarms were constantly blaring, the admiral looked towards the future and said, "We should retire! But the Salvation Army still has countless young forces working tirelessly!"

Future simply nodded slightly, then reached out and wrapped her arms around the admiral's waist.

The next moment, towering flames erupted on the ship.

The Mirai, a warship that had accumulated numerous legendary achievements during its service with the Navy before being decommissioned, was finally sunk in the Fantasy Sea after sailing for 30 years and seven months.

……

Twenty-five years ago, also aboard the Future, amidst a cacophony of alarms, a young boy sat in his cabin. A beautiful girl appeared before him at that moment.

"Who are you? There shouldn't be any girls on this ship. Run! Most of the people on board should have escaped by now," the boy said to the beautiful girl.

"Aren't you going to run?"

"I can't run away anymore. I'm going to stay and fight those damn bastards to the very end," the boy said.

“I am the future, and now I am this ship. Everyone else has abandoned ship except you, and now I only have you left,” the girl said to the boy.

"You mean you're the ship's intelligent system?" the boy asked.

The girl nodded. "I don't want to die yet. Can you fight alongside me?"

Seeing the girl's expectant eyes, the boy struggled to his feet, completely ignoring his injuries, and said, "Of course, you're all I have left now."

……

Watching the Future slowly sink into the sea, Lin Jie couldn't help but wonder, "How exactly did that so-called Salvation Army brainwash the Admiral? Why would he rather capsize than surrender?"

“Kuhuhu, the Salvation Army may have instilled in them a belief more important than life itself.” Alice appeared behind Lin Jie at this moment: “Thank you for saving my life just now.”

"You mean the Salvation Army instilled in them some kind of belief that they can sacrifice themselves at will? Why does it feel like a cult to me?" Lin Jie asked.

“Kuhuhu, beliefs can be boring, but they can often have unimaginable effects,” Alice said. “Kuhuhu, I never imagined that a completely powerless and cowardly girl would shoot at me without hesitation. I guess I should learn to act.”

"Beliefs? What if one day I find out that my beliefs are wrong?" Lin Jie muttered to himself involuntarily.

“Kuhuhu, there are no wrong beliefs in this world,” Alice said. “As long as a person is willing to give up everything for a certain belief, then that belief is correct! Kuhuhu, that’s the most interesting thing about humanity! You know, I love watching people strive for their beliefs, especially the despair on their faces when they die trying to protect their beliefs. Kuhuhu, just thinking about it is so interesting!”

"You really have a wicked sense of humor," Lin Jie couldn't help but say.

“Kuhuhu, I’m a wicked person by nature,” Alice said to Lin Jie. “I’m the enemy of your heroes.”

“But at least you did one good thing today; you saved those hostages,” Lin Jie said to Alice. “So you’re still a good person for now.”

"Hahahaha!!! Hahahaha!" Upon hearing Lin Jie's words, Alice burst into laughter, clutching her stomach, her laughter utterly lacking in grace.

"What's wrong?" Lin Jie asked.

"Kuhuhu, Lin Jie, you really know how to tell jokes!" Alice said to Lin Jie. "You're the only person I've ever met who has ever said I'm a good person. Ahahaha!!"

"It's not that funny," Lin Jie said to Alice. "By the way, beautiful lady, shouldn't you give your savior a nice hug?"

Is it really okay to be so blunt with a girl?

……

Inside the consulate, squadrons of shuttles appeared in the sky above the consulate.

Watching the passengers of the original Future board the return shuttle one by one, Haina looked at Thirteen with some reluctance: "Are you really unwilling to stay and help me govern the sea creatures?"

"You know Haina, I only bring misfortune to others!" Thirteen said to Haina indifferently, "This time I went to sea on the Future, but the Future sank and I came to Sea King City, where a coup broke out. You almost died. If I stay here again, I can hardly imagine what will happen to you."

“That was just a coincidence, Thirteen! The mutiny and the sinking of the ship were not your fault. It was all the result of those people making wrong decisions!” Haina said to Thirteen.

“But I’m always there for every coincidence, just like some elementary school student who’s a death god. He doesn’t kill people, but wherever he goes, there’s a murder,” Thirteen said.

"I don't care about 'Bleach Elementary School Student'! I won't watch that anime that's been running for a hundred years and still isn't finished!" Haina said to Thirteen. "I just hope you can stay. I'm not afraid of anything bad happening!"

“But I’m afraid you’ll get hurt,” Thirteen said.

"So you're planning to leave me again, is that it?" Haina said to Thirteen with some resentment.

"Henna, I will come back!" Thirteen said.

"What did you say?"

“I told you I would definitely come back to find you, as long as you are willing to wait for me.”

Are you telling the truth?

"Once this matter in District M is over, I will go find someone who can change the course of my destiny. I want to break this fate, and then I will come back to find you," Thirteen said to Heina with utmost solemnity.

“I’m willing to wait for you! Whether it’s ten years, twenty years, or a hundred years, I will wait for you,” Haina replied, somewhat excitedly.

"Henna..." Thirteen looked at the beautiful girl in front of him with some emotion.

Just as the two were getting along well, a spoilsport voice came into their ears.

"Brother, long-distance relationships are bound to break up sooner or later." Lin Jie's voice came to Thirteen's ears: "Because of the long-distance relationship, you never know how many times you've been cheated on."

"Get out! Get on your plane right now!" Thirteen cursed angrily.

……

District M is the place with the most superpowered heroes in the world, the most technologically advanced place in the world, and also the first line of defense against alien invasion on Earth, a region that shows no mercy in fighting terrorist forces.

At the airfield here, a woman with long silver hair and a beautiful Asian face was waiting quietly.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up. A somewhat goofy-looking man was walking out of the airport, looking around. He also saw the silver-haired woman and immediately ran towards her.

"Xue'er, I've come to find you! We'll be colleagues from now on!" Lin Jie excitedly ran towards Dong Xue'er.