Chapter 182: Shaken

Yang Dian received a phone call from Kate. Confused, he asked, “Mr. Kate, are you looking for us?”

Kate sounded anxious. “A robber has taken the products of the research institution, including the oppressor for the Death Virus. If we can’t retrieve it, our results will be lost. Since the military can’t make it in time, we have to count on you guys!”

The duo turned serious. “We will definitely help.”

“That’s great. You’re our only hope. I’ll send you the coordinates. The enemy is a man wearing a black mechanical suit!”

Black mechanical suit‽ Yang Dian and Ned’s expressions changed.

“Could it be him‽”

...

Running on the street wearing a mechanical suit was too flashy. As soon as Han Xiao left the research institution, he climbed onto the rooftop of a building and continued running across rooftops. That way, even if someone saw him, it would not cause as great an impact. He was planning to find a hidden spot to take off the mechanical suit and change to a different face.

So many drug potions, enough for me to drink it like water. Han Xiao laughed.

After turning into a few streets, Han Xiao jumped into an empty alley. It was at this moment that two strong vital signs showed up on the radar, and after the automated search in the database, it surprisingly had a match. It turned out to be the two superheroes that he had met twice.

They’re chasing me? Han Xiao thought for a while, and he knew that they were being toyed with by Louis Research Institution again.

This time, a notice popped up on the interface.

_____________________

You have triggered mission [Trial of a Hero]

Mission Introduction: Heroes of justice are never in short supply, but only the right ways to do it. Some people become depraved and give up their initial goals; some lose their adherence and become what they swore to fight against; some are used and lied to. Choosing justice is a tough path, and you can be the trial for them to find the right path toward becoming a real hero.

Mission Requirements: Defeat Yang Dian and Ned, and expose the truth about Louis Research Institution.

Rewards: Random

_____________________

Han Xiao narrowed his eyes.

He was quite interested in this mission. It was a chance for him to feel what it was like to be the ultimate evil.

Han Xiao analyzed the data.

I’ve got a few minutes to kill, just enough time to play with them a little. Han Xiao stopped in place and waited. Yang Dian and Ned’s figures flashed past the alley entrance not long after—they ran too far. After a few seconds, the duo realized and immediately turned back, standing at the alley entrance with a confronting stance.

“It really is you!” Yang Dian’s face was stern. He had seen the power of this mysterious warrior in the mechanical suit with his own eyes. Even in his peak state, he would probably be beaten in a few punches, and he was now injured. But the thought of Han Xiao robbing the cure to the Death Virus encouraged him to not back up even if he could not win.

Ned rubbed his hands and was ready to strike. He said in a low tone, “Even though you saved us before, I’m afraid we can’t let you take the cure.”

Cure? Damn these guys really are the type that are stupid enough to help someone who cheated them. Ned struck first. His hands slapped forward, and a shockwave filled the alley. The paint on the walls shed, and cracks appeared on the ground.

In a flash, Han Xiao jumped up, drawing a swift arc midair, and bumped toward the enemy like a rocket.

Yang Dian bit his teeth and stepped forward, swinging out his punch.

Bang!

The mechanical suit covered fist was like a bolt of lightning, appearing and disappearing in an instant. Before Yang Dian’s fist could even swing fully, it had already hit Yang Dian’s chest heavily. Yang Dian’s vision turned hazy; everything in sight seemed to move away rapidly as he flew backwards. He then got punched into the wall with a loud noise, every bone in the body almost shattering.

One-hit victory.

His physical power is even stronger than the lion who caused serious injury to me.Yang Dian barely pulled himself out of the wall and breathed heavily. Suddenly, he heard a gust of wind around his ears, Ned was thrown toward him and fell beside his feet with a huge bump on his head. He had been knocked dizzy by a simple headbutt from Han Xiao.

They could not even last three seconds. With absolutely zero chance to fight back, Yang Dian was filled with sadness and hatred. How are we supposed to stop the opponent like this? Helplessness penetrated their hearts.

Han Xiao looked at the timer as he saw the duo trying to get back up. He had given himself five minutes to deal with these two superheroes, but the situation had turned out to be much easier. He had taken less than ten seconds to beat them completely.

They were both Superhumans at the level of thirty-something. With Han Xiao’s strength, it was a piece of cake.

Han Xiao took a few steps forward. Just as he was going to say something, Yang Dian managed to struggle to his feet. With a face filled with unyielding and anger, he clenched his teeth and said, “You took away the cure for the Death Virus. Lots and lots of people will die because of that. I will stop you today even if it costs me my life!”

Han Xiao stopped in place. He looked at Yang Dian with a mocking smile. “Dying as a hero—other than dead flowers, empty words, and a few hypocritical tears, what else can you get?”

Yang Dian clenched his teeth even harder. “It doesn’t matter how others look at me as long as I’m happy with what I’m doing!”

Suddenly, Yang Dian blinked. A large, black hand enlarged in his sight and grabbed his head. He was smashed into a wall, shattering the stones.

His head was bleeding, Yang Dian lay flat on the ground, his head spinning. He did not even have the strength to stand up.

Han Xiao took out his handgun and pressed it against Yang Dian’s forehead.

The black colored muzzle brought Yang Dian back to his senses. He wanted to struggle, but Han Xiao stepped on his legs, then slowly applied pressure to the trigger.

Yang Dian’s eyes widened. At this moment, regret uncontrollably flooded his mind.

If I wasn’t so meddlesome, I wouldn’t die today. In front of an enemy that’s this strong, even if I bet my life on it, I wouldn’t be able to stop him for a bit. Coming here was just giving my life away. I shouldn’t have accepted the request. I was too impulsive... Ka!

The trigger reached its end. Yang Dian’s entire body trembled, only to realize that he did not feel any pain. He was stunned as he watched Han Xiao back off. Then he realized that cold sweat had drenched all his clothes. Although he could not see his own face, he knew that it was definitely a twisted expression filled with fear, regret, and unwillingness.

“What were you thinking just now?” Han Xiao said.

Yang Dian froze in place but kept silence. In the face of death, the belief that he had once thought would never be destroyed was shaken. He was not as generous and tough as he said at all. Instead, at that moment, it was regret he felt, and he even thought that giving up his life for a request from others was extremely stupid. Yet before this event, he had always been working hard toward the goal of being a superhero—he wanted to save more people; he wanted to protect more civilians; he wanted to sacrifice himself for others.

But at this moment, Yang Dian only felt lost.

Han Xiao put his handgun with the empty clip back to the holster, took out a laptop, transferred some data to a thumb drive, and threw it to Yang Dian.

Yang Dian and Ned froze in place.

The enemy left just like that?

“Why did he not kill us?” Yang Dian held the thumb drive in a daze.

“We are no match for him. Don’t go up to him and look for death. We have to leave here first.” Yang Dian held onto Ned, and they left limping.

Another mission failure, the duo’s hearts were filled with shame. They could not face Kate. When they arrived at Louis Research Institution’s door, the military was already there, and the area was locked down. The duo did not want to come into contact with the Maple Military, so they went back to the place where they rested and dressed their wounds.

Yang Dian kept thinking about what Han Xiao had said. He was confused and could not focus at all. He lay on bed dazed, the thoughts from just now flashing in his mind non-stop. He could feel that his belief and perspective of being a superhero were shaken; it was a war against his own mind.

At this time, Ned could not hold back his curiosity of what was inside the thumb drive. He plugged it into the laptop, and only a few seconds of looking at it made him break out in cold sweat.

“Yang, come here and look at this!”