Hero

In an instant.

A dazzling white light, like the first ray of dawn, erupted at the heavy point where the Judgment Hammer fell from Su Wen's hand.

It smashed the half-kneeling Out-of-Control Bloodthirsty Butcher before him straight through the thick floor.

At that moment.

Every fleeing civilian was stunned.

According to later witness accounts.

At that very moment, they truly saw—

Dawn.

**Verdict of Sin** confirmed.

*Fair Judgment* ruled:

The guilty Huang Zhiming had accumulated excessive gambling debts and, under the influence of *Vague Murmurs*, failed to restrain himself after his will was further weakened. Last night, he committed robbery, murder, and disposed of the body.

Later, after coming into contact with a Pollution Source (@*# still unidentified), his mental threshold completely collapsed at eight o'clock this morning. While out of control, he killed three people, crippled twelve, and seriously injured seventeen.

Judgment damage bonus: 278%. The additional *Fair Knight* meme increased damage against those with Mental Pollution by 50%, dealing a total of 198 massive damage.

Due to excessive additional Judgment damage, Judge—Chief Player Su Wen—was currently suffering from excessive Spiritual Energy consumption and mental overload.

Su Wen felt an indescribable weakness throughout his body.

Once the danger had passed.

The people around them gradually stopped running.

They feared Su Wen, yet they did not dare approach him.

A vast empty space formed in the middle of the mall.

Only Jiang Menghan walked over. Though her bearing was cold, her eyes held nothing but concern for Su Wen and self-reproach.

"Are you all right? I'm sorry, it was all because of me. I..."

The next second.

Su Wen gently raised his hand and stopped her from continuing.

"No one ever wishes for misfortune to befall them."

Jiang Menghan froze for a moment and said nothing more.

At that moment.

The mall's background noise shifted from fear and screams to an eerie silence.

She coldly swept her gaze over the surrounding bystanders.

Then she prepared to help Su Wen leave.

The next second.

The little girl he had saved rushed over.

"Big brother, thank you for saving me."

Su Wen rubbed her hair and answered gently.

"You're welcome. Remember to stay close to your mother next time. Don't get lost again."

The little girl's gesture.

Was like the first torch being lit in the darkness.

Then.

The crowd's silence was broken.

Thank you.

Thank you for stepping forward.

You're a true hero.

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have run away.

If it weren't for you, who knew how many more innocent people would have died?

Only then.

Did dawn truly arrive.

Achievement unlocked: Hero

Achievement description: I believe this world is not great, nor is human nature noble.

But I also believe in the strength of civilization.

It is a journey of wandering across eras. Constant progress drives faster progress, and countless miracles give rise to even greater miracles.

Therefore.

When those people become indelible fragments of civilization's history.

They are naturally called: "Heroes."

Ten minutes later.

The people from the Mental Review Bureau arrived.

The one leading them was a middle-aged man with a square face.

"We didn't detect any Spiritual Energy Fluctuation beforehand. Are you an Awakened? Did you feel any discomfort during your awakening?"

Su Wen had once fought alongside the heir of Northern Europa's nobility, and in a burning banquet hall, he had offered Duke Reinhardt—who was drafting legislation for Transcendents—a beacon for civilization's future.

Now, facing the Coastal Old Town, he naturally had no reason to be nervous about a special operations captain who was merely a Tier 1 Transcendent.

He smiled leisurely.

"I went to sleep, and when I woke up, I had it."

"What is your Transcendent ability?"

"I don't know either."

"Would you like to join the Mental Review Bureau?"

"Not interested."

And so.

After Su Wen was asked several boring questions.

The crowd that understood the full situation began to spontaneously resist and criticize the Mental Review Bureau.

"I'm a reporter for the Coastal Daily. I saw his righteous act with my own eyes. If you dare interrogate him illegally, I'll report you!"

"Why are you pointing at big brother? He saved me! You're all bad people!"

"Where were you when the monster was killing people? Now you're interrogating this young man. Whose side are you even on?"

"That's right. Isn't it awfully convenient that you showed up now?"

The fact that no one pointed at them and told them to get out.

Was already courtesy enough.

Compared to the lonely title of hero.

Perhaps at that moment.

Su Wen truly understood the centripetal force of civilization.

But no matter how the people around him testified.

As a Transcendent, Su Wen could hardly be ignored by the Mental Review Bureau.

He received a review notice scheduled for twenty days later.

There was a long gap between then and today, likely to prevent "public opinion unfavorable to the Mental Review Bureau" from fermenting again.

Of course.

To maintain social stability.

The bureau also imposed a gag order on everyone involved in the incident.

But in today's highly developed internet society.

Could a piece of social news important enough to reach Twitter's headlines really be buried so easily?

Forty minutes later.

Su Wen and Jiang Menghan left the mall, which had already been sealed off.

They arrived at the little milk tea shop they often visited.

"Two bubble milk teas. I already paid."

"What's this? Miss Jiang is being so generous today?"

Su Wen teased as though nothing had happened.

Jiang Menghan rolled her eyes at him prettily.

"Do you want some other reward too?"

Su Wen accepted the warm milk tea.

"I'll have to think carefully about that."

Those words made the usually icy Jiang Menghan's face redden slightly. She feigned calm as she spoke.

"The project model at your place from before was pretty good."

"What a way to repay kindness with enmity."

And so.

The two chatted in a harmonious atmosphere.

Sometimes, the interesting things Su Wen casually mentioned would unexpectedly put the ice-cold girl in a good mood.

Or Jiang Menghan would seriously suggest an idea for their research topic, only for Su Wen's jumping train of thought to lead it somewhere else entirely.

Their relationship seemed as though nothing had changed.

And so.

Their morning-long research discussion came to an end.

They had also tentatively decided on a research direction.

Only then did Jiang Menghan finally ask about what had happened earlier.

"I heard that Transcendents are tightly controlled now. You won't be forcibly reassigned, will you?"

"If I leave and you don't have a partner, what will happen to your competition?"

Su Wen asked.

Jiang Menghan had likely thought of her answer long ago. She gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes clear and bright.

"I'll give up all future competitions, apply to the Meteorite Research Institute, and help some fool provide data support for Transcendents."

"Who's the fool? If I remember correctly."

"Raising your rank through the World Physics Competition, publishing papers in top journals, and applying in your junior year for Harvard's combined master's and doctoral program in theoretical physics have always been your dreams."

He looked into the girl's clear eyes.

And because he knew her so well, he understood exactly how stubborn she was.

So he gently gave her his final answer.

"Don't worry. Twenty days is far too long."

After all.

Nineteen days later.

The Equality Act signed by Duke of Bavaria Joseph Reinhardt.

Would change the course of civilization for the entire world.