Chapter 18

"Sis, why doesn't that Zero guy ever talk?" the Little Girl asked while watching the movie.

"No idea. The only line Zero has in this film is also the only thing he's ever said in public," Lin Wan said.

"Huh? Isn't that Saintess an S-Class Hero now? Why didn't they invite her to act in this movie?" Xiao Zhan asked from the side.

"That just shows how out of the loop you are," Glasses said, pushing up his spectacles. "From what I've gathered across multiple sources, the production did invite the Saintess early on, but she turned them down, saying she was in the middle of fighting some faction. So they hired an actress who looks like her to play her role from back then. There's also a rumor that she refused because she didn't want to be reminded of her time with Zero—after all, Zero's been missing for five years now."

"I get it," Xiao Zhan said. "That's just the normal reaction after a breakup. Speaking of which, God Hand was pretty eager to join the filming."

"Yeah, I never thought the guy who always shows up as the wise man in public had such a foolish past," Glasses said.

"Is that Saintess sister Zero's girlfriend?" the Little Girl asked curiously.

"No idea!" Lin Wan said. "But I've heard they did fight together, and Zero only killed that Evil God back then thanks to the Saintess's magic blessing."

"Sounds like there was definitely something between them. Everyone who went through that event says so, and the movie's plot is based on what those people actually experienced," Xiao Zhan said. "Even the Saintess herself hasn't denied that the movie's story matches what really happened, right?"

"That's true," Lin Wan said.

'True my ass!' Lin Jie sighed inwardly as the group chattered on about his past rumors with that Saintess. 'And they have the nerve to call this the most historically accurate film. That Evil God was so weak I could've taken him out with one sword strike back then. What blessing from the Saintess? That never happened at all!'

"Bro, you don't look so good," Lin Wan said.

"Nothing. I'm just wondering if those people's memories might be messed up," Lin Jie said.

"How could that be?" Lin Wan said. "An A-Class Hero, an S-Class Hero, and a bunch of people who actually lived through that event all worked on the script together. There's no way every single one of them remembered wrong."

"Yeah, I guess," Lin Jie said with a dry laugh.

'Was I the one who lost my memory back then? I remember that Saintess was out of it from start to finish. What could she even remember? And who the hell is this God Hand guy? I don't recall anyone like that standing next to me. Though, that Saintess was pretty hot—I wouldn't have minded if we really had something. Come to think of it, this series has already made five movies, and I get a different girl in every one! But why don't I remember any of this good stuff happening?!'

While Lin Jie was inwardly agonizing over the gap between reality and the movie, the film reached its end.

Just as it finished, an ad popped up.

"Thank you all for your support of the Great Hero Zero film series. Production for the sixth installment is currently underway. For the sixth film, we will be inviting an SS-Class Hero Party from another world to assist with the production's guidance. Look forward to the sixth installment of the Zero series: Demon King and Hero."

'So even that part of history got dug up...'

"Next time they're filming the story from the otherworld invasion period?" Xiao Zhan said excitedly. "As a hardcore RPG player, I've done plenty of research on what happened back then."

'Does this company ever stop? Is digging up people's embarrassing pasts really that fun?' Lin Jie thought helplessly. 'Maybe I should go back to being Zero one day and just tear that company apart? Nah, my costume's already on display in the World United Supreme Museum. Getting it back would be way too much trouble.'

Unlike the relaxed atmosphere at Lin Jie's place, Ouyang Rui sat in the Hero Association president's office, his face dark as he stared at the report on his computer.

"A bunch of useless trash!" Ouyang Rui cursed angrily. "Can't even handle two E-Classs."

Earlier today, he had ordered the superhumans under his thumb in the Hero Association to bring Lin Jie, Xiao Zhan, and that little girl to him. That way, he'd have a major bargaining chip when dealing with the Evolution Company. But what he hadn't expected was that those heroes he'd sent were now piling up on the news like a human pyramid.

"Looks like I need to consider actual strength when backing new heroes from now on," Ouyang Rui muttered to himself.

Just then, a knock came at his door.

"Come in," Ouyang Rui said toward the entrance.

A mature, sexy OL woman walked in: "Sir, this is the latest intelligence on Dong Xue'er's movements."

"Alright, leave it there," Ouyang Rui said.

After watching his secretary leave the office, Ouyang Rui inserted the data card from the desk into his computer.

"She went to Dong Xiaoye's place!" Ouyang Rui said in surprise. "Looks like I'll need to contact Hunter."

In a strange room, she was bound tightly by some unknown objects, unable to move. She struggled with all her strength, but it was completely useless.

As she struggled, a bizarre humanoid creature holding an indescribably weird object appeared before her.

"Come on, have some milk," the humanoid thing said in a lecherous voice. As it spoke, it shoved one end of a pixelated rod-shaped object into Shadow's mouth. A large amount of white liquid began spraying into Shadow's mouth.

"Mmm! Mmm!" Shadow's body kept writhing in struggle.

"I'm shooting... I'm shooting... Hahaha, more, more..." the sleazy voice said.

"Mmm! Mmm... I can't drink anymore!" Shadow sat bolt upright in bed, staring blankly around the room before letting out a sigh of relief. "It was just a dream."

Then Xiao Zhan's face came to mind: "That bastard!"

Shadow quickly washed up in her room and stepped out.

Following a corridor, she entered a meeting room.

Two men were already waiting for her inside.

"You're late, Miss Shadow," one of them said. This man was the same buyer leader who had tried to purchase the Little Girl and ended up captured by Lin Jie's group.

"Sorry, Mr. Gan," Shadow said.

"Now that everyone's here, let's start the meeting," Mr. Gan said. "Our plan last night failed. Not only that, but Evil Fiend has disappeared, hasn't he?"

"Yes," the other man said.

"Then what about your side, Weapon?" Mr. Gan asked the other man.

"By the time I got to that Glasses guy's place, his whole family had already moved out," Weapon said.

"And you, Shadow?" Mr. Gan turned to look at Shadow beside him.

"Sorry, I failed too." She lowered her head and spoke.

"Tell me the reason for your failure." Mr. Gan asked.

"I don't want to say." Shadow gritted her teeth and said, "Next time, I won't miss again."

"Do you think there will be a next time?" Mr. Gan said.

Hearing his words, both Weapon and Shadow in the room felt a jolt of shock.

"Sorry, my words might have scared you two." Mr. Gan said. "Because it's no longer possible to send you. The life signal on Evil Fiend's life detection device has disappeared. That means the person who rescued that girl has the strength to kill Evil Fiend, who was carrying the T-3 evolution fluid. Even among A-Class Heroes, very few could do that."

"What?!" Weapon said in surprise. "Could it be an S-Class?"

"Not necessarily." Mr. Gan said. "Keep in mind, there's no S-Class life reaction in H City. But we can't rule out the possibility that they possess some kind of deadly ability."

"Is that so?" Shadow said reluctantly. "So next time we deal with them, will we need headquarters to send someone?"

"Headquarters can't send anyone to deal with them now." Mr. Gan said. "The little girl plan has to be shelved for the time being. News came yesterday—Paradise Island's underground research lab was exposed."

"What!" Weapon exclaimed in shock.

"That's right. All the researchers on that potential development project are dead. Not only that, we've lost a massive amount of research data." Mr. Gan said.

"How is that possible? How could Paradise Island's underground research lab be found?" Weapon asked.

"During the Sea Tribe invasion." Mr. Gan said. "A hero with the title Godly Ghost infiltrated our research lab."

"Did he leak the lab's location?"

"No, he was captured." Mr. Gan said. "But for some reason, a series of mechanical failures occurred inside the lab. Right when the superhumans were fighting the Sea Tribe, the lab was exposed right in front of both sides..."

"..."

"Now most of headquarters' combat strength is tied up in that great battle on Paradise Island. After the SS-Class Hero Son of God appeared there, headquarters suffered heavy losses. I estimate it'll take at least a few years before this project can be restarted."

"It came to this..." Shadow muttered.

"But our mission in H City isn't over yet." Mr. Gan said. "Tomorrow night, the person from headquarters responsible for trading the T-3 evolution fluid with the Ouyang family will arrive. The upper echelons place great importance on this transaction, because it's the key to whether we can enter District C."

"So we'll be responsible for the security of this transaction together with the people from headquarters, right?" Weapon asked.

"Correct. All three of us have botched one mission each. If this transaction goes wrong again, I think you know the consequences without me having to say them." Mr. Gan said.

Everyone present nodded. The consequence of failing two missions in a row could only be one thing: death.