Just as Peace Was Discussed, Vegeta's Arrival Was Announced; 30,000 Power Level Arrives in One Year

"Then how are we supposed to trust you?" Piccolo snorted, his purple face full of suspicion. "You Saiyans invaded Earth and started a fight. You think one apology is enough to turn the page? To us Earthlings, you're a disaster. The best thing you can do is get lost. Right now."

"How are you supposed to trust me?" Gou Kong let out a mocking laugh, and a sliver of that terrifying aura around him leaked out, there and not there. "Isn't that simple? You can sense ki, can't you? Then you should know exactly how terrifyingly strong I am. I'm not bragging. If I really wanted to make a move, before either of you could react, I could crush you both into meat paste with one finger."

"Unfortunately, he's right." Goku closed his eyes and sensed for a moment. His face instantly went deathly pale, and he nodded with difficulty.

Piccolo said nothing, but he abruptly turned his head away and pressed his lips tightly together, clearly accepting Gou Kong's assessment by default.

Gou Kong observed their reactions. Knowing the intimidation had been enough, he reined in his aura and softened his tone. "In that case, the fact that I'm still standing here, going to all this trouble to talk nonsense with you, and even made this idiot who was fighting you to the death a moment ago come over and apologize—isn't that enough to show my sincerity? My actions already say everything. I have no intention of being your enemy. I just want to coexist peacefully."

He emphasized it again, making sure these two paranoid guys took it in.

This move both flexed his muscles and gave them a way out. It was practically top-tier old fox cultivation.

Next, it depended on whether these two took the hint.

Son Goku stared at Gou Kong for a long while before his tense shoulders finally relaxed.

He could sense it clearly. This Saiyan before him, who was wearing the same kind of battle suit as Raditz, did not have even the slightest bit of Raditz's frowningly sinister aura. Instead, his ki felt about as peaceful as that of an ordinary Earthling.

What was even stranger was that with Gou Kong standing here, Raditz, who had been arrogant and domineering just moments ago, seemed to have lost most of his pressure, like a punctured balloon.

"All right. I believe you."

Son Goku raised his head and took the initiative to extend a hand toward Gou Kong.

Raditz froze as he watched from the side, his cheeks puffing up, clearly still sulking over having his head forced down in apology earlier.

Gou Kong ignored the silly kid's little mood and reached out to shake Son Goku's hand. His fingertips could feel the calluses on the other man's palm.

This kid had clearly trained plenty on Earth. No wonder he had managed to go head-to-head with Raditz for so long just now.

"My name is Gou Kong. From now on, here on Earth, we're neighbors."

Gou Kong smiled and shook his wrist, just about to stretch and celebrate the crisis being resolved, when from the corner of his eye he caught sight of Raditz's face turning as black as the bottom of a pot. His fists were clenched tight enough to creak, and even the veins at his temples had bulged.

"Hey, silly kid. You're making that dead man's face just because I didn't listen to you?" Gou Kong walked over, curled a finger, and gave Raditz's tense arm a tap that was neither light nor heavy. His tone carried a trace of careless teasing. "All right, your big bro apologizes. I'll take you to eat barbecue later, the kind you used to love, cooked rare. Stop standing there like a post. People who don't know better might think I'm bullying you."

"It's not that..." Raditz suddenly raised his head. His eyes were a little red, and his voice carried suppressed urgency. "I was offended, yes, but now isn't the time to throw a tantrum! There's something even more serious!"

Gou Kong's brow lifted, and his teasing smile vanished instantly.

Son Goku, who was holding Gohan and preparing to leave, and Piccolo, who had just turned around and was about to go, also stopped at the same time, their gazes sweeping over in unison.

"Talk."

"I sent Vegeta a message earlier, telling him I'd found Kakarot and that he should wait for us to regroup... but he just replied saying he's coming to Earth himself!" Raditz spoke as fast as a machine gun, obviously panicking badly. "He also said Kakarot refused to take over Earth and messed up the invasion plan he'd made, and he's furious! I only just realized that earlier, I was too busy arguing with you and forgot to turn off the scouter's communication channel. That guy Vegeta must already be on his way to Earth!"

"Vegeta's coming to Earth?" Gou Kong raised an eyebrow, not taking it seriously. "That purple-skinned onion-head's defeated underling? What kind of waves can he make? Is it worth panicking like this?"

"You have no idea how strong he is now!" Raditz was so anxious he almost jumped up, grabbing Gou Kong's arm in one hand. "The current Vegeta is nothing like the brat you knew on Planet Vegeta! I tried several times before to measure his battle power, but the scouter broke its scale the moment it scanned the number! Conservative estimate, at least 30,000!"

"30,000?"

Gou Kong's pupils abruptly contracted, and his heart sank hard to the bottom.

Wasn't Vegeta only at 18,000 around this time in the original story?

How had it suddenly nearly doubled?

Had the butterfly effect from Frieza destroying the planet early really become this terrifying?

"What kind of crooked trick did you two use to make your battle power rise so fast?" Gou Kong couldn't help pressing.

"How would I know?!" Raditz was practically about to cry. He smashed a fist hard into the nearby rock, leaving a shallow pit. "Starting half a year ago, those two's battle power shot up like they were strapped to rockets! That blockhead Nappa used to have just over 4,000 battle power, and now he's shot straight to 8,000! But me? I train every day until I cough blood, and my battle power is stuck at 3,800 no matter what, not moving an inch! Why am I the only one who isn't improving?!"

The corners of Gou Kong's mouth twitched as he listened.

He had thought that after bringing Raditz along for several years, Raditz's battle power should at least be a little higher than in the original story. He had not expected Vegeta and Nappa to look like they had turned on cheats and directly maxed out the progress bar.

How the hell was he supposed to play this? Raditz was at 3,800, and he himself topped out at 24,000. Against a Vegeta at 30,000, that was just asking to be crushed!

"No matter what, Vegeta coming to Earth is set in stone!" Raditz crouched on the ground with his head in his hands, his voice trembling. "That guy has a terrible temper. If he finds out we disobeyed orders, he'll definitely go for the kill! When that happens, we're all finished!"

"So you didn't even do the most basic communication shielding just now?" Gou Kong snapped, kicking his ankle in irritation. Inwardly, he cursed eighteen generations of Vegeta's ancestors.

So he had only just escaped Frieza's clutches, and now he had to turn around and face an even more ridiculous crisis?

His retirement life had not even begun, and he was already being forced back to work?

"My brother suddenly interrupted me while I was talking, and I panicked and forgot!" Raditz was unbearably aggrieved. He looked up at Piccolo. "Mr. Piccolo, what do you think we should do now?"

"The other Saiyan you mentioned is Vegeta?" Piccolo's purple face was full of gravity, and his fingertips unconsciously rubbed the wound of his severed arm. "30,000 battle power... This really is a catastrophe. How long until they reach Earth?"

"About a year."

"A year..." Piccolo pondered for a moment. Suddenly, the air around him shuddered, and from the wound of his severed arm came the crackling sound of growing bones.

Gou Kong subconsciously took half a step back and watched helplessly as a brand-new purple arm slowly emerged from the severed stump, its surface still covered in sticky regenerative fluid. His stomach churned at the sight.

This regeneration ability was way too gruesome, even creepier than watching Raditz lose an arm earlier.

Piccolo flexed the newly grown fingers twice, seeming not to notice Gou Kong's reaction. He turned to Son Goku, then pointed at the soundly sleeping Gohan in his arms. "Son Goku, leave that kid to me. You go to the Lookout and find Kami. Explain the situation and improve your strength as quickly as possible. Earth is now facing annihilation, and you still have the leisure to worry about whether Chi-Chi will be happy? You saw that kid's potential just now too. As long as he's trained properly, he'll be our greatest trump card against the Saiyans! I don't care what method you use. Convince Chi-Chi and leave Gohan with me!"

"I understand." Son Goku sighed and stroked Gohan's soft hair. "Then I'll leave him to you, Piccolo."

"Hmph. Cut the crap." Piccolo took Gohan in one hand, roughly tucked the little guy under his arm, pushed off with his toes, and directly turned into a streak of light that shot toward the sky, vanishing into the clouds in the blink of an eye.

Son Goku looked in the direction where Piccolo had disappeared, then lowered his head and looked at his own palm. He took a deep breath, then also turned and walked toward the Lookout.

Before leaving, he looked back at Raditz, a hint of sympathy in his eyes. "Raditz, don't be afraid. The stronger the enemy is, the more excited I get. I'll train hard, and when the time comes, I'll beat Vegeta fair and square, even if he's that much stronger than me."

Raditz opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but Gou Kong pressed a hand onto his shoulder.

Gou Kong shook his head, signaling for him not to say any more.

Only after Son Goku's figure had vanished from sight as well did Gou Kong withdraw his hand and pat Raditz on the back.

"All right, stop looking like the sky's falling. Kakarot's right. You can't run from this. Training is the proper path." The corner of Gou Kong's mouth hooked up, revealing a cold smile that belonged to the strong. "Weren't you worried your battle power was rising too slowly? Starting today, your big brother will train you himself. In one year, I guarantee I'll double that 3,800 battle power of yours. When the time comes, even if you can't beat Vegeta, you won't get one-shot by him."

Raditz froze for a moment, then looked up at Gou Kong. The panic in his eyes slowly faded, and in the end, he nodded in silence.

One year...

Time really was tight, but it wasn't as if there was no chance.