The End of the Long Night

"Where are we going?"

Android 18 asked, a hint of confusion hidden in her voice.

"Let's find somewhere to settle down first."

Chen Hao hesitated, his gaze sweeping over West City's shattered skyline in the distance.

"We'll figure out the rest later."

The two walked on, their shoes crunching over gravel with clear crackling sounds.

The wind swept up dust, sending it circling behind them.

Android 17 stood behind them, watching their backs as they left side by side.

The setting sun stretched their shadows long and intertwined, slowly blending them into the golden light covering the ground.

"Sis, remember to be happy."

He said it softly, almost as if speaking to himself.

A gentle breeze carried every word away.

He withdrew his gaze and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

His shadow trailed across the ground, growing longer and longer before finally vanishing among the ruins.

At dawn the next day, Kami's Lookout.

The morning sun rose over the horizon, golden rays piercing the thin clouds and spilling across the white marble.

The palace stood high among the clouds, surrounded by mist, as though suspended in the sky.

At a summons, Shenron appeared.

Its golden body coiled through the sky, its scales gleaming beneath the morning light, each one like polished gold.

It circled through the clouds, swimming through the air like an enormous golden dragon.

Lowering its head, its two red eyes resembled burning gemstones as it looked down upon the people below.

Dende stood at the very center, clad in the robes of Kami, both hands gripping his staff.

As the new Kami, he could communicate with Shenron directly.

His eyes were closed as he chanted an ancient incantation.

Chen Hao stood at the front.

Dressed in a black jacket, his hands tucked into his pockets, he stared fixedly at Shenron in the sky.

Android 18 stood beside him in a simple coat, her long hair drifting gently in the wind.

Behind them were Son Goku, Piccolo, Trunks, Krillin, Gohan, Vegeta, and the others.

The morning light stretched their shadows long, and every face wore a different expression: Son Goku smiled with ease, Piccolo frowned, Krillin's eyes were filled with anticipation, while Vegeta stood with his arms folded, silently glaring at the sky.

Everyone looked toward Chen Hao, waiting for him to make that wish.

The morning breeze swept over the mountaintop, stirring a few dead leaves across the marble floor.

Birdsong rang out clearly in the distance, echoing through the empty palace.

"Cell is already dead," Piccolo said slowly, his voice low. "But before that, quite a few humans were killed because of him. Chen Hao, what wish are you planning to make?"

Piccolo looked at Chen Hao, questions in his eyes.

"I decided on my wish a long time ago."

Chen Hao raised his head and looked toward Shenron.

He stood straight, the morning sunlight casting a shadow from his body.

All eyes focused on him, and the air seemed tense enough to freeze.

Only Shenron continued to coil slowly through the air, its tail stirring gusts of wind.

Everyone held their breath. Android 18 turned her head and glanced at him, curiosity flickering in her eyes.

Son Goku frowned slightly, while Krillin clenched and relaxed his fist.

"Shenron," Chen Hao said, his voice echoing through the palace, "please grant my wish."

Shenron lowered its head, its enormous face slowly descending until its eyes were level with Chen Hao's.

Its red eyes burned like twin flames.

Even its breath carried waves of heat, stirring the hair at Chen Hao's forehead.

"State your wish," Shenron's voice boomed like thunder through the palace. "I can grant any single wish."

"My wish is..." Chen Hao paused, staring at Shenron.

Under the sunlight, the golden-green dragon scales gave off a faint glow. The giant dragon wound through the sky, its entire body like a moving tower.

He took a deep breath, his voice clear and resolute. "Make every bomb system inside Android 17 and Android 18 disappear completely, and ensure they can never be implanted again."

After he finished speaking, the air suddenly fell silent, as if even the dusk had frozen solid.

Shenron closed his eyes and fell silent for a moment.

His ruby-like eyes slowly shifted, as though he were thinking.

Then he opened them, and a beam of light shot from his gaze, piercing through the twilight.

"This wish is very simple," Shenron said, his voice rumbling like thunder and shaking everyone's eardrums.

"It has already been granted."

Android 18 suddenly felt her entire body tremble, like a fallen leaf caught in the wind.

Standing at Chen Hao's side, she sent faint ripples through the dust beneath her feet, her shoulders lifting slightly.

She lowered her head to look at her chest, her pupils widening.

Beneath her shirt, the unease she had always felt—that sensation like an undercurrent lurking within her, constantly keeping her nerves taut—had now completely vanished.

It was not a change in strength, nor was it physical relaxation. It felt more like a release of the mind.

Like ice slowly melting beneath sunlight, water seeping into the earth.

She raised a hand and touched the space between her ribs with her fingertips, feeling that hollow silence.

The heavy stone that had weighed on her for so many years had finally been removed, leaving behind only lightness and emptiness.

"I... I can really feel it."

Android 18 looked up at Chen Hao, disbelief in her eyes and her lips trembling slightly. "The bomb system inside my body... it's really gone. Not a trace is left."

"Didn't you already know that?"

Chen Hao smiled, tilting his head slightly. A confident curve tugged at his lips, his hands still in his pockets, completely unsurprised by the result. "But I still had Shenron confirm it again, so you wouldn't have any doubts lingering in your heart."

"But..." Android 18's face suddenly reddened, even her ears tinged crimson, and her breathing grew a little faster.

She first turned her face away, then turned back, confusion and unease still in her eyes. "Why did you make that wish? You actually... you didn't have to do any of this."

"Because it was what you wanted."

Chen Hao replied softly, his voice low, gentle, and firm, like wind brushing over grass.

He hesitated for a moment, then looked into the distance. "Android 17 wanted it too. Neither of you wanted to be controlled by those things for the rest of your lives."

Android 18 froze.

Her mouth opened, but she could not say a single word.

Her mind was filled with memories—of the deal she had made with Chen Hao, of those resolute words: "I'll give myself to you in exchange for Android 17's life," spoken like her final gamble.

But Chen Hao had not only saved Android 17. When she had been surrounded by despair, he had also removed the source of all her fear.

It had long exceeded the bounds of their deal. It was something she could not comprehend at all.

Her fingers unconsciously clenched the hem of her shirt, the fabric making a faint rustling sound between them.

"Thank you." Android 18 lowered her head, her voice so soft it was nearly inaudible. "Thank you."

She paused, her fingers loosening before clenching again. "I owe you far too much."

"You don't need to thank me."

Chen Hao smiled and gently rubbed her head, his touch as soft as if he were brushing against a feather.

Android 18's hair slid across his fingertips. She looked up, tears glimmering in her eyes before a smile quickly covered them.

Watching this, Gohan could not help tugging at Trunks's sleeve and lowering his voice. "Trunks, are that red-haired guy and Android 18...?"

He blinked, his expression carrying a touch of childlike curiosity.

"You're only noticing now?"

Trunks smiled with his arms folded, his gaze moving back and forth between the two of them. "They're definitely together. Didn't you see that atmosphere just now? It was practically like the ending of a movie."

"Together?"

Gohan blinked and tilted his head. "You mean, like lovers?"

"Probably."

Krillin chimed in from the side, scratching his head with a sentimental look. "Honestly, I never would've thought that Android 18—that cold, fight-first Android 18—would actually fall for Chen Hao. But when you think about it, Chen Hao saved the brother and sister, and even removed her bomb. Who wouldn't be moved?"