Malice

"At least that guy got to vent his anger."

Tang Yangbing chuckled and shook his head. In the original story, Vegeta had always been overshadowed by Son Goku. Now, he could finally hold his head high. Though... the one suppressing him now was the even more terrifying Tang Yangbing. At the other end of the training ground, Piccolo stood silently in the shadows. His emerald-green skin glimmered faintly beneath the sunlight, while his white cape fluttered despite the lack of wind. Though he had not fused with Kami, his strength had still improved considerably. Yet compared to those two Saiyans constantly breaking past their limits, the gap was only becoming more apparent. But he should have more than enough power to deal with Android 19 and Android 20. Tang Yangbing silently assessed.

Just as his thoughts drifted away, the long-unheard system notification suddenly rang out in his mind: "Ding—The host has been detected slacking off. An emergency sign-in mission is now being issued." "Mission requirement: Complete a sign-in with Android 18 within three days." "Sign-in condition: Make contact with Android 18 in an embrace for no less than 60 seconds." Tang Yangbing stumbled, nearly falling off the viewing platform. What the hell! he cursed inwardly. Is this damn system deliberately trying to turn me into some flower-snatching rogue?

Imagining how he was supposed to approach that ice-cold Android—and hug her for an entire minute—made Tang Yangbing's scalp tingle. This mission was more absurdly difficult than making him fight Frieza one-on-one! The glow of the setting sun spilled across the training ground, stretching the shadows of the three cultivators long behind them. Tang Yangbing watched the sinking sun at the horizon, already getting a headache over how to complete this ridiculous mission. Did something go wrong with the system upgrade?! Tang Yangbing's heart skipped a beat, fine beads of sweat appearing at his temples. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned faintly white. This mission was far too outrageous—he had to hug Android 18 to sign in?

Just imagining that scene made his heart race, blood rushing straight to his head. If it were just defeating Android 18, that would be one thing, but signing in by holding her... that was far too thrilling! "The host may choose to abandon the mission," the system's cold prompt sounded in his mind. "Abandon it? Only a ghost would abandon it!" Tang Yangbing slammed a fist into the tree trunk beside him, shaking loose a shower of leaves. "Even without this mission, there's no way I'd let an opportunity like this slip by!" Just as his blood surged with excitement, a violent fluctuation of energy suddenly entered his senses. Tang Yangbing's pupils contracted sharply, and he inwardly cried out in alarm.

In the distant battlefield, Android 18 and Android 17 had been defeated by Vegeta and Piccolo working together, both collapsing to the ground. Meanwhile, Son Goku, who should have been displaying his prowess, was now kneeling with a hand clutched over his chest, his face pale as paper—he had indeed failed to escape the curse of the heart disease. "What Androids? They're nothing but trash!" Vegeta crossed his arms as he hovered in the air, an arrogant sneer on his lips. His crimson battle suit gleamed with a metallic luster beneath the sun, and a sharp, imposing aura radiated from his body. "Don't you have the genes of us Saiyans? How can you be this weak?"

Though he had been suppressed by Tang Yangbing all these years, Vegeta was now fighting the legendary Androids with effortless ease. He swooped down and landed before Android 18, looking down arrogantly at the blond woman sprawled on the ground. Android 18 struggled to rise, but staggered and fell again due to her severe injuries. Biting her lower lip, her azure eyes brimmed with unwillingness. "Damn it... your battle power is completely different from what Dr. Gero said!" Piccolo slowly descended beside Vegeta, his green skin shimmering with an eerie glow under the sunlight. His hands formed seals, ready to unleash a fatal strike at any moment.

An eerie silence fell over the battlefield, broken only by Son Goku's pained, ragged breathing in the distance. Tang Yangbing took a deep breath, his gaze turning resolute. If that was the case, then he absolutely could not let them have their way—he was definitely saving Android 18! On the dust-filled battlefield, Android 18 knelt on one knee, her golden hair plastered to her pale cheeks with sweat. Her trembling right hand braced against the cracked ground, while her left arm hung limply at her side. Her Android uniform was covered in scorched black marks. Not far away, Android 17 was struggling to crawl out of a deep crater, blue oil seeping from the corner of his mouth and gleaming eerily in the sunlight.

"How... could we..." Android 17's voice trembled with disbelief as he looked toward the two proud figures standing in the distance. Blue energy flames swirled around Vegeta, and a cruel curve tugged at his lips. He slowly raised his right hand. The energy sphere gathering in his palm gave off a piercing hum, causing the surrounding rubble to float slightly into the air. "Trash will always be trash." His icy words were like blades, viciously piercing the last remnants of dignity the Android siblings possessed. Piccolo's green skin gleamed with a metallic sheen beneath the sunlight. He stood with his arms folded, his cape snapping wildly in the gale. "This is the price for looking down on Earth's warriors."

His deep voice carried anger suppressed for many years, and his eyes flashed with the humiliating memory of being effortlessly defeated by Android 17 back then. For a moment, Android 18 seemed to return to the laboratory from years ago, her mother's gentle voice echoing in her ears: "One day, a brave knight will ride a white horse to save a princess in distress..." She smiled bitterly and shook her head. Yet reality was Vegeta's merciless energy blast screaming toward her, exploding into a massive crater dozens of meters wide in the ground. "Android 16!" Android 17 shouted himself hoarse, his voice echoing across the empty battlefield. "How much longer are you going to keep watching?!"

He sprang upward, crossing his hands before his chest. A dazzling beam of energy tore through the sky, only to be effortlessly neutralized by an emerald-green barrier before it could reach Piccolo. A flicker of satisfaction passed through Piccolo's eyes. The fruits of his years of grueling training were finally on display. He remembered that rainy night three years ago, sweating profusely inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, every punch carrying his desire for revenge. Now, it was time for these arrogant Androids to pay the price. "It's over," Vegeta declared coldly. The Final Flash gathering between his palms illuminated the entire battlefield, and the blinding light made the Android siblings squint involuntarily.

The gale stirred by the surging energy swept sand and dust into the sky, even lifting shattered walls and ruins into the air.

At that critical moment, the hum of machinery suddenly sounded from afar...

The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the entire battlefield blood-red, while the scent of smoke and dust filled the ruins.

In the distance, several withered trees swayed in the wind, as though silently mourning the imminent battle. Android 16 stood quietly atop a massive boulder, arms crossed, his hawk-like gaze locked onto Son Goku in the distance. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly in a disdainful sneer, as if no one else before him was even worthy of his attention. "I only fight Son Goku!" Android 16's voice was cold and resolute, like an echo from the abyss, carrying unquestionable authority.

At the same time, Android 17's figure shot into the air like a bolt of lightning. His movements were swift and graceful, like a cheetah hunting its prey. His hands traced brilliant arcs through the air, and countless gleaming energy blasts poured down like torrential rain. Carrying piercing shrieks, those blasts tore through the air and shot straight toward Piccolo.