At last, when the towering flames slowly faded away.
All that remained was a gigantic charcoal-grilled king crab, its shell roasted crisp, its meat bright red, and a rich aroma wafting from it.
Ye Chuan slowly walked forward.
He broke off a piece of the largest, meatiest crab leg.
Then, under everyone's stunned gazes, as though they had seen a ghost, he slipped it beneath the paper bag and took a small bite.
He immediately frowned in dissatisfaction.
"The meat's too tough."
"And..."
"It seems a little overcooked, too."
As Ye Chuan's fussy appraisal slowly reached the ears of every survivor present.
The ruined center of Z City fell into an even more uncanny silence.
Everyone, from the ordinary citizens to the equally badly wounded A-Rank heroes rising from the rubble with their companions' support.
Watched the mysterious figure with complicated looks, a supermarket paper bag over his head and a "charcoal-grilled crab leg" still in his hand.
Finally, someone who looked like a Hero Association employee summoned the greatest courage of his life, tottered forward, and cautiously asked:
"Um... may I ask... which hero registered with the Hero Association might you be, sir?"
"We'll be sure to apply for the highest level of merit for you!"
But "Paper Bag Man" merely gave him a casual glance.
Then, in a flat tone, as though stating a fact, he answered:
"A hero?"
"No."
He shook his head.
"I'm a monster."
When Ye Chuan's absurd answer reached everyone's ears.
The entire crowd erupted!
"A... a monster?!"
"Are you kidding?! He... he actually said he was... a monster?!"
"Someone... powerful enough to kill a Demon-level monster in a single move... actually... isn't a hero, but... a monster?!"
At that moment, the ordinary citizens Ye Chuan had just saved felt their brains crash completely.