My sister died tragically, and now I'm a citizen of my motherland, why are you crying?

"Brother, did you eat well today?"

"Bro, that stray cat downstairs got fatter again today, so I brought it a sausage."

"Brother, when do you think we'll be able to save enough money to buy a house with a balcony? I want to grow some flowers."

The soft, delicate voices in Lin Yuan's mind were like old cassette tapes, still playing on repeat.

He took a deep breath, stood in front of the newspaper's time clock, and looked at the time displayed on the screen.

"Finally off work. I've heard that strange people have been appearing frequently these past few days. It's not safe for Qianqian to be home alone. I have to hurry back."

Lin Yuan grabbed his briefcase and rushed into the rain.

I've been in this world for five years now.

This is a world that appears glamorous on the surface, but is actually chaotic.

Superheroes are everywhere, and weirdos are popping up all the time.

For ordinary people who haven't awakened any special abilities, living is like walking a tightrope.

Lin Yuan and his sister Lin Qian are just ordinary specks of dust among the masses.

No talent, no background, just each other.

Five years ago, my parents died in the aftermath of a battle between heroes and monsters.

All that was left for them was this cheap apartment in the old town and a promise to depend on each other for survival.

Although life was tough, Lin Yuan worked as a junior editor at a third-rate newspaper, running around every day for trivial news, while Lin Qian worked at a convenience store.

But every night when I get home, I see my sister's energetic smiling face.

Lin Yuan felt that as long as the two people were together, even on the edge of hell, flowers could bloom.

"I bought some pork ribs on sale today to help Qianqian recover."

Lin Yuan touched the warm lunchbox in his arms and quickened his pace.

Just around the corner is the old apartment building where they live.

However, just a few streets away from his home, Lin Yuan suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Not right.

The air was filled with the smell of burning and ozone, the distinctive odor left by the high-energy reaction.

"boom--!!"

A loud bang made Lin Yuan's eardrums ache, and the asphalt road beneath his feet cracked instantly.

The street ahead was cordoned off, and countless police cars and ambulances were flashing their glaring red and blue lights.

"What's going on? That's...my house?"

Lin Yuan's heart clenched violently, and an unprecedented panic instantly gripped his heart.

He frantically tried to break through the police line.

"Halt! Civilians, step back!" A SWAT officer reached out to stop him.

"Let me go! My home is over there!"

"My sister is still inside!" Lin Yuan roared, his eyes instantly turning bloodshot.

"A heroic operation is underway inside! Going there now is suicide!"

The special police officers held him tightly.

Just then, a piercing sound came from the sky.

Everyone's attention was drawn to it.

A purple figure was seen fleeing in a sorry state; it was a strange creature that was half human and half lizard.

Its scales were shattered, indicating that it had suffered serious injuries.

It ran while letting out desperate cries, as if it just wanted to find a place to hide.

Behind it, a golden stream of light floated gracefully in mid-air, like a deity descending.

It's "Thunder Cop".

The top ten S-class heroes in Jiangcheng are currently fixing their hair in front of a live-streaming drone in the air.

Golden arcs of electricity crackled and popped around his body, as if showcasing his perfectly sculpted muscles.

"Citizens, do not panic!"

The Thunder Cop's voice boomed through the loudspeakers, carrying a nauseating confidence.

"This despicable lizard monster has nowhere to run!"

Next, please enjoy the righteous punishment!

Lin Yuan stared intently at the hero, his teeth grinding together.

The strange creature was clearly dying, but the Thunder Police didn't give it any final treatment.

Let it escape into the crowded city center, and the direction it ran in... was right that old apartment building!

"Please... just kill him already..."

Lin Yuan prayed frantically in his heart, gripping the barbed wire of the cordon tightly with both hands, oblivious to the fact that his fingernails broke and bled.

However, the Thunder Police did not make a move.

He is waiting.

He was waiting for the strange man to rush into the residential area, for panic to spread, and for the live stream's ratings to soar to their peak.

"Ah!! Help!"

Screams erupted from the apartment building.

The lizard-like monster crashed through the wall on the first floor and stumbled as it climbed upstairs.

"Now!"

A glint of excitement flashed in the eyes of the Thunder Policeman in mid-air.

He slowly raised his right hand, and a dazzling ball of lightning gathered in his palm.

"Divine punishment!"

He shouted out the name of the move in a loud and dramatic voice.

The next second, the lightning ball crashed down.

The monster was not accurately hit.

The massive explosion instantly engulfed half of the apartment building's structure.

Flames, rubble, and reinforced concrete collapsed like the end of the world at that moment.

"No!!!"

Lin Yuan let out a heart-wrenching scream.

That building collapsed.

Just seconds ago, Qianqian was waiting for him to come home for dinner by the window on the third floor.

As the smoke cleared, Thunder Police gracefully landed on a massive concrete slab.

He flashed his signature smile at the camera, as if he had just destroyed not a residential building, but an enemy fortress.

"Crisis averted! The monster has been defeated!"

Cheers erupted from outside the police line; the uninformed crowd cheered the hero's greatness.

For them, the death of others means nothing.

But the Thunder Police just gave them a visual feast.

But Lin Yuan felt that the whole world had become quiet.

He pushed aside the hesitant special police officer beside him and walked into the ruins like a wandering ghost.

The rainwater mixed with mud made a sticky sound under his feet.

He saw a hand under a broken precast slab.

The phone was still clutched tightly in that hand, the screen lit up, displaying an unsent voice message:

"Hey big brother, the ribs are getting cold! Come back quickly!"

Lin Yuan knelt in the mud, his hand trembling as he reached out to touch that cold hand, but he couldn't reach it no matter what he did.

"Qianqian..."

He opened his mouth, but the sound that came out of his throat was hoarse and broken.

"Brother's back... I brought you some ribs..."

"Why didn't you wait for me...?"

Just then, a pair of gleaming combat boots stopped in front of him.

The Thunder Police walked over, followed by countless flashes of light.

He looked down at Lin Yuan, who was kneeling on the ground, with a sorrowful expression on his face, and said solemnly into the microphone:

"Dear citizens, this is an unfortunate accident."

To eradicate evil, sometimes we must pay a price. This young lady…she was courageous, and her sacrifice will be remembered.

But Lin Yuan ignored him. What good would it do for a hero to let the monsters escape?

Thunder Policeman looked at Lin Yuan, who ignored him, and a hint of disgust appeared in his eyes.

However, due to the presence of reporters, he could only approach Lin Yuan and bend down slightly.

He whispered coldly in a voice only Lin Yuan could hear:

"Lowly bedbugs."

Your sister's death brought me glory; you and he should feel honored.

Lin Yuan suddenly raised his head.

There were no tears on his face.

Those eyes, which were once full of warmth, now seemed to have been completely swallowed up by something dark.

"You, Feng, are dead..."

Lin Yuan's voice was terrifyingly low, like a cold wind from the deepest hell.

"What did you say?"

Thunder Cop frowned.