As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider

Lin Chen stepped forward, silently bent down, and helped her pick up the vegetables that had rolled away and put them back into the basket.

Miyo Watanabe let out a soft breath, looked up at him, her eyes gentle and filled with genuine gratitude: "Child, thank you so much. If it weren't for you..."

"Of course." Lin Chen nodded gently, his tone calm.

He had intended to take his leave, since the battle was over and the G3 team had arrived. As a non-staff member, he didn't need to stay any longer.

But the old man looked at him, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke softly: "Young man, you must be tired after all this work. My house is right next door. If you don't mind, come upstairs for a cup of tea and rest for a while before you leave?"

Lin Chen initially wanted to refuse. He wasn't used to entering a stranger's home, nor was he comfortable accepting overly friendly offers. But looking into the old man's sincere eyes, he finally nodded gently.

"Thank you for your help."

The old man's home is right by the roadside, an old-style two-story house, small, clean, and quiet.

Pushing open the door, the room was spotless, the furniture simple yet cozy, and sunlight streamed in through the windows, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. There was no sign of a struggle, and no damage whatsoever.

Grandma asked him to sit down in the living room, then turned and went into the kitchen, returning shortly with a cup of warm tea.

"Drink slowly, warm yourself up."

Lin Chen took the teacup and thanked him in a low voice.

The two sat quietly for a while. The old man looked at him with gentle eyes and slowly began to talk about everyday things.

The old man spoke gently about the little things in his life.

As they chatted, Lin Chen's gaze inadvertently swept across the wall and landed on an old black and white photograph.

The photo shows a young man in a police uniform with a bright and sunny smile, whose eyebrows and eyes are very similar to those of Miyo Watanabe.

The old man's gaze followed, and he spoke softly, with a gentle maturity: "That's my son. He was a policeman when he was young."

Lin Chen's hand holding the teacup paused almost imperceptibly.

"Ten years ago, he passed away during a capture mission." She gently stroked the edge of the photo frame. "That child, he never backed down when faced with danger."

She raised her head and looked at Lin Chen, her eyes gentle yet resolute.

"You and he are very similar."

"When danger comes, they will all stand up."

"You are all...good people."

Lin Chen remained silent.

The old man didn't say anything more, but just sat quietly with him for a while. Seeing that it was getting late, he got up and went into the kitchen.

"You sit down, I'll be done soon."

Lin Chen didn't ask what was going on; he simply waited quietly.

A short while later, a faint aroma wafted from the kitchen. The old man came out carrying a small plate of cookies and placed it in front of him.

"It's freshly baked, have a taste."

The cookies are golden and crumbly, with a simple and warm aroma.

Lin Chen picked up a piece and took a small bite.

It has just the right amount of sweetness, and is crispy, fragrant, and soft.

"Delicious." He rarely said more than two words.

Grandma smiled, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes softened: "Eat more if you like it."

After sitting for a while, Lin Chen got up to say goodbye. He didn't want to disturb the old man's life too much.

"I should go back now."

"Okay." Grandma didn't insist on keeping him. She just turned around and went into the house, took out an old tin can with faded cherry blossoms printed on it, and wiped it clean.

"These are freshly baked cookies. Take them home and enjoy them." The old man gently placed the jar into his hand. "If you have time... you can come and visit anytime."

Lin Chen looked down at the jar in his arms, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded.

"Thank you."

He turned and walked out of the small house, stepping into the street bathed in the setting sun.

A cool evening breeze carried the faint scent of grass and trees. The setting sun cast a long, slender shadow of him. He carried the old tin can, walking forward step by step.

The sunset painted the entire sky.

...

The next day, Lin Chen returned to the G3 team; there was an important matter that required his cooperation.

The silent space of the Metropolitan Police Department's underground G3 squad's private hangar was completely illuminated by a central beam of light.

All the lighting focused on the brand-new armor in the arena. The silver-gray base color was more streamlined than the old G3. Multi-layered honeycomb composite protective layers covered the vital areas of the shoulders and chest. The arms were equipped with the new GM-02 beam rifle, and the propulsion device on the back glowed with a faint blue light. The overall lines were sharp and restrained.

The robotic arms slowly returned to their positions, and Sumiko Ozawa stood in front of the armor, her white lab coat spotless, her expression calm. Her face was serene as her fingertips lightly slid across the tablet screen, confirming that the final set of parameters had been calibrated.

"All indicators are stable, and the final debugging is complete."

Her voice was clear: "This is the G3-X. Based on the old system, the circuit has been reconstructed with reference to the photon energy conduction logic of the Orga armor. The overall output, defense, mobility, and endurance have all been upgraded across generations."

She raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over the two people beside her, her tone objective:

"Defense increased by 4.7 times, mobility increased by 2.3 times, maximum speed of advance is 71 kilometers per hour, and continuous combat time is extended to 3 hours and 50 minutes. System reaction delay is reduced to less than 0.15 seconds, which can keep up with most of the Unknown's surprise attack actions."

Hikawa Makoto stood to the side, his posture upright, his gaze steadily fixed on the G3-X.

His eyes gleamed slightly. As the second wearer of the G3 series, he understood better than anyone what this suit of armor meant—no longer passively parrying, no longer barely holding back, but a force that could truly stand on the front lines and confront the Unknown head-on.

He looked at Lin Chen, nodded slightly, and spoke in a steady and firm tone:

“Mr. Lin Chen, with this G3-X system, I can take on more frontline missions. In the future, I will be in a more forward position.”

Lin Chen nodded slightly.

He understood the glacier's obsession, and he also understood the inadequacy of the old G3 version.

Sumiko Ozawa put away her tablet, breaking the silence between them, her tone crisp and decisive:

"The testing process remains unchanged. Lin Chen, you will be the target of the simulated battle."

She looked at Lin Chen with a serious expression. "There's no need to hold back. Apply pressure according to real combat standards. I want the actual maximum performance data, not a performance result."

Lin Chen responded calmly:

"clear."

Sumiko Ozawa turned and walked towards the control panel, putting on her communication headset:

"Once preparations are complete, the test will begin immediately."

Staff quickly evacuated the battle area, clearing the center of the hangar and leaving only two figures standing opposite each other.

The lights were cold, and the air was slightly tense.

A test that will determine the future combat strength of the G3 team is about to begin.

Chapter 72 The New G3-X

Hikawa Makoto took a deep breath and stepped into the G3-X suit compartment.

The hatch slowly closed, and the internal mechanical structure activated in sync. The armor components fitted the upper body with precise trajectories, securing, locking, and synchronizing energy. The metallic joints clicked softly and steadily, and the photon energy circuit inside the armor glowed with a pale blue light, flickering gently like breathing.

A few seconds later, the electronic voice announced smoothly:

"G3-X, dressed complete."

The hatch slid open to the side.

The silver-gray armor gleamed with a cold, hard metallic sheen under the lights. Bingchuan Cheng slowly stepped out, stretching his shoulders, elbows, knees, and arms, feeling the feedback of power throughout his body. The new armor was more form-fitting and streamlined than the old G3, without any bulk or sluggishness. Every bit of force was clearly transmitted to the nerve endings, as if this steel shell was an extension of his body.

"How does the new armor feel?" Sumiko Ozawa's voice came from the control panel.

"The operation is smoother than the G3, and the power output is also very stable," Bingchuan Cheng replied in a deep voice, his tone steady.

"Then, let the test begin."

The moment the command was given, Lin Chen was the first to move.

He transformed into the Earth Emperor and charged forward with a straight punch, wanting to see just how powerful the G3-X, developed with the Earth Emperor as a reference, could be.

Upon seeing the approaching Earth Emperor, Hikawa Makoto's eyes narrowed, and he neither retreated nor dodged.

The speed that the old G3 could not avoid becomes clearly discernible in the G3-X's reaction framework. The armor-assisted AI system calculates and predicts in real time, and the propulsion system adjusts the center of gravity with micro-jet, making the entire process a combination of mechanical and willpower.

He shifted his weight to the side, raised his hand to block, and the armored arm collided with Lin Chen's fist, producing a low, muffled sound.

The impact was absorbed by the layers of armor, and Hikawa Makoto only took half a step back to stabilize himself, leaving a shallow mark on the ground with his feet.

Lin Chen's gaze remained unchanged as he retracted his fist, shifted his body, and delivered a series of elbow strikes, his movements fluid and concise. However, he did not use his full strength, controlling each strike to about 60% of his power, creating pressure without truly crossing the line, like a strict examiner.

Using the G3-X's mobility, Hikawa Makoto nimbly dodged, his beam rifle firing instantly. The energy blast grazed the Earth Emperor's armor, striking the target behind him and exploding in a pale blue flash. The explosion echoed in the empty hangar, but it did nothing to disrupt their rhythm.

"Reaction speed is acceptable, ballistic prediction is stable." Sumiko Ozawa recorded in a low voice at the control panel, her fingertips quickly sliding across the tablet. "Dynamic balance is normal, energy consumption is within the expected range."

Taking advantage of an opening, Hikawa Makoto charged forward, closed in, and unleashed his fighting techniques.

The fists, elbows, knees, and legs work together to propel the vehicle, while the back thrusters provide a short burst of power.

Lin Chen retreated steadily, without holding back. To a truly qualified soldier, holding back would be disrespectful. He could reduce his strength, after all, this was not a real life-or-death battle.

Hikawa Makoto's attack landed squarely on the armor, leaving clear force feedback.

Once, twice, three times.

Hikawa Makoto's movements became increasingly fluid, and his predictions more and more accurate. He gradually shifted from passively parrying to engaging in a balanced battle. He had thoroughly mastered every aspect of the armor's performance: the timing of the thruster's injection, the rapid-fire rhythm of the beam gun, and the angle of force in close combat—all of which were rapidly honed and perfected in actual combat.

He has been able to keep up with Lin Chen's pace, stabilize the front line, and launch effective counterattacks.

Lin Chen observed his condition.

His left shoulder dipped slightly, creating a momentary opening. The shift in his center of gravity was so minute that it was almost imperceptible to an ordinary person, yet it was enough for an experienced warrior to seize the opportunity.

Bingchuan Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly, but he did not hesitate.

He lunged forward, turned, and unleashed a powerful right punch, which landed precisely on Lin Chen's left shoulder.

"Oh!"