Collapse Iron Live Broadcast Connects All Worlds, Scares Away Wuzhan at the Beginning

“Justice may be delayed but it has arrived. Management must resign!” — This message was almost exclusively heard in the group chat.

Ester panicked and looked at Xing helplessly, "This, this..."

ScrewGum lowered his head in thought: "...No, it's not enough."

"Yes, we still need a fire." Latio nodded.

"Esther looked at the professor in confusion: "What do you mean?"

"If you stop here, you'll still have a chance to quibble. But if it were me..." Latio folded his arms, his eyes stern. "...I wouldn't give you that chance."

"Before she finished her words, Ester's pupils suddenly contracted—and a faint blue flame suddenly shot up from the soles of her feet without warning, enveloping her entire body in an instant."

“Fire, fire, fire, fire…!” Ester stared at the flames dancing all over her body in horror.

"Esther!"

"Xing rushed forward almost instinctively, reaching forward with his right hand—but his fingertips only grazed Ester's fingers in vain, touching a wisp of scorching air."

"Right before my eyes...Esther disappeared."

Chapter 308: Mediocrity and the Crown of God: The Troubles of Mediocre People (VI)

A certain scientific railgun.

“Eh——!!”

In the dormitory of Tokiwadai Junior High School, Shirai Kuroko was sitting on the edge of the bed with her legs crossed, curling the ends of her brown twintails with her fingers. She was looking at the sky bored, but was startled by Ester's sudden disappearance.

"Onee-sama~" She dragged out her voice, her body tilted and she fell towards Misaka Mikoto, "I'm so scared——"

"Hey! Don't come over so suddenly!" Misaka Mikoto was sitting cross-legged on the carpet drinking canned coffee. She was bumped by Kuroko and almost choked. She put her hand on Kuroko's forehead in disgust and pushed her away, "Sit down and talk!"

"The flames of the space station can't burn you, and [Space Movement]... isn't something you'd be afraid of, right?"

Kuroko pouted, but still obediently moved back to his original position, his fingers still tapping restlessly on his knees. "Onee-sama, I'm afraid of that fire demon... Can that flame move all attached objects to it?"

In Tokiwadai Junior High School, she is the only one with the ability to move through space. However, her ability is not simply "moving through space". Instead, she expands the three-dimensional space coordinates to the eleventh dimension through calculation, finds the "folding point" between the current space and the target space to achieve movement, and the limit of each movement is 81.5 meters.

She wasn't sure if there was a limit to the distance blue flames could travel... If not, that would be too abnormal.

"Since Mr. Latio said it's a degraded [Space Transfer], then there must be a distance limit." Misaka Mikoto raised her head and took a sip of coffee. "If it can guarantee Miss Ester's safety, then disappearing this time will actually be a good thing for her."

"Eh? Why is that?"

Mikoto tossed the empty can into the trash can with precision. "It's obvious—the rumors on the station all believe the disappearances are a tactic of management to persecute dissidents. But if the disappearance happened to Ester, the 'Supreme Manager,' then the rumors would certainly be disproven."

-

"Calm down. Ester was simply transported away. She's not in danger of death."

Screw-Gum remained unfazed. "Through actual contact, I've confirmed that Afrit's flame is merely a spark of the original spiritual fire, and it lacks the ability to shift phases. Logic: Ester is still within the station."

"As soon as he finished speaking, a creepy low laugh suddenly sounded in the air."

"Haha, just a little spark? I'm quite drawn to the arrogance of genius," the voice said with interest. "If you can do it, then give it a try."

Latio said calmly, "It seems the Duke of Hellfire hasn't personally visited the station. He's simply exploited the chaos to release a ball of Hellfire, allowing it to wander and prey on officers. If the Hellfire dies, his scheme will be thwarted."

"ScrewGum stated that he would go to the Black Tower office to block the enemy's escape route, while Latio would go with Xing to contain him."

"After the division of labor was finalized, the two of them set out immediately. As expected, they blocked the small flame inside the space station. Although it tried to escape by teleporting several times, it was ultimately completely blocked by the two of them."

Before being caught, the flame still insisted: "The ignorant fools blindly chased the flames, unaware that the gift of destruction had already fallen at their feet."

"No wonder even the Benefactor's legions were unable to purify this place. For now, I will admit my imprudence. But next time, I will personally visit and offer a tribute of infernal flames to your sins."

""Ha ha ha ha--""

"Amidst the haughty laughter of the Underworld Duke, the flames suddenly flew upwards, transforming into several tunnels. The legion's soldiers emerged from them, forming a considerable force in an instant."

"Tsk... This is just a boring way to delay time. Enough of that."

"At some point, a piece of snow-white chalk appeared at Latio's fingertips. He raised his eyes coldly, flicked his wrist, and with a sound of breaking through the air, the chalk transformed into a sharp white light, instantly smashing a pawn into pieces."

"So, 'Thugs descending from the flames' is just this much? It seems Dr. Primordial's words are true." Latio shouted in a deep voice: "Zero points! Next!"

-

Black robe patrol team.

Inside the Water Building, Homelander squinted, the red light of his thermal vision carefully focused on the bottom of the bottle. He had to precisely control the temperature of the breast milk to around 37 degrees Celsius—that would give it the warmest taste.

"Zero points! Next!"

The sudden shouting from the sky was accompanied by a violent explosion, which not only made his hand holding the bottle shake violently, but also caused the beam of light to surge like a wild horse that broke free, cutting his refrigerator worth twenty thousand dollars neatly into two halves.

“Fucking hell!”

Homelander wiped the breast milk from her face and looked up at the sky in anger. She saw a large number of pawns had appeared on the screen at some point, while Latio calmly threw the chalk in his hand at them. He repeatedly stared up and down with his super vision to confirm that the chalk in his hand did not show any trace of technological modification, but with each throw, a violent explosion sounded in the sky.

"How the hell is this possible..." Homelander muttered to himself, frowning, "No... Isn't he a teacher?!"

Those pawns' armor was thicker than a fucking bulletproof vehicle. He couldn't even penetrate it with his thermal vision. How did this guy achieve that effect with just chalk?!

But at this moment, there was a sudden knock on the door, and Ashley walked in in high heels with a flattering smile on her face.

"Sir, I have found another perfect candidate for a pure and beautiful knight. I have already helped him with plastic surgery, and he is also very loyal to you. As for his superpowers, what do you think——"

"The Pure Knight?" Homelander turned abruptly, a glint of violence flashing in his blue eyes. "Someone's screwed you over, right?! Who the hell cares about the Pure Knight now?"

He grabbed Ashley by the back of her collar, lifted her up like a chicken, twisted her neck, and forced her to look at the sky: "Look at this! Doctor Truth! This is what fans want to see now! Cold and tough! I want this kind of person!"

Ashley was stunned by the sudden change of heart and anger. "But... sir, I understand your feelings very well, but Doctor Zhen's style may not be suitable for the tone of our 'Super Seven'..."

"Are you contradicting me?"

The air suddenly became quiet.

Ashley's face instantly turned the color of liver. Fear twisted her entire face into a knot. Only a broken voice could be squeezed out of her throat: "I, I mean... you're right, you're always right! Doctor Truth is truly perfect... the fans will definitely like it. You, you always catch on to the latest trends..."

Homelander stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly released his grip. Ashley fell to the ground, gasping for air.

"Get out," he said coldly. "I want the results in three days. There must be at least three 'Doctor of Truth' candidates. Otherwise, you know the consequences."

Chapter 309: Mediocrity and the Crown of God: Mediocre People Make Trouble (Part 7)

"After dealing with the Hollow Pawn, Ester appeared in a ball of blue flame and was caught steadily by Xing."

"After being taken to the infirmary, Screw-Gum said she was just a little frightened and is recovering. Besides her, the other missing persons have also been found, and the conclusion is that everyone is safe."

"But there's still one unresolved question in this whole matter. And that's something I should address."

"..."

"On the other side of the station right now."

"The little flame of the Underworld Lord was running around. It had just escaped in the chaos after summoning the Void Soldiers, but now it was being pulled in by a huge suction force and quickly received into a cube-shaped container."

"The owner of the container is none other than Latio."

"As he was contemplating the flame with satisfaction, he heard Screw-Gum's voice beside him: 'We've been waiting for you for a long time.'"

Latio turned to look at him. "The aftermath of this incident is still lingering, so you must have a lot of things to deal with, right? Or is the safety of the space station none of your business?"

"Answer: That's exactly why I came here. After all, the real protagonist of this incident is here."

Latio smiled faintly, not denying the truth: "...When did you start to doubt me?"

"People who engage in academic research always find it difficult to believe in something. On the contrary, it is much easier to question it." Screw Gum said slowly, "From the beginning, Mr. Latio. I have the same bad habits as you."

"I'm flattered, Mr. Screw-gum. But if you saw through it, why didn't you say anything?"

-

Nezha: The Devil Child Conquers the Dragon King.

"Ha! I saw through it a long time ago!" Nezha leaped up and pointed at Latio in the sky. "This guy looks like a shrewd and calculating person. Sure enough, he's the man behind the Annihilation Gang!"

Ao Bing sighed helplessly upon hearing this: "Nezha, don't be impatient, wait and don't jump to conclusions."

"What are you slow about?" Nezha somersaulted in front of Ao Bing. "Look at him, he has a sullen face all day long, complaining about everything. He must be holding back something!"

"The Annihilation Gang is under the command of Nanook, the Destroyer. However, this Mr. Latio, like Mr. Screw-Gum, is a man of knowledge and deeply trusted by the company. If Mr. Latio is truly a bad guy, why would he help Xing and Screw-Gum? This doesn't make sense..."

"How would I know?" Nezha interrupted impatiently, grabbing the fairy fruit beside him and taking a bite. "You're just too trusting! If you ask me, nine out of ten people who look like they have a thousand tricks up their sleeves are not good people!"

Ao Bing chuckled: "What about the remaining one?"

Nezha was choked by the question, staring blankly, unable to speak. He took a big bite of the fairy fruit and mumbled, "Anyway...anyway, there's definitely something wrong with this guy!"

Ao Bing said gently, "Perhaps, but I believe Mr. Latio is a man of soft heart. While his words can be a bit aggressive, his motivation is always for the good of others—I have never doubted this."

-

"Out of curiosity. Logic: I made the same decision as you: go along and observe," said Screw-Gum.

“Oh…then when did you become convinced?”

"In terms of results, aside from minor mental damage, no officers suffered substantial harm in the attack. This doesn't fit the style of the Annihilation Gang. The logic: a third party must have saved them."

Latio spread his hands. "If I hadn't accidentally obtained the Spirit Fire Spark and interfered with the Netherfire transmission, those people would have long been space junk floating outside the window."

"You are more honest than you thought."

"But it was ultimately within your calculations, wasn't it?" Latio continued, "One last question: Screwgum, with your genius, can you figure out why I did this?"

"Even Screwgum couldn't be sure, so he could only infer that his actions were a combination of the compassion of a doctor and the sternness of a scholar. His position behind the scenes, controlling the overall situation, was a challenge to genius."

"The King of Screw Star truly understands the human heart, but unfortunately, like a genius, he also distances himself from the common people—you're still wrong about one thing." Latio glanced at the laboratory equipment in the window. "Standing back is the true cure: There is a stubborn disease in this world called [stupidity], more difficult to eradicate than any other disease."

“The fate of the intellect is devoid of reason and logic. Geniuses roam among the stars, but the mediocre cannot even follow a single footstep. The mediocre can only learn to walk independently, spending their busy lives falling and getting up.”

"But a life of failure is still life. They have the right to experience it to the bitter end. Only when they fall to the ground, with no one to help them up, can fools understand how to stand up again." He turned to look at Screw Gum. "I have a mysophobia. I can't stand fools, idiots, and idiots. When I see them, I want to die. Unfortunately, this space station is just like the Institute of Knowledge. There are no geniuses, only mediocrity."

-

Konosuba: God's blessing on this wonderful world.

Kazuma was sitting on a chair in the Adventurer's Guild with his legs crossed. Upon hearing this, he immediately nudged Aqua beside him with his elbow and grinned, "Hey, Aqua, did you hear that? Professor Latio, whom you like, wants to die when he sees you. For his safety, alas..." Kazuma sighed in an exaggerated manner.

"Huh?! What the hell are you talking about?"

Aqua slammed the table and stood up, the foam from the beer glass splashing all over her face, but she didn't care. Instead, she proudly puffed out her chest, her long aqua-blue hair swaying exaggeratedly with her movements. "I'm a goddess! Even if he really wants to commit suicide, I can resurrect him immediately! No matter how many times he dies, I will definitely save him! And I will make sure that the first thing he sees when he wakes up is me!"

“Is this some kind of torture…” Kazuma said with a look of disgust, “Aqua, don’t be so flattered. Is it possible that seeing you as soon as he opened his eyes is a punishment for Professor Latio?”

“Nonsense!” Aqua puffed up her cheeks angrily. “Why do you always assume I’m an idiot? Could it be because of you, Kazuma? I’m an idiot, and you’re an idiot too!”

Amid the clamor of the Adventurer's Guild, the two argued back and forth about the idiot, their voices rising higher and higher, attracting the onlookers to tacitly form a circle and cheer them on.

"These two idiots..." Youyou held her forehead and was really reluctant to admit that she knew these two.

Chapter 310: Mediocrity and the Crown of God: Mediocre People Make Trouble (VIII)

Screw-Gum nodded. "What you want to eradicate is the blind faith of the clerks in 'genius'."

"I simply listed my doubts. As for the answers... they will reveal themselves," Latio said calmly. "Seeking with a negative mindset is also a form of quest, and it can also help us reach the right destination. This is a necessary process for a group of mediocre people to achieve enlightenment."

"You are more of a 'doctor' than a scholar."

"Well, goodbye then. I hope to have the opportunity to meet you geniuses again in the future. I believe that then, it will be just like today..."

Latio lowered his brows and glanced at the vibrant spiritual fire within the container in his palm. His grip suddenly loosened. Before the crisp sound of the container falling to the ground could be heard, the blue flames had already climbed all over his body like a living thing.

"A farce, a lot of trouble. In the end, it's just..."

“It’s just a waste of time.”

"He placed his right hand on his chest, saluted Screwgum, and then disappeared into the flames without looking back."

"..."

"After the incident was over, Xing also received a message of praise from Heita, but she didn't care about that. She wanted to know how Ester was doing now."

"Hearing that Ester had recovered well and was able to work in the fields, she felt a little relieved. Her only regret was that she still hadn't found the [Phase Spirit Fire]."

"Forget it, just consider it as Ruan Mei owing me a favor, which is worth even more. So let it be." Heita didn't seem to take it to heart.

"Thanks to Mr. Latio," Xing added.

"Who is that?" Heita suddenly asked.