Popularity is everything; I play a super genius

The Golden Warhawk didn't even glance at the "troublesome bug," its entire attention focused on the delicious food in front of it.

The sharp beak of the eagle opened and eagerly pecked down at the head of one of the children!

"No—!!" Huo Mu roared, his eyes filled with despair.

Some people gasped, some dared not look, and some closed their eyes.

It’s over.

It's all over.

Just when everyone thought they were about to witness a horrific scene of carnage and the gruesome deaths of children—

"Sorry, am I late?"

A figure wearing a white mask descended from the sky and appeared behind the two children.

He reached out and gently covered the two children's eyes, which were blurred with tears.

"Close your eyes, don't look."

A gentle admonition, mixed with a chilling murderous intent, was strangely mingled in his calm voice.

The next moment—

"Zheng—!"

A flash of sword light.

There was no earth-shattering display, only an extremely condensed, extremely fast silver line that seemed to cut off light for a moment, swept past in front of the Golden Warhawk.

"唳——!!!"

The excited cry of the Golden Warhawk suddenly twisted into a shrill, painful, and unbelievable scream!

Its massive, lunging body froze less than half a meter from the child.

Immediately afterwards, a smooth, mirror-like line of blood appeared on his body and spread rapidly.

"Crack-!"

The massive eagle's body was neatly split in two along the bloodline!

Scalding hot entrails, fresh blood, and broken bones, like a collapsing garbage mountain, crashed to the ground, filling the air with the stench of blood.

Meanwhile, the other eagle witnessed her beloved die a gruesome death right before her eyes.

With a fierce roar filled with extreme grief and indignation, it forcefully broke free from Liuli's mental control.

They recklessly changed direction, pouring all their madness and hatred onto the masked killer who suddenly appeared.

With a doomed attitude, they charged desperately towards Qiji!

However, it barely made a move, and hadn't even managed to get a few meters out—

The sword that had just killed its beloved Musou was casually tossed away by Saki.

The longsword transformed into lightning, piercing through it in an instant.

Then, with tremendous kinetic energy, it firmly nailed his body to the hard rock wall behind him.

The sword vibrated and hummed, and the mother eagle's corpse twitched twice before becoming still.

One moment they were in a hopeless, suffocating situation with no chance of survival.

It was all because of the boy wearing a pure white mask who appeared.

In the blink of an eye, danger was averted.

The two ferocious and powerful second-tier superior gold-splitting war eagles were instantly killed.

"Holy crap! Hagiwara is so reliable!"

"You can always trust Lao Ji!"

"Who says an invincible sword can't be in two places at the same time? Speak up!!!"

"He's so gentle with children, he seems like he'd be a great dad!"

"Ji Bao! I want to have your babies!!!"

Such dramatic ups and downs are truly exhausting.

For a moment, no one could even react.

An eerie silence fell over the scene.

Only the night wind howled through the bloody stench, and the heavy breathing of the crowd could be heard.

Once the smell of blood had dissipated somewhat, Qi Ji withdrew his hand from the children's eyes, gently patted their trembling little heads, and indicated that they were safe.

Then, he turned to look at Huomu.

"Hey, are you alright?"

However, upon seeing the injuries on the other person's body, Qi Ji's expression changed instantly.

Huo Mu had a wound that went through his chest, and blood was gushing out, staining his clothes red.

It can't be just a rumor...

A mere fatal wound, right?

Just as Saki was worried about Hōki, the latter, supporting himself on the rock wall, shakily stood up on his own.

"It's alright, because I can still stand up, so it's alright."

Upon hearing this, Qi Ji carefully examined Huo Mu's chest.

A moment later, I breathed a sigh of relief.

The seemingly fatal penetrating wound on Huomu's chest was slightly off-center from his true heart.

At this moment, I couldn't help but think of the other person's "indestructible cockroach" character in the drama.

He thought to himself: No wonder he's the protagonist of the anime.

To be honest, he was really scared just now.

If the main character dies after only three episodes of an anime series, wouldn't that be a disaster?

Luckily, this kid is tough.

It was at this moment that Sha Na, clutching the wound on her shoulder, limped closer.

Her face turned cold as she looked at the horrifying wound on Huo Mu's chest.

"Please, before you try to be a hero, at least figure out your own limitations! Can you please not be so impulsive?!"

"I'm sorry," Huomu said, bowing his head.

Seeing Huo Mu covered in injuries and bowing his head in remorse, Shan Shan's anger subsided somewhat, but his expression remained grim.

"Next time... don't do such reckless things."

Huo Mu scratched his head, grinned, but didn't nod.

"I'm sorry, I know I was too impulsive this time."

But if I had to do it all over again, I probably would still do the same thing.

Therefore, I cannot agree to your request.

I can't promise others things I can't do myself.

Upon hearing this, he was instantly enraged.

If Huomu said that, wouldn't she seem like the bad guy who was telling others to stand by and watch someone die?

But under those circumstances, preserving manpower was clearly the right choice!

The Golden Warhawk needs her and Firewood to work together to barely hold it back.

If Huomu were to die on the spot while trying to save two children who could not provide combat power, the already fragile balance of power would collapse instantly!

How long can she hold out against the war eagle alone?

Then, what if she dies too?

Everyone will perish here!

……

……

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Greatness needs no further explanation.

Of course, it was clear that Huo Mu hadn't thought of all that when he rushed out.

It was purely an instinctive reaction.

So, this guy is a complete idiot!

She hates idiots!

I especially hate these kinds of reckless idiots who act without considering the consequences and only act on impulse!

"You idiot! Do you even understand anything?!" Her chest heaved with anger as she pointed at Huomu and yelled, her voice rising involuntarily.

"You don't have the same effortless strength as Saki! What can you do by rushing in like that except die?!"

"But... even without power, I have people I want to protect! Isn't it only natural for adults to protect children?"

Seeing that even though he had apologized, Shana was still holding onto him, Huomu's stubbornness flared up.

Ultimately, he didn't think he had done anything wrong.

Is it wrong to protect children?

Seeing that the two were about to have a big argument, Qi Ji finally couldn't help but shake his head with amusement and stepped forward.

He reached out and gently ruffled Huo Mu's blood-stained red hair, saying:

"I'm just a kid myself, why pretend to be an adult?"

After being unexpectedly patted on the head by Saki, Huomu froze, his mind even going blank for a moment.

In his memory, only his father had done this to him when he was very, very young.

And that... was nine years ago.

Why do I suddenly miss that bastard of a father...?

Although that guy is a sinner in everyone's eyes.

but……

In my memory, my father would carry me on his shoulders, through the crowded night market, and buy me lots of delicious food.

Everyone said his father was a sinner, but his father never made him feel like he wasn't a loved child...

As he thought about it, Huo Mu's eyes welled up with tears, his throat tightened, and he momentarily forgot what he wanted to say.

Seeing this, Qi Ji withdrew his hand and then spoke to Huo Mu:

"Hikaru, you should try to understand Setsuna better."

You said you wanted to be a hero, right?

But you should know—

The hero is not the one who saves everyone.

Because such a person doesn't exist in the world.

No matter how powerful you are, there will always be times when you are powerless.

For example, if I hadn't arrived in time, had you considered the consequences of your impulsive actions?

That Tier 2 high-level war eagle requires you and Setsuna to work together to restrain it.

But if you fall, how long can a person hold on in that instant?

But what if Setsuna also falls down after that?

Do you think the remaining people have any chance of surviving?