Mister Zero, Her Story: Chapter 58 – A Death-Defying Act
Dark clouds churned in the sky, the relentless rain continuing.
On the battlefield, shrouded in a twilight gloom, countless figures radiating a soft, white light stood motionless.
They were the deceased, their final wills solidified by their convictions, seeking to fulfill their unfinished business.
They were…
—Heroic Spirits.
And the one who had brought them forth was the small, frail, silver-haired girl standing before them.
The Heroic Spirit soldiers looked at Luo Yan with gratitude.
“Director Hua Qiling often spoke of you, but I never really paid attention,” Lin Ze chuckled softly. “But today, I realize… I was wrong, Miss Luo Yan.
“If there truly are benevolent ‘gods’ in this world, I think… perhaps they are like you.”
Lin Ze’s form began to fade, the Heroic Spirit’s will dissipating.
In his final moments, he and the soldiers behind him saluted Luo Yan with the highest honor, their expressions solemn.
“Miss Luo Yan… thank you… sincerely…”
As his voice faded, the Heroic Spirits vanished.
Luo Yan stared blankly at the scene, something stirring within her.
She was usually emotionally detached, rarely experiencing strong feelings.
Even something as natural as “smiling” required conscious effort.
But at this moment…
“Rest in peace.”
Luo Yan stood in silent mourning for these ordinary, yet unique, lives.
This sorrow… she seemed to have learned it long, long ago.
And Hua Qiling, unconscious on Luo Yan’s back, shed silent tears.
…
“A Primordial Demon’s aura has been detected at the southwestern front line… no, to be more precise, the ‘Witch of Envy’.”
“Duration: five minutes and thirty-six seconds… previous longest duration: three seconds.”
This news quickly reached Lin Cheng and Li Ping.
It was bad news.
But…
As the “Witch of Envy’s” aura dissipated, good news followed.
The southwestern front line… had held.
Although the details of the battle were unclear due to the heavy casualties, one thing was certain: Alyxsia, the “Mobile Fortress,” who had been attacking the southwestern front, had retreated due to serious injuries.
And the cause of her injuries was related to the “Witch of Envy.”
Dawn’s best chance to reinforce their isolated team within the city… was gone.
Yan City had miraculously repelled the first phase of Dawn’s attack.
Although the situation was still dire, with other front lines under attack by Dawn’s elite teams, they had stabilized for now.
But…
“Did the ‘Witch of Envy’ come to help us?” Lin Cheng’s expression was strange. “Have we ever… made a deal with a Primordial Demon before? She seems to be… protecting us?”
“…Even if we had, it wouldn’t be to protect Yan City,” Li Ping said helplessly. “A ‘demon’ is the embodiment of destruction. She would likely prefer to see a ruined Yan City.”
Primordial Demons weren’t without personalities, but their personalities were… twisted.
Or rather, their personalities, from a human perspective, were twisted.
Because they existed as concepts, not living beings, understanding them from a human perspective was inherently flawed.
Unless… they became living beings.
Perhaps then, a “Primordial Demon” would possess human emotions, not just a conceptual personality.
Of course, this was just speculation; there were no such records.
“Well, holding the line is good news, and Hua Qiling is still alive, but…”
Li Ping glanced at the mission report and fell silent.
“Just say it, I know about Lin Ze,” Lin Cheng whispered.
“He’s dead,” Li Ping said softly. “And… they couldn’t find his body.”
When Luo Yan had last appeared, there had been no other ordinary soldiers nearby.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have dared to use the domain of her “Envy” ability.
Within the domain, the dead could become Heroic Spirits, but the living…
“…Expected.”
Lin Cheng’s voice was calm.
But Li Ping, who had known him for years, could sense his pain.
However, as City Lord, in this life-or-death crisis, even the death of his own grandson on the battlefield…
Couldn’t break his composure. He had to remain calm.
Even if such calmness… was cruel.
“What’s the situation with the trapped Dawn team?” Lin Cheng asked calmly.
Li Ping glanced at the reports.
“The latest report hasn’t arrived yet, but according to previous intel, Qin Wen’s ambush has eliminated over half of their forces. They’re currently facing a final counterattack from their ‘Peril’ level ability user.”
…
…It was more than just a counterattack.
Myers knelt on the ground, surrounded by corpses.
Yan City guards, and his own team members, lay scattered, the rain washing over them.
Blood stained the ground.
Although Myers could still fight…
The message from his communicator shattered his resolve.
“Myers… there will be no reinforcements. I’m sorry, I kept you waiting,” Rhine’s sorrowful voice echoed in his ear.
“Alyxsia’s final attack has failed. Please attempt to break through. If you can’t… we will mourn your loss.”
Myers gripped his weapon, his eyes bloodshot.
“How could this be…?”
His team members had fought and died to buy him time, to wait for reinforcements.
And yet… they had failed.
A mere Yan City… how could they be so strong?!
Even “Mobile Fortress” Alyxsia couldn’t break through…
Myers slowly stood up, covered in blood.
“Brothers and sisters…” he whispered, his voice filled with despair. “There… will be no reinforcements…”
The five remaining team members, huddled around Myers, heard his words clearly.
“What?!”
They were shocked.
They hadn’t expected Alyxsia to be defeated.
She hadn’t even breached the first line of defense…
Dawn’s first phase of their operation had failed.
Break through the western front, rendezvous with the southwestern front, then dismantle Yan City’s internal defenses one by one…
They hadn’t even completed the second step.
And Myers’s words meant that Team Four… was likely to be annihilated.
Trapped and surrounded by Yan City’s forces, their destruction was only a matter of time.
Despair washed over them.
The Yan City forces watched them silently, countless pulse cannons ready to fire.
Qin Wen stood before them, her swords at the ready.
No matter how strong she was, she was still just a “Ruin” level ability user.
Even with the support of the “Ember’s” energy, fighting Myers was a struggle.
In fact, Qin Wen’s injuries were far more severe than Myers’s, but the “Ember’s” power was keeping her going, keeping her holding Team Four here.
And unlike the despair of Team Four, the Yan City guards had received news of the victory at the southwestern front line.
Their efforts had paid off, their morale boosted, their resolve to annihilate this Dawn team strengthened.
“It seems I let you win this round, Hua Qiling,” Qin Wen’s expression was slightly frustrated, but she smiled faintly. “But… you did well.”
Since Hua Qiling had completed her near-impossible task, she, with her comparatively easier task, couldn’t afford to fail…
Otherwise, it would be a huge embarrassment.
“I absolutely… won’t let a single one escape!”
Qin Wen suppressed the churning blood in her chest, six swords floating behind her.
…She had already broken twenty or thirty swords in this battle. If she hadn’t brought so many spares, she would be out of weapons.
Meanwhile, Team Four was making its last stand.
“Captain, you’re the strongest, escape on your own!” one team member whispered.
“We’ll stay behind and hold them off… Don’t worry about us, just break through!”
“Let us be your shield. You’re more valuable to Dawn. Even if there’s only a sliver of hope… we have to give it to you!”
The team members urged him.
Every member of an elite team was a battle-hardened veteran.
They quickly recovered from their despair and, although their hands trembled, realized their last chance.
They were close to the southwestern front line, which, although holding, was severely damaged.
If he just wanted to escape… Yan City’s remaining forces couldn’t stop a “Peril” level ability user.
With Myers’s strength, he could escape.
“No,” Myers shook his head. “I can’t do that.”
Using his team members’ lives to buy his own survival…
How could he?!
“Captain…”
The team members wanted to argue, but time was running out.
The next wave of attacks from the Yan City forces was imminent, and the southwestern front line was likely being reinforced.
If they delayed any longer, their last chance would be gone.
“I… alone… can’t escape.”
Myers whispered.
He looked up and saw the single sword among the Yan City guards, its sharpness piercing his gaze.
It was the Sword Saint’s sword…
Even at “Ruin” level, it was incredibly sharp.
Unlike Hua Qiling, who relied on the city’s defenses, Qin Wen was fighting a “Peril” level ability user with her own strength.
Although she had the support of the “Ember’s” energy, it was still a remarkable feat.
And the pulse cannons were mainly targeting the other team members, not a threat to Myers himself.
Because of this…
Myers knew he was the only one who couldn’t escape.
Qin Wen wouldn’t let him go, even if his team members sacrificed themselves.
Rhine, on the communicator, knew this, which was why he had offered his condolences earlier.
But… what if it was the other way around?
“You break through, I’ll hold them off,” Myers said curtly.
He would hold back Yan City’s forces, allowing his team to escape.
With his strength, if he was willing to sacrifice his life, holding them off wouldn’t be difficult.
And he knew that if Yan City had to choose between killing him or his team members…
He would be the one to die.
“No, we can’t…”
“Captain, compared to us… you…”
The team members were shocked by his decision.
“There’s no time, go.”
Myers took a deep breath and ignited his soul.
The burning soul brought unprecedented mental strength, squeezing every last drop of spiritual energy from his body.
A terrifying aura erupted from him, forcing the Yan City guards to retreat.
“But…”
“Don’t let my sacrifice… be in vain.”
Myers whispered.
The remaining team members exchanged glances, their expressions filled with grief and resolve.
They knew that if they stayed, it would only be a meaningless sacrifice.
“I’m sorry, Captain…”
Fighting back tears, they took advantage of the opening Myers created and fled towards the southwestern front line.
Watching them go, a faint smile appeared on Myers’s lips.
“I should be the one apologizing… I promised to bring everyone back safely… and I broke my promise.”
“And you were wrong.”
“To Dawn, I am no more important than you.”
“Because every member of our family… is crucial to Dawn.”
He murmured, as if speaking only to himself.
“They’re breaking through!”
The Yan City forces immediately spotted the five fleeing Dawn members, all pulse cannons targeting them.
Even Qin Wen prepared to unleash her sword formation.
But just then, a blazing figure appeared above the Yan City forces, Myers’s hysterical roar echoing.
“Yan City! Sword Saint Qin Wen! Listen well, your opponent—”
“Is me!”
In that instant, a small sun seemed to appear in the dark sky.
A desperate light in the endless rain.
Dim, yet resolute.
Dawn’s Twenty-Third Cadre, “Peril” level ability user, Myers.
A death-defying act.
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