Hours after the Dragon-Forest Battle ended.
Outside the ruins of the industrial park, deafening engine roars finally signaled the belated arrival of the Hero Association's logistics and disaster investigation teams.
As dozens of heavy trucks and specialized vehicles, all bearing the Hero Association's emblem, carefully drove into the area, everyone inside fell into a deathly silence.
After dismounting, the captain of the logistics team, a veteran accustomed to disaster sites, dropped the cigarette from his mouth with a "clatter" and even forgot to pick it up.
"My God... this... was this really Z City's Industrial Park before?"
The scene before them could no longer be described as merely 'destroyed'.
This was clearly a natural disaster!
Inside a top-floor office at the Hero Association Headquarters, its thick curtains making it airtight.
Expensive cigar smoke swirled, blurring the faces of several figures behind the conference table.
They were the true controllers of this behemoth named the Hero Association, a group of businessmen who only cared about profit.
"Hmph... Tornado, that guy, is still so reckless with her power; she destroyed an entire industrial park again."
"The cleanup and public relations costs will be another huge expenditure."
A corpulent dark figure, holding a cigar, said in a deep voice, his tone full of displeasure.
"Money is a minor issue," another voice rasped, "The key is the material... a Dragon-level Monster that can absorb resentment to self-strengthen and also possesses the ability to control corpses... This is top-tier material, something you can't just stumble upon!"
"Several major clients pre-ordered months ago, and these undisciplined S-class heroes... what a waste!"
"Alright, since it's already happened, there's no need for regret."
"As long as Monster disasters continue to occur in this world, it's an endless business opportunity."
"..."
The people in the shadows fell silent, but the greed and ambition surging in the air were more turbid than the aura of any Monster.
The Hero Association was not entirely composed of heroes.
After two and a half years of rapid development, the deep waters beneath this behemoth had long become murky.
Heroes were responsible for eliminating Monsters, while others were responsible for maximizing the value of disasters.
Life or death was irrelevant.
...
...
At the same time.
Underground in Z City, the Monster Association.
"That's strange, why are there continuous earthquakes out of nowhere? And these abnormal earthquakes seem to originate above ground?"
Armored Gorilla scratched his head, his voice muffled and full of confusion as he mumbled to himself.
As he was thinking, a graceful, slender figure zipped past him with a "whoosh," her wings vibrating rapidly, carrying a fragrant breeze as she flew away in a hurry.
"Mosquito Girl..." Armored Gorilla instinctively called out, "Why are you flying so fast?"
"Bug God ordered us to sign for a delivery!"
Mosquito Girl's soft, charming voice came from afar. She quickly responded, then suddenly stopped mid-air as if remembering something.
She raised her fair hand to cup her pointed chin, muttering to herself, "Oh right, he said 'us'..."
The next second, she gave a sly smile and flew back without looking, her wings vibrating even faster: "You're big, so you can sign for it alone!"
"Bug God has already agreed to let me establish a blood bank from the newly captured prisoners; I'm going back to drink my afternoon tea beverage~~! Bye-bye~!"
Armored Gorilla watched her instantly disappearing back, a huge electronic eye roll appearing on his mechanically modified face: "...You scoundrel."
—I shouldn't have asked you.
However, Bug God's order could not be disobeyed.
Not long after, upon arriving at the entrance of the territory, Armored Gorilla stared blankly at the scene before him.
Several abnormally strong insect-headed Monsters were unloading large, sealed freezer boxes, emanating cold air, from an unidentifiable, pitch-black cargo truck.
These Monsters were all dressed in well-tailored, uniform black suits, exuding the terrifying aura of powerful beings.
They wore sunglasses, moved efficiently, and had an imposing presence, completely unlike the chaotic and disordered wild Monsters he remembered.
"You're the one in charge, right? Come, sign here."
The leading Monster walked over. He had a streamlined, crimson carapace and a single horn pointing skyward on his head, full of power.
He handed over an electronic signature pad and a pen, speaking with the professionalism of a top salesperson in the human world.
"Oh, okay."
Armored Gorilla instinctively took it and skillfully signed his name.
After signing, he belatedly realized something.
Looking at the imposing insect-headed Monsters before him, he cautiously asked, "Um... gentlemen, what is your relationship with Bug God?"
After all...
The art style was just too similar!
If Bug God, with his pitch-black carapace, were to change his color scheme, he would look just like these impressive insect-headed delivery Monsters...
It was like they were a series of products from the same assembly line.
"No need to elaborate, Bug God is our most esteemed premium client."
The red-shelled rhinoceros beetle Monster took back the signature pad, one hand in his pocket, the other raised stylishly to point above his head, striking a pose that was unclear in meaning but extremely imposing.
"Kabuto Express Company, accelerating every entrusted delivery! Wish you a pleasant life!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly slapped an unseen device at his waist and roared deeply:
"Clock Up!!"
"Whoosh—!"
Almost at the instant the sound rang out, an indescribable current of air suddenly swirled.
A circle of white air blast erupted beneath the feet of the several black-suited insect-headed Monsters present, their figures instantly turning into blurred afterimages. In an extremely short time, beyond the comprehension of thought, they successively boarded the truck, closed the doors, and drove away... In the blink of an eye, the pitch-black truck disappeared at the end of the passage!
The terrifying air current that was stirred up made Armored Gorilla, a Demon-level mechanically modified Monster, unable to stand steadily.
He instinctively squinted his electronic eyes, his photosensitive components flashing wildly, yet he couldn't even capture the opponent's trajectory!
"...So, so fast!!"
He swallowed with difficulty, muttering softly, "The instantaneous burst of speed is actually this fast... These guys, each of them is probably no weaker than me!"
"The Monster Association indeed... hides many powerful experts!"
He turned to look at the group of startled guard Monsters behind him, finally regaining some of his cadre's prestige. He casually pointed, "What are you guys standing around for!"
"Help me carry Bug God's things into the warehouse."
"Be careful, all of you, don't bump them! These are Bug God's things!"
The Tiger-level guards immediately nodded and bowed, scrambling forward to help with the moving.
"Yes, Overseer!"
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