The reconstruction of M City rapidly commenced under the swift actions of the Hero Association.
Countless engineering robots and workers swarmed into the ruins, attempting to restore order to the city in the shortest possible time.
However, faster than the rebuilding of steel and concrete was the spread of information.
Within an hour, the news that "The Strongest Man on Earth, Mr. KING, single-handedly annihilated the Dragon-level disaster Vaccine Man" swept through the entire Hero Association network like a Category 12 online tsunami.
And with an unstoppable momentum, it quickly fermented and topped the headlines of all news media.
Accompanying it were several blurry photos taken from a distance by a surviving hero.
In the photos, massive chunks of flesh gruesomely covered the entire plaza, and that man—Mr. KING—stood in the center of the blood and minced meat.
His burly back was stained with dark red spots, as if he had just completed an insignificant hunt.
That face, covered with three terrifying scars, was utterly stern, seemingly declaring that any Weirdos who dared to threaten humanity would meet such an end.
For a time, the entire network was abuzz.
"Oh my god! Is this the S-Class Hero reserve? This is too strong!"
"Annihilated? Did you hear? He annihilated him! That monster who turned City A into hell was annihilated by Mr. KING in one move!"
"Look at that gaze, that aura, this is The Strongest Man on Earth! It's so reassuring!"
"The Hero Association finally did one thing right! Let him be promoted to S-Class quickly!"
The public's adoration, shock, and ecstasy, like mountain streams converging into a sea, transformed into an invisible tide, surging towards one direction—Mr. KING's apartment.
However, the center of this storm was, at this moment, peaceful.
"Oh oh oh! As expected of Lili Jiang, twin pigtails really suit her the best!"
Inside Mr. KING's apartment, Lin Mo was wearing headphones, intently staring at the TV screen.
On the screen, the CG animation of "xin dong jie mei (heartbeat sisters)" was playing at its climax, accompanied by his nervous murmuring and the crisp sounds of controller buttons, creating an exceptionally "lively" atmosphere.
He was oblivious to everything happening outside, and he didn't care.
For him, saving the world was far less important than dating a virtual character in a game.
Just as he was about to make a crucial choice that would determine Lili Jiang's affection level—
"Ding-dong—"
The crisp sound of the doorbell rang without warning, like a basin of cold water poured on his fiery heart.
"Who is it?!" Lin Mo impatiently took off his headphones and paused the game.
Being interrupted at this critical juncture made an inexplicable anger rise in him.
He put on his slippers and walked grumbling towards the door, looking through the peephole.
Standing outside the door was a middle-aged man in a suit, with a serious expression and an unusually large nose, followed by two assistants in similar attire.
Lin Mo's memory quickly searched; wasn't this Sitch, a high-ranking executive of the Hero Association?
"What is he doing here?" Lin Mo's heart skipped a beat, and his heartbeat involuntarily quickened.
Almost instinctively, he took a deep breath, straightened his somewhat wrinkled T-shirt, and when he opened the door, his face had already adopted a stern and indifferent expression.
"Something wrong?" Lin Mo's voice was deep and hoarse, and combined with the three scars on his face, it was full of oppressive power.
Sitch outside the door, the moment he saw the door open, his heart suddenly constricted.
He clearly heard a "thump-thump" sound from inside the door, like the roar of a huge engine.
That sound was full of power and majesty, as if a sleeping prehistoric beast was awakening.
Emperor Engine!? The rumors are true!
Sitch's prepared official speech was instantly intimidated by this invisible aura, becoming somewhat stammering:
"M-Mr. KING, hello! I am Sitch, the head of the Hero Association headquarters. I apologize for this abrupt visit!"
He respectfully handed over a gold-embossed document, "We are here specifically to inform you of something."
"Speak." Lin Mo was concise, but his heart was pounding: They're not going to assign some troublesome task, are they? My Lili Jiang is still waiting for me!
Sitch swallowed, enduring the pressure from the Emperor Engine, and solemnly announced:
"In view of the unparalleled strength you displayed in the City A Weirdos incident, and your outstanding contributions to protecting the public, after a unanimous vote by the Hero Association High Council, we have decided—"
"To officially promote you to S-Class Hero, with an initial ranking of sixth!"
"Furthermore, the Association will allocate an additional thirty million Japanese yen as a bonus to commend your achievements. The bonus will be deposited into your account within three minutes."
WDF!
S-Class sixth? Thirty million?!
Lin Mo's pupils imperceptibly widened for a moment.
Although he knew this would happen, hearing the news firsthand, especially the impact of that string of zeros, still made his heart waver a bit.
However, this subtle change in expression, in Sitch's eyes, was interpreted with a completely different meaning—
This Strongest Man on Earth seemed… not satisfied with the S-Class sixth ranking?
That's right, with his ability to annihilate Dragon-level Monster, this ranking might indeed be somewhat unfair to him.
But… thinking of the top S-Class Heroes—Blast, who is rarely seen, Terrible Tornado… Blast goes without saying, he has made significant contributions to the Association, and as for Terrible Tornado… they might fight, right?
Old Man Bang might not care, but we can't let him feel disheartened, and Atomic Samurai isn't an easy person to deal with… Sigh… It's better to appease Mr. KING first… Thinking this, Sitch lowered his posture even further: "Mr. KING, the ranking is only temporary. With your strength, you will soon be able to…"
"I know." Lin Mo calmly interrupted him, reaching out to take the document.
He just wanted to get rid of these people quickly and go back to his game.
With thirty million in his account, he could even consider buying a top-tier gaming setup!
This indifferent attitude not only didn't offend Sitch but also surprised and touched him a little.
Lord KING is not only extraordinarily strong, but also quite considerate… He must understand our difficulties, too.
Sitch bowed to Mr. KING from the bottom of his heart and bid farewell: "Then I won't disturb Mr. KING's rest."
Closing the door, cutting off the outside view, Lin Mo leaned against the door, let out a long breath, feeling his legs go a bit weak again.
Dealing with these important figures was much more tiring than playing games.
It was at this moment that a cold system prompt, like a waterfall, poured into his consciousness, filling his entire field of vision!
[Admiration from Citizen A! Energy Points +1!]
[Shock from Citizen B! Energy Points +1!]
[...]
[Detected extreme awe from Hero Association executive "Sitch"! Energy Points +30!]
[Detected fighting spirit from S-Class Hero "Superalloy Darkshine"! Energy Points +150!]
[Detected scrutiny from S-Class Hero "Atomic Samurai"! Energy Points +200!]
[Detected disdain and curiosity from S-Class Hero "Terrible Tornado"! Energy Points +300!]